DC: 2011-08-08 - Training Exercises: Testing Limits

Hawkgirl called you on the cell phone she purchased you again to set up a meeting place and time. Really, it ended up being an alleyway where she picked you up to bring you to the roof top in question. It's a large one, the wind blowing a little hard, but it only makes things a little more challenging rather than impossible. Hawkgirl's wings fold in behind ehr back as she tests the stability of the tarred gravel roofing. It appears to be good, not a whole bunch loose. It's a new building, so that helps.

The young Mr. Unknown lands on top of the rooftop, in a balanced stance, before straightening up and bowing to Hawkgirl. "Thank you, Hawkgirl-san," Mr. Unknown begins, as he adjusts his fedora on his head, and bows. "It is a bit windy, though... will you be all right?" Not that he is sure what Hawkgirl intended today. Training, or discussion?

"Just fine, I can't even feel it," Hawkgirl admits. "I can fly quite fast you see, so weather and wind speeds do little against me." She then smiles, but the smile isn't as friendly as before...it's a little predatory. "Today, we shall start training. First, I want to test what you currently known, and listen to you describe the training you had with the original Mr. Unknown."

The young Mr. Unknown looks on nervously at the smile, before nodding, as he takes on a practiced martial arts stance. Very practiced, close to a master level, but with enough gaps in his defense posture that someone with years of experience can tell is well practiced for one-on-one combat, but not so much for melee. "As you wish," he says.

Hawkgirl nods and suddenly moves to unclip the crosspiece over her chest. She soon drops her wings down to the roof top. She then takes a martial arts stance, a basic one it appears. A beginner's? But when she moves, it is not a beginner's, but someone with decades of practice and training. Her movements are strong and confident, but she is holding back so not to accidentally brake you. She isn't aiming to hit you right now, but to test your defenses and see what you return attacks are. Hawkgirl uses her fists, elbows, knees, and feet. She doesn't stay in one place, but moves to push you around, balancing on her high heels as if they were her bare feet. "Hand-to-hand training obviously, but what about weapons? Dealing with multiple fighters? Tactics?"

Pulling back slightly with each blow to get the measure of range, power and openings that this figure has before he could decide how to counter-attack, Mr. Unknown remains quiet, apparently not used to just talking during combat. It's only when he has enough of a chance to block and close in to prevent easier range attacks that he replies, "I can use them, I tend to improvise, but I do better with nun-chakus and range weapons. I can fire a gun. I've been working on dealing with multiple fighters more recently." He pauses. "Uh... tactics? I just let him handle that."

"Alright, the first thing to remember is to get to know everything. You may not be proficient in it all at first, but knowing tactics can often help prevent you from getting in over your head. Furthermore, guns are often frowned upon in the hero community, so be careful. Best to use alternative projectiles. Darts, bow and arrow, throwing knives, and so on. Many of them you can strap to yourself and hide them with ease," Hawkgirl informs you.

"I know many say knowing a little can get you killed, but in this case, you know not enough about too much. You need to expand your knowledge, to soak it in." She is moving faster now, pushing you. "Realize that anything can happen in battle, and if you die, there is no promise that you will have saved those that mattered."

"It is much quicker," Mr. Unknown says, as he steps back, allowing Hawkgirl to decipher the next move. "I could use them, but they're less certain in combat. They give me far too many decisions to make." He hesistates, before sighing. "Isn't it bad to have too many options?"

"Perhaps, I would likely choose a single throwing weapon to carry on you. Likely darts or throwing knives would be best...throwing stars maybe, if you want to stick with theme," Hawkgirl teases you a bit. "Using a gun in manners to not kill, is difficult and requires a lot of training Mr. Unknown. That is not training I have time to provide you right now, then again, I'm not even sure I can do it. I am an excellent markswoman, but my aim kills." She seems to have no regret about that. "I am proficient at throwing stars however if you would like to use those."

