Learning the Ropes

[Veiled Malice]

The two thugs were utterly unprepared for hurricane Nightrival as he blew through them like chaff. With perfectly measured movements, he landed a bare three feet away from the small goon and nailed him in the face with a spinning kick that crushed his jaw. The man wouldn't be shouting racial slurs for quite some time.

"Scooter"'s head snapped around and his body followed, spinning in a slow pirouette that took him up and over Grimalkin, who was still stunned from the blows, but was now stunned from the precision her new teacher had demonstrated. Before the first man even hit the ground, Nightrival stepped into the second's range and pounds his chest with an elbow strike that could break blocks of ice.

Fortunately, Nightrival knew exactly how much force was necessary to collapse a man's ribcage, and carefully modulated the amount of strength he used so all his strike did was crack the big one's sternum and void his lungs of breath in a rush of escaping air. He folded like origami under the power of the hit, sinking to the ground with nary a sound.

Both hit the ground, completely unconscious, at the same time.

[Veiled Malice]

The two thugs were utterly unprepared for hurricane Nightrival as he blew through them like chaff. With perfectly measured movements, he landed a bare three feet away from the small goon and nailed him in the face with a spinning kick that crushed his jaw. The man wouldn't be shouting racial slurs for quite some time.

"Scooter"'s head snapped around and his body followed, spinning in a slow pirouette that took him up and over Grimalkin, who was still stunned from the blows, but was now stunned from the precision her new teacher had demonstrated. Before the first man even hit the ground, Nightrival stepped into the second's range and pounds his chest with an elbow strike that could break blocks of ice.

Fortunately, Nightrival knew exactly how much force was necessary to collapse a man's ribcage, and carefully modulated the amount of strength he used so all his strike did was crack the big one's sternum and void his lungs of breath in a rush of escaping air. He folded like origami under the power of the hit, sinking to the ground with nary a sound.

Both hit the ground, completely unconscious, at the same time.

[Veiled Malice]

The two thugs were utterly unprepared for hurricane Nightrival as he blew through them like chaff. With perfectly measured movements, he landed a bare three feet away from the small goon and nailed him in the face with a spinning kick that crushed his jaw. The man wouldn't be shouting racial slurs for quite some time.

"Scooter"'s head snapped around and his body followed, spinning in a slow pirouette that took him up and over Grimalkin, who was still stunned from the blows, but was now stunned from the precision her new teacher had demonstrated. Before the first man even hit the ground, Nightrival stepped into the second's range and pounds his chest with an elbow strike that could break blocks of ice.

Fortunately, Nightrival knew exactly how much force was necessary to collapse a man's ribcage, and carefully modulated the amount of strength he used so all his strike did was crack the big one's sternum and void his lungs of breath in a rush of escaping air. He folded like origami under the power of the hit, sinking to the ground with nary a sound.

Both hit the ground, completely unconscious, at the same time.

[Heritage]

Grim allows herself to drop down on her knees once the two goons are down for the count; she takes several deep erratic breaths, then looks over her shoulder at Nightrival and makes a vague gesture.

"See, this is why they pay you the big bucks."

Her head drops forward as she despondently runs a hand through her spiky hair.

"Such an idiot - no game plan, posturing, stupid quips, nearly get myself killed."

Grim stretches out and just lies on her back looking up at the night sky, her hair damp with filthy slush.

"Y'know, if you want to terminate this little arrangement right now, I completely understand; I was so determined to impress you with my bad self, and you just ended up having to bail me out."

She turns her head to one side and laughs.

"Actually the snow makes it feel a little better; I might lie here for a few hours until the pain goes away. I'm more useful as a speed bump anyway."

[Heritage]

Grim allows herself to drop down on her knees once the two goons are down for the count; she takes several deep erratic breaths, then looks over her shoulder at Nightrival and makes a vague gesture.

"See, this is why they pay you the big bucks."

Her head drops forward as she despondently runs a hand through her spiky hair.

"Such an idiot - no game plan, posturing, stupid quips, nearly get myself killed."

Grim stretches out and just lies on her back looking up at the night sky, her hair damp with filthy slush.

"Y'know, if you want to terminate this little arrangement right now, I completely understand; I was so determined to impress you with my bad self, and you just ended up having to bail me out."

She turns her head to one side and laughs.

"Actually the snow makes it feel a little better; I might lie here for a few hours until the pain goes away. I'm more useful as a speed bump anyway."

