*Damn it all!* Matt hit the ground hard, his body curling instinctively to protect his damaged ribs, as he rolled across the danger room floor, away from the programmed adversary who was, whichever way you looked at it, kicking his ass. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time. A safe place to come and try to regain his lost radar sense! Safer than the streets anyway! He supposed it still was. At least protocols stopped the holograms from doing serious damage though he had to admit that in his present condition every blow they landed hurt like hell.
And that was the problem wasn’t it? They shouldn’t have been able to touch him. Even wounded as he was he should have been to fast, to agile for this basic program Hank had told him to ask for to cause him any major grief. *Yeah right! Maybe someone should tell the holograms that!*, Matt thought as he narrowly missed being taken down by a second adversary. *This is hopeless. I should have stuck to throwing sticks for Levi! Because throwing my billy club is getting me precisely nowhere!*
He was just at too much of a disadvantage. Already fighting without his radar was difficult enough, but he had always known that it would be. What he hadn’t fully taken into account however was how little sensory information he would actually get from these created foes. And that was proving to be his downfall. It was amazing just how much a heartbeat could tell you about your opponent. Not only where they were but when they would attack and what condition they would be in when they did.
These foes didn’t have a heart to beat! Or any scent to follow either for that matter. Even the way their falsely solid bodies displaced the air in front of them didn’t feel right, causing hi to misjudge their movements too often for anything like an effective response. Put it all together and it meant he was too slow, his mind struggling to piece together some sort of picture of what was going on around him before they struck again and failing time and time again.
“End program” he called finally in disgust, as he took yet another tumble, his damaged leg throbbing painfully as he pushed himself back to his feet. Just for a moment there was something like despair etched on his face as the realisation that this was what he could well be reduced to if his supernatural radar never did return hit home. The billy club left his hand, striking the now blank wall in frustration, to ricochet back to his now waiting hand.
Catching it made him feel better, took the edge of panic that had been starting to creep into his thoughts away. There. Walls, angles, distances! That he could still calculate. The walls after all were real! Not figments of Hank’s fertile imagination no matter how brilliantly executed they might be! *You don’t run into many holograms in Hells Kitchen* he reminded himself forcing his mind and body back to calm.*The lowlife there is real as well. And too dangerous to be left to its own devices! Which means I need to get back in the game! Even if this doesn’t seem to be the way to do it*
*Maybe I can get someone to train with me* he wondered suddenly. It wasn’t an option that presented itself to him very often. Indeed apart from his sessions with Sticks and some friendly sparring with Peter he had been pretty solitary in his workouts since he had decided to devote his life to crime fighting. But this school, this strange weird school with its more than gifted students….perhaps it could provide him with a solution he would have found inconceivable even a week ago.
*I could always ask Peter to come down I suppose* Matt thought as he made his way towards the exit *though god knows he has his own problems to worry about at the moment. Or if not maybe Hank can point me in the direction of someone who feels in need of a little training. And hopefully won’t cripple me in the process.*
It seemed like a good plan though he had to admit it did little to lift the sense of frustration he still felt as he left the danger room, a tall young man with copper coloured hair clothed in the borrowed black leather of an x man, the costume outlining the muscular build but hiding the bandages that still covered his wounded body just as the mask hid the blind eyes and most of the fading scar that traced its way over his cheek.
He picked up the heartbeat even before the doors had time to close, scent, warmth, movement all the telltale traces of a reassuringly living presence reaching him instantly, telling him he was not alone. Young .Male. The heartbeat of a trained athlete.*Maybe my luck is in* Matt thought with a smile "Hi.Sorry if I’ve kept you waiting." he said "You’ve come down for some training I presume. I don‘t suppose you like some company by any chance. Because to be honest" he admitted wryly"Those holograms are driving me crazy."
Nick knew he had left the kitchen rather rudely but he just hadn’t been able to help himself. It was not that he disliked either Jordan or Mitch personally but together they just seemed to be able to rub him up the wrong way at every turn. And he just could handle that at the moment, not with the constant pressure of having to live with the Exiles hanging over him… So the young crime fighter was now making his way hurriedly through the corridors of the Xavier’s institute toward the secret door that led down to the restricted subbasement.
He had to admit that gaining access to the X-men’s secret equipment had been the one thing that had kept him from asking to be removed for the sad excuse for a team he had been placed on. He lived in the danger room as it offered him and excuse to leave his room and he had discovered a program that allowed him to create a simulation of the streets of Gotham. He missed the action he had been used to… the rush of adrenaline he felt before launching himself into a fight… everything was so calm here.
