2013.07.04 - Sons and Messages

Ursa is walking the street for once, choosing to see everything from up close, until now she mostly kept surveying everything from high in the sky. At this point, she figured she would approach the humans on the planet she now knows is called Earth rather than Midgard, and measure them up from up close. Unfortunately, Ursa's clothes make her stand out, and it's not long before she walks by a person who gives her a wolf whistle.
It certainly gets Ursa's attention, who stops walking and turns to stare at the man. Naturally, Ursa has no grasp of the meaning of said whistle, but the poor fellow takes her attention for show of interest. However, as soon as he approaches and extends a hand towards her, Ursa responds with lightning speed, and in no time she has his hand twisted and held behind his back. "You think you can lay a hand on me? Fool..." Ursa sneers, and before the man can utter a single syllable, she strikes him with her leg at the back of the knee, forcing him to kneel down harshly on the pavement.
Normally, Jocelyn isn't hanging around these parts of town, but she'd just finished an interview for a part-time summer job and had decided to take this particular route home. She wasn't dressed formally, however, and was instead dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a blue tanktop. The job she'd interviewed for wasn't one where you needed to be dressed in office clothing, and the owner had said not to bother with that sort of thing. That was the type of attitude Jocelyn appreciated, a no-nonsense attitude.
Of course, as she turns the corner and sees Ursa take down some guy who was giving the wolf whistle. Okay, a sleeze, but he didn't seem like he was going to do anything awful, especially with the hand held outstretched like that. At least the types she'd run into in Detroit wouldn't do something like that if they meant to actually do anything by force. But then Ursa is kicking the snot out of the guy. That was a little bit uncalled for, and the teenager takes a few steps forward.
"Now, while whistling is pretty damn sexist, I don't quite think he's warranted a full-on ass kicking quite yet," Jocelyn says. "He did offer his hand and didn't actually try anything yet. Benefit of the doubt and all that stuff, and I think you've proven your point". It was perfectly rational, in Jocelyn's mind, and she didn't want to have to start fighting if she didn't have to. But, Ursa might take things completely differently, so who knows how well her diplomatic method of dealing with things will go over?
The hapless guy seems mighty pleased when Jocelyn decides to intervene, but as soon as he opens his mouth to speak, Ursa applies pressure on the hand she has twisted behind his back, "you don't talk until I let you talk," she warns the man. Her black eyes soon shift to lock on Jocelyn as the tall young woman approaches her. At first she just listens, and seems to be measuring Jocelyn.
"Was he being sexist with his whistle?" Ursa asks, sounding a bit surprised, apparently it did not occur to her and for that she quickly flashes her knee into the back of the hapless man, as he yelps in pain. "So, you suggest I let this man go? You think he will behave if I do?" Ursa asks while glaring at the man as she pulls his head up roughly, forcing him to look at her, "nod if that's the case," she instructs and the man struggles to nod as quickly as he can.
"Interesting," Ursa muses, and actually eases her grasp, before finally letting the man go. He, for his part, doesn't delay at all as he quips a hastened "thank you," at Jocelyn before running away. Ursa in the meantime turns to look at Jocelyn quietly, and while she looks her way, Jocelyn might realize there's definitely some kind of energy around Ursa. It seems like that woman in black is constantly absorbing energy, that if Jocelyn is able of discerning, she might tell is solar in nature.
"You're not from around here, are you," Jocelyn comments as she watches the man go. She makes the comment as a statement and not as a question. She doesn't have any obvious defensive stance that she's set herself in, but somebody as skilled as Ursa might realize that Jocelyn had her weight perfectly balanced to defend or attack, whichever might be necessary. She's certainly got several years of experience, to be ready while still having this sort of conversation. "I don't know if he'll behave in the future or not, but you certainly put some fear into him. Didn't look like you did too much harm to him," the woman adds. "He's probably scum; a lot of the guys roaming this area are. But usually it's best to let them actually try something before putting them on the ground. Then you've got a legal leg to stand on".
