Owner	Pose
Cole Cash	Gotham, if anything, has plenty of abandoned warehouses. You can throw a rock in any direction and break a window in one. There just happens to be one down from the Powder Keg, not that Cole has enough clients and inventory to expand to it. But what it does do is give him a place to exercise. With his shirt removed, the numerous tattoos that hints of his special forces training show on his shoulders and pec. A pair of sweatpants lead to bare feet. In his hands are a pair of longswords, the metal not quite the color of normal metal. Ths swords slice through the air as he twists and turns, an acrobatic flip into a sommersault that drops into an overhead strike to a spinning high kick and twist. It's very gymnasticy, which might be surprising for a thirty plus year old.
River Banks	Abandnoned warehouses make great places to practice. She was used to hitting them up along all the dying towns she had visited on her way up from Gotham -- along with their banks -- and when she slipped in a broken window (someone else broke it, promise!), wearing deep blue leggings and a work-out shirt hanging off her, along with the used-and-repurposed paintball armor and goggles that helped hide her identity -- but she halts, realizing *this* one was occupied and... wasn't that the guy who runs The Powder Keg?      ... what is he doing with swords.     ... he's kinda shredded.     Also: Wow.
Cole Cash	Something tickles at the edge of Cole's senses. Now, fun facts. Cole if a telepath and psychokenetic. He was given the powers by governmeng experimentation with alien blood, and they really suck. And in fact, the sword art practice he is doing now is to restill his home and rehone those abilities and keep them inside of his head. However, he feels the presence of someone else with him in the warehouse. Backpedaling into a flip that turns into a slide across the floor, one sword is shoved into the concrete -- where it easily cleaves into the rock, while the now freed hand grabs the pistol in his bag and he comes up with it, aiming in River's general direction. "Come on out, or I'm gonna start blazing."
River Banks	Well. Paintball armor isn't gonna help with this. River gives a small swallow, and she holds her gloved hands out and steps into the light from the window she's crawled through.     "Sorry." she states in earnest, "Didn't realize this one was occupied. Picked the wrong abandoned warehouse." she comments breezily. Her voice may be recognizable as 'Roberta' who didn't have her fingerprints done yet.     She gives an upnod to the sword int he stone.     "If someone pulls that out, they gonna be the next king of crime in Gotham?"
Cole Cash	Twirling the pistol about, he brings it back down to his side as he eyes River. "Looking to get out of the rain, Roberta?" Cole asks, the casualness in his voice masking the tight lips that he has. When she mentions the sword, Cole grabs the sword and pulls it out easily. "All hail the King." he comments dryly. "What's got you out on a day like this?"
River Banks	"Getting out of the rain in Gotham is impossible." River states. It's actually one of the features she likes about the city. Easy to use her powers when there's ammunition all around.     "... started taking some martial arts lessons. Figured an abandoned warehouse is a good place to throw punches or shadow box. Like I said, didn't realize this one was occupied." she states as she motions to Cole.     "You're practice is a bit self explainatory but *how* did you put a sword through the concrete?!"
Cole Cash	"What I was trained in was a form of martial arts that was taught to me by a dear friend of mine with the promise that I would never share it." Cole explains. He glances towards the sword and down at the concrete. "Oh, that was easy." he comments dryly. "Swords aren't from Earth." He says it so deadpan that he clearly is not serious about it, is he? He moves to put the swords back in their hilts. "Been alive long enough to be trained in a lot of disciplines." comes the explanation. "I'm a terrible teacher, though." he comments, a shake of his head at the thought. "Soak up stuff like a sponge, but not so much at expressing it out."
River Banks	"Point taken, I won't ask you for lessons." the girl replies as she goes to lean against a handy support pillar. Her arms cross and her legs cross at the ankles as she gives out a soft 'hm' sound, bit of rain dropping from her hood.     "How long is 'long enough'?" River asks, with an up-nod. She's curious. Mostly because she'd totally beleive the metal that makes up those swords is going to be from another world entirely.
Cole Cash	"If I was to train you in anything." Cole responds as he moves to sit on a crate. He opens up a bottle of water and drains it back before towelling the sweat off. "It would be in the art of Gun-Fu, a combonation of firepower and close quarters manuvering. I rarely use swords or staves or the like. Guns, guns, and more guns." When she asks him his age, Cole looks immediately amused, opening a pack of cigs, striking a match and lighting the coffin nail, takes a long draw off of it. "How old do I look to you?" he asks.
River Banks	"I was always told to never directly ask an age. 'Specially since my... well." she glances off to the side. "I knew some men who were overly sensitive 'bout their ages." she twangs, and she tilts her head back.     "Heh, would they have to be Extremely Legal Guns, 'cause I think we established Ah can't get any of those. Not without some substantial lying on someone's part. And I'd hate tor isk your shop, Mr. Cash."
Cole Cash	"You can start with water guns." Cole responds with amusement. "That was if someone does give you real guns, you'll know how to use them instead of being an idiot standing in the middle of the road waiting to get shot." his voice allows a grunt at that before he considers her. "I don't know if you're being a smart mouth or sincere." he finally decides, and pulls out a second bottle of water to toss underhanded at her. "I was born in '74." he finally allows. "Joined the Army at 17 to avoid jail, so I know where you're standing at the moment." "So the question is..." he asks her, Cole looking River up and down. "You gonna start shooting straight with me, or am I gonna have to continue to dance around the thoughts you got..." a tap of the side of his head. "What is it you want to learn?"
