Description: Daniel Jack is pulled out from Osaka, and sent all the way to Translyvania itself for another Neo-League match, this time with Captain Zach Glenn of the USMC. But when they arrive to a deserted castle, it becomes apparent that strange figures were also interested in the Neo-League... <Winner: Zach>
Daniel didn't want this.
The agent of Interpol thought his punishment was over. He was instructed very clearly about what was expected from him. He beat up a beloved, underage girl on camera. He then fought another underage girl on camera, and this time lost. He had proven that school-aged girls were better than him. The Chief should have been happy. He should have sent him on real missions.
But this wasn't a real mission.
This was worse.
Agent Little stands amongst the courtyard of the abandoned castle, dressed in the greys of a heavy trench coat. In his hand, was the directions to the site. This was supposed to be the site of the Neo-League match. Out here in Transylvania. He had to be flown in to Bucharest, and then take a train to... the boonies. And then take a horse and carriage to the outskirts of the castle? After climbing over a thousand steps, he had finally reached the site of the Neo-League match.
The problem?
There was no crew.
There wasn't anybody even here to greet him. The detective breaths turns to misty clouds in the frigid air. Glancing around the impossibly dark castle grounds, he narrows his eyes at the worn spires of the castle towers. The only illumination was the full moon overhead, so the only companions Daniel had here, it seemed, was just the shadows... and the silence. This had better not be a waste of time. Daniel Jack's ears perk up. He heard something. Movement. Could be friend. Could be foe. Could be someone who knows what is going on. The detective folds the paper, calling out into the darkness.
"Hey! I'm Agent Little!"
"I am here for the Neo-League fight!"
Zach Glenn certainly hadn't asked for this either.
The United States Marine had been sent here more or less on orders to keep his fighting record current. That had meant registering for one of the active leagues, and the Neo League had 'won' the coin toss. The young man showed up in jeans, a tee shirt, and a brown leather jacket. He takes in the scenery glad for the chance to see something, experience something new for himself. He is staring at one of the towers, framed by the moon when a voice calls out.
A familiar voice, from another place, that the Captain cannot quite place. Emerald eyes narrow as Zach's mind races to place the voice as he rounds a corner. He stops short when he sees the Agent standing there.
"...I guess I am too," he finally says to the man he sees before him. Something's... not lining up, for lack of a better phrase. He's not sure what, not sure how. But the image in his head is not matching up with what he sees in front of him.
Footsteps were coming.
The sound echos throughout the empty grounds. There was no erbal response. Just footsteps. Daniel Jack shoves the directions in his pocket. He then throws up his fighting stance, spreading his legs apart, and bringing his hands palms out. He remembered his adventures in the underworld. He remembered what Nightwolf told him. He remembered that there were the 'Darkstalkers,' the creatures from legend. And one might be here. The footsteps finally round the corner.
An American.
Daniel Jack is cautious. But he wasn't reckless. He lowers his guard, and begins to approah the man. Already he was inspecting him. The man was strong. Short haircut. A strong, disciplined composure. Agent Little reaches the stranger, extending his hand out for a shake. "Hell, at least they were consistent."
"You must be Zach Glenn, I persume?"
"That'd be me," the man answers with a slight grin. He's also looking Daniel over. Some strength, a questing curiousity. A determination to find truth. Some things may be different, but others remain the same. He glances around, trying to get a feel for the place.
"Consistent how?" the American asks.
Daniel Jack gauges his strength.
This guy was strong, he thinks as he shakes his hand. Releasing his grip, he digs his hand into his trenchcoat. "Well, we both got here. That means if the directions were wrong? It wasn't my fault they were wrong. Somebody probably mixed up a scheduling or something." The detective tilts his hat. "You think we are gonna have to camp out here? I have no idea where the neare-"
Daniel Jack stops mid-sentence.
He very slowly drops back into his defensive stance. Jaw slack. Body steady. His gaze was locked at something past Zach's shoulder.
They were no longer alone.
Thirteen men and women were suddenly on the grounds in a semi-circle around the men. They were blocking the exits. The men and women were garbed in fine clothing, though the quality of the clothing was in tatters... and at least 100 years or so out of fashion. All were unnaturally beautiful, with smooth skin, and almost feline features. One of them, a man dressed in a fine tailored suit and waistcoat, was clutching a digital camera. He watches the two men with predatory eyes. "Gentlemen." He says softly, the presence of the words somehow filling the entire castle.
