Springtide Rosalia 2021 - Rosalia #2) Bats in the Belfry
[Toggle Names]Description: Rachel in a letter to Nyotengu: "It had escaped my notice that the efficacy of the seals on Mount Miyama had waned and that you were once again touring Earth, but I am glad you have found time to attend my Springtide Rosalia. My condolences on the recent loss of Kuramasan Maouson. His reign over the Tengu had seemed as if it would endure forever. I do imagine Bankotsubo will be hunted down for his offenses. But in the meantime, I have identified a guest of the festivities worthy to entertain you. You will find him on the upper causeways of the Eastern tower complex. It is likely that the resident bats will join in the fray. I hope they do not prove to be too much of a distraction. -Rachel Alucard"
[NYOTENGU]
A cold evening breeze stirs the air in a frigid bitter blast that harries the silent stone walkways of a castle lost to time. The sheer magnitude of its construction is quite impossible, seeming to stretch on forever in all directions regardless of how far one travels through its dusty forgotten halls. Towering gothic architecture stretches up to the heavens in spindly fingers of carved grey edifice connected by baffling webs of walkways and bridges that seem to have no rhyme or reason to their placement. Mold-covered statues and grand arches weathered by constant erosion line the meandering paths and stairways that lead long snaking routes between clumps of massive architecture, each individual section of the castle large enough to house a small town within its walls.
In all her long years of existence, Nyotengu has never encountering anything so vast and wondrous. Just as the invitation had promised, the arrival of the blood moon had seen her teleported to the ancient home of the Alucards. Though food and drink aplenty were mentioned in the letter, she had found herself far more entranced by the supernatural nature of the locale. Despite it's very alien design and gloomy atmosphere, she found herself quickly forming a strong affinity for the place. The sheer precipitous drops into fog-shrouded blackness that lined every walkway and bridge brought with them twinges of home, managing to rival even the delightful scenery of her mountainous abode atop Mount Miyama.
The past several hours had been spent exploring the mysterious castle. Her wings offered her access to its vast exterior in a way that no one else could appreciate. Every window and ledge, every nook and cranny was hers to investigate as she pleased. What she found was mostly a lot of dust. Perhaps to no surprise, the sheer scale of the castle meant that it would have been impossible for a single little girl and her butler to keep every corner of it clean and in use.
But among the snarling gargoyles and darkened bedrooms, she came across little treasures that had also been forgotten to the passage of the ages. She collected them all up, one by one, scooping up each find greedily. She carted them out to one of the larger ledges that overlooked the castle from on high, the space providing her ample room to create a little magpie's nest for her stolen artifacts.
"Oh my... to leave such things to rot in a dusty forgotten tomb such a this! How very wasteful. I suppose no one will notice if I take them. Well, little darlings, how would you like to come home with me, hmm?"
Smiling with mischievous glee to herself, the tengu reaches down and plucks one of the items from her pile of loot. It is an old brush, seemingly carved out of a piece of solid ivory and inlaid with tiny pearls and golden filigree. Producing a small cloth from within her kimono, she carefully wipes away the coating of dirt and grime that has formed over it across unknown decades, slowly revealing the true beauty lurking beneath. Her eyes sparkle with delight as she holds the comb up to inspect it in the wan red light of the moon. Oh yes, this is quite the find!
Another frigid blast of wind howls noisily as it washes over the parapets. The cold and wind do little to affect the creature directly - she is a spirit of air after all - but the sudden gale sweeps through her pile of treasures and sends them scattering, threatening to hurl them out into the empty void. Letting out a cry of alarm, she hurls herself towards the objects, scrambling to scoop them all up into the protective shelter of her lap.
One prize, however, a particularly shiny brooch which she had taken a strong liking to, hits the low stone wall and bounces nimbly up and over. With a gasp, Nyotengu leans out to try and snatch it up but the chain slips through her fingers by centimeters, plunging into the foggy depths below. A frustrated growl escapes her lips as she watches the thing sparkle all the way out of sight. Cursed castle! No doubt whatever fel magics protected this place had done that just to spite her! She sighs, frowning, and clutches the remaining treasures more tightly.
"Oh well... it seems I shall have to let that one slip awa-hmm?"
Her ears perk up as the wind dies down, seemingly just in time for a faint clink of metal on stone to echo up to tickle her senses. She throws her head back in a haughty laugh, one hand lifting daintily to cover her mouth. Her prize it would seem is not yet completely out of reach.
Tucking the rest of her loot into the cloth, she quickly ties it up into a neat package and tucks it away out of sight under one of the leering gargoyles. The wind shouldn't be able to get at it there. Without further delay, she turns and hurls herself off the side of the castle, plunging down into the fog and darkness with her wings folded tight against her side like a hawk swooping down to upon its prey.
[TERRY]
Not everyone went to this extravagant gala with any particular purpose or mind. Terry Bogard was simply someone on a list of world-class fighters that any errant observer might hope to see in action; not all of them might accept the invitation, but things were amply intriguing for the Lone Wolf to check it out. Hardly used to the mystical aspects of the world, it was a welcome excuse to head to a new part of the world. The week prior was spent exploring, brawling, and enjoying the culture, even if he had no meaningful way to speak to people... but pointing to his hat and going 'OKAY!' with a thumb's up made him readily recognizable!
As the nebulous time grew close, Terry traveled to the vicinity of where the invitation implied. Only to find a lot of nothing... for a time. One moment he's walking amongst the rolling hills; the next, he's within the cold grey bricks of a literal castle.
All things considered, Terry is a somewhat normal human. Utter fascination lead him to his own manner of wanderlust. He went through the sights and views of the interior; perhaps with the occasional conflict with roaming denizens of Makai or other untoward defenses, yet nothing that could count as more but vigorous entertainment. Perhaps they were tests of Ms. Alucard herself; if so, he readily passed with cheer.
Eventually he found the buffets in question... and gorged himself to the brink. Despite the somewhat sketchy appearance here and there, or the occasional infernal noble who spoke to him with a snifter of crimson liquid suspiciously like blood. At length, he ended up within a resting room, adorned in cushions and seats, and just...
Passed out.
At length, Terry's harried by some unseen quandry. He tries to brush it away, but it keeps thumping into his face. "Rock... a cat got in again... ...Rock?" He opens his eyes to see a rather large bat, holding a sealed envelope. A brief startle, before after a couple more insistent figure-eights in the world Terry takes the message, opening it up and digging out a simple postcard.
'Mr. Bogard, it is time for your promised entertainment. Please follow your escort.'
