Match of the Millennium

Description: The MI6 want a Lin Kuei informant. The ninja Scorpion wants all Lin Kuei dead. Both ninja and spy find themselves at an impasse.

[MAX]
In a shipping port nobody outside the West Indies intelligence bracket knows about, MI6 agent Maximilian Evory has been deployed to recover sensitive data regarding suspicious military movements by the Chinese government in the Himalayas. Spy satellites caught site of cigar-shaped rail cars moving west and disappearing into a complex network of mountain passes. The British government officially suspects missiles, but their prodigal son, India, has suggested it may be biological or chemical agents for some unknown capacity. India is notably paranoid about their recent cooperation with Muslim states such as Sudan, and such a shift of power could put the tenuous peace between India and Pakistan at risk. And both of them having nuclear weapons, this justifies the Tibetan resistance's activation of a legendary Lin Kuei spy to gather information on the true purpose of this mystery, and drop it to MI6. And with any great magic trick, the hand has to pass the gemstone without prying eyes witnessing it, or everyone involved in the trick is revealed as a fake to the audience.

Near the wharf, amid the acrid smell of the sea and jungle blending, there lays a small tavern frequented by fishermen and the occasional retired revolutionary. The American Navy has a presence elsewhere in this area, but because of this, so do the communists. The bar is owned and operated by a Taiwanese commercial entertainment company, under the aegis of a CIA shell company. A white face is something one notices in this little shanty town on the sea, in this archipelago of spices and layovers. So, Max Evory is entering from the back, slowly moving his way through the kitchen, watching faces to see if an infiltrator has found their way into the staff of this checkpoint.

The Lin Kuei, a man they call Dago because of a Caucasian American Marine in his family that served in WW2, sits at the bar, quietly sipping a bottle of Budweiser, a mark of wealth. His left eye is all white, a scar running up and down from the socket, the product of a duel. A small brown leather satchel sits at his feet, on the stool.

[SCORPION]
For the man who was once Hanzo Hasashi, he was more than familiar with this tavern though he'd never set foot in it personally before. He'd been in a million smoky rowdy places like this one all across the Asian landscape, the smell of fish and the sea and cheap cigar smoke and spilled beer filling the air and coating everyone with that special 'perfume'. Hanzo himself was sat in the corner, his body hidden beneath shabby, dirty clothes and a drab olive jacket, his unsettling white eyes hidden beneath a pair of thick black sunglasses, a folded up metal cane sat on the table to eliminate any questions anyone might have had. While the 'blind man' sat nursing a cheap bit of swill, the world ignored him and passed him by. This allowed him to focus on the Lin Kuei dog...and the new player who entered the scene. This meant that the 'blind man' would have to be careful before making his move. But nothing in the world was going to prevent him from making it, this he'd already decided.

[MAX]
The sound of hurried talking and cooking food got louder from the back of the bar as Max passed through an opening door, before the cacophony was snubbed shut by the closing door behind the MI6 and resumed its role among the background noise. Max paused as he reached up to his thin black tie, adjusting it as he felt the heat. With a loosen of his collar, the muscular blond man allowed his sad blue eyes to search across the bar, with an upwards sweep right to left for faces, then a lower sweep left to right for postures and potential obstacles or weapons. His cold, steely expression barely registers the attention he gets from those inside the wharf bar, Scorpion's disguise as a blind man shielding the spectre from Max's scrutiny. Had he not been blind yet shown no fear at the sight of an obvious western agent in his midst, Max would be concerned.

Dago looks towards Max, quietly raising his dusky brown bottle, before lowering it to the scarred and mottled bar top. Max makes his way through the establishment towards the mercenary ninja, before taking a seat next to him at the bar, the brown leather satchel between them. Max places both forearms on the top and places his thumbs touching, to appear as a commerce agent. A more masculine posture with his side open to Dago would make him look like an official spy.

"You look as if you've run a marathon," Max says quietly, with his Scottish brogue rolling through his tight jaw and off his tongue.

"Do not invite bad luck with your stories," Dago says quietly, taking a sip of his Budweiser. Dago points at Evory, and the bartender pulls a bottle of the same beverage out of an ice chest beneath the bar and pops the top off beneath the bar with a mounted bottle opener, before setting it down before Max, sans coaster.

Max frowns, pondering the bottle.

"I see we're safe here." Max slides his fingers around the bottle's wet surface, turning to look sidelong at Dago.

