3559/Bodyguard to the Bat Gets Tested

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Bodyguard to the Bat Gets Tested
Date of Scene: 04 January 2018
Location: Wayne Manor, Gotham City
Synopsis: Only not really. The women have decided that in a world of testosterone, they're gonna forge a friendship!
Cast of Characters: Oracle, Mariam O'Shea




Oracle has posed:
Bruce asked Barbara to find a way to put Mariam through her paces. It's not that hard, honestly. Barbara asks Mariam, "Hey... would you mind working out with me? I've got some decent self-defense skills, but I'm always looking to see if I can learn something new. You know... commissioner's daughter in Gotham? And..." she blushed even. "Now dating Dick? I don't want to wind up being some kind of girl hostage. I'd be mortified."

So here they find themselves, in the gymnasium of Wayne manor -- which is outfitted with a lot of mats. Because Dick Grayson was an acrobat, after all. Barbara's wearing yoga pants and an exercise top, her copper hair caught up in a ponytail. Mariam's seen her musculature in a gown -- she's defined but not like a body-builder or anything. Just... in good shape, clearly. She grins at the bodyguard and asks, "I'm not sure the easiest way to start this. I've done the police self-defense courses and tae kwon do..."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    The room is familiar to Mariam. She'd first seen it when she started teaching Bruce Wayne how to defend himself. Which led to her learning that he wasn't who he claimed he was. Not his true, dark secret though. Just that he played the fool for business purposes. It wasn't truly a lie. It just wasn't the complete truth. There is equipment around the outside of the mats. A lot of it is vintage, a throw back to an era gone by. There is some gymnastics equipment, such as a pommel horse and the rings. Free weights are off to a side. Everything is kept in immaculate condition. Alfred wouldn't have it any other way.
    To say she was a little surprised by the request was an understatement. Not that she minded. She was more than willing to share her knowledge.
    This was perhaps the first time Barbara actually got to see Mariam. There was a reason she dressed as she did for work. It hid her body. Today, she's dressed in a pair of shorts with a sports bra. She is all muscle, but not in that overly bulkly way. Little body fat combined with lots of weights had her muscles toned and cut. She even had a nice six pack. Not the softer look her clothes gave her, she was a testament of strength. Her hair is back in a high ponytail. Those sunglasses are still on her face, though there is a cord attached to keep them on her head even while fighting.
    "We can try what I did with Bruce at first. You try to hit me. I defend myself if necessary. We go from there?"

Oracle has posed:
"Sure," Barbara agrees. She's not planning on taking it easy on Mariam -- she assumes the other woman has more than earned her position, and she gives her the respect of showing that in her first attempt. The punch, parry, kick combo will land with solid //thwacks//, but Barbara also pauses at the end of the sequence and holds her position to indicate that it's not a no-holds-barred fight. Only when Mariam's responses indicate will she move again.

And perhaps many in this house aren't exactly what Mariam expects, because the six-foot-tall redhead has significant power behind her strikes. She knows exactly how to hit //and// how to pull the punch at the last second if it appears it's going to strike at full intention.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    As Barbara takes those steps to close the distance, there is the soft sound of her feet sliding over the mat. Mariam shifts her body to the side to avoid the first punch. This is being done to evaluate but Barbara did mention she had some training. So Mariam goes for a punch in response to have it parried easily by the other redhead. Fast. Strong. Nice form. Her mind is going through those bits of information even as the kick drives forward. She blocks the kick as she lets herself fall back a step, giving some room between them again.
    The woman is definitely skilled. The way she pulls her punches at that last second, not wanting to actually hurt Mariam. That earns the faintest of smiles from the bodyguard. "Don't hold back. If I get hit, it's part of the process." Then she goes for her own combination but she opts for using her legs first. A quick kick toward Barbara's head pulled back at the last second and redirect to aim for her torso instead. If it were to hit, Barbara would realize she's going to strike but not at full power, pulling her punches as well.

Oracle has posed:
Barbara takes the instruction with a grin. "Really?" Because Mariam is definitely inviting all-out sparring. "I do love a good spar. And it's hard to get." Stepping back, she takes her stance and then is in motion with a fluid grace that might surprise. The kick aimed at her head is one that Barbara knows the feint.... but it requires a split-second calculation on whether to //allow// it to hit or not. And she does, taking the pulled kick readily.

But she also uses the momentum to grab Mariam's ankle, twist her hip under the leg, and tries to throw the bodyguard over her hip.