Some people might question things, but at this point the wanderer just shrugs and gets to his feet. Hands in his pockets, he follows the flapping bat at a brisk pace. Stairs seem to spiral higher and higher, before the bat starts buttling against a sealed door. Pushing it open, a rush of wind and mountain air takes Terry by surprise.
He heads out into the open skies, adjusting the brim of his hat to better shield the distant setting sun. A low whistle as he strides to the edge of the massive rampart, one of the highest points in Alucard Castle itself. Gripping the wrought iron waist-high fence, dull spikes thrusting upwards in grim decoration, he leans forward to peer around, shocked at both the strange shape, architecture, and structure of the building...
"Aww... how nice. This IS entertaining!" Terry marvels, seeming completely unwitting that anyone else might be flitting in the area. And to any manner of huntress, well... in body, spirit and soul, the Legendary Wolf is absolutely an amazing morsel!
[NYOTENGU]
The sharp clatter of something metallic striking the stone nearby interrupts Terry's ogling of the surroundings. A glance in the direction of the noise would reveal a golden locket intricately formed into the shape of a large butterfly, its wings comprised of what seems like glittering gems cut into neat geometric patterns. Something that shiny and obvious would have been easy to spot before. That and the loud noise seems to indicate that this must have fallen from somewhere up above.
Just as that thought might compel the wandering warrior to glance upwards in curiosity, a loud whooshing noise fills the air as a dark shape plummets from on high. In the dim eerily light of the blood moon the silhouette that falls upon him might easily be mistaken for some massive bat or perhaps one of the stone gargoyles come to life to attack him. Large dark black wings spread wide to halt the descent of the man-sized beast, blotting out the moonlight for a few brief seconds as it alights upon the stone walkway not five feet away.
Kneeling down, it quickly scoops up the fallen trinket and holds it aloft, tittering in a voice that sounds disturbingly human and female.
"Ho ho ho! Thought you could escape me, did you, little one? Well, don't worry, I'll make sure to hold you nice and tightly this-hmm?"
Arching an eyebrow quizzically, the dark winged creature slowly turns about to peer at the human. As it turns out, it isn't some horrible monstrous vampire bat or an animated statue, but a woman. Well, something that looks very much like a woman, in any case. The massive raven-like wings protruding from her back make it obvious she isn't human. What she is, however, is utterly gorgeous.
Appearing to be perhaps somewhere in her early twenties, the beauty that turns to regard Terry appears to be of Japanese descent. Pale skin, impossibly perfect and unmarred by defect, pours out of her loose black kimono in a form that could be best described as voluptuous. Exotic angular eyes of purple hue regard him with a look of idle curiosity, a pair of full lips pursing into a thoughtful pout.
After a moment of silence, she turns to face him completely, her long elaborate hair swishing behind her like a rippling wave of darkness. She stalks directly towards Terry, one hand coming to rest on her waist, hips swaying with suggestive grace despite her strange upraised sandals. The winged woman comes to a halt only a step away from him, peering at him with half-lidded eyes. She proves to be tall enough to almost look him right in the eyes on her own, her odd footwear making up the difference.
"Well, well... and what do we have here?"
A mischievous smirk turns the corner of her lips upwards as she eyes this new prize that seems to have wandered into her grasp. Her tongue pokes out between those soft cushions, running sensuously from one side to the other.
"Oh my, you look good enough that I could just... eat you all up."
[TERRY]
"...?!"
Terry turns around to peer towards the ground, pushing off his leaning lounge to turn and face it. After some brief surprise, he turns his head skywards to take in the crimson light, enough to see a shooting star of dark power run down. Were he a bit fresher to the castle and it's peculiarities, his response would likely be far more surprised.
"Oh...?! Looks like a beautiful girl literally fell from the sky! This castle really does have everything, doesn't it?" The tengu would see neither fear nor revulsion from Terry, despite a clear understanding of her monstrous qualities -- not just her coming down to land, but running his eyes across black-feathered wings in turn. And he can sense, at such proximity, the raw and nearly feral power to which she's a conduit.
It certainly sets his spirit shaking... and not in a negative fashion. He stands his ground, one hand settled on hip, stance cocked aside, fingers resting on the brim of his hat. "Is that a greeting in these parts...? Some Victorian-dressed vampire at the buffet said rather the same thing to me..."
Although his neck slowly cracks to the side, shoulders doing a slow, stretching roll. "Still, if you're going for the 'sultry woman' angle... it probably works a little better when it doesn't feel like my fighting spirit's going to set me on fire when you're this close!! I came here since the invitation promised an experience I'd never get elsewhere... good thing is, I'm a hard man to disappoint. I guess I don't mind you trying to take a bite outta me... long as you don't mind me fighting back!"
[NYOTENGU]
The human's reaction to her teasing is certainly not what she expected. Nyotengu eyes him from behind long elegant lashes for a quiet moment as she reassesses the man. Her invitation to this strange festival had come with the promise of some sort of entertainment, another guest whose identity was not revealed to her. Of course, when someone uses the word 'entertainment' in the supernatural circles they can generally only mean one thing. It's no secret that many of the creatures that humanity has deemed to be 'dark stalkers' enjoy preying upon mankind in one fashion or another.
Nyotengu's expression shifts slightly, changing from sultry vixen to something a little more dangerous if no less provocative. She reaches into the sleeve of her elegant kimono and withdraws a large bright red fan, its body formed in the shape of a fallen autumn leaf. Waving the fan at her face lazily, an entirely unnecessary gesture considering how cold it is this high up, the woman lets out a velvety laugh at Terry.
"O-ho-ho-ho! Only a few moments in my divine presence and you're already burning with passion? You certainly know how to flatter a lady."
Brazenly stepping forward despite the tension quickly building in the air, Nyotengu presses herself up against Terry's side in a manner that is overly familiar to put it mildly. Her scent is something pleasant and earthy, the fragrant fruity oils rubbed into her wings mixing with the flowery aroma of her perfume to create a heady mixture of feminine charm. She smiles up at him without a hint of fear, dragging the pointed tip of her fan slowly down the front of his chest.
"I think I'm going to enjoy taking my time with you. It's been quite a while since I had a mortal to play with."
Peeling herself away from him just as suddenly, the winged woman stalks several paces away. She shows no worry in turning her back to him as she goes, either convinced in her own ability to handle any surprise attacks or that he won't have the temerity to strike her from behind. Once the gap between them has widened to an appropriate measure, she whirls around with another graceful flourish. Her arms slowly extend, one hand lifting high over her head while the fan extends forward. Her stance widens, legs spreading apart in what is unmistakably a martial stance. That this new posture also leaves her kimono hanging wide open from the waist down, exposing her pleasantly pale legs and the fact that she's wearing little more than a short skirt of white silk underneath is almost certainly just as intentional.