He was glad of the distraction provided by the holograms in the danger room but it just was not the same as being out on the streets fighting criminals. When he was in the danger room he knew that there were security measures in place to end the program before anything happened to him and that took the edge of the fights. Nick smiled, he could feel the impatience and hunger for a proper fight boiling up inside of him and knew that this was exactly why his father had sent him to this place; he was never content unless he was in trouble.
And because of this he was planning a stunt that was going to land him in a whole heap of trouble but it would be worth it. As he walked down the chrome platted corridor of the subbasement he glanced down the corridor that lead to his target… the corridor whose security defences he was going to overcome. He so nearly had a plan it hurt, but he could just not figure out how to overcome the heat sensors and without a way to fool those he might as well give up now. But he had a lot of time on his hands and he had no doubt that he would find a way to get to the X-jet.
He reached the door to the danger room and at once noticed the “in use” button glowing red. He was a bit disappointed that he was going to have to wait but then again it might be a good thing as it would give him time to settle himself again before he went in there. He would also be able to take the time to stretch properly which was so important for him as he did not have power that automatically enabled him to be as agile as he was, he had to work for every inch of it. And he was proud that he was as good as any of the mutant kids without having inherited any powers from his mother.
But just as Nick was settling down for the wait the doors to the danger room opened and a man stepped out. He was wearing an X-man costume and a mask and seemed to be a few years older than Nick, and after careful inspection the young Robin decided that he had not encountered this man before. But judging by the costume and the age Nick figured he might be one of the student teachers or something.
"Hi. Sorry if I’ve kept you waiting."
Nick smiled and shrugged, he had not been all that worried in the first place but he respected the fact that the other man had bothered to apologise.
"You’ve come down for some training I presume. I don‘t suppose you like some company by any chance. Because to be honest those holograms are driving me crazy."
Nick could relate to that, even though the holograms were state of the art and were hard to tell from real opponents there was something innately distracting about simply knowing that they were holograms and no matter how much damage you inflicted upon them it really made not difference. And as for having company, Nick had never really considered it as he did not know all that many people around the institute and definitely did not feel comfortable with asking any of the people he did get on with to come and test their skills against his. But maybe this could be a good opportunity for him as he had never really trained with anyone other than his father.
“Sure why not. But you’re going to have to give me a minute to warm up, it’s not worth my life to go in there cold.”
He set about stretching straight away doing only the basic movement such as touching his toes and warming up his arm muscles. He did not feel it would be wise to reveal just how supple he was to this stranger; it was always good to have a few surprises left in store in case your opponent got the upper hand.
“So do you want any particular setting or shall I just make it something flat? Oh and I’m Nick by the way.”
Re: Fighting shadows.
There was a slight increase in the stranger’s heart rate as if the idea of having a real live opponent pleased him as much as it did Matt. “Sure why not” he agreed easily, his voice a light tenor with an accent that said American but not native New Yorker. Matt filed it away as always, knowing his mind would continue to track down the young mans place of origins on its own, like a programme running automatically on a computer till finally the answer would pop up and he could switch it off . "But you’re going to have to give me a minute to warm up, his soon to be opponent added it’s not worth my life to go in there cold.” Matt nodded his understanding and approval, knowing himself how dangerous it was to embark upon even the simplest training exercise with out sufficient preparation.
*Good* he thought to himself as he listened to the young mans movements. *He’s got experience at this sort of thing…..doesn’t seem to be the first time he’s got ready for a fight. Sure of himself too, not cocky but not awkward either. And the idea of going up against someone he’s never met before, someone older than himself doesn’t bother him in the least* The strangers movements were fluid, no cracking from the bones that would mark stiffness, no tell tale grating of the articulations. *Maybe I’m the one who should be worried?* Matt asked himself with a grin. *Or maybe I just look as if you could knock me down with a feather at the moment. Which wouldn’t be too far from the truth.*
He did wonder if he should tell the newcomer of his injuries, maybe ask them to go easy. It would have been the prudent thing to do he supposed but that wasn’t in his nature. After all he had come down here to do more than just work out. He had come to try to reclaim the special sense of space and movement that let him function as a crime fighter and he had the impression that that wasn’t going to happen without at least some element of risk.