"Not quite," Dago shares, turning his head quietly in Hanzo's direction. Max looks in Hanzo's direction carefully, before Dago pulls his gaze away and gestures at the bartender with a raised finger. The bartender nods, and Max purses his lips with concern.

[SCORPION]
As Dago and Max began speaking, the blind man in the dark corner made no effort to lean in or try to listen. He was not here to eavesdrop, and the words of a Lin Kuei were not words that he valued. No, he just wanted to keep an eye on the assassin, and potentially take out one of their more powerful agents early on.

This new player was not one to take lightly, however. Though his body language may have had others fooled, the ninja could see the confidence in the man's movements, that cold professionalism that allowed him to walk into a dangerous room filled with dangerous people, while keeping his head. The ghost who now went by the name of Scorpion had no interest in killing this man, but he'd need to be dealt with if Dago was to be apprehended and later eliminated.

Absent mindedly, Hanzo took another drink of the awful excuse for 'alcohol' that he'd purchased to look less conspicuous. He grimaced from the taste but worked it down, even as his fingers idly played with the wedding band on his left ring finger, feeling the material and thinking back on happier times. Instantly he felt his temper rising but struggled to keep it down, to keep himself under control.

[MAX]
The bartender produces a chuff, despite not understanding English, the standard attribution in drinking culture that a man can't handle his alcohol. At this, Max grows concerned. Neither of them watching the blind man that has mysteriously appeared, Max makes a quiet calculation. If he takes the satchel and lets the Tibetan agent die, that would bode poorly for future operations with the Lin Kuei or Tibet or India. Standard procedure dictates to attempt to save the life of a fellow spy as a secondary objective in this situation, for the key purpose of the same being offered to him in another situation. Furthermore, he needs to see who this individual works for. A blind man appearing in a bar where nobody recognizes him, in the middle of an ocean town on an island chain in the West Indies, is a bad sign. But if he's not a drinking man, and is attempting to drink? That is no spy Max knows of. That is an enigma. More information is required.

"Let's go somewhere private. Perhaps find a veranda where I can enjoy my drink," Max says to Dago, before Dago nods slowly, too disciplined to relax at the offer of help. Dago slides off the bar as Max does, Max with a drink, and Dago picking up his satchel and slinging it over his shoulder. Dago moves out first, as he is the protected agent, Max following, moving counter-intuitive to logic by staring down Hanzo with his neutral but perennial pained expression. The doors quietly shut, and they are on the street, moving slowly along through the warm equatorial night towards a cafe meant for the local Reuters operation.

[SCORPION]
When the two made their move, nobody followed. Certainly not the blind man in the darkened corner whom no one seemed to notice except the keen eye of the trained spy. Indeed, he was blended into the background for all intents and purposes. When Max and the Lin Kuei were out of the tavern, however, some might be surprised to find the lone patron also vanished, not a trace of him left except some stray ash falling upon the wooden table.

Outside, the two's journey toward the cafe would be rudely interrupted by Dago suddenly suffering a hard, vicious spinning kick to the side of his face, one that hit him so hard that he went flying into a pile of wooden crates and other garbage discarded on the side of the road. Should Max turn and see what was the cause of this sudden attack, he'd see standing there the powerful frame of the ninja Scorpion. Dyed black animal hides underneath quilted yellow cloth, head hidden beneath a black hood, face hidden behind more yellow. His blank white eyes glaring hatred down at the fallen 'ninja', his thick black eyebrows furrowed in anger. As fire emanated from his two fists, he turned his head slightly to regard the American. As he spoke, his voice had an otherworldly quality to it. Almost like it came from somewhere far away, with another, deeper voice underneath it. Something almost not even audible. It was obvious that this was not a normal ninja.

"I have no quarrel with you. Walk away, and leave the Lin Kuei dog to me."

[MAX]
Dago is prepared for the techniques and ways of the living, but not the mysteries of a spectre like the Scorpion. The Lin Kuei flies into the crates with a shout, his jaw broken and distended, limbs tangled and thrashing as he struggles to reorient himself amid the detritus. His satchel falls to the ground, its contents sealed inside. Max looks to the satchel first, out of instinct (and perhaps an unpunished error), before his eyes flick to the black and yellow clad ninja that has just appeared.

Max's British brogue produces a low, "Hmm," as Max quietly uncuffs his black jacket's sleeves so he can fight with some degree of obscufucation to his methods, before he tightens his previously loosened tie and collar to prevent any grabs to his throat.

