IC: Batman
"Again."
At the command, Dick Grayson came towards me, fists clenched, leaping up towards me to attack.
Even from the small amount of training sessions we've had, the boy has progressed impressively. In some areas, he's even better than me--he has done aerobic manuvers I couldn't even do in my wildest dreams, let alone on my best day.
He attacks me with a straight left kick in the air--I didn't see him up in the air again until then--the boy could call himself the Flash and get away with it--but I grab him by the leg and throw him across.
Before I can blink he's back on his feet, runs towards me and leaps again, this time low, and inches away from having a fist straight into the solar plexus...before I grabbed the fist by both my hands. I took the wrist and started to bend it--not enough to break, but enough for him to grunt in pain, and enough for me to put his hands behind his back and trip him to the ground, pinning him with my knee to the small of his back.
"Yield." He does. When he relaxes his grip, I get off of him and walk over to the water and towels. I grab him one of each and toss them to him. "Not too bad."
"Not too bad? You kicked my ass in, like, 2 minutes!"
"No--it was 2 minutes, 14 seconds; last time, it was 1 minute, 48 seconds. Its a start."
"Some start...what did I do wrong?"
"Frankly...you're keeping too much anger within you to properly fight. While fighting with some emotion is common, perhaps even neccesary, putting so much of it in your stance can only cripple you in combat."
"How do I stop myself from being too pissed in battle?"
"...By not being so pissed off."
"I figured that out, but how?
"I can't answer that, it is unique for everyone who decides to learn the art. You're going to have to figure that out for yourself."
"...Is there, like, a rule or something that says if you're teaching someone kung fu, you have to be vague and mysterious?"
"No, but...I remember something that one of my teachers said to me, after I was finished with my training, when I asked him, 'Why were you so vague with me during my studies?' His answer was something like this:
"'I remember asking that one of my teachers, and she said, "Frankly, I was waiting for someone to come along so that they would ask me to be their teacher...because when I finished all of my training and looked back at my fustration and determination...it was, well, funny as hell, and I think my master enjoyed that, and the reason why was to see the same fustration he had when he was teaching that I had at that time."'
"I guess what I mean is...it's interesting to see how you see yourself within the person you are teaching...humbling...makes you relate to the person you are teaching."
"Ahem." I turn back from Dick to see Alfred next to the door. "I do hate to interrupt the male-bonding episode you two were having, but there is something on the news I think you should see."
We follow Alfred to the living room where the television was onto one of the Gotham news channels...
"This is Jack Ryder, reporting live from Gotham Automotives, where it seems that the famed fugitive from New York, Otto "Dr. Octopus" Octavious has started rampaging the area. As of now, we are not sure as to why he is doing this, and this reporter would ask him, but I'm to f**king scared shi-iiiiii--"
A tentacle enters the screen and suddenly Ryder is flying away from the area. Suddenly this Otto Octavious enters the screen, microphone in one of the tentacles, and another seemingly lunged near the camera, most likely on the cameraman.
"...You move the camera away for one moment and I'll...Greetings, 'Gothamites.' I have only one demand this morning, and it is this--bring me the fabled millionare, most-likely-drunkard Bruce Wayne RIGHT HERE, and let me do to him as I please--and if I do not have my demands met, I will rip this city apart and find him myself!"
Then a flash of metal tentacle and the screen breaks into static.
I stand for a moment, considering what to do. Then I walk out.
"Master Bruce, where are--"
"I'm going to him, Alfred. If I don't, who knows how many more will die."
"Bruce, let me get my stuff and I'll follow behind and try and stop--"
"NO. You're not ready enough to face somone like him--besides, we only come out at night."
"Okay, look--you have your costume under your things, you meet with the Otto guy, I go in to distract him long enough for you to get fully in gear and start taking him on, and I'll strictly be behind you. It's a crappy plan, I know, but...what else do we have?"
"...Fine. Get suited up--but, it's going to be something a little bit different. Alfred, you have the suit ready?"
"There are still some touch-ups needed, but it will do for now."
"Good, give him that suit, and show him to the cycle--it is your graduation present when you are good enough for combat...but only for today.
"Let's roll."
