Description:
Southtown, Japan. The Syndicate's town. Every organized criminal act that goes down in this city leads all the way back to the top floor of the Geese Tower. But there's a new player in town - come from across the Pacific Ocean to score some quick cash away from the watchful eye of Metro City's Mayor..
Mad Gear. It's doubtful that many people in Japan have heard of them - aside from a few throwaway articles in the newspaper about gang warfare in America. The name doesn't hold anywhere near the amount of weight it once did, since the death of Belger, but to think that the gang is just going to wither away and die is foolish.
Rolento has returned. With big plans. With their ranks bolstered by the elite commandos of the Shank Squad, things are starting to look better and better for Mad Gear. With every successful robbery and heist, their power and wealth grows. Their thugs become better trained and armed with each passing day. It's only a matter of time until open warfare is declared on the streets of Metro City.
Soon, but not yet..
Today, it's Southtown's turn for some chaos.
The bustling Business District is thrown for a loop as the largest bank in the area - the first bank of Southtown - suddenly rumbles, causing the earth to shake all the way down the block.. a beat, and then another rumble.. another.. and another..
The entrance to the bank explodes outwards in a fiery gout of flame, knocking the doors onto the street outside as people scream and point. Who could possibly be behind such an act? The answer is made clear when dozens upon dozens of street thugs rush out from the backalleys surrounding the bank - running up the steps and into the front door, all of them armed with large brown sacks, complete with dollar signs. They're empty, but only for the time being.
And amidst the rush of common goons, there is one who stands out - clad in Samurai armour and wearing a strange, ceremonial mask, the dreaded leader of Mad Gear - Katana - calmly strolls up the steps, his men rushing past him in a mad dash to get to the safe. They have no security to worry about, everyone in the bank being killed from the first explosion. Casualties of war.
Standing tall at the top step of the bank, the massive gang leader directs his lackies with a deep, booming voice.
"QUICKLY! WE HAVE LITTLE TIME!"
"No, sir, you need to sign *here* as well."
Glowering balefully down at the pile of forms at the table before him, Saishu awkwardly sets down his pen and begins to flip through the paper as the woman on the other side, dressed for business, quietly sighs and rolls her eyes. "I want to pay off my home equity loan for my first house, so I can finally sell it," the Kusanagi elder says, sounding as though he's reciting words he's memorized. "How do I do that?"
"Mr. Kusanagi, you've already told me that multiple times. You've also told me that your wife told you to say that. We are in the process of doing that as we speak. You merely need to sign forms HICA-837b and HICA-9128, and attached documents, and we'll be able to get to step seven of the plan." She pauses. "No. Mr. Kusanagi. Please, for the last time, an 'X' is not allowed in place of a signature."
"But it's so much more--"
Saishu, in the midst of tugging on his beard, suddenly blinks once, and then slowly rises. The woman across from him looks at him, puzzled despite how strange everything has already been; and then only gets even more surprised when he tears the desk from its place in the floor and holds it as a shield in front of the two of them, so when the blast gets set off, no debris hits either he or the woman. As gang members rush in, Saishu leaps out from behind the desk and starts beating up thugs. Punch punch punch kick. Punch punch punch kick. Jump kick. Jump kick. Music from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time singing in his ear, Saishu starts throwing lackeys left and right, and leaps past the stream of them entering to land behind Katana.
"What is the meaning of this!?" the Kusanagi elder booms, eyes blazing and, uh, hands blazing too. "Ha ha! Bank robbers! Almost as good as a ninja attack! I'll tear you all to pieces!"
COMBATSYS: Katana has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katana 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Saishu has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Saishu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
Katana stares inside the bank, his eyebrow quirking behind his mask as he sees that there were a few survivors. Unfortunately, one of them is also the famed Saishu Kusanagi - a figure that the massive gang leader recognizes almost immediately. After all, there's no mistaking that stylish beard for anyone else's. For a few moments, Katana simply watches as the old man fights off many of his goons - although he can't possibly stop them all, many of them steering clear of him and rushing straight into the vault. Those who are stupid enough to charge directly at him are sent hurtling to the ground.
Watching with narrowed eyes as Saishu leaps past the rest of the goons and lands behind him, Katana turns to face the elderly man. Taking a step back as the stream of thugs ends - all of them busy clearing out the inside of the bank - the gang leader offers Saishu a bow.
"The famous Saishu Kusanagi - wielder of the legendary Kusanagi flames.." mutters Katana as he reaches his hands behind his back, drawing both his jitte and crossing them in front of his face. "An honour to meet you finally.. I have great respect for your skills."
