Gonna make a man out of you (Jones and Bridget)

[Jones]

"@&*!...."

Jones silently cursed to himself his cigarette held loosely in his lips as he leaned against his car door waiting for his temporary partner. He scrawled menacingly at the door that the person he was waiting for was supposed to have come out two hours ago. Two hours waiting as the beating sun slammed down at his sweating form. He had already taken off his usual black jacket that he wore under his heavy leather duster in the back seat as well as his tie, the top three buttons of his shirt were undone revealing a surprisingly fit chest and the edges of some horrific scars. The edge of a burn, the edge of three lines, and the edge of a puckered black line coming up the middle of his chest.

Jones sighed in irritation as he gazed up to the sky to look at the shining yellow sun and the bright cloudless blue sky. The light beamed down on his nigh permanent five of clock shadow and soul patch was neatly trimmed and his slicked back gray hair seemed whiter in the light. Shading his eyes against the light with one hand he stuck a match across the scratch pad in his palm using only his fingers. As the fragrance of wood and chemicals rose he light his cigarette with irritation etched into his every ragged feature. The raising smoke caught by a gust of wind swirled through the air.

Looking up at the sky he wondered allowed.

"So my partner's name is Bridget... I wonder what she will be like"

[bridget]

"Ohmigosh! Late! Late! Late! Ohimigosh!" Bridget squealed to himself as he rushed through the hallways, speeding around with his thin arms flailing behind him. "I know I shouldn't have napped in the break room... he spoke out to himself, screeching to a halt and bouncing himself off the wall neighbouring the corner with his arms. He was supposed to meet about two hours ago. However, those chairs in the break room of the Metropolice Police Department sure were comfy. He couldn't help but take a quick nap. He did arrive early after all, although a quick nap became four hours long. Bridget was in sight of the door, adjusting the shawl on his head while he ran to the exit, barging through it rather unceremoniously. After all, graceful was a trait that often didn't really apply to him. "Hmm, said I need to meet a Jones." Bridget thought to himself as he looked around.

Bridget was clad in his ever usual outfit, a white and blue minidress with tight black lycra shorts underneath, a white and blue nun shawl on his head, black gloves and finally some clunky blue and white boots that almost looked a few sizes too big for him. He really did look out of place, he put his hand partially over his eyes to block out the sun glare as he saw an older man out by his car. "That must be my new partner, this is just like one of those buddy cop movies."

Bridget walked over to the car and looked at the man. "Ohmigosh! I'm sooo sorry. Like the police station had all this candy in the bowls. I sorta ate all of it... and... and the chairs were really comfy... Sugar crash, you know how it goes." Bridget shrugged, speaking in his usual chipper and cheery upper class British accent.

[Jones]

Jones heard the voice talking to him so he lowered his gaze from the sun... and lowered it... and lowered it till he was looking at the origin of it. He looked at her... no... not her, little indications, little ways the flesh hung, things he would not have noticed if he hadn't been a cop in New York where this was generally not unheard of though usually he could look for an enlarged adams apple but the boy... yes definitely boy, was too young to have one, at least. For a moment he just stared down at the kid and then wordlessly he let go of his cigarette which strangely rather then fall floated in the air by sheer force of will of the smoker. Reaching into a back pocket he pulled out a hip flask and opened it with his now freed hand. Lifting it to his lips he took a deep slug and then closing it returned it to his pocket and picked the cigarette out of the air. His gaze was on the police building while this happened but as he finished he lowered it back to the kid before him... he was still there. He wasn't a illusion brought on by heat. Crap.

Taking a deep drag off the cigarette he grunted.

"... Are you Bridget Harkness?... ... I wonder who I pissed off this time."

[bridget]

Bridget let out a cough, the smoke irritating his throat a bit when the discarded cigarette floated right past him. "I hear that kinda thing is bad for your health." Bridget said cheerily waving in front of his face to dissipate the smoke. He'd not really been around many people that liked to smoke cigarettes, Baiken always had a pipe to hand but that was a whole other matter. He idly played with the hem of his dress as he stared at the tough looking person he was teamed up with. "I wonder what this guy's deal is? He looks quite rough." Bridget thought to himself as he stared up at the man.

