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Julie is a bit early for class, casually, if restlessly, pacing back and forth on top of a set of parallel bars, and perusing a paperback book, perhaps for a literature class. Her signature 'vrr' not quite a sound sort of hums along, as she reaches an end and turns on one tennis shoe, heading back.
Really, Tessa should have someone behind the heavy bag, holding it in place. But she couldn't really find anyone who was awake at such an early hour. So she had to make due. Instead of being dressed in her usual prim suits that she dons for class-teaching, she's instead wearing something more suited for working out. Her blue hair is pulled back into a ponytail and handwraps securely tightened around her pams and forearms. She's whaling away at the heavy bag. There's training there, clearly, judging by the way she holds herself, the way she aims her strikes.
Julie sighs a little, stopping in place to peer more closely at a page. She frowns and grumbles a moment, and slips a piece of cardboard in for a bookmark, glancing over as she sees Sage working the heavy bag. She tucks the book into the pocket of her sweats, and looks around. She hrms, decides she'll try a few punches in the air, shuffling forward, with a smirk and a wave before hopping down, if Sage looks up.
She pauses, turning when she hears the noise of footsteps on the floor. There's no smile from Tessa - there never is - but she nods politely. "Good morning," she says. "I didn't know anyone else used the gym before classes."
Julie ahs, "Couldn't sleep any more, I guess. Thought I may as well catch up a bit on some reading, get a few kinks out from yesterday. Figured it'd still be quiet…" She heads on over to brace the bag. "Been sorta catching up on taking fighting more serious."
Eyebrows lift. "Is there a reason you should be taking fighting seriously?" The more she finds out, the more Tessa wonders if certain things were left out - probably not purposefully - when the situation at the school was explained to her. "Perhaps a more pertinent question would be how much about fighting and defense you're aware of."
Julie tilts her head, not sure what Sage means there. "Some, I guess, you gotta look out for yourself sometimes, where I come from, and, well, seems to be getting easier to run across trouble, these days. My Uncle Angelo taught me a bit, but nothing like here."
And likewise, Tessa isn't sure what exactly it is that Julie's uncle would have shown her. Instead of probing further, she just gestures to the heavy bag and positions herself behind it to hold it properly. "Show me what you were taught."
Julie ohs, and nods. "Well, mostly some judo tricks he got from the Marines, …not that he knows about me or nothing…" Still, she throws a number of low and inside punches and an elbow: hardly masterful form, perhaps, but she's been practicing nonetheless, and is pretty strong 'for a girl' given her occupation.
Ah, but Tessa isn't going to criticize non-perfection. She knows nobody can be perfect, not even herself. "Again, if you don't mind?" And she watches, nodding. "Your uncle was taught well, I think." She's never really dealt with the Marines, obviously. "And he's managed to teach you just as well. If you'd be interested, I can help you build on that."
Julie smiles. "I'd appreciate that. The fancy gear downstairs is great, but it ain't really the same as real teachers. Anyway, he didn't exactly put me through Parris Island, but just occasionally the boys get out of hand, some places. Usually best to just duck a lot if they're going at each other, mostly, of course, but real trouble's getting way too common out there. I even had a costumed guy get me out of something some months back," and, well, there's been other things once in a while, especially hanging around more of us."
"Do we have much trouble with anti-mutant groups that would require students learn self-defense?" Tessa wonders. The prospect is troubling; she'll have to ask Charles about that next time. "I spent much of the last decade learning from different people across London, including various experts in self-defense. I enjoyed learning the hstory of it all… but that's not what you want, really." She'd smile if she thought it would look natural. "But I think I should know enough to help you learn more."
Julie smiles. "I'd appreciate it. And, Ah, well, Mutant Town has trouble like that way too often, of one kind or another. And sometimes we gotta help each other out in other places, too, know what I mean? Can't drive my way out of everything, and all that. Or fling things, even, which I'm pretty good at." And, well, there could be other reasons she's not mentioning.
"Do your powers loan themselves to defending yourself fairly well?" As she speaks, Tessa retrieves some mats, setting them up nearby. "Idle curiosity, you understand. I've often thought about how… interesting it would be to comprehend every student's powers well enough to tailor a training session around them."
Julie ahs, "Sorta. I'm kind of a walking gyroscope, so I got balance, otherwise I spin stuff. I kind of carry around stuff that's good for that." She produces from a pocket… a steel yo-yo. "Something I whipped up in the machine shop, kinda good to keep a lid on the powers too if I get too antsy with em. I make these things called bolas outta cable, too, those seem about the best, just bind someone …or something, up. "
"You could make a potential attacker spin uselessly until they couldn't even think of harming you?" That would be perfect. An easy method of dealing with attackers without worrying about hurting oneself. "I assume your uncle impressed upon you the necessity of downing your opponent as quickly as possible?"
Julie nods. "Well, kinda. I kinda suckered Piotr in training that way, but usually they gotta get themselves kinda going or something, though. And there was that Absorbing man guy once, but, ah, that kinda was just trying to help this spider-girl without anyone really noticing, and she was kinda zipping around. Bad scene." And she nods, "Yeah, though, part of why those bolas work. As long as I got a little space."
"Excellent." Tessa gestures to the mat. "If you'll join me, I can run you through some exercises to deal with an assailant that has managed to get right up to you, despite your best efforts."
Julie nods, then, and heads over there. She sets the yo-yo and her book aside. She takes something of a judo-stance, particularly the simplified sort they teach soldiers. "I guess lay it on me or something."
"All right." Of course, Tessa's not just going to throw Julie down. What she does instead is go step by step, making sure she understands what's about to hapen and how it works. Only then does she give Julie the demonstration… and she'll go over it again and again as necessary. "Now.. your turn," she says, even as she keeps an eye on the clock. Explanations take longer than she intended, but she'll finish this lesson first.