I8DT - A Different Kind of Practice (Open)

[Jennifer Tarasova]

Jennifer had decided she should get back into combat shape with her abilities and so she'd put together a refresher course in the Danger Room. She also procured an XU training uniform. She tugged on the gloves to make sure they were on tight and then pulled her hair back and secured it into a ponytail. In her focus though, she'd left the Danger Room completely unlocked.

The computer selected the environment, materializing an alleyway and a single opponent armed with a knife. Got to start somewhere, Jennifer thought as the simulation started and the attacker lunged at her. She slid to the side, blocking at his wrist and rolling him past herself. As the fight continued, anyone watching would notice distinct signs that Jennifer's martial art of choice was Tai Chi. She spent most of her time reacting, using her motion to neutralize his as they slowly worked themselves back out to the street outside the alley. She rolled one last blow into a double-handed push, knocking her opponent back against a wall. She reached out a hand and there was a whining noise as a nearby fire hydrant protested an immediate increase in pressure before rupturing, sending what spraying into the air. Some of the water shot to her hand, forming into a long, watery whip. She smiled at the feel of familiarity and beckoned to her opponent who had recovered his breath and was getting ready to renew the attack.

[Douglas Decker]

Douglas Decker walked into the observation booth, sat down, and began observing.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

As her opponent moved in closer, Jennifer cracked the "whip" across at his hand, narrowly missing. Her opponent was forced to snatch his hand back though and it stymied his approach. She cracked again, this time catching him on the hand. The water instantly morphed, grabbing his wrist. He pulled against it, but the water gripped him. She released the whip as the water continued to mess with his knife arm. She moved in to finish the job, rolling as he made one last feeble lunge at her. Apparently keeping her concentration split between the fight and the water control was too much though, because she missed her block and the computer chimed, indicating that she would have suffered a severe injury, thereby ending the simulation. "Damn it," she cursed.

[Douglas Decker]

"Your concentration is not sufficient for that scenario," Doug chimed in.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Thank you. I noticed that," she said sarcastically.

[Douglas Decker]

"Perhaps a simpler situation would be beneficial."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"I used to be able to do this. I can't have gotten this rusty."

[Douglas Decker]

"Empirical evidence states otherwise."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Not helpful." She went through the motions of how the block should have gone a few times.

[Douglas Decker]

"Do you require assistance?"

[Jennifer Tarasova]

Jennifer glared at the observation deck, but then took several deep breaths, trying to center herself. "No, I just need to practice more."

[Douglas Decker]

"Continue."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

Jennifer switched to a different program, this one a quite garden. She mounted a stone platform that was almost completely surrounded by a deep pool. She put herself in an at-rest position and took several deep breaths before starting a slow and deliberate tai chi routine.

[Douglas Decker]

"Your left hand is three inches out of standard positioning."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

Jennifer resisted the urge to work a rude gesture into one of her movements, "Still unhelpful as you didn't provide an indication of which direction it was out of position." She continued the routine all the same and water began to snake up onto the platform towards her feet.

[Douglas Decker]

Doug hit some controls, and an overlay appeared in the DR; a transparent, insubstantial model.

"Is this satisfactory."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"If you're trying to weird me out, then yes, it's effective," she said, pulling the water closer as she continued her routine. The water worked up her legs in intricate patterns as she closed her eyes.

[Douglas Decker]

"That was not my intention," he said, distractingly.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

The water reached her arms, stretching out to her fingertips. As she continued going through the motions, the water patterns shifted, mimicking energy flows though her body in line with the motions. "I'm Jennifer, by the way."

[Douglas Decker]

"Douglas Decker."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

She took a deep breath and a humanoid construct rose out of the water, stepping up to take a place near her. The construct resembled Jennifer, but sort of in the way a window dummy resembles a person. It mimicked her movements and while it wasn't perfectly in sync, it was at least following along.

[Douglas Decker]

Doug actually remained quiet, watching.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

As the routine continued, the detail on the construct became more defined and it resemblance to Jennifer became more pronounced. A blue energy flickered around the edges of her closed eyelids.

[Douglas Decker]

Doug figured interrupting her here would be more harmful than useful, and thus did not point out flaws.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

Her eyes opened and the blue energy continued to flicker at the edge of her eyes. "I started with Tai Chi just as a way to relax. The slow forms still relax me and help me focus." The odd thing was that the Danger Room was registering her voice coming from both the construct and from Jennifer herself, creating an odd stereo sound. Jennifer didn't seem to notice any of it though.

[Douglas Decker]

Doug raised an eyebrow at this.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"But then my teacher introduced me to the self-defense applications." Her voice continued to come from both places.

[Douglas Decker]

Doug continued to listen.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Once I got involved in that, it was fun. I sort of forgot just how soothing the slow forms can be. Sorry I got irritated with you."

[Douglas Decker]

"It is of no matter."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

She brought herself back to a still position and took a deep breath. The glow around her eyes faded and she let the water sink back to the ground and back to the pool. "You're right, I should practice working with water while doing the moves more some I'm used to it."

[Douglas Decker]

"Aye. Iteration after iteration."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

She took another deep breath. "I think I'm done now. Did you want the room?"