Description: Ralf and Whip, representing the Ikari Warriors, and Vanessa, representing their affiliates, are asked to Kain Heinlein's estate in order to prove whether or not they're worthy enough to conduct business with them. Whip goes above and beyond and shows up either of her elders in this bout.
There's only so much that one man can do, even when that man is as powerful as Kain R. Heinlein. He's wealthy, and has a great deal of personal power, but Geese is wealthier, Kain might grudgingly admit that Howard is stronger, and the Syndicate is an extremely powerful organization. There's no way that Kain can take the entire thing on by himself, and so he's decided to hire some help. Not just anyone will do, though. A group of random thugs could be gathered together easily, but they would be of little practical use against Geese's minions. No, Kain needs people who know what they're doing. And so he's put out some feelers, gotten in touch with some contacts, and paid out some bribes, and gotten word of the Ikari Warriors. And from what he's been able to learn of their track record, he feels that they are likely to be a good choice for his purposes. He's not yet entirely convinced, though.
Becoming convinced is the reason that he's transferred over a sizeable sum of money to the organization, along with an invitation to a 'business meeting' at his mansion, where he will explain to them the details of the mission he wants to hire them for. As well as making sure that they are up to the task. And so he waits at his mansion, servants at the ready to admit his guests, and see to their comfort. Barring any complications on their part they will be buzzed in at the gate, and escorted into the mansion itself. The main hall is an impressive affair, with two staircases leading up to a balcony, between them a large tapestry bearing what is apparently the Heinlein family coat of arms. The Ikaris will only have to wait a few moments though, before their host and prospective employer descends the staircase. He flashes the mercenaries a grin and sketches a quick bow. "Ah, thank you for coming. Welcome to my home."
Well. Some of the Ikari have certainly shone in the fighting circuit, at least, but yes..as a whole, the group is /obviously/ the people to come to in matters like this.
Usually.
To be honest, the message to Heidern wasn't received very well. In his sharp-minded manner, the old cyclops first did his homework, checking on the parties involved, seeing what fact could be dug up before any decision was made. Unfortunately, the Syndicate tries its best to cover its tracks, and Kain himself, he just..mm. The lack of quantifiable information wasn't exactly something that made him comfortable. Still, the chance to do something about the wretched Syndicate was something that could not be passed up. While these..meetings, the desire to meet the crew in person is not a usual thing, this particular job seems to be full of events that break tradition.
For once, Ralf seems to be behaving himself. While not at all dressed up, preferring to sport his usual 'work' duds. Standing ahead of the other mercenaries with him, his posture is noticably straight, all respects given in curt military manner, choosing to salute the people as needed instead of bowing or, god help him, yelling "Holy shit, will you look at this swank motherfucker!" like he really wants to. Kain is given a similar salute once he arrives, feet close together in a stance of attention. "Thank you, sir! Our commander has already given us a briefing on the situation, sir."
So proper. So..not Ralf.
...And how.
Casting an incredulous glance over towards Ralf as she comes alongside him, Vanessa, too, differs from her norm by remaining relatively silent. Out of all of them, she's the only one who remains dressed in business attire. Or pseudo-business attire, dependant on your point of view. Remaining at attention and -all- too tempted to compliment Ralf on his ability to withhold his natural inclinations, she offers Kain a particularly broad smile, followed soon after by a nod of her head in a show of greeting.
Her curiosity is piqued. After all, this may very well be the first time she's used in an intelligence-gathering capacity. Having been contacted by Ling himself, who was similarly incredulous about the entire deal, he of course decided to send her in, given that her backup is due to arrive a few days from now. Learn everything you can, he says. Figure him out, he says.
Pshaw. The moment she gets one look at Kain she can tell it's gonna be a tough deal. Nonetheless, she's here, attentive, and waiting for the eventual shpeil that's undoubtedly going to come out of the aristocrat's mouth.
As far as Whip is concerned, the public records of her fighting are mixed. She has had some amazing performances, and some performances which were less so. She is also popular in some circles for her underhanded, and often cold-blooded assassin style. Perhaps the most popular video clip involving the young Ikari is of her shooting Benimaru in the back of his neck with her pistol. However, despite this, she is an average fighter as far as the professional circuit is concerned... even if it is impressive that one with no apparent previous experience in tournaments and exhibition fights has been doing so well.
However, right now the young woman is in her professional mode. Of course this doesn't make much a difference in her attire. She always seems to be wearing her uniform, no matter the occasion, and this is no exception. In this case though it seems like she has left her pistol and her knife, that she often wears in a holster around her thigh, behind. Voodoo remains with her in its holster, but that's to be expected. Any information would have to make some mention of her strange relationship with her whip.
Kissing it and cuddling it on stage anyone?
When Ralf snaps to a salute, Whip gives him a quick glance. However, she then snaps into attention and performs a similar salute to what Ralf performs. After all, it's best to follow suit with your own commander.
