Summary:An orientation of SHIELD turns into a sparring match. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Joining SHIELD is kind of a big thing, joining the Academy for someone just out of school is likely a bigger thing. The Academy only really takes the best of the best and it's not all lessons. Not at all.
The current batch of recruits are currently going through orientation, some of which entails visiting different sections - in no way should these recruits think they're just going to do classes - practical training is part of all it.
The next stop for this group is the firing range.
"Expect to spend a lot of time here …" Agent Gorman is saying. A man with a huge moustache who looks a lot like Tom Selleck. "… every Agent is tested for weapons proficiency and you need to be on the top of your game."
There's a few agents here, all practicing. Some with guns, others with bows. In the nearest 'booth' is a woman with a cybernetic arm in a lab coat.
BOOM
That's enough to rattle the dividers between the cubicles and the kinetic force washes over the students in the group gathered.
Guns. Sure, it had to be guns. Helena could make a play for the bows, but…yeah, no, that's way weirder than having a clue about guns. The good news is, she does have a clue about guns. No matter how Dad feels about them.
Fitting in with a group of kids who've decided to join SHIELD for a living is like trying to choose a running position in the Kentucky Derby. Everyone has different strengths, different ways they'd prefer to play the game, but everyone wants to come out on top. And none of them are particularly shy about it. Some are more sly than others, though.
Helena's tack so far has been to situate herself somewhere in the center of the group of trainees, all the better to gauge them and the instructors without standing out quite so much. Observation first. That's a lesson she learned a long time ago. But the BOOM from the nearest booth gets a curious quirk of a her brow, prompting her to lean just a little bit further forward for a glimpse.
Laynia is herself down at the range practicing with her ICER, they don't /quite/ fire the same as a normal gun, the rounds have different mass and aerodynamics, so…she practices. And yes, she's a mutant, but that doesn't mean she gets to skimp on her tradecraft or ignore the requirements for weapons and other training. If anything it makes her work HARDER, to prove she's capable of the job even without her powers.
She's dressed in standard issue SHIELD uniform with a PPU (Power Persons Unit) patch on one shoulder, and for those who know her there's one BIG change - she's cut her hair! Long tresses no more, she's wearing a much more conservative bob, and the sides are shaved fairly short. She lost like five pounds in the process!
She pauses after emptying her clip, ejecting the empty magazine, and checking to be sure the slide is clear before setting weapon and mag on the matt before her. Only then does she step back, and note the class, and the big booms, fun!
Testing, testing and more testing. First it was a thorough documentation of his powerset, then a particularly troubling psychological evaluation, and now? Munitions. SHIELD has to be absolutely sure that bringing Kwabena on board has a benefit that outweighs the potential risk.
Not far from Laynia, the Ghanaian is dressed in something that resembles a SHIELD uniform, but it lacks any form of designation, aside from a PPU badge and a bright orange shoulder band that symbolizes him as still being marked 'dangerous individual', which is precisely why his two armed guards are still with him.
The boom does not seem to even phase him. Armed with a standard issue assault rifle, he proves that he's been practicing this particular craft since he was a boy; while certainly not the best marksman in the ranks, his accuracy is remarkably on point, and his handling of the weapon is practiced and easy, with perfect posture and positioning.
"Simmons, I still think we should wait to do these tests when the firing range is closed." When May finds out who approved doing these tests during peak range times…
With the resounding boom's echoes fading away, Agent May removes her hearing protection and turns to see Gorman with the gaggle of new recruits approaching. She taps Simmons' left shoulder to get her attention before stepping toward the recruits and their escort, visually evaluating each of them with a slowish glance.
"Aaaaand that's Agent Simmons…." Gorman sighs and gestures to the brunette who is being interrupted by the vulcanesque asian looking Agent. "… you'll all be visiting her at some point or another. Agent Simmons, perhaps you could explain what you're doing here?"
"Agent May, Agent Petrovna and … you're another new recruit, aren't you? Kwabena? Come and meet the new Academy class. We'll start with you …" pointing to Helena to introduce herself to those who join them.