He seems.. calm.. collected. A strange thing, considering the fact that Saishu is clearly looking to put a serious hurting on him and all his men. Perhaps it's through sheer focus - or some misguided belief that he holds a chance against the man - but Katana does not seem intimidated in the least. He doesn't turn tail and run. He simply stands his ground, stepping in front of the gaping doorway of the bank and blocking the elder Kusanagi from approaching any further.
"But my respect does not mean that I shall let you foil my plans, Saishu. You have little knowledge of what you are doing! You stand between us, and our glorious return to power. You stand between Metro City's current diseased, corrupt state, and an urban utopia! I will not stand aside! PREPARE TO DIE!"
Lunging forward, the massive man spins one jitte high in the air, rushing down Saishu before attempting to bring the tip of the weapon biting down into his shoulder.
Meanwhile, a massive, mohawked black man appears at the foot of the bank steps, slowly beginning to walk up towards Saishu and Katana. What's he doing here?
COMBATSYS: Saishu blocks Katana's Jigoku Scrape.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Saishu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
The Kusanagi elder slaps the attack side with one flaming hand, and stares into the masked gang leader's face as his grin grows wider. And wider. And wider. Until it's completely totally huge. "The enemy boss already! Usually I have to clear more of the level!" Leaping with agility surprising for his age, he hops back and lands easily on a lower step, only to rush with a sudden burst of momentum, his hands both igniting, and spin quickly, circling his arms up twice and each time emitting a powerful gout of Kusanagi flame. "In your face, retirement!" he shouts, eyes gleaming.
"Hou! HYA!"
The massive, mohawked man (who has never been white, unlike Birdie), reaches a meaty hand up to his shoulder, dragging one of the chains hanging there free after unclasping it from his shirtless leather jacket and pants look. Yep, he's a fashion-conscious ganger, really. His pace up the steps towards Saishu and his boss heightens as those flames burst to life, Katana needs his help! Plus, there are people to hurt. With an air-cutting whoosh, repeating in ever increasing rhythm, Big Eddie closes with Kusanagi's flank, stepping towards the man's back and snapping the chain around and out in a brutal lash for the back of Saishu's head, as he lets out a hearty, mocking laugh, quite confident that the master is positively effed now.
COMBATSYS: Elite has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elite
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Katana with Homura Gasane.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Katana 1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0 Elite
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/----===|
Oh. Crap.
His armour is no defense against the famed Kusanagi flames, Katana knocked back by his opponent's rushing attack - the 6'7" man knocked clear off his feet as he flies backwards into the bank, striking the linoleum ground with a *clanking* of metal.
The pain is so intense that the massive gang leader can only lay on the floor in agony, his chest heaving as he slowly takes in breaths - each inhalation of oxygen bringing a sharp stabbing pain to his midsection. And just like that, the large, intimidating man is shown to be nothing but a thug in comparison to the master.
Slowly.. very slowly, he begins to crawl back to his feet, propping himself up with one hand as he reaches out and grabs both of his dropped jitte, still focusing on taking in air as he struggles to recover from the brutal blow that Saishu has struck.
"Impressive, Kusanagi-san.."
COMBATSYS: Katana takes a breather.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Katana 1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0 Elite
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Saishu 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Elite
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Katana
COMBATSYS: Saishu blocks Elite's Chain Whack.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Saishu 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Elite
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Katana
"Oh-ho!" Saishu senses Big Eddie with his mysterious old-master powers-- well, no, he just turns around, sees him in time, and, because he's too old to be hopping all over the place you know, knocks the chain away while keeping it from getting wrapped around him. "Now I understand. You guys are amateurs! You see, I'm supposed to fight through a big group of nameless thugs, then fight *you*--" He points at Big Eddie with a flaming finger. "--and then fight a bunch *more* thugs, and *then* fight you." And he points back to Katana, before turning back to Eddie, still grinning hugely.
"Now, let's do this the traditional way! Hooooayaaaaa!" And, igniting his entire right arm, he suddenly dashes forward and leaps up in a huge flaming uppercut, attempting to strike the Elite under the chin with his palm, with the move that totally decapitated that robot ninja in Silicy when they were in overtime.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Elite with Oniyaki.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Saishu 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Elite
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Katana
Taking a moment to watch and listen to Saishu, Katana quirks his eyebrow yet again. What the hell is he talking about? His mouth opens behind his mask, voice booming and no less intimidating, despite the beating he just got served from a single strike. "Well, perhaps your age -has- caught up to you, old man.. your power certainly hasn't waned, but it seems as though your sanity may have!"