"Blowdarts, perhaps..." Mr. Unknown suggests. "It is easier to aim a gun than to throw objects." He frowns. "But weren't you just lecturing me about how guns are frowned on? How could you possibly be using them?"

"In one of my past lives, I lived in what one calls now the Wild West," Hawkgirl informs you. "I was a hero of sorts then, and we didn't mind hanging criminals back then," she advises you, her expression hardens then. "My father was a sheriff of a small town out there when he was murdered, I was just a kid. I never forgot though, and I worked hard to bring justice, alongside Nighthawk." She then relaxes a bit, "If you research some of the old articles from the western towns, you can read some about Nighthawk and Cinnamon. In either case, I'm not your typical heroine. I treat killing as a last resort these days, but to me, it's still a resort."

"I..." Mr. Unknown pauses. "May I question why it is all right for you, but not for me? If not, I shall obey." He glances towards Hawkgirl, before making a note to try and look up what she says. Not that his research skills were the best, but it seemed to be one of her unspoken tests, as well, if his mentor was anything to follow.

"You can ask," Hawkgirl says. "It's because I'm willing to accept the concequences, the potential blacklash from other heroes, from law enforcement, and even from my own friends. That is a blacklash you don't want to deal with so early in your career Mr. Unknown. Things are different now than when I started out heroing, when the Justice Society was first founded," Hawkgirl advises you. "People are way more liberal, about criminal rights, and right to a trial, and so on. Some are willing to let things slide if there is no other way, especially ex-military, and warriors such as Hawkman and me. But there are only a handful of us that think of killing as an option, ever."

A heistant nod. Not really something Mr. Unknown could count on anyway. "I have not used a gun in our work. It is something that I was asked to have knowledge of, if ever it becomes required," the young vigilante says. "But I will accept it. Is there anything else you require of me?"

"Yes, think fast," and Hawkgirl is moving. A sweep of her leg toward your own legs to try and trip you, her wings are off so she can send one flying to knock you off balance, so instead she is adapting it. Sending out an arm to try and catch one of your wrists to tuck you a specific way even as she moves to trip you. That is, if you don't think fast enough.

It takes a second to translate that in his head, a second too long as Mr. Unknown is already being tripped. Still, his reflexes are fast enough that as he takes the trip, he goes with the flow, flipping over backwards and using the grip on his wrists to grasp, and pull down to try and reverse-throw.

Except that the strength in that hand is...powerful indeed, inhumanly so. It isn't letting go, and Hawkgirl seems as if she is about to be thrown anyway except...she's flying! And up you go as well! She grins, "What are you going to do now? I have superior strength, and I held back on my speed, I also have flight. What do you do in a situation like this?" She is challenging you to think in a very unexpected manner, completely different from the testing earlier to get to know your own limits and knowledge.

How did it go... thumbs only work one way, so twist against it such that she can't -hold on-. Even great strength required that leverage. Make her focus on one wrist then quick with the other, to try and free a hand. The knee goes up right between her legs, not for an attempt at a blow, but for the automatic reaction so that she herself will give him the leverage he needs to pull himself up and headbutt the hell out of her nose. Not the wisest of ideas, but...

Suddenly, Hawkgirl's thumb starts to bend outward. It doesn't move easily, her strenght is impressive, but it does move. As a result, her grip on your wrist loosens. Now, you aren't exactly on the roof top, so you are trying to attack with your knee and pull yourself up to her level with only her loosening grip on your wrist, and your grip on her thumb. No...not the greatest idea. Honestly, she just drops you! Not that it is far back to the roof top, only about a foot to foot and a half. Still, it's doubtful you can hold on via her thumb. She groans, "You are crazy. Your first move was good, but the others?" She sighs. "What were you thinking?" Well, it still got her to let go! "Better to follow first with a knee attack to the kidney, and then the thumb release trick," she advises you. "You would want to move quickly before you got off the ground too far, that the fall would hurt you. But don't leave your opponent without feeling a sting for their brief victory."

