5983/Black Sky: A Weapon is Forged

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Black Sky: A Weapon is Forged
Date of Scene: 13 December 2018
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Madame Gao starts Black Sky's training, including setting her against a fighter who not only looks like Daredevil, but fights like him as well. In the end, Elektra dispatches him without remorse, and is given a new partner - one worthy of her skill.
Cast of Characters: Daredevil, Elektra, Madame Gao




Daredevil has posed:
The Black Sky had been woken, and for first few days of her new life, she had been given time to adapt to her surroundings, located beneath the Hugo Building, a small room had been custom built off the rebirthing chamber to house her, with a bed, a dresser and not much else. Her visits were few, except for the blind men who brought her food and Madame Gao. The old woman made daily visits to the Black Sky, talking with her, coaxing words out of the blank canvas the process had made of the woman once known as Elektra.

So, it was today, at the appointed hour the door to the Black Sky's room opens and Gao enters, walking with her cane, and smiling.

"And how are we today?" she asks.

Elektra has posed:
For the most part, she had been silent. The visits of the blind men who had been sent to serve her meals and take away the empty trays had been nothing more than near-silent disturbances to the endless night of her days. And even at that, they had barely registered.

Those first days had been in remembering a body. What it was to to exist. If it could be said that she had coherent thoughts at all.

In truth, those first days, for Black Sky - she who had been Elektra - were nothing more than a continuous barrage of sensations and learning to tune such things out. She had neither words, nor memory. Certainly nothing of understanding. All she was, was potential.

Madame Gao's voice was the first she could recall. Her words this day, the first to register within her mind. To resonate in her ears and coax something of a response from the woman.

"We..." she begins, and fails. There is no concept of we, and she does not know what is being asked.

Daredevil has posed:
A single word. It's enough to coax a smile from the ancient woman in the doorway.

"Yes?" she prompts, leaning on her cane. She had waited three days for one word, she seems ready to wait right there for just as long for more.

Her dark eyes rest on the Black Sky, waiting.

Elektra has posed:
The single word 'We' sits uneasily in her mouth. Something says it isn't the right word. It's not how one referes to one's self. She struggles for the memory of what is the word, though. Everything a murky thickness in her mind. No tangible memories surfacing, only hints and glimmers of such.

The body remembers, it seems, and her lips frame a new word: "I."

That sound resonates correctly. It does not have the stiltedness or distance the other word has. "I," she repeats. Then follows it with, "am well."

Black Sky has no concept of well, other than that cluster of words feels solid. And, in truth, there is nothing of ill or injury to the body she dwells in. It is, as it happens, in near perfect, and peak, form.

There is a flash of memory, then, startling and bright: a starlit room, with the scent of incense in the air; wooden floors beneath the feet; a feeling of overbearing weight, and incredible lightness.

Words.

"Who. Who am I?"

She does not know where the words come from, but they seem important.

Daredevil has posed:
Gao's smile remains the same despite her elation at the progress. As patient as she was willing to be, swift progress was timely, the Hand was losing ground and status, the Black Sky would change that.

"Good," Gao says of the Black Sky being well.

Then when she asks who she is, Gao is happy to answer, "You are the Black Sky. The premier warrior of the Hand. We have waited a long time for you to arrive."

Elektra has posed:
"Black Sky," she repeats, her brow a slight furrow of confusion. It's the same confusion so much of her reborn life has been since her resurrection. Moments that she puzzles over, trying to gain a semblance of understanding without a framework to put it into.

The name seems like it should be familiar, but the woman has no reference for it. Warrior resonates more fully within her. It has a strength to it that is familiar. That makes her feel solid, somehow. Powerful. For a brief second, there's a flash of feeling in complete control, and of utter confidence, before it fades, and she is left to that calm puzzlement again.

"I am Black Sky," she says again. Learning herself.

Daredevil has posed:
Gao steps more fully into the room at that declaration.

"That is correct," she says. "You can feel it can't you? The power that comes with that name?" she asks as she comes to stand infront of the Black Sky, studying her.

"Do not be afraid of it it is your birthright and it will help you through this transition. Rely on it and you will you will know your path."

Elektra has posed:
There's a slow nod from Elektra. The name does fill her. As she says it again, it fills her solidly like the word warrior. Weapon. Black Sky - it is what she is. More than just a name.

"I am a weapon." Then it comes to her, a flash out of nowhere - like a glimmer of clear sky beyond storm clouds, "I am the answer. You have been waiting."

Daredevil has posed:
"Indeed," Gao agrees. "We've been waiting for a very long time."

