James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Oct 2, 2008 21:41:52 GMT
He stared straight ahead, eyes fixed on the spot just beyond the end of the long staff he held loosely in front of him. For a moment he remained frozen in position, breathing evenly, every sense stretching to breaking point. James Viridian may have spent countless hours in countless years over his life training and practising his karate and other martial arts but there was always some talent to hone or failing that then there was always moves to be practised, routines to go over and keep his body flexible and in practise. So much so that in some cases it was as though his muscles knew what to do without his conscious choice, letting his mind slow and calm himself.
The air around him was cool, a faint breeze touching at his face and at the silk black and gold ‘pyjama’s’ he wore. James had long since discovered that so long as he made sure to keep himself as quiet as he could – thereby hoeing another skill – he was allowed to use the rooftop of the apartment building as an open training room, news that had no doubt come as a great relief to his long suffering flat mate.
Breathing out, it was as though some starting noise had been sounded, something inaudible to the rest of the world, a whisper on the wind that commanded movement and in a flash James was in motion, the Bo Staff swinging out towards air, cutting through it with a satisfying noise. He followed in on the lunge with another hit and then another, stepping through each movement with the familiarity that was born out of long practise. He liked this set, found each swing helpful to his mood and to thinking through the events of the day.
As he moved, slowly going around in a rough circle on the roof, James wasn’t aware of any flash of colour that signalled he wasn’t alone, but as he turned for the fourth time, hitting once on the left and once on the right, James became aware of a scent that could only belong to one person. As happy as he was to know she was here, he wasn’t finished, speeding up the movements.
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Oct 2, 2008 22:04:52 GMT
She had worked at the Golden Dragon a little longer than she usually did that day, having found the apartment empty save for Gotham upon arriving home. Nancy Felding had had an idea as to where James had gone when she had discovered that he wasn’t there, so she had changed into a pair of pastel purple lounge pants and a white tee shirt. With no intention of leaving the apartment again now that she had finally managed to get home from work, she had decided that she would simply dress comfortably. A pair of rarely worn flip flops later and she had been on her way to the roof, figuring that that would be where her friend had ended up.
Nancy had let herself out onto the roof as silently as she could, closing the door behind her. She knew that James was good at blocking out what needed to be when he was practicing, but all the same, when she saw that she had been right, she was glad that she had attempted to be quiet. There was no sense, as far as she could see, in doing anything that might actually disturb him, even if she imagined that she would have to set off an explosive device, get herself into trouble or show up with some sort of fluffy animal- or threaten to- if she was actually going to succeed in disturbing him.
Finding a good place well out of the way, Nancy stopped to watch him practice. She wasn’t sure if he had realized that she was there or not- probably, but there was a chance that he hadn’t- but she wouldn’t announce her presence until he was done.
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Oct 6, 2008 20:05:56 GMT
The area he trained in, when he was actually in the area, was almost like another part of his mind and body. James was aware of what when on within the scared space, even if it wasn’t actually on a conscious level, with unimportant things being relegated to the subconscious parts of his brain, such as rain or birds landing on the roof. Nancy on the other hand, was anything but unimportant and so he had noted her entrance but chosen not to stop his set of movements. James knew that to stop before he was ready would only disrupt his mood and make him irritable for the rest of the night. If such a thing was possible, James would even say he was addicted to his nightly training.
With a final deep breath in and then out, he twisted the staff, hands moving impossibly fast for a human as the wood danced between the twin set of fingers. The intricate hand work was the usual end signature for James’ pieces, his way of signing the solo, original training exercises he had created and used, the staff flying into his left hand and held horizontally. “How was work?” he asked suddenly, still staring ahead out over the cityscape of roofs and lights, although James wasn’t truly seeing them but something in his minds eye. “Any famous visitors?”