Kain looks over the Ikari Warriors (and associate) for a moment or two before continuing, nodding briefly at Ralf's statement. Specifically, he makes an effort to look each of them in the eyes at least briefly, checking their emotional states. If any of them are feeling anything that might make the rest of this process difficult, the blond man would like to know as soon as possible. "Excellent. I shall explain more, but please... There's no need for us to all stand out here. Follow me, if you would."
Kain begins to stride out of the main foyer, pausing for a moment to make sure that he's being followed. Shortly thereafter he leads his guests into a large dining room, with a table that has apparently just recently been set with a large meal, with enough different dishes to accomodate most tastes. Kain gestures towards the spread with one hand as he walks around toward the head of the table. "Please, help yourselves while we get down to business."
The cost of the meal is certainly of little consequence to someone who obviously has as much money as Kain. And, in fact, he sees it as part of being a proper host. Of course, this is also the start of his testing of the fighters. While even Kain is planning to help himself to some of the food, he's also planning on giving his guests some 'exercise' this evening. And if they're foolish enough to gorge themselves without knowing exactly what he has planned, well, worse luck for them.
Kain gives them some time to eat, or simply politely pick at the food, or whatever other actions they may choose to take, before he continues. "Now, you say that you were briefed by your commander, so I imagine you know the target that I wish you to take action against. However, before I choose to avail myself of your services, I want to know that you are fit for the task at hand. So tell me... Each of you, what do you think it means to be truly strong?" A non sequitur? Perhaps. But although Kain may be eccentric, he's also prepared to offer the Ikaris a great deal of money to take on a group that richly deserves it. So perhaps they'll humor him a bit.
Indeed, Ralf drops his hand, and while he's not marching, follows somewhat closely behind Kain. There's enough room to be prepared for any anti-Ikari tactics the man may see fit to spring upon them, but not far enough back to make the caution excessively obvious. You just never know, right?
The banquet is..astonishing, really! So many lavish foods to choose from in a fair quantity, even for someone as large as Ralf! Mm. It's very tempting to sit down and dig right in, true enough, but..mm. Man. That IS prime rib over there, isn't it? And..lord, that corn looks juicy. Au gratin potatoes? The man is a saint!
"No offense, sir," comes the eventually reply, only after Jones's eyes have sufficiently scanned over the offered meal. It's obvious that he wants to chow down, but at the same time, being..professional is tolerable, at least for a little while. Call it a favor to Heidern, if nothing else. "..But we'll get to celebrating after the job is accepted." He stands right where he is, though his legs are spread a little. Neglecting the 'common' eased stance, his hands rest on his hips, eyes staying mostly focused on the blonde rich boy. Sure, they do wander now and then to take in a bit of the opulence, but for him, it's more comfortable to stick to the task at hand. Honestly, big flashy places make him uncomfortable.
Well, the question. It's..unusual. Is it a trick question? Most clients are simply concerned about their ability to get the job done in those terms, how quickly it can be accomplished, and by what means. Being strong, however..? It's like some..strange test, something absurb like asking what the sound of one hand clapping is. "To attain your goals with the fewest losses possible, sir," Ralf replies quickly, sharply, something he figures is safe enough. It's obviously a very guarded response, but certainly not too witty; this IS Ralf we're talking about, here.
Is this a trick question?
Quirking an eyebrow at Kain's query, Vanessa waits out Ralf's answer before giving her own. It's on she has to ponder, at least, and ponder she does-- all the while admiring the insides of the structure, holding back the appreciative whistle she knows is about to play over her lips. Thankfully, she withholds it in time. That aside... the Estate, Kain himself, the question asked... the -food-... There's a lot about this that doesn't sit entirely well with her, but as Ralf's told her time and time again: if their money's green...
She, similarly, doesn't appear to be all that interested in getting down to eating just yet. She's got enough fuel in her to last her through whatever Kain decides to throw at them, and besides... given some of the dishes she's seeing, it'll be one of those Pecan Theory deals. Namely, once you have -one-...
"In accordance to the question, though," she begins after Ralf's made his own comment, even if it doesn't address the question at hand, "Even if it isn't exactly an expected one, it depends on what type of strenght you're talking about." Here it comes. The philosophical psychobabble she's become known for. "You can be physically handicapped and still have the will and drive to excell well past what most citizens are able."
Beat.
"So I suppose the answer'd be somewhere along the lines of will. Being able to surpass the odds you've been handed without succumbing to depression once it's obvious that you might not end up as one of the big names in history. Being willing to, anyway. Get past what you were, or are, and do what you have to to not only survive, but succeed." ...The ammended, unspoken part of that being 'holy shit I sound like a greeting card. Or a PBS special.' "A bit more longwinded than the Lieutenant's answer, but there you have it."
