Description: Next stop on her one-girl vigilante crusade against anyone that has done Taiyo harm, Kasumi ambushes the infamous Gedo Boss himself, Daigo Kazama.
It's been a slow day today -- Daigo has been roaming around the school when he was not in classes, as if he was watching over the students to make sure no one would try something stupid. His mere presence was generally enough to end conflicts before they arose, and a lot of the hot tempered students seemed to at least respect the tall imposing man.
He stays late, generally one of the last one to quit school, meditating after school and seldomly sparing with other students and giving them a chance to practice their martial art. He spent some time with friends, probably member of his large personal gang. It felt like he was some sort of gourou or something.
With almost everyone gone, it was time for Daigo to leave. He took long and slow strides away from the school, holding an old worn out leather school bag in one hand.
Students at Taiyo High knew the gorgeous new transfer as 'Airi'. A quiet but friendly member of the student body, she radiated confidence, poise, and a certain level of intensity toward any pursuit she took that made her stand out but also, contrary to any intention on her part, made her somewhat imposing to approach. She wasn't sure why she wasn't making friends that easily, but she also didn't think it was something she should correct. Getting too close to anyone would risk complicating things...
But what her fellow students also didn't know about her was the dedication she had to keeping them safe. Acting from the shadows, by day she might have been the demure, socially quiet Airi. But outside of school, she as Kasumi, Exile of the Mugen Tenshin, a shinobi of remarkable talent. To her, the other students were her new clan, their safety her burden. No one would prey on Taiyo while she was there and go unpunished for it.
With the amount of trouble that had beset the perfectly average, middle of the road school lately, she had her work cut out for her. First was tracking down the mysterious Elsa who had brutalized one of the other girls at Taiyo in a random schoolyard bullying. That matter... had progressed some, but it was not resolved.
Second, there was Daigo Kazama and his rampage through the school with his hoodlums in tow. Noses were bloodied, eyes blackened, doors kicked down... it was a mess. With the mystery of Elsa percolating in the back of her mind, Kasumi turned her attention toward Gedo and it's incursions. News was getting around that their intrusions weren't reserved to just Taiyo. Some were saying they had invaded Seijyun recently, and, even more shocking, possibly had the gal to vandalize Justice High, though the grape vine was confused as to whether that was Gorin or Gedo.
Either way, this behavior had to stop. Confident in her own combat abilities, having grown up in an environment where nothing shy of perfect discipline was acceptable, she felt that if anyone could teach the apparent brute a lesson, it would be her.
She knew he was at school that day and assumed he would have to go home at some point, so she had avoided going onto the campus itself. That was his stronghold, surrounded by his loyal subjects. That would not be a good place to provoke him. The kunoichi waited outside the campus, perched on a rusty fire escape landing along the street most of the student traffic would have to pass. She was patient. She could wait for hours for a target to step out into the open. It came with the territory of her training back home.
For this operation she was clothed in the Taiyo winter uniform - a blue skirt, white shirt, matching blue jacket worn down past her waist. Unlike Seijyun, where she was invading the campus to find her mark, this time she wanted it to clear which school Daigo was getting punished for harassing.
In the shadow of the ally in which the landing hung, Kasumi finally notices Daigo leave the school. Alone. Perfect.
Leaping from the landing to the rooftop with ease, she moves along the edge of the building alongside which Daigo strides. He's bigger than she expected - the rumors definitely did not sell him short on stature. But size is nothing in combat. Pausing for a moment as he moves closer into range, she watches silently, waiting for the perfect moment.
It comes without warning, a leap from a second floor corner, a drop from above, feet aimed for the back of the Gedo boss's head.
"Daigo Kazama!"
If unguarded, she will stomp him hard to stagger, then, using his shoulders as a perch, drop behind him with a backflip, intending to cross her ankles at his neck and slam him down on his back from behind with the strength of her legs.
Of course, she could have tried to talk this out too. But where's the fun in that?
COMBATSYS: Kasumi has started a fight here.
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Kasumi 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Daigo has joined the fight here.
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Daigo 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Kasumi
COMBATSYS: Daigo blocks Kasumi's Tenro Kyaku.
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Daigo 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kasumi
Daigo slowly makes his way back to his home. His eyes seem closed, or at the very least, narrowed enough to make it look like he's not looking. The tall man's attitude seems incredibly serene and relaxed. Lost in his thoughts, focused only on the sounds of his surrounding. Who knows what might be on his mind right now.
When he hears his name shouted by an unknown and feminine voice, Daigo snaps out of his reverie. His body tenses up suddenly, his whole body becoming alert. Thanks to his prior focus on the sound of his surrounding, Daigo was able to spot where Kasumi came from and he reacts swiftly.