The solar energy is noted, as solar energy wasn't exactly hard for her to spot. It was all over the place. But it being absorbed reminded Jocelyn of a certain friend of her's, though she stays quiet for now. It could be some other things; she hadn't analyzed the woman's life energy to know for certain. That took a bit more time and effort. "So, why the immediate jump to the violent response?" Jocelyn inquires of Ursa. That didn't seem the normal response, at least to her, for most people. "I get the whole pre-emptive strike thing. It can be useful, but I suspect you're not somebody who has anything to fear from most people". The woman looked like she was perfectly capable to dealing with most threats on her own, judging by the moves she put on the guy and the way Ursa carried herself.
"Astute observation," Ursa comments as Jocelyn correctly guesses she's not from around. Not that Jocelyn was looking for Ursa's reply, it was after all fairly rhetorical. "My turn," Ursa offers, "you practice some sort of martial art. It's good when females make the effort to learn how to protect themselves." Tilting her head slightly to the side, looking not so much up at Jocelyn as she views her at an angle, she quips, "you are distinctly tall for a female, at least from what I've seen thus far, that can be intimidating to some."
"That man was insignificant compared to me, there was no reason to harm him, I just wanted to make him feel a bit of pain for his trouble," Ursa offers with the kind of glowing smile that suggests she enjoyed every second of it, despite being clearly superior to that man when it comes to fighting. Snorting at the mention of law, Ursa says rather firmly, "it first remains to be seen if the law is sensible around here, then I will decide if it is worthwhile to worry about it."
"I fear no one," Ursa asserts, and it sounds like at least she thinks she's speaking the truth when she says it. "He reached for me, he was unworthy, there is a price to pay for making such assumptions. That is all, why? Do you need reason to teach lessons to those in dire need of being taught?"
"There are sensible and there are stupid laws everywhere. That doesn't change the fact that they have to be obeyed, as long as they are not morally wrong," Jocelyn says calmly. "It is when the laws are ethically unbalanced that they're worth breaking". Bending, now, that was another story. Jocelyn does note the woman's pleasure in causing pain to the man. Some sort of sadist, perhaps, or maybe she was just a little nuts. Jocelyn wasn't yet sure, and so she doesn't jump to any conclusions yet.
"The method by which he reached was a handshake. A way of greeting here. Now, he might have had some dirtier intentions behind it. I don't know. Just a cultural misunderstanding. As for the teaching of lessons, I do not have a problem teaching lessons to those who need them taught," Jocelyn adds. The tone isn't combative, though if someone was looking to invent a reason to start a fight, it could be taken that way. It was all in the interpretation.
"So, what brings you this way?" Jocelyn asks. It's a simple and direct question, and the teenager doesn't seem worried about if she is worthy in Ursa's eyes or not when she asks. She's not trying to pick a fight here, but the teen was also prone to bluntness.
"There are laws that bring about the dooming of an entire planet," Ursa says coldly as she glowers at Jocelyn, speaking as if there's more to her words then tossing out the first argument that came to mind. "A 'handshake'? And why would he perform this shaking of a hand?" Ursa asks curiously, considering this as if it was some social experiment. Ursa for her part doesn't look about to start a fight needlessly, as she listens to Jocelyn with a calm attitude. She still wears an air of superiority about her, but she is not trying to strike Jocelyn just yet.
"Good, then we shouldn't have a problem here. That man is gone, you have saved him from further punishment, and I don't care enough to pursuit him for me. He is boring to me." Ursa sums up the situation as she sees it. "Seems as if freedom brings me here. The freedom to go where I will. Would you have me not be here?"
"It is a way of greeting someone. He wanted to greet you, presumably, and it is a custom in most parts of the world," Jocelyn explains. "It is a sign of trust, willing to grasp hands, shake, and then release them. I don't know all the history behind it, however, so I can't get into too much detail". History was not Jocelyn's strong subject.
At the mention of the explosion of the planet, Jocelyn can at least guess something of that nature happened to Ursa, either her planet or she has witnessed it to one she cared about. "There could be. I would say those are laws that are not supported, and if this has happened to you, you have my sympathies," Jocelyn adds to the woman. Nobody deserved to have their planet destroyed, period.
