1972/Tentacular Training

Tentacular Training
Date of Scene:	13 August 2017
Location:	Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Yana begins to teach Alexia how to use her powers for both defense and offensive purposes. Beginner's class.
Cast of Characters:	Black Rose, Tendril

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Black Rose has posed:
    A note had been slipped under Alexia's door, after Yana had talked with Dani out in the backyard. It'd read simply: Meet me in the gym at 1, after lunch. It'll be fun, promise. - Y.

    When Alexia gets there, one of the teachers is showing Yana how to operate some of the more basic controls. Said staff member had, of course, locked down some of the more dangerous features, but was willing how to show her to change up the program as she was really asking for something quite simplistic.

Tendril has posed:
    Since she was asked to come to the gym, Lexi has changed into her usual workout clothes..a somewhat skimpy leotard, mostly fitted to exposed as much skin as she can. She could wear more, but then it tends to get ripped if she forgets and sprouts a tendril in a covered spot. She hesistates, then swallows, taking a deep breath, before she pads over where Yana can see her, hanging back a bit as she doesn't want to interrupt. She's barefoot, and ends up lingering just beyond the control room doorway.

Black Rose has posed:
    "Hey," Yana says, looking up. She's in a similar outfit as she was yesterday, a pair of tight-fitting yoga pants, tight half-top, and a loose zip-up hoodie. "Go on, step inside. This is going to be pretty easy. It's just going to be some training dummies, you, and me. Like you'd find in a martial arts studio, or at a military training camp."
    With the instructors help, she presses a few buttons to begin the simulation, which then pops up exactly that, a large room, not too unlike the gym they're already in. Except now there are 8 standard, wooden dummies, each of the dummies is armed with a blunt club, and each of the dummies seems to be on some kind of mechanism which will allow them to spin around.
    "So, tell me what you think your strengths are. Like, what you think you really do well. And what you think you do the worst, with your tendrils."

Tendril has posed:
    Lexi nods, a bit nervously stepping outside obediently, then looking around as the scene changes. She relaxes a little bit at the dummies; not that she expected Yana would LIE about it, really. But it's a lot less threatening than the last experience.

    "Ah...well." Lexi says, tilting her head as she clasps her hands behind her back. "I can make ten? But I can't really concentrate on that many, y'know...maybe four of them? I mean..." She rubs her neck. "If I'm just holdin' on to something with one, I don't have to think about it until I wanna let go, usually, but if I wanna do anything complex or grabbin' stuff or pullin' myself up...just four."

    She considers, rocking on her toes a little. "I can make 'em harder. Like...rhino-skinned, or like...wood? An' I can make the tips harder than that, but it's still not strong like metal or somethin'. Just kinda bone spikes? They break if I'm not careful, an' that kinda hurts. But, um, my body is real good at, like, holdin' things shut, if I get hurt, so I don't really bleed lots...but it still gotta heal. I'm faster at tha'."

    She bites her lower lip. "Um, I can make like...grabby things with the end of 'em too. Or like, tools..like lock picks. Simple stuff, but they're not super strong an' they can break if I"m not careful. But I'm really good at pickin' locks with 'em. I can just mold a new key?"

Black Rose has posed:
    "Good." Yana seems pretty pleased with this information, "So, with some help, what we did is design this to detect if it touches -you- or, your tendrils. So, as soon as it touches -you-? Game over. Might hurt a little bit, but no harder really than getting slugged in the arm or leg, or something. Right now we're not going to work on attacking. I want to help get you some defenses. So? First, we're going to start off with some really simple exercises. All eight of these dummies are going to start spinning, in a moment, and closing in on you. What I want you to do is when they get close enough, I want you to unleash all ten tendrils you can, nothing complex. And only concentrate on just hitting all eight targets. So, you have some room for error, but not much. Okay?"

Tendril has posed:
    The other girl looks a bit unsure, but nods trustingly. "O-okay...so just...grow 'em and try to keep them from gettin' to me." she says, nodding as she steps back a bit, getting a stance ready. "An' just knock e'm down with my tendrils. I can do that..." she says, determined to do better this time. And, to some extent, to make Yana proud of her. She bounces on her toes, hands at her sides. "I'm ready!"

