Description:
A calm, relaxing day in Southtown's Chinatown district, and for once the dreaded Katana - leader of Mad Gear - isn't out causing a ruckus. Him and his gang have been rather active the past few days, starting a wave of crime that has spread across Southtown - and oddly enough, the Syndicate has yet to put their foot down. Most likely Katana is wise enough to not touch any businesses that they back, and has been allowed to continue his criminal ways in the Japanese city because of this.
But not today. The Mad Gear goons have been given the day off - ordered, in fact, to try and stay out of any trouble. They needed a day to relax and recuperate, after the beating some of them received at the hands of a Gedo mob. Katana sits outside of a local noodle shop, deep in thought as he utilizes his chopsticks with some degree of skill, shovelling food into the hole on his mask and slurping it up.
The massive, 6'7" man, seated in a small chair and hunched over a bowl of noodles, certainly does receive a lot of attention from passerbys. Many of which point at his bizarre, samurai-esque armour.. is there a costume contest going on today?
'Dreaded.'
As Vanessa makes it a point to order some food from one of the roadside vendors, the quaint noodles and decidedly aromatic broth something of a craving, she has to pause mid-bite upon seeing the massive leader of Mad Gear, her eyebrows raising considerably. Now, do keep in mind-- when you get curbstomped by two people within the same week, you begin to see chance encounters like this as an opportunity. Thusly...
Slooowly sneaking up behind the man after scarfing down the rest of her own food, the redhead is infinitely careful not to alert his attention. As is, t-shirt and jeans with her hair tied back in a ponytail, she's not -as- recognizable as she could be. That gives her some points in her favor, even if she is one of the Obvious Americans in Southtowh. However!
When she puts her mind to it, she's apparently quite stealthy.
Once she'swithin range, the fact that Katana is leaning over his food gives her an idea. Whether or not it -works-...
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has started a fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to counter Jab Punch from Vanessa with Shiraha Catch.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Katana
BAM.
The heel of her hand is shoved heavily against the back of the man's head, her intent to send his face straight into the noodles regardless of any attempts to circumvent the attack. And HELL YEAH did that feel good.
"SO much for being the 'mighty leader' you claim to be," she teases him, either of her gloved hands venturing into her pockets. "Ever get outta that get-up? You look like an extra in a bad movie."
His masked face splashing into the noodles, the massive man lets out a surprised grunt as he rubs the back of his head. Leaping out of his seat, the massive man lands on top of the table and then backflips down to the ground - landing a few feet away from Vanessa and eyeing her with a mixture of confusion and anger.
And then he recognizes the woman.. they had an encounter once, and apparently the woman saw fit to follow up on it. "Your funeral.." mutters the massive gang leader, as he reaches one hand behind his back, withdrawing one of his two wakizashi.. and this one isn't his regular weapon, either. It's encrusted with jewels and quite clearly crafted by an expert, the blade shining with a blue hue. The gift from that strange businessman, being put to use.
It's impressive, sure...
But she knows how the guy fights. Even if he has gotten a couple good hits off on her, she's done worse to him. And -this- time, he won't get out of it by running. At least, that's the hope.
"Try again, jackass," Vanessa replies, either of her hands raising into fists. "Given what happened last time, I'm damned surprised you're not running for the hills-- not that I don't expect you to try that kind of escape route again." Grinning broadly, she watches him for a time, getting a good idea of where to aim her next attack. "-This- time, I'm gonna make sure you -can't- run. With all the shit you'n yours causes around here... I don't think anyone in their right mind'd try to stop me from snapping -both- of your legs."
Now that we've got the posturing out of the way...
Darting towards the man with the same speed she'd used throughout her last fight with him, the boxer throws one hell of an uppercut towards the underside of his jaw, trying like hell to, once again, snap that ridiculous mask clean off his face. She -will- this time. She's -determined-.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Katana with Dash Puncher.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Katana
"You think I fear you, woman? So you can throw a punch. It does not make you a warrior!" bellows the massive Katana, swinging his wakizashi around dangerously as he eyes Vanessa. When she comes rushing towards him, a forearm is raised - but not quick enough, the fist slamming up under his jaw, sending his feet a few inches off the ground as he flies backwards. Landing on his feet, the big man cradles his jaw with one hand and lets out an annoyed snarl.
