440/Heart Beat

Heart Beat
Date of Scene:	16 May 2017
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Autumn gets a visit from Batwoman while she attempts to learn from the internet. She gets her first Lessons in buttkickery.
Cast of Characters:	Star Shimmer, Batwoman

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Star Shimmer has posed:
It's late in the evening. School is pretty much optional at this point given that graduation is just about a week away. Most Seniors are off doing other things. So here she is. Standing in her living room. The image on her computer shows that she was working on a speech. If thats not enough, there is a youtube video going. One to teach self defense. She happens to be standing in the middle of the room, following along and trying to learn how to do it.

Batwoman has posed:
"You should probably get a better lock if you're going to declare war on the mob in the middle of Gotham," comes the soft, low voice of a woman who must be standing in Autumn's living room. Somehow. She might have been noticed by the truly astute but those who are capable are few and far between. It's a voice that is equal parts cold and seductive, like you might imagine of a temptress stepping out of Hell. Batwoman is tall and lean, her long crimson hair framing her shoulders and a matching bat emblazoned across the chest of her black suit. "Before you freak out... The big Bat told me I should look you up. Self-defense, hm?"

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater whips around and goes into a defensive stance. She wasn't expecting company. Why would she. "You know, I knew I was forgetting something." She stats in a rather smooth tone. Her posture lightens for a moment. "I didn't say I was going to declare war on anyone. I said I am going to show this city something its not seen in a while." She sighs and rubs her head." She snickers and glances at her monitor, "Yep. Gotta start somewhere right?"

Batwoman has posed:
"Turn it off. That video is terrible." Kate's blue eyes are intense as they study Autumn's face for a long moment, speaking in that stark, terse tone she seems to favour. She takes a deep breath, shifting her weight slightly from left to right as she considers the person opposite her. "Come at me instead. I'll run you through a few things that can help. Starting from the bottom." She tilts her head slightly, waiting to see how Autumn responds to the offer.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater nods and does so. She shuts off the computer stream. She doesn't argue about it. She doesn't build herself up or act afraid to hurt Batwoman. She knows better. She's going to be lucky to get out of this unscathed. Quickly she moves. She goes to attack. Defending herself is one thing. Going on the offensive is another. She knows how to throw a punch. She does take a solid stance. The problem is, she is thinking about it. That thinking is slowing her down, making her less likely to actually strike and much more likely to be on the receiving end of a beating.

Batwoman has posed:
Kate doesn't hold back either. The only concession that she makes to her opponent is that when Autumn comes at her in that too slow, verging on clumsy way is that she takes care to be sure the landing will only leave a bruise. She just shifts her weight, deflecting that fist with her arm and then tossing Autumn easily to the floor beside her. Hard. "You should loosen that stance. Try something like this." Kate adopts one that looks... Almost like standing normally. She keeps her knees slightly bent, feet slightly spread. "In most fights on a street you won't have time to take the stance of your choice. So we're not going to try. This is close." She doesn't waste time helping Autumn get up. She does or she doesn't.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater Hits the floor hard. She cracks her back and is quickly helped to her feet. "Okay. Lets see here. So like this..." She bends her knees a little, her stance is similar to Kate's. She's a very quick study. The girl, despite being slow and clumsey, does have some muscle to her. Like she's done some sports or something. "Okay, So. go into it? Move fast think faster? Is that it? By the way I'm Autumn."

Batwoman has posed:
"I know you are," Batwoman replies quietly. "They call me Batwoman." She studies Autumn for a second before shaking her head. "You think and move faster naturally once you've practiced. And trained. And practiced. Again. 'Move fast, think faster' is fine but you need to get to the point where you aren't thinking anymore. The only decisions you should have to make are the key ones. Blocking, striking, throwing. It needs to be a reflex." There is a pause before Kate adds, "This is going to hurt. A lot. There will bruises and probably broken bones. Learning isn't enough. If you hesitate when in pain you will die. If you aren't used to being beaten to within an inch of your life you will die. You can opt out whenever you want but if you do I am not coming back. Are we clear?"

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater frowns. "I'm not going to back down. I've been beaten up before. By my dad. Bullies. I've been crushed mentally and emotionally. Next to that, I can take some bruises, blood and broken bones. If it means that I can help people that need it, then yes. I'm going to do this." She nods, "We're clear."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate does take Autumn through the forms. She shows her them and then showsh er how they cnan be exploited, starting with practical self-defense techniques, a couple simple grabs and throws, how to throw different punches. And above all, how to take a beating. There's a break for water, but that's all. Back and forth, punch, counter punch, how to counterpunch, thrown to the ground. A fist to the jaw or ribs occasionally. Stop to talk too long? Best be prepared to dodge. Hours of this, until any person on earth would be exhausted. Except, apparently, Batwoman.