"I'm afraid dogs run together," is all he says, before he barrels forward at Scorpion, attempting to tackle him around the midsection and across the streets of the little Malay port, trying to push Scorpion from the starlit dirt road and into a row of trashcans full of garbage. With Max on top, the garbage gives him an buffer advantage to receiving blows from the Shirai Ryu.

COMBATSYS: Max has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Max              0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Scorpion has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Scorpion         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max

COMBATSYS: Scorpion dodges Max's Mind Your Surroundings.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
"And dogs who disobey are put in their place!"

The spectral warrior yells out in the night, his voice full of venom even as the well-dressed Max attempts an old fashioned tackle. Unfortunately for the spy, Scorpion had that move well scouted. The moment before Max's shoulder hits the ninja's midsection, the ninja spun on his heels, ending up to the side and slightly behind Max even as his right hand went out to grab the back of his jacket. Even as Scorpion shot his leg out to try and sweep Max's legs out from under him, his arms lifted at the spy, to try and throw him up in the air, and let him land facedown in that garbage. Whether the attack worked or not Scorpion would back up a few feet and take a stance, ready and prepared for whatever his opponent decided to throw at him.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion successfully hits Max with Front Throw.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max is silent as he misses the mark and is thrown into the garbage, smashing into the cans with a clatter of aluminum and stinking ruffage. He pulls his upper body up off the ground with a push from his elbows, before he turns onto his butt and stands up with a smooth, confident lift up off the ground. "You clearly disliked your mother."

He smirks, flicking his right wrist as he puts his left arm forward in a bent, close fisted posture, approaching two steps, back into range. As soon as he can, he swings right side forward with a pivot shift performed with the feline energy only possible from the combination of sports he was manipulated through by the British schools, shoving his right sole out at Scorpion's upper thigh, a blow meant to deliberately muscle shot his left quadricep and reduce his mobility for his defensive half.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion blocks Max's Light Kick.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
In the gleaming moonlight Scorpion stood, his pupiless eyes glaring at the glib, wisecracking spy. The ninja's left arm was down hanging low while his right was raised and poised to strike, his legs slightly bent to allow him to move and spring around as needed. He was a strange mixture of looseness and rigidity, clearly the result of learning many different styles. Case in point as that foot came in for a mean kick to the thigh, the Scorpion sidestepped it even as his left hand swept down to take the brunt of that kick in a mishmash of kung fu and karate maneuvers. The sole and heel of Max's shoe would hit the hard, black painted wooden gauntlets of the Japanese assassin. The shock went up his arm, but it didn't seem to have the devastating effect that a clean hit would have had.

Unfortunately for Max, Scorpion's left wrist would twist, his fingers grabbing the heel of the spy's foot even as Scorpion stepped to punching range. This entire sequence was intentionally awkward, designed to throw the Shiva off balance even as Scorpion's right gauntleted fist shot in with a series of punches and other strikes. Max's face, his throat, the side of his jaw, his shoulder and ribs, all worthwhile targets in this speedy blitz.

All of this, of course, was to keep Max off balance for the exclamation point: Letting go of his foot, Scorpion would leap up and pivot through the air, the heel of his own right foot aimed for the solar plexus of the British spy. Followed by the ninja dancing backward, ready for the counter attack, if any followed.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion successfully hits Max with Rapid Jabs.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max twists sidelong as the hand knocks his leg aside, before he is caught in the split second before the hail of attacks come at him. His hand claps onto Scorpion for balance as the leg is held upright, before the punches slam across his face and torso, spittle and sweat and a bit of blood flying from his face. As his foot is released, he falls backwards, and a moment later, the foot crushes into his chest and sends him onto his back.

Max sits up and wipes his bloody mouth with his sleeve as he stands, walking towards Scorpion with his arms at his sides as if he was strolling up to Scorpion on a sunny day. Save, of course, the tension of his muscles and the suppressed tremble of pain, forced deep into his body and taut bulk via training and experiences. And then, as he gets close, he suddenly snaps out with a hard haymaker, swinging his torso and churning into the blow.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion endures Max's Ace High.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
The sole remaining member of the Shirai Ryu clan narrowed his eyes as Max worked his way to his feet, shifting his glance quickly over to the still felled Lin Kuei to make sure the treacherous snake wasn't trying to escape. Content with seeing that the man was still down for the count, Scorpion glanced back over to a wild, old fashioned haymaker that was crashing into his face, causing the black and yellow-clad ninja to sping around and stagger backwards from the sheer force of it. "Ah!"

