What His Mama Gave Him

[Connor]

Connor had been itching to practice since he had arrived here, but really had not had the time. He stuck his head out of his door, peering down the hall to make sure there were no late-night prowlers about. He eventually stepped out into the hall, clad in loose-fitting pants and an orange hoodie, and headed for the gym. He had been out exploring a few weeks back, and had found the gym and it's built-in stereo system perfect for what he had in mind. He only hoped no one would hear him blasting music at this time of night....could cause rampant grumpiness.

He arrived in the gym, tossing the bag he carried onto the bench after retrieving a CD from it. After he had removed the hoodie and tossed it on top of his bag, he walked over to the stereo, loaded his CD into it, and stood back. The intro to Missy Elliot's 'Work It' began blasting, and he moved to the center of the sparring mat, stopping to bow his head, then began to move in time with the music. His thoughts cleared, and his body became one with the rhythm. He began to sweat as he worked through several different styles of dance, finally settling on something he had learned from dancing on a random street corner: crumping. Outdated? Maybe. He didn't care too much, since he wasn't playing to an audience. He wasn't a master of this form, but he was certain of one thing: it was fun.

[De'Ryanna Aybara]

A late night prowler is hardly what she would consider herself to be as she was often seen in the gym either in the late hours of the evening or the early hours before sunrise. It was when she often found the place to be deserted or inhabited by a certain someone who came here for similar reasons. Tonight she was going there not to dance by to engage in weight exercises to work the muscles in her legs and back; therefore she was dressed in high-cut light grey cotton shorts and a pastel pink tank. Her lack of the full and long skirt could also play a part in the reason why she chose her gym hours.

It was very easy to see that the way she walked was with a different gait and stride than the average person or even a Lycan's. If a person actually saw how she walked they'd see that she didn't step down on her heel like others but her foot always extended for toe then heel and the rest of her leg eased down. The other was always quick to follow. It was an ingrained ballet dancer's walk: strong, yet light; graceful and fluid. This was the walk that her skirts concealed.

De'Ryanna's hair was braided back out of her way and she carried a silver duffle bag over her left shoulder. Not fully expecting anyone to be there she was slightly surprised when she opened the door and heard . . .music coming from the main room. That would have caused her to turn around and come back later if not for the fact that she had not heard that type of music before and it took her curiosity so she proceeded forward.

Imagine her surprise when she saw that Connor was in the gym, but what was that he was doing? The quick jerks, pops, twist and bending in his movement looked all to her like someone who was in the throws of an epileptic seizure complete with convulsions. Obviously she had never seen his style of dancing before. Ever. What else was she suppose to think?

"Connor!" Dropping her bag she pulled out her personal bottle of water and towel and rushed over to where he was but didn't restrain him. What was that she learned? Never restrain a person seizing. Count the time and make sure there was nothing sharp for them to fall on that would cause damage.

And that's what she did. Light help the man if he wasn't actually having a medical emergency.

[Connor]

He stopped, looking over to her with a confused smile. "Er....hello, Ryan! I uh...yeah. I was just....damn. Okay, so I like to dance, so what? And since I wanted a workout, I didn't go with classical dancing, but something a little more rough around the edges! And....hey, you were about to do the same thing....those are practice clothes! Nice, by the way...but still!"

His mind connected a few things at that point, the tone of her voice, her running to where he was, and the look on her face...."What's the matter, Ryan? Did I do something wrong?"

[De'Ryanna Aybara]

And Connor stopped. Just like that he stopped and he was able to talk and have use of his motor functions, everything. Like a person who hadn't had an episode.

De'Ryanna listened. And she more he spoke the harder the look on her face became. The concern that was there? Gone. It was replaced with annoyance directed at him and herself for being foolish enough to think that this man was in need of actual help. Everything he was saying washed over her. As he got to the end of his words she freed up her right hand - the water and the towel in the left - and made a singular laugh and a smile that barely went past her lips. She flexed her fingers and looked up at him.

Ryanna didn't speak. Her eyes found his and her hand quickly moved back and forward in hopes of making hard contact with his left cheek. Wouldn't matter if her hand stung if her hit made it's mark for that wasn't the point, hitting him made her feel better about the whole situation.

