2014.03.18 - Amazon Fighting School

The embassy, at dawn. The Amazons of Themyscira were the early to bed, early to rise sort, so before dawn even came, the place was bustling. Most of the women here had exercises of some kind, from Diana to the loweliest clerk, and Donna Troy was no different.
Even if, as scuttlebutt around the embassy would claim, there was something troubling her as of late. That could be seen in person in the dark circles under her eyes, even if the smile on her lips did something to dispell that impression. Shields ring - a metallic sound in the little hall - as a spear head slaps against the shield that Donna holds, the woman chopping up with a sword - lowering the momentum of her strike so as not to cleave the spear in half, more bumping it upwards and out of the way.
Spinning, Donna lifts a foot to push her sandal into the stomach of the amazon she faces, knocking her off her feet and sending her flying flat on her butt. "Excellent thrust, sister - I can see your drilling is paying off well!" she enthuses. Donna wouldn't give them an instant of relief. Nor would she ever.
To the uninitiated, Donna looked incredibly like Diana - so Donna tended to dress in silvers and lighter colours to Diana's golden and American-themed regalia, to help differeniate them. And right now - Donna was wearing a breastplate and a pleated, studded skirt, sandals tied with criss-cross straps up to her knees.
The latest contingent from Bana-Mighdall has arrived earlier than expected and march into the training room, most of the warrior women seem visibly exhausted and a few even lean against the wall. "Come sisters," Artemis calls as she marches in, apparently the only Amazon in the contingent not out of breath. "It was only a short run from the airport. You may have five minutes to rest and then we begin training. I expect you to honour the skills of Bana-Mighdall infront of our Themysciran sisters." She scans the room. "Who might I speak with about borrowing some arms? There were some difficulties bringing ours through 'customs'."
 
Of course the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall were given safe haven. At the end of the day, this was Diana's turf, but Donna Troy - and indeed, many of the other Amazons - saw absolutely no issue with letting the contigent of women inside the embassy. Armed or no.
Lifting her sword high, Donna sheathes it in one smooth motion, turning her eyes towards the newcomers. Bringing her hands up, she relieves herself of the silver helmet that she wears, raven hair falling in waves around her shoulders. "Hail," says Donna Troy. "Princess Diana would receive you - but there is another issue that calls her away this morning," says Donna, friendliness in her smile as she marches up towards Artemis.
Shifting her helmet to her other arm, she offers a hand, "I am Donna, adopted daughter of Hippolyta," says Donna, holding a hand up to offer to the other. "And I am likewise an ambassadorial aide. Hail, Amazons of Bana-Mighdall," she says, friendliness in her tone.
Although her tone was friendly, there was steel in it - these were fellow amazons, after all. "As for arms - we can certainly loan you some to train on, although those in Patriarch's world grow uneasy at the sight of weapons on the streets."
Keith walks into the Embassy, being something of a frequent visitor as of late. Being a cat, he tended to have rather irregular sleep patterns and late patrols at times. Knowing that the Embassy opened early, he liked to drop in to watch the morning training routines-- as a rookie, who better to learn from than the Amazons? He'd sit quietly and watch, and later in the evening he'd come back for Diana's self-defense courses. This morning, however, the cat notices the heightened actiity... and a number of Amazons that seems a little off compared to the usual numbers he's seen in his visits.
He notices Donna and another Amazon exchanging greetings. Banana Midgar? That was a strange name. The young hero stays in the background in the training area, doing his best not to interrupt.
I mean, he was already purple and visible. He was loud just by standing still.
Artemis allows herself a fraction of a smile, then shakes the offered arm. "I don't imagine weapons will often be needed in the Patriarchs world," she assures. "But I would be remiss in my duties if my sisters were treat this as a vacation." Several of the Bana-Mighdall Amazons exchange worried glances at the thought. "Donna, I believe I have heard of you. Forgive my rudeness. I am Artemis, Shim'Tar of Bana-Mighdall... I am perhaps a little 'behind' on current events."
Being a frequent visitor, Donna would certainly be known by Keith. And Keith, well - one disadvantage of his appearance is that he was ludicrously recognizable. (Or advantage, as Zatanna Zatara was attempting to make use of for her own nefarious (maybe not nefarious) ends).
Donna, for her part, was quickly growing used to the presence of men. No longer quite staring openmouthed at anyone new.
Even if Keith did draw a glance or three still. Donna glances towards the man briefly - her eyes flickering up and down him as if taking stock of him, and then she bobs her head in a nod to him. Eyes return to Artemis. "The current events - I am recently come to Patriarch's World myself, sister - Princess Diana and many of the amazons here have been here for some time," says Donna Troy. "And there are many things we do for the men and women of this place," says Donna, tossing her helmet to a younger looking amazon, who catches it readily.
