8363/At the Gym (Creative, right

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At the Gym (Creative, right
Date of Scene: 17 July 2019
Location: Fogwell's Gym
Synopsis: Some of the Defenders gather at Fogwell's Gym, lessons are given and Elektra bares it all to Karen, and in doing so, to Matt as well.
Cast of Characters: Daredevil, Karen Page, Iron Fist, Elektra




Daredevil has posed:
Matt had been in lawyer mode pretty much non-stop recently, so much so he hadn't been by the gym in ages, to work out or to train with the rest of the Defenders, or hell, even just hang out.

So finishing work, Matt pulled out his phone a dictated a text to everyone on the team including Karen and Foggy reading: Fogwells tonight. I'll bring beer.

And true to word after changing out of his work clothes, Matt headed down to the gym in his sweats to work the heavy bag, a case of beers set up on the edge of the ring,

Karen Page has posed:
Karen isn't the exercising sort. But, a chance to unwind? Yes, please. Thus, she follows her boss to Fogwells even though she doesn't usually keep gym clothes handy. She's still in her pencil skirt and blue-patterned white blouse as she sits on the edge of the ring. Her concession to relaxing is that her shoes are on the floor at the base of the ring, leaving her feet bare.

"Hey, Matt, if the police call to talk to me, don't freak out, okay?"

That's reassuring, right?

Iron Fist has posed:
    It appears that Matt and Karen are not just walking in to an empty gym. It will appear that there is at least another person, if not more, on the premises. The familiar lanky form of one Daniel Rand can be seen in the ring for the moment, his back towards the entrance, and therefore, to both Matt and Karen as they enter. The familiar gym warrior ensemble of sweat pants and t-shirt, this one sporting what appears to be a green leaf dragon design one sees at ren faires, is visible, as is bare feet and hands. Some combos are thrown into the air, or whatever is directly in front of him, both seemingly precise yet simple in appearance, though looks can be deceiving, if the air whistling from the speed of the hands and feet is any indication.

    Without turning around, Danny calls out. "Well, hello you two. So glad you could make it." There is a soft chuckle as a couple more kicks are snapped out. "I was starting to get bored waiting."

    Newsflash. Danny wasn't bored. That tease in his voice is a huge tell.

Elektra has posed:
There's a soft chuckle from off screen that grows in volume and amusement as Elektra moves closer. "You say that like I've both kept you waiting and offer no challenge, Daniel. Though I do have to say if that's your idea of a challenge I accept. Nice form, by the way. The outfit could do with some work. So very 80's."

The others earn nods for their arrivals. "Matthew. Karen. I see we're holding an impromptu meeting of the Mickey Mouse Club. How quaint. What's on the agenda this evening?"

Daredevil has posed:
In the gym with the door closed, Matt doesn't bother with the act or the shades. He takes them off setting them down next to the beer.

"Brave words Danny, let's hope Elektra doesn't make you eat them," he says with a laugh. "No agenda, just wanted to get everyone together and have fun. Figured we'd give Josie a break tonight."

Not like they weren't likely to end up there after this, really.

As for Karen's news he groans and rubs his forehead. "Do I want to know?"

Karen Page has posed:
Karen waves hello to Danny and Elektra. "As little as I can get away with, Elektra. It's barely Tuesday and I've already had a hell of a week." She looks over at Matt. "It's nothing bad, and you might get a laugh out of it. Involved a couple of joyriders that I stopped and distracted until cops showed up. If they call it'll likely just be to follow up on my statement."

After regarding Danny's choice of t-shirt for a moment, she gestures to her own blouse then points to his and mouths silently, 'I like it'.

Iron Fist has posed:
    "So 80's? And here I was going to at least later 90's. Maybe even early aughts." The comment is accompanied by a lop-sided grin, as Danny catches Karen's reaction with a glance over. That grin widens into a smile in response, his attention away from Elektra for the moment. Not that something like that would stop him from talking to her. "Oh, if you want, Elektra. Though, I am not sure if I can take the inevitable beatdown." Again, there's that lilt to his voice that betrays his joking...this time in self-deprecation humour. "Give me a break on the clothes, though. They beat rough-spun robes any day."