That's //not// a legal throw.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    That surprises Mariam. She finds herself pulled off balance and knows she will be tossed. She doesn't resist. In fact she turns her body just so. As she goes toward the mats, she is tucking and rolling so she comes back up on her feet, snapping back around in a ready position, one fisted hand held chambered at her waist, the other arm up in a guard.
    She wasn't expected a throw because it isn't a move that is learned in polite company. That's the kind of move the is learned from a sensei who realizes that the student is responsible enough to have that in their aresenal. It's advanced. Far beyond police training. "Does everyone in this house have secrets?" she asks in a teasing tone. "Cause you didn't learn that one from your Daddy. Unless he's a got some special forces training along with a couple of belts." Behind her glasses, she narrows her eyes as she smiles a bit. "It's not often I get to let loose. Let's see what you can really do."
    With that, she's on the attack. Full speed, full force, yet still that slight pull at the end to keep from there being any true harm. A series of punches and kicks meant to put Barbara on the defensive then followed by a sudden roundhouse kick aimed for her head.

Oracle has posed:
Barbara can feel the balance shift that tells her that Mariam will land well, so she goes ahead on the follow-through, laughing as they both wind up in 'ready' stances on the mats. (She wasn't sure, obviously, if Mariam would just come straight back in to counter.) "Nope, didn't learn that one from my Daddy," she admits. Richard Dragon, on the other hand...

Well, let's just say you can't find many teachers better than him. At the feral grin that Mariam gives, Barbara eeks mentally. She's not sure this was what Bruce meant, but... what the hell? It'll be fun!

Her defensive stance is good. She parries the moves thrown at her with skill, but a part of her brain is cataloging where to allow those hits to connect, how to not throw the fight but also not give away just how skilled she is. It's a fine line to walk, and she maybe doesn't walk it... because the harder Mariam comes at her, the more she has to be //in the moment// rather than in her own brain. It's a failing that Bruce often accuses her of -- overthinking a fight. With Mariam, an unfamiliar combatant, she can't be in her own head. And it means that she begins reacting on instinct and training... and the fight is... perhaps significantly harder than Mariam might have been expecting.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    They both are warming up to the fight now. Things are getting more serious. Mariam is getting to actually do more than she usually can with her sparring partners because Barbara is that good. She can take it and give back. It allows some freedom. Only, she doesn't have any secrets to keep so it is easier for her. They begin to exchange blows as Barbara gets out of her head and into her instincts. Flesh impacts as blocks are thrown to keep there from being an impact. Some blows connect, allowed or able to get through.
    Barbars is good enough she might be picking up on something in Mariam's style. Something...familiar. It doesn't make things any easier. In fact, it might come as a surprise.
    They are both students of the Dragon.
    Mariam is still pulling back on the power so the blows are felt but they aren't enough to do any real damage. Maybe a bruise or two. She knows that last kick she got to the head is going to leave a mark on her cheek. Yet, she's still smiling the tiniest bit, pleased to get to face someone who is as good as she is. Maybe a bit better. It's a bit daunting for the bodyguard to learn that but it doesn't deter her one bit.

Oracle has posed:
Once into the fight, Barbara is fully engaged. And it's actually a joy -- Mariam can see the pleasure in the way the redhead moves. It's sparring, not //battling//. Full-contact sparring, to be sure, but neither is out to hurt the other. Barbara's bell gets rung when she misses a strike that takes her square in the chin. And she's pretty sure her shin will be bruised from the block-kick that she and Mariam just traded.

It's always amusing to realize how short a good fight or spar is -- if the two combatants go all-in for it, by the end of 4 minutes, they're //wiped out.// And such is the case here -- they are reasonably well matched.

Barbara herself finally taps out, somewhat breathlessly, and then laughs. "Oh God, that felt good!"

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    The smile on Mariam's face is completely uncharacteristic. She's as delighted as Barbara going by that radiant expression. "It's been too long since I got to let loose like that. Thank you for that but you weren't really truthful there. You have way more than you said in training. I thought I saw one of my old senseis in a couple of your moves there." She doesn't mention a dojo or the name. Richard Dragon doesn't just have a school around the corner. She had been lucky to get to train with him some in her youth.
    She gives a brief bow to Barbara then walks off to the side of the mats where the stack of towels are kept stacked for just that purpose. She dabs at her sweat stained face then lifts her glasses, eyes closed beneath, to wipe off around her eyes as well. The shades fall back into place before she opens her eyes. She turns back to Barbara.