Moving to the weapons rack, Donna draws one sword, and then with a swift motion - tosses it in the direction of Artemis - a little bit of a sparkle in her eye as she looks towards the woman with red hair - a sign of dark portents, that. Hopefully, she caught it. "And we have many visitors interested in our ways. See that man?" asks Donna, gesturing to Vorpal, "He is welcome here," she says, turning towards him readily as she draws her sword with a ring of steel, kinda pacing nearer towards Artemis. "Hail, friend," she calls towards Vorpal. 'Friend' worked if you couldn't remember names.
"Hello, Donna!" Keith's good with names. Especially with Amazons. He gives Donna a wave from where he is, and is prepared to wait for when Artemis turns around and sees... well, him. He's accustomed now to first impressions being 'What the F--- are you?'.
"Did I come in at a bad time? I didn't know there were more Amazons coming. I can come back later for the defense classes if the room's too crowded."
And the Cheshire grin, because he's got that going for him, at least.
Artemis snatches the sword out of the air as she turns to face Keith. "A mortal I presume?" she asks blandly, testing the balance and edge on the blade. "For you do not appear to be of Tartarus." Her Amazon escort do not cringe at the mention of Tartarus, infact they seem to collectively decide now is a good time to begin some warm up exercises. Someplace over there. "We are not strangers to the Patriarchs world in Bana-Mighdall. Indeed we have men living within our city although they are few in number."
Donna was merely glad that he didn't mistake her for Diana - a mistake that far too many people tended to make. "We are all mortals, sister," say Donna Troy, a little smile dancing up onto her lips. "We just await that which will destroy us," says Donna, those words eliciting an upward lift of the corner of her mouth.
Even if the news of Bana-Mighdall does catch Donna off guard. "Is that so?" she asks Artemis, blinking as if surprised at her. "Then you may be of great help to us," she asks then. A little cant of her head to one side, and she regards Keith at first. "Pick up a sword, friend. This is Artemis of Bana-Mighdall - she has come to us a long way," she says then.
"Unless your trip has tired you overmuch, sister?" asks Donna, a little bit more grimness touching her features - a grimness that was touched by mirth, as she picks up her sword and kinda points it at the other.
Pick up a what?
Keith does as instructed, though, if only because he's the Stanley and he often does things that end up with him on the floor and parts of his anatomy cursing him for days. "A-Artemis, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Keith O'Neil. From here." He stops. "I mean not from the Embassy. From New York... sorry, I'm blabbering."
He's a little flustered, considering the circumstances.
Artemis laughs. "You jest surely sister? The plane trip has been the longest period of rest I've had in," she frowns. "Many years I think. Although for much of it time-keeping was not foremost in my mind." She rolls her shoulders and tosses the sword from one hand to the other. "Are you a student of the sword Keith?"
Donna grin might be treating Artemis with a slow steady stare. Keith was given a flicker of the eyes every so often. "Do you have fear, Keith O'Neil, of New York?" asks Donna, tilting her head a bit to one side - her eyes were nearly entirely level upon Artemis. Rolling the sword in her hand, she takes a handful of steps towards the other woman, and - hefting her shield up some, holds out her sword to her, blade first - a silent offer that Artemis can begin by striking her blade out of the way.
"He is learning yet. Do not use blows that will kill him," says Donna, a fierceness in her brightly blue eyes.
"Do not hold back with me."
"Let's see..." the cat's voice has a note of quaver in it, but he's also smiling a little. "Am I afraid of two warriors who could wipe the floor with me, then use me as a mop to clean up -that- mess, and then kick me enough again to make my fur change color?" he laughs, answering the question in that quip.
Artemis asked a question, and he answers "I learned how to use a sword, but my training was mostly in black tiger fist..." the cat pauses, balancing the sword and his stance, "... which, come to think of it, is rather ironic now. I attend classes here to learn to be a better fighter. I rely far too much on my powers- and I am extremely fortunate to have such mentors. Even if it does mean I have quite a few days where I can't sit down properly."
His eyes take the two women in, trying to relax so he can be aware of their body language. "It happens a lot."
"I'll also try not to maim him," Artemis offers helpfully. "And I wouldn't think of holding back with a fellow Amazon." At that she springs forward, sweeping the sword at Donna's blade while lashing out with a scything low kick. The blows are much quicker and stronger than Donna might be expecting from someone of Bana-Mighdall. "I hope you weren't intending on holding back against me." Keith doesn't get a sword strike, perhaps in consideration of his training, but somehow during the twirling attack on Donna she finds time to send a punch at his chest.
Donna could be fast - could be very very fast when she needed to be. But right now, she didn't feel the need to be. Hers was something that started and kinda ramped up - she rarely got to her full kilt except with Diana. "I would never dream of it," she replies to Artemis, her grin growing in a wide expression.