"Would you please get into your postion, so we can get this fight over with?"
Zach throws a glance over his shoulder, frowning slightly. Something's... not entirely right here. Glenn's seen his share of fights, both in and out of the ring, and something about this... just doesn't line up.
He looks back to Daniel, then jerks a thumb at the thirteen. "You know these guys?"
Daniel Jack flashes a smile.
Not a kind smile. Not a friendly smile. But a desperate smile. He doesn't drop his guard this time. He just smiles. Every motion he makes is painfully slow, and very, very deliberate. He casts an aside glance to Zach, and through his teeth, his hisses silently, softly, whispering to his companion.
"I know three things about them."
"The first is that a crowd of about a dozen people just snuck up on us. A -crowd- Zach. I heard -your- footsteps. I didn't hear a crowd of 12 people's footsteps. I'm a perceptive man, Zach, it literally is my job. That's the first thing I know. The second is that we have been invited here to have a fight for the Neo-League. Both of us. And this man... this man is our judge. And the third?"
"They probably can hear every word I am telling you."
Daniel Jack shifts his eyes to the judge. The judge nods his head. "Oh, we can." He answers. Agent Little doesn't stop his smile, as he backs up a bit. "I think, Mr. Glenn, that we should just act like we are having our Neo-League fight just like any other venue. Just promise me one thing, okay? Cause I'll promise the same to you." Daniel Jack brings his palms up to Zach, wiggling his mustache slightly.
"Don't leave me here."
"Please Zach."
"Promise me you won't leave me here, if I get knocked out."
COMBATSYS: Daniel has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Daniel 0/-------/-------|
This man... is surprisingly intense. But now that he thinks about it, Zach... didn't sense these people coming, either. Big, empty place like this, the presence of a person kind of stands out to him. His eyes narrow as Daniel lays things out. He'd have reached these same conclusions himself, eventually, but having them laid out makes them stand out all the more in his perception. He nods once, as he takes two steps back and takes up a stance that seems like it takes clues from any number of martial arts.
"No man gets left behind, Detective," Zach says in all seriousness. He nods again.
"Let's do this."
Zach charges Daniel, throwing himself into a looping forward roll while lashing out with a wide kick aimed for the head!
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hit Daniel with Dragon's Tail.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Daniel
Daniel Jack's smile fades to into a real smirk.
As the strange folk begin to watch, and the camera turns on, the judge calls for the blood sport to begin. The marine open up with a roll, as the detective keeps his stance. The Agent of Interpol keeps his guard low, his feet steady. He is ready for the low hit. But as he bursts up, the kick comes in high. The blow strikes the detective right on the temple, forcing the detective to stagger. But he does not fall. Daniel Jack is steady. He does not fall. He painfully, dazed and all, readjusts himself. The detective cracks his neck, as his head begins to swell.
"What was it, First man in, last man out?"
Daniel Jack ignites with chi, the energy coursing to his fingertips. The spiritual force illuminates the grounds, casting long shadows across the ruined castle courtyard. Notably, no shadows cast behind the thirteen figures watching them. And in the haunting light, one could almost see a fanged grin on one of their faces. Such a thing would be absurd though.
Probably just a trick of the light.
The agent of Interpol starts boldly. "I should have known I would be fighting a jarhead!" The detective states, lashing out a palm strike with the left, followed by a hand chop with the right. Energy pours out with every blow, as he brings his left hand around again with a slash of his hand, unleashing a weak wave of chi straight towards his opponent's chest. The onslaught finally reaches its conclusion as the detective takes a heavy step into his opponent, lashing his right hand upwards to Zach's underarm. Should he get a grip there, he will place a hand on Zach's hip with his left, and finish the opening combination with a swift hip toss.
A true sampler of Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu.
COMBATSYS: Daniel successfully hits Zach Glenn with Gang Buster EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Daniel
Zach grins as Daniel charges in. The psion tries to brace up under the assault, but Daniel is simply too fast for him. He goes to the ground with a grunt of expelled air. Zach rolls to one side, getting back to his feet quickly. He brings his fists up again, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet.
"Hooah," is all the Marine says as he charges back in, lowering a shoulder as he does so in an attempt to tackle Daniel to the ground before delivering a trio of punches aimed at Little's head!
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hit Daniel with Rushing Tackle.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Daniel
Staggering.