Oracle has posed:
Laughing breathlessly as Mariam says that about senseis, Barbara agrees. "I thought I caught some of his moves. When I was a bit younger, I had these ideas of being a cop and maybe helping save the city. So I wanted to make sure I could take care of myself //and// have it not be that I could be used against my dad. Then I realized I really //liked// the training. So he was recommended to me as someone who would push my limits. So I kept up with my training, earned a couple of belts." She shrugs easily.

Then she bows to Mariam. "It's //really// nice to have someone to work with," Barbara admits. Bruce isn't bad, but... he's protective. Dick..." She rolls her eyes. "He's an acrobat. Holy crap, he makes me dizzy. They've all got //some// training because Bruce is paranoid about the possibility that his boys might someday be threatened." It's as plausible as anything, given the way he lost his parents.

She makes her way to the towels, using one to wipe at her face, and then picks up her water bottle. "Am I allowed to ask when you had the pleasure of learning from him?" She too keeps the name off her lips... as if perhaps just saying it might be too much!

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    Draping the towel around her neck, Mariam reaches for her own bottle of water. She takes a sip before she answers. "You can ask but I'll have to kill you if I answer," Mariam deadpans. She takes another sip of water then laughs softly, ruining the effect of what she was trying for. "I was in college. Somehow, he just wandered into my life and gave me a chance to learn. There was no way I was turning down the chance. I already had a couple of belts but he taught me so much more."
    The admiration is readily apparent in her voice. She doesn't have to explain that being in the presence of the man was all she needed to sign up for training. Barbara's been there. She knows. She's likely been effected by it. The man was a force to be recokoned with, his aura palpable. She had picked up a lot from him and then...
    She turns away quickly and mops at her brow again with that towel. No need to let Barbara see the regret there from what she did with that training. It was a long time ago but it's something she has to live with. Sure she has her expression back to her usual mask of neutrality, she glances back to Barbara. "It makes sense for all of them to have some sort of training. Are they as good as you? Cause, I'd love to spar with you anytime you like. You make me work for it and I appreciate that."

Oracle has posed:
That one Barbara isn't sure how to answer. Because ultimately, she's not sure how each will present themselves. So after she takes a long drink of her water, she responds, "You'll have to judge that one for yourself." Her grin is cheeky. "But I would love to spar with you anytime you like. It's good to have new workout partners."

Moving to sit, she asks, "Tell me I'm nosy, if you like, but what happened with your eyes? Flash injury?" She's clearly assuming a flash-grenade or the like.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    Mariam settles down as well, taking another swig of water as she does so. "Nothing so exciting," she says with a smile. I just suffer from photophobia. Extreme photophobia. They say it has nothing to do with the pigment, or lack of, and they can't find anything actually wrong with them." She sets her bottle on the bench beside her and leans back, relaxing a bit more as she speaks.
    "Usually it's a symptom of something far worse but so far, they have no idea why mine are this way. Without something to block the light, depending on the level, I can get nausea or even sharp pain. So I always wear these. Besides, it makes me look badass when I'm working," she adds with a grin.

Oracle has posed:
Barbara laughs! "Actually, they do," she agrees. "Bright lights give a lot of people migraines, so... I guess it's not that different when it's a phobia versus something like that," she shrugs, seemingly easily accepting the answer. She wips the back of her neck with a towel. "So... has this turned into an easier job for you or a harder one since you learned about Bruce not being quite as dumb as people assume?" she wonders.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "A little of both," Mariam responds before elaborating. "It's easier since now I know when he's running off for something. I'm not searching for him endlessly which is great. I'm not feeling like I'm losing my touch, which is even better.
    She tilts her head, glancing toward the mats as she considers the second half. "I'm not used to letting my clients just wander off though. I know he can handle himself, I know he has good reasons for it to keep up his fascade and protect his business. But it's completely against my instincts to let him walk away when I need to be there watching his back. It drives my brain a little crazy."

Oracle has posed:
Barbara huffs a soft laugh at that. "I can only imagine. I would //hate// to be in your shoes, honestly. I know what the facade is -- I've known him for quite a while. But... sometimes I just want to slap him. To have a bodyguard is something I'm surprised they didn't shove on him sooner -- they all only see the outside. But ... if you start feeling like somehow your skills are going to waste here, Mariam? Will you tell him? Or if you can't, talk to me? Because honestly? I think you're great at your job, and I feel better when Bruce Wayne has someone watching his back out there."