“So do you want any particular setting or shall I just make it something flat?" That wasn’t really something he had given much thought to unfamiliar as he was with the holodecks potential. "Oh and I’m Nick by the way.”“ Matt Murdock, pleased to meet you.” the blind man said extending a gloved hand. "And as for the setting……This is the first time I’ve been let loose in here so I’m not really au fey with all the possibilities." He admitted readily. “If you’ve got a favourite then that’s fine with me, just as long as we keep the holographic opponents out of it. If not, how about a dojo? Do you think they’ve got one of those in this box of tricks?”
Re: Fighting shadows.
Nick smiled slightly, it seemed that his opponent understood that warming up was essential not like most of the people here who just walked out into the danger room and started blasting things right left and centre. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of powers this guy had, probably not something overly offensive if he also felt the need to warm up. Maybe it was something long range or just purely defensive like Max. Whatever it was Nick knew he was going to have to watch out until he could work it out.
“ Matt Murdock, pleased to meet you.”
Nick gripped the extended hand, while searching his memory to try and determine if he knew anything about his opponent. But it seemed that he had not heard of him before, so maybe he wasn’t a teacher after all. Nick shrugged, who cared anyway he had accepted the fight and it would not be the first time he was going into a challenge blind. And at least in this case he was not putting his life on the line, which was a nice change.
"And as for the setting……This is the first time I’ve been let loose in here so I’m not really au fey with all the possibilities."
Ah so definitely not a teacher then. Maybe a new student, though he looked a little old to be a student here. But if his powers were not all that dangerous it is possible that he did not feel the need to learn how to control them until now. Nick felt a bit more reassured, it seemed more and more likely that he was not going to be fried to a crisp or torn apart atom by atom by this guys powers.
“If you’ve got a favourite then that’s fine with me, just as long as we keep the holographic opponents out of it. If not, how about a dojo? Do you think they’ve got one of those in this box of tricks?”
A dojo? Not a setting Nick would ever have thought off but it did not mean that it was not a good idea. It would be a lot more difficult for him though as he would have nothing to use to gain height. He usually used the Gotham city setting as he liked to feel like he was at home but today he was pretty wound up, so maybe a more challenging area might help him focus and get rid of all this pent up annoyance.
“Well it seems that the good Doctor spent a lot of time programming this thing with any location you could dream off. I bet you could even get it to pretend you were on the moon.”
Now that was a stupid yet quite appealing idea, one of these days he would have to see if he could indeed find a setting that would allow him to try and fight with the physical conditions that you would have on the moon. You never knew when it might come in handy… he wondered if his dad had trained in this machine before getting of into space in search of his mother.
“Anyway I’m more of a city boy but I think a dojo would be an interesting challenge for me so what the hell. All I need to do now is find the correct setting.”
Re: Fighting shadows.
Nicks presence was a blessing on more than one front Matt realised as he heard the sound of the young mans fingers playing across the keypad, no doubt looking for a suitable environment if indeed such a thing existed. Without vision such a search would have been a case of hit or miss, a lottery that could well have proved more dangerous than it was worth. *Maybe I should suggest to Hank that he makes the thing voice controlled* Matt wondered to himself *It would certainly stop me getting some nasty shocks!.*
The though surprised him a little, presuming as it seemed to do that his relationship with the Institute would continue even after his recovery. And maybe he wanted it too. Ever since his first meeting with the Morlocks Matt’s view of the world had changed, his position vis a vis the mutant community subtly revised as he fully realised for the first time the problems some were tring to overcome and the obstacles that the very justice system he defended put in their path.
Not that he hadn’t been a fervent upholder of peoples rights in the past, mutant and human alike, but somehow now it was more personal, he wanted to get more involved and Xaviers Institute seemed like a good place to start. *Besides* he reminded himself with a mischevious smile *where else could you find first class medical attention, good conversation, interesting women and……… somewhere to train without fear of being discovered? Talking of which…….*
“Well it seems that the good Doctor spent a lot of time programming this thing with any location you could dream off..” Nick told him as he continued searching. I bet you could even get it to pretend you were on the moon
*Thanks but no thanks!* Although the no grav might be fun he had to admit! Still like they said in the film’ In space no one can hear you scream’ Or breathe. Or move Or any of the damned things his life depended on . *Been there done that.. didn’t like it ! Don’t intend to do it again in a hurry if I can help it! *
Nick didn’t seem to be pushing for a trip into space though“Anyway I’m more of a city boy” he announced cheerfully but I think a dojo would be an interesting challenge for me so what the hell. All I need to do now is find the correct setting.” Well if you don’t I’m happy to do the whole city thing Matt told him easily “That’s my usual playground too.. Though I have to admit I’ve no idea how I’d adapt to holographic traffic.”