    Danny does pause to turn around, giving equal attention to all three, as much as he can. "What sort of fun and distraction are we up for, aside from watching E here wipe the floor with me?"

Elektra has posed:
Elektra laughs, the sound a rich alto. "90's then. Not enough je ne sais quois for the aughts. We should take you shopping for some proper workout clothing. Save your favourites and let them last as long as possible."

Matt gets an amused nod, "I seem to remember a certain someone else thinking he could beat me in that ring there. However, we're all on the same side now. Much more expedient if we pool our resources and challenge one another to be better."

That statement having her level a lingering gaze upon Karen. "I see. A week's worth of debacles and it's only Tuesday. You know, Miss Page, it occurs that your boss and the company he keeps are rather dangerous sorts, and this gym here is woefully under utilized. Have you considered lessons?"

Daredevil has posed:
"Joyriders?" Matt asks, eyebrows raising over his unfocused eyes. "They didn't have wings did they?"

At this point, those two and trouble were par for the course.

Matt grins up at Elektra, "Could?" he says with that smug and defiant grin of his. "More like can. But you and Danny have a go, since you're already up there."

At the suggestion of giving Karen lessons, Matt's brows raise again, but he wisely stays silent on that idea but does have something to say about lessons: "Danny, been meaning to talk to you about some training down the road, something I could use as Matt instead of Daredevil and make it look like it was an accident." He wasn't sure drunken style or it's equivelent was on the Iron Fist training syllabus but other than Dragon, Danny seemed the right guy to ask.

Karen Page has posed:
Karen looks at Elektra piercingly for a moment, then shakes her head no. "Pass. Thanks." Then she rolls her eyes at Matt. "No, it wasn't Pigeon and Costello. It was a kid on a motorcycle using ASL, and an even younger kid driving some crazy futuristic car that didn't have license plates or a car company badge." Thinking back on it again, she can't help but feel disconcerted by the latter person she's mentioned.

"The whole thing was just weird."

Iron Fist has posed:
    A moment's hesitation becomes a longer pause, as Danny stands still for a moment. "Wait. Wings? As in, like a bird?" The head tilts to one side, contemplating. "So, like a mutant or something. That's not too odd." Well, as far as mutants go and all. Then, as Karen describes the scenario, he can only offer a confirming nod. "Well...yeah, putting it that way. It does sound rather bizarre."

    Then, the topic of training pops up. "Something that you can do as Matt that can be passed off as an accident. Hmm." The mind starts working, as Danny runs through the different disciplines he has picked up. "You mean like Zui Quan?" He shifts his stance to something strongly reminiscent of Jackie Chan in his Drunken Master movies, with the fists curled in towards himself, wavering slowly while standing still and, when he does takes any steps, they look like staggers, though all done to mask attack angles. The whole performance looks like Danny suddenly had ten too many, but instantly disappears when he switches back to a regular stance. "If you are thinking drunken techniques, then yes, I can teach that. It works well against those pesky telepathic types."

Elektra has posed:
"Wings?" Elektra echoes Danny's question, and moves to the edge of the ring, pausing a moment. "You should reconsider, Karen. I'm not unaware of the danger I put everyone in, or that it's a danger that hasn't disappeared just because I chose the path I did. You would do well to learn some manner of self-defense. If not myself, then someone else."

Matt's request has her tapping the ring ropes. "No time like the present, I say. I can always wipe the mats with the winner." Teasing, and slipping down, stopping to give Matthew's cheek a kiss as she encourages him to join with Danny in her stead.

Daredevil has posed:
"Yep, wings," Matt confirms to Danny and Elektra. "They claim to be angels, I am still not sure if I believe them, they can... do other things as well." He shakes his head and pastes on a smile. "And here I thought people fighting dragons or coming back from the dead were weird."

When Danny takes the stance Matt nods, able to sense it's general form. "That's the one, and telepaths huh?" Matt asks about the style. That was an added bonus.

Elektra's encouragement to Karen is backed by Matt, "Might not be the worst idea, how many times has stuff from our other jobs followed us home?"

