[open log]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

Characters: Aaaaanybody!
Setting: Danger Room, or perhaps wandering over to other parts of the school
Content: Training session's over, Jono's still hanging around
Status: Open!

[Jono's breathing hard from a good training session, and a few students have started to trickle out of the Danger Room. But Jono is hanging back, taking a few more swings at one of the available punching bags, and killing time. Today is a nice, open day for him, and Jono could probably use your company.]

Comments

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

[Not so fast, Jono. Calling today 'nice' might be a bit hasty. Emma's still a little bit peeved at him for a certain rescue mission attempt. Granted, Emma's still peeved a lot of people but those people aren't hanging around the Danger Room, now are they?]

Your blocks were sloppy today.

[That's all Emma says as she comes up behind him, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono spins around to face her, and takes on an even, expressionless look.] So how do I fix it?

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

Practice, darling.

[She takes a few steps back into a more open area of the Danger Room that's a bit more suited for sparring and such.] You have a tendency to drop your left elbow. It forces you to work that much harder to try and block hits.

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono can't help but smirk a little at her first comment. That's the Emma he knows. He follows her to sparring area and circles her.]

And this?

[He fakes one hit and then delivers a lower one, then keeping up his hands in an improved block the way she suggested.]

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

Marginally better. [She keeps a critical eye on his stance as they continue to circle. She throws a quick hit to his right and follows it up with another, testing to see if he can continue to keep his guard up while fighting.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[The corner of Jono's mouth turns up just the tiniest bit at that. Emma doesn't give praise easily.]

I'll keep this in mind.

[Jono keeps his reflexes up, and manages to block a few while still missing some others from Emma. He sees a small opportunity and throws a hard punch that's reinforced by his psionic energy. His fist, glowing red, comes down hard.]

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

[She shifts into her diamond form just in time, the weight behind his punch pushing her a bit backwards. There's a small smirk on her face since he's moved this fight to a different level. She's testing his guard again except the hits come backed by diamond now.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono's got a tight grin on his face now; this is what he was hoping for. Now he can really let loose. Yeah, yeah, she's his instructor and all, but he's just never been quite okay with hitting a lady! He doesn't hold back though when Emma goes to diamond form, and now encases both of his hands in glowing psionic energy. They serve as a mild distraction, since Jono doesn't attack with his fists just yet. He lets out a blast of energy from his chestplate instead.]

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

[She mostly manages to get out of the energy blast's way, her shoulder just getting clipped and pushing her back a few steps. She doesn't waste any time with pausing to regroup and moves in fast with a kick to the abdomen, getting in under his guard.] Glowing hands does not equate a proper defence, Chamber.

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Even as Jono lets out a little wheeze from getting the wind knocked out of him, he's secretly pleased. It used to be "Glowing hands distract the eye, use it to your advantage," so now he's feeling like he's getting another layer to the lesson. He watches her more carefully now, and is able to block more hits than he had before, trying to rely on instinct and reflexes to catch her hands and feet before they get to him. Now he's focused on defense, and doesn't hit back. He'll find another opportunity to do so -- later. If she gives him the chance. For now -- hit, block. Jab, knock the hand away. Kick, and grab the ankle, twist it around, knock the opponent off balance. They get into a good rhythm briefly.]

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

[The rhythm's enough to earn a curt nod of approval from Emma. He's taken her corrections to heart and looks far less sloppy than earlier in the day. She starts to slow her attack, giving him the option and opportunity to move back on to the offensive if he wants.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono sees the bait and it's so hard to resist it -- a few weeks ago, he'd have fallen for it. Today, he continues the rhythm that he and Emma have established for a few more rounds and then uses a move he used on Logan previously, something new to a training session with Emma. He waves a glowing hand eye-level and lets loose a burst of energy, blinding her for a moment, and then uses his feet to kick her off-balance. She's going a little easy on him right now, sure, but he reminds himself not to get too confident.]

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

[It's a fairly effective tactic and sends Emma stumbling backwards a few steps before she regains her balance. There's another nod of approval for the tactic before she moves forward again, holding back just a little bit less now. She shifts back to the offensive again, her punches coming faster now, paired with feints and forcing him to try and keep up whilst still maintaining a solid guard.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono continues the fine-tuned defense maneuver she taught him, and starts working up a sweat as Emma's attacks get more intense. Remembering there's something he's always wanted to work on with her, he delivers a solid hit reinforced with his psionic energy to buy himself a few seconds. He then shuffles back quickly. Now with a couple of feet between them, Jono lets out a telepathic pulse that shakes Emma and makes her have to regain her balance, but it's hardly anything -- equivalent to a light shove on the shoulders.]

