2860/Divine Training Day

Divine Training Day
Date of Scene:	10 August 2020
Location:	13th Floor, Gray Cavalcade Accounting building
Synopsis:	Alexander convinces Kaminari to come train with him. Things get philisophical. Kaminari mutters about 'Kids these days...'
Cast of Characters:	Alexander Aaron, Kaminari

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Alexander Aaron has posed:
    The safehouse is something far far from the likes of a traditional dojo. There is no conceit toward decor nor beauty. There is no peaceful aspects to focus the mind. It is an austere place, spartan in nature, Spartan in aspect. The thirteenth floor of the Gray Cavalcade Accounting building, a fifteen story office complex that is mostly empty save for the first few floors and then that hidden one high up on the skyline.
    Inside that thirteenth floor with its dedicated elevator, it seems almost like a factory floor in some ways. There are crates of supplies, equipment stored, gear set against the wall. Only the most modest attempt is made toward the comforts of whomever might wish to live there. A set of four single beds rest against the wall with bedstands beside them. The entire place is all one large open floor plan with the banks of windows that look out upon the world darkened and reflective so it is impossible ot see inside. It has a thing that passes for a kitchen, though clear it was made for but one cook to prepare the most utilitarian of meals. Yet it has storage in abundance.
    And one other thing.
    The majority of the hall is ready for the intense training that someone of Alexander's bloodline is put through. A great open mat provides protection from the hard wood floor for training and sparring. There are several heavy bags lined against one wall with a speed bag just neat it. Free weights are set in place ordered neatly. Several tread mills. A fencing run. And banks of various weaponry stored neatly. All of the effort clearly has gone into those training facilities and it shows where the focus is of whomever owns this place. It is a place for training, and making ready.
    And today it is being used for that purpose.
    There is the rush of movement, the brush of pressure. Two fighters standing near and suddenly one being brought low upon their back with a heavy /whumpf/ as the mats compress under the shift of bodies and the crush of pressure. One would imagine that two deities would train in some great heavenly manner. Only now, the past two hours, it has been the steady back and forth of randori as they both push each other through their paces.
    And with that fall, Alexander sits up and then rises, helping Kaminari rise again as he murmurs quietly. "You still seem... a little distracted."

Kaminari has posed:
Whumpf! Hitting the mat doesn't actually hurt Kaminari in any way except maybe her pride and the goddess does have a fair amount of that.

"Ugh, I'm fine." she pushes herself to her feet dusting herself off and rubbing her head.

Right about now, she is probably regretting agreeing to this. Aside from that scrap at the airport its been well over fifty years since the last time she deigned to get physical in a fight. So what if she's hung over and out of practice, maybe that's just the way she is. But somehow Alexander, adorable scamp that he is, managed to convince her to come train. She still has a soft spot for the kid it seems, after that whole Amatsu-Mikaboshi thing.

She's really wishing the headache would quit though, finishing that entire flask of Asgardian Mead Heidi brought over last night is right up at the top of her list of regrets at the moment.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Mmm," Is all he offers in way of commentary about her being 'fine' afterall. But his lip twists a little, amused yet not pressing her on the matter. They have an easy back and forth equilibrium that is curiously mirrored in their training at the moment.
    She has struck out, and he had countered with that twist and throw to the mats. Now it was his turn. So as they straightened he squared back up with her, bare hands slapping his thighs as he bowed again to ready and focus. Then he murmured as he readied. "Is this going to represent a lifestyle change?" The youth in the white gi with the black belt shifted to an easy stance, hips turned, one leg forward a hand held low at his side.
    "Or just a one-off event to get me to shut up and stop hassling you about it?"
    His lip twitched just before he stepped forward and uncurled a short snap of a front kick toward her side. Fast, but not too fast, quick enough though to hopefully jog the old memories of defense and attack in her divine mind.
    Strange how he's able to be more at ease with this woman who was witness to the darker parts of his life. It created an ease of manner that was rare.

Kaminari has posed:
It is perhaps strange for anyone to be at ease with Kaminari, infamous for being one of the more ...abrasive Amatsu-Kami depending on her mood. The Goddess of Thunder and Noise shoots Alexander a look followed by a smirk at his question, "Have you ever tried c.." she starts but thinks better of it. Ares probably would not be too pleased about her introducing his son to Cocaine, "chocolate?" Nice save. "It's pretty good. This seems to be a lot of effort for what? I already look great in a swimsuit. It's not like gods gain weight and most problems are easily solved with either money or lightning."

