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WHO: Zevran and Selina
WHERE: Danny Rand's School of Thunder
WHEN: Thursday evening
SUMMARY: Selina teaches Zevran how to maim without killing!
WARNINGS: Zevran and Selina
FORMAT: Words

It was still light out, but Selina was in the mood to punch things. The Joker was back yet again, which wasn't terribly surprising but was terribly annoying. The last class for the night had come and gone, which meant that Selina was free to work out in her chosen attire. She'd told Danny she'd wear a t-shirt when teaching, which she'd held to so far. But all bets were off when she had the place to herself.

She was pounding on the punching bag, more punches than kicks because she was better at the kicks. And there was still that sharp pain deep inside her chest when she really pushed herself. So she simply had to push harder.

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"Giving up already?" Her voice is a little cool, but neutral otherwise. "That was better."

Selina would be the first to say she isn't the best teacher. But it helps a lot when the student actually thinks they can learn.

The defensiveness only increases at her response. He looks away. "I...am not giving up." The words sound pulled out of him. "It merely seems a little silly. I have been killing for many years. Can I truly be taught otherwise?" A moment's hesitation. "I don't know. Perhaps it's foolish."

It's a side Selina hasn't really seen of him before. And if anything, it's just making her push back harder.

"Then don't be taught. Learn."

He doesn't show it often. Easier if he lets everyone think he never wonders about his nature or regrets the things he's done. Easier if he lets himself think that. The alternative is huge and complicated, and he's no good at that sort of thing.

In truth, he doesn't actually care that much about the abstract benefits of reforming his self-image, of becoming more than a killer. But he does care about whether Selina approves of him or not.

Zevran gives an awkward little shrug. "Very well. I will learn, if I can." He lifts a hand and points to punctuate his statement. "I make no promises."

Selina nods. After all, what more can she ask?

"It might be easier to see what it is you can do." She steps away from the bag, to the mats that cover the center of the floor. "Okay. Try and kill me."

He pauses. "Try and kill you." A moment is taken to consider that...but well, why not? She must know how to defend herself pretty damn well. "All right, even if I would really prefer a...smaller death, in this case." Making dirty jokes makes him feel more comfortable in this strange situation.

After a moment, though, he holds out his hand, and in a glimmer of silver-lavender light, a long dagger appears in it. He nods once, then lunges forward, his free hand sweeping sharply to try to knock her off-balance so he can get behind her.

The knife does surprise her, but she doesn't hesitate, twisting out of the way of his blow and lashing out with an elbow to his throat. Gently though. Unlike people usually trying to kill her, she didn't want to damage his larynx.

A jab to a nerve cluster in the shoulder would send his whole arm numb. Good luck holding onto the knife when you can't feel his fingers.

It takes him some effort to flick the switch, to fight all-out against Selina, but once he does, it's done, and he's going at her with all he's got. It's enough that he sees both blows coming, accurately guesses some of what they're going to do. The elbow is obvious, and he ducks just slightly aside from it and reaches out with his left hand in the beginnings of an attempt to grab her arm and pull her down--

--but then she catches him on his shoulder. That jab he doesn't manage to avoid, and it completely destabilizes him. His fingers spasm open, and the blade vanishes out of his hand.

He turns to blink at her in incongruously innocent wonder. "How...?"

Selina smiles at his surprise. "Pressure points. Good way to incapacitate someone without doing permanent damage."

She paces around behind him, resting one hand on his shoulder. "Hold still." She jabbed at the proper spot, restoring the feeling.

He blinks thoughtfully. His expression is rather like that of a child shown a new way to build with blocks, actually. "I believe I enjoy that idea." Even if his first impulse is to think of ways he could use it as a stepping stone to more permanent damage--but he declines to mention that. Instead he just obligingly holds still as she restores sensation. "Thank you, my dear. So...right there? Are there others?"

"Plenty of others. And the movements for striking them aren't too different than you're used to." Which is what had made her think of it. Much closer to stabbing, really.

She took one of his hands in hers, shaped his fingers for a proper jab. "Only use this instead of the knife."

He lets her show him the motion and the shape of the hand, too curious now to be wary. "I think I could do this, indeed. I suspect I might even know of some of these 'pressure points' already, though by different names. There are moves I know to stun foes...but they usually make them bleed as well, or break bones or leave terrible bruises." He's speaking casually despite the subject, too engaged in this interesting new lesson to worry about how he might come off.

"That's easy enough to do." Selina did it herself much of the time, truth be told. "But doing it clean takes a bit more commitment."

She was still holding his hand. She gave it a little squeeze of encouragement before letting go.

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