With surprising agility considering how he has been walking and moving before, Daigo turns on his heels and his massive forearm moves right above his head to block the incoming legs, bracing for impact. He prevents her from touching his shoulder and grabbing his leg, and with a loud growl he pushes her off from him with his forearm, probably letting the ninja land nimbly a safe distance away from him.
His facial expression is cold and stern, assessing the woman who jumped out of the blue at him. Who knows? Maybe Daigo is used to get attacked out of nowhere, considering his position in Gedo.
The tall man straightens himself up some, buffing his chest. He stares at Kasumi and arches a brow, "What do you want, little girl?" He asks Kasumi. His hand slowly tightens into a fist, "If I were you, I'd think twice about what you intend to do next..."
COMBATSYS: Daigo takes no action.
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Daigo 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kasumi
That he defended himself is not an immediate surprise. The man's reputation precedes him. Kasumi is rebuffed, the girl springing back to the sidewalk a meter and a half away before sliding to a stop, landing in a low crouch, arms out at her sides. The kunoichi's hair is tied off in a ponytail worn high by a dark blue ribbon, the tail flopping into place against her shoulder as she slowly rises up from her crouch, her expression wary but not guarded.
"You should heed your own advice..."
Having connected against his body, she has a better sense of his durability now. It reminds her of her trial by combat against the Tyrant of Iron who ultimately hired her. Every strike sent tremors down her arms and legs, every blow bruising her own hands in the process. The Kazama scion is not quite /that/ durable... but he feels close.
The girl's left foot slides forward. She seems less interested in explaining herself by way of conversation instead of force, body twisting to the right. He would feel her tensing up, readying to unleash something rather than wait to talk it out. "Before you attacked my school in broad daylight!"
When she moves next it is with speed beyond which few in the world can possibly achieve. To mundane eyes it is almost as if the girl suddenly teleported forward and /through/ Daigo. But his veteran combatant's eyes would see the truth of it - his attacker was just /that/ fast. Hands would reach for his right arm, twisting it aside, attempting to prevent any attempt at guarding. And then there would be a precision elbow strike into his lower side, just below the tenth rib bone - where the floating ribs begin, no longer secured in place by his spine.
The elbow strike would hit with force that had even bent felt by Urien of Steel. Is there any way it wouldn't be felt by Daigo?
Unless prevented, Kasumi will slide out past the towering student, skidding along the sidewalk before coming to a rest in a low crouch, arms out at her sides for balance. It would, however, take a moment to recover from such a burst of speed.
COMBATSYS: Daigo endures Kasumi's Oboro Gake.
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Daigo 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Kasumi
Daigo doesn't even move an inch -- he stands there like a monument, staring at Kasumi and waiting for some kind of explanation. Despite this indomitable strength that seems to lie underneath this serene facade, Daigo seems like someone who had more than his share of fight in his life. It might explain his combat prowess, but also why he doesn't seem so eager to answer the call of fists with his own.
Nonethless, Daigo offered her a chance to explain herself and resolve this peacefully. She declined but at the very least, he knows why she is here.
A faint smirk spreads on his lips when he mentions his infamous attack in Taiyo, the one where Gedo ended up beating up a few hall monitor and the principal. "So, this is what you are here for, to demand justice?" Daigo says, his voice filled with disdain. "Ah! You're no better than the rest, just as blind! Very well! If this is the only thing that will ease your mind!"
Daigo's stance shifts slightly, taking a step back, dropping his school bag to lift his fists up in the air. When he notices Kasumi's incredible agility and speed, Daigo plants his foot on the ground and brace himself for her attack : he lacked the agility to guard himself against it, and he opts to leave himself open in order to better retaliate.
His right arm is moved aside, leaving his flank vulnerable. His muscles flex in an attempt to harden themselves against the hit. The impact is enough to make Daigo growl from the sensation, his body knees bucking and trembling some from the pressure and pain.
Meanwhile, Daigo brought his massive left hand up and he hurls it up at Kasumi's face, attempting to smack her away with a powerful slap of his backhand, as if he was sweeping her off and tried to knock her away from him. His growl of pain was followed by a growl of rage, one that barely warns Kasumi about the incoming backfist.
COMBATSYS: Daigo successfully hits Kasumi with Phoenix Backfist.
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Daigo 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Kasumi
Her attack executed, her signature technique delivering on its consistency in connecting against every foe she has ever faced but one, Kasumi was expecting the man to be staggered enough for her to slip by and reposition. That tactic /usually/ worked out just fine. What she hadn't accounted for was the way he just moved with the impact, already twisting his mighty frame into an attack, his meaty hand swinging out with dangerous force.