Jemma shakes her head and removes her own ear-pro as she turns. "Yes, Agent May, I think you're right …" Who approved them? Um. That would be Jemma. *cough*. "What? Oh Agent Gorman. I'm doing some testing of a new material we're perfecting." Her accent is ever so British and when she turns, the extent of her cybernetics is obvious. Her right arm and left eye are completely replaced. On the right side of her face an implant extends from her cheekbone to her ear.
"Oh hello. Agent Jemma Simmons, one of the resident biochemists." That's a name those at the Academy might well know.
Helena takes note of May first. That's a look she knows all too well. On the up side, she's used to it. Then she marks Kwabena's orange band and the guards around him, then his and Laynia's powered personnel patches. And finally, Jemma. The others are noted clinically, almost by habit. But Jemma gets a much more curious and interested look. Peter would love to hear more about that kind of cybernetic work. She'd love to know more about how it works…
At Gorman's gesture, she takes a step forward, hands clasped behind her back. "Cadet Wayne," she introduces herself with a dip of her chin before moving to step back again. It's odd - in the rest of her life, she generally avoids using her last name. But in this situation…not using it would stand out more.
A moment to check her results, and then Laynia packs up her weapon and empty clips as Agent Gorman calls her over. Properly secured in a case, she ambles over with the cased under an arm. "A pleasure, Agent Gorman." Laynia's voice is also accented, but her accent is faint, though recognizably Russian upper class. Moving over to the gathered gaggle of recruits, she smiles to the one singled out first, and to the rest in general. "Agent Laynia Petrovna, Darkstar." She introduces herself. She is not likely on most people's radar however, and doesn't expect to be recognized since her heyday was four DECADES ago. Wayne? Interesting, but it seems unlikely she's related to the billionaire playboy. Still, why not. "Any relation?"
At Gorman's instruction, Kwabena lowers his rifle, clears it, sets the safety and replaces it among the stock of others, all before removing his own hearing protection. He looks from Gorman, to Simmons and May, then finally Laynia, whom he decidedly follows and stands next to. His expression is noncommitted and borders on guarded, silver eyes inspecting those present with a sense of subdermal anxiety.
Remember, Kwabena. You are among friends. If you keep suspecting that everyone and anyone is a part of Prevoshkhodstvo, it will tear your mind apart.
"Kwabena Odame. 'Shift'." He doesn't add any title, such as Agent or recruit, but it may be interesting to some present that he's apparently chosen a surname. A brief glance is given toward May at that, before he looks back to study Helena with a critical look.
May looks at Cadet Wayne for a moment longer, then glances toward Laynia and Kwabena as they introduce themselves. She makes a mental note of the man's chosen surname, as she'll need to add it to his paperwork and files. Then she returns to regarding the recruits as a whole after all introductions are complete.
"A word of advice. Do not take for granted that any of your previous knowledge or skills will stand you in good stead here. They may help, but they are not the be-all and end-all. You WILL be learning more, and you WILL be expected to use what you learn."
"Cadet Wayne." Jemma flushes as she notes the interest. She's astute enough to know what the interest in Helena's eye is and she's smile a little but doesn't mention it. If the cadet asks though, she'll be answered.
Kwabena gets an encouraging smile as the Scientist draws him into the group. "Kwabena has just joined us and is learning the ropes though he's not going through the Academy as you are." She explains.
Her eye flips from nothing to blue and then red as she looks at the weapon she's holding before handing it off to one of the other labcoated techs standing there. "There's too much resonance, it's heating the explosives too quickly. we need to find out how they dampen it so we can get a controllable result. Take this back to the lab, we'll test later."
"That's a new material that's being developed by AIM. We're working on reproducing it so we can use it and work out how to counter the weapons they're making." She explains.
"Small family, ma'am," Helena answers Laynia. Is that a yes? It might be a yes. But in a way that's very carefully not bragging about it or implying that she thinks it's going to get her anything. Not here, at least. Besides, everyone knows SHIELD is Stark territory.
At May's warning, she smiles faintly. That's why she joined SHIELD. To learn the things she couldn't learn at home. But also science! "So the boom's on impact, not firing?" she asks when Jemma explains.
A smile as Kwabena takes station beside her, and a brief nod of welcome, before she settles into a parade rest that's fairly textbook. And it is one very familiar to the Ghanaian as the book was written in the USSR. Literally the USSR, in fact.