Would he feel the movement? Would he sense the heat of the engines? Or would it all come down to sound. And in the end would that be enough? "Think of the embarrassment if I managed to dodge one of your attacks only to get creamed by a non existent yellow cab!" he said with a chuckle "I’d never live it down!"
Re: Fighting shadows.
Nick ran through the numerous files and folders that contained the different simulated areas in the danger room computer. He had only tried a few of the more used ones, as well as his usual Gotham and it took him a while to get to the slightly more obscure scenes.
“Well if you don’t I’m happy to do the whole city thing. That’s my usual playground too..”
Nick looked round at his new found sparing partner with a slight smile. He couldn’t help but wonder where this masked man was from, though Nick was pretty sure that he was not from anywhere near Gotham. As if he had been his father would have known. It paid off to keep tabs of people with any kind of power when you were a crime fighter as you never knew when that information could come in handy. However Nick had never really been all that good at memorising names and he tended to rely on the computer in the bat cave probably more than he should. That combined with the lack of the easily recognisable Daredevil costume meant that the young crime fighter was still blissfully ignorant of who his opponent was.
“Though I have to admit I’ve no idea how I’d adapt to holographic traffic.”
Nick had to admit that the danger room did take a bit of getting used to at first. He had been very uncertain which bit of the scenery were tangible and which were not. And for an acrobat no knowing what would support your weight and what would not was a very risky business. So he had gone around touching everything he could see in order to be sure that he would not injure himself by landing badly before starting any kind of simulated fight scene. And he was about to tell his adversary that holographic traffic in this machine was just like the real thing when Matt continued what he was saying.
"Think of the embarrassment if I managed to dodge one of your attacks only to get creamed by a non existent yellow cab! I’d never live it down!"
Nick smiled at Matt; it would be very embarrassing to be run over by anything after taking out the bad guys. As he turned back to the computer something struck Nick as odd about what Matt had just said. Why would he get run over by holographic traffic if it was as solid as that in the real world? Maybe his sparing partner was just an ordinary citizen. Maybe he only trained in the danger room in order to better control his powers rather than through any real need to know how to fight? It seemed strange that so many people who were able to fight did not. Did they not see that there were others in the world that needed defending? But that was an issue for another day; right now he just needed some stress relief.
He had finally found the correct setting on the computer and he was busy making sure that there would be no holographic opponents or things shooting at them out of the walls at them. It would not do to interrupt a proper fight with added gizmos. He had even decided that he would leave his blades out of this, as he did not want to have to take his opponent to the med lab because he got carried away during a practice fight. Besides he figured that this would be more of a test of his agility against whatever power Matt possessed and whether or not he could get close enough to land any blows. He also had no intention of landing anything other than a practice touch and pull back blow either. These were harder and required much more skill anyway.
“Right, I think everything should be set. After you.”
The young crime fighter did not bother to get changed into one of the uniforms he simply reached into his pocket and removed the winged mask that accompanied him everywhere. He slipped it on and followed Matt into the main area of the danger room.
Re: Fighting shadows.
A winged mask. As distinctive as his own red costume and as revealing about the one who wore it! If you could see it that was. Matt entered the danger room warily but not because he realised who his opponent was. Although simpler than the previous environment he had tried training in the hologram was still off putting to someone with his powers. And limitations. Ok it sort of felt like a dojo, at least from what he could sense so far. But the familiar smell of leather and candles, of sweat and blood . That was missing, tearing the heart out of the illusion as far as he was concerned.
“Can I take a minute to get my bearings” he asked Nick with an apologetic smile. “Sorry I still can’t get used to these holograms it seems.” Lord alone knew what his opponent would make of that statement or of his actions. Still there was no other solution if he wanted to make this session worth anything. Only a thorough knowledge his surroundings would allow him to operate at anything like his maximum capacity. And he owed Nick nothing less than to try.
Slowly he walked around the room fingertips trailing over the walls feeling where the surface changed to mirror or to what he took to be the programs equivalent of it., locating the punching bag and the practice dummies. A rough shape in one corner revealed itself under his questing to be the inevitable pile of mats ready to break their fall if they decided to place them on the wooden floor. Somehow Matt doubted that they would. After all this wasn’t going to be a traditional practise session with carefully repeated throws and movements. No this was going to be freestyle with a vengeance. The only limits set by themselves before they started. Speaking of which.