For all of that there is every bit of evidence she's no slouch at fighting, even after abusing herself for decades. Her reflexes are incredibly fast, faster than the Olympians, faster than the Asgardians, fast as lightning. She pivots moving up the circle with a two-factored block to absorb the force of the kick into her shoulder, before one arm snakes around the leg grabbing it and the other is applied to Alex's chest as she steps forward into his zone of defense and pushing him to the mat with a similar whumpf. "There's no alcohol here is there?" she asks wincing at the light for a moment as reaches to help him up in turn.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    It's a smooth clean transition. She catches the leg, advances, shoves and there's that thump into the mats. Long enough held to signal that ippon before he's getting back to his feet with her help. Only for them to take up position again, the mats whispering under the shift of their feet.
    Beyond them, out across the city it's a dark day with a hint of rain, droplets spattering upon the wide bank of windows. Perhaps indicative of the Thunder God's mood, or perhaps just coincidence. Whatever it was, however, it lent a pleasant backdrop to their movements.
    "You know, I've tried like... just about everything out there." He doesn't say exactly what, sure that she might well get into an attempt to know /everything/ he's tried. "And very little has an effect on me."
    He confesses that with a small frown and a crinkle of his nose even as he squares up again. This time he steps in to grab her lapel as it's his turn, giving her a nod as if silently letting her know the shift to judo. "Only Asgardian mead so far makes me tipsy." As he says that he steps close, nostrils flaring slightly. After the last two hours he's warm, smells like leather and steel and sweat for whatever reason, a scent that's strong in the room in general.
    For a moment they'll be shifting stance, trying to catch each other off balance. And if he gets a good point where she's drawn forward he'll /pull/ her across his hip and to the mats with another whumpf. But gently.

Kaminari has posed:
Kaminari's expression turns into a sly grin, "There is a saying among humans, if brute force doesn't work you're not using enough of it. Human substances will affect you, you just need /more/, a whole lot more. If I made lifestyle changes the Cartels might very well panic at the sudden drop in renenvues." It's always really hard to tell if she's joking.

"You shouldn't do it though, you've got this whole training thing going on. It really works for you. Though I do have to ask are you doing it because you want to or because your father wants you do?" She tumbles easily over Alex's hip, falling to the mat again. Normally she might turn it into a forward roll and be on her feet again quite quickly, if she were still in better fighting form, without the hangover. If she were still the once feared Thunder Oni of Japanese myth.

Getting back to her feet, she squares off again looking for an opening. Even with a hangover she has centuries of muscle memory, reacting automatically at instinctual level in many cases. It is a dull edge that could be honed into a sharp blade again, a beautiful sword remaining beneath the neglect.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    A small smirk lights his features as he tells her, "Maybe." About the large large quantities having an effect. He helps her to her feet and then steps back a few paces to settle and make ready, hands loose at his sides. He lifts the lapel of his gi jacket to wipe at a hint of sweat on his brow. And, in truth, his form is rather well-honed. The Olympians are almost all beautiful in the conventional sense, but Alexander's body has been trained and focused on self-improvement for a long time.
    "I was actually thinking of trying a sensory deprivation tank. That could be fun. But I enjoy this. It's..." His eyes shift, then return to her as he smiles, "One of the things I was legitimately good at before I became Phobos. So feels more like it's mine." He turns and slips into stance again, weight on his back foot, one hand held forward open as if ready for a knife-hand strike. His eyes meet hers and he focuses his breathing with a low, 'tssssaaah.'
    Then he steps forward, the fabric of the gi snapping with the movement as he plants one foot heavily and then thrusts a fist out at her chest sharply with a low, "SEI!" Executed faster this time, but still easy enough for her to counter with that control she's shown. Indeed, she is beautiful, in form, in motion, but also in those subtle moments when her chi roils forth and she lashes out with that ancient training.