Shaking his head and blinking away the surprise of the blow, the ninja quickly snarled even as he spun back to face the spy. His right hand behind his back, it came around throwing out a metal...thing that gleamed in the moonlight. Attached to the weapon was a coil of brown rope, even as the kunai tried to find its mark in the meaty midsection of Max. If this worked, then Scorpion would yell out loudly before pulling hard on that rope, pulling the spy right toward him.

"GET OVER HERE!"

COMBATSYS: Max endures Scorpion's Spear.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Scorpion         0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1              Max

[MAX]
The spear slithers through Max's white dress shirt and past his abdominals with a puncture that causes him to grunt, staring at Scorpion's white eyes with his own cruel blue orbs as he bares his bloody teeth, snarling. He's pulled into close quarters, charging at Scorpion instead of resisting and leaping forward at him. Using a classic rugby overtackle, he launches himself at the spectre, attempting to tackle him in return and overtake him. His killer's hands are outstretched at Scorpion's neck, as he attempts to wrap his fingers around Scorpion's through and choke him, shaking his opponent's head as he does so. Max shudders with rage in response to the trickling wet feeling inside him, the internal bleeding easily diagnosed in the back of his mind and pulling forth untold layers of rage concealed in his id.

COMBATSYS: Max successfully hits Scorpion with These Hands.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Scorpion         0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1              Max

[SCORPION]
Scorpion pulled the spy in, rolling with the tackle and using the momentum so that both men landed on their feet again, of course that still left the hands around his throat, squeezing the life out of him. Although if Max was expecting the ninja's face to turn red from lack of oxygen, if he was expecting the figure to panic or suddenly struggle, he might be disappointed at the result. In fact, he might notice that Scorpion's chest was not rising or falling, and when the figure spoke, it was as if he were not impeded in the slightest.

"You fight well."

Immediately after paying this unexpected compliment, the ninja's fist came rocketing up between the spy's two arms, aiming right for the soft underside of the man's chin and jaw with a sudden speed and force that Max might find himself airborn if he wasn't careful!

COMBATSYS: Max blocks Scorpion's Uppercut EX.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1              Max

[MAX]
Max growls at the comment, too in the moment to notice that the entity he's shaking isn't being impeded from lack of oxygen. At the comment, Max realizes that the fight is about to shift, and rapidly pulls up and lets the uppercut slam into his shoulder as he shifts sidelong, a hissing grunt escaping his teeth as he continues to straddle the Shirai Ryu. His arm shuddering as his hold partially loosens, he grabs the extended arm that produces the uppercut, before flinging Scorpion away with a roll and a toss, his legs releasing as his arms hurl Scorpion down the street with a swift motion.

A precise second and two tenths later, there's a beep from Scorpion's chest, a corrosive gas mind affixed to his tunic.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion interrupts Blinding Heights from Max with Torment.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Scorpion         0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
The uppercut was blocked and Scorpion didn't have time to react or shift his bodyweight before he was wrestled and hurled away. Strangely enough, he continued to fly away even as the device attached to him began to beep and detonate, almost as if there wasn't as much weight to the man as there used to be. A green cloud filled the air as the form of the ninja began to burn and bubble...as he began to break apart into gray ash particles intermingling with the dangerous cloud.

This did not bode well for Max, as moments later the man he was just fighting dashed in on his left side, fist out in a flying superman punch aimed right at the spy's cheek. Interesting to note, the right side of Scorpion's face(what could be seen beneath the yellow mask and black hood) was bruised and slowly turning purple, courtesy of the spy's earlier haymaker. It seemed the figure could be hurt.

Just not...easily.

[MAX]
Max rolls to his feet after a rapid push plant with the blade of his left forearm and hand. A pair of narrowed eyes regard the ash particles as he stands, a baleful dread coming over him at the omen. And then, as Scorpion comes out of nowhere, Max's head snaps to the right with the swift suckerpunch. Max turns faintly, his right heel sliding back as his arm slackens in shock.