"Come then, mortal! Attack me if you dare! Let us see if that fire you claim burns in your heart can scorch a tengu!"
[TERRY]
"Passion...? Well, that's not wrong. I like to consider myself a modern man... I've no issues fighting a lady!" Although Terry is being a hint playful and flirty himself, such is clearly not in the slightest bit genuine. Having fun with Nyotengu...? That seems to be the case, even if it might be boldly presumptuous of a mere mortal! Only when she slips up that near without any sort of hostile intent does he stiffen, prepared for it to some kind of attack.
...when nothing comes of it, there's definitely a hint of blush on the blonde American's face. "Y-you really are awful pretty... but we're gonna have to keep our physical relationship on the punch-punch, kick-kich, yeah? I'm kinda seeing someone, y'know...!" Relenting the initiative to him allows him to regain a bit more composure. "Besides, my dad always said... watch out for the dangerous, seductive ones... I take his lessons to heart!"
He brushes at his jeans, adjusts the brim of his cap, and then cracks his neck slowly from one side to the other. Yet it seems the pair might not enjoy such alone... perhaps drawn to fresh meat, perhaps to the powerful avatar of wind, or the whims of the castle...
A great sea of large bats has churned up, in literal clouds that stream, converge and mix, beginning to writhe in a loose ring past the pair in some kind of a cage. Their hostility is rather clear, the squeaking, shrieking noises quite intense. "...friends of yours?" he teases. "Hmm... letting me go first? Okay! Let's see if you're more fun then my warm-ups!!"
Kicking forward, Terry then advances towards the winged female without any hesitation. A brief assessment would prove he's not holding anything back... if the divine tengu is used to a male treating her as delicate or inferior, there's no sign of it here. Although he shifts his head forward, leaping in a purposefully awkward and deceptive way in what seems a standing front-flip. Only to--
"CRACK SHOOT!!" His heel whirls through the air quick and forceful enough it seems to leave a trailing afterimage, aiming to drive it down towards Nyotengu's head from above!! Keeping his body tight, landing low, already maneuvering in a way to make it more difficult to follow up!
COMBATSYS: Terry has wandered into a fight here.
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Terry 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm has joined the fight here.
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Terry 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Bat Swarm
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu has joined the fight here.
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Nyotengu
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Terry 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu counters Crack Shoot from Terry with Ara Habiki.
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Nyotengu
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Terry 0/-------/---====|
[NYOTENGU]
If she is upset by having her advances spurned by the human, Nyotengu makes no obvious commotion about it. Her teasing is precisely that, a bit of fun to be had before the real entertainment starts. Of course, if he were to impress her enough, she might well be inclined to give him a more genuine taste of her charms. After all, what's the point in being the most beautiful creature alive if you're not going to use that gift for anything?
Sadly, his opening gambit proves to be somewhat less than impressive. Despite failing to fall for her seductive allure and launching an attack with the same sort of aggressive power that he might use against any other opponent, the tengu makes it very clear that her boasting was not idle.
Rather than retreat to avoid his kick, she steps forward and the upraised hand snaps out to intercept his descending foot before it can land atop her elegantly adorned head. Fingers as soft as clouds yet possessing the strength of tempered iron snap closed around his ankle. A haughty burst of laughter escapes the creature's lips as she casually lifts him completely off the ground with that single arm, whipping the full-grown man around as if he weighs no more than a pillow. She swings him back and forth around her in a wide figure eight, each rotation building up speed until there is an audible whoosh as he cuts through the chilly air. Finally, on the third swing she hurls him down against the hard stone, slamming him onto his back with enough force that a cloud of ancient dust explodes up to engulf him.
"Come now, boy," she says like a disappointed school teacher, taking a few swaying steps backwards to give him room to rise without feeling threatened. "You're going to have to try a great deal harder if you wish to impress me."
Around the dueling pair, the bats seem content to observe for the time being. The swarming mass of flitting creatures continues to grow more dense with every passing second, building up mass until they seem to form an almost solid wall of screeching fuzzy pests. Attempting to flee through the barrier would prove most difficult for someone without wings and even Nyotengu might think twice about trying to flutter off before the winner is decided.
[TERRY]
Although Terry knew that Nyotengu was powerful, he has no idea what to expect when it comes to her actual combative prowess. He's not exactly a lightweight, in most circles; he's the sort of expansive upper body and rippling biceps that brings him many fans of certain aesthetics, after all! Dangling upside-down with obvious shock, his foremost concern is planting a hand atop his head to keep his hat pinned, before he whirls overhead in a brutal arc. Again, and again, before he hits the stone hard enough to send a ripple of cracks all around, and an 'agh!' of discomfort.
Still, he snaps away his foot with little hesitation and rolls backwards, pushing up to his feet. Briefly disoriented, but... well! Her little teasing entry proved this toy is durable. He's not going to break very quickly -- and seems no less determined to face her. Rachel truly does know how to pick compatible opponents. "Aww, shoot... I never considered myself to have bad luck with ladies... don't worry, I don't plan to disappoint!"
A slow exhale leaves Terry, twisting back his arms and slamming his fists together. An interesting chi technique can be felt rippling through him. It's remarkably advanced; Hakkyokuseiken is an old, legendary method of chi manipulation, and he builds up both his strength and speed for the moment as he stares down the girl opposite.
"Here's one with a little more pepper, for you... HNN!" Terry leans forward, all his weight upon one booted foot. The ground cracks, a slight enough dent to give him a foothold like a runner about to sprint. He bursts forward with respectable speed, coming in low like he might intend to tackle Nyotengu at the midsection. Instead he stamps down again, twisting to drive his shoulder upwards, and aim to impact her forcefully in the midsection. Aiming to knock her off-balance, and perhaps slightly into the air, before twirling upwards. "MAX...!"
Then his fist erupts with orange chi, streaming down his forearm as he aims to strike Nyotengu right in the face -- and then drive her down to strike into the ground beneath his scorching knuckles before there's a great explosion of orange energy flashing out in all directions. "DUNK!!"
Certainly one of his stronger techniques... a mixture of experience, his own style, and Bogard's own innovations... he must really be intent on the pretty girl noticing him!
A thick swarm of large vampire bats surges from the shadows of a nearby overhang and blitz along the walkway!
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu blocks Terry's Max Dunk ES.
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Nyotengu
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Terry 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu endures Bat Swarm's Flapping Madness!