Laynia nods approvingly of Helena's manner. "Is good attitude, Cadet. Study. Learn. Apply. Repeat until you master. Is only way to proceed."
The science of the weapons test is not really Laynia's thing, but she smiles. "Agent Simmons, if you need help with testing and I can assist, please do inform, yes?"
And no, she's not ignoring Agent May, she gets a smile too, but out of the LOS of the students. She's not been addressed by the Senior Agent.
For a moment, Kwabena wasn't even really aware that his stance mirrors Laynia's almost to the letter. It's just white noise in the back of his mind. What is in the back of his mind is that some of the cadets, likely the more astute ones, might be piecing a few things together, considering his arm band, the guards, and Jemma's message. He can't help but grin a little.
He is paying attention to Helena, but when he recognizes Laynia's stance, the grin becomes a small smile. "«Some things cross all borders»," he mentions to her, speaking fluent Russian. Interestingly, his accent, which is typically heavily influenced by a Central African origin, is all but gone when he speaks the foreign language.
"Hmmm? Oh, no. It's actually exploding before it impacts but after we fire. The material, Reverbium, works on vibrational intent. Unfortunately, it sets up a resonance on firing that feedbacks and ignites the explosive too early." Jemma looks to May. "It's a problem that AIM know of and don't care. We're more … caring about our science in SHIELD." beat "Budding Scientist or budding Agent?" She asks Helena, curiously.
"However, May is correct don't take for granted anything you might know. I've been through SHIELDs training and I'm still learning. Ever ready to adapt, it seems."
"Agent Petrovna and Kwabena here have some interesting skills. Perhaps they'll be kind enough to show something of them?" Jemma offers. "Agent May? If not here then definitely in the gym."
May mentally notes Cadet Wayne's interest in Jemma's work as that might be something to pursue with the young woman. Though the interest in the biochemist's implants might be cause for concern in time. But for now, Jemma's suggestion of some skill demonstrations is actually an excellent one.
"Agreed," she says to Simmons. "Petrovna, Odame, do join us. Agent Gorman, if you would." She sets her ear protection aside and gestures for the be-moustached agent to lead the way to the gym. It's a short enough walk.
"Bit of both, ma'am," Helena answers Jemma, glancing toward the range space as she plays things through in her mind. She's studied the reverbium herself, though almost certainly not to the extend SHIELD has. "Everything works better when you know how it works."
At the direction to head to the gym, she falls in with the other recruits. She's noticed the similarities between Kwabena and Laynia, but she's saving that dissection for later. May is definitely the clear and present danger.
"Da, Agent May, Agent Simmons - happy to assist." Laynia even snaps off a salute that would do in just about any military unit, ever. An aside to Kwabena, in Russian. «Training is training is training is training.» A pause in the swift Russian. «Followed by…» A grin. «More Training, of course.»
Once she accepts the orders, she will take a moment to check her weapon back in, and then awaits further instructions as to where to go for the demonstration—whatever it might be!
"Will not use form four," Kwabena assures Agent Simmons, once again speaking in his broken English. He follows in line, but the words from Laynia in Russian draw an honest laugh from the dark skinned man. "Da," he tells her, clearly familiar with the sentiment.
Eagerness has replaced the guarded nature of earlier. He's been itching to get into the fight again.
Gorman chuckles and leads the group to the Gym. It's the standard sort of affair and today it's empty.
"Over to you then, Agent May." Gorman gestures as the rest of the group fan out. "Don't say you weren't warned, cadets." He can't help but smirk.
Jemma steps back to let May do her thing, nodding to Kwabena's restriction. "A simple demonstration, whatever you're comfortable with. It helps for our trainees to know what to expect."
"If you're interested in both, Cadet Wayne, you've come to the right place. I specialised in Biochemistry and was going to work in the labs here until I got an offer to join a field team. It was the best decision I ever made." It seems Jemma is more than willing to answer questions about that.
May is glad to see that the gym is currently empty. It might give Kwabena a little time to get his jitters settled some more. She nods to Gorman then steps over to an area of the gym with the floor padded for sparring practice. "Petrovna, if you would. And … Wayne." She gestures for the two women she's named to join her.
"We'll start with a few simple practice throws. Petrovna, when you're ready." She steps onto the sparring mat proper and … just stands there.