"Hmph! It has only just begun, American! En garde!" With that warning, Katana suddenly lunged forward - his long stride carrying him towards Vanessa at a startling speed. Rearing back with one arm, he aims to drive the tip of his wakizashi straight into the woman's midsection.
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Vanessa with Butsumetsu Buster.
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Vanessa 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Katana
The weapon's blade slides effortlessly into the woman's solid midsection, Katana letting out a laugh as he reaches one hand around his back, drawing the other wakizashi and slamming it into her stomach as well. With a firm grip on the hilts of his weapons, the massive man leaps into the air - carrying Vanessa up to the apex of his jump, at which point he switches positions into a powerbomb slam. Hurtling back towards the ground, Katana brings Vanessa down with him - making sure that she gets the worst of the fall, slamming her down onto the back of her neck from several feet in the air.
...Oh jesus.
While she's well prepared to knock aside the blades, Vanessa finds herself neatly impaled along either of her sides, the hitch in her breath indicative of how that's likely to feel. So... really, she's been shot at least once in her tenure here. Had a knife pin her foot to the ground. But impaled? That's a new feeling entirely. Lifted up into the air and then instantly thrown back towards the ground, the redhead loosens an obvious yelp as she makes impact. Her system is in a mild state of shock, but that by no means derails any attempts at retaliation. Not by a long shot.
Grunting as the blades are withdrawn, she uses the proximity to the best of her advantage, practically lunging at the man in order to bring him down with her, no matter -how- much the twin abdominal wounds are bleeding. And -christ- do those types of wounds bleed. Disregarding that, if she -makes- the tackle, he'll be regretting that manuever.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Katana with Forbidden Eagle.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Katana
Once she's on top of him, the redhead *SLAMS* her fist into the man's face, rebounding his head off of the ground beneath him as the trail of amber energy that comes behind it threatens to swing in and split through armor and face alike. The -second- comes down with the same hellbent ferocity-- and as is, the boxer is loathe to allow him any leeway in this. Getting back to her feet and staggering back a couple paces, she loops an arm around her midsection, breathing slowly. It's not hard to center herself to the effects of it, but the bloodloss -will- eventually get to her.
Before he even has a chance to mock the fallen woman, she's back on her feet, tackling Katana to the ground and pulverizing his mask with two devastating punches - the helmet covering his face barely able to withstand the impact. It takes him a few seconds to get back to his feet, his head pounding and his vision swimming as he noticeably stumbles. Still clutching both wakizashi, the man doesn't seem too quick to press the attack, at least not until he gathers his wits.
"Like I said.. you can throw a punch. You have no honour, attacking a man while he eats! But I suppose such is the way of you Americans.." mutters the gang leader, crossing his arms and staring straight at Vanessa - paying no heed to the citizens watching them. "So, come. Finish me off."
COMBATSYS: Katana focuses on his next action.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Katana
Keeping her wits about her as best she can, Vanessa keeps her arm around her waist, the blood that is seeping out doing a good job of welling up along her arm and putting one hell of a stain on the grey shirt she's wearing. Her breathing remains as steady as it can, her eyes attuned to the man and the fact that he's sizing up her own defenses. The only thing she can do?
"You run crime sprees all over town," she says, "And you're talking to -me- about honor?"
Reaching over with her free hand to take hold of the ruined bowl he was eating out of, she *HEFTS* it straight towards the man's head, determined to bounce it off of the crack in the helmet and further damage his attempts to disguise himself. She -wants- to see who this guy is, past the ridiculous name he's got and the even -more- ridiculous accent.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Katana with Thrown Object.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1 Katana
"Hmph. I am not a criminal by choice, woman. I do what must be done to ensure the glorious future of Metro City! You have not seen the things that I have. You cannot understand the evil of Mayor Haggar until you have seen it with your own eyes!" bellows Katana, rushing towards Vanessa and taking the heavy bowl right in the head. Cracks are appearing on his mask... not a good sign. But he still runs, waving both wakizashi dangerously as he approaches the boxer.
<Slippery breath inside banjo melted! RUNNY SMOKY!> yells the gang leader, before making a final lunge and aiming to once again impale the American woman in the midsection with his weapons.
