Description: You couldn't get more evil into one forest without replacing your severed right hand with a chainsaw. (Winners: Bunji and Iori)
Ah, lovely Southtown. Home to impressive fighters, wondrous sights for tourists and residents alike, and miles of lush, beautiful greenery. Very...quiet, isolaced scenery. It's perfect. Or at least, very nearly.
It's Vega's first time in this little contest, having passed it over many times over in favor of his more pressing plans. Now, however..it's time to see what this miserable city has to offer. He doesn't mean the shops or anything as simple as that, oh no. It's time to guage the quality of the fighters here.
The Shadaloo leader is at the appointed place on time. Early, even. His deep grey cloak is pulled around him, shielding him from the very mild breeze wafting through the trees. Healthy grass and sparse flowers sprout up in the smallish clearing in the forest, but those are the only signs of life. There are no birds, no squirrels..nothing is present in the way of wildlife. There is only Vega, his heels together in a perfect military stance, awaiting his toys for the afternoon.
Iori's a bit tardy. Fashionably late, some may say. But it's only a minute or so after the specified time that he comes sauntering up, one thumb hooked in his jeans pocket, an altogether detached smirk playing across his features. He doesn't seem to be in too much of a rush to get there... especially since he hasn't heard of his opponent, except in the shifty rumors amassed by his new employers. And even those are unreliable at best.
He strides into the designated area for the fight, tilting his head at Vega's... unconventional appearance. "Interesting." he notes, without any sign of being truly interested.
Little fish, meet big fish. The man at the bottom of the Southtown Syndicate's pecking order... and the guy at the absolute top of the Shadaloo one. Perhaps Geese wanted to see how long Bunji lasted against a guy like Vega. Perhaps he was displeased with Bunji, for some reason. But, let's see. As the suit-clad young man makes his way into the fighting area at about the same time as Iori, some of the crowd is starting to take notice: Two of the world's scariest fighters, and... some guy with a funny name. Okay.
The very /moment/ he sees, in flesh, who he's up against, Bunji pulls off his suit jacket, handing it to a nearby man clad just like he is. Really, there are /numerous/ such... Men in black out here, looking like they were ripped straight out of a mafia movie, or something. Pulling off his sunglasses and tucking them in the pocket of one of the Syndicate goons who are apparently his subordinates, Bunji flashes a quick thumbs up. "Looks like it's time to roll the dice. Heh. I love long shots."
"Tch.. This is all I get?" Vega's voice carries a notable tone of disappointment as the pale, pupil-less eyes shadowed by the rim of his officer's cap narrow heavily. This first one..Iori, that is, he has at least heard of. His only experience with the man is via satellite feeds of a tournament or two, but has never been given much focus. Bunji? Now, that's the real disappointment. Especially as of late, Vega has tried to familiarize himself with all of the fighters that belong to the Syndicate. While most he brushed as worthless lackies and common thugs, at least this man is in the higher tier of minions. Not nearly in the top class, mind you, but..heh. "Very well, then."
With a wide sweep of his right hand, the dictator's cloak is brushed away from his body, the flowing cloth unfurling from around his body. His pristine red uniform is in the most immaculate of conditions, right down to the highly-polished pins and scant buttons down the front of his shirt. His selection of armor is simple. The metal shinguards creak slightly as he shifts his stance, spreading his feet slightly. His pauldrons have his cloak attached to their backsides and, honestly, seem oversized. His bracers complete the set, but given the sheer bulk of his body, the ensemble could very well seem...silly. His meaty hands pull into tight fists, arms bending at the elbows as he grants the Men In Black a short look of disgust. "If Howard wants to see what he's up against, he should come personally, instead of hiding behind his pathetic little pawns." His right hand unfolds, beckoning for both men to come at him. He's not afraid. Not of Howard, and certainly not of these little speed bumps.
COMBATSYS: Vega has started a fight here.
Iori turns to regard Bunji with some respect. Just some, though, and that only because he's a member of the syndicate which allows Iori to even be standing here, fighting for money. Yagami knows full well that he 'amuses' Geese, and this whole battle reeks of another battle staged for the entrepreneur's 'amusement.' He can feel the fear in the air, the negative aura surrounding Vega. Different from nearly anyone he's fought before, the dreadful power consuming all. And yet, he still wears an unconcerned smirk, appearing confident despite the slight chill running down his spine.