That's a little baby push. [Jono keeps his hands up for defense while he talks.] Can you help me get it stronger?

[queendediamonds.livejournal.com]

[Emma backs off her attacks, halting them for the time being. Instead, she nods towards a nearby practice dummy off to the side.] Show me again. [She watches more carefully this time not with her eyes but rather her mind. Her psychic touch is light and not incredibly intrusive as she evaluates.]

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

[Laura has hung back as well; she likes to take her showers in the locker rooms after sessions, when most girls opt to go back to their rooms. She likes the quiet, naturally, and is leaving the locker room, wet dripping although otherwise dressed, when Jono exits the Danger Room as well.

Their eyes lock; Laura is patting her hair with a stolen towel.]

Hello.

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono turns to face Laura, his face expressionless, but he gives her a wave.]

Hi. [They turn down the hallway away from the Danger Room together.]

What's going on?

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

[It's not as if Laura and Jono talk much; she looks at him sidelong, nearly startled by the friendly question. Her face, however, is nearly as expressionless as his. That's perhaps why she does not think much of it - Jono is used to not having a face to express anyway.]

I was thinking of eating.

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

Eating! Brilliant! [Jono's face lights up for a short moment at that before reverting to its usual monotone look.]

I think I'll join you, if you don't mind.

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

I do not mind. [Laura merely blinks at his odd and sudden display and retreat of emotion, catalogs it, and then looks to the dirty towel in her hand. She tosses it carelessly on top of a pile of sweats, realizing she can't exactly bring it to her room now.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

Kitchen? Or cafeteria? [In a silly show of chivalry Jono bends down and extends a crooked arm for her to take. They look kind of funny, almost cute, his massive body and her slender, delicate frame next to his.]

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

I like the kitchen. [The answer is soft, obvious; Laura looks over to him and his offered arm with a measure of curiosity. She is not used to casual touching, but she has no reason not to accept. So she does, her small hand touching the inside of elbow before she hooks hers into his. This is... She does not know.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

[Jono walks her to the kitchen, and once they're there, he gently drops her arm, not overdoing the contact. He opens up the fridge and starts piling stuff onto the counter, loading up the stove with pots, and starts cooking.]

So. [He glances at Laura as he heats up some food. He does realize now that they've never really talked much, and having been pretty much a loner before, knows how hard it is to just... strike up conversation. Jono doesn't know how to start here, either.]

Everything going all right with you? [He kicks himself mentally; what a dumb opener.]

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

[As Jono gets his beloved food and cooking utensils out, Laura jumps up onto a stool, reaches to play with the stem of a ripe apple, and watches him and his actions with unwavering eyes. She does not cook. She is curious. She does not know him well either. She is curious.

She blinks at his question, feels the awkwardness in the way he moves and looks at her. Laura does not know how to ease such things; she had long ago stopped trying. She will follow his lead.]

Yes. [It is a half-lie. The truth is she does not know.] Everything going all right with you?

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

Yeah, things are... okay. Kevin's back, and, well, I've got to tell you, Laura, I'm not much of a cook. [Jono shrugs, and indicates what's in the pot. It's last night's dinner.] I'm more of a re-heater. And speaking of Kevin, he's a much better cook than I am, now.

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

The New Brotherhood operated out of remote bases, usually in the wilderness. It would be difficult for Kevin to have the means to cook. [Laura says this matter-of-factually. Is she teasing or spouting off knowledge to contradict him? The world may never know.]

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

Which is what makes it so weird! Isn't it?

[The microwave beeps, while Jono pokes at something in a pot on the stove.]

And whenever I try to ask, he just shrugs and says he "picked up a few skills."

[He dishes out everything that's been re-heated (to the best of his own limited cooking skills) onto to plates.]

Here. It's not much.

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

[Laura picks up a spoon, and ladles a vegetable from the soup, but does not eat it yet. Instead, she looks up at Jono with a blank expression.] Thank you.

Being vague is weird. [It's a confirmation of the fact even as it's spoken in agreement - that it's, as Jono puts it, "weird" to say such things without an explanation.] How do you plan on extracting this information?

[jono-stars.livejournal.com]

Gee, I don't know. Maybe they trained him to withstand torture techniques. [Jono's eyes go wide for a second, and it's a little hard to tell, but he was joking here. Then he clarifies out loud.]

That was kind of a joke, but then I just scared myself because it could be true. Bloody hell.

[trainedweapon.livejournal.com]

[Laura barely blinks at the possibility, and shows no horror over the idea. It doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility for her, or even out of the norm. She has been trained to withstand torture techniques. She has also been trained to torture.] It is more likely they trained him to kill. [Laura eats a spoonful of soup.]