[Jason can't help but see some kind of correlation between the shared dream and Clark's text. He can't remember when exactly he started having the dream, but it was long ago, even before becoming the Red Hood. Still, it's more of the fact that everyone saw his dream that shakes the vigilante the most, the fact that anyone could now know his identity.
Shit, what is he even doing coming to this roof like a tool? He doesn't owe Clark anything. Unless he wants to get stabbed again, especially since Jason still has the blue kryptonite embedded in his side. Maybe the superhero needs some blood spilt to get the message through to him.
So, Jason's dressed in his uniform, as Clark already knows his identity after all. Why bother giving him open access to his facial expressions when they can be so easily hidden under the helmet?]
[Clark isn't dense; he's evened up the playing field this time, wearing a kevlar weave shirt underneath his supersuit--one of Bruce's. He's brought two fencing foils with him, and arrives early so that the effect of the blue Kryptonite doesn't just make him drop out of the sky.
And if he needs to, he can always jump off the skyscraper. Again. He's hoping it doesn't come to that.
He feels Jason arrive before he notices him; his hearing hollows and normalises, like human ears popping at altitude.]
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 20 2011, 13:49:09 UTC
[Jason lands on the roof in a crouch, knees bending to take his weight and the raw exhaustion coursing through his body. His body is sore from Spike and emotionally spent from both the dream and his encounter with Khisanth and Gray Fox, but he forces it underneath as he straightens, taunts ready to go. It'd be a lie if he said he could resist chatting during a fight, no matter how silence might prove more effective.]
Couldn't go more than a week without breaking your word. Surprise, surprise.
[He spots the foils and can't help but roll his eyes underneath his helmet. Fencing? Wow. That's not weird. Or super antiquated.]
[ Just for a moment he thinks he sees Jason falter, but he recovers soon enough, shoulders straight, every inch the vigilante and every inch Batman's son.
Stepping forward, Clark picks up one of the foils, raising it slightly. He ignored the taunt flat out, after all that was just Jason's method of self-defense--of not caring.]
Misspent hours at the Luthor mansion. You should know: I'm pretty good at this.
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 20 2011, 14:27:13 UTC
[Regardless of how silly he might think fencing is, Jason still retrieves the other foil and adopts his own stance.]
You should know how stupid this is.
[But the vigilante takes comfort in the knife under his jacket; if he needs, he can always go for it and put an end to the fight. So, without waiting, he strikes out swiftly, angrily, without the discipline of years drilled into him.]
[Clark learned from Lex, so his stance is open, wrist turned up. When the attack comes, angry and violent, he parries it easily, turning all of Jason's offensive energy outward, so that if he follows through he'll simply stumble.
He swings back immediately, aiming for a point on Jason's hip, taking only one step to the left in the process.]
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 20 2011, 15:33:04 UTC
[The parry takes Jason outward, too far outside where he wants to be, but the incoming foil makes him dive roll to the side, causing the blade to miss him by mere centimeters. Regardless, the vigilante is internally cursing himself, recalling Egon's words telling him that his anger makes him stupid.
That and there's not really any dive-rolling allowed in fencing, so he's already darting well outside the rules of the engagement. Unfortunately, he gives no fucks and as he keeps his momentum moving, attempts to jab from a sqatted position at the back of Clark's left knee in what would have been a human weakspot.]
[Clark sees it coming, but only barely in time to jump forward himself, rolling neatly back to his feet at a safe distance, and turning the foil in his hand. He kept down low, his eyes meeting Jason's, and then he broke into the cockiest of grins.]
You're still stuck on that, huh?
[So the rules were off--it wasn't like he didn't expect them to be from the very beginning. But Lex had always broken the rules to win; he had told him once that victory was the only possible outcome, and that if that meant bending or rewriting the rules to your own standard? Well, that was just what you did.
But it still didn't involve cheating, and that was what he'd gotten stuck on in his lessons with Bruce. Where was the line? Where was the balance? Well, it was judged by chivalry, surely. Clark was not beyond throwing sand in someone's eyes, but it had to be a life and death situation before he stooped even that far. And he would always keep giving them chances.
Wasn't that why he was here? That and Jason's dream.]
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 20 2011, 17:45:31 UTC
[Jason was about to make his comeback when Clark made his own offensive. Now that's something the vigilante hasn't seen from the older man and it's honestly something of a surprise, considering Clark's usual behavior. For a second, Jason admonishes himself for feeling comfortable, almost too much so, with thinking Clark woulf never take the offensive, period, that he would always wait for Jason to come to him.
