Xaviers!

Chase had used the Danger Room to create a training room similar to the one in the Black Lotus compound, but rendered in white marble and blue fabric instead of black and red. The sun, rather then burning braziers, lit the chamber. The weapon stands were empty of anything with a blade.

He was on the center mat, going through the forms of the Black Lotus style. It was mostly characterized by sweeping kicks and sudden strikes. He needed to change it, to make it into something free of dark intent. However, first he had to control that darkness lest it controlled him once more.

(open)

X-23 walks in and looks around before settling on a wall to lean against as she watches Chase.

He finished with a series of rapid punches and bowed in her direction, right fist in left palm.

"Bright and open. It looks nice."

"Thanks. It's the room they use for basic training, but... more pure if that makes sense."

"I guess. You're the one who has to think it's different enough. I would have gone with something completely different."

"I can't forget it ever happened, right? Best I can do is make something good with it."

"All that matters is that it works for you."

"So... how exactly are going to do this?"

"We spar. Because if you screw up with me and your instincts kick in it won't matter. So go ahead, try to take me down." she says, not changing her combat stance of 'leaning against the wall'.

"It... won't?" he asked doubtfully.

"Healing factor. Now come on, what are you waiting for?" she says, still not moving aside from inspecting her fingernails.

He nodded before running at her, launching into a flurry of fast strikes. To her trained eye, they were hesitant when compared his exercise routine.

X-23 lets her back slide down against the wall, falling to the side just before her butt would hit the floor and rolling away while Chase pelts the wall with his punches. Her foot lashes out and tries to sweep his feet out from under him.

He was already twirling the other way by the time her foot reached its destination. He kicked out at her head as he turned.

X-23 wasn't playing for keeps but rather to teach a lesson. If that meant getting kicked in the head then so be it. Chase wasn't going to confront his instincts if she didn't present him with opportunity to do so. So when she tries to get up her head connects with Chase's foot and instead of instinctually trying to break his leg with her head she just takes the hit. There's significantly more resistance than Chase probably would have expected but her head still snaps back which sends her slamming into the wall.

He finished the twirl and came back in, hand poised for a hard strike at her throat but he caught himself and shifted to a triple punch to her midsection. The delay would probably cost him dearly in a real fight.

That X-23 had no problem taking advantage of, it seems. A teaching moment, if you will. She rolls out of the way along the wall and brings her arm around in a backhanded strike aimed at Chase's shoulder.

The hit connected and sent him against the wall hard. He started moving out of the way, but was a little dazed.

"That was sloppy." she says, standing up straight and not pressing the attack. "Try again."

"Holding back is harder than I thought," he admitted, taking a stance again.

"That's why we're here."

He nodded in agreement and suddenly struck out at her with a jab.

She twists to the side and deflects his blow towards the side but leaves herself open in the process. It's hard to tell if she's just creating opening for him or if it's her usual fighting style and she just doesn't really care about being hit.

Not falling for another leg trap, he came in with the other arm as he pulled the first away.

She moves into the punch and tries to body-check Chase as the punch connects with her mid-section. "Come on, gotta try a little harder than that." she presses out amidst a grunt from taking the hit.

He pulled away to reduce the impact and grunted as he stumbled back. He quickly recovered and came back in diagonally, jumping and rebounding off the nearby wall into a powerful horizontal kick.

This one she actually braces herself for, but the kick still staggers her a little when it connects with her shoulder.

He landed and spun back around with a sweep kick.

Laura goes down and tries to roll to the side the moment she hits the ground.

Chase tried to drop an elbow into her back. He was aiming for non-lethal, not fair.

The attack stops her roll and knocks the air from her lungs, which seems to slow her down at least a little bit. Her leg still snaps backwards and tries to kick Chase in the crotch though.

He angled his body to both deflect and hopefully trap her leg between his as he rolled.

It works! And also wrenches Laura's leg out of it's socket. Not that she seems to care too much, letting herself fall on top of Chase with a surprising amount of force for someone of her stature. She's got some heavy bones.

He exhaled loudly, air forced out by the impact. He attempted to push her off.

Pushing X-23 off would be tricky if she didn't jump up herself, landing on both feet somehow despite the dislocated knee that pops back into it's socket from the movement.

"Stop trying to just wear me out with kicks and punches. Take me down."

He got up, eying her warily. He was obviously afraid to give it his all.

"You're not going to make any progress if you're afraid to confront this."

"... right," he said, looking more resolved.

I can do this. I can do this.

He took his stance again and launched into a salvo of fast and disorienting attacks ending in an attempt to pin one of her arms behind and lock her into a sleeper hold.

Laura keeps up pretty well in deflecting his blows but ends up pinned. She takes her time in her attempt to wrench herself out of it to put the pressure of having to act on Chase without just slipping out of his hold.