Eventually, Kate turns away. She doesn't attack again, instead taking a deep breath as he looks up toward the ceiling. "Why did you decide to go through with this?" She asks quietly, hands folded behind her back while she speaks. "Where does your determination come from...?" It's an uncharacteristically gentle voice with uncharacteristically gentle words.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater does keep going. Everytime she is knocked down she gets backed up. Every failure results in her just keeping at it. For hours, she is pummeled and beaten. Taught in the most aggressive manner. Yes she is exhausted. She's beyond exhausted but everytime Every single time she falls she gets back up for more. One thing is for certain, she has a lot of heart.

Finally Batwoman turns from her and asks what should be such simple question. There must be a thousand possible answers that would make sense. Revenge? A sense of justice? Some desire to be more then a cop? These aren't Autumn though. Her gaze goes to the floor. "Have you ever helped out at an old folks home? I do. After a while of doing it, you start to notice things. A fear in their eyes. Pain throughout them. The idea that they will die alone, forgotten, No one caring about them. The constant pain pouring from old age or various alements. Once you see it, you can't help but want to show love. When I was at the store.... Some jackass called the killer moth attacked. I seen that same look of fear and hopelessness in the eyes of a mother, and then her little girl when the guy threw a grenade at us. I got her to safety. Then I snuck around, jumped up, and tackled the killer moth out of the air, let his head hit the floor and knocked him out."

She sighs. "Since then, I see that look everywhere. Fear and pain. I'm going to show this city something else. I'm going to show it love. Anyone can work for a charity and call it love. Anyone can give money to the homeless. These things do not solve the problem. They are a bandaid on a major gash. The problem needs met at the source."

Batwoman has posed:
Kate doesn't move while Autumn speaks. She doesn't even give a hint as to what her thoughts might be. rom this angle her cape obscures her form, crimson tresses falling as far as the middle of her back. She is motionless save for the slight rise and fall of her breath within her chest. Finally Kate sighs softly.

"You're too gentle for this line of work," the woman notes in a quiet tone. She isn't critiizing but her voice soft, almost melancholy. "It's going to bring you a lot of pain. Not just physical pain. But fif you believe what you're saying.... Then I'll help you. If there is one thing we agree on it's that the only way to stop corruption is for us to fight it on our terms."

Kate turns then ,s ettling azure eyes on AUtumn's face once more. She purses her full, red lips for a moment, watching the girl intently. "You're going to need a name. And a costume. You're also not going out and doing a damn thing until I say you're ready. We're going to do this properly." She takes a deep breath and then exhales in a carefully measured way. "That's... It for tonight, I think, otherwise."

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater smiles, "I'm too gentle for this line of work?" She laughs a little and nods slowly. "I'm a transwoman living in Gotham who has taken down one criminal, pulled a fast one on Two-Face, and pissed off the mod. I'm as screwed as can be. A name and a suit? I can do that. I'll do my best to avoid getting involved in trouble but no promises. You know as well as I do that it would be an empty promise if I said anything different."

She sighs and looks at the computer. "Thank you." She frowns and braces herself. "I will do my best to keep training. Should I look into a weapon perhaps? I mean it might help?"

Batwoman has posed:
"Are you willing to kill people?" Kate asks bluntly. "Weapons do that. I can teach you how to usea baton or something but if you've got knives or guns people are going to die. You have to decide if you are comfortable with that. Keep in mind that the Bat isn't going to trust you if you shoot people." She glances down at the gun strapped to her hip and gives a slow shrug.

"I'll get you some gear. Let me know what you are looking for in a suit and a name too and I'll see if I can put something together. Beyond that... Don't start trouble. Just end it." With that, Batwoman is simply gone. Not a whisper nor an audible step just... Emptiness. Autumn made the mistake of looking away. On the table is a disk about an inch in diameter. It's a button of some kind, with an unlit red LED bulb inside of it.

Star Shimmer has posed:
Autumn Stillwater takes the disk and looks it over. She nods and moves to her computer. This night just got a whole lot longer. "I won't kill. But the hell if I won't make wish for that ending. Life is precious, not matter how much some twist it." She speaks to herself. Quickly she begins typing, and then designing something.