"Yes, I'm Bridget Harkness. I'm a bounty hunter!" he chirped out in his usual happy tone. It was rare that Bridget didn't sound like he was completely hyperactively happy, it must have been a gift given the fact that he's seen some completely scary creatures in his time and still maintains a happy demeanour. After all, how many of the general public have seen vampires, demons, strange doctors, witches and ghosts? Bridget looked up at the man again. "Jones right? So, ummm. What's your deal? What do you do?" he said inquisitively.

(sorry if a bit short)

[Jones]

Jones ignored the comment about smoking being bad for him, just as he always did. He knew it was bad for him, he was reminded by people on almost a daily bases and on the whole didn't care. Taking a deep puff he listened to the kid's introduction and decided the kid was nervous enough so he might as well throw him a line he smiled as he shrugged.

"What do I do? I am in the business of hunting, finding, and sometimes killing monsters and business is very very good."

Turning to the car door he opened it, his heavy leather coat opening just enough for his shoulder holster to flash that kid. He paused and looked back at his partner. Deciding he should take time to mark his territory.

"Okay kid here are the rules of this partnership. Rule one."

He held up one finger.

"I smoke, I drink, and I don't watch what I eat. I don't intend to change, let's face it. You and me are highly unlikely to survive long enough to die of old age and life is far too short enough to survive on tofu and soy."

He held up the next finger.

"Rule two, when around other people you call me Mister Jones. I don't like people getting to casual with me but you are my partner and in an emergency situation Mister can take too long to say so you can call me Jones. No nicknames. You call me J and I will throw you out my car. I may be feeling kind enough to stop it first."

A third finger unfolded.

"Rule Three, I call the shots. I have been doing this for the past twelve years and before that I was a cop and while I am sure you must be good at what you do otherwise you wouldn't be here I am the best at what I do."

A fourth finger unfolded.

"Rule Four. I drive. Seriously, I know you are way to young... probably... but even if you are strangely older then me I still drive. I am in a vehicle I want to drive it. Some say I have control issues but that is incorrect. I will cop to anger issues though... I am willing to give pointers on driving through."

Finally he held up his thumb, his callused hand having all his fingers extended.

"Finally rule five. I don't have romantic notions. I don't want to date, I don't want to be set up on blind dates, I don't want a partner to have a crush on me... I am saying that to get that out of the way. I don't know if you like girls or boys, I don't care. You will be surprised how little I care, but there will be no pre-teen crushes on me. None. Not one. Old man. No romance. No want it. Uh uh..."

He looked at his hand and closed it into a fist and lowered if frowning... then sighed.

"Yeah... sorry. Last partner they had me with was... interesting. I just don't want to wake up to another person standing beside me trying to fit me with fuzzy pink handcuffs while I'm sleeping."

He coughed into his fist and climbed into the car and pointed at the passenger side as he cranked the car, the engine of the car roared to life, the old muscle car still possessed a strength that was impressive. The driver's eyebrows furrowed and old instincts bubbled up.

"Did you go to the bathroom before you left? I don't want to stop on the way. Also have you eaten?... besides candy. I mean food food. I don't want my partner passing out on me. a man needs to keep fueled up and that means a hearty meal in him."

[bridget]

Bridget tilted his head a bit, the way this man was postured and his facial expression was telling the young bounty hunter that he was in for a real mouthful. "It was the cigarette comment, wasn't it?! Oh jeez!" He thought to himself as he nervously chewed at his lip. However, this guy seemed quite friendly at first. He was talking about his work hunting down monsters, well... that really wasn't out of the ordinary for Bridget. The young man has seen countless beings of myth and various creatures of magic in the five years he's been living out of the village.

Bridget looked quite shocked the second he saw the holstered firearm this guy had on him, it was rare he saw an actual deadly weapon compared to the ones he usually employs, such as trick yo-yo's with sawblades that really don't do much more than leave a small cut. He hadn't ever fatally wounded anything in his entire life so it was strange to be in the presence of someone who has, as Jones had mentioned before.

Bridget nodded politely and kept quiet when he saw that Jones wanted to explain some rules to him. He had real trouble with following kept rules sometimes, he wasn't a law breaker and didn't break them on purpose, but it was usually just by accident due to his forgetfulness.

"Well, that's okay with me!"

Bridget chirped out as he mentioned the drinking, smoking and other variously dangerous things. He didn't quite understand the part about not living long enough to die of old age but it's best not to question a man in possession of a firearm.