"Just pull your weight, boy, and we'll get along fine." He says 'boy', but he's not that much older himself.
As for Vega... well. Iori raises an eyebrow. "... Haven't spoken with Howard in well over four months. Didn't even send a Christmas card. Nice to know he sent a mall Santa instead, but he's a day late and a dollar short." Blink. "Shit. That's your chin?" It's a series of one-liners, but he really doesn't seem to care. It amuses him, that's all he's concerned with. The folds in his black jacket catch the light as he hunches over into his typical fighting position, with one exception -- the leading hand, which turns palm up to reveal a small orchid of flame within. "Just keep it interesting."
COMBATSYS: Iori has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
COMBATSYS: Bunji has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Vega 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
Bunji stuffs his hands in his pockets, walking up to the 'plate', as it were. "Pull my weight? Uh. I'll try. But I'm kind of the small fish. But I'll do what I can." For a moment, Bunji sizes up Iori, before assuming a 'combat' position. Blink. "Shit. That's your hair?" It's only for a fleeting moment, though, before Bunji assumes a 'ready' position, raising his fists in the fashion of a boxer. "Tell you what... I'll see what I can do, as far as pulling my weight." And then... zoom. Bunji shoots forward like a dart, apparently fearless in the face of a human wall of mountain and psychic power, driving one fist straight ahead at Vega's face. Apparently, the small fish has no problem starting this fight.
COMBATSYS: Bunji successfully hits Vega with Gunshot Straight.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Vega 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
Iori's response is..well, in a way, it amuses Vega. The dark conqueror's lips draw wide in a toothy sneer, the faint wash of pristine white teeth giving it a nearly feral look. His right hand pulls away from his body, his forearm staying level with the ground as his palm turns upward. His fingers stretch out before curling just at the first two knuckles, leaving the palm itself open to the cool forest air. "So the worm has an actual vocabulary! However, if I wanted to hear you regurgitate whatever petty thoughts rattle around inside that hollow skull of yours, I'd--"
Well, score one for the little fish! The dictator's words are actually interrupted with the quick fighter's fist colliding with his ..unique jawline. His head turns with the impact, staying still for a second before the sneer returns to his face. His right hand streaks out for the aggressor's body, aiming to grip not his clothes, but his throat itself, turning with the grab and putting his impressive bulk behind a simple, strong throw into the forest behind him.
Iori is just that. Amusing. And while Bunji creates a suitable distraction, Yagami surges in behind him, taking a position on the opposite side of the oppressive dictator. Since Vega was so nice to pick the little fish first, the Orochi halfbreed plunges his fingertips through the cloak, aiming to puncture the miltary garb and get a nice meaty stab into the flesh beneath. If, indeed, that -is- flesh beneath there. "OOOOOORWHOOOOOOA!" he roars, the feral tenacity seeming to propel him even faster towards the dictator.
COMBATSYS: Vega successfully hits Bunji with Deadly Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > /////////////////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Bunji
Bunji isn't quite as rabid as Iori -- but after his first hit goes through, Bunji finds himself... flying. Soaring, really, through the air and into the forest where Vega intended to put him. But he's not stopping there. Not a chance. After disappearing into the brush, the man in the suit comes flying right back out, some blood dripping from his forehead (probably from an unkind impact with a tree) and a grin on his face. "You're not as tough as they say your are, big guy... I barely felt that!" Whether he's bluffing or not is a bit of variable, though, even as the boxer begins to swing his fists like mad, aiming to plow into Vega with a series of blows rather than just one.
COMBATSYS: Vega dodges Bunji's Boxcar Flurry.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ///////////////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Bunji
COMBATSYS: Vega dodges Iori's Saka Sakahagi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ///////////////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Bunji
That's quite the concerted effort there. After Vega introduces Bunji to the wonderful flight plan that Shadaloo offers, he straightens his posture, folding his arms across his chest as the heels of his boots click together. He looks rather..indignant, doesn't he? He also looks rather wide-open for the attacking Orochi-tainted musician to give him a rather nasty, bloody gash or three along his spine. It's close, too! Even when Iori is right on him, he doesn't move at all, then the claw-like fingers dig into the monster's fleshy back.