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Vanessa with Ten Chuu Satsu.
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Vanessa 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Katana
Success!
The weapons once again piercing skin and sliding into flesh, Katana leaps into the air with Vanessa once again - delivering her to the cement with another brutalizing powerbomb.. but this time, the gang leader doesn't withdraw his blades afterwards. Instead, he drags her back to her feet by pulling up on the wakizashi, leaping high into the air and slamming her down again. Leaving her on the ground this time, the massive man begins to run down the street, dragging Vanessa along by the tips of the blades. He speeds up, getting quicker and quicker until the boxer's back actually bursts into flames from the friction.
Skidding to a sudden halt and pulling out his wakizashi from the woman's flesh, Katana allows her to slide forward until she reaches a stop.
Yelping just as audibly this time as she did the last, though this time out of the renewed pain along her insides-- quite literally-- Vanessa is barely cognizant of the last few blows she's subject to, the sudden flare-up of heat along her back noted peripherally as her vision starts to fail her.It's then that she's released and sent skidding, the crowd that's gathered around the lot of them uncertain as to what to do. For her part? She's bleeding profusely, and likely not in any kind of state to continue
BUT WAIT.
Getting back to her feet in a remarkably short amount of time, the boxer loosens another stuttered breath of air, her eyes turned towards Katana, radiating more annoyance than outright anger. She's -feeling- lightheaded, but she certainly doesn't look it.
"This coming from someone neurotic enough to pose as something they're not," she says flatly. "Any -idiot- could see the guise. See past it. The question is figuring out what it is that guise is hiding."
And here it comes. The out-and-out bum rush that sends her towards him, her hand going out to take a firm hold of his throat.
COMBATSYS: Katana counters Champion Puncher from Vanessa with Shiraha Catch.
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Vanessa 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Katana
If one could see behind his mask, they would notice how pleased with himself Katana looks - normally, he finds little pleasure in making mince meat out of worthy opponents.. but Vanessa attacked him without warning. While he was in the middle of enjoying the best damn noodles in Chinatown, no less. Still, rather than laugh at the woman or mock her openly, Katana simply stands with his arms folded, watching passively as she gets back to her feet.
When he calls him on being a big phony, the gang leader noticeably stiffens, his eyes narrowing behind his mask. "You bitch!" he hisses, "You dare to challenge my Japanese heritage?" He's quite audibly pissed off now, and when Vanessa rushes towards him and latches out for his throat, the armour-clad man moves faster.
Gripping her by the wrist and effortlessly lifting her up with one arm, the massive warrior simply stares at her for a few moments, allowing her to flail around helplessly. "Then you shall face the consequences!" he growls, before tossing her full-strength into a nearby store wall.
While she does try to jerk out of the hold, Vanessa braces for the impact of the wall as best she can, the eventual falter back towards the ground causing no little amount of pain to strike up in her system. Hunched over for a good moment or two, the redhead is losing energy -fast-. And that's by no means a good thing, especially in concerns to a fight -she- started. If she loses this, she'll never forgive herself. Lord knows, if she loses this, there's a good chance she'll be bleeding too heavily to care.
She already is, after all.
Getting back to her feet, she steps towards the large man, chuckling softly. "A bit defensive, are we?" she says, tsking gently soon thereafter. "You're giving yourself away, kiddo-- only a matter of time before the whole of it comes out." And thus-- she makes another move at him, trying to catch a hold of that mask for what seems like the fifth time since this started.
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to counter Machine Gun Puncher from Vanessa with Shiraha Catch.
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Vanessa 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Katana
The second she catches hold, Vanessa's fists pound down against Katana with every -inch- of force she can muster, the flurry of blows aimed solely for his head as they jostle him back and forth with six consecutive punches. The -last- one is delivered towards the crack in the mask. Taking a couple steps back to see if she's done the intended damage, she chuckles softly, shaking her head. "At least I'm not the one hiding behind bladed weapons to make up for any obvious failings."
Katana can tell what the woman is trying to do - destroy his mask. She wants to see what the leader of the dreaded Mad Gear gang -really- looks like. Once again trying to snatch the woman's wrist, Katana is too slow this time - and he ends up paying for it. Punched dead in the face six times, the man's blue ceremonial mask splits in half on the final strike - just as he is sent flying backwards.