Then a smile and return kiss is given to Elektra. "You sure you don't want to take Danny?" he asks even as he rolls under the ropes to enter the ring. However well Elektra might do against the Iron Fist with her Black Sky powers, Matt was less sure of his own abilities, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to have fun.

"Up for it?" he asks Danny as he gets to his feet inside the ring.

Karen Page has posed:
Great, now they're ganging up on her. "Okay, fine. I'll think about it." That's not a yes. She's not agreeing to anything. Crossing her arms as if slightly chilled, she watches Matt and Danny climb into the ring.

She's not worried about either of them, really, as they both very clearly know how to fight. So, she takes a moment to find some chairs and sets up one for Elektra and one for herself. "We can peanut gallery."

Iron Fist has posed:
"Sure." A simple one-word answer for Matt is all that is needed to show Danny's eagerness. As Matt gets to his feet, though, the thought of angels cross Danny's mind. "Wait. Angels? Like, for real with the miracles and all that?" A shake of his head is followed with a short laugh from Danny. "Though, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After all, I lived in one of the seven capital cities of Heaven....though I never seen any angels there."

    Once Matt is to his feet, Danny shifts back into his 'drunken' stance. "Zui Quan itself isn't a full stand-alone system. It borrows from different disciplines...well...if we are talking Shaolin. As with everything, everyone has their own take on it. Mostly, it is internal, with the movement flowing from the body distally to the hands and feet. Lots of misdirection. Lots of improvisation and simply going with the flow, which is why it works well against precogs and such. Not so much of thinking as just doing."

    With Matt in front of him, Danny takes a hesistant step, his body wavering as if he isn't too sure if he wants to walk, or even be on his feet at that moment. All with a lazy smile on his face. If it wasn't for the fact that he hasn't had a drop to drink, one could reasonably assume he had been drinking. And...yet he doesn't advanced. It would seem that he is waiting for the first move. Or, just waiting to fall.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra, wisely, doesn't push at Karen. If anyone is going to take that role, it will be Matt, and likely at the office, or at Josie's during some casual meal over pizza and beer. Elektra very firmly lived by putting it out there and letting the other either pick it up or live by their mistakes. Besides, Karen was a grown woman.

She takes a seat, content to settle back and watch Matt and Danny go through their motions. It's not a technique she's familiar with, and it always pays to know your enemy. Or your allies. Either or, all information is valuable.

Daredevil has posed:
"Definitely think about it," Matt says to Karen before getting in the ring.

Danny's stance is convincing, the slouch is right, the impression of unsteadiness, the only thing missing is the smell of booze.

"Not bad," he says commiting the stance to memory before he throws a quick combo of punches, jab at the head, body shot, another jab. All full speed, counting on Danny to be able to take it.

Karen Page has posed:
Karen settles into her chair as well, but not before claiming two of the beers that Matt brought along. She offers one to Elektra before cracking open her own. "So, what's going on now? Danny's pretty convincing over there, but I don't get how that is a way to fight." Of course, in her mind, fighting is shouting and fisticuffs, so...

Iron Fist has posed:
    As if to answer Karen, Danny shifts to react. And, to only answer with even more questions initially, Danny's reaction to the first jab is to not react. He seems to take the hit to the head, his arms thrown up to soften the blow. The shot to the body misses as the blonde uses the momentum from the jab to the head to throw himself off kilter, the fist to the body missing by just centimeters.

    The third shot, the second jab to the face, produces some striking visuals...and a more adept answer for Karen's inquiry. As Matt's fist flies to Danny's face, Danny...falls backwards, in what would appear to be a trip caused by his own feet. But, as he falls, his right hand flails out, seeking to connect with Matt's jaw, while the left hand curls around the extended fist, grasping it tightly with the fingertips. Danny's back arches as his head dips down. He pulls down and out on Matt's extended arm, while his left leg swings up in an attempt to catch Matt in the back of the head. All told, the effect should be that Matt gets tossed to the other side of the ring, with at least a foot to the back of the head helping him along.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra explains quietly, "In the drunken discipline, the fighter assumes poses that are relaxed, meant to both absorb and deflect blows. By keeping their limbs in a state that is not predisposed to a certain delivery of blows they are more able to use the momentum of their opponent against them. It is a discipline that draws its strength from both a certain deception, and in taking a weakness and turning it into a strength, much the way a bow is made to bend in order to provide the necessary force to send arrows into the fray."