“So how do you want to play this” he asked making his way back to Nick’s side his steps sure now, guided by the steady beating of the young mans heart. “Corps a corps only or ranged weapons as well. I don’t mind either he said sliding out the red billy club from where it had been concealed along his arm ”I just need to know if I should put this down or not!”
Re: Fighting shadows.
Nick walked into the danger room’s main area and looked around. He had to admit that it now looked as much like a dojo as he could have imagined, but that meant nothing as he had no real way of telling if it was in keeping with reality seeing as he had never seen an real dojo before. However from a training point of view this place was simply a flat surface with four walls to limit his movements. He was not overly found of fighting indoors but he was at least more than used to it.
His father had been strict about Nick attending his training sessions, stating that if he failed to attend he would not be allowed to go out and patrol the streets at night. So the youngster had spent hours of his life stretching and balancing of the ceilings of his mansion and sparing with his father in order to hone his skills. And now that he had come to Xavier’s he could see that all of that hard work had not been in vain, as he could now easily keep up with most of his team mates.
“Can I take a minute to get my bearings? Sorry I still can’t get used to these holograms it seems.”
Was Matt really that weirded out by the fact that this room could turn into anywhere you could imagine? Or was there something else there that he had failed to notice? Whatever it was Nick had no problem with giving his opponent a bit of time to get his bearings but he had to make sure he kept moving in order to keep his muscles warm so he paced the back and forth while Matt walked around it, tracing the walls with his fingers. This also struck Nick as being strange but as it still fitted in with his theory that Matt was simply amazed by the complexity of the danger room he pushed it from his mind and thought no more of it.
“So how do you want to play this?”
Matt’s voice turned the young Robin towards him and it seemed to Nick as if Matt was finally ready to begin. The question was also intriguing all be it not unexpected, as it was only good manners to lay out the rules before you started hitting anyone. Nick was more than happy to go all out or simply to go through some basic training movements and he figured he might as well let Matt decide as he seemed new to this whole danger room scene.
“Corps a corps only or ranged weapons as well. I don’t mind either. I just need to know if I should put this down or not!”
Ah so that was what Matt was after! Well Nick had already decided that he was not going to use his baterangs today. So corps a corps was fine with him he just figured that he might as well ask his opponent to go easy on him with his powers. Just so that he could avoid being splattered against the wall by super human strength or anything like that.
“Corps a corps is fine with me, as my long range weapons come equipped with blades. Oh and maybe you could spare me a little if you happen to have some kind of horribly offensive powers as I have no way of retaliating.”
Re: Fighting shadows.“Corps a corps is fine with me, as my long range weapons come equipped with blades.” Ouch ! Just as well they weren’t going down that road then. Matt didn’t think Hank would be too impressed if he came back to med lab looking like some fancy pincushion! And given his present state that was all too real a possibility! Still he was here to train, to push himself as hard as he could in the rather vain hope that his radar would suddenly kick in and that wasn’t likely to happen if there was no element of danger about the encounter. *Yeah right. But flying daggers might just be a little bit of overkill * Daredevil told himself philosophically. *Lets just wait and see what kind of powers Nick hits you with before you start complicating things.*
Though it seemed now that he wasn’t the only one thinking along those lines! “Oh and maybe you could spare me a little if you happen to have some kind of horribly offensive powers as I have no way of retaliating.” his opponent asked politely taking Matt a little by surprise. “I was just about to ask you the same thing” he replied with a smile. “And No. No offensive power whatsoever. Well other than the ones training brings that is.”
Endless relentless training! Every day. Making him self the best that he could be. So that he could fight those that the law alone couldn’t bring down. And protect those it couldn’t defend. Even if it meant stepping outside its boundaries to do so!
Vigilante! That was what the newspapers called him. And when you got right down to it that was indeed what he was. He had no badge, no authority to roam the streets at night dealing with the lowlife that he found there. It was in very real terms illegal, every bit as much as the crimes those he hunted down had committed. And if he got caught then he knew he would be heading for prison just like them. Not a pleasant prospect considering what would be waiting for him when he got there. *Ah well. That’s all the more reason to make sure they don’t catch me then isn’t it! Which is why I need to be on form before I go back out there. And this is as good a time to start fighting my way back as any!*
“So,” Matt went on “No super strength. No flying, or sticking to the walls. Just me. But then again ” he said with a grin. “That’s usually all I need.”
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