[Heritage]

Grim allows herself to drop down on her knees once the two goons are down for the count; she takes several deep erratic breaths, then looks over her shoulder at Nightrival and makes a vague gesture.

"See, this is why they pay you the big bucks."

Her head drops forward as she despondently runs a hand through her spiky hair.

"Such an idiot - no game plan, posturing, stupid quips, nearly get myself killed."

Grim stretches out and just lies on her back looking up at the night sky, her hair damp with filthy slush.

"Y'know, if you want to terminate this little arrangement right now, I completely understand; I was so determined to impress you with my bad self, and you just ended up having to bail me out."

She turns her head to one side and laughs.

"Actually the snow makes it feel a little better; I might lie here for a few hours until the pain goes away. I'm more useful as a speed bump anyway."

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival remains quiet for seems like forever. He looks at the fallen goons then turns his attention to Grim. A few snowflakes pepper his shoulders, and the dampness from the street has seeped into his costume. He steps over to Grim lying on the ground and peers down at her.

"These punks got lucky; that ain't yer fault. I shouldn't 'ave tossed ya in the mix like that. I'm jus' glad yer not hurt."

Nightrival diverts his eyes to the night sky, now a blank sheet of black paper framed by the buildings surrounding them.

"But, bruises aside, I can see what ya need ta work on. For the next couple o' weeks we'll go over some stuff ta help ya along." He inclines his gaze back to Grim and offers his open hand to help her up from the street. "So, ya fall down then ya get back up. That's all there is t' it."

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival remains quiet for seems like forever. He looks at the fallen goons then turns his attention to Grim. A few snowflakes pepper his shoulders, and the dampness from the street has seeped into his costume. He steps over to Grim lying on the ground and peers down at her.

"These punks got lucky; that ain't yer fault. I shouldn't 'ave tossed ya in the mix like that. I'm jus' glad yer not hurt."

Nightrival diverts his eyes to the night sky, now a blank sheet of black paper framed by the buildings surrounding them.

"But, bruises aside, I can see what ya need ta work on. For the next couple o' weeks we'll go over some stuff ta help ya along." He inclines his gaze back to Grim and offers his open hand to help her up from the street. "So, ya fall down then ya get back up. That's all there is t' it."

[Shadowboxer]

Nightrival remains quiet for seems like forever. He looks at the fallen goons then turns his attention to Grim. A few snowflakes pepper his shoulders, and the dampness from the street has seeped into his costume. He steps over to Grim lying on the ground and peers down at her.

"These punks got lucky; that ain't yer fault. I shouldn't 'ave tossed ya in the mix like that. I'm jus' glad yer not hurt."

Nightrival diverts his eyes to the night sky, now a blank sheet of black paper framed by the buildings surrounding them.

"But, bruises aside, I can see what ya need ta work on. For the next couple o' weeks we'll go over some stuff ta help ya along." He inclines his gaze back to Grim and offers his open hand to help her up from the street. "So, ya fall down then ya get back up. That's all there is t' it."

[Heritage]

"These punks got lucky; that ain't yer fault. I shouldn't 'ave tossed ya in the mix like that. I'm jus' glad yer not hurt."

Grim holds up a slender finger as she corrects him.

"Not hurt much."

"But, bruises aside, I can see what ya need ta work on. For the next couple o' weeks we'll go over some stuff ta help ya along." He inclines his gaze back to Grim and offers his open hand to help her up from the street. "So, ya fall down then ya get back up. That's all there is t' it."

She gladly takes the offered hand as the older hero easily lifts her to her feet; once standing again, Grim vigorously shakes her head to get the sleet out of her hair, and gives herself a general dusting. Satisfied with her appearance, she works her back and shoulder a few times with what look like dimly remembered gymnastic stretches.

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach; I'm think gonna go hit the showers. So, when's our next practice?"

[Heritage]

"These punks got lucky; that ain't yer fault. I shouldn't 'ave tossed ya in the mix like that. I'm jus' glad yer not hurt."

Grim holds up a slender finger as she corrects him.

"Not hurt much."

"But, bruises aside, I can see what ya need ta work on. For the next couple o' weeks we'll go over some stuff ta help ya along." He inclines his gaze back to Grim and offers his open hand to help her up from the street. "So, ya fall down then ya get back up. That's all there is t' it."

She gladly takes the offered hand as the older hero easily lifts her to her feet; once standing again, Grim vigorously shakes her head to get the sleet out of her hair, and gives herself a general dusting. Satisfied with her appearance, she works her back and shoulder a few times with what look like dimly remembered gymnastic stretches.