Black Rose has posed:
    "Right. Now, if you do that right? Then, as fast as you can, I want you to pull four tendrils in, and take them out in two strikes. There's eight. That means each tendril is completing a complex command, twice. So, first, you're defending. Then, reducing, and attacking." The blue-haired girl looks over to the staff member who is watching on the sidelines, face unreadable but she guesses if she wasn't doing good he'd intervene.
    So, after looking back to Alexia to make sure that the girl 'gets' the plan, and the intent, "Right. Here we go." And, the eight training dummies begin to spin, faster, and faster, each slowly sliding inwards on their tracks. They are (at least, this round) all moving as one force, at one time. Slow. Easy. Yana wasn't kidding. She's making this as easy as possible for what she wants Alexia to do, to begin by first building the girls confidence in something other than thievery.

Tendril has posed:
    Lexi nods as they start to move, getting a determined expression, before four tendrils extrude from her back, two from the uppr back, two from the lower...the same purplish color as normal at first. But as the dummies close the turn more grey, looking more stiff, the skin cracking into randomly formed plates that flex around it. She curls in front of them, her hands coming in a vaguely boxing defensive stance...a really terrible one, but she's trying!

    She braces for the initial impact, then swirls her tendrils out as the dummies get close, a solid thumping coming from the whirling forms as they swat at her tendrils. Other than a faint mmphs, it doesn't seem to hurt her too much. She gives a little shove against them with the four tendrils, then pulls all four back, before she punches forward. They're not as sinous as normal, certainly - it's a simply looping curve...and more a battering strike than a serpent's coil. Regardless, they smash clean through the dummies, shattering the four closest, then jerking back before they sweep out...in a move that would leave her open to a counter attack, but letting her drill through the chests of the remaining four as they get within five feet of her.

    She's not even breathing hard afterwards as she pulls them back in a resting curl behind her, looking at you. "...like..like that?"

Black Rose has posed:
    "Good," Yana agrees. "Okay, let's work on your defensive stance." She presses a button, and the training dummies disappear momentarily as Yana moves down to the floor besides Alexia. "I'm not the best, but, I can give you a good foundation. So, first, more than anything, a key to a good defense is balance. Attack, too. You want to put all your weight into your lower body, and have a low center of gravity. It's kind of cliche, but you really want to be like a young tree. Rooted, but not fixed. Able to be flexible, and to move."
    She demonstrates, bending her knees slightly and showing Alexia with hand gestures where her weight is, pointing out the position of her feet, and, finally, how easily she can move to hit, defend, to her right or her left without giving ground.
    "Now, you try."

Tendril has posed:
    Alexia does watch closely, then ums. "W-well...actually...." She raises a foot, then...leans. And keeps leaning...to where there is NO WAY her center of balance should allow her to keep standing, then returns to the standing position. "I don't lose my balance. Ever." she admits, flushing as she peers at you. "...I forgot to say that part. I mean, I used ta do stuff like run along power lines an' stuff..."

    She's really not used to telling people this sort of thing, after all!

Black Rose has posed:
    Yana's face twists to a measure of amused exasperation. "Well, then. Fine. Be that way." She looks mildly impressed, and the tone is almost humored. She touches Alexia's arm, "Let's try it again, though. But - well, use my defensive stance. I realize you won't lose your balance. That's - really helpful, and cool for you. But it'll also provide you a center of focus, for your mind, and your body, to utilize your tendrils. We're going to do the first exercise again."
    She squeezes Alexia's arm again, fondly, and then she's moving back to the panel. "Same thing. Just to make sure you're comfortable with it."
    "3 ... 2 ... 1 ...," and the dummies go again.

Tendril has posed:
    The girls' golden eyes stay on yours, as she flushes. "Oh. Right. That makes sense." she admits as you explain it, then tries to duplicate the way you have your stance. "Okay! Ready!" Her tendrils curl up as she turns her attention back to the dummies again. Same speeds..and she's a bit more ready for it now to, so it goes even faster...blocking, sweeping all four back for the strike as she smashes through them, then has rear back again. This time....she's off a bit on the strike, perhaps a bit overconfident. Three go down, the middle one keeps spinning her way as she squeaks, then lunges backwards as it goes spinning past her, narrowly avoiding it smacking her, before she swats at it with all the grace of something trying to kill a spider with a newspaper. But it works!

Black Rose has posed:
    "Your concentration slipped, but, you managed to adapt, so, great job." Yana smiles, just a little bit, nodding in approval. "Now, for the last exercise, we're going to change it up. Just a little bit."
    She hits the reset button, "Everything is the same, except the dummies are going to come at you at different times. So, you're going to have to concentrate a bit more. Look, I don't know how it all works for you, but, here's what I'd like to see you get to, for an end goal. In fact, lets just try the second, right now. I want you to get as small as possible," and she demonstrates by making herself into a 'ball', then loks back up at the girl, "And, I literally want you to make a shield with all your tendrils. All ten. Stack them, or line them up, so they're all touching each other. LIke Captain America's shield. Except, purple. And cuter. We won't do anything with it today."