When he gets back to his feet, he's covering his face with one hand, eyes peering out through holes between the fingers. He's heaving with breath, blood seeping out from behind his hand.. and it's clear that he has very little fight left in him. He says nothing, just staring at Vanessa - doing his best to cover his face.
COMBATSYS: Katana takes a breather.
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Vanessa 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Katana
Time to make or break it.
Without giving him so much as half a chance to continue gathering his energy, the redhead rushes back in, determined to land one hell of a strike against him even if it means he might be able to weasel out of the way. While she could fault back on something -devestating-....
No.
It's just the usual run. She's got that face open to the air, -now- she's gonna leave a scar.
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to counter Forbidden Eagle from Vanessa with Shiraha Catch.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Katana can no longer fight.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
Taking a firm hold of the hand that covers his face, Vanessa *yanks* it away from him, bringing her other hand around to deliver a left hook straight to the side of his jaw, the grunt that comes from her making her exertion plain. But at least now... she's got a clear look at his face. Loosening her hold on his wrist, she draws her other fist back to throw all of her energy into that last punch, the slice of amber energy that erupts through the air slicing plainly through the skin along his features-- a slice that may very well go deep enough to leave a scar.
No one ever said she wasn't horribly vindictive.
And thus.. she takes another couple steps back, finding -something- to lean her weight against as she tries to reconcile the loss of blood, as well as the deepened wounds along her abdomen.
Thinking that he'll be able to counter his opponent once again, Katana lashes out to grab the woman's wrist. But he's too slow this time, his mind preoccupied with keeping his face hidden. But he's unable to keep his true identity a secret, as Vanessa pulls his hand away to reveal a very, very American face. In fact, he looks sort of like Stallone, chiseled jawline, amazing cheekbones, and big dumb stare. Then again, that might just be from the punch to the face he just took. He's bleeding from the nose, but it looks like the stream has slowed up and dried to his face.
Taking the uppercut with a loud grunt, the massive man is sent off his feet, flying backwards and slamming on the ground. His armour *clangs*, and the man groans loudly, shaking his head and clutching at his face. "Y.. you.. I'll get you.." he hisses, before his hand goes inside his armour, pulling out one of his trademark smoke bombs. Throwing it to the ground, it covers the area for a few seconds, and when it disappears.. Katana is passed out on the ground.
Will he now?
Raising either of her arms as he tries to throw down the smoke bombs, Vanessa is ready for the Theatric Disappearance...
Even if, in spite of her injuries, she's laughing helplessly. The way he talked, the way he -acted-... it was just a matter of time before she figured out -why-. Now that she knows, and it's plain as day for everyone to see...
Ah. It's moments like this that make life worth living. Especially once the smoke clears and it's obvious that he's just passed out.
The laughter continues from then on out, though it falters somewhat as her injuries continue toget the best of her. Groaning a little, her arm once again looping around her abdomen, she takes in another ragged breath, trying to stifle the merriment for atime.
"You and what army, asshole?" she says back at him, leaning forward to rest her free hand on her thigh. She's gonna need to get to a hospital, she knows. "Everyone knows now." Reaching into her jeans pocket for her cellphone, she cites the name of the local newspaper, a sly grin on her face throughout. Even if it doesn't get run... there'll be photos.
"You know that guy-- crazy samurai armor, terrorizing the city with that German?" ... "Yeah. You want some exclusive photos?" ... "Mmhmmn. Well, he's here -now-... and if you wanna see this chump au naturale, just come right over." ... "Chinatown, yeah." ... "You bet."
Flicking the top of the phone down, she nods to a couple of the people staring, saying, "Better call some cops. Keep him here as long as possible. The rest of his boys'll probably try to retrieve him, but you get a couple ablebodied men in here and they should be able to keep the guy stagnant 'til the press arrives." Shaking her head to clear her vision, she adds, "I've... gotta get this taken care of," is added ruefully, a light cough bringing up a coppery taste.
Not good.
Thus? ...Time to get her sorry ass to the clinic.
Log created by Katana, and last modified on 12:47:50 08/03/2005.