Centuries had past, each one bringing a new Black Sky, each one being slain before he or she could achieve their full potential. Many had despaired of the prophecy ever being fufilled, and more had demanded she be turned immediately as soon as she'd agreed to become the Fist That Ruled the Hand. Gao had waited a little longer, though hoping to turn the woman willingly. It hadn't worked as she had hoped, but, still they had their weapon and Ku'n Lu'n lay witrhin their reach.

"Would you like to try your power?" she asks.

Elektra has posed:
There's a nod from the woman, a nod that has no hesitation behind it. She can feel the urge - no, the need - to be what she is, and her time spent in this room had already been too long. She was not only ready, but suddenly impatient to feel her own strength. To put what her name felt like in her mouth, into effect and action.

In many ways, Elektra felt the need to chase away those centuries of lying in wait, and realize her potential.

Daredevil has posed:
With no further words Gao leads the way out of the Black Sky's chamber into the larger compound dug beneath the Hugo Building. The walls were smooth but unadorned, the air cool, without being freezing. Gao leads the way to a pair of double doors that are pushed open by the two black clad ninja in attendance. Beyond the doors is a fighting ring, more Hand within.

Gao leads the way inside the doors banging closed behind her. She stops at the edge of the ring, her eyes sweeping the assembled members of the Hand.

The largest of them Paburo, stripped to the waist despite the cold comes to her and bows. "I assembled the warriors you requested."

"And the special one?" Gao asks.

"Waiting through there," he says nodding to a side door.

"Excellent Paburo," he she says. "We'll start with blunt weapons."

The big warrior bows, then his gaze falls upon the Black Sky, he'd seen her in life, and he wondered if there would be any recognition as he points to the wall of weapons, these ones wooden, and says: "Choose."

That said, he nods to a group of five warriors already armed with wooden swords.

They step into the ring.

Elektra has posed:
Later she might make more preamble and care about choosing a weapon, but for now what she knows is that all of these are weapons, and each had potential. Each is a pang of desire pulling her, wanting her attention, telling her how it could be used.

In the end, though, Elektra chooses a 'blade' of silk wrapped ratan, that extends her reach by nearly an arm's length, and its partner, spinning both blades in her hands, testing their movement through the air. The sound of their resistance a *whoosh* of sound that heralds Elektra's entry into the fighting ring.

Daredevil has posed:
Once the Black Sky enters the ring, Paburo looks to Madame Gao. The woman inclines her head.

Paburo shouts, "Begin!"

The five men bow once and deeply to the Black Sky, then rush forward with their wooden swords, they've got reach on her, but they are far from the Hand's best warriors. They are the kindling to start the fire of the Black Sky's talents.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra? Does not bow. She is beyond such things. That is a nicety that she is not obligated to offer. Especially one's such as these. She is, after all, the perfect weapon, and they? No more than training dummies in a gym.

Living, breathing, training dummies, to be sure - but training dummies.

Her first moves are rougher than Madame Gao might have hoped for. But it's quickly easy to see that they are merely the first steps of someone who has been holed up and room bound for these days past. Those first stumbles are quickly replaced with fluid motion. Deadly, fluid motion.

Elektra acts without thought - only instinct. Her body reaction to their every action; and action that forces each and every one of her opponents to try and counter her, and fail.

In short order, and without preamble, Elektra has dispatched with each and every one of them. Their weapons individual monuments outside the ring where they had fallen as she disarmed each, and then taken their lives. All without remorse.

She hasn't even broken a sweat yet.

Daredevil has posed:
Gao's eyes glimmer with interest as the Black Sky dispatches her foes. Even the early stumbles are to be expected, each mistake met with a blow from her opponents, though obviously none that could slow her from the inevitable victory that followed.

"Next," she says to Paburo.

He nods to the next group of ninja, these ones are armed with swords, they draw them and advance into the ring. There are ten of them, their blades easily able to make short work of her rattan sticks.

At a nod from Paburo, they scream a battle cry and charge.

Elektra has posed:
She's fearless. They may have live steel, but they are not Black Sky. They're hardly a threat.

She moves like a blade through silk. Clean even cuts and strikes that disarm and immobilize her opponents. It really only takes the first one to lose his weapon and fall for the entire battle to be over. Once she has a blade in her hand that is not rattan, their story was ended.

When it's over, the floor is darkened with their blood, and only Black Sky remains, eyes dark and glittering. She has found her purpose. She was born to this.

Daredevil has posed:
There was a predatory glint to Gao's smile. The Black Sky's skills were beyond her expectations. When Paburo glances towards the remaining men who wait beyond the ring, happy to give their lives to help hone the blade that is the Black Sky, Gao shakes her head.

"Bring the final warrior," she instructs.

This would be the real test. To see if by taking the Black Sky unwilling, still encombered by human feeling if those feelings would resurface despite the changes made to her mind and body by the elixr.