"I don't have any problem with you here. You are not harming me. From what I know, you are not actively trying to do harm to people here. If you were, then I suspect we would have an issue that we would need to work out". Though what Jocelyn could do about it, she wasn't sure. She didn't know how strong of a fighter Ursa was.
"Sounds dubious to me," Ursa doesn't seem too keen on the idea of this manner of greeting. "I don't like for men to reach out and touch me without my explicit permission."
"Let us say that I have a very true and uncontestable reason to not trust in 'law'. It blinds people, it binds people, and it dumbs down people." Ursa has her say, and doesn't makes another mention of the possibility that an entire world should end because of clinging to law.
"Good thing I have no reason to bring you or the people of this planet harm. At least not as of yet," Ursa speaks rather calmly. not so much making threats, as she is acknowledging it could be possible. "You fancy yourself a warrior?"
"Fair enough. I'm not a huge fan of them touching me either. Just decline the handshake, and if they persist, then they're the types who might need a lesson taught to them". It was simple enough to Jocelyn. A nod is given with regards to the law. There were laws, and aspects of it, that she fully agreed with Ursa on. There were some that she didn't, but without getting into more detail than she wanted to go with regards to politics, that would do for her.
"Among other things, I am a warrior," Jocelyn says, letting the non-threat pass over her, though she certainly makes note of it. This woman felt there was a chance she might come after the planet. That, in Jocelyn's mind, was worth knowing. She was also used to acknowledging herself as a warrior. Something about hanging out with the Asgard and their customs made her perfectly comfortable with the term.
"Show me your style," Ursa asks softly, looking intently at Jocelyn, eager to see what passes for a warrior on this planet. She's not joking either, she really does focus on Jocelyn and seems attentive towards a demonstration she's sure to come. Not considering Jocelyn might refuse her request.
The question, of course, was how much Jocelyn was going to be willing to show in a demonstration. It wasn't like she could actually show strength or toughness in a non-sparring situation. Well, not without causing random property damage. That wasn't something she was really going to be doing, either. She offers an easy nod to the woman before she takes a couple of steps back and moves into a series of fast strikes, mixing elbows and knees in with an assortment of punches and kicks. Blocks are included, though nothing is currently coming after her.
The mix of styles Jocelyn uses is rather varied, and it seems to be well-blended. She's certainly more experienced than someone such as Ursa's son. However, she isn't as experienced as Ursa, but that's just a factor of age rather than skill. She just doesn't have as many years behind her as Ursa does for practice.
Ursa observes in silence, taking note of the sequence and flow of Jocelyn's choice of attacks, even if there was no foe before her. It is after all a demonstration of style, she tilts her head slightly, and then looks at Jocelyn with some x-ray vision. Her initial take is that the style isn't as effective as it could be, but having a look of the inner workings of a human body, she eventually nods and states, "very well, it looks like you are indeed a warrior. Congratulations, I appreciate when people don't call themselves warriors in vain, it is insulting when it happens."
There is a very minute tilt of Jocelyn's head when Ursa starts using her X-Ray vision. It isn't prevented or anything, but Ursa may notice, if she is perceptive enough, that the teenager notices when the woman starts taking a look. But it wasn't like there was anything there to hide. Also, the simple fact was that she wasn't using her energy blasts with the style demonstration, which she had incorporated, so it wasn't at full strength. But she saw no reason to demonstrate those yet.
"It is, and thank you," Jocelyn responds as she finishes her last movement. "Would you favor me with a demonstration of your style?" she asks. It only seemed proper and fair. The woman may be more talented than Jocelyn, and she was curious as to how the alien's style differed from her own. Of course, she hadn't included any of the style Lor-Zod had been showing her in her own demonstration yet. She hadn't learned it well enough to truely incorporate it, really.
"You are rather perceptive," Ursa notes when Jocelyn clearly seems to be aware of the fact she's taken a mmoment to study her with x-ray. "Are all people on this planet like yourself?"