But it's different and challenging and Jason likes that. The attack pushes Jason back a step, but doesn't surrender any further space as he takes the foil in his left hand and reaches in for the front of Clark's shirt with his right.]
[ Well, that's what a budding friendship with Lex Luthor does to a person; effectively everything that Clark uses is something that he learned from Lex. Where Lex would make use of an opening, and then - having done so - lean around and guide Clark through where he'd went wrong, fixing his stance, offering hints. In truth, should Clark ever truly be without his powers, the very best way to ensure he stayed alive - or at least went down fighting - would be to give him a sword.
His stance was Lex Luthor, his attacks were Lex Luthor, his defenses were Lex Luthors. Clark fenced like a villain, and that truly was the difference at its core.
Ready for the switch of hands now he knows how Jason is fighting, Clark surrenders his footing and position and brings his blade up high to the right, as though flailing for balance as Jason pulls him in. It's a ruse--their foils meet flesh at the same moment, Clark's blade to Jason's throat, pressing in with just enough pressure to make himself known.]
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 20 2011, 18:54:34 UTC
[Jason's left arm is cocked back with the foil, the blade against the side of the superhuman's neck where the spine meets the rest of the musculature. He can't help but smirk underneath the helmet at the foil against his own neck, pressing against the jugular. Well if that doesn't make the vigilante chuckle, then nothing ever will.]
You think there's any winning or losing out there? [He tangles his fingers tighter in the superhuman's supersuit, unintentionally mimicking Batman's grip in his dream. If he takes control in this moment, then there's no way he can step away from this without satisfaction.] There's living and there's dying. And I've done both.
[He takes this opportunity to attempt to give Clark a rough shove away, to take advantage of the blue kryptonite and making sure that both of them know Jason's power. The nightmare's left him grappling for hand-holds on a crumbling wall.]
[ Just for a second Clark falters at the grip. He remembers it. Why? Because his memory is crystal clear like Kryptonian rock, and every moment of that dream is carved onto it. No killing blow comes--he's sure Jason could put enough force through even the blunt foils to kill him if he wanted to.
When he's pushed back, Clark finds his feet easily. He's ready for it, and once again he takes a cocky, aggresive defence, this time with his arm raised above his head, the blade pointed down. He circles, and he says: ]
You may say that, Jason, but we both of us know that 'there's no such thing as winning or losing' is just something people say to console themselves. There's thousands of losers down there right now; people who lack the courage to speak up to their bosses, people who are beaten by their spouses. The way I see it, you've already won. You already know how little any of it matters. We all end up in the same place in the end, so we should sure as hell go down fighting.
[And stepping back. The ghost of Luthor's words:Are you
( ... )
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 20 2011, 21:08:55 UTC
[Jason rolls his eyes underneath the helmet at Clark's words at first, he's heard this kind of lecture before and that brief sense of respect for the other man died. This was one of the many reasons Jason had spat Clark's friendship back in the older man's face: it came with lectures about right and wrong and love and feelings. The second part, though, makes him pause briefly. If he wants a real fight, then they'd really fight.
He reaches to the back of the helmet and undoes the latch so he can pull it off, dropping it to the roof. As well, though, he tosses the foil off to the side and prepares a stance with only his fists.]
Re: [Action]under_thehoodOctober 21 2011, 14:53:44 UTC
That's because only ten of your words are important.
[Still, as Clark comes in for a hit, Jason steels himself and moves, the uppercut missing, but the forehead smashing against his jaw. The vigilante grits his teeth and forces himself to not be dazed as he brings both fists around, attempting to slam them against Clark's temples and not waste any time. Go right for the vulnerable spots, don't let your anger make you stupid.]
Bringing swords. Don't be late.
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Shit, what is he even doing coming to this roof like a tool? He doesn't owe Clark anything. Unless he wants to get stabbed again, especially since Jason still has the blue kryptonite embedded in his side. Maybe the superhero needs some blood spilt to get the message through to him.
So, Jason's dressed in his uniform, as Clark already knows his identity after all. Why bother giving him open access to his facial expressions when they can be so easily hidden under the helmet?]
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And if he needs to, he can always jump off the skyscraper. Again. He's hoping it doesn't come to that.