For anyone skilled enough in martial arts, they may recognize that her seemingly idle and relaxed posture is actually a well-trained martial arts stance.
Helena steps forward when she's called, glancing between Laynia and May. She recognizes the stance, but she's not quite sure yet just what form this test is going to take. And while she might not understand Russian, she knows the fighting style that comes with it. From a few sources. But this…is inevitably going to end in some bruises. Oh well. That's training.
Once they get to the Gym, Laynia moves along with the class, and is completely unsurprised when she's one half of the duo called out on the mat. "Da, Agent May!" She answers crisply, and moves to the mat, and makes no effort to get into any protective gear. She inclines her head, when called forward, though she never takes her eyes from May. Her own stance is trained, but it is not nearly as fluid or instinctive as May's.
Orders, are, however - still orders. And it isn't like Laynia's not accustomed to sparring with people who've got a training advantage. She actually relishes the learning opportunity, and tries not to let the bruises thin her enthusiasm. Hell, if she's NOT bruised she feels like she's doing it wrong.
Regardless, when given the go-ahead she flashes a brief smile of encouragement to Helena, and they can likely share a moment of 'oh, about to get beat on', before Laynia attempts a feint high, and then sweeps low in an attempt to knock May on her butt. It is gutsy, and she does it competently, but…yeah, probably not going to end well for Laynia.
There is a visible lightning of Kwabena's mood once they are in the gym. Fewer people, less, but the idea of engaging in physical combat is a source of comfort. It clears the mind, in a manner of speaking. He moves over toward Jemma as Laynia is summoned out, and says quietly to her, "I doubt dey ah to expect any of dis."
Folding his arms, he watches carefully, having never witnessed May, Petrovna, or, of course, Helena in combat. This will certainly be interesting.
"We can spar if you want, Kwabena." Jemma offers as the other two line up with May. "But I doubt it. Then again, Agent Gorman might have known where Agent May was." He wouldn't do that would he?
If Kwabena takes up the offer, Jemma takes her place on the mat and watches. There's no way the Ghana won't kick her butt, but she's plucky.
"Don't hesitate with questions, Wayne," May offers while standing there and waiting for Petrovna to start the little sparring match. And speaking of, Laynia mentally predicted correctly. When the taller woman feints high, May steps right into Petrovna's space, then using the attempt to sweep to yank the woman off of her feet and onto her back. And then she steps right back again as if she'd just shaken the Russian's hand or some such. The level of martial arts skill used was obvious. "Again, Petrovna?"
She glances over and nods to Jemma when the biochemist offers to spar with Kwabena. They're welcome to do so if they want. Just try to avoid shedding blood or breaking bones.
Helena watches Laynia's approach, followed by May's response. Familiar moves. How to counter? At May's comment, she tips her chin up slightly, sharing her thoughts out loud. "What's the best counter to that throw?" she asks, playing it back in her mind. "Or is it more of a recovery issue?"
"Da!" Laynia says, rolling to the side and getting to her feet with practiced grace. Clearly /that/ move is one she's mastered! Must have had some seriously hard case instructors in her time. Petrovna's style is pretty recognizable as something akin to Krav Maga. Regardless, she doesn't hesitate, she resumes her fighting position and moves to attack once more, this time she starts with the same high feint, and will attempt a grapple rather than a sweep. Hoping that the initial similarity might give a moment of advantage.
She's expecting it won't matter, however. She's faced people of similar skill to May, they tend not to fall for such things, but it does show that Laynia is willing to take her lumps and will try new things. So there's that.
"The best counter varies based on your adversary. If you're against someone taller or heavier, it's more of a recovery then a counter, though in the right situation you could pull them down with you. If your opponent is smaller than you," she pauses as Laynia tries that feint again, and this time uses the extended arm to dump the taller woman to the mat. "Then keep your center of balance back and you can turn the sweep into a kick or leg hook."
This time, instead of stopping when Petrovna's back hits the mat, she follows the taller woman down and pretends to punch her in the throat before straightening and looking at Helena. "Do you want to give it a try?"
Simmons receives a perk of an eyebrow, and Kwabena considers her for a moment. She is a field agent, and she does have cybernetic implants… it could prove fun. "One moment," he tells her, and takes a step away.