Tendril has posed:
    The other girl straightens up in that sort of boneless flexibility she has, combined with that weird balance thing she's doing. "....at at once?" she says, little uncertainly. "LIke, holding them stiff in front of me, curved on or, like, wrapped around me like a ball?" Her tendrils shifts as more start to sprout though, another two from each arm then one from each leg, before she tries to a bit awkwardly layer them together, winding them together, before she tries to stiffen them again. "This way?"

Black Rose has posed:
    "Good. A little like that, yes. Good start. Here's what I want you to do. Do that, ten times a night before you go to bed. Think of it sort of like this - when you first - you know, gained your abilities, when you changed, you had to work a little at controlling the tendrils, right? You had to work, figure out things. The more you used your abilities, like making your little grabbies for fine manipulation - lock-picking, the better you got at it, right? This will be a really good defensive mechanism for you if there isn't cover. Or, could give you an edge in a fight. The more you try it, use it, the easier it'll become. LIke flexing a muscle."
    Yana looks pleased, "But, lets get back to the main exercise. Two times. So that's the second form of defense I want you to get down. But the first, and the only one we're -really- going to work on now, is kind of like a whirlwind defense. For when more than one person is attacking you. So, realy people won't all attack you at the exact same time, right? Neither will these dummies. I want all ten tendrils out, and try whatever you think would work best. You can spin in place - you've got the balance for it, you can whip them back and forth like a wave or like wind currents, or you can try and just whip them individually in base directions. Same parameters, though. Don't let them hit you, or we start over."
    Yana pauses, watching her friend, noting, "Now. Let's see if you can continue to kick this sessoins ass, yeah? 1 ... 2... 3..."
    And, just like she promised, one dummy moves forwards. Two seconds later, another. And then #3 and #4 at the same time, followed by, another half-second later, #5 and #6, and then another half second later, #7, followed immediately by the last.

Tendril has posed:
    Oh, there's homework now? But she does listen, frowning a little thoughfully as you explain why it's important. "Well..um...sure, I can do that. Don't think Dani will mind. Or I can go outside for it...." she allows. She can see the benefit, at least...she's just never though about looping tendrils together like that into a shield, from her expression.

    As you go back to the main exercise, she tilts her head. "....all ten?" she says a little, considering, then the leg tendril retracts, emerging again as a new set push out over her hips, closer to where the other sets are. She assumes the stance you showed her before, a little sloppily, but mostly where it needs to be, before the dummies start coming at her. And...she spins. With suprising grace, rising up on her toes as she steps, her body whirling a bit like a ballerina as she she lets her hands trail out around her.

    On the other end, there's mild chaos as the spinning tendrils whip through the air, building up speed as they flex...but it's that last burst of power she'd normally use to smash out that eludes her. She's not putting out nearly as much strength this way, because she's not timing it well. The first batch of dummies go down easily...the second, a bit more sloppily.. 5 crumples, but six gets a hit that isn't enough to stop it...which also throws off her spin a bit, but it doesn't affect Alexia herself at all, as she effortly shifts into a new balance postion, the next revolution shatering the sixth.

    However, the seventh comes at her....and she's not ready as two tendrils hit it, reflexively wrapping around it as she actually jerks herself to a stop, then lets out a little shriek as the dummy comes flying at her, before there's a powerful flex and the tendrils wrapped around it just rip it right out of the ground, twisting it like she was wringing out a towel as it shatters. She pants a bit, then looks a little frustrated with herself.

Black Rose has posed:
    "Good job," Yana encourages, nodding, approvingly. "No," she agrees, "You didn't succeed the exercise, -but-, you also managed to not get hit. You still were able to adapt. And, really, when it comes to actual combat? That's what you're going to have to do. The purpose of this exercise is to get you to think 'outside the box'. So, we're going to try one more time. Then, we'll take a break for a day or two, okay? Got one more in you?"

Tendril has posed:
    The pant disappears as you talk, Alexia quickly recovering even in the short rest she has, flushing a bit at the compliments. "R-really? O-okay, Ill do better!" she says, getting a more determined expression as she steps back into position. "I'm ready! Do it again!"

