2014-02-15 - Private Lessons

Selina had phoned Wildcat. First, she'd told the man he needed to get a cellphone, because she'd tried to call him all day. And that -nobody- used 'land lines' anymore. Then, she told him she wanted to meet him at the gym, later that evening around 8. And to come in costume.

Then, the woman had gotten ahold of Carrie. Told the girl she had something important she needed Carrie for, and to bring the Red Robin to the building across her apartment. She'd meet the young woman on the roof.

"There's a gym, on the south side of Gotham. I've heard some interesting things about it, and I want to check it out. Thought you might be of some help," she explains, to Carrie. "Do try to keep up." Yes, Catwoman just threw down the gauntlet to Red Robin. And she moves forward, running, and unleashing her bullwhip, to dance across the rooftops. It's not too long, before the duo arrive at the gym.

Carrie will notice something, perhaps, is off, when Catwoman actually uses the front door. For once.

It wasn't often that Selina called Carrie out for help. With the current 'situation' in the family the respite was something she leapt upon without asking twice. The challenge to keep up is met with a laugh as she does just that. While she didn't have a bullwhip she did have the standard issue Bat-grapple for swinging through the rooftops when simply leaping from one to another isn't an option.

Then, at the gym, she pauses with eyes narrowing behind her mask as Selina opts for the front door. Suspicion and curiosity lead her to follow though she asks point-blank, "Are you setting me up, Catwoman?"

It is an old gym. That's for sure. There are the tell tale signs though that it is a viable enterprise. For one thing it is spotless. A large glass walled dance studio is on one side. A state of the art coffee and juice bar takes up one wall. The barista is nearly seven feet tall and quite skinny. He wears a backwards cap for the Colts and a striped t-shirt. A mural proclaims: "Grant's Gym and Fitness Center." It's lettered over a stylized cat's face. Other than that it seems to have almost anything conceivable that could be used for fitness, from weights to a climbing wall.

The barista doesn't take particular notice of the new arrivals. He nods politely and sets three mugs out. One says 'CHAMP'S MUG: don't even think of stealing it!.' Then he goes over to make sure the door is locked and the blinds are shut. At that point a hidden door swings open from one of the walls.

"In a manner of speaking," says Selina, with her patented smile, at Carrie from behind her goggles and head-mask. She blows a kiss to the barista, presses a finger into his chest, "I've got -- an appointment," she murrs, and then saunters past him. "Come along, Red Robin. I -did- promise you something interesting, didn't I?" She doesn't look behind herself, to see if Carrie follows, though. Instead, she scans the area for one Wildcat.

Red Robin stares at the man getting drinks out only to stare at the man getting drinks out. Good LORD that man was tall! She'd thought Batman was tall when she was first rescued by him but this guy... Pretty tall. When a secret door is opened her attention snaps back to that making her far more aware of her surroundings again. Though she observes she doesn't rubber neck or make it obvious that she is as she follows Selina. "So you did. Usually that involves punching people in the face, though," she points out simply only to flash the man that was letting them in a quick grin. No need to be rude after all.

Wildcat steps out from behind the door and regards the pair with a neutral expression. "I'm the one decides when the face punching starts here. Is this the student you said you wanted me to see, Kitty?" He walks over to them almost on tip toe. He gives the impression that if gravity was inverted he'd land on his feet. He walks around the two looking Red Robin up and down. "No elf shoes or bikini bottom. That's a good sign. Of course the original, now Nightwing, that kid is a scrapper. Hunh. Wear your hair long. Ever get it grabbed and get yanked around in a fight? How about getting you cape thrown over your head?"

"Red Robin," Selina gestures, putting a rather familiar hand on Wildcat's arm, and wrapping her own around it, nuzzling up to the man from the side, "Meet Wildcat. He's going to help with your training, in hand-to-hand combat. And before you ask how good is he?" She smiles, mysteriously, letting the next few words hang in pregnant pause, before continuing, "He's the one responsible for training me."