But Max is quickly on the offensive again, as the slack right arm snaps up to grab Scorpion beneath the chin as the ninja is at the end of his passage by him. Should he find purchase, a foot sweeps behind Scorpion's heel, grabbing the offending arm with his left hand and shifting his right hand to the wrist after Scorpion's heel is gone from beneath him. From there, it's just a matter of manipulating a knee into Scorpion's elbow.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion dodges Max's Bone Breaker.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Scorpion         0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
The hand found Scorpion's throat, and his legs were sweeped out from under him quite easily. Unfortunately for Max as he grabs the ninja's wrist, the ninja instead flipped mid-air even as he shifted his position and landed on his feet. Keeping the momentum, Scorpion tried to turn it into a Judo type flip, aiming to slam the unfortunate spy on his back, hard.

But that wouldn't be the end. If the throw worked, then Scorpion would very quickly mount the fallen British fighter in classic MMA fashion, starting to rain down punches mercilessly. As he did so, the rage boiling in him was let out even as the temperature around them steadily rose to sweltering, uncomfortable levels.

"You have no RIGHT to protect the Lin Kuei, after what they have done! This one will pay for his crimes, as will every other member of his miserable clan! Do NOT provoke me further!"

And as quickly as the onslaught began, it would end suddenly with a downward, slashing elbow attack that was aimed for just above the spy's eyebrows, trying to open up a cut that would drip blood into the man's eyes, to keep him distracted and also to send a very clear message. But would Max pay attention?

COMBATSYS: Max interrupts Kombo from Scorpion with Parkour Tackle.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max is successfully flipped over Scorpion's shoulder, but quickly transplants his left hand across Scorpion's back, dragging his palm across as Scorpion turns and Max shifts above him to allow Max to keep his balance instead of falling. Instead of his back hitting the cracked dirty pavement, his snappy dress shoes do.

As the blows begin to rain upon him and Scorpion verbally rages, Max backpedals, a few blows striking him, before he swings his left arm out to knock Scorpion's right arm aside, holding his rival's arm fast to keep his side open. Max thrusts forward with his shoulder into Scorpion's shoulder plexus, right arm grasping Scorpion around the lower back as he lifts him into the air and lifts him with a grunt and a charge down the street, directly into a black steel lamp post.

Max slams Scorpion directly into the lamp post, holding him above him, the lamp post producing a low whine as it falls down behind Scorpion in a hail of sparks.

[SCORPION]
Well, that one didn't go to plan. As Scorpion was hoisted and lifted, he didn't have a lot of time to reposition himself before he felt his back(and the back of his skull) smashing against a black lamp post, feeling the metal warp around his frame even as his ribs bruised from the power of that tackle. But he wasn't done. His previously limp hands clenched tightly into fists, even as his right arm raised up, and moments later he brought down his elbow repeatedly, bringing it down again and again for Max's spine, trying to smash down between his shoulder blades for as long as he maintained that 'tackle' position. With each one he gave a loud grunt of effort and exertion, keeping this up until the lamp post eventually snapped, and both men finally fell backwards from the sudden lack of support.

COMBATSYS: Max dodges Scorpion's Back Punch.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Scorpion         0/-------/---<<<<|==-----\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max pushes Scorpion off him, before Scorpion can find purchase with the elbows into his spine, and leaves Scorpion atop the lamp post. Max reaches up to his collar and undoes his tie completely, letting it drift aside on his shirt. He unbuttons the top button of his bloody undershirt, sweating from exertion and pain, his jaw muscles flexing.

Allowing Scorpion to resume to his feet, Max then closes back in with a sweeping arm from above to slam the bottom of his fist onto Scorpion's shoulder, fingers then unfurling to grab it. Should his grip be true, he swings Scorpion around with a grasping lariat via the succor arm, and attempts to fling Scorpion head first over the sidewalk and into a brick and mortar store front. He's aiming for the glass window, various pieces of humble furniture behind the plate.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion Toughs Out Max's Medium Throw!

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-<<<<<<|===----\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
The ninja in black and yellow worked and struggled to his feet, and although he was bleeding from various minor cuts and scrapes, he did not appear to be sweating much at all. When Max grabs the quilted cloth covering his shoulder, Scorpion's right hand instantly comes up to clasp over the grasp, which is good and bad considering the ninja was quickly sent hurtling through the air, right through the thick, plate glass window of the storefront. Scorpion's trip continues, and is only broken by the wooden chairs and tables that were set up as display pieces. By now, the various onlookers, too afraid to interfere thus far, start to move toward the fight, perhaps in concern, or curiousity.