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Oct 21, 2008 17:14:25 GMT
She knew perfectly well that James had known that she was there the second she had stepped out onto the roof- he had proven himself to be good at that, even when he didn’t seem to notice anything going on around him. She also knew how irritable he got when he stopped his routine before he was finished and Nancy personally preferred to stand back and let him finish so that she wouldn’t be on the verge of strangling her best friend, though, naturally, she’d never really do such a thing. She had learned quickly to simply sit back and let him finish up his routine each night because it was so much easier on both of them when she did.
When James finished his routine and asked his questions, Nancy gave a little snort. “It was okay, but the memorable visitor of the day was more infamous than anything. Remember Chihuahua Lady?” She had told James all about how the woman dubbed ‘Chihuahua Lady’ around the restaurant had tried to sneak her ‘rat dog’ into the restaurant in her massive handbag but had gotten caught when the dog had started making a ruckus. “She was back today. With two of them. She started screaming for the boss when she was told she couldn’t have the dogs inside and she wasn’t at all happy when I told her she couldn’t have the dogs in the restaurant. Never mind there’s a sign on the door that clearly says ‘No Pets Allowed.’” She gave a little shake of her head. “Anyway, how was your day?”
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Oct 26, 2008 19:28:19 GMT
Everyone was entitled to their own little oddities surely, and one of James was simply finishing what he started. It was his way of working through the stress that slowly and surely built up in his body while he was awake, the subconscious guilt and pain at simply being alive when everything he had known about himself, his family and the world pointed to him having died long ago. To die would leave Nancy and Gotham alone though and James didn’t want that. He didn’t really want to die at all, not really but there was always that near silent voice in the back of his mind reminding him of what he hadn’t done, taunting him and implying he had failed his family. So he fought, his solo training sets battles against the voices, silencing them completely. For a while at least.
“Ah, Chihuahua Lady,” James replied, a small grin slanting onto his face. As if he could forget the story and the expression of disgust that had appeared on his friend’s face as she had relayed it, not least her reaction to the hysterical claim from the lady that she had something against dogs and was clearly a dog hater. Gotham and both their other sides might have something to say about that flight of fantasy. “Fine, had a new member to my beginners class, she’s got some natural skill and seems keen for the right reasons, if she keeps up the commitment I’m thinking of offering her some one on one training, she appears to be the sort that thrives on challenges and the speed of the class will probably become too slow for her after a while.”
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Nov 3, 2008 22:32:36 GMT
There were oddities and then there were annoyances, the former turning into the latter when someone began insisting that what they were doing wasn’t wrong at all, especially when someone else pointed out that it wasn’t as okay as they thought. Everyone had oddities- Nancy certainly had a few herself- but she liked to think that hers didn’t actually bother anyone. If they did, she would have done everything she could to put an end to it if she knew about it. She could deal with James’ oddities- she had been for centuries and she was well and truly so used to them that she really didn’t notice them any more. They were simply part of who he was and, while everyone’s oddities were that way, his didn’t annoy her. She could act like they did sometimes, especially when she was in a mood, but truth be known, when she complained about them, it was just so she did have something to complain about. She never really meant it and she hoped that he knew that.
Chihuahua Lady was a nightmare; that was a woman whose oddities had passed over the line of annoyance with a massive, flying bound. Her claim that Nancy was a dog hater had very nearly made the werewolf laugh in her face, but Nancy had managed to keep her composure and be as polite as she possibly could have been in the situation. She would have loved to pass the woman on the street while she was walking Gotham because it would have been almost like saying ‘See what an idiot you are?’
“Definitely a lot better than Chihuahua Lady. As someone who’s benefited from one on one training with you, I can say that it’s a great way to train when you need a challenge.” She gave a grin. “At least, until you kick her down a hill…” That had been completely her own fault and she had laughed her head off about it, but she liked to tease James about it sometimes, especially considering that he hadn’t even touched her when she did that and they both knew it.