Tilting her head at the request that she performs a demonstration of her own, Ursa considers, before eventually nodding. "I will show you a glimpse," and much like Jocelyn performed her kata against no foe, Ursa does the same. The Kryptonian's movements, however, are notably faster and to a proficient martial artist, may seem a bit odd. There is a certain flow to her movement, and if one could envision the purpose of each movement, it seems gracefully violent. Yet, there's something about the way she strikes that doesn't seem to agree with human understanding of martial arts.
Upon completion of a swift sequence of limb lock, pressure strikes, and an array of kicks, and arm swings, Ursa nods faintly at Jocelyn.
"Thank you, and no, not everyone is like me," Jocelyn tells Ursa. "Not all are as perceptive. I grew up needing to be more perceptive than others, and when that didn't work, I needed to be able to fight off multiple foes". And Jocelyn made sure she was good at it. Of course, being able to read energy was an advantage that she held. It wasn't like both women were laying all their cards on the table though.
Perhaps surprisingly to Ursa, or perhaps not, Jocelyn seems fairly capable of understanding the woman's movements. Being able to read kinetic energy meant that she had a split second notice to where the woman was making her attack. Combined with her own knowledge of martial arts, it allows Jocelyn to track the woman's movements extremely well.
"Impressive," the teenager says to Ursa. "Perhaps you would be willing to do a bit of a training spar. I do not often find someone who I could learn as much from," the woman tells Ursa.
"You understand struggle, and you understand the necessity of survivability. It makes you stronger," Ursa comments, as she listens to Jocelyn. When the offer of sparring comes, Ursa replies tentatively with, "perhaps in the future, I would not oppose to it, but now is not the time. I have some things to see to."
"Did you develop your own style, or did you pick it up at a martial school?" Ursa asks curiously, wondering about the way warriors develop on this planet.
"A mix. Early on, I learned to fight out of necessary experience," Jocelyn explains. She appears unbothered by the refutation of the offer, however, and continues with answering the question. "I then learned from a teacher, who was willing to bring in masters of other styles to improve my abilities and avoid locking me into a single way of thinking. Once I learned their styles, I learned to blend them into my own. I still practice their pure styles as well," Jocelyn explains. Perhaps not as much, but enough to not lose her skill with them.
"The style you used. What is it called?" Jocelyn questions. She suspects she knows, but she'd like to confirm it. The moves were better and faster than Lor-Zod could demonstrate to her.
"You had a good teacher, keeps your mind sharp, and your body nimble. Honing skills in other styles never hurts, and it brings an understanding of commonalities amongst martial styles. Eventually you can unlock purpose of movement just by sensing intent." Ursa seems to view Jocelyn in a different light with that understanding, appreciating her as more than just someone who must meddle in the affairs of others.
"You are not likely to have heard of it, Horu-Kanu, is the name. What was the style that you used?" When Ursa speaks the name of her style, the pronounciation is entirely different from English, conveyiing the tones of the Kryptonian language. If Jocelyn ever heard Lor-Zod speak Kryptonian, it could be familiar.
The compliment is accepted with an easy nod of Jocelyn's head. "Horu-Kanu. That's the Kryptonian martial art," Jocelyn responds. "I thought I recognized it. You are not the first Kryptonian I have met. I have a friend who practices it," Jocelyn tells Ursa. Which she suspects will perk Ursa's interest a little bit more. "Mine was a mix of several martial arts on Earth, including Escrima, Muay Thai, Karate, Kalaripayattu, and some others. Also, some Kree," Jocelyn explains to Ursa. Honestly, remembering exactly which ones she pulled from in that demonstration was tricky, just because she pulls from a large number of them.
Ursa moves closer to Jocelyn now, staring directly into her eyes, "you have met Kryptonians that practice Horu-Kanu?" The claim seems dubious to her, unless Jocelyn happened to have met her son. "Where?" Ursa asks, which quite borders on being more of a demand than a question. At the listing of the different styles, only one strikes as familiar to Ursa, as she looks quizically at Jocelyn, "how did you come by a chance to pick on Kree techniques? You are a fascinating woman of Earth."