The sound of displaced air joins the sounds of sparring in the gym, and Kwabena briefly transitions into a cloud of black smoke, filled with living tendons of airy biomatter. The SHIELD uniform falls to the floor, and when the man reforms, he's dressed only in the gunmetal gray nanosuit that some are familiar with. The technology crawls down his arms to cover his hands as he walks over to the mat, squaring off against Jemma. May would notice a stance that was in some ways similar to her own, a balance of hand and foot with the air between those extremities, creating a flow of energy between mind and body. He then nods to Simmons, giving her the first go.
That's likely to draw some attention from the cadets.
Jemma blanches as Kwabena transitions to smoke, relaxing when he becomes flesh and blood again. Sort of.
She squares off against him, clearly nervous. She's a Scientist then a Field Agent but Jeriah *has* been working with her for a bit now.
The cybernetic woman moves, nowhere near as smoothly as the others, her movements a mix between SHIELD training and … something else. Her metal arm moves to grab Kwabena, as the small woman steps inside Kwabena reach, trying to drop her hip and cause the man to 'fall' forward over her.
She's intent on putting him on his back.
Helena's going to have to step up and make a move eventually. And playing dumb isn't going to cut it here. Time to take the leap. "Sure," she nods to May, stepping forward to join Laynia in a ready position. It may be a surprise to those watching, but she looks like she's had training. Just what she's had training in is…less clear. Perks of learning multiple styles from multiple people.
When she closes the distance, it's with a swift, collected step that keeps her stance balanced, not coming directly at May but instead keeping herself to one side. A broad sweep of her arm mirrors the older woman's style, seeking to use any attempt to catch her to break May's balance.
Laynia obligingly taps the disable, the throat shot would definitely disable her in these circumstances. She even stays where she fell, and in the right position so that she's a properly unconscious battle field obstacle. She is treated to the unique blend of styles that the cadet moves with. Eyes of cinnamon study, weigh and judge. It is clear the young lady has had some combat training.
Cognizant of Laynia laying on the floor, May turns her focus on Helena. Clearly, the kid's had training. It seems a bit haphazard and all over the place, but that's not anything she hasn't dealt with before.
This time, May counters Helena with a combination of Tai Chi and Aikido, blocking the arm sweep and then redirecting the young woman's momentum into a flip to send her to the mat none too gently before stepping clear just as she did with Laynia.
No, Gorman, May isn't going to break your recruit. Maybe just dent her a bit.
Helena would be dented, if it weren't for the acrobat foster brother. Once she feels May's grasp catch her, she uses the momentum of the flip to help her push off of the mat. There's not quite enough room or time for her to make a full rotation, but there's enough space to hit the mat and tumble through a somersault, coming up in a crouch with a little bit of extra space to reevaluate.
For a split second, it looks like she might dive back into the fight. One round isn't how she's used to doing things. And then she catches herself, standing up more slowly instead with a sheepish sort of smile.
Kwabena does nothing to save himself from being grasped, nor to counter Jemma's forward motion. His body does, in fact, fall forward over her, but she'll soon find nothing more than smoke in her hand. The cloud moves over her head, and transforms back into flesh and bone, now essentially behind her, but with two feet planted firmly on the ground.
One of those legs moves forward, aimed at skipping Jemma's footing out from beneath her.
The manoeuvre worked but Jemma hasn't trained against people with power - she had expected something, but hadn't been sure what.
As Kwabena turns to smoke, she overbalances as well, making her footing even easier to sweep. Or so you'd think - she'd been training with Jeriah, who enjoys tricking her like this.
Letting her momentum take her, Jemma tumbles, coming up onto her knees and spinning to face Kwabena. Her metallic arm snaps out, trying to catch his ankle so she can yank it.
With the recruit about to charge back in, Laynia rolls to the side and then back to her feet again. She looks like she's ready to take some sort of action…but then Helena checks the instinctive response to charge back in, and she nods approval. "You are very good, Cadet." She opines freely, and then turns to Agent May. "So…again?" She's clearly ready to keep going.
When Kwa uses his powers against Jemma, however, she pauses to watch, wondering what's going to happen next there. "Huh." She murmurs, coincidentally echoing Kwa's comment the other day when she was prepped to fight and had manifested a defensive field of Darkforce about herself.