Or so it nearly went. Vega's form just dissipates where he stands, the contours of his afterimage interrupted by the vicious attacks from both men. In little more time than it takes to blink, however..he's completely gone. Where Bunji is standing, he can see the Psycho master phase back into sight behind Iori himself, keeping that same stance until his form returns to vulnerable flesh. At that point, he is quick to return the favor of a (pff) dishonorable attack, sending himself flipping forward, head over heels, kicking out both legs to lash at the redhead's back one, two booted strikes.
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Vega's Double Knee Press.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ///////////////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Bunji
Iori's no normal fighter though -- for even as Vega fades from view, Iori is already starting to sense some kind of motion behind him. Whirling about to address the threat from behind, Iori hurls one arm up to defend, catching the first boot-strike full on the forearm. It buys him enough time to backpedal a couple steps from the furiously fast assault, leaving the space that would have received the second boot vacant. But rather than leave his opponent empty-handed, Iori sweeps his other hand around towards the ground, presenting the dictator with a brilliant purple conflagration for whenever he decides to land. Which should be soon. "Happy new year." he states levelly, before taking another hop backwards to gather his senses.
It seems that Iori isn't the only on his toes. The moment his chain of blows strikes absolutely /nothing/, Bunji is only briefly left confused before he seems to... look at the spot where Vega is about to reappear. And even before Vega returns to view, Bunji is already on the move, as though he knew where he was going to be beforehand. A lucky guess? A /really/ lucky guess? "Hey! Why don't you try head-butting him, or something? Maybe you'll stab him with that freaking hair!" Rushing forward and low, Bunji darts past Iori and beneath, running towards Vega a few paces behind the wave of flame that Iori's generated; a true one-two attack. After the flame is dissipated, successfully or not, Vega will have a second attack to contend with: Bunji's two fists, interlaced at the fingers, and driven straight upwards into Vega's bullseye-like chin like a sledgehammer.
COMBATSYS: Bunji successfully hits Vega with Royal Flush.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Bunji
COMBATSYS: Vega blocks Iori's Yami Barai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Iori
[ < > //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Bunji
Ah, what teamwork! One insults one, the other..well, the other doesn't do much of anything to aid his partner. At least, so it seems in the beginning. With the way Vega lands, he's already in prime position to hold off a ground-based attack. Sure enough, the violet flame licks at his legs and shinguards, but otherwise doing little in the way of damage beyond singing the flesh underneath the sturdy uniform and armor. However..Bunji is the one on fire. His makeshift sledge crashes right into Vega's malformed chopper, lifting his head and causing him to lean back with a slight grunt, one of his arms raised..
And then, it's his turn to drop the hammer. Aiming to retaliate before Bunji can get away, Lord Vega's hand grows with a purplish hue of his own, like a gelatenous flame clinging to him with slow, small licks of the air around it. With a sharp yell of effort, the arm drops, though it's not aiming to connect with Bunji directly. No, it's the wide swath of corrosive, deadly energy left in its wake that's meant to harm.
While he may not have initially pegged Bunji for doing much damage at all, his tenacity is unquestionable. The fact that he's actually doing more than Iori, though? Slightly irritable, if welcomed. But when Vega whips out the purple flames, Iori feels a need to do the same. Rather than give Vega the chance to recover from the continued assault by his partner, Yagami rushes forward, aiming to hit Vega from a slightly off angle, both hands flaring with the vibrant purple flames of his accursed birthright. Roaring with anger, Yagami uncoils from below into an uppercut of sorts, a twin helix of flame trailing behind as he unleashes his power at Vega.