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Nov 21, 2008 21:35:18 GMT
He leaned a little on his staff; not enough to put any real weight on it, certainly not enough to damage or bend the wood in any way. It was merely a symbol, an illusion to let both himself and Nancy know that he was relaxing, that he was listening to her words. Even if her words turned out to be an insult to James and his training. Grin or no grin, Nancy was pushing her luck with her teasing. James knew it was only teasing of course, but he was fully prepared to act back in kind, because really she would expect nothing less of him.
“You mean until she leaps backwards off a hill in an attempt to feign an injury and get sympathy while her poor friends have to run around doing everything for her?” James asked, a grin of his own on his face, remembering the incident. If only camera’s had been invented when that had happened, it would have been amazing and a good thing to look at in the moments when he wondered if he had somehow been to blame for the flight of the Nancy.
“Sounds like someone wants another challenge of her own.” He added after a moment, looking away from her again and gazing out over the rooftops once more, practically inviting, no begging her to try and land a strike while he was unprepared. It was one of his favourite ways to test his pupils, to see if they could with Nancy being one of the few who had ever truly caught him like that. But not often.
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Dec 4, 2008 18:40:52 GMT
Of course she would expect nothing less of him. Most of the time, that was why she did what she did- to get a similar sort of action out of him. James could oftentimes come off as being far too serious and, by now, he should have known that she simply wouldn’t let that fly very often. He had to be willing to dish out what she served up in equal portions or he would never make it through with his sanity. Or something like that. How Nancy phrased such things in her mind always tended to depend upon the day and her mood.
Nancy put on her best hurt face. “You know I’d never purposely do something like that! Tossing myself down a hill is too dangerous. I might mess up my hair.” For whatever reason, she had felt the sincere need to add that last part. It was just so silly. “Of course, having you do everything for me is worth it…”
Whether or not Nancy took up such a test was something else that depended on her mood. Sometimes, she just didn’t like trying to land any sort of strike while his back was turned, feeling it unfair and cowardly even if James was better than her and had the senses and reflexes of a werewolf to back him up. Then other times, it was just way too much temptation to pass up. With his back turned, his head was in the perfect position for her to smack the back of it or ‘test’ his reflexes, whichever she chose as being the more appropriate course of action at that particular time. She never failed to be amazed when she actually managed to catch him off guard enough to get such a strike in because it happened so very rarely. Nancy had been known to accuse him of having eyes in the back of his head because such surprise attacks rarely worked, no matter how silently she moved.
Narrowing her eyes slightly as she studied James, she moved away from her spot silently, switching her gaze to the city around them, though she kept tabs on his position from the corner of her eye. Maybe she could get lucky enough to get in a quick smack to the back of his head. That was always entertaining. She would just have to see how close she could get without him turning towards her. If he did turn towards her while she was making her silent approach, she wanted to have the excuse that she was just looking at the city available to be used.
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Dec 26, 2008 16:16:32 GMT
It could be cowardly at times and outside of such a training test, to strike at an opponent while their back was turned was likely to get you a rebuke from the instructor if it was in a match or practising, possible disqualification if you were in a tournament and… well, you would probably win if you attacked a ‘real’ enemy while their back was turned. It was still a cowardly, almost despicable act, but when it came to James’ test it was different. For one thing, he knew that any blow Nancy might aim at him would be light, more a smack than anything else. The point wasn’t to hurt but simply to prove that you could land a touch, through skill, sneaking and brains.
Every time Nancy managed to ‘win’, James couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride along with the knowledge that if or when the time came, Nancy was able to defend herself solo. That didn’t mean that he was in any hurry to leave her like that, or that he was going to go easy on her – James might love that feeling of pride that came with it, but such a feeling could only occur if Nancy honestly beat him. There was no point in letting her win, it helped done of them in the long run and only upset them both in the short.