But when the sound of loud, impossibly loud screaming is heard from inside the furniture store and the entire storefront is quickly filled with a raging inferno, they do the smart thing and scatter away, getting as much distance between them and the fight as possible. Unfortunately for Max, he would not get the same opportunity as Scorpion practically comes flying out into the night sky, running with flames lapping behind him in a thick, dangerous trail. His right fist, also covered in dangerous flames, are launched out at another uppercut aimed for the man's chin and designed to launch him airborn. If and only if this works would the form of the ninja vanish in flame and spoke, a split second later reappearing in the sky above the MI6 Agent. Both of his feet, also lit up, were hurtling down and aimed for the man's chest, trying to bring him back down to earth in style.

COMBATSYS: Max dodges Scorpion's Damnation.

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Scorpion         0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max turns his head to the side, spitting out a mouthful of blood after Scorpion is launched through the window and into the shop. But as the screams and flames burst forth, Max moves into a backstep ready position, for once in this fight not ready with a tactical stance. He raises his left arm to shield himself from the glare of the bright lights, the palpable heat making his eyes wet as he sweats and backpedals. And then, as Scorpion charges at him, he makes a reflex decision without his senses realizing it.

Max twists around as Scorpion charges out, covered in flames, the uppercut brushing past him and flicking across his face, the heat scalding the sweat off his skin as he turns about in a circle. And when he faces Scorpion again, a knife has been drawn from inside his jacket, and he thrusts it upwards, attempting to plant it just beneath Scorpion's left floating rib, jacking it upwards into his diaphram and then his lung.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion blocks Max's Dancing Blade.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
Though the flames dissipated around Scorpion's immediate persons, the heat around the two fighters was still sweltering, and it seemed the masked, hooded fighter was just as alert and ready as ever. Max charges in with that deadly weapon and at the last minute the ninja flicks and twists his guard so that he may catch the agent's arm at the wrist and elbow. His muscles flexed and tensed, preventing and slowing the lethal plunge of the knife, though it did still jab into Scorpion's flesh. It sunk in half an inch, the ninja grimacing at the pain, though his eyes narrowed as the two men were practically nose-to-nose.

"You have come poorly equipped if your goal was to fight Scorpion!"

Instantly the ninja changed tactics, suddenly pushing with all of his strength instead of merely holding his opponent at bay. With Max hopefully off balance and a bit farther away, Scorpion dashes forward unslinging the sword from his back and trying to slice sideways across Max's stomach brutally.

COMBATSYS: Max blocks Scorpion's Doom Slice.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max releases his knife as he's shoved backwards, tossing the bloody blade to the side and letting the moonlight take the shard of metal. As the sword is unleashed upon him, Max swings his left forearm out to catch Scorpion's hand, the blade slicing into his flank instead of across his stomach, Max stepping inward to avoid the intended cutting heft of the tip from slashing. He merely takes the side of the blade into him, blood splattering out.

"Compensation?" Max shoves forward, slamming his shoulder at Scorpion in an attempt to barrel Scorpion to the ground, where Max will have the advantage for defensive tactics.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion dodges Max's British Tiger.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
"The only compensation will be the heads of every single Lin Kuei dog being taken right off their shoulders!"

As he talks he's sidestepping the sudden rushing attempt, sprinting around behind the well-dressed agent even as he leaps through the air, pivoting around and aiming to slap the front of his tabi-booted foot right across the back of Max's skull in a jarring, jarring kick. Whether he hit or miss he'd backflip away, and suddenly unsheathe his sword again. This time he threw it suddenly to the right of the fight, letting the Hellfire-forged blade hurtle through the night sky, and sticking right through the shoulder of a certain Lin Kuei informant who had been in the process of trying to make a tactical withdrawl. In anger, Scorpion turned, seemingly giving his full attention to the Chinese ninja warrior.

"You do NOT get to leave! Not until I am finished extracting what I need from your miserable carcass!"

COMBATSYS: Max dodges Scorpion's Roundhouse.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Scorpion         0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max spins about as he's sidestepped, landing on the pavement and skidding to a halt as he ducks beneath the roundhouse. He's breathing heavily, and he's close to being out of this fight, but he needs that satchel, and he's pot committed. Max Evory may have just committed himself to this pot trying to save that straight he spotted on the flop, against an apparent flush on the river.