COMBATSYS: Bunji dodges Vega's Psycho Wave.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Iori
[ < > //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Bunji
Bunji's /still/ on fire, it seems. Only, not quite in the way that Vega probably intends. An instant before Vega begins to generate his energy -- a barely perceptible instant, probably unnoticed by all but the keenest of eyes -- Bunji is on the move. And what a move it is; he all but vanishes from sight, sending himself around to Vega's rear with one swift sidestep. Digging a heel into the ground to halt his impressive motion, Bunji manages to position himself on the opposite side of Vega as Iori is, sandwiching the dictator between two opponents. Dashing forward, Bunji launches himself towards the back of the taller dictator's head, one hand lancing out to seize him by the skull and force him forward, right into Iori's waiting uppercut.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Vega with Oniyaki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Bunji
COMBATSYS: Vega just-defends Bunji's Bad Beat!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Bunji
All flames burn out eventually, however. Bunji's move, as well-intended as it was..well, that gets Vega's attention, and not merely in the manner that he needs to avoid being hit once more. No, this is a special interest. As fast as the lesser fighter (who is, amazingly, doing the most harm) is, the turn Vega makes is unarguably inhuman. His larger hand is already out to catch Bunji's, halting his assault as those eyes, pale, empty, and creepy to most, turn directly onto him. It's almost as if he's studying him, with how long he spends just..staring. However, that gives Iori all the time he needs to rake his damned flames up his back. His cloak goes up in a flash of violet, leaving cinder-tipped flecks of thread jutting out of the rear of his pauldrons. His eyes close with the burning sensation, but it fades to become bearable soon enough. When his eyes open, Bunji gets the treat of Vega's eyes glowing with a faint violet tint as well, tiny flecks of light seeping out of the corners. By the time Iori lands, the freshly-battered and burned entity of vile emotion rises from the ground. It's not even a hop, and his feet point downward slightly as he rises through his own mental powers. Ideally, the Syndicate man is pulled up by his fist alone until he dangles six feet in the air, at which point he's hefted and hurled forcefully to the ground, assisted with a flash of violet that helps to push him to the ground with that much more force. As long as he's not knocked from the air, he'll gradually drift back down to earth.
"Wasn't aware worms could shitkick you that badly," chuckles Iori coldly as he returns to the ground from his uppercut. He's terribly amused by how well Bunji is doing, and will make a point of jerking his chain later -- but right now, Iori's got the goal of taking Vega down. Even if Bunji were to provide no further assistance, it'd still be worth it. Charging forward once more, Iori aims to attack Vega as he falls with a rushing elbow, creating enough distraction for his other hand to windmill overhead, clamping onto Vega's face and igniting a gout of furious amethyst flames into existence. It can only improve his looks, really, and from the sound of Iori's tormented roaring -- it's a frightful face indeed.
COMBATSYS: Bunji parries Vega's Psycho Fall!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Bunji
Not quite, Vega. As Vega seizes his fist, Bunji realizes he's in a bad spot. And, as Vega's eyes light up, flaring with Psycho Power... something in Bunji's eyes seems to glimmer, too. Fear. But he's not going to let that stop him. Grunting for a moment, Bunji's fist begins to fight against the grip of the dictator, until with one incredible wrenching of every muscle in his fingers and hand, Bunji manages to open his palm and force Vega's grip loose. Splaying his fingers outwards and pushing forward, the Syndicate fighter forcefully backwards, completely interrupting and shutting down the attack he had intended to let loose... and, for an instant, Bunji is free and on his feet.
"... tch. Alright... you're stronger than me, that's for sure. I don't know what exactly you /are/, big guy, but growing up in Southtown taught me one thing. The bigger they are... the harder you have to /cheat/!" And then Bunji drops out of sight. Almost. Displaying a sudden spur of gymnastic talent, Bunji executes a perfect split, turning slightly until he lands in the dirt, roughly eye level with Vega's thighs... and then he cocks one fist back, and drives it forward, /hard/, right into the most vulnerable spot that can be found below Vega's belt. Dirty tactics? You bet.
COMBATSYS: Vega dodges Iori's Koto Moon Negative.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Low Ball EX from Bunji with Psycho Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
Oh, no..now come on. That's just not right! Hitting a man in the goods like that? Not even /Vega/ has to resort to tactics like that.
When Bunji seems to wrest free of his grip, he's already working to retaliate with..something, anything, really. With his hand raised, the most convenient thing to do is to start gathering a small spark of violet light just over his palm. The spark swells to a very large ball of power, looking more like an ever-shifting cloud with arcs of similar-colored energy streaking across the surface. His hand lowers to throw the orb at Bunji, just to teach him to get away, when..the royal jewels are jabbed. Well, more than jabbed. Flat-out punched. Even as tough as Vega is, the initial effect is obvious: that ball of power just..dissipates immediately, a pained groan coming from the decending leader. Poor Iori, though. He's trying so hard, and..well, he's contributing the least to the fight. As he comes down to thrash the 'mighty' Vega, he finds himself connecting with little but air once more. The bulky body is still quick, and it just..glides backwards, the man's arms folding across his chest in the process despite the searing pain in his crotch. "/A/ worm," he corrects, at first sounding like he's really trying to get the words out. "With as much as you're having to rely on a Syndicate man." No longer is the sneer covering his maw. Instead, he bears a constant scowl, deep but seeming ever so natural on him.