Eyes of cinnamon narrow speculatively, assessing.
May nods to Helena and lets the cadet go back to the rest of her group with Agent Gorman, then looks at Laynia as she gets back to her feet. She appears ready to continue sparring as well, but Petrovna's attention going to where Jemma and Kwabena are has her turning to look at them as well.
Fascinating.
She also starts assessing how the pair are doing, though she's watching Simmons just as much as Odame. "Wager on who wins?" she says to the slightly taller woman quietly.
A slight grin appears on Kwabena's face at Jemma's move; he didn't expect such versatility from the scientist. When she grasps his his leg, he doesn't fight, but instead, his body transforms into liquid; an oil-like goo that slips onto the mat and right underfoot of the scientist, making it rather difficult to avoid slipping.
The liquid moves about her legs, creating a particularly unstable surface upon which to stand; constant motion of liquid underfoot akin to standing on a sheet of ice that is far from static, with ripples moving in every direction.
It's like Jemma was expecting … well, not that but something. At least she was on her knees and not feet. It does mean her jeans are going to be goopy and ick, but better that falling flat on her backside. Another tumble, that's far from expert and interrupted by the undulating sheet of ice beneath her, brings Jemma to the edge of the mats, her ponytail awry. Slipping off them, the biochem uses her cybernetic arm to flip them over.
Sheet of ice and all.
Laynia watches the two pair off, and then settles into a relaxed pose next to May. "Oh, I cannot say, do not know what the cyborg's training is like, nor how much of her is enhanced." She rubs her chin thoughtfully as she watches the fight progress. "Still, she is scrappy. Fighting spirit can well make the difference, twenty on the woman."
She'll even dig the twenty out.
May nods and produces a twenty of her own from an inside pocket of her jacket as if using sleight of hand. "I still haven't seen the full extent of Odame's abilities. Perhaps he'll showcase them now.
The mat flips over once, then upends itself right back in Jemma's direction when the mutant reforms beneath them. The rush of combat fills his mind, which is both clear and corrupted at once. Old habits will pose a slow and complaining death.
KILL. KILL IT.
SHIELD had been a good influence on him. The voice in the back of Kwabena's head tells him that this is not a game or practice, but rather, that this is the enemy. And yet, he has found friends here; camaraderie without the poisonous influence of Prevoshkhodstvo whispering to him. The growl forming at the back of his throat is suppressed, and instead he says, "You expect de unexpected. Dis is sign of good warriah!"
Recollecting himself, the African centers his hands and arms, adopting a stance May would certainly be familiar with, and advances upon Jemma slowly, still deferring to her for the time being.
Jemma was already moving as the mat comes in her direction. She really wishes Jeriah was about, he'd help her with this. Second thought - he decide that she should be beat and make her arm do something else entirely.
This is on her, now.
Deflecting the mat with her metal arm, the biochem looks up at the Ghana her one good eye wide. "I … try to. I'm not a warrior though …" Still so very British as she glances at the two women and the tour class. Oh lord - how mortifying, to be beaten so publically.
"Are you sure you haven't had enough?" She asks, circling slowly. It might be she read the intent in his face but she doesn't really want to concede like this either.
It's perhaps when her eye lands on May that Jemma recalls everything the woman and Jeriah has taught her - she has to be beat smoke and liquid… Another tumble to the side brings her to a bench where there are bags. Another grasp of her cybernetic hand, to grasp Kwa's wrist and tug him towards her…
Laynia slaps her twenty into May's hand, letting her hold the pot until the fight is done. "Of course you are warrior, Agent Simmons. You are trained to fight, so…/fight/." Laynia wants to win her bet, after all. Also, wants to see what happens next. "I have read a report of some of what happened, if he goes into plasma state we are toast." She answers Melinda. "So…full extent…not so desirable." She grins. "Though I will prepare to shield us, here, in SHIELD."
"Plasma state." Apparently, May somehow didn't retain that from the reports that she read about the man. So, yeah. Not so desirable, not here and now anyway.
She almost immediately recognizes that Kwabena came back from that flipped over mat in a less … playful state than before, and is instantly on the alert and ready to rush in and protect Jemma. But, the man regains his composure on his own, and she mentally approves. He clearly still has a ways to go, but he's shown that he CAN and he WILL beat the Prevoshkhodstvo programming.