Pushing up with her forward foot, she was just in the process of getting her own defenses in place when the impact happens - the crack of flesh upon flesh echoing along the street. She had expected power behind those limbs - and she has faced powerful foes before - but this kind of strength... from a /student/? Where did they train this monster?!
Seeing stars, the smaller ninja is smashed to the side by the crushing blow against her cheek, knocked off her feet and turned around so that she lands on hip and hands a meter away, already shaking her head in a disorented state of shock, copper brown eyes blinking quickly as she tries to get her focus back.
She had jumped the man confident in her talents to succeed against any ol' high school student, but now she was really forced to give things a second thought! An unladylike spit of blood lands on the filthy concrete as the kunoichi pushes herself to her feet with a conventional stand. Eyes shimmering against her will from the jarring impact, she whirls back on Daigo, hands raised, finally assuming a more formal fighting stance.
Her left cheek is already thoroughly reddened by the blow, but that alone does not seem to have deterred his assailiant in the slightest. "Blind?" she repeats back, a hint of irritation in her voice. Who is the blind one here? "You attacked my school, hurt my fellow students, assaulted our principal... and you say I'm the blind one?"
Her eyes narrow a little. "Why did you attack him - Principal Brown? Did someone put you up to it?" She sweeps her hand to the right with a swift chop. "Who do you answer to - why are you agitating all the schools?" Teeth grit, she leans forward again, before finally bursting back onto the offense against the stoic young man. She would weave low to the right then slam her left palm out for his stomach. The follow up stright would come from her right palm as she attempts to slam it into the point where he elbow had struck.
There would be no doubt he is up against a fighter trained in dangerous technique as she seeks to exacerbate prior injuries with her follow ups!
COMBATSYS: Daigo blocks Kasumi's Medium Punch.
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Daigo 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Kasumi
Once Kasumi gets knocked away by his might arm sweep and backfist, the Gedo Leader straightens himself up and rests one hand on his rib. He winces a bit at the bruise that'll leave there, but Daigo quickly conceals his pain on his facial expression. Not showing any weakness and pain had been something critical in being able to stay in charge of Gedo and heighten the myth around his own strength.
He turns on his heels to face Kasumi, allowing her the time to get on her feet. Either he was too slow to follow up and didn't back to charge at her, or Daigo didn't want to use this advantage against her.
His lips curl into a wide smile, "That's right -- Gedo High, the school of delinquents, assault the principal of Taiyo High. Easy enough story to believe, isn't it? It all makes sense, we're the perfect culprit for all of this, we're already guilty of every single trouble that happens in Southtown," Daigo replies with a growl. "And you, just like the other, are very eager to believe this bullshit,"
The man slides his right leg back, preparing himself from Kasumi's next charge. Once she dashes at him, Daigo shifts his posture to protect his vulnerable flank, preventing him from hitting the same spot again. He instead crouches slightly, blocking the attack with his broad bicep, flexing his muscle to absorb a part of the force behind her attack.
Daigo growls and lunges at Kasumi, attempting to use his whole body to shoulder tackle her and shove her away.
"Even if I told you, would you even believe me?" Daigo asks with a growl. He narrows his eyes, staring intensely at Kasumi, "Admit it. Just like everyone else, you believe I've done all those things. Anything I'd say wouldn't make a difference,"
COMBATSYS: Kasumi instinctively blocks Daigo's Aggressive Strike.
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Daigo 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kasumi
His smile back at her accusations is a touch frustrating, to say the least. Copper brown eyes narrowed before she charged, but it is in silence that she attacked with her hands, attempting to wrack Daigo's physique enough to leave him more vulnerable to follow up techniques. His solid defense thwarts the effort, however, and his shoulder slam forces the smaller of the two to go on the immediate defensive rather than attept to press her attack further.
Instincts guide her into bracing rather than trying to esacpe the attack, arms raised, legs tensed. It's still enough force to send her staggering from the kinetic energy behind Daigo Kazama's most basic of maneuvers against the the kunoichi's flashy techniques, but at least she didn't end up getting hurt as bad as when she got backhanded!
"You were there - at Taiyo - there were countless eye witnesses. Don't try to deny your crimes," the shinobi demands as she takes a half step back to reposition herself. His defenses are solid, the young man barely having moved since the ambush. She might have to take another angle here to get an upper hand... The girl crouches slightly, whether to be more defensive or to prepare for another attack is unclear initially.