He cringes slightly as he watches Big Eddie take a brutal palm-uppercut, the reality of the situation becoming quite clear - even with backup, he is no match for the elder Kusanagi.. but he doesn't -need- to be. All he needs to do is buy his thugs enough time to clean out the vault, and escape through the hole their explosions ripped in the back wall of the bank. Just a few more minutes of fighting is all he needs to pull off.. and it's this thought that keeps driving the armour-clad individual.
Rushing forward, each step causing a sharp stab of pain to run through his injured body, the massive man approaches Saishu from behind, spinning in mid-run and aiming to stab him in the back with one of his jitte.. if the strike lands.. well, then the elderly Kusanagi is in for a painful combination, the massive gang leader lashing out with both hands, stabbing Saishu up and down the back-side before he finally plants a boot straight into the small of the man's back, hopefully sending him tumbling down the stairs..
That is, if the first blow lands..
COMBATSYS: Saishu blocks Katana's Meido no Miyage.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Saishu 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Elite
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Katana
The confident Elite is committed to his charge, and Mad Gear! Of course, that also leaves him committed to taking a fearsome flaming uppercut *SQUARELY* on the underside of his jaw, which cracks quite audibly, and sort of does a little shimmy back and forth, which jaws really ought not to do. Scorched and slammed, Big Eddie sails the clear blue skies, careening a solid ten feet into the air, and crashing back to earth, right back down on the street, on a patch of now cracked concrete, "Nnnnnnnngggggggghhhhlll..." is the big thug's intelligent retort, coming after a gasping, staccato breath, before he begins to lift himself back up. Okay... Katana's hurting, he's hurting, what's the logical course of action? Run away! No... huck a big chunk of sidewalk at Saishu's face, "Nyaaaaarrrrrr!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Saishu endures Elite's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Saishu 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Elite
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Katana
As Katana comes rushing at him with weapons drawn, and a sizable chunk of concrete comes flying at him from the opposite direction, Saishu Kusanagi technically has multiple options, the best of which would be to just get the heck out of dodge. But this is Saishu Kusanagi we're talking about, and that would be neither dramatic, heroic, or good for his aching joints, so instead, he meets Katana's powerful attack headon and blocks it completely, and then, using the momentum that might've knocked him down the stairs, he pushes off and jumps towards the concrete flying at him.
Then he punches through it.
Right hand ignited, chips of concrete flying around him, Saishu lunges out towards Eddie with blinding speed, only slightly slowed by the attack, that huge grin resplendant on his features.
"This is for getting concrete dust in my beard!!"
"Impressive.." mutters Katana under his breath as Saishu blocks his jitte and then leaps away, punching right through the concrete and heading towards Big Eddie. He may be the Kusanagi elder's enemy at the moment, but that doesn't meant he can't appreciate his skill and talent - age certainly hasn't dulled his fighting ability.
Inside the bank, many of the thugs are filing out of the vault - hefting the massive sacks full of money over their shoulder as they rush towards the massive, gaping hole in the back of the bank.. and into the back of the Mad Gear semi, parked outside. Just a few more minutes, and they'll all be ready to roll out.. except for those unfortunate ones still laying unconscious on the floor of the bank.
Necessary casualties.. not something that Katana is fond of, but he has learned a few things from Rolento. Namely, losing a few men is nothing when the greater goal is achieved. Mad Gear needs this money to fund their war against the Mayor and his goons.
Rushing down the steps towards Saishu, the gang leader aims to impale him in the back with the tips of both jitte, and if he's successful.. well, then the Kusanagi elder is in for a painful ride.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Elite with Kamu Kakari.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Saishu 1/------=/=======|=======\=======\1 Elite
> /////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Katana
Uhoh. The burly subboss might have gotten enough of his senses back to accurately chuck something, but he doesn't seem to have the wherewithall to follow that up with a decent defense, taking the flaming fist square in his already broken face, adding his nose to the list of not-quite-rightness this fight is giving him. That wasn't quite as brain-numbing as the first hit, though Big Eddie's eyes still cross, unable to focus ahead of him. His right fist still grips his chain, however, and with a roar of defiance, the thug whips that chain up and around, first at Saishu's midsection, then the chain is above Eddie's head, and he brings it around again for Kusanagi's. Charging forward, he whips that chain faster and faster, trying to snap it into Saishu again, and again, and again. Face, neck, chest, shoulders, crack crack crack!