"Mhm, got it. Mister Jones it is!"

Bridget said with a nod. "Jeez, this guy sure likes to take it formal." Bridget pondered to himself, forgetting to listen to the next rule but nodding along anyway, hoping he didn't notice Bridget's lapse in attention.

"Is 17 too young to drive? I dunno."

Bridget shrugged at the next rule, completely missing the point but not lacking in spirit. He nodded and listened intently, seeing that it should be the last and final rule coming up. Little did he know, it might have just been the most confusing.

"Don't worry about that, Mister Jones. I'm not into all that."

Bridget chirped out, however now Jones mentioned handcuffs, that really only meant one thing in the innocent young man's mind. He must have been a criminal, only bad guys get put in the cuffs.

"Wait, handcuffs?! Did you commit a crime?!"

He squeaked out in his chipper tone, his head tilted in a confused manner, Bridget wasn't scared really. After all, even criminals can reform, just look at Captain Johnny! He was one of Bridget's best friends on the May Ship. Soon Bridget forgot all about that and saw Jones enter the car, starting it up and poiting to the passenger side. Bridget happily got in, shutting the door behind him, listening to what he had to say now.

"Oh yeah, I'm good. I've eaten. I just ate all that candy in there because I was bored. Those rooms are depressing, I thought seeing as it's a police station I'd be seeing all these rough tough criminals getting taken into cells. Really, it's just a lot of paperwork. Disappointing, right?" Bridget said, now rambling slightly.

[Jones]

Jones ignored much of her his replies but did file aware what he was learning about his partner. He seemed... immature. Unformed. That didn't bother Jones too much. He was good at forming people. He had trained plenty of the companies people to hunt monsters and come home the next day. He figured this kid had been surviving as long as he had doing what he did had to have skills, maybe a little guidance would help him grow up. Jones hit the accelerated and talked as he drove, though his driving tended to hold peoples attention more then his conversations in situations like this. Jones drove like he belonged in an action movie. He drove down allies at high speed, he swerved almost hitting cars, he slipped between semi trucks without blinking. Despite almost running people down in the street he drove with an utmost casual air.

"Police work sadly is mostly paperwork, paperwork, and when you get done with that more paperwork. Don't miss it myself gotta admit that has to be the best thing about doing what I do for a living now, not much paperwork. Granted they try to make me fill out forklifts for by I found I can ignore most of it and the stuff I can't ignore I just wait till someone is screaming about it and then fill it out. Saves time."

Pulling hard to the right Jones gently puffed on his cigarette as a man screamed and dove out of the way of the bright red car. Jones glanced out of the corner of his eye at Bridget.

"Not gonna ask about your clothes, that is your decision but I am curious. What do you wanna be like as you get older? What do you see yourself as in five years? What do you want to be?"

[bridget]

Bridget shifted a bit in his seat, staring off at the big city as it passes by. Metropolis was so huge, like New York on steroids. Bridget hummed to himself idly as he rested his face in his hands until he noticed how recklessly Jones was driving, Bridget squeaked a bit and put a hand up almost too scared to look thinking that Jones was going to plow them right into a semi. "Oh no, do people really drive like that here?" He thought to himself, now used to this reckless use of a vehicle. It was really like something seen on film, however many times he swerved he never hit anything. It easily alleviated Bridget's fears.

Bridget listened intently about the speech on paperwork, seems this guy really had the right idea. "Yeah, paperwork is a pain. I don't really like writing and sometimes I get bored and doodle on the paper.... Oh gosh does that get me in trouble." Bridget said rolling his eyes, having ended up on the wrong side of Officer Ky Kiske when Bridget failed to properly fill out a bounty form after capturing a criminal. "Oh getting yelled at sucks too. I get that quite often from some of the officers of the Holy Order, one time I took a nap in that church booth thingy and got chased out by that guy that talks in the church and stuff." Bridget said, looking at Jones as if he'd just given the older man some profound words of wisdom. In Bridget's simple mind that was seen as some really good advice.