"As long as he remains relaxed, his opponent loses the advantage of both strength and delivery. Watch."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt's exposure to this style was half-remembered movies from before he lost his sight so he wasn't sure what he was getting into when he threw those punches.

He definitely has a better after he does.

Danny's plan works perfectly, giving Matt a kick to the back of his head and send him ass over tea kettle into the corner of the ring. It's only Matt's enhanced reflexes that lets him land with some dignity and quickly regain his dignity.

"Alright," he says with a grin. "That was impressive."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen's expression makes it clear she's not entirely picking up what Elektra's put down... until Danny sends Matt to the floor quite handily. "Holy shit." She sits up in her chair and watches the two men sparring much more intently. "I know it's an act, but, damn. I wouldn't believe if I hadn't just seen it." She looks at Elektra again. "And this really fools telepaths? How does that work?"

Elektra has posed:
Elektra gives a small shrug. "Most martial arts begin with a mental discipline, Karen. They are the art of learning first yourself, and then what best suits your body and reactive style. In the case of this art, the mind has no preset destination of blow. It requires that the opponent make the first move, and then is a reaction to it. You can't act against what does not exist in the mind. Therefore, as a practice, it suffices as a blind to those who rely on peeking inside the mind. Even if they were not already practiced in calming their thoughts to singularities."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt bows to Danny and let's the man slip off to do some solo practice after making arrangements for more lessons. Hopefully ones with less Matt being thrown across the room!

Sitting down on the edge of the ring, he cracks open the case of beer and grabs himself a can. "Anyone want one?" he asks Karen and Elektra.

"And what Elektra said, martial arts is as much about controlling your mind as it is your body," he gives a smile to Elektra then, "Like Stick used to teach us, our minds control our bodies, and our bodies control our enemies, and our enemies will control jack shit when we're done with them." There's another smile this one to Karen as he explains, "He had an interesting teaching style."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen waves after Danny as he moves off to do his solo stuff. "Well, if that's the case, then I'm screwed." She takes a sip of her own claimed beer, then gestures toward Matt with her beverage. "So this Stick guy taught you both? He must really damn good. First time I've ever heard you mention him, though. Where is he now?"

Elektra has posed:
"With any luck, he's dead," Elektra says quietly, the calmness of her tones belied by her words. Matt would know better, even if she has phenomenal control over her emotions. Then again, Matt had been taught by Stick as well. There were other things in play, but she had not had time to speak of them yet.

"He taught us both. Ultimately, we were both failures. But the first lesson I learned was to swallow my fear. And my anger. To become nothing more than the breeze in the air. Emotionless and void. If you can not control yourself, then you can not control your enemy. If you can not control your enemy, then they have already won."

That, at the heart of it all, had been what she had been raised to from the time she was a child. Less so when she started the discipline at 6, but by the time she was nearing her 10th birthday, that was the full crux of her life. It was the soul and saving grace of her: Be nothing but the weapon. Destroy all who would stand in your way. A blade has no feelings. It is only a blade.

Daredevil has posed:
Matt can hear the emotions under Elektra's words. "Until I see a body I won't believe it," he offers on the fate of their master.

"He was wounded the night we finished with the Hand, we haven't seen him since," Matt explains for Karen's benefit. "And she's right about the failure part, oh, we learned to fight well enough, but when it came to being soldiers in Stick's little war, in the end we refused to play our parts."

"He was an asshole, but end of the day, I wouldn't be me without him." It had taken years for Matt to come to terms with that, just how much he owed the old man.

He takes a swing of his beer, "We had complicated childhoods."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen looks from Matt to Elektra and back. "Wow. You two make my life sound like an after-school special or something lame like that." And no, she won't elaborate if asked.

"At least it sounds like what he was trying make you two was nothing good. And hell, I'm GLAD you're both failures."

Elektra has posed:
There's a half smile from Elektra, "Oh? Your life was exciting before you came here?"

She doesn't dwell or push. Karen will or won't explain the comment. If she truly wanted to know, she could hire someone to find out. It really wasn't a difficult thing to handle.