Carefully watching, and taking, her cues from Ralf, Whip lets her hand drop back to her side when he does. She then follows behind Ralf and slightly to one side of him. She isn't marching either, but has been with the Ikari long enough by now to know how to follow her superior officer's example. Even when earlier she was half-expecting him to act as if it were business as usual.
Especially when Kain rolls out an entire banquet! In Whip's case though, her eyes don't drift towards the prime rib, au gratin potatoes, or even to the corn. Her eyes drift towards the desert line. Though perhaps not on the table yet, she's certaintly interested in what sugary treats they'll be serving once the other food is finished. Cheesecake? Pecan Pie? A cake with more layers than the Titanic had decks? She'll take it. Especially if they have some honey to slather on top of it. However, there is no visible indication of her cravings. Save perhaps for her drooling a bit within her mouth, but she's more professional than to just do so in front of everybody.
However, when Ralf doesn't sit down, nor does Whip. Instead she rests comfortably in what would be called a 'Parade Rest' position. Her arms behind her back, and her legs spread to shoulder width. Meanwhile she just listens to the question, and then the answers given by her superior and the associate. She first looks towards Ralf, and his typical military response. After all, that's the mark of a good general... to go into battle, achieve your objectives, and get out with as few losses as possible.
On the other hand, Vanessa takes a slightly more cerebral approach to the question. This Whip can appreciate a lot more. After all, she has only been a part of the Ikari for a small amount of time, in the grand scheme of things. So once Ralf and Vanessa are finished, this leaves Whip to her own response. And how would she respond? She had been taught before the Ikari that strength was perfection in mind and body. In the Ikari she had been taught that there was something more, however...
"Though I am certain my response will be more poignant or correct than those before me, my belief is that true strength comes from the ability to do what you think is right. Even when it comes to sacrificing yourself for others." She pauses for a second, "Even if it comes to nothing..."
Discipline and self-control are praiseworthy traits. The fact that the Ikaris don't immediately jump in the meal speaks well of them, although it's not a point that would have been important enough to make or break the deal. The answer to his question is, on the other hand, rather important to Kain. He's not expecting any miracles from the mercenaries, but if they were to all give poor answers he'd be rather displeased. Ralf's response is sufficient, and Whip's is closer to what he might have hoped than he thought he'd get. Vanessa, though, gets looked at for several moments with an inscrutable expression. While her answer is not precisely the best that could have been given, it contains most of the elements that Kain really wants to hear.
Kain nods suddenly, apparently to himself, then looks back to his guests with a smile. "Very good. Well, if you'd prefer to wait on dinner, I do have one test for you to complete. If you can accomplish it then I will pay whatever you require in order to direct your actions against the Syndicate. Please, follow me." He then gestures to some of the servants, instructing them to do what's necessary to keep the food ready for later.
A short walk later and Kain has led the mercenaries out through a pair of glass doors to the yard behind the mansion. The pool and tennis courts that are visible a short distance off are probably not unexpected in a ritzy place like this, but the dirt circle, ringed off by low stone blocks doesn't fit in quite as well. It does appear to be about the perfect size for holding a fight in, though. Kain steps into the center of the circle, then turns to face the mercenaries. "Your task is a simple one. Knock me out of this circle, by any means necessary. If any of you fall out of the circle, however, you are no longer allowed to assist. And I assure you, I won't make this easy for you."
COMBATSYS: Kain has started a fight here.
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Kain 0/-------/-------|
[OOC] Ralf says, "Aw snap."
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has joined the fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Ralf has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vanessa
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Kain 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Whip has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vanessa
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Kain has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vanessa
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Oh, Vanessa.. If empathy serves you /at all/, the thoughts of 'apple polisher' and the like are just screaming from Ralf's head. Okay, sure, the answer was good..FOR A CLASSROOM. It seems there's another thing he'll think about bringing up to the redheaded newbie. It's a shame that he doesn't know about the answer's effect on Kain, though.
So, as before, Ralf follows the blonde man, silently mourning the loss of an immediate meal. Maybe...just maybe..if there were scores of liquor bottles around, he and Vanessa would jump right in, fighting over some of the better stuff. What an impression that would make! In any case, Jones gets the notion of what the ring is for; there really aren't many uses for such a thing, in such an area. That the host offers HIMSELF as the sacrifice, though..? Well. "..What? All of us against you?" He glances briefly to either side of him, just to make sure the two ladies didn't get snatched up by secret cave monsters or something, like they did in that one game. Something about some kind of snake.
Still, the guy looks serious about it! A helpless shrug is given as Ralf digs into his pockets, pulling out a second fingerless glove to adorn his other hand. "Oi, Whippie. You've got the range, toss our potential boss out of the ring so we can get us some food, huh?"