Bridget shrieked as he saw a man dive out the way of Jones' vehicle. "Where did this guy learn to drive, playing Grand Theft Auto?" he thought to himself, lifting his legs up and tucking them to his chest as he fidgeted around in his seat. Bridget then turned to Jones when he heard him speaking directly to the young bounty hunter again. He mentioned a remark about his clothing and then asked about the future. "Oh, these clothes? I been wearing these since I was a kid.. Well not these exact ones, they totally wouldn't fit anymore but this sort of style... Oh, uhm.. my future?" Bridget looked up in thought, almost seeming like he was going to say something profound and then just suddenly shrugging nonchalantly. He didn't really seem to have a grasp on what he'd be doing next week, let alone five years.

[Jones]

Jones frowned and as he drove he punched the steering wheel the motion causing the car to swerve and only a quick turn back keep the car from grazing a building. Jones didn't seem to notice the danger at all, keeping driving as he did as his frown deepened and his eyebrows furrowed. He gazed at the traffic calculating the fastest route but as he did so he raised the same hand he had punched the steering wheel up near his face in a determined fist. He clenched his knuckles so tightly they turned white.

"A dream."

Keeping silent he slowly opened his fist, the blood flow returning to normal as he placed it back on the steering wheel. Quiet for a minute he looked out of the corner of his eye at his passenger.

"A dream. That is what every man under the living sky needs. Yes there is always the chance a dream can shatter leaving you a mess. But he still needs a dream, something to fight for, something to forge him into the man he needs to be. Something to protect, something to scream to the rooftops... and maybe someday, if you don't protect it... something to mourn."

His eyes turned back to the traffic serious and hard.

"A man without a dream is like trying to drive a car in a huge blank landscape, nothing to judge by, no star to guide him. All he does is drive in endless circles never getting no where. Even I still have a dream, some might call it... grim... but I have a dream and I WILL make it happen come hell or high water."

Jones paused looking a bit out of shorts, he hadn't intended the speech to veer towards him but this kid was just getting him out of shorts, he stared blankly at the traffic trying to figure out where to go with the conversation and then snapped to it. Knowing what he needed to do. He had done it many a time in the past twelve years. Again his right hand lashed out, punching the dash board, a dash board scuffed and battered in the same place, even a few small bloodstains at that spot.

"There is no other thing for it, I have no choice. I have to take you under my wing. I will train you..."

He thought about it and smiled just a bit... the smile of a shark about to take a bite out of a baby seal, The shadows casting his face in a sinister light.

"It's be fuuuuuun..."

[bridget]

Bridget stared at Jones now, he seemed almost aggravated at something or other. His bright blue eyes peered at him until he suddenly punched the steering wheel, sending the car reeling and almost hitting a building until he righted it. "OHMIGOSH!" he chirped out, curling up in his seat a bit and quickly deciding it'd be a good idea to wear a seatbelt so long as he was riding with such a crazy driver. He now had his fist raised up and mentioned a dream. "Oh, dreams? I have them sometimes! Sometimes they're all bright and colourful! Sometimes they scare me... Oh! and sometimes they have girls. I don't like those dreams too much, they're weird." Bridget said rambling, completely missing the point about what Jones was trying to say. After all, Bridget wasn't the brightest spark. It'd been a long time since he ever even filled out any real paperwork or even any investigation work. All Bridget seems to do when on a case is find someone by sheer luck and attempt to take them in, which usually failed with the higher risk cases.

Bridget kept his mouth shut as Jones seemed to get very deadly serious and he honestly didn't want to annoy him more. If this guy is willing to drive recklessly, he's also very likely to shove Bridget out a moving car the second he starts being a pain. Jones was saying all this stuff that sounded poetic but just seemed to go over the young man's head. Bridget had no real way of deciphering whatever Jones was talking about but he nodded politely after each sentence. It was safer this way in his mind.

Soon the tone was just awkward, there was some silence and Bridget just leant himself on his hand, elbow resting on the side of the car. Within a second Jones punched yet another part of the car, punching into an already stressed spot which automatically snapped the young man from his daze. His eyes widened as Jones now mentioned taking Bridget under his wing. "Whatever that means, fine! Just please don't get us both in a crash!" he squeaked out, now very alert and also creeped out at the expression on Jones' face now. Jones' smirk was enough to unnerve Bridget just a bit.

[Jones]

Jones sighed tiredly as he weaved between two cars coming on from opposite direction, he pulled through by mere inches but his expression was exasperated more then anything. Shaking his head he flicked his eyes at his terrified partner.