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    She turns to look at Barbara, considering that. "It won't be a problem. If I don't get to hit someone, it's a good day at work," Mariam says with a tight smile. Then it's gone as she moves on. "Besides, Mr. Fox already put in the motions with the Board of Directors. He's been swaying votes in his favor for when they have their next meeting. Four months from now, the whole thing will go away. I'll be back to protecting other people in the company instead of Mr. Wayne."
    In truth, she agrees that Bruce should have protection at all times. He may know how to handle himself but there were too many crazies in Gotham. She should know. "If you can, convince Mr. Grayson or one of the others to hire a private company. I can give you all some recommendations of good ones."
    She glances toward her lap a moment then back to Barbara. "Just...do what you all can to convince him to keep someone watching over him after I'm gone?" she says softly.

Oracle has posed:
Quirking a brow, Barbara admits quietly, "I'd rather keep //you//. Because otherwise we go through this whole rigmarole of BS with someone else." She grins. "It's entirely selfish on my part... I like you, I trust you, and gosh darn it... Bruce needs to let them know he wants you to stay! I don't want to deal with a private company who then has to be dodged around." Her blue eyes roll expressively.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    There is a small laugh. "Well, yeah, that would be another complication." Mariam picks up her bottle to take a quick sip then sets it back to her side. "I appreciate that though." Her voice is softer again, a glimpse behind her armor. "I don't have many friends." Really, any. She has associates, co-workers, and clients. Not really friends. "So it's nice having someone I can talk to. Hopefully to maybe be a friend someday." She realizes things are getting a little too heavy so she moves on in a normal tone of voice.
    "And beat up," she adds. She'd wink but it'd be lost behind those glasses.

Oracle has posed:
"I think I'd like that." It's funny how small moments are actually what make a friendship begin. In this case, Barbara looks down at the quick smile without saying anything to that thought -- but it's occurred to her as well. She doesn't have many female friends. "I think I might have won there, but I didn't want to bruise you too badly," she taunts lightly, taking another swallow of her water.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "You definitely won," Mariam confirms with another soft laugh. "Only just. If you hadn't called it quits when you did, you would've been forced to knock me on my butt. I have a tendency to get stubborn and not tap out like I should." She shrugs. "It's a character flaw." She doesn't sound repentent. Maybe that's why she's good at her job. She'd rather keep going until she's beaten than ever give up.

Oracle has posed:
Nodding, Barbara says, "No.... I might have put you on your butt, but I have a feeling you'd have come back at me and put me on mine. It was definitely close." She grins at that. "It's not very often I get to do it, and I //really// enjoyed the ability to spar without worrying. When I got to my higher belts, I started having to be a lot more careful of people I spar with -- height has a few disadvantages at times." She grins.

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "So does the lack thereof," Mariam confirms. She glances at Barbara critically. "Your height makes it harder to block a fast opponent but it gives you a greater reach. Anyone who boxes can tell you reach is everything. Your wing span lets you get in hits before someone can get close enough to touch you." Then she shakes her head. "Listen to me, preacthing to the choir. You already figured that out." She motions to the mats with a hand, an idle flick of the fingers that direction. "Anytime you want to spar, you just give me a ring. I have the feeling we could even go full on, if you were up to that. A few hard knocks is just conditioning for work, make sure I can function even when in that situation."

Oracle has posed:
The compliment is accepted with a small smile -- she doesn't need to brag or pretend to be more humble than she is. It's merely a fact. But Barbara does nod enthusiastically. "Absolutely. I'd love to be able to get in a session once a week, if you're up for it." Her smile is bright. "Honestly... the testosterone around here kills me. Between just hanging out here and the work I do with the police department?" She rolls her eyes again, dimple peeking out. "It's all guys, and especially at work alpha guys at that. All the time!"

Mariam O'Shea has posed:
    "Law enforcement has a tendency to be that way. So do other careers." On the opposite side of the coin. It took time for her to earn respect for her skills, something that was given more easily to the men in the organization. "And how Mr. Wayne ended up with so many other alpha males around him, I'll never know. Maybe there's something in the air at the manor that attracts them. You should arrange for a new gardener who can get something a little less dominant in the mix. Even Miss. Cain gives off that same vibe so it has to be something here." She waves a hand in the air. "Think it's circulated in the air vents?"

Oracle has posed:
"It's the water," Barbara opines sagely. And then she laughs. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it, though. YOu have no idea what a relief it is."