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach; I'm think gonna go hit the showers. So, when's our next practice?"

[Heritage]

"These punks got lucky; that ain't yer fault. I shouldn't 'ave tossed ya in the mix like that. I'm jus' glad yer not hurt."

Grim holds up a slender finger as she corrects him.

"Not hurt much."

"But, bruises aside, I can see what ya need ta work on. For the next couple o' weeks we'll go over some stuff ta help ya along." He inclines his gaze back to Grim and offers his open hand to help her up from the street. "So, ya fall down then ya get back up. That's all there is t' it."

She gladly takes the offered hand as the older hero easily lifts her to her feet; once standing again, Grim vigorously shakes her head to get the sleet out of her hair, and gives herself a general dusting. Satisfied with her appearance, she works her back and shoulder a few times with what look like dimly remembered gymnastic stretches.

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach; I'm think gonna go hit the showers. So, when's our next practice?"

[Shadowboxer]

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach; I'm think gonna go hit the showers. So, when's our next practice?"

"Don't mention it," replies Nightrival. He pauses. "No, really. Don't ever mention it. I 'ave a reputation ta maintain," he adds jokingly.

He motions towards the rooftops. "We go keep headin' west. C'mon."

At that, he bounds upwards to grab a fire escape and jumps from stairwell to stairwell, like a frog hopping up a steep incline, and then clambers up to the roof to continue their evening patrol.

[Shadowboxer]

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach; I'm think gonna go hit the showers. So, when's our next practice?"

"Don't mention it," replies Nightrival. He pauses. "No, really. Don't ever mention it. I 'ave a reputation ta maintain," he adds jokingly.

He motions towards the rooftops. "We go keep headin' west. C'mon."

At that, he bounds upwards to grab a fire escape and jumps from stairwell to stairwell, like a frog hopping up a steep incline, and then clambers up to the roof to continue their evening patrol.

[Shadowboxer]

"Thanks for the pep talk, coach; I'm think gonna go hit the showers. So, when's our next practice?"

"Don't mention it," replies Nightrival. He pauses. "No, really. Don't ever mention it. I 'ave a reputation ta maintain," he adds jokingly.

He motions towards the rooftops. "We go keep headin' west. C'mon."

At that, he bounds upwards to grab a fire escape and jumps from stairwell to stairwell, like a frog hopping up a steep incline, and then clambers up to the roof to continue their evening patrol.

[Heritage]

"Don't mention it," replies Nightrival. He pauses. "No, really. Don't ever mention it. I 'ave a reputation ta maintain," he adds jokingly.

He motions towards the rooftops. "We go keep headin' west. C'mon."

At that, he bounds upwards to grab a fire escape and jumps from stairwell to stairwell, like a frog hopping up a steep incline, and then clambers up to the roof to continue their evening patrol.

Grim sighs and mutters to herself.

"I was serious about the shower part."

Deciding to make the best of it, she squares her shoulders, then makes a dash for the wall, scampering up it to follow her freakishly nimble mentor.

"Hey, wait up! I'm telling Mom!"

- - - - -

A Beginning

[Heritage]

"Don't mention it," replies Nightrival. He pauses. "No, really. Don't ever mention it. I 'ave a reputation ta maintain," he adds jokingly.

He motions towards the rooftops. "We go keep headin' west. C'mon."

At that, he bounds upwards to grab a fire escape and jumps from stairwell to stairwell, like a frog hopping up a steep incline, and then clambers up to the roof to continue their evening patrol.

Grim sighs and mutters to herself.

"I was serious about the shower part."

Deciding to make the best of it, she squares her shoulders, then makes a dash for the wall, scampering up it to follow her freakishly nimble mentor.

"Hey, wait up! I'm telling Mom!"

- - - - -

A Beginning

[Heritage]

"Don't mention it," replies Nightrival. He pauses. "No, really. Don't ever mention it. I 'ave a reputation ta maintain," he adds jokingly.

He motions towards the rooftops. "We go keep headin' west. C'mon."

At that, he bounds upwards to grab a fire escape and jumps from stairwell to stairwell, like a frog hopping up a steep incline, and then clambers up to the roof to continue their evening patrol.

Grim sighs and mutters to herself.

"I was serious about the shower part."

Deciding to make the best of it, she squares her shoulders, then makes a dash for the wall, scampering up it to follow her freakishly nimble mentor.

"Hey, wait up! I'm telling Mom!"

- - - - -

A Beginning