There was also more to sneaking up on someone than simply being quiet. It was a state of being; and right there James was starting to sound like a Zen fortune cookie. Harness the power of the ninja inside of you and all that. No, there was nothing overly spiritual about it; it was simply knowing the area well enough, knowing your opponent, knowing the slightest change in air space and breathing. Nancy invariably evened her breathing out when she was preparing for a strike, making it deep and steady, to prepare herself. It was a clear indicator to James, but one he could only pick up on because he knew her so well and as he stood there, apparently relaxed, examining the city, he was well aware that she was moving.
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Jan 3, 2009 3:14:39 GMT
The only time Nancy would hit someone from behind- aside from doing so to James in order to see if she could get close enough for a playful smack- was if someone’s life was in danger. If it meant that she or someone else got to continue breathing, she would attack from behind without a second thought, figuring that living outranked cowardly actions any day. She wasn’t the sort to launch an attack that someone couldn’t see coming unless it was simply playful or deathly serious circumstances.
In one of her actual spars against James, who was really the only one she ever had the chance to spar with, she always made sure he would have the opportunity to see any attack coming. She wasn’t so addicted to winning that she would do something underhanded to accomplish it. No, if she came out the victor in a spar, then she wanted it to be real, not the result of some underhanded tactic. That was the only way to do it.
Playful sneak attacks, though, would always have a completely different set of rules. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been sneak attacks. And really, it wasn’t like they were real attacks to begin with.
Nancy, honestly, probably never would have forgiven James if he let her win and she found out about it. It really didn’t help anyone in the long run and she wanted her rare ‘victories’ to be real, not something fabricated by her best friend. Naturally, winning felt great, especially when it was against James since he was the one who had taught her everything she knew, but a false win wasn’t something that she wanted.
Checking her breathing as well as her step, Nancy moved closer to James, still being as nonchalant as possible. Had she known that her breathing was a give away as to what she was doing, she would have tried everything she possibly could to figure out a way to cover that up. As it was, her tell was probably the easiest thing in the world for James to pick up at the moment. Once she was close enough, she swung out, aiming a light smack at the back of his head even as her eyes remained on the view from the rooftop.
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Jan 18, 2009 0:00:35 GMT
Life was rarely as clean cut or as easily defined as the training courts and sometimes James wished that wasn’t the case. His early life had been so much simpler when life had been defined and governed by such a definite and easy to understand set of rules and morals. This thing was the right thing to do, that thing wasn’t. Your own life was worth such an amount set against that of another, and if the balance was in the other’s favour then you did everything you could to protect and save them, even if that meant loosing yourself in the process.
Then he and his brother had entered the real world after loosing both their parents and things had become greyer, harder to define and harder to decide what was worth what, without the comforting guidance of family. James still knew – believed – that to launch an attack from the rear was a cowards response, done because they the person thought there was no other way to win the fight but he had to be honest, if landing a backwards strike was the price to pay for saving a life, then it was one James would endure gladly.
A faint smile appeared on James’ face, although with his back to Nancy there was no way for her to notice it and therefore realise that he was fully aware of her actions. The whole point of a tell was that the person didn’t realise it, because if they did and they managed to control that tell then another one would just appear in its place. James was completely sure that he had at least one such tell of his one, even after all his countless years of training.
As the arm swung out, James ducked down and to the side, gracefully dodging the attack without even moving his lower body. He remained frozen in his avoid pose, just as Nancy remained still in her outstretched arm, each holding the movement for a few seconds before James relaxed and stepped back. “Not bad Nancy-Girl,” he said approvingly. “Better strike attempt this time.”
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Jan 19, 2009 19:48:40 GMT
Except for the short time when she had thought that she was alone after her parents had died and before James had proven that he had not died as well, Nancy had always had someone there to help her figure out what was right and what wasn’t. It wasn’t that she had ever been incapable of figuring that out for herself, but it was always easier to make the right choice when there was someone there, especially when it was someone that she didn’t want to disappoint. She could certainly make the right decisions on her own (most of the time) but it was certainly nice having someone there that she could ask the opinion of when there was any doubts about it.