Finally, he's acting like himself. Unprofessional as hell, but..you know, fighting is now involved! That, coupled with the strange cirucmstances, are enough to treat this a bit more like a casual thing. Let's just say that..right now, to Ralf, Kain's a bit on the odd side.
COMBATSYS: Ralf focuses on his next action.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
[OOC] Ralf says, "Watch Whip totally get a critical hit on her first move. :|"
[OOC] Whip says, "Actually it'll be a step up from even a critical. It'll be like '-=*zOMG Critical Hit*=-'"
The look that Kain gives her is odd enough so far as Vanessa's concerned. Of course, with the growliness that's practically radiating off of Ralf, she can't help but spare a brief glance towards the man. True to form, she's -tempted- to stick her tongue out at him, given how pinched and childish his own expression is for all of the split second that their gazes meet. Instead, she merely smiles back at the man, either of her hands clasping behind her back.
While thoughts of beating the snot out of the older merc for booze is certainly there, her current interest is the offer made as they're lead out to the ring, her expression showing her bemusement quite clearly. He wants them to knock him straight out of a ring? ...Well, fair enough. At this point, the blonde aristocrat would be a fool not to notice the raw determination that flares up in the redhead, her shoulders rolling once... twice.... before she assumes a offensive position, her eyes moving from Ralf to Whip as the 'order' is made, a sly smile crossing over her features.
With plain amusement, she extends her hand to the young Ikari girl, saying, "Or just feel free to use me as an able-bodied projectile like you did the last time we fought together," the rememberance of being flung headlong towards Freeman only to land a -serious- punch against his head still quite clear in her memory as she gathers up her energy.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa focuses on her next action.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
-=*HOLY SHIT HIS BRAINS LEAKED OUT WTF*=-
(>^^)> _>.>/ />.>/ <.</ I~K~A~R~I D~A~N~C~E P~A~R~T~Y >.>/ <.<\ <.<_ <(^^<)
Following behind the others, Whip isn't exactly depressed to leave the food behind. After all, despite being a sugar fiend, she isn't a total food nut like some people. The only case where she has to rush eating is in the mess hall, and that's because if you aren't done before Ralf is done... then you aren't eating the rest of your food. Speaking of Ralf, and Vanessa, Whip cannot help but grin at the silent trade between the two. In cases like this, she almost feels like she's the most mature one... even if both of these adults beat her by almost two decades.
Of course, being more mature than these two isn't exactly something to be proud of...
Out and into the yard, Whip notices the ring set-up for the exhibition battle. She knows that Kain is a strong fighter - impressively so, even. Before attending this dinner she thought that fighting might be involved, knowing his abilities from the reports at the Ikari base. In fact, the only reason her pistol and knife aren't in their holsters was because she thought it'd be rude to bring one to a business meeting... not because she didn't think she would be using them.
To knock him out though... well then. Whip steps in the ring beside Ralf and Vanessa. She looks over towards her commander when he gives her the order, and she nods, "Yes sir." She then reaches behind her back and draws Voodoo from its holster. The serpentine, azure whip flows in a fluid manner as she lets it rest briefly out on the ground before drawing it back into her hand. She grins towards Vanessa, "It won't be necessary this time, though thank you for the offer." She then coils the whip in a loose loop that she holds in one hand and pauses for a second...
... two seconds, and then suddenly she lunges with surprising speed! First forward and then into a crouching position. Her knees and boots slide briefly through the dirt, bringer her slightly closer, before she unleashes Voodoo directly towards Kain. She tries to grab Voodoo around his neck and then, using all her strength, sling him behind her and out of the ring!
COMBATSYS: Whip successfully hits Kain with Boomerang Shot EX.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Despite the fact that Kain challeneged the mercenaries to come at him and knock him out of the ring, he doesn't appear to do much in the way of assuming a defensive stance. His pose is casual, left hand resting in his pocket as he watches the other fighters step into the ring. When neither Ralf nor Vanessa come at him he casts his gaze toward Whip, in time to see her drawing out Voodoo. When she does lunge forward, though, she moves with more speed than the blond was expecting, and although he starts to move out of the way she still manages to coil the whip around his neck. Her plan to toss him out of the ring doesn't quite succeed, however. Kain digs his feet into the ground as he's slung back, digging furrows in the dirt and drastically reducing the speed of his flight. He still falls to the ground, but with enough room to roll backwards and spring back to his feet. "Now, I did say that I wouldn't make it easy for you. After all, the Syndicate surely won't."
And now Kain demonstrates why he was confident enough to let all three fighters enter the ring with him. He dashes over toward Whip, almost seeming to glide across the ground as he moves. Once he's closed in on the girl he lashes out with a standing kick, his foot swinging up to impact with her chest and launch her into the air. Just before it hits, though, all three guests at the mansion get a surprise as a cloud of purple flames erupts from Kain's leg, threatening to engulf Whip as she flies up into the air. Kain doesn't stop there, though, leaping up to follow the girl, blasting more flames out from his hands in an attempt to send Whip flying down at an angle in the general direction of Ralf, Vanessa, and the edge of the ring.
