Long Road To Hell

[helpdesk_hero]

This wasn't the day that he'd planned for. Which might just mean that maybe David needs to stop planning things. Best laid schemes and all that. Which isn't to say there are a few things he did that morning that have helped out. Like making sure his wallet had cash. Like keeping his big travel charger in his bag. Like having long since hacked his StarkTech phone to work on any network.

Plans that didn't work out as well? The diner he'd chosen for coffee after just about falling out of thin air. His whole body was sore, this wasn't his Earth at all, and he had a serious headache from crash landing and learning all of this. But the place had coffee, apparently a dollar was still a dollar, and it was pretty peaceful in here despite all the tough looking guys and truckers.

So he hadn't hesitated to go to the bathroom after he paid for his drink. No one would mess with his drink.

He hadn't expected to come back out to the mess he had. Someone really should applaud the soundproofing in the bathroom, actually. Because the way the things are when he comes out could definitely be counted as carnage. The waitress is still there, just short of cowering behind the counter. And outside an expensive black car, with a man in a black coat standing by it. And someone younger. David can't really make out details from here, but... Well, the person in the black coat wasn't there when he came in. The one with them, David vaguely remembers coming in from when David had gotten up to go to the bathroom.

Given the situation, there's only one conclusion as to who had caused this mess. Someone that clearly needed to be here when he cops arrived, and who was leaving. Which meant only one option really.

Damn him and this heroing thing. With a sigh David grabs his bag from his booth as he walks past it, and heads for the door. By the time he makes it the car is gone and the person from the diner walking away. And David following behind them.

Comments

[wreckingforce]

David may have trained with Wolverine, but Jayne isn't just some street thug - she trained under both Batman and the All-Caste. Sure, she probably doesn't look like much of a fighter, but that's intentional presentation. It's much easier to use the element of surprise if you let people underestimate you.

Much like how David seems to be underestimating her now, despite having seen her handiwork at the diner. Maybe he thinks she had help from the guy in the fancy car who drove off when Jayne took off down the road? Maybe he's just an idiot. Jayne doesn't know and doesn't really care; she's got a mission and she's not letting some Dudley Do-Right with delusions about arresting her get in her way.

"Y'know," she says, almost smiling in amusement, "if I had a dollar for every time some moron tried to arrest me, I sure as hell wouldn't ever get accused of robbing a diner out of desperation." She folds her arms across her chest and takes a lazy step forward, toward David - a nonverbal statement that she isn't even the slightest bit afraid of him.

"All right, Jon Snow - " yeah, that nickname's sticking, David, you brought it on yourself - "if you're itching for an ass-whooping that badly, I'm happy to oblige. Seeing as how I'm such a gentleman, I'll even let you take the first swing."

[helpdesk_hero]

Yeah, the whole having a dollar for every time thing? Only makes him more certain he's doing the right thing. That and he's used to overconfidence as a bluff. For a moment he considers the chance that she's a mutant. But no, what little he's found here doesn't seem to imply them. He does move, feinting left and striking right with a kick aimed for her legs. His only goal is to get the woman down on the ground, not beat her down too bad.

Besides, those guys in the diner clearly aren't as well trained as he is. Taking this young woman down shouldn't be so bad at all.

[wreckingforce]

Jayne may not have Dick Grayson's impressive, professional acrobatic skills, but she's still better than average, and she's spent years watching guys come at her - almost always guys, and usually guys who are bigger than her. Even Bruce has a good half a foot on her and a hell of a lot more bulk, and she'd managed to limp away from that fight with him the last time she'd been in Gotham in one piece ... more or less.

Going for the legs is a pretty standard opening, and Jayne smoothly launches herself out of the way with a side aerial flip. Once she lands, she uses the momentum to push off the ground and aim a punch at David's kidney. Maybe it's a dick move, going immediately for the hurt, but she's found it to be effective.

figure her next thing can trip him up or otherwise knock him down

[helpdesk_hero]

Interesting and nice move. Which David wasn't expecting but he knew that staying still isn't enough. He does manage to barely dodge the punch to the kidney, instead taking it just in the side. Which gets him twisting a bit. Momentum that he turns into an elbow toward her neck. Okay, time to be a bit more brutal.