piratejournal | 002 - written, audio/action for the Spades

Funny how ~~shit~~ stuff [She catches the language and, out of habit, corrects it. Nevermind that the professor isn't here to scold her or tell her she has to set an example. It hasn't been long enough for habits of a year to be trained out her.] changes in a week.

Funnier still that I'm kind of getting used to it. Not as bad as I thought it'd be, actually. Not too different than going somewhere with my team. I've got good people looking out for me, too. That helps.

I don't know what to think about this place. My hunt for pyramids is going to have to wait, though. If anyone sees any, though, let me know. Especially if you've got island names. I'll see about checking them out eventually.

[Because Acpocalypse is her second priority. First, the slavers. Marco's brothers. Ending what they've started.

Then she'll worry about seeing if it could be Apocalypse behind all of this.]

Thanks,
Rogue

[After some seconds, perhaps the time it took her to decide it, she draws something next to her signature.]

♠

[Private to the Spades:]

Hey, y'all. Sorry t' be a bother.

I'm a little restless. Not bad or anythin', but I need t' blow off some of the stress. Lot goin' on in my head, y'know? An' no Danger Room t' run sims in.

So, who wants t' go a few rounds? Throw a couple of punches, practice a little? No powers, jus' a workout an' spar.

I'll be on deck if anyone's interested.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She nodded in understanding. It wasn't that kind of situation. She'd be a horrible teacher if she harmed those she was working with just to prove a point. There was much more talent to bringing it to a controlled point and stopping then there was in breaking arms or dislocations.]

[But, she did understand, and the fact the girl would consider it was smart.] Smart. If I hadn't been tracking your movements, a move like that would take out a lesser fighter. Disarm them and leave them at your mercy. Do you put a lot of thought in your actions, or roll with instincts?

Hand-to-hand I've been taught to think and move at the same time.

[She moved to sit on the railing, balancing on it. The staff waited at her feet.]

With somethin' like the staff? I don' know it well enough t' think. Just learnin' what the instinct is right now, then I can learn t' think an apply it.

[Which sounds kind of crazy, actually. Without an understanding of her powers, it probably doesn't make any sense. But Rogue isn't really considering that.]

[It actually doesn't sound so crazy to her.] Most people start that way. They pick up a weapon, start to run on instinct and swing wildly. Fight hard. Fight fast and sometimes unpredictable.

[She moved to the wall, taking up the other wooden training sword, holding both point down, hands on the butt and out to her sides. This felt better then moping about over how slow they were going in finding her brothers.]

Once you understand the weapon better that way the thinking comes easier. Over thinking things in the early stages tends to leave you with mistakes. To me it sounds, and looks like you're in the early stages of fighting with it, but have potential to go places with that staff.

[she lifted a hand to wave the girl back down to be ready.] Stay on the defensive. Block everything. I'll bring them in slow enough, but let's see those instincts in action.

[Part of her wishes Gambit was there. Right then. Because she wants to feel it again, that indestructible, inexhaustible feeling a tap from him gave. Pure energy. And the staff in her hands. Something she only just touched on using in her own training. Enough to help him in New Orleans but nothing like what she felt in the training rooms after he'd touched her.

And because the skills don't come and stay perfectly the first time. Another tap or two and she'd have most of his experience with the staff.

But Gambit isn't here. So, she has to learn the old fashioned way. Which, in a way? Is kind of fun to think about.]

Got it.

[She gets off the rail, takes the staff up, and slides into a defensive position.]

[she smiled, glad to see the girl wasn't a easy quitter.]

Alright. I'm not aiming for body attacks. Just going to see if you can keep up a defense and figure my moves. Stick to your intuition, once you get comfortable, start trying to read my movements and figure where the next might come. We'll keep going until you give or I back you into a corner.

[Right, there was space confinements to keep in mind too.]

[Haruta kept it simple to start, exaggerated swings going from left to right, right to left. Some up, some down. At first there was a readable rhythm, predictable, but then it shifted to something more erratic. A flinched move here, a round house hit there. She'll pick up the pace after a bit as well, bringing both swords in faster, to be blocked upper and lower at once, or to see if she can move from one hit to another swiftly.]

[When the movements started, Rogue did her best to let her mind go. A strange mix of freedom and control. Freedom to let the muscles Gambit knew how to use do their thing, control to keep herself just using the staff. Because she needed to focus on one thing at a time.

Now wasn't the time for integration.

Gambit's personality was gone, that Cajun drawl in the back of her head. Which made it harder to seek out and grasp his training, the way his school wanted her body to move. But she kept up with Haruta for the most part. A few got by her -- mostly when she was thinking too much -- but she kept going. When she needed to move, when her feet wouldn't hold her in one place any more, it wasn't back or forward, it was to the side, almost circling.

Trying to avoid, at least for now, getting backed into a corner.]

002 - written, audio/action for the Spades

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