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 0/-------/-======|
[NYOTENGU]
"Glad to hear it, boy. It would be a terrible shame for me to come all this way only to leave... unsatisfied."
One of her slender hands cups at her considerable bosom, squeezing the soft flesh underneath the silken cover in a manner that leaves very little to the imagination. An amused titter rumbles in her throat and she gives Terry another overtly sensual look, practically oozing mature allure like an aura. It seems she considers this fight more of a game than anything, which is good since there's plenty of ways she could easily send him hurtling to his death on this towering castle.
Nyotengu casually stands by as the human calls up his special little technique, giving him all the time he needs to bring out his best effort. She isn't particularly worried that he might suddenly explode with a surge of hidden power. There are limits to what a human can accomplish, after all, and he seems more or less inclined to play along with her friendly teasing. That's what she loves about humans, they can be such adorable little darlings when they're willing to play with her.
The sudden burst into a charging lunge causes the bird-woman to resume her fighting stance. Once again, she doesn't attempt to avoid the strike, instead allowing Terry to unleash his big manly upper strength in a leaping tackle. The upwards strike seems to hit the tengu square in the gut and she rises up with the momentum of the impact, riding the attack to the apex of its jump.
Only then does it become apparent that he wasn't as successful as he might have wished. The tengu's wings flap lazily as she hovers in the air, maintaining her flight while the blazing downwards drive finds purchase in naught but the cold stone. The fountain of blazing orange power erupts like a volcano and she daintily tucks her feet up to avoid being splashed by any of it.
"Oh my... aren't we bold to handle a lady so roughly!"
She smirks down at him, clearly preparing to say more but it would seem that the bats have other ideas. With a hoard of eerie squeaks, two large clouds of the flying rodents detach from the swirling wall and hurl themselves into the arena in a shrieking cloud. Nyotengu's otherworldly power does little to dissuade the varmints from harassing her just as aggressively as the mortal. She frowns and swings her fan about, swatting several of the beasts aside with bursts of wind but more always seem to replace them.
Clucking her tongue, the tengu folds her wings and suddenly dives towards the ground, shooting directly at Terry like an airborne torpedo as she descends. A wild gust of wind rises up around her as she descends scattering the bats in all directions like a miniature tornado. By some stroke of bad luck (or good luck, depending on your point of view), a bat's tiny claws latch onto the front of her kimono just as she starts to dive and when it is send blasting away it tugs the thick silk away along with it. The human is thus given quite the eyefull, at least for the few moments he has before she plows into his midsection in a flying headbutt.
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm successfully hits Terry with Flapping Madness.
- Power hit! -
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Nyotengu
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Terry 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Terry blocks Nyotengu's Yamato Zutsuki.
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Nyotengu
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Terry 1/------=/=======|
[TERRY]
"Oh, trust me... I plan to leave a better impression on you then those trinkets!!"
Still, from a distance, he seems to be doing a decent job of not being distracted. His gaze remains serious, his stance resolute, making him somewhat less fun to overtly tease when the genuine stakes have begun. But still... this is play to him, also. Although he's certainly going all out, there's no air of lethality to it, or any negative emotions. He's no monster hunter, nor blind hero who thinks her a monster to conquer... he is still treating it as a spar.
A very serious, potentially paiful, spar.
"Heh...! You diverted that hit pretty well, for a-AGHGHGHGGHBLRGBLE."
It's at this point a relentless storm of bats rush and strike through Terry. His focus was entirely on Nyotengu, and he had not even considered them a potential opponent; maybe some kind of aesthetic arena, at best. He's a number of cuts and bites when it finishes, as he whips away the stragglers with his hat before yanking it back on in annoyance. "The heck?! Ow!!"
Eyes first lock on Nyotengu's whirling approach, then drop a bit lower. There's a hint of flush, before both of his broad arms ripple with orange fire. "HRAUGH!!" He reaches out, catching Nyotengu by the shoulders. Her head never quite reaches him as a result, although he skids backwards multiple meters before his heels strike the iron wall surrounding the high tower, denting backwards. Only then does he manage the leverage to shove the woman away.
"Oof... glad this one's not gonna be on television..." he marvels. He happens to be a healthy adult male, thank you, and his ability to remain dutifully immune to female wiles has a limit! A limit best not to explain... only that he can see why his dad warned him. He can feel his chi control a bit askew, now...
"Still... I think you better see what I'm really capable. But I can't hold back on this one, so... I always like to ask the opponent..."
"Are you okay?!"
Then his energy seems to skyrocket. It's like some other fighter is standing here, now. His strength, speed, spirit, aura... all were just multiplied by the Hakkyokuseiken techniques. His very life force seems gnawed as a result. Muscles bulge out, tendons straining, as the ground quakes and the air quivers, billow of aura hitting the distance bats and sending them whirling about disoriented.
He brings back his right arm, as if he might somehow take a punch from this distance. Before stamping off the ground, sending stone and dust flying out. Whether she took to the air, or remained level... this rocket-like launch attempts to bring him right up to the girl, before he swings to slam his right fist into her stomach as hard as he can. Fist searing white-hot as every nuance of his power is flung forward, into a singular strike.
"BUSTER..."
And then a great explosion rockets out, spreading out a few meters in all directions. The sound echoes off distance mountains, billows trees and grass far below, and roars like a grand inferno as Terry roars out the most recognizable move in his entire ensemble.
"WOOOOOLF!!!"
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu counters Buster Wolf ES+ from Terry with Shishi Odoshi.
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Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Nyotengu
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Terry 1/------=/=======|
[NYOTENGU]
Nyotengu recoils from her failed flying headbutt with the same grace she's shown thus far. Her wings flap and she pirouettes in midair, spiraling away safely out of reach of any easy reprisal. It doesn't take her very long to notice the wardrobe malfunction as another cold blast of air scythes across the unprotected walkway sending a particularly pointed blast of cold brushing across her bare skin.
"What is... oh, you mischievous little rodents!"
She turns away from Terry, though doesn't seem particularly hurried about it nor go to any lengths to cover herself up as she does so. Once her back is turned she quickly sorts things out, tucking her kimono back into place and ensuring that it's nice and snug. That accomplished, she promptly turns to the nearest cloud of bats and stomps a foot on the stone with a resounding clack of wood.
"Little gremlins! I ought to tear off all of your wings! Hmph!"
A sweep of her fan unleashes a whirling blast of air that crashes into the gathered mass of bats and disperses it, sending dizzy winged rodents spiraling in every direction. It doesn't seem to hurt them so much as send them scurrying back to the spinning cloud surrounding the battlefield leaving her and Terry alone to resume their fun.