"Relax kid, I know what I am doing. I'll have you know I have never accidentally totaled a car in my entire life. Granted I did it on purpose a couple of times but needs must when the devil drives and all that right? Right."

With the second speaking of the word right Jones turned his wheel in a hard right. The car went into a spin. The bored Driver looking at a building they were spinning towards and the cars parked in front of it with a look of disinterest as they seem to miraculously spin to a halt between to parked cars, lined up perfectly in front of the parking meter with the exact same distance between the cars parked in front of and behind them. With out blinking Jones hoped out of the car and began searching through his wallet for change. Frowning he turned to the lad in his car and asked.

"Hey kid, you got change for a couple of bucks?... are you okay?"

[bridget]

Bridget's shining blue eyes focused fiercely on the road, squirming in his seat, still incredibly frightened from the reckless driving. It was absolutely terrifying and enough to traumatize him almost. He gripped onto the dashboard as the car narrowly made it through the gap. Jones attempted to say some words of encouragement but it was to no avail. Bridget was very frightened, just hoping they don't end up slamming into a wall.

"Wait, you totalled a car on purpose?! Who does that?!" Bridget shrieked in a scared tone of voice. He almost had to wonder what he did wrong to deserve being partnered up with someone who drove like a complete psycho. Bridget rarely ever felt this much terror while in a vehicle. Even May's piloting skills weren't as dangerous as this guy's driving. Sure, this guy seemingly missed every car and hadn't put a scratch on it aside from utterly pounding that dashboard. But still, it wasn't half a scary experience.

Suddenly the car spun in a circle and miraculously parallel parked right between two cars. Bridget clutched onto the seat, wide eyed staring at the car in front. He was now quivering from quite how close that was. However, the driver seemed almost bored or frustrated. He even asked if Bridget was carrying change. "Uh-huh..." he nodded softly, taking out some coins he had kept in his wrist and handing them over. It still hadn't quite sunk in how close a call that was.

[Jones]

Jones mumbled his thanks as he fed the machine, muttering a few choice expletives about how much he hated them and then grunted waving for his new cross-dressing partner to follow. He shook his head, once more wondering what exactly he had done to piss off his bosses this badly. It wasn't lack of notions to the effect that was the problem, he just wanted to know which one specifically was responsible for the current situation so he could remember it more fondly. Shrugging his massive shoulders he glanced up at the sign for 'Sarah's Spa' and smiled faintly, the expression looking a but foreign on his grumpy features. He entered and waved as he walked past a receptionist who was seated at a desk which seemed to be made of cinder blocks, surfboards, and artfully sculpted rebar intricately woven together. She waved smiling at the grumpy old man as he pushed through a set of tinted black double glass doors and the sound of a gym flowed out. There were men and women sparing, hitting body bags, and working out. Odd people all over the place from a man larger then Jones whose muscles seemed sculpted out of stone and whose blonde mustache and matching spiral bit of hair on the top of his head were the only bits of hair on his otherwise blonde head to a man in a red kimono and shoulder length hair who was talking with large green man in shorts. A few of them waved at Jones as he passed and he responded with a grunt of acknowledgement.

He passed by massive weight machines, chin up bars with leg manacles attached to the floor beneath them, and work out machines beyond comprehension. In the distance a man shouted something and yellow energy poured out his hands knocking his opponent out of the boxing ring. Jones ignored this all and went to a group of doors and paused to look above them. All of them had red lights above them, taking a moment to take them in he walked to one that was unlit and opened it pushing Bridget inside. The interior of the room was large but bleak. A sliding garage door was opposite the door they had entered and the walls of the room were made of bare reenforced concrete. The only thing in the room was various oil stains and an unmarked car parked haphazardly in the middle of the room and some chairs over near a wall. Jones took out another cigarette and then his eyes slide over to a sign.

"No smoking"

Below it was written by hand in purple marker.

"Yes Jones this does include you, we talked about this. You promised not to smoke in my building or in my home remember? - Sarah"

A purple heart was drawn rather then a period at the end of the sentence and sighing Jones popped the cigarette in his mouth and began to chew noisily as he glared at nothing in particular for a moment before looking at his new charge.

"Okay kid, welcome to Sarah's Spa. In addition to being a fully licensed spa it is also a place where more... durable then most people can go to relax, spar, or try out new moves in safety. The owner Sarah... takes the health of people seriously... a bit too serious for my tastes though I suppose those fruit smoothy things aren't the worst thing I have drank late at night..."

