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New York City was a net negative in Elektra's mind. The ex-assassin had a life's worth of bad memories related to the city. And the few good memories she could recall left heartache in their wake. Her time studying at Colombia, her relationship with Matt, being able to run into Papa's arms, it was all bittersweet. It had been years since Elektra was anything close to a normal girl. One that could appreciate the beauty in life, or allow herself to be happy. Years of disciplined living and rigorous training had created in her an aversion to joy. But there were still a few things that could elicit a positive reaction.
 
As Elektra leapt from rooftop to rooftop, she permitted herself to be lost in the moment. There was nothing but her, the bright blue sky, and the buildings that made up Manhattan's Lower East Side. New York City was a cesspool, yes, but the layout of the city's infrastructure was something unrivalled in any of the other cities she had conducted business in. Every turn, every jump, every obstacle joined together to form an open-air labyrinith ripe for traversing. Elektra dropped to the ground from a high jump and broke out into a roll before continuing to rush forward, vaulting over an AC unit. Her next obstacle was a ladder up ahead, so she jumped at it, grabbing on at the middle. Climbing the rest of the way up, she slowed down her pace temporarily to lay eyes on her destination: Mac and King's Dojo. Despite the existence of her father's generous trust fund and a glut of blood money from her wetwork days, Elektra subsisted on only what she needed to survive. But besides the bare necessities, Elektra had found a particular effort to become a patron of shortly after arriving in New York City.
 
The dojo wasn't much to look at on the outside. Located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the worn down and time eroded building fit right in with the rest of the economically challenged scenery. But details surrounding the exterior gave note to the care it received. There wasn't a single work of graffiti on the walls, nor litter on the sidewalk. And the small lawn that led to the front entrance was perfectly manicured. As Elektra reached the double doors that led inside, she couldn't help but notice how the rectangle of bright green grass contrasted greatly with the uncaring concrete jungle surrounding it. Despite everything around it, it continued to work at growing and thriving. Just like the dojo.
 
The training center had been open for half a year when it first entered Elektra's life. Former heavyweight boxer Mac Stewart and martial artist King Lau had come together to form the dojo as a way to teach the youth important self-defense skills and discipline, while also giving them a positive outlet for their energy. It also helped to keep them out of trouble around the rough neighborhood. Elektra had been out clearing her head among the borough's rooftops when she noticed some men outside the dojo putting on ski masks. Swooping down to confront the would-be robbers, she was confronted with the scene of two men wearing white gis standing over a heap of criminals while their young pupils stared in amazement. Originally intending to slip away in the aftermath of the handled situation, the duo caught her before she could depart. Their friendliness towards a complete stranger threw her off at first, but it eventually won her over. The chance meeting evolved into a friendship, and the more Elektra visited the dojo, the more she saw the impact it had on the community. Soon, she found herself assisting in its upkeep financially. She saw it as another way to atone for her past and to put her surplus of money to good use.
 
“One! [i]Ha![/i] Two! [i]Ha![/i]”
 
Inside the dojo, Mac and King were leading a group of students in practicing palm strikes. The heroine took great care in not announcing her presence, watching her two friends conduct the exercise. She slinked through the door and gently pushed it shut behind her. It was only when Lau's slender but muscular form glanced to the side that she was detected. A wide smile, typical of the Chinese martial artist, replaced his focused gaze. The mountain that was Mac Stewart, perhaps noticing it in his peripheral vision, turned to where King was looking. His reaction was more subdued, but cheerful nonetheless.
 
"Alright, students!" He began, his booming voice filling the room. As if a spell was cast. all action ceased "Let's take five for now."

Amidst the group of children breaking their formation, Elektra strode towards Mac and King. The latter clasped his hands and eagerly greeted her. "Ah, our benefactress has arrived! It is good to see you."

"Lau, Mac," Elektra nodded in greeting to the men. "I came here as soon as I could. What did you want to talk about?"

"It's about the dojo," Mac began. Elektra reached into her trench coat and withdrew a checkbook, which prompted King and Mac to put their hands up. Elektra raised an eyebrow quizzically. If it wasn't financial assistance they needed, then what could they use her for?

King took on a more somber look. "Mac and I were just talking the other day about what you told us. About your quest."

Elektra knew that she couldn't keep secrets if she was going to start letting people into her life, so for the sake of transparency, she saw it best to make King and Mac aware of her past. What she thought would create a divide instead bolstered their friendship. The two were immediately supportive of her cause, which is what most likely lead to this meeting today.

"You told us that you were on a path of redemption, that you wanted to bring good into this world," Mac jumped in. "So we thought, why don't you give instructing at the dojo a try?"

The suggestion felt like it came from another universe, and Elektra's face reflected that. An ex-assassin, teaching young children martial arts. The thought would be so funny, if it wasn't the reality she was living in right now. "Hm...I, um..." She started before quickly shaking off her stupefaction. "I never thought of that. You would have me teach a lesson to the youth?"

King picked up on her doubt and returned to the front. "Take a moment to think about it. You took so much from the world as an assassin. This is an opportunity to give more back to the world, and form some connections."

Mac crossed his arms and gave a small smile "Besides, the students have been wondering who the mysterious lady in the trench coat is. The general consensus is that you're either my wife or King's. Is that the reputation you wanna carry around?"

Elektra was still deep in thought about the proposal, her facial expression hardened like that of a statue. Upon hearing Mac's attempt at a quip, she released a small chuckle to show that she wasn't taking offense to the mens' offer. It was merely a chance to interact with children and teach a skill she was very good at. Perhaps her reluctance stemmed from the discomfort of having to deal with such impressionable minds. Once more, Elektra nodded her head, contemplating their words. As she mulled it over, a familiar vibration began to emanate from her pocket. Grateful for the distraction, she pulled out her flip phone and examined the phone number. [i]Just the man I needed to hear from, and not a moment too soon.[/i]

"I need to take this call," She stated, already turning towards the door to make her exit. But before she left, the woman momentarily turned around. "...Thank you, for the offer. I'll consider it."

The longer she worked at interacting with others, the greater her tolerance would become, but these days the ex-assassin felt like a few minutes was all she could bear before needing to release some energy. Once Elektra was outside, the phone was opened and the call answered. The breathless voice of Detective Morrisey pulsed its way into her ear, bringing an assignment and a much needed break from the mundame. 

"Elektra, we need to talk. I'm sending you the address now. We've got a situation, and I think some old friends of yours are the ones to blame..."