"I used to keep it cut shorter," Red Robin admits in regard to her hair though the mention of the cape only earns a faint shake of her head. "I usually don't let anyone get close enough to do that." While she's circled she remains rather calm, even at ease. There wasn't an ounce of tension in her yet... she was prepared. Just in case. When Selina nuzzles up to Wildcat a single eyebrow arches only to ask, "Should the Boss be jealous?" with a teasing grin. It wasn't often she got to tease Catwoman after all. Tipping her head at Wildcat she regards him now, looking up and down with a single sweep of her green eyes. "I trust you Catwoman." Looking back to Wildcat she offers a smile--a genuine one so unlike many of the Bat family--along with, "Nice to meet you, Sir." Ooh ouch.

Wildcat relaxes a bit at Selina's caress and says, "Catwoman is my star pupil, among others, Star-Man, Black Canary. I've fought your boss to a draw a few times ... under duress of course. I'm maybe 11th best martial artist in the world and the top ten don't screw with me without a good reason. Catwoman doesn't screw with me without a good reason,which so far she hasn't found. The name is Ted or WIldcat. Call me sir again and you'll get your first, second and third lessons all at once. Ever see 'Kill Bill'? Consider me Pai Mei."

"It took me a week and a half to not get her to call me 'Ma'am'," Selina instructs Ted, patting his arm and sliding away from him. Red Robin's teasing isn't missed, though, and she, playfully and lightly, Gibbs' smacks the back of Carrie's head. She muses, "She's just got manners, Ted. Something you should work on, mm?" Behind her goggles, Selina's eyes twinkle with merriment. She then continues, "But yes. I'd like you to take her on. And I don't think Batman would mind, so much. He'll find out, eventually, of course. He /always/ does. But I'll take that up with him - you two let me worry about that." She, afterall, is perhaps one of the few people who can at least sometimes 'handle' Batman. Not always, no. But, far more successfully than most except Alfred, and Oracle. "I'll cover any costs, of course," she tells Ted.

Red Robin saw the smack coming and ducks her head forward, just a bit, so that it's not a hard smack. Otherwise she does accept it with a grin guiltily offered to Selina over the taunt. Now wasn't the time even if she had become more comfortable around the woman. "Sorry. It's habit," she admits to the usage of Ma'am and Sir though she doesn't explain why it's a habit. Instead she shifts to cross her arms over her chest in a casual manner and not the stubborn shut-off manner that usually comes with it. "Boss won't mind. I told him the other night I need more training. Nightwing's teaching Batwing and Robin's off with the Titans half the time. I've been odd one out for training."

Wildcat looks at Selina and says, "First I don't turn away a student. She wants to learn that is her business. Just like you did. Second, I can wave my usual fee for exceptional students or charity cases ... again like I did with you. Okay sweetie pie. Take a swing at me or three and then we'll talk over some excellent coffee. Stretch! Coffee."

The tall man looks over from where he's watching the door and says, "It's brewing. You can git it yerself ya cranky old bastard. Why don't y'all cut the crap and just work out a program fer her? I gotta get back to the missus. I don't want to git the shit beat outta me by Batman neither. You don't pay enough."

Wildcat growls, "After I speak with her I'm gonna hand you your ass you Appalachian graffe."

Stretch snorts, "Then you can fix your own gear. I stand by my call. Cranky. Ole. Bastid. Emphasis onna 'ole.'"

Catwoman, meanwhile, simply blows Strech a kiss, and then looks back between Ted, and Carrie. She folds her arms across her chest, not saying another word, yet. She knows better than to argue with Ted when he's in this sort of mood, and she's well aware of the man's sense of pride. That won't prevent her from breaking into his place, later, and leaving a gift for helping her out.

Red Robin remains standing with arms crossed loosely while they debate what to do about her. Stretch's teasing even gets a smile from her. For the moment her attention was on Wildcat though waiting for the signs that, yes, he was distracted. Without a word she moves into action just as she was taught--Relentless and efficiently. She was small, she was fast, and she doesn't wait for him to be 'ready' for her.

In a single motion she uncrosses her arms with fists kept loosely held up. The weight on her foot shifts back in a forward jump-kick sending her booted leg aiming right up between his legs more in an effort to earn the instinctive reaction of doubling over than hitting with as much force as she can. That's not to say it's not a serious kick though. Fast, efficient, no rules is how she was taught and with his costume it left him rather vulnerable unless he were wearing a cup. Already focused on the moment she's prepared to follow through with an elbow to his face if he doubles over.

The problem is ... he's wearing a cup.