COMBATSYS: Whip dodges Kain's Schwarze Lanze.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Woo! Victory already! With Whip's ..uh, whip snapping around Kain's neck, this fight's as good as dinner. I mean done. Dinner is waiting, and it'll still be hot when they return! Seriously, the pompous ways rich people have, it's almost sic--
..Mm. Wait. Ralf's silent celebration, his wide and cocky grin, are both premature. Kain is a..tenacious little shit, indeed. There IS a low mutter as the move fails, and then..the blonde guy starts coming for them! It's a bad thing to stick in a clump and be easily handled all at once, even Ralf knows this. He moves to the side, gesturing with a wave of his arm to fan out; if the others are smart, they'll have kept one eye on him, with the other on their opponent. Thankfully..Jones, the big lug, doesn't have to deal with the oncoming attack, something that he, honestly, was not prepared for! It seems this guy ISN'T just some spoiled runt!
Thankfully, Whip /is/ prepared. "OI! Red!" he yells out, taking a single step to his left to get Kain a bit further between he and Vanessa. His left leg bends instead of planting firmly, squatting down in a familiar manner to the other two. His body leans forward, right hand slinging down and punching the dirt, sending up a tuft of grains as he pushes off with those powerful legs. His feet swing out in front of him in midair, the odd push causing his body to spin, attempting to connect a most unorthodox drop kick with Kain's back, while Whip is busy getting the frilly blue fuck out of the way of violet DEATH.
COMBATSYS: Kain just-defends Ralf's Ralf Kick!
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Whip 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Vanessa doesn't celebrate just yet. After all, she can see the blast that's coming by way of retaliation. Sure, she's pleased enough to see Whip land the blow, but she's -sure- as hell not thrilled to see how quickly the man recovers. It's a good gage of his strengths-- something she's watching with every heartbeat, every motion. Quick, able, and more than willing to make this tremendously difficult for all three of them.
Never let it be said, however, that the redhead doesn't like a challenge.
The moment Ralf sounds off is the moment she puts herself into motion, rushing up alongside Kain as he absorbs the force of the blow that the elder IKari imparts upon him. Shouting out a "Hey, blondie!" only -seconds- before the hit comes in, she doesn't bother when an uppercut from this angle since she'd... essentially... be uh... socking him square in the armpit. Instead, should he turn, or even try to defend, her fist lashes out instantly to whomp him straight in the back of the head, intending on at -least- staggering him for Whip's next attack. That in mind, she's just as quick to get the hell out of the way for the girl to launch whatever assault she has in mind.
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Vanessa's Dash Puncher.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Almost immediately after her attack lands, but fails to deliver, Whip's eyebrow raises noticably. Though she didn't manage to sling him, having stopped himself without removing the whip from around his neck would have surely strangled him quite a bit. If he were a normal person, and not a fighter, the resulting whiplash would have probably snapped their neck! In this case though, Kain hardly looks worse for wear. Of course, Whip doesn't look that surprised... but then again, she does look shocked at how quickly he mounts his counter-attack.
She quickly dodges out of the way. Ducking under the kick, and then into a roll, she manages to move out back behind Kain while giving Ralf and Vanessa a free chance to attack. Sure she didn't manage to get him out of the ring, but at least she knows she can hit him.
As the others fight on the other end of the ring, Whip watches silently. At first there is a concerned twitch of her eyebrow as he just, kinda-sorta, absorbs the kick that Ralf laid upon him. Thankfully, the second blow manages to strike... but it did little more than tickle from the looks of things. However, the fact that both are striking at and distracting Kain from the front gives Whip an advantage. Not much of one, since from this distance even her options are limited. So instead of striking head on she waits for her moment, giving her companions a chance to properly set her up for an attack before she goes in. Hoping that, well, one of them doesn't end up on the outside of the ring before she's ready.
COMBATSYS: Whip focuses on her next action.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
As Kain lands from his jump he quickly takes stock of the situation. His attack missed Whip, which means he's still got three fighters on their feet to worry about. He hears the call from Ralf and turns just in time to see the man hurtling feet first toward him. And then he simply /stops/ Ralf in mid air, catching the other man's feet against his hands and failing to budge even an inch. Which is good, or else he might have gotten knocked into Vanessa's attack. As it is, he quickly spins around, taking the blow on his shoulder rather than to the head.
He continues spinning around, though, ducking down slightly as he reaches 180 degrees, then coming up again while lashing out with his foot, around which purple flames flare to life. If Ralf managed to land in a standing position, Kain attempts to slam his foot into the center of the man's chest, purple fire exploding from his foot on impact. If he didn't manage to get up, then Kain still attempts to land an explosive kick to his chest, although it'll be more likely to make him roll than go flying back.