    And this time, when they come at her, she's a bit more careful with her spin, but she tries to flex at random times, cycling quickly through the tendrils. Again, the first one shatters easily. The second and third go down, though the fifth catches a tendril that's not flexed, which still take off the dummy's head, and the followup tendril shatters clean through both. The fourth, the fifth...a little shakily still, but she adapts, holding two tendrils at slightly different levels so she has a better chance of smashing with one of them...which actually works pretty well. And by the time it gets to the last, she's recover her technique again, as not one but three smash into the dummie, reducing it to splinters."

    "I DID IT! I DID IT!" she squeals, running over to you to jump on you, hugging you tight, the tendrils trailing behind her like a cape almost as she does.

Black Rose has posed:
    Yana was not expecting Explosive Hug <tm>, but is nevertheless so 'victimized'. She makes an odd sort of sound as she's jumped on, but she's strong enough to catch Alexia, all the same, "You did it," she agrees, with a wide grin, her eyes locking onto Alexia's, warmly. There is a moment, then, a moment when she realizes this would be the perfect moment to kiss Alexia. She wonders, in that moment, if she should. If that would make Alexia more loyal to her - or if that, with Tabitha's apparent interest in the lovely girl would cause her further strife. She wonders, in that moment, if she -wants- to kiss Alexia.
    The moment passes, and Yana merely hugs Alexia tightly, and offers, "You just stick with me. Do what I say. Always. And, we'll be unstoppable. Promise me you will, yeah? No matter what? Team Awesome?"

Tendril has posed:
    The other girl is oblivious to your realization..and likely just as unaware of how her curvy form feels in the skimpy battlesuit she's wearing pressed tightly against you too. But the moment passes, and she releases her tight hug after a moment, taking a step back and beaming up at you as she drops her arms to the side, then clasps them behind her back, beaming big. "Sure! Always. And you'll be an even greater leader! An' you can lead Team Awesome to VICTORY!" She cheers a bit, a fist in the air as she giggles a bit, the tendrils retracing back into her body as she spins around a little again.

Black Rose has posed:
5tAlexia's 'cheerleading' efforts put Yana in a fairly good mood. "C'mon. Let's go get something to eat. You earned it," she tells the other girl as the program winds down. "Thanks, by the way," Yana tells the staffer, contentedly. She really doesn't think that could've gone better.
    "My parents taught me early on to, well, honestly, be a leader. Or wanted me to become one. And, with them both being mutant as well? I learned a lot. About people. About how to ulitize abilities, and think of abilities in different applications. I'm really glad you're letting me help you. I mean, like, one thing I was thinking of is giving you a belt. And - well, you know like, bullet proof vests? We could probably get something made with, y'know, sleeves for your tendrils. So when you can fully make a shield, you can -really- be a shield. Or take more damage with them, when they're blocking for you. But, enough about that."
    She exhales, briefly. "You okay? I mean, last night and all. I wanted to make sure you're cool." Note: Yana isn't asking if 'they' are cool. She knows that Alexia isn't mad at her.

Tendril has posed:
    The other girl looks a bit unsure as she walks aong with you, as you start to leave. "Well...I don't wear a lot normally...cuz it's hard to grow tendrils easily if I got lotsa stuff in the way. I have to stick to my arms or legs, an' it's harder to brace." she admits. She considers the sleeves, the giggles a bit. "That might be hard...but..." She sighs, then say smore seriously. "...but, I mean, if they get cut, it hurts, but...it's just like a cut on my back was, last time. An' I can't use it again until I have some time ta heal." She frowns. "...a belt could be neat though! And...maybe a vest..if it was really dangerous..." she agrees. "Maybe...I could have like, cloth that I could stretch out over th' tendrils or somethin'."

    At the question, she pauses, then says slowly. "...y-yes? I mean..." She squirms. "I don't know why Boom Boom got all upset like tha', ya were just tryin' ta help?" She flushes. "I mean, th' whole kissin' thing was...um...awkward, but...I'm not mad at you or nothin'?"

Black Rose has posed:
    "I know you're not," Yana reassures, warmly. "I just wanted to make sure her fit wasn't causing you any problems, or stress." She rubs Alexia's back, comfortably, easily, reassuring. "She was extremely impressive inside the simulation. Outside? Well." She clears her throat, "You and her are pretty close, I take it?"