Growling, Iori literally -punches- a crater into the ground - both at his apparent ineptitude in this fight, and at the fact that Bunji is absolutely, positively, COMMANDING this fight. The fact that Vega calls him out on this only intensifies his rage. Apparently, there's no need to even -try- keeping up his facade of control -- right now, he's PISSED. Pointing at Bunji, Yagami snarls -- if only because the young Syndicate man has managed to put on such a good showing. But as for Vega... well, Iori just doesn't see any need to hold back. Breaking into a run towards Vega, the Orochi halfbreed howls with rage, "YOU... WILL... DIIIE!" The truth of that statement is highly unlikely, of course, but Iori seems passionate about it just the same. Coiling one hand back, he suddenly pitches a ball of flame forward, sending it screaming towards the ground. It explodes in a fury of purple flame -- only to be followed by another blistering fastball, and subsequent explosion. Both seem rather anticlimactic, though, as they fizzle into the ground afterwards -- but Yagami's still running towards the twin impact crater. Reeling both hands over his head, he then casts them forward, slinging one final blast of purple energy at the crater -- and yes, THEN it erupts into a leaning tower of violet flames, splitting the sky in two with its thunderous crack as Iori howls in agony. And... the plan is for Vega to be caught in the middle of that column, of course.
Once his attack is finished, Bunji is getting the hell /away/ from the angry dictator with the strange chi that makes his head feel funny. He's getting very, very, far away. But he's not completely retreating. As he lunges backwards, Bunji is quick enough to flip two fingers outwards, propelling two very small orbs of chi towards Vega; towards his eyes, specifically, hoping to blind the giant dictator and give himself an opportunity to survive... well, whatever's coming up. That done, Bunji is just rolling backwards and away from Iori and Vega. Why? Because they have monstrous levels of power and they both don't like him a whole lot.
COMBATSYS: Vega dodges Iori's Yami Sugi.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ///////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
COMBATSYS: Vega blocks Bunji's Snake Eyes.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Vega 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > ///////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
Vega proves to be a very slippery fellow when he starts to feel like he's being backed into a corner. Even with all the damage he's taken, years of work and experience won't let him start to fall apart..not just yet. He's starting to become more familiar with Iori, to guess where that..unique power is going. At least with this attack, he can see it coming. Keeping the same posture he had just a moment again, another swift push of his mental powers glides him further back, scarcely avoiding the wall of dangerous Orochi-gifted flames. That, in conjuction with the sheer, feral anger coming from the young man, Vega..grins. Yes, even after being raked and pummelled, even mashed in the crotch, he's smile, teeth baring his white teeth as he continues to move back.
Bunji has the right idea, though..against a normal opponent. The insufferably smug look on his face grows even more after his hand lifts up, catching the two orbs in his palm and immediately squashing the life out of them. A low chuckle starts to leave his mouth, deep, dark, and penetrating to all but the most steeled men. Slipping back into the forest, disappearing between trees and brush, the chuckling turns to a low laughter, seeming to come from every direction in the small clearing.
At first, there's a slight chill in the air. The oppressive air is charged with negative emotion and energy, thickest where Vega disappeared. The wait isn't long, however. The sound of rustling brush and wood can be heard, a brilliant gout of bright violet light coming from the source. Then, with all the grace of a nuclear explosion, the trees at the edge just all but explore with the sheer force of Vega's angry might. His body is parallel to the ground and levitating, spinning with his right hand forward, left gripping the other's wrist. Horrible, deadly power pours from his entire body, wilting nearby plantlife that it doesn't outright mow down in its massive girth. And..it's coming straight for the fighters that have earned this wrath, quite likely tearing up a good many of the Men In Black that Bunji brought with him, if they were stupid enough to stay.
COMBATSYS: Vega successfully hits Iori with Final Psycho Crusher.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Vega 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Iori
[ < > ///////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
Once launching that terrible attack, Iori slumps forward, placing one hand on the ground. It can't be denied that an attack of that caliber took a lot out of the young man, and... well. The problem with pouring all his energy into that one attack is that it leaves him with almost none for a backup plan, in case that misses. He looks up to see Vega plowing right for him -- and his face curls into a rictus of sheer hatred.