"Sorry about that display," she purrs, fluttering herself with the fan. "Not that I imagine you didn't enjoy it. Think of it as a bit of encouragement to do your best."
As expected, Terry doesn't seem too particularly disturbed by getting a free peak at her goods. Still in high spirits, he once more gathers his power and Nyotengu is again happy to let him gather up his strength. When the burst of raw energy floods into his body practically exploding his physique into something Herculean her mouth drops open in open surprise. But that surprise quickly turns to pleasure, her stare morphing into a cat-like grin.
"Ohoho... what a naughty boy you are, hiding a power like that. Maybe if you'd used that trick earlier this could have been far more interesting."
As if in answer to his question, the tengu licks her lips again as if preparing to dig into a juicy t-bone steak. She assumes her combat stance once more, beckoning him with her fan to come at her with everything he's got. Nor does he disappoint. The human explodes at her like a rocket, his fist swinging forward to slam into her delicate midsection with enough force to shatter stone.
Sadly, it doesn't go much better for him this time as it did the last. That devastating punch finds no home in her soft squishy belly. Instead, she lowers her hands and presses them together, catching his monumental strike like a catcher engulfing a fastball with their glove. Her hands close tightly down around his forearm and she yanks him to the side, turning all of his wild momentum into an uncontrolled stagger to her left.
As she pulls, Nyotengu's body leans in the same direction. With unnatural grace, she cartwheels into a handstand next to the unbalanced human, her legs splaying apart for balance momentarily. Before her can get himself another good look underneath her clothes, however, one of those long pale limbs snaps forward to deliver a solid kick to the back of his head. The impact snaps him forward and her hold on his arm yanks him sideways yet again, finally tugging him down to the ground.
Rather than tumble to the floor alongside him, Nyotengu completes her cartwheel and once more alights onto her feet. With his hand still clutched tightly in her grip, she titters at him again before yanking the hapless man up into the air and slamming him back to the ground like a dirty rug she's trying to shake the dust out of.
Only then does the pent up detonation of chi finally explode. Nyotengu nimbly flutters away before she can be caught in the blast, her wings flapping quickly to carry her backwards out of range.
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm successfully hits Terry with Flapping Madness.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/----===/=======|
[TERRY]
"Hey, I always do my best...!" Terry says, matter of factly. "Hmm... still..." He rubs at his chin, and then murmurs off three numbers. It might be a bit of humanity that Nyotengu's unfamiliar with... but it's an unsettlingly close approximation of her measurements. "Yeah... that's gotta be it for sure..." Not that it's a time to exercise one of his more useless talents, though.
But raw force is not always the answer to one's problems; an issue that Terry is finding out the hard way, right now! This strange opponent has managed something that few in his prime could; Geese Howard himself struggled against his finishing blow, but... rusty, unsteady, unfocused... the flow of his energy is nowhere near what it should be, and she's not so kind a creature to overlook it!
The kick sends Terry disoriented before the hurtling explosion blows him away, smacking into the wall and leaving a nice-sized dent before thumping down. A moment later, countless bats immediately land on him and begin to squeak and chirp and flutter around him. "GAHHHH!! FUCK OFF!!" He bursts to his feet quicker then he might have otherwise, punching and swinging at the air like a shadowboxer until they disperse with another sea of lovebites. Then he doubles forward, pressing his hands on his knees to pant.
"Yeesh...! Really does feel like you're just playing around... figured it was a big world, but... I can't say I'm at my sharpest, girl!" Perhaps not in a long time... his long, nearly suicidal journey of self-improvement ended when his fierce kick sent Geese off his tower, and the inferno of murderous rage immediately twisted to the cold, twisting knife of regret... wandering. Getting by. Lost...
Suddenly he SMACKS his face with both cheeks. Hard. Large, red handprints throb upon it. Despite looking ragged and near defeat, he stands upright again and pumps his arms a few times. "Oooookay...! Let's move on to Round Two, shall we?!"
With that, Terry shifts in place a bit, before doing a swerving sort of advance... and, expecting his aerial opponent to prefer such further, twists and leaps upwards in a graceful arc. He inhales deeply, forearm shining with orange fire as he descends in a sharp overhead, aiming to slam it down with explosive results right upon the upper body of the dominant tengu!!
"POWERRRRR DUNK!!"
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu blocks Bat Swarm's Flapping Madness.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu endures Terry's Power Dunk.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/---====/=======|
[NYOTENGU]
If Nyotengu picks up on the object of Terry's mental math, she doesn't show it, though it might be hard to tell considering she seems to be in permanent 'ufufu' mode. Regardless, she remains in good cheer, quite content to give him time to recover from each failure to penetrate her rather potent defenses. For someone as pretty and refined as her, the winged woman certainly seems to know her way around a fight!
But, as before, their little voyeurs seem ill content to be left out of the fun. Another of the bat clouds attempts to descend upon Nyotengu but she is quite ready for them this time, easily batting away their nipping advances with quick precise blasts of wind leaving her all but untouched by the little pests this time around. Smiling with smug amusement, she fans herself while the little rodents scamper off back to their fellows, leaving Terry to deal with his own little cloud of admirers.
"But of course," she answers, responding to his claims that she isn't taking this fight particularly seriously. "Humans are an amusing diversion but hardly a threat to one such as myself. Still, you shouldn't feel bad, boy. You've done rather well to come this far. Perhaps you'll manage to impress me yet."
The sudden smack to his cheeks causes her eyebrows to raise. She blinks at him in silence as the man attempts to psyche himself up for another go at it, chuckling quietly at his enthusiasm after a few moments.
"Very well! Come at me, if you dare!"
As always, Terry's approach to combat seems to be rather straight forward. Run or jump at the target, scream a ridiculous name out loud like they're in some kabuki theatre play, and then swing a glowing limb in her direction. Feeling slightly bored of simply countering his unsophisticated advances, the tengu instead braces herself in a wide stance as the blazing fist descends upon her like a miniature comet.
The blow impacts solidly this time, landing square on the target as she seems to simply lean into the strike rather than attempt to defend herself. The punch smacks into her perhaps a bit harder than she must have expected, as Nyotengu staggers backwards a step for a moment. Her cleavage wobbles about in rather distracting ways as she recoils from the blow, her rather immodest kimono proving to be even less so in the midst of a fight.
But, whatever damage he may have inflicted seems to slow her down only for that brief moment. Recovering her balance, the scantily-clad demon throws herself forward in a sudden burst of motion. Her arms snake around Terry's chest and she tries to pull him into the perhaps the most embarrassing bear hug he's ever been on the receiving end of. While her unnatural strength certainly makes it a mixed experience, it's impossible to ignore the pair of soft pillows that squish up against him in a rather decidedly more pleasant manner.