Tendril has posed:
    Speaking of that old wound...your fingers brush across the little ripple where that bleeding cut was before. It's almost gone...in fact, the tattoo seems to be sealing over and pulling back into place too, as there's not a obvious line through it. Very quick healing, apparently. "Her fit?" she says curiously, then smiles a bit. "W-well....yeah, I mean...we've talked some, a couple times. Few times." she says. "She's...she's kinda..." She frowns, thinking. "She's...kinda hurt. I think. Her father was a real jerk. Hit her. Told her stuff about how useless she was an'...stuff like that." She looks thoughful. "...I think...she just needs, like confidence? Not, like, usin' powers, but...that she's...worth it?"

Black Rose has posed:
    "Do yourself a favor," Yana says, mildly. "If you get into a relationship with her, do it for the right reason. Don't do it because you think you can help her." She doesn't offer where this insight comes from, simply offers it. "But, I'll tell you the same thing I told Dani. One of these days, she's going to go off on the wrong person who has a temper as violitle as hers, and she's going to get hurt."

Tendril has posed:
    Lexi's gold gaze flicks to you as she looks a bit flustered. "W-what? Like...bein' a f-friend, or..." She flushes, looking down as she starts to make hand washing motions, more nervous energy than anything else. "She's not...I mean, she just likes talkin' with me, cuz we kinda got stuff in common, she's not gonna...I mean, she's...like..." She makes a weird semi-hourglass shape. "She's like you, she's, like....got pretty blue eyes and blond hair...well, yours is blue, but still... and she's all...got a neat powers and..." She inhales, then lets out a sigh heavy with teenage angst. "...she's got lotsa guys who probably are askin' her out." She scritches her cheek. "N-not, a...a tentacle girl." And that's one of the few times you've heard her use the 't' word.

Black Rose has posed:
    "Everyone wants a tentacle girl," Yana teases, sliding her hand around Alexia's waist as they walk. Her tone is light, humored. "I mean, I've got one, right? And she just told me she'll be pretty much my best friend and do anything I want, so, there's that."
    Her hand slides away, "But, you're right. She's probably not going to tell you anything. Because she'd rather drive herself down, than risk asking you out and risking rejection. But she's pretty hot on you, Lex. It's - honestly really evident. Sorry." She kisses the girl's cheek, "Everyone sees it but you."

Tendril has posed:
    The other girl leans into the hug a bit, then smiles sheepishly as you point out you're her friend, before she huffs and gives you a little squeeze before you pull away. The rest....she starts chewing on her lower lip, looking a little doubtful, but flushes a bit at the kiss on her cheek.

    "...r-really?" she says, tenatively. "But she's..." She quiets, looking thoughtful. "...it...it really is obvious?" she says, sounding a little embarrassed now. "Because...she kept...I thought she was, you know, maybe saying things and...but then she wouldn't..." The girl slows her stammering, then siiiighs. "....oh gawd, I'm just..."

    She rubs her face, then says in a small voice. "...I don't know about this stuff Yana. I mean...sure, people have, like, hit on me, but they were like...creepy...l-like Pietro, or..."

Black Rose has posed:
    "Who?" Yana's features look entirely too innocent, before she smiles, sharply. "Figured you should know, is all. It's what a real friend would do. And we're thick as thieves, we two. Nobody can come between us." And, Yana just proved it, even further. Now, not only has she saved Alexia, helped her make friends with Diya, but also given her honest information about a possible romantic interest. "I just don't want her to bring you down with her. But, if you care for her, maybe you - along with this place, can help her. I'm just saying if you -do- get into a relationship with her, do it because you -want- to. Don't do it because you want to make her happy. That's all."

Tendril has posed:
    Alexia says absently without thinking. "Just some guys...cuz they figured they'd get, like, the Pokemon set or somethin' if they could get me to, um..." She gets a deeper blush. "I just kinda avoided 'em. But I didn't really hang out with people like, my age anyway, until...." She shrugs, looking over at Yana shyly. "Like, till now."

    Se squirms. "...I...I think I'd want ta help even if she's...even if I was just her friend, but...o-okay. Not..JUST cuz I wanna help her." She agrees.

    She hesistates. "...should...should I wait? I mean...for her to say somethin' first?" She chews her lower lip again. "Is that better?

Black Rose has posed:
    "That one I can't tell you. That's something you have to decide for yourself. There is no right, or wrong, though." Yana says, casually. "Let's go head to the rec room, after a stop to the kitchen. Maybe we can catch a movie, or play some pool. Hang out, yeah?"

Tendril has posed:
    Alexia nods, then perks. "Sure! Let's see if the bigscreen is free!" she says, sliding an arm through Yana's as she tugs her along towards the elevator up.