A peal of applause comes from their audience, as Daniel Jack unleashes the combination. Standing astride of Zach, he quickly regains his footing. Not too far extended. Not too cautious. As the marine rockets in again, though, the detective strives to redirect the rush... but can't. The marine's stance was too wide on the pounce, and there is no space for Daniel to direct the assault to. As he hits the stone ground, body still alight with chi, the detective takes three hits to the face. Grunting on each hit, he looks up at Zach, brow furrowed. "Don't take this as a discredit to your service, believe me, I got a deep respect for you guys!"
And he begins to try to reverse it.
The detective takes on the appearance of what Zach will very likely see as the foundations of CQC. Not losing his cool, he will attempt to go for Zach's leg, and roll him off his chest. Should he manage to get Zach off him, he won't stop there. He will keep a grip on the leg as he continues to shift control of the grapple, taking a top-level control of the hold. And should he get on top of Zach? He will take both of his hands, and wrench his leg at the knee joint to dislocate it.
Interpol could be real hardasses sometimes.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn blocks Daniel's Mad Jack Crack.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Daniel
Zach goes to his back quickly, rolling with the move. It's uncomfortable, to say the least, when Daniel attempts the dislocation but Zach seems ready for that, shoving off with the free leg to break the hold.
Zach rolls back over his shoulder, coming up in a low crouch. "I hear you, Detective," he says. "Interpol occassionally trains them well." Which is as close as he is culturally able to get to complimenting Daniel on his skills.
He opts to try something out, bringing his hands to one side. Purple and gold motes of light spin together as Zach reaches for his own energies. Not at all like chi, they throw their own light across the arena as the psion molds the power of his soul into a rough sphere, which is then shove-passed at Daniel's torso with a grunt of effort!
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hit Daniel with Blast Punch EX.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 1/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 Daniel
Oh that stung.
As Zach breaks the hold, Daniel Jack himself comes back up to a stand. Steadily returning back to his stand, the marine begins to flow with energy. Daniel's own chi flares up, as he strengthens his aura against the incoming energy. But as Zach strikes in... he cuts through the aura like hot butter. For a moment, Daniel Jack doesn't recognize what is going on. But once the sphere strikes his torso, he realizes what is going on.
Psycho energy.
Daniel Jack goes numb in a flash, as he falls on his back. Groaning, he is paralyzed for a split-second, his nervous system overwhelmed by the energy surging through him. The steady stance has been broken. Rolling on the ground, as the onlookers eye him hungrily, the detective shoots back up. Zach had time. He had space. But as the detective looks across at the marine firmly, he draws back his right fist.
"... Fantastic..."
The agent of Interpol surges forward, launching force with blitzing speed. Energy flows over his form as he hurtles at the marine, bringing his own left hand over. His chi fixes to both his fist, and his left hand. "... TODOH..." He rumbles as his lashes a wave of energy before him, letting the weak shovewave flicker briefly at Zach, in order to distract him as the true attack comes. The blast of energy surges force with the punch, as Daniel Jack unleashes a single, bone-shattering palm strike straight for Zach's chest.
"PAAAAAAUNCH!!!"
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn fails to interrupt Fantastic Todoh Punch EX from Daniel with Soaring Dragon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/---<<<<|=======\=======\1 Daniel
Daniel brings back that fist, and Zach is already in a low crouch as the first wave sweeps past him. If that was a feint, the Marine's not buying it, already committed to his course of action.
Daniel charges in, and Zach lets loose with a massive uppercut...
...that sails right by Daniel's jaw.
The Marine takes the palmstrike more or less center mass with explosive force, throwing him to the ground. The sensation of impact, plus the burn of the chi, race through Zach's body as he lays staring up at the full moon. Surrounded by these strange people, in this strange place, this is not a good position to be in.
If Daniel had his way?
He wouldn't be there long.
As the palm strike is hurled out, Daniel Jack doesn't even lose his footing. Stopping his foreward momentum dead, he draws back his right palm evenly, taking a steady forward step. Another wave of chi energy surges over his hand, as he draws back his hand.
The assault wasn't over yet.
As the marine may lay on the dirt, he may see the fresh, bright illumination from the detective's body. And then, away from the body. Slowly, steadily, the agent of Interpol takes the energy within him, and slams it across the ground. The chi energy cascades across the ground, the shockwave of his inner spirit burning and building up. The Kasane Ate, the most infamous of the Todoh-Ryuu techniques, with one, dangerous note from it.