Kaminari has posed:
'Became Phobos' it amuses her in a way. Even if she understands the concept of Demigods, she has both always been Kaminari and never lain with a mortal to produce such an offspring herself. So, it is still a bit novel to hear. "Sensory deprivation? Are you sure that is wise? You haven't had the best experiences where the void is concerned." She is of course referring to the void that existed before creation Amatsu-Mikaboshi, one never knows what hooks he might have in these strange mortal science tanks.

The fist is met with a parrying motion that turns turns into a spin with some fancy twisting footwork. She closes her eyes as she does it, perhaps blocking out the infernal light trying to stab her brain, perhaps remembering the last time she used these movements in some distant battle or brawl. The arm is seized and pulled as her shoulder slides in meeting her armpit and leveraging just a wee bit of her superhuman strength in addition to the momentum and torque she launches him over her should and down to the mat again, with a whumpf.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Strong enough that the impact causes him to wince, even though he break-falls near perfectly, rolling partially with the movement and his hand reaching out to /slap/ hard upon the mats, dispersing that power with that movement. But then for a moment he lies there with his arm still under her control as she thankfully doesn't follow up with an arm-bar or the like. Upside down his eyes meet hers as he says, "That... was actually not entirely horrible."
    And then he plants a hand and a foot upon the ground, pushing himself to his feet. He adjusts the hang of his gi jacket, lifting it up, loosening it, then refolding so it hangs tight over his whipcord lean athletic frame. Once the belt is tightened sufficiently he steps across the mats with a light step.
    "I don't think it's any more dangerous than the sheer weight of substances you put into yourself, Kami." He gives a nod to her as he's ready to continue then eases into stance, posture more forward and hands raised ready to accept whatever strike or approach she cares to offer him this time.
    "You know, if you're serious about this training thing we could set aside a time once every two weeks."

Kaminari has posed:
Kaminari makes a face at the comment about all of the things she just in her body, "Those at least make me feel good or feel something." she shrugs. When he goes to get up she tugs his still held arm to give him a helping hand.

The question about making it a regular thing draws a smirk, "Finally convince me to do it once and now you want it repeatedly?" There is a wry humor to it though, maybe she actually enjoyed it, maybe that last throw stirred something, it's hard to say. "Serious? I don't know if I'm serious, but perhaps we could do this again." She non-committal, but it's a start.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Well," Alexander says as he settles opposite her, bare foot brushing over the rough surface of the mat, seeking purchase as he meets her eyes. Those bright hazel irises of his meeting her gaze as he steps forwards, lightly throwing a punch high left, high righ. Just quick rushes of movement to draw her defense up. "I think it might be good for you, work off a few of those extra pounds."
    That jerk.
    He can see that inherent talent though, that conditioned muscle memory that's likely straining to come to the fore. She makes those blocks cleanly, perfect in execution even as he holds her gaze. Then his lips twist slightly.
    And suddenly he steps in. A low slice of his foot, edge on toward her shin to try and shift her stance, force her into planting there or retreating a step. Then another kick toward her thigh, shifting the focus again. And as quick as that he ducks low to slip beneath the curve of her arm. For a moment he's behind her. There's the rasp of fabric across her cheek and chin as he gets one arm under hers and across her throat isolating that arm. The other looping to secure the grip. Suddenly she's pulled backwards, a foot /thumping/ into the back of her knee to try and break her balance as he attempts to tighten that hold. For a time it's all heat and pressure and the brush of his breath against her cheek.
    She's familiar with the technique assuredly, perhaps has even used it in the past during their darker times to capture an opponent, to choke them out, or worse. There are any number of counters. But she needs to /remember/ those old paths of synapses in her mind. And remember them quickly.

Kaminari has posed:
"Brazen." Kaminari is not amused, though perhaps that was the point, "You know the last person who said something like that to me had to be saved by Spider-Man and put in protective custody by the police."

As Alexander ups his game to a new level, she arches an eyebrow. "You're lucky I like." she adds when he manages to get is arm around her throat, perhaps implying anyone else would be very very electrocuted for doing similar.

Not particularly desiring to be choked, Kaminari allows her knee to buckle forward as she twists down into a kneeling crouch using her own weight and gravity to drag Alexander downward in order to keep his hold while at the same time thrusting her elbow straight into his conveniently bent forward solar plexus taking the wind out of him and causing his grip to go slack while she rolls away and to her feet. None of it is planned, her body seemingly moving of its own volition in response to danger.