And yes, she recognizes that stance. He's clearly had practice. Jemma's veering toward those bags has her interest, though. What's she reaching for?
Eyes are upon Jemma as she moves, watching her and quickly calculating movement, surroundings. However, his earlier movements have been very much intentional. This time, he does not transform. He allows his wrist to be grasped, and is tugged forward, but his feet skip twice and use the forward momentum to his advantage.
The other arm, now transformed into a state more solid than mere flesh and bone, swipes across in an effort to break the grasp on his hand. Had it been a normal arm grasping him, he wouldn't have used his solidifying power, for fear of breaking the scientist's bones. This, however, is different. The swipe comes hard and fast, seeking to break the grasp; should it work, his feet will bring his weight forward, the freed hand moving to strike with stiff fingers at a pressure point between Jemma's chest and her collar.
Should it fall, however, the woman will have an opening to his chest and face.
Jemma had truly expected Kwabena to transform again and had positioned herself to grab the drink bottle there to contain him. Not a perfect idea but it was something.
This however, she can deal with. Jeriah's done this with his shields. Kwabena's fighting style is very similar in fact.
With Kwabena coming towards her, Jemma hold on. Her cybernetic arm can lift 30 tons and it's a good match for the mercernary.
When she does let go, it's as he brings his strike down, which should put him slightly off balance. The biochem steps in and snaps a punch with her metal arm to the Ghana's face - stopping just short of his nose.
Laynia watches and yes, she's prepared to take action if it is needed, softly in Russian. «Control, comrade…always control, self first.»
Darkforce energy does lazily trace over her hands, she's prepared to raise a shield if things look to be getting dangerous. She's hoping that her intervention won't be needed, but who can say what hill be next? Not her, she's no seer.
Having done her part to exhort Kwabena's to self-mastery, she grins then at Jemma's display. "That's it!" She roots for the scrappy biochem even as she studies their forms and what Kwa does, that looks like it would hurt!
Kwabena takes the punch in stride. It was one of the potential outcomes, and his head loosely rolls with it, lessening the damage. He does not, however, transform again. He did learn something about the strength of her cybernetic arm.
Taking a quick step back, he drops down and plants the weight of his body upon his altered arm. The other swings back for balance, and his legs rise to establish two distinct kicking points; one toward the leg matching that of her cybernetic arm, expecting a block, while the other aims for a chin. In similar fashion, the kick is pulled, designed to bump the chin rather than to cause actual injury.
Meanwhile, his free arm remains back over his shoulder, hovering in the air, like a python waiting to strike.
Laynia's Russian washes over his mind, placating the monster while encouraging the human.
Jemma doesn't punch Kwabena, the hit stops short but it does leave her in the position for Kwabena to execute the new movement.
It might surprise though when the block comes to the kick to her chin, letting his leg hit her leg solidly. It will bruise, she's sure.
Jemma doesn't try to grab the leg aimed at her chin, just knock away and hopefully upset his balance.
Because she's off balance and she slowly tumbles towards the ground - perhaps in a pile of arms and legs with the Ghana.
Laynia winces when she sees the kicks land, but she's also unsurprised that Jemma doesn't give up, doesn't surrender. Now she's curious what would happen if he was to fight Agent May…or herself. Powered vs powered - that might be a more fair fight, though in fairness the biochm /is/ a cyborg, she could very well have like lasers in her eye or something.
It is pretty plain though that the Ghana has more combat training and experience. She'll wait to see what happens next, though it does look like her wager might be lost.
Though it's purely internal, May has to admit that this has been educational. She can see the skills that Kwabena was taught, and how he's integrated his abilities into those skills, pairing the two together into a particularly dangerous combination. At the same time, she can see every bit of training that Jemma has learned with the help of London, and where she started thinking like a combat capable scientist instead of a scientist caught in a fight. She should probably have a conversation with London about this sooner rather than later.
She also wants to see Petrovna's abilities in action. That should be fascinating as well.
Yeah, that sparring match is almost over. Unless Simmons has some sneaky trick up her cybernetic sleeve, Odame has her beat already.