COMBATSYS: Ralf fails to interrupt Schwarzer Stob from Kain with Super Argentine Backbreaker.
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Whip 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Kain
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Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Damn! Colliding with Kain's shoulder SHOULD have been good, it should have hurt like a hairy horny bitch, but..it's just..mm. Doesn't quite make sense. Ralf literally bounces off of the man, is if trying to kick open a three-foot steel door or something, landing on his back in a most uncivilized manner. Charles Barkley would be ashamed!
Still, he's quick to get up in a half-roll, half-lurch up to his feet. There's a grunt of surprise, admittedly, as the man's foot just comes SCREAMING at him. Jones does what he can, in this instance: he catches it. Or tries, anyway. The blow to his chest is tolerable; it's like colliding with a tank, he's certainly felt worse. The accompanying shock of sissy purple fire, though? Mmm. THAT is a bit painful. The blast sends the Ikari back, landing on his side now, legs lifted and arms across his chest. Okay, so..mm. That.. That fucking hurt. Sliding still, he slows just in time for his back to just kind of 'dink' against the stone rim, but thankfully not across it. Give him a second to get up here.. Christ..
Ohhhh, shit.
This guy's quick. Worse than that, the fact that he's even faster than she'd originally gave him credit isn't sitting too well with Vanessa at the moment. As if it would at any given moment. Keeping either of her hands raised and clenched, the boxer hisses out a breath as Ralf decides to practically throw himself against Kain's foot, something that MIGHT be more comical if this weren't wholly serious.
In this, she takes a gamble. Whether or not it lands, she's not -entirely- sure she cares; at the moment, all she's interested in is... strolling up to him from behind, apparently. The only thing he'll feel immediately is a tap on his shoulder, light, but insistant. What comes -afterwards-... well, that's up to him.
COMBATSYS: Kain dodges Vanessa's Puncher Weaving.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Whip 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Good. He's bright.
*WHIFF!*
Laughing lightly at how easily he sneaks away from the first attempted sock to the face, Vanessa takes a couple steps back, assuming a more defensive posture as she cants her head to the side. "Just testing," she demures, apparently more amused than she is frustrated by the fight that's taking place. "Wouldn't do to have you so arrogant that you completely ignore other potentials."
For the last round, Whip has been pretty much on the sidelines. She has been waiting for an opening to form, allowing her another strike. However, instead she just finds her team-mates in a bad place. Ralf, for example, is on the ground... quite clearly in pain. Meanwhile, Vanessa's attacks either do little-to-nothing against Kain's block, or Kain just ends up dodging out of the way. However, while Vanessa is sneaky, Whip is sneakier.
Out of the Ikaris, Whip is the closest to being a ninja. That is, as close as one can get without ending up sending Ralf and Clark into half-insane conniptions. This is evidenced when somehow she just disappears. Well, she doesn't disappear, she just somehow manages to move silently while her team-mates are busy trying their darnedest to pummel Kain. After Vanessa's attack fails to connect, Whip decides to make her own gamble. However, this time she tries to attack him right after his dodge. She runs directly towards him! But instead of attacking, she tries to flip up and over his head.
While flipping through the air she tries to loop her whip around her neck. If successful she'll use this, and her momentum from landing to sling him up and over her shoulder - and directly into the ground! Otherwise, well, at least it'll look nice and flashy.
COMBATSYS: Whip successfully hits Kain with Zed.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Whip 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Kain lands from slamming his foot into Ralf's chest, and just then he feels somebody tapping him on the shoulder. He doesn't bother waiting to see what it's about, instead spinning to one side, only facing Vanessa after he's gotten out of range of her fists. He looks like he's about to respond to her, but while her tactic didn't allow her to get her own hit in, it /does/ distract Kain just long enough from Whip, who's been lurking on the sidelines. A flash of movement catches his eye, and he looks up just as Voodoo wraps around his neck and he's hauled off of his feet and slammed into the ground.
Kain quickly gets back to his feet, rubbing at his neck a bit. By now he's got some visible marks from having a whip wrapped around him several times and used to drag him about. "Ah, that's good. I should have been paying more attention. Well played!" Having said that, Kain doesn't play around any longer, instead flinging his arm out in Whip's direction, as she was the last one to get a good hit in on him. His hand flares up with purple flames, and once it's pointed in Whip's direction the flames leap off, zooming toward her in the form of two fireballs which spiral around one another.
COMBATSYS: Whip dodges Kain's Schwarze Flame.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Whip 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Pff. Tactics? Ralf IS tactics. His tactics consist of jumping in, beating your face, and going out for liquor. THIS IS THE IMMUTABLE LAW! ALL ARE SUBJECT TO IT!