The other problem is he's way bigger than her and nearly as fast as her Boss. It's a hard call. before he even lets out his breath in surprise he does a sweep with one massive hand catching her knee. The standard sweep is more or less horizontal. But he grabs her leg back of the knee and flips her end over end. Unless she's really fast she'll end up on the floor with her cape over her face.

"If you're going to street fight sweetie pie, you need to learn it right. Hitting the nuts won't stop a determined psycho. Ssssss." He gets into a proper fighting stance.

"Tsk," muses Selina, mildly. Still, she's smiling. And, she clearly trusts Ted to not be -too- hard on the kid. She does nothing to interfere with the lesson, such as it is, and the mixing it up. Instead, she goes to get herself a cup of coffee. But not Ted. Because he's busy. She watches the two, all the while, interested.

Flipped was one thing that Red is good at. The momentum she's flung into is embraced as she tucks end over end landing not with her cape over herself as expected. Instead she lands with one hand touching the floor in a crouch with her hair mussed and nearly but-not-quite in her eyes. Even in spite of the apparent fail she's grinning, and launching herself at him again without a word of complaint to his chastising correction.

The cape that he had been making so much fun of is grabbed and swung forward with a flourish sending it flying toward him as it comes entirely off of her leaving her unburdened by it. It's hopefully enough of a distraction that he doesn't notice she runs PAST him toward the wall. Deft feet strike as she runs partially up it sending herself into a tight backflip with boot heels tucked close together aimed for the small of his back.

Selina adds a bit of sugar to her coffee. A soft sound, a mrr, coming from her throat as she doesn't miss a single detail of the ensuing 'test', of Carrie's abilities. Astute eyes watch how Ted will react.

Wildcat bats the cape away. He turns very slightly and very quickly. As she drops grazing his side he reaches up and grabs her belt and yanks it backwards, trying to arrest her forward motion and let the yank on the belt knock the wind out of her.

Stretch scowls and says, "Ms. Catwoman make him stop. I hope Batman does show up ya big monkey ta beat yer ass."

"He can't take me!"

"Hell he cain't! Ms. Catwoman took you that one time. Hello agin Ms. C. You're looking lovely." Stretch breaks down and goes past the fight to indicate various liquers to Catwoman.

In any case the intention is to have Red somewhat under control with her back to Wildcat and held with one hand leaving him free to react. he makes sure her feet are off the ground so no foot stomping.

Belt. Oof. The air rushes from Carrie's lungs when the belt is grabbed and she helps force it out to speed her own recovery. Being winded was never a good thing she had learned long ago. Held out aloft so easily left her with little way to react.

Except to snap her hand down pressing the release on her belt leaving him with a handful of utility belt, and her falling down to the floor. Landing like a *ahem* cat on all fours she kicks a leg back toward his knee as he hadn't yet told her to stop.

Ah. The knee kick. Only a very bad fighter locks his joints in a fight. Doing that insures severe injury should some sneaky sidekick do something just like that. So her foot hits his knee and he hisses a bit in pain. Then he says, "Stop. You win. I am going to be fighting a naked underage girl the way this is going. I may be a bastard but I have my standards. STOP! You ain't too big to go over the knee you left me. Ask Catwoman about that."

"But if -I- stop him, then there's no fun for Carrie," she points out to Strech, amused, and unconcerned. And, when he cries 'Mercy'; albiet not so much because he's getting his butt kicked, but because he's slightly embarassed, also recognizes Carrie's committment to proving herself. She takes a sip of her coffee, winks at Strech. "See?"

Then she's swaying over to Wildcat and Red Robin, "He was giving me free lessons. I figured I at least owed him a little bit of fun." How much is truth, and how much is covering up is anyone's guess. Afterall, this -is- Catwoman. "Are we all friends now?" She looks between the two. Stretch shakes his head. "Y'all been watching them old video tapes of Kung Fu too damn much. That chop sockey stuff makes him crazy."

"Shaddap telephone pole," Wildcat growls. "Of course we're all friends. I'm just seeing how much of a scrapper she is. She passes. She lasted longer than you did Kitty. Here, Red, Take yer belt back before it goes splodey or something equally nasty." He drops it on the floor a second before sparks shoot from it.