Had she been in a position to see James’ faint smile, she might have simply attempted a playful tackle. It wouldn’t have been the first time and it wouldn’t have been the last. Training was serious, yes, but at times like this, a little fun was too tempting to pass up. Then again, considering they were on the roof, she might have thought twice about a tackle. One of them was bound to hit the rooftop from it and that wouldn’t have been an exactly pleasant landing. She would have figured out something. As it was, though, she simply went with the plan.
A plan James promptly “ruined” by ducking the smack.
“You might think it was better, but it wasn’t good enough.” Nancy could be as hard on herself as anyone sometimes. Right now, she was somewhere between being playful and completely serious in her statement.
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Jan 21, 2009 19:16:03 GMT
Everybody needed a little help now and then, it wasn’t weak to admit that. Indeed, it was generally considered weak to otherwise act so strong, to pretend that you were untouchable and that you never ever needed another being’s help. It was hard at times, to admit that you couldn’t make this particular jump on your own, but it had to be done and even James had come to Nancy for help, guidance and overall support.
It was a good thing then, that she hadn’t seen the smile because James didn’t really fancy a swan dive off the roof tonight. The building was rather tall, even for a werewolf and while he didn’t think the landing would kill, it would probably hurt a little, unless they were able to land on the rooftop itself, instead of going over the edge.
“You’re starting to nearly hit me more and more.” At first glance, his words hardly sounded as a compliment but he meant them in that way – when James and Nancy had first begun to train together, she wouldn’t even come close to landing a blow on him. A small shrug appeared on his body, the quick up and down motion. James didn’t believe in hiding the truth or offering meaningless platitudes to try and make people feel better. If they had done something worth of praise, then he simply told them so and Nancy had done well. Better than anyone he had taught today at least.
|
|
Nancy
Rogue Werewolf
Chef/Owner: The Golden Dragon
Posts: 15
|
Post by Nancy on Jan 21, 2009 20:13:45 GMT
Nancy could be a stubborn little thing sometimes- she knew that perfectly well- but she did also know when to get over herself and ask for help. She relied on James’ support and guidance; in her mind, there was no one better to rely on. She knew that he would do anything at all that was within his power in order to help her and she thought- and most certainly hoped- that he realized that she would do the same for him. She thought that she had proven this over the years and since James had never been impossibly thick, she thought he did realize it.
Not being in any sort of mood for either of them to go plunging off the roof, Nancy simply moved over to him and propped her arm up on his shoulder, leaning against him a little as she did so. It was a comfortably causal position that would probably leave her sprawled on the rooftop if James moved too quickly. That just went to show how much she truly did trust him.
She knew that some looked for compliments often, but they, most of the time, didn’t know how to take what they could get. Nancy, at least, did know how to do that.“ And someday, maybe I’ll actually be up to fifty percent of the time.” Now that, she felt, would be a landmark event.
|
|
James
Rogue Werewolf
Karate Instructor
What am I leaving, when I'm done here
Posts: 14
|
Post by James on Jan 21, 2009 22:19:17 GMT
Sometimes? Try every time and in James’ mind you were closer to the truth. Stubbornness was her middle name and sometimes the word he added after ‘Princess’ whenever she was being particularly determined about something. There was nothing wrong in it and he had to admit she did occasionally accept that she needed help in the more serious aspects of her life. Otherwise she saw her goal and focused on that, ploughing ahead, her stubbornness insuring that she eventually achieved everything she set out to do. The growing fame of The Golden Dragon was proof enough of that.
He let her lean against him, drawing comfort from the proximity of his friend. James often felt honoured that she trusted him and hoped that she knew how much he trusted her – although the simple fact that he had turned her had ensured that he would help her, it had been the trust and esteem he had held Nancy in that meant he told her everything he had about his past and his life. Right now, James felt he could stand like this forever, the two of them against the world, feeling the air and in a way escaping the city that was at odds with both their childhoods.
“And upon that day I’ll know I’m getting old,” James joked, teasing grin back in place.
|
|