For his credit, he doesn't take long in getting up. Holding up to his reputation of being a tough son of a bitch, he stands quickly, leaning back to right his joints. He's grinning, though. Despite taking that hit full-on in the frontside, he's looking fucking ecstatic. "Ain't that somethin'.." he muses, looking at the pansy as he dodges into a throw, totally passing up the opportunity to praise Whip on a job well done. "The pretty boy can actually fight." There's no more waiting to get back into the fray, finally thrilled at this little meeting. It's like a real fight, a challenge, not a simple beating up of some spoiled rich brat! Though..that's exactly what Ralf tries to do. Coming in from the side, as soon as that damnable projectile is let go..or possibly before, as if to stray it from its course..Jones returns with spirit too, asshole! His right hand is raised and pulled back in a tight fist, a deep cry of effort bellowed as he lashes out, aiming a violent punch toward the dead center of Kain's head. This is accompanied with a powerful burst of reddish-orange flame and wisps of smoke, as well as the loud explosion of gunpowder going off, for effect.
COMBATSYS: Kain just-defends Ralf's Bomb Punch!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Whip 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Vanessa, for her part, will just pretend that that was completely intentional. The distraction, anyway. As it is, it worked beautifully.
What -doesn't- work beautifully is the fact that Kain once again absorbs Ralf's attempt to hit him, causing her to blink considerably. Well, shit. It's surprising, in its way, that the same girl who virtually crumbled underneath all of the boxer's punches is the one landing all the shots. As it's been said, however... Kain's luck in this can't last forever. In this case, using a dirty tactic isn't above her.
Considering, of course, that this jackass is all but ignoring her.
That in mind, she doesn't tap him this time. Oh, no. Coming in from behind as Ralf makes it a point to try and barrel into him, the first thing Kain will feel is a swift *CRACK* across the back of his head. PRovided he doesn't absorb THAT, too.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Kain with Machine Gun Puncher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Whip 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
Which, of course, he doesn't.
Grinning in a way that's almost wolfish, Vanessa uses the momentum of that first hit to whip the man around, putting him in prime position for the fierce back-and-forth shots across his head. There's six in all, each step she takes forwards driving the man back towards the edge of the ring as she uses his head as a punching bag. The entire attack ends with one -brutal- slam of her fist straight against his face, her intent to throw him over the line in this specific case. It's doubtful it'll work as well as she'd like, but you never know.
Thus far, Whip has been amazingly lucky. As is shown when she manages to all-so-easily sneak up on her opponent and then land an attack on him. As soon as her attack is finished she disengages Voodoo from around his neck and coils it back into her hand... however, she has little time to celebrate. Soon enough she finds herself face to face with a bloom of purple flame, two of them in fact. Both of them orbiting around each other in a violent dance as they fly directly towards her at insane speed! She quickly side steps out of the way, though in the end the flame still manages to scorch some of her hair.
Brushing the singed strands out of her face, Whip steps back for a moment to allow her comrades a chance to land a hit. Ralf finally managed to get up, but to Whip's dismay, once again his attack seems to do absolutely nothing. In fact, Kain somehow seems to absorb it. Meanwhile, she glances over towards Vanessa as she begins her attack. She winces slightly, remembering her own meeting with that vicious combo. Now, once again, she has a chance to make a mark.
Doubting that Vanessa's attack is enough to push her opponent over the line, she lashes out Voodoo. This time attempting to grip Kain around one of his arms, and then use the momentum of him stumbling backwards to try and pull herself towards her opponent! If successful, she'll end with a vicious kick directly in his face, both adding to the recent punch Vanessa placed there and also trying to add to the momentum to push him out of the ring.
COMBATSYS: Whip successfully hits Kain with Strength Shot - Yuuetsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Whip 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
Once again Kain simply stops Ralf's attack with his hand, his own purple flames flaring up around the explosion caused by Ralf's fist, apparently defusing any damage the attack might have done. He's not, however, quite so lucky with Vanessa's attack. The blow to the back of the head staggers him for just long enough to get turned around, and then the rest of the punches are enough to keep him occupied for a few moments as he's pushed back toward the edge of the ring. Vanessa's last punch isn't quite enough to send him out of the ring, but it comes close. He almost falls over backwards, and he's left balanced in an extremely precarious position. Whip's attack does very little to help this, yanking him even further off balance as Voodoo snares his arm, and then the kick to the face is enough to finally send him falling over backwards, and out of the ring.
Kain doesn't stay down for long, though, getting back to his feet and brushing some dust off his clothes. Despite the repeated blows to the face he doesn't look that bad off, although it looks like there'll be at least a little bruising. If nothing else, this fight has shown that he's obviously much tougher than he looks. And then he grins, and claps his hands briefly. "Very well done. I'd have been quite disappointed if you'd simply gone for a straight fight, without trying at least a few tricks." He rubs at his throat for a moment, then continues. "I'm quite satisfied by what I've seen here. Shall we head back inside for dinner, and to finalize the deal?"