Daniel Jack never spoke its name aloud.
All he did was hurl it out effortlessly.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn dodges Daniel's Kasane Ate.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/---<<<<|=======\=------\1 Daniel
Zach's eyes shift rapidly toward Daniel as the Detective starts his move. Zach... Zach /KNOWS/ this move, on a level so deep he is hardly aware of its existence. Zach rolls back once more, coming up in a low crouch as the energy wave slams into the ground in front of him. The light thrown off by the impact illuminates the grin on the Marine's face.
"That's consistent, at least," he mutters, still with the grin in place.
Zach charges in, getting in fairly close before sliding into a somewhat wide stance. The psion quickly chambers a left handed punch, before lashing out with it. The path of the punch is something between hook and an uppercut, and the end point is some place just past Daniel's jaw!
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hit Daniel with Dynamite Punch EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1 Daniel
The follow-up Kasane misses.
Hurling attack after attack, Daniel Jack wasn't slowing down. But he was hurting. Zach had been landing blow after blow on the fighter, leaving him staggering in the face of these unnatural people. Daniel Jack could hit back just as hard, no joke. But as the marine rises back up, he was already charging in, lightning fast. The agent of Interpol was not in a point of weakness, he could see the move coming. He tries so hard to catch the blow, to stop it before it connects.
But the agile Marine slips past his guard again.
The detective takes the fiercesome strike straight to the jaw, sending him to the air. But Daniel doesn't collapse on the ground. He refuses to collapse. He lands on his feet, face swelling up worse and worse. "Jesus christ, when the hell did Marines get so fast!" He belts out, a smirk on his face. He isn't off balanced.
And he flows straight back towards the marine.
Palm strike from the left leads the way, as Daniel Jack attempts to outright overrun Zach. Then comes the hand chop from the right. Elbow jab from the right, and back to the palm strike with the left. The combination of strike repeats itself, with palmstrike, chop, jab, and the third time, comes a palm strike, chop, side kick, and finally, a staggering, upwards palm strike. The assault concludes with Daniel Jack attempting to seize Zach by his leg, should he end up being caught by the uppercut. And should he get a grip on the leg? He will pivot, hurling him across his center, and slam him straight to the ground. And after that? He will attempt to get control again, just like what he tried with his earlier leg grab, this time at the arm and shoulder.
And he will attempt to dislocate the shoulder at the joint, with a wrench.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn fails to interrupt Harlem Sunset from Daniel with Soaring Dragon.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Zach Glenn 1/----===/=======|====---\-------\0 Daniel
Zach is recoiling from the first punch when Daniel comes in. Zach tries to fight through the sequence of attacks, driving forward to throw an uppercut with the right hand.
And Daniel simply snatches the limb as it comes in.
Zach's world goes white with pain as Daniel pulls the limb out of the joint. He lets out a pained scream, despite trying not to. "SON OF A-" Zach curses as he staggers away from Daniel. He also refuses to stay down, knowing that nothing good will come of it. Zach keeps his eyes locked on the Detective, waiting for the next moment.
Daniel's own eyes are locked with Zach as he turns.
And he was only 6 feet away.
Daniel Jack was a careful blend of defense and aggression. He neither was overextending, nor was he letting Zach get the space he needed. As the arm wrench comes, the detective releases, and immediately returns to his defensive stance. It didn't matter if the marine kept slipping past it. He would make a mistake. And Daniel would take that mistake, and return it with spades. And what does the detective unleash after that relentless assault?
The same assault, all over again.
Surging right into Zach again, the detective leads with a palm strike with the left, and a hand chop with the right. Similar moves, similar patterns. The differences come after the hand chop, though: The detective lashes out with a straight kick with his right leg, chaining up afterwards with a back roundhouse with his left leg. And just like that, he returns back to his center. His brow was furrowed.
But his eyes were soft.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn blocks Daniel's Zoot Suit Riot EX.
[ \\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Zach Glenn 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Daniel
Zach bobs and weaves, getting his responsive arm between himself and manages to parry every strike as it comes is. He doesn't give any ground, however. He growls, he gets the feeling that Daniel is not taking him any kind of seriously.