"Hrmph."

And unless he was going to stop her she would quickly turn on her feet, chin up in the air, and head to her fallen bag.

[Connor]

He allowed for her slap, thinking that the women around here sure did like to hit men, and waited for an explanation. When he got none, and flying in the face of all logic, she just turned around and started to walk away, something in his mind yelled "whoa, hold the hell on!".

His hand shot out, seeking to catch her arm and spin her around. Biting back the angry retort that had bubbled to the surface, he sighed. "Mind telling me what that was all about? You went from scared for some reason that escapes me to pissed...why?" If he had successfully caught her arm, he had not let go, and was not crushing her bones....she was a Lycan, just like him, so she was much more resilient than others. Added into this was the fact that he had no desire to hurt her. He kept his true desires private, for private times.

[De'Ryanna Aybara]

He could have spoken out in anger, it's not like she's never done something in anger to him before, the hits were a perfect example. Being pulled back around to see him he was fortunate that she didn't strike at him with her other hand which is what she wanted to do but what good would that have done as he would then have both her arms. I don't need my arms to strike at him. . .

De'Ryanna didn't answer him right away, instead she pulled at her captive arm and very nearly glared at him. It fell just short of that though and she was collecting her words. "That was for making me care enough to think you needed help!" And for me being stupid enough to fall for it, was the rest of it but she didn't say it. A few deep breaths as she stood there locking eyes with him. Then she felt her skin starting to tingle and it told her that the contact should end.

"Now let me go. Please." The latter added almost reluctantly. She was collecting herself. Really she was.

[Connor]

"No, I don't think I will. I mean, far be it from me to actually call you on something, but I can't help it if I know a dance form you do not. I also can't help it if you're jealous. Come on, like you could hang with me." True, he had no idea whether she was an amateur or a pro, but this was one way to find out!

"Tell ya what. Since that was only a warm-up track, skip to the next track. Maybe it looked strange to you, but that's actually a widely accepted dance style....nevertheless, since you completely bagged on it, I'll school ya in classical." He released her arm after running his fingertips along the inside of it, and sent her a smirk. "Well, you gonna glare all day or you gonna change the music? Oh....scared. I getcha." His smirk grew wider then, and he sort of bobbed and weaved away, between the door and her. He knew she might get pissed and try to leave, so this way, he'd have a chance to say hey, wait a minute. Or...something.

[De'Ryanna Aybara]

"Why under the Light would I have reason to be jealous of you?" With the inflections in her tone had to mean that he struck a cord somewhere. A small one, but it was there. Fortunately he did let her arm go for that is what she was referring to when asked to be freed. Not to necessarily be freed from the room so she would mark that off as a small victory for herself.

There was also the partial confusion over what he said which lead to a small inkling of frustration. Ryanna never did like not knowing what was going on around her. Clearly he was using forms of words that she was not accustomed and that was cause for the quirk in her brow. "Bagged?" She hadn't put anything in a bag other than her supplies and they were currently out of the bag and in her hand.

She shook her head as she watched him walk away and fighting back the urge to run her hand along where his fingers had played on her skin. "Can't something look strange to another without the assumption of the negative?" Like that fact that he couldn't dance? "I've never seen that dance, if that's what it is, before."

No need to continue to carry her objects in her hand and so she headed back to her back to put them back and to shoulder the bag as well. Her destination for the gym was the weight room and that was a door or two down. "And for your information I didn't come here to dance I came to work out. In the weight room." He was in the way of the door so going towards it put her in his line once again. Ryanna stood there with her bag. As her goal wasn't to dance she didn't have any music with her. "Like you would be able to teach me anything of the classical anyway," said with a haughty smirk that tugged on the corners of her lips as sought to make herself taller.

"I've seen your rhythm. You don't have the bend nor the structure to perform some advance movements with the grace that they require." To be certain she looked him over again with her eyes, she would hate to have to correct herself. When she was done she smiled at him and said evenly. "You're too big."

Maybe he would see it as the compliment it was meant to be instead of an insult. Connor was not a thin man he had a broad frame and muscles to accompany it. Strength movements he could do, sure, she wouldn't question that, but there were some movements that men simply could not master or do, especially with a framework like his own.