COMBATSYS: Terry guards against Nyotengu's Musashibo Dakusho.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/--=====/=======|
[TERRY]
Things would probably be going a little better for Terry if bats hadn't chewed on every inch of him a couple times. Nyotengu seems hardly as worse for wear, to his own chagrin. Still, he's not keen on letting all of this go down quite so disappointingly for the female... a man can lose and still have his pride, damnit! That's what he'd like to keep, if at all possible!
Of course, Terry's relentless attacking is his namesake... he's known for his tenacity in the face of adversity time and time again after all. When she lunges forward, only slightly harried by his blow, both of his arms snap out to catch her by the wrist. His face plants within heaven all the same, although that can't be particularly damaging... the strain those lean, powerful arms applies is another matter entirely, and once more it seems to take all he has to shove her backwards as a result!
"C'mon, c'mon... it's your turn!! You've been watching me long enough. Lemme see what you can really do, huh?! That fan of yours just for show, or can you only play a game of catch?!" He beckons at Nyotengu, before shifting forward and twisting, his heel flying in a sideways kick aimed to catch her underneath the ribs -- trying to stagger her backwards and get himself a bit more breathing room!
COMBATSYS: Terry issues a challenge!!
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/--=====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Nyotengu with Medium Kick.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-======/=======|
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm successfully hits Nyotengu with Flapping Madness.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-======/=======|
[NYOTENGU]
To her surprise, the Nyotengu finds herself being pushed away from the human in a direct contest of strength. While she certainly wasn't using her full might, only aiming to give him a little squeeze, being driven back by a mortal at all is an impressive feat. The demon takes a few steps back as she's shoved away, her expression one of mild bemusement. It isn't every day that someone spurns her advances after all.
"Don't go getting cocky, boy. You couldn't possibly handle the full might of a tengu."
The taunting beckon earns a frown from the woman and she lowers herself into a fighting stance, preparing to deal with whatever foolishness Terry has concocted. But, as if they had planned it in advance, the bats choose that very moment to make themselves nuisances again.
A screeching cloud of flapping critters descends on both combatants just as they move to clash again. This time their distraction is able to throw Nyotengu off her game, not much, but enough that the simple kick manages to slip past her defenses while she's distracted and land a solid blow to her side. As she staggers from that impact, the little cretins see their chance and descend upon her in force, swarming the bird woman's beautiful wings. Feathers go flying in an almost comical fashion as tiny claws yank and pull at the precious black layers.
"Enough!"
Stamping a foot on the hard stone like a child having a tantrum, Nyotengu throws her wings wide. A massive gale erupts in a vertical column around her, a raging cyclone of furious wind that sends the bats scattering once more. Turning her attention to Terry, Nyotengu fixes him with a haughty frown, her chin lifting in a prideful glare.
"Hmph! You wish to see a glimpse of my true power? Behold then, the wrath of Nyotengu!"
Leaping forward in a sudden lunge, the tengu's hand shoots forward to grab ahold of Terry's clothing. Where she manages to snag him isn't of particular import, only that she keeps him from slipping away for a few moments. As she approaches the gale surrounding them both begins to whip and howl with even greater intensity. It pulls at the mortal with incredible power, attempting to drag him from the eye of the storm into its deadly clutches, while the demon herself seems entirely unaffected by the whipping winds, her hair and clothing not even ruffling in the slightest.
Nyotengu smirks at him, slowly lifting the fan in her other hand. She drags it gently up the front of his body, tracing the contours of his muscular torso with its pointed tip. As it rises so to does the fury of the maelstrom, building to a roaring howl until it drowns out all other sounds. Only when the flat of the fan finally makes its way to bottom of Terry's chin does all of that power finally culminate in one massive upwards blast. As casually as if she were tossing a leaf into the air, Nyotengu's wrist flicks upwards and tornado explodes into a vertical blast of lifting power that will send the arrogant mortal sailing into the sky - unless he finds some way to escape her clutches!
COMBATSYS: Terry just-defends Bat Swarm's Flapping Madness!
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-======/=======|
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu successfully hits Terry with Mitama Okuri.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\ <
Terry 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[TERRY]
"Heh... maybe not as I am now... you're a hell of a lady!" Terry admits when the rather intimate hug is finally driven off. The light is still in his eyes, for sure... he doesn't seem to think that he's out of it yet. However, slow though it might be, Terry is not absolutely idiotic! Twice the bats have hassled the heck out of him, but this time he's ready. Orange energy ripples across his arms, and he begins to rapidly jab and box as they try to head towards him. In short order they abandon the efforts, flapping off in alarm with shrieks and cries. Terry exhales, allowing the chi to slowly seep back within himself, a rush of invigoration he desperately needed.
Wind batters Terry slightly backwards, and he seems... eager. Clearly outmatched, definitely far behind, he's still grinning as she draws that fan out for the first time. "Good...!! Shame I had to harass you into it, but I don't want to go down without seeing what you can really do!!"
Only for him to be sucked forward, the fan drawing up him slowly. "...Thanks for... bringing me a little closer...!!" Energy wells up, as if in defiance. It all ignites across his right arm, fist closing as it finally reaches his fist. "HERE'S A PARTING SHOT!!"
He then twists, punching towards the ground beneath him as the great onslaught sends him flying into the air. A thin beam of concentrated energy shoots, hitting right between the Tengu's feet...
And a moment later, it erupts upwards in a wicked, explosive plume, aiming to engulf her in a tower-shaking assault to try and send her flying backwards as Terry goes spiraling away, bouncing once in the distance before crashing into the iron walkway once more!!
COMBATSYS: Terry has reached second wind!
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|=======\====---\1 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-------/<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Nyotengu with Power Geyser ES.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|=======\======-\1 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-------/<<<<<<<|
[NYOTENGU]
Almost certain that this would have been the closing act of their little play, Nyotengu is caught almost completely off guard as the beam of crackling power explodes at her feet even as its creator is sent spiraling away like a ragdoll. Both tengu and man are spent sprawling onto their respective duffs to land in undignified heaps, Terry's soaring path through the air clearly designed to leave him still atop the platform when he came down rather than plunging to his eventual death.
Sputtering indignantly, Nyotengu pushes to her feet, rising with the same refined grace she's shown throughout the match despite her anger. That last blast had managed to leave a rather painful bruise on her delicate legs and... is that a tear in her kimono?!
Stomping her foot several times angrily, she whirls around to face Terry with a clearly less friendly expression on her pretty face.
