milliways_bar | (no subject)

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(no subject)

X slips downstairs after her shift in the nightclub, half-glancing at the back door before she decides to forgo training for the moment.

It is more important to eat something. Just in case.

The fact that X-23 (and her soup) are settled at the bar instead of her usual booth is entirely unrelated to anything.

Except that she refuses to be uncomfortable in what is, for now, her home.

This is just proof of that.

[ooc: This post is open until it falls off the front page or X gets another EP, whichever comes first. Thanks!]

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True to her usual approach to sparring, Cass lets X make the first move.

Of course she's already sliding out of the way as X's foot lashes out. Her hand snags the leg and twists. She knows X can handle the pain, and considering how much tougher the other girl is, Cass needs every advantage she can get.

X doesn't cry out, just twists her own body, getting the leverage to fling an elbow at Cass' face.

If it wrenches her leg out of Cass' grip, that's just a bonus.

Cass faces a choice: she can dodge the elbow or keep hold of the leg. She chooses the latter.

That's going to be a nasty bruise on her cheek. In fact, she pulls back just far enough to keep her cheekbone from cracking.

But at least she can twist the leg further.

X's breath hitches in her throat. Just for a moment.

Then she drops to the ground, using her own back as a brace for a sharply delivered kick with her free foot.

And she has her hands for leverage, too, if a follow-up move is necessary.

The leg isn't worth that much. Cass let's it go and suppresses a wince as the foot slams into her. She's able to absorb some of force by rolling away, but that's going to leave a nasty bruise too.

She rolls to her feet and slides back into a defensive stance.

X is rolling to her feet, too.

Then she relaunches herself at Cass, a one-two punch and knee combo.

Cass saw all three attacks coming, but X is fast enough that dodging them all wasn't an option. She decided to take the second punch and slip in an elbow to the solarplexus.

X's block--a new development in her style--is a little late to do much good.

She'll adjust faster next time.

She lets out a sharp whuff of air, then directs a sharp downward kick at Cass' knee.

A quick twist pulls the knee out of the way, and Cass responds with another quick elbow. Fighting X is always interesting. Cass knows that she can only hope to slow the other girl down.

But that doesn't keep her from trying.

And as long as she can keep eyes on X, she can stay one step ahead.

This elbow X manages to block, clumsy though it is.

It doesn't give her much positioning for a subsequent attack, though.

So X goes in for a snap kick, instead.

Cass pushes in close to rob the kick of power and counter.

Then she realizes that this is X and she's way too close.

This might be the point where X's palmstrike snaps into Cass' chin.

Carefully, of course. Cass does not heal.

Or it could be the point at which X grabs Cass and attempts to throw her over one hip.

The shot to the chin stuns her, but Cass reacts on instinct to the throw. Her hips drop low and she hooks one foot behind X's ankle to keep her from getting any leverage.

Then she spins to try reversing the throw.

X moves with the throw, shifting her own balance so that her hands hit the ground first.

It lets her push back against the pressure, swinging one leg up to slam into Cass' side.

Cass sways with the kick to rob it of some power and clamps her arm down to hold it in place. It's the same leg she was working on earlier, but she can feel that it's already healed.

Still, it's what she's got, so she pulls back and down, twisting the joint in a direction it wasn't really designed to go.

It pops at about the same time that X snaps her other foot into Cass' thigh.

Look, Cass, no hands!

With her arm locked down on X's other leg, there's no way to dodge. Cass grunts as the kick lands solidlly.

She can tell she won't be able to rely on that leg for a bit. That doesn't leave many options.

Cass drives forward, twisting in an attempt to get around behind X for a choke hold.

She can do that, but X is going to aim for Cass' diaphragm with one elbow.

Her other hand is busy searching out several nerves in Cass' wrist.

Even if Cass miscalculates and kills X, it won't last.

And X does not think Cass will miscalculate.

The breath wooshes out of Cass, but she can fight for ten or twenty seconds without breathing. She slips into position and locks an arm across X's throat. Five or ten seconds should be enough to render even X unconscious.

Of course that won't last more than a few seconds, but it's all Cass can hope for.

She doesn't even wince when X finds the nerve cluster. They've both had interestng childhoods, after all.

Well, if that's the way Cass wants to play it--

snikt

Hopefully she won't mind X's claws at her own throat.

X doesn't need an ideal angle. Some damage is pretty permanent, regardless.

Cass goes immediately still and her body relaxes.

They're done for now, after all.

X resheathes her claws and steps away.

She feels better.

Cass is a good friend.

Cass is also on the receiving end of a searching look.

X did not hurt her too badly?

Cass flashes X a grin, her breathing slightly faster than normal.

That was fun.

X does not grin back. She's not good at it.

She does nod, though.

It was helpful.

A grin like that gets one just like it in response.

Cass likes being helpful. Especially to her friends.

Huh.

Friends.

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