[Connor]

Oh dear. Had no one in this place ever heard of slang? "Bagged....you know, you made fun of what I was doing? Anyway, thanks. I don't know about too big....maybe the phrase you're looking for is just right?" He took the comment as a compliment...after all, she had not complained about his range of motion when he had killed the buck some time back.

The music was still going, so he moved to it, finding his way over to her and slapping her rear. "You gonna change the music so I can show ya up or what?"

[De'Ryanna Aybara]

Connor had stopped dancing now, and was eyeing Ryan hungrily. "You sure you wanna take this step, Ryan?"

Did he just... he didn't. Oh but he did.. He slapped her right where his hands shouldn't have been. She turned back around to face him, already had grabbed the Source for now. "Someone needs to learn to heel." And she'd send a pull of Air to him to yank him to the ground. And let go.

He hit the ground and rolled to his feet, snarling. "None of your tricks, woman! Fight me like the animal you are, or not at all!" On all fours he went, rushing her to brutally tackle her.

She didn't really expect him to retaliate, but at least he wasn't afraid to fight her. That was saying something wasn't it. When he went down she had turned and now she was on the ground and rolling with him to push and gain the upper hand. "I can't." Can't.. not won't.. Trying to use strength…wasn't her strong suit.

He chuckled, stepping aside then stepping back to slap her ass again. "What's wrong, babe, get ya all hot and bothered?"

Ryanna got up from the floor only to have him slap her on the ass again and that made her eyes narrow and her insides to burn. Reaching out again with weaves of Air she sent them to his back in a move to throw him to the wall. Now if she could only calm down.. and focus.. she could actually do some damage in her own abilities..

He felt the push and went limp, bouncing from the wall and chuckling. "Oh, you're capable of so much more...let me show you." He shifted, rushing her to attack with a sort of controlled fury. Not seeking to do lasting damage, he used a backhanded strike to the side of her head.

Or...not. "You're faster than you look."

That’s right, she was, and she saw that coming and dodged out of the way to slip to the side. She slowly took backwards steps. "You know you're right. I am capable of more." So it was borderline Novice to use hand motions but it was the focus that she needed as her anger was starting to flare and she extended her hand towards his in a circle and yanked downwards. "You still need to learn to heel."

He crashed into the floor face-first, coming back up with a bloody nose and a murderous glint in his eye. "Right...heel. Heel this!" He leapt at her, kicking at her midsection and slashing at her right arm with his claws.

What....the.....f**k. "What the HELL did you do to me?!"

She couldn't kill.. she couldn't kill.. but now she was looking at him still with narrowed eyes as she blocked the attack and held his body still in the midst of his throw. She had a fragile hold on the Source less she controlled herself.. she smelled the blood and it was ticking the Lycan side. Even a growl came out of her throat. "Down boy." And down he would go. either with her pull.. or because her hold broke.

He was getting his ass kicked from lack of control. Okay....he shifted back to his human form, and adopted the stance of a regular fighter. "Down this, -lover-." He bum-rushed her, seeking to tackle her to the ground. Oh....

Did I forget to mention that his clothing was gone?

Not only was she down, but now she was down and he had his blood on her. But unlike him - she was still clothed if only for the fact that his claws did not rip the shirt she wore. Ryanna pushed up against his hands. Connor was stronger - physically - than she was and unless she shifted she wouldn't be able to move him this way. That side was clawing at the surface and she heaved upwards, trying to with the Source, though as she gripped she felt it slipping like soap.

He could feel her change bubbling to the surface, and knew that not even the strongest person could not hold it off forever. Sure, she managed to push him off, but was he trying to force his presence on her? No....but he -was- going to force this right fist into her abdomen. Well, if she didn't move or dodge.

What woman wants to get in the stomach? While she didn't move she did see it coming and caught his fist just barely above her midsection. And there was more of it, that Source slipping from her as she tried to keep one side down, but she could already feel that side coming and herself getting bigger. "No no no!" on the third she pushed hard at him to get herself up

He could smell it as well as feel it now...he hid his smile behind what was meant to be a fierce backhand and leg sweep combination. WHO can't move with agility?