"Your actions have been suspicious. I know something is going on with the Southtown schools... are you trying to say you are not part it?" She glances to the side, breaking eye contact for a brief moment as if starting to consider. If she slows down now she will not be able to pick up speed against this extremely capable student. That someone this strong could exist in the school system is a marvel. She had been training all her life as a shinobi and wasn't sure she could rival his raw power!
No, she can't hesitate now, not if she wants to bring him to heel.
Crouching a little lower, the girl suddenly springs upward into a forward flip through the air! "YA!" It might seem at first she aims to level a kick for his face given her arc will bring her right in close to Daigo... but trying to guard against a strike is going to leave him missing the actual danger as the Exile attempts to literally land on the towering student's shoulders in a seated position, her thighs against the sides of his head where she would rest for a half second.
To a hypothetical observer, the situation would be entirely inappropriate if she actually does secure the hold she's going for. But a hypothetical observer wouldn't be in danger of suddenly getting pulled forward as the girl leans backward, squeezing her legs as tight as she can, attempting to yank the Gedo Gang Leader off his feet all together and slam him bodily against the ground. It would require the coordination of every muscle in the ninja's body to hope to uproot the steadfast student... but this potentially distracting approach might just do the trick?
COMBATSYS: Daigo endures Kasumi's Hien Saka Otoshi.
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Daigo 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Kasumi
The tall man straightens himself up after his shoulder tackle to push Kasumi away. He takes a step back to keep a distance from her, knowing that he won't be able to match up with Kasumi's speed and agility. He narrows his eyes at Kasumi, "I was at Taiyo, I don't deny it -- there was a reason for us to be there. Someone wanted us to be there," Daigo replies with a grunt.
His lips curl into a tight smirk when Kasumi accuses him of having something to do with it, "Of course I do -- I have been the center piece of what little wicked schemes there is. Think carefully, what were the consequences of the little incident that happened in Taiyo, hum?"
Daigo arches a brow and waits for her to think about it. Alas though, she gets into a low crouch and prepare to attack him some more.
Daigo had a very different sort of training than Kasumi : he learned it the hard way, fighting against countless merciless and ruthless school students, defeating the small tyrant in his school and restoring some of its former glory. The various strifes he had through the years in this school to earn everyone's respect had forged him into what he was and mixed with his Taikyokuken. It was a more practical sort of training.
The sudden high leap done by the Kasumi causes Daigo's eyes to widen in surprise. He didn't expect her to be able to jump so high, let alone do it in a way to end up straddling his shoulder like that. The surprise and the added weight on his shoulder make him stagger back and put him off balance somewhat.
Lacking the reflexes to react and defend himself properly, Daigo opts to use this position to his advantage. She manages the incredible feat of uprooting him, swinging her over her as she swings herself backward. Daigo's arms try to get a hold of Kasumi's waist as she does performs this throw.
The tall man growls in pain as his back falls on the ground but he tries to keep his hands on Kasumi to prevent her from getting away. He arches his back in pain, but he tries to keep his grasp on her so he can wrap his arms around her waist. He gets on his feet rapidly and then swings her up over his head, arching his back to slam her against the ground behind him.
COMBATSYS: Kasumi full-parries Daigo's German Suplex!!
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Daigo 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Kasumi
Every ounce of strength goes into the backflip to slam the towering student to the concrete. But not every iota of awareness. As his hands move up to seek a grip on her thin waist, the kunoichi is already starting to twist to the right, arms and torso winding up as if preparing to spin into some kind of follow up strike-
But then she keeps going, twisting in on herself, and an instant later, the Gedo boss is left with nothing but swirling sakura petals in his arms. Two meters away, the Taiyo vigilante appears amid another small burst of cherry blossoms, their faint scent lingering in the air as she waits in a low crouch, hand against the sidewalk, feet far apart. Soft coppery brown eyes are fixed on Daigo where he landed but this time she seems uninterested in pressing the assault she was so passionate about moments before.
Her brow is slightly furrowed, her mouth a thin line of concentration. "Your mascot was returned to Gedo," she replies, thinking through the facts she does know. "Principal Brown announced an upcoming tournament." She leans her head to one side then the other, expression suggesting that she's dancing around the other obvious consequences, "Students got beat and bloodied if they ended up in your path... if that's sounding familiar."
Slowly, she rises out of her low stance to stand upright again, arms lowered to her sides, exhaling softly. "I'm willing to listen." she finally declares after a long pause.
"What do you know is going on?"
The tall man tries to get Kasumi with his strong, massive arms but she ends up twisting out of his grasp with a blast of sakura petals. At least there was that lingering scent after her little trick. It was definately impressive -- this girl was no ordinary student, that's for sure.