Red Robin is already breathing a bit harder though it doesn't seem as if she's winded to the point of NEEDING to stop. As soon as he calls it out though she twists around depositing herself right down on the mat with legs pulling up to sit indian style. The dropped belt is reached for, quickly adjusted so that there's no potential explodey, and she grins up toward him when Selina comes back to rejoin them. "Haven't had a workout like that in awhile. I've been training Batwing and he's still a bit shorter than me. For now at least." Looking to Selina she bounds back to her feet so she can loop the belt around her again. "Course. If fighting with someone meant not being friends, I would have been out of a job a long time ago."

"She also had training," Catwoman points out, unbuffeted, by Wildcat's barb that Carrie had a better showing than she did. She tilts her head at Wildcat, "But if you need me to show you just how good I am?" Her lips curve, "Anytime, Wildcat." Still, Carrie gets an approving, pleased nod. She promises, "He'll do good by you. Promise. Figured between the tricks I'm showing you, and what he can teach you, we'll make you a force to be reckoned with, in any scene."

Stretch shoots WIldcat a look as he reaches for his jacket and heads for the door. "Night, Champ."

Wildcat nods, "Night, Stretch, best to the missus. Call me when you get in. All kinds of nuts out there." He turns back to the ladies. He regards Red Robin with a critical eye yet again and says, "You should wear your hair up. Now what else can I do for you? You obviously can handle yourself." Red Robin looks between the two, and then past them to the departing Stretch to call out, "Good night, Sir!" Cheerfully. See? Manners. As her attention turns back to Selina and Wildcat though she looks back to them seriously. It's the question that has her pause. "You were testing me. We weren't actually fighting. If we were actually fighting, I may have gotten a few shots off, but ultimately you're stronger, larger, and have more experience. I'm..." Red sweeps her hand down over herself as if offering a reveal. "I'm not going to grow any more at this point. And I'm usually going to be dealing with guys your size or larger. I can't just expect what I know now will continue to work forever and not keep learning and improving."

Catwoman just leisurely sips her coffee, giving Wildcat a rather pointed look, along with a smile, behind the cup. But she's gone back to being silent. Afterall, this is between Carrie and he.

Wildcat pours himself a cup of coffee and doctors it. He takes a sip and nods. "Stop talking to me like this is the bar exam. Stop giving me the assessments you heard from your boss and his interns, Red. Tell me in your own words what /you/ want. If I can I will help you achieve it."

"That's not..." Red looks a bit conflicted when he tells her to use her words. Those WERE her words. Sometimes she was a bit analytical. Given everyone else had coffee and there was a third mug she walks over to get herself some, too. Oddly there's no doctoring involved as she just takes it black. Without blinking she sips from it considering. "I want to learn hand to hand fighting. I'm not very good at it. I was already almost killed once just by being pinned by a guy choking me. I'd rather avoid that."

"We'd all rather you avoid that," agrees Selina, setting down her own mug. She crosses her arms, and continues to give Wildcat a pointed look. Though, she's still amused.

Wildcat nods. "How did you escape sweetie?" Now there is concern in his voice despite the sexism. He looks over at Catwoman as he asks. That. That causes Red to stiffen. The mug of coffee in her hand stays very, very still, and she doesn't say a word. "It was a long time ago. Just a point of reference," she explains turning her attention back to the coffee.

Selina's face twists, some. She looks at Carrie, then frowns, herself. Wildcat knows some of her background, and, quietly, Catwoman remarks, "Don't keep her waiting, Ted. Tell her." There's no amusement, no playing, now.

Wildcat pulls his mask back off his face to look Red in the face again. "I hate that I made you feel this way recalling that. I want to make sure that if that happens again you will come out of it all right. We'll figure out how together. Okay?"

Red Robin blinks a single time when Ted moves the mask off. It wasn't quite as stiff as Batman with keeping the identities secret she knew, but it was still unexpected. Her hands remain wrapped around the mug of coffee she holds as she listens raptly to him. A soft smile is offered back meant to be as reassuring as he was attempting to be for her. "It's okay really. I was thirteen when that happened. Since then I've survived a lot worse. But I need to make sure I keep surviving." Swallowing hard, her eyes duck down finally, and she murmers in a very teenage way in spite of the rest of her talk, "Thanks."

"I don't think -either- of you will be disappointed," measures Selina, looking up. Then, she wiggles her fingers. "Now, if you'll excuse me? I've some - things to look into. You two, don't stay up too late, mmm?" And with that, she begins to sashay out of the gym.