He feels Jason arrive before he notices him; his hearing hollows and normalises, like human ears popping at altitude.]
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Couldn't go more than a week without breaking your word. Surprise, surprise.
[He spots the foils and can't help but roll his eyes underneath his helmet. Fencing? Wow. That's not weird. Or super antiquated.]
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Stepping forward, Clark picks up one of the foils, raising it slightly. He ignored the taunt flat out, after all that was just Jason's method of self-defense--of not caring.]
Misspent hours at the Luthor mansion. You should know: I'm pretty good at this.
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You should know how stupid this is.
[But the vigilante takes comfort in the knife under his jacket; if he needs, he can always go for it and put an end to the fight. So, without waiting, he strikes out swiftly, angrily, without the discipline of years drilled into him.]
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He swings back immediately, aiming for a point on Jason's hip, taking only one step to the left in the process.]
I always thought so too.
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That and there's not really any dive-rolling allowed in fencing, so he's already darting well outside the rules of the engagement. Unfortunately, he gives no fucks and as he keeps his momentum moving, attempts to jab from a sqatted position at the back of Clark's left knee in what would have been a human weakspot.]
So you just care that much. [Spiteful, taunting.]
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You're still stuck on that, huh?
[So the rules were off--it wasn't like he didn't expect them to be from the very beginning. But Lex had always broken the rules to win; he had told him once that victory was the only possible outcome, and that if that meant bending or rewriting the rules to your own standard? Well, that was just what you did.
But it still didn't involve cheating, and that was what he'd gotten stuck on in his lessons with Bruce. Where was the line? Where was the balance? Well, it was judged by chivalry, surely. Clark was not beyond throwing sand in someone's eyes, but it had to be a life and death situation before he stooped even that far. And he would always keep giving them chances.
Wasn't that why he was here? That and Jason's dream.]
Time's up.
[Clark had waited ( ... )
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But it's different and challenging and Jason likes that. The attack pushes Jason back a step, but doesn't surrender any further space as he takes the foil in his left hand and reaches in for the front of Clark's shirt with his right.]
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His stance was Lex Luthor, his attacks were Lex Luthor, his defenses were Lex Luthors. Clark fenced like a villain, and that truly was the difference at its core.
Ready for the switch of hands now he knows how Jason is fighting, Clark surrenders his footing and position and brings his blade up high to the right, as though flailing for balance as Jason pulls him in. It's a ruse--their foils meet flesh at the same moment, Clark's blade to Jason's throat, pressing in with just enough pressure to make himself known.]
It's not a point if you both lose.
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You think there's any winning or losing out there? [He tangles his fingers tighter in the superhuman's supersuit, unintentionally mimicking Batman's grip in his dream. If he takes control in this moment, then there's no way he can step away from this without satisfaction.] There's living and there's dying. And I've done both.
[He takes this opportunity to attempt to give Clark a rough shove away, to take advantage of the blue kryptonite and making sure that both of them know Jason's power. The nightmare's left him grappling for hand-holds on a crumbling wall.]
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When he's pushed back, Clark finds his feet easily. He's ready for it, and once again he takes a cocky, aggresive defence, this time with his arm raised above his head, the blade pointed down. He circles, and he says: ]
You may say that, Jason, but we both of us know that 'there's no such thing as winning or losing' is just something people say to console themselves. There's thousands of losers down there right now; people who lack the courage to speak up to their bosses, people who are beaten by their spouses. The way I see it, you've already won. You already know how little any of it matters. We all end up in the same place in the end, so we should sure as hell go down fighting.
[And stepping back. The ghost of Luthor's words:Are you ( ... )
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He reaches to the back of the helmet and undoes the latch so he can pull it off, dropping it to the roof. As well, though, he tosses the foil off to the side and prepares a stance with only his fists.]
Then let's fight, Super.
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[But he tosses the foil aside too--not off the building, but aside, and keeps in mind where he put it.]
But I know this is more the kind of conversation you understand.
[An uppercut, head dropping down expecting to miss, following through with his forehead aimed for Jason's jaw. A dirty move.
In his mind he's still fencing.]
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[Still, as Clark comes in for a hit, Jason steels himself and moves, the uppercut missing, but the forehead smashing against his jaw. The vigilante grits his teeth and forces himself to not be dazed as he brings both fists around, attempting to slam them against Clark's temples and not waste any time. Go right for the vulnerable spots, don't let your anger make you stupid.]
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