Keith was ignored for the moment - although some portion of her mind did decide to pay attention to his reaction. Donna was fairly defensive at the moment - her blade was slapped away, and Donna falls back into a defensive stance, leaping backwards over the kick - eyes widening with surprise at the speed of it. A moment, and Artemis could see a sharper smile spread across Donna's features. Donna strikes twice - a chop horizontally, left to right, across her midsection that causes her to kinda twist her torso to point her shield at the other Amazon - then a lunging forward, hoping to bash her with that shield.
Oof! Keith had been so impressed by Artemis' speed that he forgot what exactly was that he was doing. When he takes the punch to the chest, he staggers back. He falls bck and does the roll, so he ends up in a crouching position, sword by his side. He was not as strong as either fighter (how could he?), so he had to be on the defensive and look for an opening.
Artemis flicks the chop away with a deft little movement of her sword, plants her free hand on the lunging shield and vaults clean over Donna. She even tries for a friendly 'tap' to her head with the pommel of the sword. Upon landing she springs away to gain some space to manuever and brings the blade up into a guard position. "Keith it is often wise to use the length of a blade to keep your foe from striking distance. Depending on the style you are learning it may also help to turn side on. Reducing the areas you foe can attack."
With the speed the two amazons were going at - an opening would be hard to find. Lunging forward with the shield, Donna was surprised that her strike did not find a home - but doubly so when the strike of the pommel taps the back of her head, causing Donna to see stars a moment. A blink then, and she glances towards Vorpal - giving her head a shake, "Do you intend just to watch, Keith O'Neil of New York?" asks Donna, a little smile dancing up on her lips.
"And the ability of the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall has ~not~ been overestimated, I see!" says Donna, her voice lifting with a bit of joy. With a flick of her wrist, she tosses the shield aside - readjusting her grip on her weapon to take a two-handed stance with it. Artemis was on the defensive. Moving a bit carefully - Donna does step forward now. What she was intending to do was make the space for a kick, using the sword as a shield against Artemis' own.
These two were going at it with a joy that made Keith stare a little. It is true that sometimes he went into battle with whimsy, but that's when he was embracing his nature and using his powers to cause mayhem. He wanted to have the same drive when it all boiled down to hand-to-hand combat. He listens to the tip Artemis gives him, ears flicking.
"Sorry, it's an impressive show not to watch..." he says with a smirk.
While he was not strong and nowhere near as fast as the Amazons, he did have one thing going for him- he had the full acrobatic prowess of his feline nature and reflexes to match. He darts forward when Donna starts executing her kick and vaults over her leg, body twisting in midair and both legs moving to execute a scissor kick to attempt to 'tap' both Amazons, since Donna had made the space. He wasn't sure if the kick would connect or not, but at least he was glad that he made a point of wearing sneakers today instead of the stompy boots Patrick seemed to think made for good building-hopping material.
Then again, Patrick wasn't a cat.
It takes but a moment for Artemis to shift her stance from defense to attack. Using a flurry of feints and flight strikes to try and drive Donna back. The kick doesn't take her entirely by surprise, although Vorpal leaping through does, and the kicks connect one with a hefty thud and the other... less so. Never one to look a gift weapon in the mouth Artemis snatches for Keiths leg and, if he isn't quick, she'll spin and try use him as a club. After all Donna can hardly parry a person with her sword!
Caught mid-motion with the kick, Donna was surprised to see a purple foot in her face. It wasn't anything that could hurt her - in fact, it probably was more solid to Vorpal than anything, perhaps like kicking a wall, but. Donna kinda crosses her eyes with the kick, and the force of it does kinda push her back a little more.
And if Keith is used as a club... Donna would hop forward in a somersault to leap over and clear him, the woman actually hoping to land a kick upon Artemis' shoulders, perhaps riding her down to the floor proper. What happens to Keith afterwards? Well. Cats always land on their feet, right?
Keith was -not- expecting that, of course. First Lesson of Amazon Fighting School: Don't Be The Weapon! As the world *swings* around him, he vaguely wonders if it was still time to join the Chippendale dancers. When he is let go, he goes the distance before impacting the floor and rolling, /eventually/ ending in a crouching position.
This is what he meant about not being able to sit down for days. The sword must have flown somewhere else while he was being used as a purple club. Shaking his head to get his bearings, he notices that he's landed near Donna's discarded shield, and he makes a grab for it. With a smirk, he stands up, twirls, and sends it flying towards Artemis's lower body as Donna goes for the high. Hey, this was most likely going to backfire horribly for him, but at least he was being creative!
The spinning shield is ignored, despite it striking true, for the more pressing concern that is a leaping Donna. Artemis, dropping her sword, grabs the foot as it strikes her shoulder and tries to suplex her fellow Amazon into the floor. If the loss of weapons has phased her doesn't show it.