"You impudent little... mortal! This is my favorite kimono! Just look what you've done to it!"
She turns her back to him and thrusts her hips out in his direction, drawing attention to a thin but lengthy tear across her backside. The soft hint of pale flesh underneath is impossible to miss. After giving him a few seconds to ogle his handiwork, she turns around and waves her fan dismissively through the air as if swatting at something annoying only she can see. That deadly wind-creating tool is pointed at Terry a moment later and she glowers at him across the distance.
"You will pay for that, boy!"
Striking a dramatic pose that looks like something out of an old Japanese wall scroll, the winged woman comes at him in a dashing burst of speed. As she draws near, her arms reach out, those powerful limbs attempting to encircle Terry about the waist and draw him into another crushing hug. This time, however, she doesn't settle for merely giving him another strangely pleasant squeeze. Should he fail to fend her off again, she flaps her wings mightily and the two of them launch high into the air.
"Consider this divine punishment for offending the Nyotengu of Mount Miyama!"
Altering their flight into a spinning corkscrew, Nyotengu suddenly changes directions, plummeting the two of them directly at the stone below in a headlong dive. Terry's skull is the one that hits the ground first and with a graceful flap of her wings, the demon abruptly arrests her own movement, safely twisting away from the impact. Her foot shoots out in a final parting shot as she cartwheels aside, driving the hard wooden clog of her sandal into his jaw.
COMBATSYS: Terry dodges Bat Swarm's Many Fangs.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-------/<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Terry just-defends Nyotengu's Monomi Yagura!
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-------/<<<<<<<|
[TERRY]
Terry is... not exactly quick to get back to his feet, either. But a strange cerulean energy seems to be whirling around him; clearly invigorating, some manner of chi technique that appears capable of pushing him past his limits; he has shown odd hints of technical mastery time and time again, even if he had merely leveraged such for those direct attacks that she found so woefully simple and predictable... ah, the tengu had been right in many ways. The only thing that might be surprising is his tenacity.
"Fff... fff... not supposed to... use this for long..." Hands rest on his knees, cap askew, as the battered and bloodied human clearly seems able to fight. Hakkyokuseiken's central precepts have never been his strong point; between the snippets his father taught him, his constant observation of the practice of both Jeff and Geese, and a brief -- failed -- entry under Tung Fu Rue. But while Geese utilizes the tenants for overwhelming power, Terry turned the foundation to endurance. This little number is one that, to his knowledge, even Geese might not be aware...
"H-huh...?! Whoa!! Y,You never said not to damage it!! I thought you wanted me to fight seriously?! I'll get you a new one!! Have you SEEN the kimonos they make in Japan these days?!" Getting a bit of whiplash, Terry tries to hold up his hands placatingly.
Once more she rushes forward, although for once the Lone Wolf focuses inwards. Flowing the ki to his arms, he assumes a defensive kung-fu like position; shoulders hunched, head low, forearms drawn with fists up. She grips, and it certainly feels like she's crushing him... a good thing she may not be aware such is against his taut, impressive physique as the tournament warrior is hefted up!!
"H-Haaaa!!" Muscles suddenly bulge once more, as he ramps up his inner chi yet again. Right before his head creates a nice, hat-shaped dent, both arms thrust out. Fingers sink into stone, palms dent the ancient stone heavily, but it certainly felt like she was trying to plow steel; arms still burning orange, be barely twists in time for the kick, caught in a curled forearm. He's sent off his feet, skidding sideways...
But clearly, his life force is still not snuffed out!! No... he's drinking it, stealing away his future vitality, risking his life, to draw back to his feet. "H-haha... oof... I only managed that since you thought I couldn't defend myself. Gimme a break... all I've wanted from the start was to impress you, and now you're more mad then ever!!"
Advancing once more, Terry brings up both arms. They still glow orange; he's not sure if he lets up this reinforcing technique that he could manage it again. Everything burns, every beat of his heart like fire in his veins, as even well past his own limits can only bring him enough to attempt and fight back now, after the tengu has mayhaps overestimated the play and left him alive.
"HAAA...!!" He actually feints this time. His left seemed prepared to go; only to twist, show his back, and then hop upwards, using the flutter of his crimson jacket to conceal... until the last moment, when he tries to drive his right fist right upon Nyotengu's face, and drive her backwards!!
Although she'd probably note that, technically. he's trying to avoid further cosmetic damage... that's a better place to aim for, right?
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm successfully hits Nyotengu with Many Fangs.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu endures Terry's Power Drive.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Terry 1/-----==/=======|
[NYOTENGU]
Goodness!
Though she can't quite seem to understand where he's getting all of this energy from, the mortal's resistance has suddenly cranked up several notches. While she's been playful and teasing for the most part, constantly egging Terry on to 'show her his best', in reality she never actually expected to be put into a situation where she might lose! Humans aren't supposed to be strong enough to pose an actual challenge to her in any meaningful fashion. She's a tengu! A demon of wind! A being of power and age and wisdom!
And yet, it would seem, in her arrogance she has vastly underestimated this monkey. There had been little effort put into pacing herself or saving up any of her reserves. Her frustration at being foiled over and over had sent her into a fit and now she finds that she is growing tired, exhausted from the hours spent scouring the castle only to hurl herself into a confrontation without any rest beforehand.
As if sensing her distress, the bats descend upon Nyotengu once again even as Terry pushes himself to the limits to keep his body moving. She tries to avoid the cloud of little devils but there are just too many of them. They nip at her skin, unable to penetrate her demonic flesh but leave little red marks in several places on her otherwise perfect pale flesh.
Dealing with the bats leaves her little time to answer Terry's feinting attack properly. She turns to block the obvious left only to get sucked by his sudden shift to a leaping strike with the other hand. Caught flat-footed, she is left with nothing but her demonic fortitude to weather the searing punch. His powerful fist collides with her delicate cheek, snapping the demon's head to the side. She recoils from the blow, staggering backwards with a pained cry of female distress, collapsing onto her side.
A hand goes to her face, clutching at the bruised flesh as if she might burst into tears at any moment. But her fragile appearance proves to be nothing but a ruse. A moment later she lurches to her feet with astonishing speed, hurling herself towards Terry's leg in an attempt to snag him by the ankle. Once more her unnatural strength shows its power should he fall into her clutches, as she casually lifts him off the ground with a sharp tug and whips him over her head to slam face-first into the ground.
COMBATSYS: Terry fails to interrupt Quick Throw from Nyotengu with Power Stream.