River Banks	"Yeah. They don't offer that where I'm from." River states, and she tilts her head back.     "A'right. Daddy left home 'fore I was born 'cause he liked bein' in the army better than bein' a dad. Mama had a long string of part time boyfriends who came an' went like the tides 'till this one showed up. Figured 'take your kid to work day' meant Ah could be used panhandlin' ta tourists. Grew up robbin' banks. Became pretty good at it even after my step-dad went to jail. An' now I live in Gotham City 'cause it's a good place to hide." she states, leaving out Significant Parts of the story.     "... jus'... gotta learn how ta take care m'self so I don't end up doin' bad things for the worst reasons."
Cole Cash	"That's a good sob story. That work when you're out hustling on the streets?" Cole asks, looking not very swayed by River's sob story. Totally worth a Golden Globe... maybe a nomination? That's worth something! "See, here's my thought. You're a gal that got in trouble with the law..." he starts as he lays out his thoughts on the matter. "Got in trouble with the wrong person. Maybe busted by the GCPD, but I'm betting it's some big bad or..." he lifts his hands, and make bat ears. "So now you're under their thumb. They got you running errands, and this is why I don't think it was a Bat. It was sloppy. Your whole story had more holes in it than a moth-eaten cloth." "So. That leaves the bad guys. Not sure which one would want to keep an eye on little ole' me, but it has me curious." His eyes glow slightly as he looks up at River. "Close to the mark?"
River Banks	River's eyebrows rise up. "You start that way with everyone who tells you the truth?" she asks, "You ain't my friend. You asked me the story, I gave you what you wanted. I wanna learn how to take care m'self 'cause I don't wanna git back into that business. Tryin' ta go on the straight an' narrow 'cause it wasn't my decision to start robbin' banks and conning people outta their money."
Cole Cash	"Okay, that was worth the headache..." Cole rumbles, rubbing at the side of his temple. "Turns out, you're on the up and up." he lets out his breath and refocues, forcing his wild power back under control. "You got anyone training you at the moment? Don't wanna step on someone else's toes if you got someone already."
River Banks	"I've taken a lesson or two, nothing serious." River states with a shrug. And she looks over to him.     "Need a water? I've got a couple of bottles in my pack." she offers him, looking at him with curiosity as he simply offers to teach her.
Cole Cash	"I'm good, I'm good. So what are you wanting to learn. You were asking about guns. you just wanting to know how to shoot?" Cole asks as he considers her curiously. "And if... IF I'm gonna train you, you need to level with me." "I'm gonna let you slide on the fake name for now, but you try to pull anything else over on me, the deal's off, got it?"
River Banks	"You have a deal." River states, clearly surprised by this turn of events.     "... it's River, by the way." she replies, truthfully. "I hate the name Roberta, but the guy misheard me."
Cole Cash	"I'm not gonna give you a gun, until you're on the straight and narrow with me. The walls of Gotham have ears and they all have echolocation." Cole comments dryly. "So here's the deal. You can work in the shop, when I'm there. Cleaning floors, dusting, all the crap I don't feel like doing. I'll pay you above minimum wage, you try to steal from me, I'll shoot you." He might be exagerating that part. "On your downtime, I'll teach you the basics of shooting. When you get that down, we'll work on your first steps into honing your gun skills with martial arts. Won't be easy, but you'll get there in time." Cole considers. "Sound fair? Unless you already have a job."
River Banks	"That's fine. I don't want any more Bat involvement than what I got." she states. And that's true. She likes Red Hood just fine.     "You got yourself a shop girl. T-shirt and jeans okay or do I have to wear a polo or some crap?" she questions, looking at at him as she considers. She knows she's going to have to tell Jason she's got a job.     After all, Gotham has ears.
Cole Cash	"Naw, stark raving nude." Cole comments dryly. He waits two beats, "Shirt and jeans is fine. I'm not exactly a high-class joint."
River Banks	River doesn't appear amused, but she doesn't really give much emotion out, but her mouth does give a twitch. "All right. When do I start?" she asks, stretching her shoulder out slightly as she regards Cole with a bit of curiosity in her eyes. "You probably don't want me handlin' any cash."
Cole Cash	"Nope, all you're doing is cleaning and tidying. No cash, no guns, no access to the computer or the storage room." Cole responds. "You will be allowed to use the shooting range with supervision, and you'll get all the regular breaks and stuff. You'll start Monday, bright and early, shop opens at 10."
River Banks	"I'll be outside by nine forty-five. Bright eyed and bushy-tailed." River states. And she rubs theback of her neck a moment as she looks to Cole.     "What's your ulterior motive for all this? You don't seem like the bleeding heart type."
Cole Cash	"Call it paying it forward. While back, I was in a bad place, and a gal pulled me out of the wreck of my life and set it right." Cole says as he finishes his cigarette and crushes it out. "She taught me a lot, ended a lot of dark thoughts, helped mold me into the bundle of sunshine I am today. Told her if I got the chance, I'd repay the favor. So you're just settling up a debt of mine."
River Banks	River listens, and then she gives a nod, sucking on her tongue a moment in consideration.     "Well. I guess you got a reason to take interest then." River states quietly, and she runs her hands over her hair. "So... ah... should I just... leave you to it or did you wanna talk stuff about things?" she asks awkwardly, pointing to the window she had come in.
Cole Cash	"You can have the room. I only had a bit of time for a break before I start unloading a shipment that came in." Cole responds as he stands up to pull on his shirt. "We can talk when you're done with your work. On Monday." A smirk at River at that before he's gathering his gear to head out.
River Banks	"Ah, well, then I'll see you on Monday, Mr. Cash. Bright and early." she states quietly.     She's got a job.     At a gun shop in Gotham. Yeah, THIS isn't going to end badly, at all, in any way!     "Thank you for givin' me a chance."
Cole Cash	"Everyone gets one." Cole says as he pauses at the door and turns to look River up and down. "Don't fuck it up." With that, he's on his way out of the door.