The doors off to the side of the chamber open and a man in red enter. He is not Daredevil, but he looks the part, the suit is a near perfect replica, he weilds two batons like the hero did, there was even an effort to copy the confident swagger of his walk.

The fake Daredevil steps into the ring, batons in hand and he takes a fighting pose.

Elektra has posed:
It's easy to see when it hits her. One moment she is ready to step forward, twin blades cutting through the air in a predatory fashion, and the next she falters. Comes fully and completely to a stop. Confused.

She has no memory of this.. man.. and yet, something within her sparks a tug of memory. A flash of unsighted eyes. A laugh. Things she doesn't remember - but come to mind unbidden regardless.

She wants to rush forward with the same controlled abandon of the other fights, but something holds her back.

Elektra looks to Gao for guidance. Perhaps, perhaps this is a test.

Daredevil has posed:
This was the true test of the evening. To see what the Black Sky would do if faced with the image of her former lover. The sudden stop is met with narrowing eyes.

Though when the Black Sky turns, waiting the command to begin, they widen again and she smiles as she says, "Proceed."

The fake Daredevil lets out a battle cry and rushes at Elektra, batons cutting the air in quick efficient strikes coupled with kicks and spins taken from hours of watching what scant video of Daredevil could be found. All to better sell the feeling of fighting the real man.

Elektra has posed:
Perhaps it's the battle cry - sounds that Matt never made - or perhaps it's mere instint, but when this 'Daredevil' sets upon her, Elektra reacts, her body springing into motion, and her blades returning blow for blow. No quarter given as she seeks to take him down.

By this time, while he may fight like Matt, Elektra is no longer considering that uncertain flash of memory. Her confusion banished behind the need to counter! parry! strike!

That, and the motions are familiar. How many times had she fought with him? Elektra and Matt taking great glee in testing the reserves and resolve of one another. This is a fight she well knows.

Daredevil has posed:
The man does his best to pretend to be Matt. Throwing punches, and kicks, swinging batons, like him, but at the same time he's not. It's like an echo not the real thing. He sounds different, he smells different.

He is not Matt.

The final proof of that comes when he loses his footing, coming down hard onto a knee, he curses, then quickly stands trying to press the attack to keep his error from being a fatal one.

Elektra has posed:
In the end, that's what makes it simple for her. That flash of memory that had held her still at the beginning of the fight had fallen away into empy echoes. There was nothing of this man that was Matt - not that she had a word for that memory yet, but the connection that might have been was lost.

This became another perfunctory fight, and as such, it was over all too soon.

That stumble of his has Elektra coming around in a spin that lays a blade to each side of his neck, and in a gesture that has her spinning away from him again, the two blades scissor together, neatly severing the man's head from his body.

His attempts to come to a full stand failing.

He really might have down well enough to take another approach.

His dispatch was clinical. Elektra standing over him, foot moving to kick his head away from the body in disdain, her gaze seeking and falling upon Madame Gao. Waiting.

Daredevil has posed:
There is a frown at the fake Daredevil's fall. That was not what Gao had prepared the man for, failure. Still, the speed at which he is dispatched is heartening.

Paburo looks to her for instructions and the old woman limps forward, raising a hand.

The man nods and dismisses the remaining fighters.

Gao moves to Elektra unshaken by her gaze, she looks up. "How did you find the fights?" she asks.

Elektra has posed:
It is of no matter to the woman that there were more fighters. Or that they have been dismissed. She nods to Gao, the gesture not quite a bow of respect, but it is an acknowledgement of the other.

"The first men. They knew they would die." A considered pause. "So did you. You still sent them." The point being that they hadn't been anything of a challenege. Elektra not sure why that had been the move Gao had made. "This last. He believed he would live. He fought like he believed."

Daredevil has posed:
"This is true," Gao says head still tilted up towards Elektra. "He was meant to test you, he felt himself worthy to face the Black Sky. He was wrong."

Then she asks the real question the one burning in the back of her mind, one that the Black Sky's comments allowed her to ask: "How did it feel?" she nods to the headless corpse on the ground. "To kill this man?"

Elektra has posed:
Elektra's gaze looks down upon the lifeless body of the man who had tried to emulate Daredevil, and failed as thoroughly as any one man might.

"He was not worthy," she says. "I do not feel pride."

What she does feel is satisfaction. He has tested her and been found wanting. And she had removed him from the equation, offering him no more than he deserved. There is satisfaction in that. And some disgust for his failure. For all their failures. There had been no challenger here today.

Daredevil has posed:
Gao stares at the Black Sky long and hard seeking any sign of deciet or weakness. She finds none. "True, he was a poor opponent, deserving of death. We shall soon find you some worthy of your skills."

Then her gaze travels to Paburo. "For now, train with Paburo, but do not kill him, he will be a more challenging opponent, when you have defeated him. You will be ready for your true purpose."