- Power fail! -
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\ <
Terry 0/-------/--=====|
[TERRY]
A pretty significant portion of this, of course, is bravado. If Nyotengu just flew away for, oh, thirty seconds or so, she'd come back to a very much collapsed Terry Bogard. He's running on borrowed time, but it seems he's working with someone prideful enough to not want that. She could have tried to tear into him at the onset, or flung him to his death at any time... what joy is there in just letting his faltering techniques be the winner!
Yet when he brutally punches the bird-girl, definitely not holding back, her reaction makes him pause. It's the first time he's actually managed it, even if she's managed to deflect and block it time and time again. That noise is convincing, as is her current position. "W-we done with this yet--" he begins to ask.
Ah. Too late. He senses the approach, but his body is filled with lead. The remnants of his burning chi whirl, beginning to flow in a stance familiar to some... a move he does not often use. Cerulean energy, having condensed to a slender film, attempts to surge as he brings up his hands and begins to drop them down. It is nothing so epic and refined as Geese's Raging Storm... but that is a technique passed down by Tung Fu Rue, and he has his own spin on it!
"POWER SSSSSSHIT!"
Nope. Maybe if Nyotengu hadn't baited him into restraint. Ah; such an opportunity granted because of his own mercy. Mercy? A human, to a tengu? Not treated like a monster, a youkai, a beast, but a woman? Nobody ever said he was the most rational of beings. Flitting ovehead, Terry smacks into the ground, and just... lays there for the moment.
"...ugh... y'know... ...the buffet had some really great sake..." Cough, cough. "I got a little in the tank, if you wanna see this through. But man... I REALLY need a drink...!!"
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu blocks Bat Swarm's Flapping Madness.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\ <
Terry 0/-------/--=====|
[NYOTENGU]
Rising to her feet after successfully suckering the foolish human, Nyotengu indulges in another haughty laugh, clearly pleased with her deception. Only someone unfamiliar with the trickster nature of a demon such as herself would fall for such an obvious ruse. Then again, she is rather skilled at acting, so perhaps it was just her elegant performance that stayed his hand? No matter. The result is what is important and with her standing triumphantly over the battered mortal there is no question who came out ahead.
"O-ho-ho-ho! Did you truly think a pitiful punch like that was enough to lay me low? Silly, mortal. You've fought well but it will take more than that to defeat the great Nyotengu!"
She is, of course, bluffing her shapely behind off. The last few hits have all but done her in. Not that she's in any danger of dying or anything of the sort but pushing herself much harder is almost certainly going to prove unpleasant.
Which is why, when Terry's feeble attempt at a parley is coughed out, she actually pauses. Getting nice and drunk right now /does/ sound quite appealing. She's had about enough of this little brawl, in any case, and ending the fight with the final blow going in her favor so decisively is certainly something she is happy to accept.
As if to give her yet one more reason to wrap things up and be somewhere other than here, another gaggle of annoying bats attempts to harass her yet again. She casually waves them away with her fan, no longer distracted by having to defend herself against both them and the mortal's strikes, but they still get a few more little nips in here or there.
"Hmph! Very well, mortal! I accept your offer."
Nyotengu stalks seductively around to stand in front of Terry, her hips swaying like a metronome with every step. She points the fan down at him as a threat, should he be trying his own hand at deception, but her smile and tone of voice are both quite genuine.
t"Treat me to a fine meal and good drink and I shall consider the matter of your previous rudeness forgiven."
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu focuses on her next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Nyotengu
[ \\\\\ <
Terry 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm successfully hits Terry with Flapping Madness.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Nyotengu
[ \ <
Terry 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Terry takes no action.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Nyotengu 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Bat Swarm
COMBATSYS: Terry can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Nyotengu 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Bat Swarm
[TERRY]
"I was hoping it would..." Terry admits openly, when it comes to taking down Nyotengu. From the start, although he had never done any attacks that might be actually dangerous, he had certainly not held back. If nothing else, he has shown that humans will never give up. Even now, there's enough sparks in Terry as he pushes up to his feet, enough alertness in his gaze, that he definitely has another attack or two in him... maybe. Probably. Yet he's not shown himself to be much of an actor; the thrum of his aura does not like! His heart lives on!
"G-great...! I'll even get you a new kimono when I head to Southtown... they've got all kinds of AHHHHH OH GOD BATS!!"
Sadly, he's not in nearly so great a condition. While some wind manipulation and a fan keeps them at bay for Nyotengu, that just means the group that intended to hassle her quickly diverge, joining the pile that are currently clinging to the hapless Wolf. He whirls around, every inch of him covered in flapping, biting wings, before his marginal grasp on the chi technique keeping his body going collapse.
AHHH! Ahhh! ahhh...
A strangely echoing cry leaves him as he flies backwards for no readily discernible reason, bouncing once on his side and coming to a rest as the bats quickly flutter off, startled by the movement. He manages to lift his head, blearily staring towards Nyotengu.
"If anyone asks... you are the one... who defeated me..." And then his head thumps down, hat almost displaced off, unconscious. ...probably not the end that either of these fierce warriors expected.
[NYOTENGU]
Nyotengu watches with silent surprise as the bats choose to team up on the much easier target. That had not been her intention when shooing them away. But she doesn't seem too upset about it either, making no effort move and assist Terry as the last of his fighting spirit is gnawed away by tiny fangs.
The overly dramatic manner in which he flops free of their flapping wings overwhelms the tengu and she throws her head back, laughing richly at the silliness of the situation. Honestly, to be defeated by a group of playful bats. How very embarrassing!
Sliding over to stand above here, Nyotengu nudges the human with her sandal a few times. Out like a light, oh dear. So much for that drink he promised.
With a weary sigh, the demon turns her head up towards the sky and hoists her fan aloft, summoning up a final tremendous vortex of wind. The swirling cloud of bats is easily sucked up into the whirling tornado and with a dismissive sweep of her fan she sends them all sailing away like little fuzzy shooting stars. Devoid of their flapping wings and screeching voices the night settles into a gentle quiet once again, broken only by the occasional howling gust of frigid air across the parapets.
"Well, that should be enough entertainment for the little mistress. You fought well, human. Perhaps I shall come pay you a visit to claim that which you promised. But for now, sleep well. Ohohoho!"
Unfurling her wings, Nyotengu turns and leaps off the side of the walkway. A chilly updraft springs to life at her will, catching her and carrying aloft towards the hiding place where she'd stashed all of her precious little treasures.
A fine end to a rather eventful festival. Clearly, she needs to get out more often!
COMBATSYS: Nyotengu has left the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm takes no action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Bat Swarm 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Bat Swarm has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:38:18 06/03/2021 by Nyotengu, and last modified on 20:57:59 06/05/2021.