Jones blinked and did a rapid change of subject.

"I know my company good enough to know that while you are simply the oddest person they have teamed me up with they would not team me up with a weakling and thus we are here..."

Jones walked over to a chair and peeled off his heavy coat and throw it on top of it and leaned against the wall nearby.

"The test is simple. Sarah gets these cars cheap so people can smash them and she then sells the remains to scrapyard and then buys another car etc. This one seems rather intact so... go nuts. Do whatever you do. Smash it as best you can with whatever you got. Don't hold back. Just try not to hurt yourself."

Jones reached into his coat and pulled out a stop watch and held it up.

"You have sixty seconds starting... now."

[bridget]

Bridget was sat with his arms crossed over his narrow chest, staring at Jones as he seemed to pour the quarters into a parking metre. He really was quite shook up from the whole ordeal with the reckless driving and nearly colliding with other cars. He really didn't like being stuck in a death trap of a car with someone clearly enjoying themselves. However, they seemed to have pulled up to a place that really didn't seem like the haunt for such a guy as Jones. It looked to be a spa by the looks of the sign anyway. "This is totally not the place I'd expect a guy like him to go to... Hmm, oh well." Bridget said to himself quietly as he got out of the car, intently following.

As soon as Bridget walked through the doors he saw the really strange looking desk that looked to be cobbled together from various junkyard items. It was quite odd looking, but the decor had a certain charm to it. There seemed to also be a woman behind the desk who waved at Jones. Bridget did a polite little bow as he walked before continuing on. "This sure beats being in that police station. he said to himself, strolling along happily. He followed Jones through the very odd looking gym. It seemed this place was home to some really odd looking people, a green skinned man being one of the most striking there. Bridget did his best to avoid them looking at him and quickened his pace to catch up to the behemoth of a man grumpily walking in front.

Soon, the duo had came to a ominous looking mechanical door not unlike that you'd see at a chopshop. Without a seconds notice Bridget found himself getting pushed into the dark room. It looked fairly bare aside from a car in the middle and some scattered junk around. Bridget watched Jones chewing on a cigarette for no real reason as he hadn't paid much attention to any signs. He felt it was odd but he decided to listen to whatever Jones was about to say as he looked quite serious. "Oh cool! so this place caters to those with superpowers! I get it. Bridget replied in his chirpy manner. He listened intently to what Jones was saying, nodding politely after each sentence. However, he then mentioned his little test for the young bounty hunter wanting him to destroy a car. "Umm.. Okay!" Bridget said in a chirpy manner, taking his fighting stance when Jones readied his stopwatch.

Quickly, the young man took out one of his trick yoyos flinging it at the car wind shield and taking it out in one strike of his metal yoyo and springing it back into his palm. Quickly, he turned his attention to the front, pressing a button on the side of the yoyo to bring out circular saw blades as he flung it into the front, slicing off a good portion of it. He rarely used the saw blades in combat due to them being dangerous, they were mostly used to destroy debris and cut himself out if he's trapped anywhere. He couldn't do a whole lot of damage to the car by the time those 60 seconds were up, but he managed to mark it up pretty well. "So, how'd I do?" Bridget said, somewhat confused about his task.

[Jones]

Jones watched the carnage while gazing at the stop watch when he called out to stop the kid had without hesitation. He had to admit he had not been expecting the blades on the yoyo so it had done more damage then he would have expected. Still chewing the cigarette he didn't answer instead he walked around the car, running a finger down one of the slashes cut in the car. He hummed softly and stooping took a look at he shattered window making a ticking noise with his mouth. He frowned and raised up a hand rocking it back and forth.

"C+ would have been a C- but I you had hustle. The means alot."

Studying the car some more he looked at the shape of the damage.

"You don't do a bunch of damage at once but more... like a knife fighter. Repeated hits to wear the opponent down. I can work with that. True I tend towards more.. intense hits. But this is workable."

Stooping to pick up one of the chairs Jones tossed it towards the car as he could. In mid air it suddenly vastly accelerated, the chair whistling and imbedding itself half way though the car door. Nodding with satisfaction at the cardoor he turned back to Bridget.

"Ever shot a gun?"