Kwabena's legs shift to wrap around the scientist's torso as she falls, but he does not hold her in a way that might be expected. He catches himself upon the solidified arm, and the one poised to strike instead transforms into a column of black smoke, that strikes forth toward her face.
The smoke stops just shy of Jemma's mouth and nose, hovering there while his legs climb up to wrap around her neck.
"Into de nose, mouth, lungs. Suffocation." He doesn't do it, but the smoke hovers there, less than an inch from entering. "Until you sleep, or worse."
That said, he releases his legs and falls back on his shoulders, the hand reforming into flesh and bone that catch on the mat beneath him.
"I call it, de 'Shift Choke'."
Jemma hits the floor three times with her meat hand, holding her breath as the smoke hovers near her face, her eye wide.
When Kwabena falls back, the biochem lets out a shakey breath. "Sorry about your wager, Agent Petrovna. I owe $20." she wheezes. "Thank you for the spar, Kwabena."
She's sweaty and hot and just got thoroughly beaten - yet … she starts grinning like a loon. That is till realises the *whole* of orientation class is watching - then she blushes beetroot red.
Slowly she rolls to her feet and offers the Ghanan a hand up. "I guess I need more training."
London will love that.
"Alright then, what's next Agent May?" Please, please look over there….
"Nonsense, Agent Simmons, was my wager - your money is no good here." Laynia says with a grin. Once the fight is called, Laynia smiles and looks to Kwabena as she steps onto the mat. "Perhaps you would care to go a round with the Darkstar?" As she says this her costume forms over her uniform, the strange roiling black stuff clinging to her form.
She does pause though, remembering there's a class. "Unless…is better to do another day, since there is a class…" She looks to Agent May, letting her make the call. Not like she and Kwa can't fight another day. She IS rather curious to see what would happen, though. His powerset is pretty darn unique, she's not even sure if Darkforce will be enough!
While Jemma's trying to deflect attention away, May knows exactly what she's doing. And … she allows it. This time.
"Agent Gorman, perhaps you should resume the tour as planned." She nods to the agent and his gaggle of cadets, then watches as they all file out of the gym and go on their way. When the doors close after the group, she turns right back to Simmons and Odame, the two twenty dollar bills disappearing into her jacket.
"Petrovna, I want you to schedule sparring practice time for yourself and Odame to coincide with Simmons' practice times."
Kwabena meets Jemma's hand and helps her to her feet, eyes bright and a smile upon his face. It's been far too long since he's had a good fight. "Your training is good," he counters her. "Most would not know how to adjust to quick changes." He nods his head to her in an approving manner. "Do not doubt self," he tells her earnestly.
When Laynia offers to spar, however, he gives her a dubious look. Something tells him the fight would require form four, and that… would require extra precautions.
Stepping back, he watches as the recruits file out, then casts a look between Laynia and May. "Make sure dere is reinforcement to support form four," he advises. If they want to see the true nature of his abilities, well… they probably also don't want to see the facility burned to the ground.
The blush doesn't fade from Jemma's cheeks. "Thank you. I've … been working on it." And it's likely Jeriah's caught a fair bit of it, connected to her like he is at the moment.
Pushing damp hair back from her face, the biochem is flustered. "I … should get back to the lab and look at that weapon …" She might need to leave early for a shower, though.
"I'll be sure to let you know our training schedule, Agents." beat "If there's nothing else?"
"Da, Agent May, I will arrange the schedules accordingly." Laynia answers without hesitation.
She nods approval of Kwabena's encouraging words to Jemma. "You say you are not a warrior — so fight with your mind, yes? The WRONG move is still better than /no/ move. To keep fighting, to adapt, that is already head and shoulders above and beyond what many ever learn." Laynia smiles. "You have that, the rest comes from practice and we will help with that. This is what being part of a whole is all about, we each do our part."
She frowns a little at the dubious look from Shift, and then nods. "Ah, yes, perhaps an open arena, or one that is heavily reinforced would be best at that."
May looks from Jemma to Kwabena to Laynia as they discuss future sparring. She mentally resolves to reserve a time slot out at their munitions testing area — an old quarry a comfortable quinjet flight away. But in the meantime…
"I suspect we all have other duties to return to." Or something of that sort. For her own part, she has plans for the wager money she just won off of Petrovna.