Here it is. Everything Iori feared and more. Though it was likely that same fear that helped to =fuel= Vega's terrible attack, the torpedo of energy steamrolling towards him, that suddenly plows through him, churns him up, and then flings him aside like so much refuse.
Yagami is beaten, bruised, broken, and utterly knocked aside, decapitating a tree and slamming hard into a second before finally sliding back down to the ground. Slumping over once more, Iori looses a low, rumbling growl. Not quite feral, but he may as well be -- for no one has -ever- hit him as hard as just then.
Yagami takes his time, since... well, he may as well be counted out. Any -normal- person would have been declared dead on the scene, but Yagami is no normal person. Marked for dead? Possibly. But the fact remains that he still took down half of a tree in his flight over here, and he's damned if Vega's gonna let him walk away with it. Baring his talons, he takes a slice at the hunk of shattered tree debris -- a good chunk of trunk, about eight feet in length -- and picks it up with both hands. Storming back into the clearing where Vega is fighting, Iori swings the tree trunk fragment with all his might, aiming to -- if not outright -kill- the Psycho Lord -- then surely give him one pounding HELL of a headache. "GWAOOOOOAOOORAAAAAAAAH!"
COMBATSYS: Bunji dodges Vega's Final Psycho Crusher.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Vega 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Iori
[ < > ///////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
Two fighters. Two fears. One monster of a man unleashing everything he possibly has. This is a bad spot for the 'little fish' to be in, that's for sure -- and as Vega bears down on him like a torpedo, Bunji shows just what he's made of. "Shit. Shit. /Shit/!" He does what comes naturally: He runs the hell away from the monster of Psycho Power. He runs, and runs, even as some of his Syndicate Goons on the sidelines suddenly find themselves diving for cover or having a face-to-face with Jesus, courtesy of Vega.
But Bunji's fast. Real fast. And as he breaks into a sprint, he starts to outdistance Vega as he begins to run out of power, like fleeing a train as it begins to break. And as the threat to the rear comes to an end, Bunji starts up the fight from the front. Hitting a tree at a full sprint, Bunji manages to run -up- the length of the tree with one good stick of his shoe, hurling himself up its length until his feet find home at the crook between trunk and branch. And then he pushes himself off, sending himself flying towards Vega's face just as he comes out of his Psycho Crusher, intend on making a grab and flinging him to the ground by utilizing every ounce of his momentum.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Vega with Random Weapon.
[ \\\ < > ///////// ]
Vega 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Iori
[ < > ///////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Strong Throw from Bunji with Psycho Wave.
COMBATSYS: Vega can no longer fight.
[ < > ///////// ]
|=======\===----\1 Iori
[ < > ///////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Bunji
See what happens when two people work together? As Vega comes down from his little flight, his laughter is...abruptly halted. It's not that he can really see where he's going during that attack, it's a purely mental thing, using the excess of power to decimate his opponents. As he releases and drops to his feet, he..honestly, he doesn't see Bunji coming. Sure, he gets the sense of something coming from above, but it's far too late for that. He looks up with a simple grunt, and then Bunji is RIGHT THERE, grabbing onto the big lug and sending him soundly into the ground. And then...then, Iori sees fit to dish out his share of the beating. Vega's face catches the trunk squarely, shattering the wood with the sheer force of it. ..Unfortunately, that face is tough enough to survive the mauling. For a few seconds, the titan is still..silent, even. Then, his eyes open, still faintly glowing with a mild purple hue. His body again dissipates like before, reforming on the other end of the clearing..or wherever the fighters have ended up now. His arms are folded, that same scowl present on his face as he levitates mere inches from the ground.
"Apparently, this misbegotten town isn't devoid of capable fighters after all.." That's the best compliment anyone'll get from him. Accept it. Before any more can be said, however, he vanishes from sight once again. As he does so, the vile chill in the air finally lifts...at least the negative energy from the dark Lord himself, anyway.
Iori shatters that log with the singularly powerful blow, tossing the useless dead wood off to the side. Scowling, even as Vega teleports away, he doesn't see any reason to stop there. Bunji pissed him off -- despite following a direct order. Carry his own weight? He carried the -fight-. And as much as Iori's been no more than a plaything for Geese's personal amusement tonight -- not to mention Vega's -- he's going to have a little 'fun' himself.