And indeed, Kain is at least moderately impressed. Being willing to use dirty tricks is a good trait in his book. Whip and Vanessa are obviously quite skilled at that. And although Ralf didn't manage to do much harm to him, he /was/ able to feel the strength behind those blows, and the man provided a very good distraction for the women to take care of.
COMBATSYS: Kain has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Whip 0/-------/----===|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
That..that's it? The man goes down once, and..
Ralf looks..mm. Stunned isn't the best word. Flabbergasted, that's more like it. Even as Kain gets up, all he can do is look down at his right hand, the thing still balled up into a tight fist, hard enough to show a faint shaking along the end of his lower arm. The words from Kain, commendable as they are, have to sift through the man's brain for a few seconds, as they don't immediately register. Tricks, dinner..deal? Deal. Right, the reason for this whole trip.
"That won't be necessary," he says as sternly as he can, dropping his hand to his side as he stands up straight, jaw clenched to the point that his teeth grind rather audibly to him. "We're simply the grunts, we don't handle the actual procedures and contracts. These events will be relayed to our superior, and the appropriate parties will take it from there." He does a good job of keeping his voice level. Again, his right hand raises, hand and fingers extended and flat as they touch against his temple in a salute identical to the first this evening.
"If there are no more questions, we have things to attend to."
COMBATSYS: Ralf has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Whip 0/-------/----===|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
Blink.
Vanessa can't help but be a little surprised by the demeanor that Ralf takes, though she can't begrudge him that. After all... she'd be just as frustrated and wanting to stomp the hell off. In fact, she'd probably be swearing a whoooooooole lot more than the elder Ikari is. Which is to say, every other word would be 'fuck,' 'shit,' or 'cocksucker.' Straightening out her suit and, similarly, adjusting her tie, the redhead offers a brief nod towards Kain, though she's... erm... infinitely tempted to take part in the meal that's been offered to them.
Ten bucks says the moment she got out, Ralf'd divebomb her immediately.
"I'm sure Ling'll process whatever it is you have to say once you contact him on the side, as well," she notes to him. "The man responsible for my training should be arriving rather soon, so if you'd like me to include him on whatever it is you have planned, you'd do yourself well to inform Ling before anyone else. If you've any doubts about his skill, let be just say that he's largely responsible for teaching me everything that I know." Or at least most of it.
BUt that's about all she's got to say about it. If Kain did his research, he knows full well who Ling is, and what capacity he serves.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Whip 0/-------/----===|
As Whip's final attack strikes home, the young woman disengages Voodoo from his neck and kicks away from him. Landing safely back into the circle, the young woman takes time to push some of the hair out of her eyes as she watches Kain fall. A simple smile alights on her lips, and she states, "Game Over." A favorite line of hers, apparently. She holds out one arm so she can coil her whip around her arm expertly, before bringing her arm towards her so she can give the azure Voodoo a tender kiss. Once finished, she pulls the whip from her arm and replaces the whip in its holster.
She then walks up to stand behind and to the side of her commander as he talks to Kain. In all, she seems in good spirits after the fight. At worst she has lost some hair, and the kneels of her uniform are slightly soiled with the dirt they slid through. Other than that though, she is unmarked... which is amazing considering whose chi she was facing down twice during this fight. She just stands there and listens to Ralf as he speaks, slightly surprised that he hasn't said a single obscenity tonight. However, she can tell by the edge in his voice that he isn't happy.
Not happy one bit... and neither is Whip either. Her eyes slide towards the side of Ralf's head as he says they won't be enjoying the dinner Kain had prepared. But... but... there's cake! My GOD the Titanic of all cakes! The cheesecake, pecan pie, red velvet, coconut, upside down, right side up, inside out and filled with sugary goodness! However, Whip's face doesn't even twitch. Instead she just gives Kain a similar salute when Ralf does so, and other than that doesn't say anything at all. After all, she's the real grunt in this circumstance.
Kain simply nods as Ralf makes the decision for the group. He doesn't seem overly disappointed that they'll be skipping out on dinner, but neither does he seem eager to shoo them off of his property. And he'll definitely be keeping on eye on them. He may not have the military power some of the underground organizations out there, but well, one has to start somewhere, right? "Well, if you must go... But then, I imagine your line of work does keep you very busy. Please, let me escort you to the door."
Kain may be, ah, eccentric, but he's quite capable of being nice to people who manage to earn at least some his respect, and the mercenaries have managed to do that. They're hardly as perfect as they could be, but few people are. He also nods to Vanessa as he begins leading the way back to the front of the mansion. "I will be sure to contact him. Having more people available is sure to be useful."
Log created by Vanessa, and last modified on 10:15:36 06/11/2005.