The Marine brings his left fist back, twisting at the waist, hips, shoulder, and wrist. He takes a short step in, and throws a massive left straight, uncoiling as he throws the punch directly at the center of Daniel's chest!
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn successfully hit Daniel with Heartbreak Shot.
[ \\\\\\ < > //// ]
Zach Glenn 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Daniel
Heartbreak.
Daniel Jack was trying so hard not to let the marine slip past. But every move the detective made defensively, Zach was able to blast past. As he rockets to his center, Daniel Jack tries to deflect the blow, to defend against it. And yet, as stable as the footing was, the blow breaks through, straight to the chest. The agent of Interpol stumbles back.
But he doesn't fall this time.
He refuses. He denies. Everything he had was fighting against that. He steps back, surging back towards his opponent. "I'm not going down!" He demands, he announces. "I'm n-not!" He dips low, hands out, to grab his opponent by his knees. Should he get that grip? He will leap up in the air with his marine, and infuse him with the chi energy that was coursing over him so bright. For a moment, Zach would get to experience what flowing with chi meant. Before Daniel would spike him straight into the stone ground. Daniel wouldn't be standing, after that. He would collapse, falling to his side. Telling himself a struggling, desperate lie.
"I can.... stand..."
COMBATSYS: Daniel can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\ <
Zach Glenn 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn blocks Daniel's You Got Jacked!.
[ \ <
Zach Glenn 0/-------/------=|
Zach steps back, flowing with the Detective's surge even as he mentally bolsters his defenses. Zach brings up his left arm, and shoves Daniel's attack aside with perhaps a little more force than is required, grunting with the effort.
The Marine quickly catches Daniel before he can hit the ground, though, setting him down gently. Zach winces, not even /looking/ at the crowd gathered around them as he reaches up to his right shoulder and, with another grunt of effort, shoves his right arm back into its socket. He then grits his teeth, and drags the Detective up and into a sort of fireman's carry.
It is then, and only then, that Zach turns to face the thirteen surrounding them. "You all want to back off right now," the psion says as he carefully brings down mental walls that he had been holding in place the entire fight. This allows Glenn full access to the power that is his birthright, as purple and glod light spills off of him, the Marine wearing his power like a mantle.
"We're leaving," he states, as fact.
COMBATSYS: Zach Glenn has ended the fight here.
"Hey, I'm not done with you yet!"
Daniel Jack tries to fight back as Zach heaves him up. Flickers of chi flow over him, as he tries to break out. But the fact was that Daniel was too weak. The light dies down, a dim candlelight that only vaguely illuminated the castle grounds.
But it was enough.
As Zach lands the final blow, the audience seemed to become... animated. Almost feral. The half-circle tightens into a full circle, the twelve strangers suddenly much closer to the downed Daniel... and the weakened marine. They were watching wordlessly, silently observing the marine and his companion. As the inner light comes, however, they stop dead, recoiling from the light, turning away from it.
"Stop."
The word comes from the man holding the camera. He smiles now, a tight-lipped smile. The twelve strangers spread away, fleeing back into the shadows... and out of sight. They were gone, only the one man remained, avert his eyes slightly. Handing forward the camera, he motions it towards the marine. "You have won your fight. Take this camera back to the Neo-League officials, Captain." The strange man smiles, nodding deeply. "And please."
"We hope you encourage your friends to return to my castle for more of your fights."
Zach takes the camera, politely. He nods once. "The scenery is nice, but your... companions might make people a little uncomfortable," Zach says, perhaps a little more flippantly than he had intended. He turns to leave, taking the Detective with him. He made a promise, after all.
Though honestly, if Zach had ANY say in the matter, it'd be entirely possible that there would not be one stone standing atop another after he was done with it. The residents of the castle are /clearly/ trouble.
To some people, they would be trouble.
The stranger watches silently, as Zach begins to leave. It wasn't like he didn't have the potential to take both of their lives. And with the gang of his followers, that would have been impossibly easy. But killing people like Zach and Daniel?
That wasn't the fashion right now.
The fashion was to watch the them fight. To observe them. It was like keeping them in a jar, and shaking them. His followers had to learn to behave themselves, that much was true. Perhaps next time, he wouldn't make things so... grim. The man even sighs, as he looks at his towers, before disappearing in the darkness.
Maybe it was time to fix the damn things.
Log created on 23:48:34 12/13/2014 by Daniel, and last modified on 03:46:04 12/14/2014.