Raising one taloned finger to Bunji, he gestures for the determined fighter to come a bit closer. Doesn't matter that the fight's over. This is personal.
But before the Syndicate man can even make up his mind, Iori's already running in his direction. He's a bit too... clean, after this fight, for Iori's tastes. Iori has plans to fix that with one single, unassuming punch to the jaw.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Bunji with Ya Otome.
[ < > ///////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Iori
[ < > // ]
|=======\====---\1 Bunji
And then another punch, slamming into his gut. And then another, ramming into his shoulder. And then a headbutt, aimed to dizzy him further. You get the picture -- it's a bloody gorefest of misguided anger, clearly aimed at venting before going out to face the world again. Because, really, wouldn't it be better if it were Bunji brutalized on camera, rather than some random innocent bystander? The slashing, beating, bone-crushing torture continues for an agonizing few seconds, but it's mercifully ended by Iori clamping both hands down onto the man's head, scowling, "Die," and then igniting his hands into a violent explosion of violet flame. *THOOM*
And then Iori backs away, apparently pleased.
Oh, that hurt. Blood loss. Broken ribs. Lots of 'em, too. But Bunji's not down. In fact... Bunji's getting back up. He was caught by surprise, but he's not about to clock out, not just yet. Gradually, the Southtown Syndicate fighter climbs to his feet, blood dripping down his arm, soaking the bandages that wrap around his fist.
"Man. Talk about a rotten hand. Heh. Ah, well. Hey, dealer. Hit me." And then Bunji shows that he's not just done yet. His entire body leans back, before throwing himself forward. Every muscle is devoted to this one punch: Legs sending him flying forward at Iori. Every muscle in his torso and arm rearing back to get the most juice out of a single punch -- a single punch aimed at Iori's jaw, with enough power to cause some serious damage. Look like, for Bunji, it's victory or bust.
COMBATSYS: Bunji successfully hits Iori with Double Or Nothing.
[ < > /// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Iori
[ < > / ]
|====---\-------\0 Bunji
One punch? Well... he's gonna get that chance, at least. For, just as planned, Iori gets knocked onto his can from that one, all-or-nothing punch. It's enough to snap him out of the rage, at least. ... And send him into a riotous round of laughter. That... was a ridiculous fight. He doesn't really have much else to add, at this point, other than, "... Nice fight."
COMBATSYS: Iori takes no action.
[ < > /// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Iori
[ < > / ]
|====---\-------\0 Bunji
Bunji follows through. Oh, does he follow through. For Iori, it probably feels like getting hit by a truck. And... it connects. Miraculously. Knocking Iori onto the ground, Bunji takes a few moments to stagger about, trying to maintain something resembling a fighting stance. "... tch. You... bastard. You're really a bastard, you know that?" And then the Syndicate lackey cracks a grin, despite the fact that he and the man standing across from him have just finished beating the snot out of one of the world's most powerful men... and then one another. But they're both still standing. Barely.
And then, Bunji starts to laugh. Giggle, really, shaking his head. Even though there's blood dripping from his forehead and probably oozing from countless wounds (mostly inflicted by Iori), Bunji just grunts a little. "My employers would probably want me to try to take you out, too. But... I think I've dodged enough bullets, tonight. Nice fight, Yagami. Your hair's still ridiculous, though."
COMBATSYS: Bunji takes no action.
[ < > /// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Iori
[ < > / ]
|====---\-------\0 Bunji
Iori wasn't even standing, but there wasn't much point in continuing the fight. As a 'team,' they won, after all. Even if he did unleash his rage upon Bunji, the fact that he's laughing, and the fact that Iori found the whole incident humorous, is just a testament to the fact that the two fighters have more in common than they may have realized at first. His laughter dying down, he pushes himself back to his feet. "Maybe some other time, then." And with that, he dusts himself off, holding one hand to his profusely-bleeding nose, as he passes a farewell wave to Bunji, walking off to the south.
Oh, the lucky audience members that get to see this fight unedited.
Bunji makes a rather abrupt 'salute' to Iori as he walks off, before turning to face his Syndicate cohorts. "Alright, folks. Let's move out. Where's my jacket and my shades?" A few moments later, Bunji is dressed nicely again, albeit getting blood all over his fancy suit. Oh, well. The fight was worth it.
Log created by Iori, and last modified on 18:38:09 05/03/2005.