Daigo growls and rises to his feet, using his hands to on his knees to push himself back up. He sweeps his hands on his jacket, dusting off some sakura and dirt from his clothes.
"That is what everyone knows on the matter," Daigo replies. The tall man doesn't get into a combat stance, noticing how Kasumi's own stance changed and she seems more willing to listen this time.
Daigo folds his arms in front of his chest and he narrows his eyes to Kasumi, "You're jumping to the obvious conclusion -- what's easiest to believe," Daigo says to Kasumi, "Our mascot was stolen. I do not know who did it, but I had to get it back before more aggressive students would try to take it into their hands. Obviously, someone wanted us to come get it and they were waiting for it. They wanted this to happen." Daigo explains.
He then gives Kasumi a shrug of his shoulders, "A couple of hall monitors who didn't stand a chance against a small group from Gedo. They weren't supposed to be there, and they attacked us to make us go away." He turns his gaze away from Kasumi and he adds, "I went for the principal's office to retrieve the mascot... Tried to convince him to give it back to us, to avoid unnecessary tension. He was hurting Fury," Daigo grits his teeth a bit at the thought, "He was trying to get me to attack him, and when it failed, he attacked me -- I tried not to retaliate, but I had to defend myself,"
Daigo glances back at Kasumi and he says, "Believe what you want, but Principal Brown wanted this to happen. This massacre in Taiyo? He set it all up. The capture of the badger? Wouldn't be surprised he did as well. If it hadn't been me, it would have been others from Gedo eventually. I tried to do it the peaceful way, and that wasn't part of his plans obviously. This is all a setup to justify the upcoming tournament. Why? I have no idea..."
Kasumi finally stands down, lowering her head in thought, weighing the young man's words. Finally she glances back up, eyes on him and gives him a slight nod, lingering at the low point as if to offer a slight hint of a bow in the simple gesture.
"I am sorry."
Her right hand lifts to her chest, clenched in a small fist, "I believe you. Thank you for being forthright." She falls quiet then. Is she taking everything he says at his word? Awfully trusting for someone who dismissed him as a violent marauder only moments before.
"I have my suspicions about Principal Brown... Have there been any other unusual individuals?" She looks at Daigo intently, clearly having no intention of trying to harm him any further. "Your principal, perhaps?" Brown has called him a friend... and they transfered into power at about the same time. It would be easy to see the way the girl is connecting the dots in her head as she asks the question.
Daigo arches a brow -- the only sign that betrays the surprise at Kasumi's reaction. In all honesty, he obviously didn't expect her to believe him when he told her his side of the story. After all, who would trust someone like Daigo, one of those trouble maker from Gedo High?
"A few, yes..." Daigo replies, turning his gaze away, as if lost in his thoughts, "Yes. Principal Smith, definately... And one student in Taiyo's football team, the one responsible for the panties theft," Daigo says. "It's a long story, but Jason is not a normal teenager, that much I am certain. As for Principal Smith? Let's say he has been in a few places he shouldn't have been... Too much for it to be a coincidence,"
He glances back at Kasumi and adds, "I'm sure there are more, this is only the tip of the whole thing. And this tournament? They want to achieve something through it. What? I have no idea. I don't know what they will gain through this, it doesn't make any sense.."
The Taiyo student is willing to listen now that she has decided Daigo is not serving some greater organization but rather is part of the dark manipulations that have been pitting student against student, school against school. Someone must benefit from this tension between the schools. "The tournament must be a clue. They want everyone riled up to the point that they cannot help but throw themselves into it... but for what?"
She exhales softly, nodding as he speaks about another - Jason, responsible for the panty raid that made the gossip rounds last months? Well, that seems like standard enough teenage behavior from all the reading she's been doing on high school hijinks now that she's trying to imerse herself into this strange new world of homework, exams, and awkward social interactions.
She gives Daigo a hint of a smile then, hand rubbing at her cheek where she's still feeling the magnitude of that young man's fist. "A tournament... hm... maybe we'll have to settle this fight there, yeah?" A quick wink and turn before the girl turns to sprint back down the street away from Gedo.
She has another name to investigate now. Another piece of the puzzle concerning the manipulations of the schools. Combined with what she's already found, she's just about to make her report back to her new employer... there's just one last thing to do. She told the Illuminati operative that she would get him files from Taiyo High's network with the code breaker he provided then she can turn all this intel over. What could possibly go wrong?
COMBATSYS: Kasumi has left the fight here.
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Daigo 0/-------/=======|
Log created on 14:18:56 12/14/2014 by Kasumi, and last modified on 21:48:24 12/14/2014.