A hand reaches up to rub her head again, "You have your father's sense of humor, I need a drink."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Wincing a bit at that elbow, when she's gaining her feet, Alexander's got one eye scrunched shut a bit, but he's smiling even as he gains his feet fully and nods. "We can call it there." He says as he looks across the way toward the digital clock that shines from the stove, then back to her. He grimaces and rubs at the back of his neck, then streeeeetches to the side. "We've been at it for a few hours."
    That said he walks across the way, bare feet making the mats crinkle with each step, then stepping off of them onto the hard wood floor. He heads towards the fridge that is nestled in that kitchenette and pulls it open, withdrawing a pair of coronas from within and popping the caps with a twist against the bottle opener that's embedded in the side of the fridge.
    Heading on back he extends one of the bottles toward her. "You feeling any better?"

Kaminari has posed:
Kaminari follows him over the mats and accepts the cold Mexican beer with a wan smile, "Is that what this was about?" she asks before bringing the bottle to her lips and taking several swallows. It might not be Ama Sake or Asgardian Mead but coldness alone still manages to take a bit of the edge off. "Maybe I am." she smirks with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

There is a long pause, "This world has changed a lot Alex. You're still young, even a century ago it was nothing like this."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Dropping to sit down on the mats and pull his legs up into a cross-legged posture he sort of smiles sidelong and up at her, "I know." He answers her, about the changing world, about what has passed for everyone.
    But then he smiles a little more as he adds, "I mean, I don't know know. But I know that it has. And I just sort of..." He lets his eyes distance, looking past and likely to the future, "Keep pushing on."
    A glance to the side, "But I see you, and I like you." His smile twists wry, "No idea why. But I sorta do. And I sometimes worry about your presence there." He gestures with his bottle. "In the future. What role you'll have."
    A breath is taken, his sniffs a bit as if congested and lets his gaze wander. "And I don't like people. Can't love people. So it's for purely selfish reasons I'd like to see you doing well. And being around more prominently."
    That said he sort of shrugs as that smile slips wry, then he takes another long drink of his beer.

Kaminari has posed:
Kaminari actually laughs for a moment, "Alexander, there are few people in the world who do not know my name these days, and my sister is livid about it let me tell you." That brings a smile to her face, the thought of Amaterasu working herself into a frenzy over Kaminari having become the most popular and 'worshipped' of the Amatsukami despite being a black sheep living among mortals. "I'm not sure I could be much more prominent if I tried."

"That can be its own problem though. Amaterasu thinks she wants legions of fans, but she definitely doesn't want to deal with all that involves, walking among them, dealing with mortals thinking their laws can apply to Gods." Ah, there's the rub. She leans against the wall as she drinks her beer. "Humans have developed weapons that can harm gods and there's a whole lot more of them, are gods even really necessary in this world anymore? I have to wonder if fighting skills are when the humans seek to maintain a monopoly on the use of 'punishment'." By which of course she means violence.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Pfft," Is Alexander's answer as he takes a sip of the beer, then lies back on the mats, the bottle held loose in one hand. "I meant prominent in my life, not so much in the world. Your crazy fame chasingness is all goofy." Thus, spoke the God Phobos unto the God Kaminari. Thou art Goofy.
    But he turns his head to the side and smiles, "But that's it. You see. I am selfish." And as he says that he then rolllls back up to a seated posture. "I..."
    He announces, "Am going to take a shower. You can have it after me if you want, or if you're heading out then fine get lost. Who needs ya?" His lip twists as he pushes himself to his feet, taking another swig of beer.
    But then he smiles sidelong, "But yeah this was fun." And as he says that he starts toward the side 'bathroom' area that's really more just a screened off part of the floor that at least has shades blocking the view into that area.

Kaminari has posed:
Kaminari drains the last of her giving Alexander a bit of side-eye when he calls her goofy, "Rock music is one of the only good things to come out of this modern world." If she were a millenia or so younger she might stick her tongue out at him. "Go, shoo, into the shower with you! You stink." She brings one hand up to hold her nose for dramatic effect, though there is still a degree of affectionate humor in her tone.

Once he has gone she wanders back over to the refrigerator looking for more beer, "Kids these days..." she mutters to herself.