"I have met him helping others. A young boy, not nearly as talented as yourself," Jocelyn tells Ursa. Regardless of the woman stepping forward, Jocelyn doesn't back down. She could tell it was an intimidation tactic, consciously used or not. Jocelyn just wasn't someone who was willing to bow to intimidation easily. "I'm not actually sure where he lives". Which was true. She thought he might be at the Hall of Justice, but that was pretty old information. She didn't think he was living at headquarters, and there was no way she was giving up the location of the Young Allies base.
"Another friend of mine who was willing to mentor me when I came to this city has had a lot of experience traveling through space. She was willing to teach it to me," Jocelyn explains to Ursa. It wasn't a difficult situation. "I find it very useful when fighting somebody who is skilled in several martial arts. It throws them off more often than not".
"Interesting," Ursa quips, her mind clearly set on something else as Jocelyn describes the young boy. "Have you just seen him? Or do you know him personally?" Ursa inquires, clearly meaning to ask for his location should Jocelyn poves an actual acquaintance of his. "You make interesting friends as well, are there many space faring individuals on this planet?" Ursa did not expect anyone from this planet to have actually been space faring, it seems like such a backwater planet, after all. "Some people anticipate templates, that is the fault in fighting with forms. Those are strictly for practice purposes."
"I know him. Lor-Zod," Jocelyn responds. "Though as I said, I am afraid I do not know where he is living currently. I can usually find him if I look hard enough. Can I ask how you know him?" Jocelyn questions. It seems only fair. She wasn't going to give a friend up to just anybody. Period.
"Mostly among the non-human population," Jocelyn tells Ursa. "And those who have been given abilities through science or magic or some other means. She happens to be such an individual, and felt that helping to mentor me was worthwhile". A nod is given. "Forms are mostly useless in a fight, I agree. But it is another edge. Another tool I can use, and it does throw people off. Most have no idea what to expect, as it is rather different from the styles on Earth. Much as Horu-Kanu is rather different in my respects, and that makes it harder for people unfamiliar with it to respond to it".
"Lor-Zod it is," Ursa says and for a moment looks pleased, though there's something eerie about her expression of joy, almost like a sinister subtext to her smile, although she really hasn't done anything untoward. Well, aside from that man she inflicted pain upon a bit earlier. "That is good news, do you not know by design or neglect to ask?" Cocking her head to the side, Ursa looks amused by Jocelyn's question, "if anything I should ask how you know him. I should know him very well, seeing he is my son."
"That is an accurate statement, I would not expect a warrior of Earth to be prepared to counter Horu-Kanu, and yet, I would expect a true warrior to respond appropriately to avoid neutralization or termination." Ursa has a very clear idea of what makes a someone a warrior, she had faced few that she respects, but those she does earn that respect by their character in a fight and their execution, regardless of their style.
"It is more by the fact that at any point he could be just about anywhere in the world. The entire flight and speed ability," Jocelyn responds. She doesn't fully trust the looks that Ursa is giving her. "We've dealt with some threats together before," Jocelyn tells Ursa. "We work fairly well together when we do team up to deal with something". She'd learne to anticipate Lor-Zod's moves a little bit, and could usually set him up, though she'd found he was also just as good at setting her up in a fight. So it worked out.
"It works as a good way to weed them out," Jocelyn says. "I must say that I do not think I've seen Horu-Kanu used on a human before. I do not know how it would turn out against a skilled warrior, given equal skill between the two fighters". It was an interesting thought experiment, at least.
However, Jocelyn returns back to the topic of Ursa's son. "If you would like, I could pass a message on to him when I see him next or give him a way to contact you, if you're looking to speak with him".
"I am interested to hear that Lor-Zod has been working so well with a human," Ursa says to Jocelyn's story of their work together, "it is unexpected."
At the musings of how Horu-Kanu might fare against some Earthern styles, Ursa suggests, "whoever is the better warrior will triumph, regardless of style." She nods appreciatively to Jocelyn's offer, and asks, "let him know his mother would have a word with him. I will find him, unless he can find me first. I am curious to see if he will. For now, I will depart," and just likes that Ursa takes to the air, flying away from the area.
Category:Log