"I wasn't," Mr. Unknown admits as he rubs his tailbone. "It's not something I've done very often, fighting in mid-air." He frowns. "I still think I would have been better able to handle you if you had been just flying at me." Hmmm. A bit of impertinence from the rather stoic Japanese! Or was that Jiro and not a cultural imperative?

Hawkgirl actually chuckles at your mild back talk. "But you cannot always control how your opponent reacts to you, especially as you primary deal in hand-to-hand combat." Hawkgirl lowers herself before you. Apparently she doesn't need the wings to fly. The better you get, the more you can control situations, but right now...you are at a stage that you react more to situations than control them. When you grow into your own, you will feel the difference when you fight."

"There is nothing to forgive Mr. Unknown." Hawkgirl steps forward and places a hand on your shoulder. "Apologizes are best when they are truly sincere anyway," she says, with an amused little smile. "Everyone gets frustrated when they are learning the realities of battle, it is different from one-on-one combat training with another normal human. I have faith that you will excel, and grasp the concepts that will keep you alive and an effective hero. I'll go patrolling with you sometime soon, and we can practice some things, and I can explain some tactics in specific situations. Anyway, it should be fun getting to beat up bad guys."

The young man almost smiles at that. "I will admit, I do not fight alongside others often. Practically never, as there can only be one Mr. Unknown out there."

"Well, you have a friend and ally now. We will fight together, as a team," Hawkgirl promises. "Not just as mentor and pupil. I offered to train you, to provide you with the experience I have, but I don't see myself as any better than you," she states firmly. "Just older and more seasoned."

Now there's a wider smile, as Mr. Unknown apparently seems enthused by the prospect. "Thank you, sensei... ... sempai?" He considers. "Will your husband join us, as well?"

Ooooh, Hawkgirl looks flattered at first, then guilt. She holds her hands up in a pray motion, "Can we not mention this to Hawkman yet? I umm...haven't told him yet," she finally confesses. "Our little secret for a few more weeks." She winks at you. She's a wily little thing when she wants to be!

The young man blinks, and then wrinkles his nose. "If you wish," he says, although there's a slight hint of nervousness in his voice. Was that really such a good idea?

"Great! I'll fix a good homecooked meal for him, and spoil him for a little while before I break the news that he has to share me. Alright, I have a plan of attack." Great, she looks at her marriage as a battlefield. There is a reason getting between the Hawks is concerned beyond insane. She then moves to give you a hug. "Let's get you back down to the ground. I have to get back home."

Were all American women so ... huggy? Mr. Unknown accepts the hug tentatively, doing just the bare minimum to assure it was acknowledged. "If it's all right with you, I would like to try and get down myself," Mr. Unknown says. "I'm still in need of working out the... problems? in the trip."

"Sure. I'll watch from close by just in case you need me, but I'll let you figure it out on your own." So, Hawkgirl is your saftey net, but she's letting you do it on your own and not telling you how. She moves to pick up her wings and snap them into place. The flap and she soon lifts up into the air.

Mr. Unknown glances around, considering. No fire escapes. Too tall. He regards his grappling hook gun warily. Too short as he recalls. He glances at the next building over. Too far. There's a moment as he briefly considers how well his cape would hold up, before he sighs, and considers the simplest option, as he pulls out his cell phone.

"Hello...? Hawkgirl-san? You're correct, I cannot get down..."

Hawkgirl doesn't laugh, she doesn't even giggle. She merely soon flies into view and offers her wrists down to you. "Come on up then, my friend," and she smiles warmly at you. She seems happy to help, rather than amused at your expense. She really needs to get ahold of Mr. Terrific to get some better equipment for you. Hopefully he will be able to assist soon.

Reaching up to grasp Hawkgirl's hands, Mr. Unknown seems embarassed. As they fly off, he sighs. "Being on a budget... < ...sucks. Sucks so very much. >"