Ryanna had just started to get up, her breathing heavy and sweat bubbling off the top of her brow. Her heart rate was pumping hard and her head had started to throb. she was caught completely off guard when his attack came and when it did she rolled down on the ground. Pulling up on her hands and knees she hung her head and the growl came forth. Her shoulders rolled back and the joints and bones started popping as she grew in width and length. Not to mention the clothes tearing. It may have been expandable but it wasn't that expandable.

Hair pulled back into her scalp to be replaced and turned into ebony fur that grew out from her skin. The change of her body structure made her cringe inwards and the body to shudder with the un-use to transformation. It was physically draining and yet it was freeing too. When she pulled out of the ball she had pulled herself into there was her, in Lycan form, on all four legs and the torn clothes hanging off of her body. The deep rumble as she watched him and padded towards him. Bigger than an average wolf and bigger than her human form, she was looking at him like he was on the dinner menu. Because he was. Which is why she sprang, open mouth, for his neck.

He would be a dead man if he had not been expecting this. Now, she moved with inhuman speed, but he expected that as well. He allowed her to carry him back and to the floor, hitting his head pretty damned hard in the process. He returned her growl with one of his own, initiating his transformation at that moment. "Did I lie? Hell no, you changed and you like it...." He bucked, seeking to heave her off and attack himself. Now that she had changed, he had to work his ass off to get her to control herself. He didn't mind...this was simply part of the training she had asked for.

She had him by the neck and she wasn't letting go not yet. He was able to talk but now she only strengthened her position and locked her stance to burry her head and her teeth more to his neck to break the skin. Now she also would pull. If he thought to push her off perhaps he should worry about trying to get her to dislodge her teeth form his neck first?

She was tenacious....but he had some experience in these matters. He reached to her face, punching at her nose and gouging at her eyes. He knew this would cause blinding pain to one of his kind, but not lasting injury. Yes, he was still trying to avoid grievous wounds.

It got her mouth to open up. The hit to the nose caused her to let go but not without a residue pull on his fur. The swipe to the eyes had just been avoided but that didn't mean that she didn't flinch as she jumped back and spun away.. Crouched back her tongue came out and she licked her bloody maw before springing again, her front claw reaching out to tear at his chest.

She caught him, sure, and he had not expected that. He snarled at her, snapping his jaws, then remembered that he had to be in control of himself before he could teach her. So, he simply fell backwards a bit, then crouched and came up with the crown of his head seeking the bottom of her jaw. This would hurt at least one of them, if not both....

Connor had a hard head. There was no debating that, this butt only proved it and she stumbled back. It was all starting to wear on her. She didn't have much stamina in this form and the fact that she was being made to fight made it worst. Not to mention that she had already used energy with the Source. As she started to go back she shook her head and tried to turn mid fall, those claws going out to swipe at what she could reach before she dropped down to try and gain ground. She could already feel the weight making her legs shake.

Her claws dug in, but that was because he had moved to catch her. "That's enough, Ryan." He took both paws in his, reverting to human form as he did so, and moved to cushion her inevitable trip to the ground. He bit back a few comments on how beautiful he found her form to be, and simply sought to cushion her from striking the floor. Well, at least she didn't dash her brains out, since he practically threw himself beneath her. “Ryan?"

The legs shaking were only the beginning. The taste of his blood was still in her mouth and the heart was racing quite fast though the strength she had was seeping out quickly. Light help the town if she ever developed more stamina and shifted in the middle of a crowd. Ryanna fell over, but she landed against Connor and laid there with her eyes closed, her body steadily shifting back to it's human form. Shrinking and the joints going back into place. In her flesh the spots where he had struck true were seen by dark patches underneath her skin. They would heal in time. But she was too out to answer him.

He knew that she would heal, and quickly, so he wasn't worried. He still felt for her, knowing what it was like the first few times...he didn't know exactly where her room was, and since his was much closer, and he could simply beat the hell out of anyone that got too nosy, he headed for his room, stopping to pick up her bag in the hopes there would be clothes within it.

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