Donna would certainly approve of Vorpal's fast-thinkingness. That is, if she wasn't being hammered into the floor. With a yelp of surprise, Donna Troy belatedly tries to utilize her flight to kinda take off with Artemis in tow - but the surprise and speed of the motion to slap her into the floor catches her off guard. Artemis' gambit proves successful, and indeed, with the strength that Donna was slapped down into the floor?
For a moment, the world goes black for her.
Yes, there was a crack on the floor, as well. And Donna, head bleary, and blood streaming from her nose, kinda rolls over unto her back, staring up at the ceiling.
Okay. Artemis just made Donna kiss the ground. Literally. What was -he- going to do?
He narrows his eyes and takes a few steps back, keeping his center of gravity low, seemingly unaware that he's getting close to the wall.
Artemis scoops up the shield and flings it back at Vorpal, using the motion to turn back to Donna and deliver a light tap to her throat. A imitation of a 'kill' strike. Of course that's providing Donna is as down as she looks. "I believe now would be a typical point to ask if you yield?"
Donna Troy blinks up at Artemis, and offers her a hand. "I am so rarely surprised," says Donna - if that hand is taken, she would use it to leverage herself up to a stand. "Who trained you? Are all of your warriors so fierce?" asks Donna of the woman, her voice light in spite of her loss. If she is brought to a stand, under her own power, or with Artemis' help, she would then glance to poor Vorpal. "Keith O'Neil. Are you well?" she asks.
Artemis hauls Donna to her feet, while scooping up the sword. "I trained with the previous Shim'Tar and I spent several decades in hell. It tends to sharpen your instincts," she explains. "My sisters generally do not share my skills but I believe any of them would fight as fiercely. If you'll excuse me I believe our trainee has not yet yielded." And at that she bursts into a jogging charge, sword raised, heading directly for Vorpal.
Hell? OH, that totally explained it! Just as it explains the Amazon choo choo train that is currently charging at him after dodging the shield!
At that, the cat kicks his heels up and runs. At first, seemingly a cowardly gesture... but not so, as he, running towards the wall, jumps up against it, kicks off from it and backflips in the air, arms extended in order to grab a hold of that beautiful topknot. If he grabs it, he will hold on tight to it and use it as his anchor to bring his feet in hard against the small of her back just as he brings his center of gravity down, to attempt to flip her over him.
Keith hasn't really factored in that while this is a rather spectacular move... this is an Amazon at six plus feet, and he is only about five feet and a half tall.
Donna Troy, drawn to her feet, laughs as she stands up straight and tall, bringing up a forearm to wipe the blood from her nose. "Goodness," she says, giving her head a brief shake. When her vision clears a little more - her eyes flick towards Vorpal and Artemis, the woman almost regretting dragging Keith into this whole mess.
...almost.
This is not the first time someone has tried to use Artemis's hair against hair and probably won't be the last. The move doesn't flip her over, although it does elicit a grunt of displease, and with gritted teeth she strains against Keiths entire body with her neck. Just long enough to reverse the grip on her sword and slide the blade back. So poor Keith will have the distinctly disturbing sensation of the flat of a sword blade running down the side of his leg. Coupled with the realisation of where the point will could end up. "I belive you may wish to yield," she grates from between clenched teeth. "Although I must admit that was a valient effort."
So Keith is there, hanging from Artemis' hair like a christmas ornament. Except Christmas ornaments do not have to worry about getting sword-slapped in the daddybags. Suddenly there is no weight bearing down on Artemis' hair, as the cat levitates several feet off the ground. "I yield!" He says, rubbing his rump from that early fall. "....as the saying goes, hair today, gone tomorrow..."
Artemis shakes her head and rolls her shoulders. "I can see why they permit you to train here," she offers. "Although I think you would benefit from training with a lighter sword intended for quick thrusting strikes rather than a traditional Amazon blade. That was most refreshing. Perhaps the Patriarchs world will not allow my sisters skills to dwindle after all. Speaking of which I should attend to their training. It has been enjoyable meeting you both."
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Artemis," the cat says, floating down to the ground, a hand scratching the back of his neck. "I may need to stick to the Amazon sword... I need to build up my strength for it." Not that he was a weakling by any stretch of the imagination, but his lack of serious swordsmanship training meant that all of his muscles were not familiar with the handling of the blade, nor in fighting with something in his hands. Relying on constructs he could summon at will had made him lax in the true art of melee.
He looks at the Amazon from ... Maguila Gorilla...wherever she was from (Keith was good with names. But not when those names were written in Crazyperson). "Thank you for allowing me to train with you, both of you." He says to Donna, smiling "I should head home and clean up."
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