"Yes, failures. Both. Matthew wouldn't kill. He never passed the initial steps. Too old, Stick would say. He'd come to him too old. He couldn't undo what life had already done to him. And myself?"

Again one of those nonchallant shrugs that are barely a gesture.

"I was nearly the perfect weapon. Perhaps I still am. But a failure nevertheless. If he'd succeeded, I wouldn't be with you. Either of you. By the time I'd made my mistake with the Hand, the scales were tipped in their favour. If I were what I had been raised to, I would still be theirs. It was never about which side would win; it was always whichever side had me would win."

She sighs, drawing memory back to the present. "And now neither side wins. I am a free agent in a Prophecy that requires their weapon to take a side. Nobody ever planned for the weapon to choose for self-actualization. And that, ultimately, was their downfall."

Daredevil has posed:
Matt nods to Karen, "You and me both," he says of being glad of failing to meet Stick's expectations.

He listens to Elektra's words, he'd never heard her speak all of it before and it's taken in carefully, though smiles at the end,

"Free will is a bitch," he says of Elektra's choice. "Guess they got used to their minions so, it didn't occur to them you'd have feelings and plans of your own."

Karen Page has posed:
"I don't know that free will is a bitch," Karen offers. "More, it makes me think of a Rush song. But hey, I'm all for team Free Will." She's only too glad to accept Elektra's NOT prodding into her past. Matt might know a bit of it, considering he'd defended her in a murder trial once and likely found out more about her past than anyone else in Manhattan knows.

"So now you're, what, Elektra? Just hanging out, doing whatever you want, whenever you want?" Must be nice.

Elektra has posed:
Elektra shakes her head. "No. Even if it weren't for my father's estate, free will comes with a price, Karen." She gives the other woman a considered glance, then carries on, as if deciding something.

"I am still what was made of me. Black Sky. I will always be Black Sky. There is no escaping that. And with that, comes obligation. I must not be what they wanted of me. I must still fight against what they stood for - the Hand. I must take the Chaste and mold it into a new vision. A vision that will never allow me to happen again. To fight against what I was created for in a new way. Free will means nothing, Karen, if we do not accept the responsibility of that will. Otherwise we are nothing but Chaos, and I refuse to be that."

Daredevil has posed:
"It is for anyone working against it," Matt clarifies soberly.

As for what Matt knows of Karen's past it stays unspoken. He had done some digging, he knew part of the story, enough to put his mind at ease, but beyond that he felt it wasn't his place to go looking in the dark corners of her life.

Knowing Elektra's plans for the Chaste, Matt nods, leaving that part of the conversation for her and Karen.

Karen Page has posed:
Karen tries to hide a smirk of amusement behind her beer. She's likely not successful. "The Chaste? That sounds like an order of celibate nuns." She looks down and to one side at her attempted joke. "So, the goal of this group is to stop the Hand? What are the Hand's goals? Like, kill everyone? Become the Yakuza of New York? Own every Starbucks in the Five Boroughs?"

Elektra has posed:
Elektra is utterlyt calm, and nearly emotionless as she answers Karen, "The Chaste turned themselves away from anything human that would divert them from their singular task: to stop the Hand. And in turn, the Hand sought but one thing, to kill the Immortal Iron Fist and regain entry into K'un L'un. I was their weapon of choice. Raised to that single goal. The answer to both sides of the Prophecy."

There's a half smile now, "As you know, Danny lives, so clearly we've come to an understanding. As for the Chaste, like the Hand, as long as I live, they can not seek another. I seek to turn their focus to destroying the basis of the organizations that would take innocents and turn them into weapons. I can't stop all the ills that will be done, but I can make sure that those who walk those paths decide with mature awareness. There will be no more child warriors on either side. That died with me. I gave up too much. I am owed that."

Daredevil has posed:
There's a brief 'Heh' from Matt at Karen's joke, given that he was raised by nuns, he knew how fearsome they could be. That he doesn't make any jokes of his own, to compete with Elektra's story.

As for Matt's thoughts on this new Chaste, there's little to read on his face but he does nod slightly at the notion of putting an end to child soldiers on either side of the war.