As Scorpion breaks contact and backflips away, Max's frame droops with pain, his torso rising and falling as he feels his gut scream from the kunai that had been shoved there. And then, the Lin Kuei is jammed through the shoulder as he's trying to escape despite his broken and mangled jaw, falling to the ground.

As the Lin Kuei now crawls, sword in him and blood pooling all around him, Max stands his ground and reaches into his jacket beneath his left shoulder, drawing his Walther. He points it at Scorpion with both hands, the haze of the fight and the blistering heat forcing him to steady himself more than he'd do with a snap shot with the pistol.

COMBATSYS: Max focuses on his next action.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Scorpion         0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
The Lin Kuei attempted to claw away, but he was stuck as ever, pinned and fastened to the wall behind him by the sword previously thrown. Looking the assassin up and down and finally determining that his escape will be unlikely, Scorpion turns back to regard the agent, his firearm finally taken out and aimed carefully. Does this entity know what a gun is? ?If he does, he is not showing the fear or cautiousness a normal, average person would display. No, instead the figure simply speaks.

"You have a chance to leave. You have a chance to escape with your life. You show no concern for this dog's life. Do you, then, covet what he was carrying? Is that important to you, to your own mission? Take it and leave. I will not stop you. But if you continue to fight me, and utilize your weaponry, I will not be held responsible for my actions."

The temperature finally died down a little, cooling off once more even as the black and yellow-clad fighter stands tall.

"Your life is in your own hands. Choose wisely."

COMBATSYS: Scorpion gains composure.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Scorpion         0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max stares Scorpion down over the narrow sight of his Walther, his better than perfect vision focusing on Scorpion's chest.

"I avenge my friends," he says with cold, quiet level certainty, his steel words crossing the gap between the two despite the roar of the fire behind him. It's as if he senses the similarity between the two men, in such a short time they've met and battled. He's not psychic. He's just a shrewd card player by breeding.

Max drops his aim, and fires off a round at Scorpion's left hip, knowing he can't take Scorpion down that simply, but seeking to keep him away from the Lin Kuei.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion blocks Max's You Know My Name.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Scorpion         0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0              Max

[SCORPION]
Scorpion might have had something clever to say, but Max was squeezing the trigger of that gun and all of a sudden the ninja was screaming out, sweeping his hand out in front of him and 'catching' the bullet in a wall of unnatural fire. It exploded in mid-air, wincing backward as the explosion of gunpowder and shrapnel skinned his left bicep and and penetrating through his clothing. But it didn't have nearly the same devastating impact as it would have.

Unfortunately for Max, the ground underneath him opened up, and moments later a column of pure flame erupted upward, which would be bad news for his suit. Oh, and also bad news for his general health and safety. But mostly bad news for his suit.

"BURN!"

COMBATSYS: Scorpion successfully hits Max with Demon Fire.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0              Max

[MAX]
Max was not prepared for the summoning of such spectral energy. He's blasted forward as he's briefly enscounced in flames, and he rushes forward at Scorpion, his suit ablaze as he looks like a man possessed. And perhaps, with the dark energies summoned by Scorpion, he temporarily is. He swings at Scorpion with a hard right jab, before his left takes over with a hook, and then his right snaps forward with a straight. He falters for a moment, perhaps about to fall...

COMBATSYS: Max can no longer fight.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Scorpion         0/-------/-======|

And after the last punch is discharged, Max stumbles forward, exhausted and out of energy. The satchel has disappeared in the confusion, spirited away by an unknown party.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion endures Max's Three of a Kind.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Scorpion         0/-------/=======|

[SCORPION]
Max rushes forward and Scorpion does not move. He takes a right hand to his chin, a hard left to the side of his face, and then a straight right hand that gets Scorpion's head to snap backward, staggering a bit before the ninja shakes his head, and watches the man fall. He looks down at the man currently on fire and just steps past him, unconcerned by the absense of any satchel. His target was the pitiful wreck currently pinned to the wall. As shocked onlookers witness these events, and as local policemen timidly start to even attempt to approach the situation, Scorpion grabs 'Dago' by the shoulder, who screams mostly from the pain of the sword still impaling him. Moments later, the two figures become lifeless gray ash sculptures, the forms of which blow away in the wind. It seems they were gone. Luckily, because the ninja disappears, some policemen finally approach to put the flames out, and make sure Max isn't KIA.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion has ended the fight here.

Log created on 18:19:05 01/10/2017 by Scorpion, and last modified on 01:51:03 01/14/2017.