COMBATSYS: Saishu blocks Katana's Butsumetsu Buster.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Saishu 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Elite
> /////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Elite successfully hits Saishu with Chain Spinner.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Saishu 1/----===/=======|====---\-------\0 Elite
> /////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Katana
Saishu slaps Katana's attack aside -- *again* -- and glowers at the gang leader. "Listen, young man," he says sternly, waving a flaming finger at him, "you're not understanding what I'm saying. He's the mid-boss. You're the level boss. I have to beat him, and *then* I beat you. You need to stop interfering, or I'll--"
Woosh! Here comes the rapid spinning chain attack! Saishu manages to guard himself to some degree, but he's getting pretty tired off all this, and he's not prepared to take on everything Eddie's got right now, so he falls on his butt. Rolling back, he ignites his hand as he rises, and, grinning widely, he shouts, "Game over!" and tosses a powerful wave of flame at his chain-wielding opponent, which, if it hits, will blast the guy into the side of the bank.
Katana tilts his head slightly as his attack is knocked aside once again, the gang leader taking a few steps back as he's verbally scolded by the older man. Finally, he just can't take any more of Saishu's weird comments, and he speaks - "What the hell are you talking about, old man? This is no game! You are fighting for your very life!"
That said, the massive man lets out a deep, bellowing laugh as he watches his trusty thug wail on the elderly Kusanagi with his chain, knocking the man down for the first time in the fight. "Excellent, Big Eddie!" he bellows, his voice amplified by the mask, "We have him!"
More and more Mad Gear thugs pour out the back of the bank, millions of dollars now resting in the back of the gang's semi-truck.. and strangely, the police are no where to be seen. Normally they'd be all over the bank in a manner of minutes, but.. for some odd reason, they're not responding to the crime. Perhaps Katana has a friend in a position of power? A terrifying thought for the future of Southtown...
The armour-clad man could easily pull back and join his goons in their truck. He could make a swift getaway now.. but he wants to stick around. If he didn't think they had a chance at beating Saishu before, his opinion has just changed with that last attack.
"I wait for no man, old -fool-!" hisses the masked gang leader, before he rushes forward and aims to deliver a painful dropkick into the man's back.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Elite with Yami Barai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > // ]
Saishu 1/-======/=======|=======\===----\1 Elite
> /////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Katana
*FWOOOM* That plume of flame collides squarely with the still fuzzy-headed Big Eddie, the scorching blast rushing up his legs, and nearly toppling him. That seems to be an inevitability, but the still cross-eyed Big Eddie doesn't stop just yet. Instead, he howls all the louder, inarticulate rage, renewing his charge for Saishu. The lumbering, oafish steps don't enhance the attack, but the chain spins all the faster, around and around and around it goes, cutting air and hopefully... Saishu's skull some more! He may be a sub-boss, but he's certainly going to try to use up Kusanagi's quarters. Somewhere in all the screams of rage, and whooshing chains, the thug's momentum just gives out, and he falls face-first into the bank steps, thwumping down and bleeding on the sidewalk a bit. (Then he flashes, and disappears, leaving a turkey in his wake).
COMBATSYS: Elite can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Saishu 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Elite successfully hits Saishu with Chain Spinner.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Saishu 1/-======/=======|-------\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Saishu interrupts Fierce Punch from Katana with Orochinagi.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Saishu 0/-------/---====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Katana
Kablammo! Eddie is hit with the fire wave, but Saishu doesn't have time to play around! For once thing, his joints are starting to ache a bit because he forgot to drink his pomegranate juice this morning, and for another, that semi is going to get away with all the loot! So Saishu, completely ignoring the elite's final attack, ignites himself completely, stretching out his arm to reach out with a finger, and charges forward. "You won't get awaaaaay!" He's clipped by the chain but barely notices, and instead of dodging -- he doesn't have the time! and he's getting tired of blocking, his arms are all achey -- he rushes right *through* Katana, causing a huge explosion, and just keeps on running, the might of a nuclear bomb in one fingertip.
"Stage Clear!" Saishu booms, running with his utmost speed. "Bonus Stage!"
And he books it toward the semi.
Knocked hella far by the sudden explosion of flame chi, Katana doesn't even get the chance to utter a last, dramaticaly evil threat before he's knocked straight through the wall of the bank - striking the ground completely unconscious. So much for holding off Saishu, as it's clear he's going to try and stop the semi truck loaded with loot before it can get away..
But the elderly Kusanagi only has one chance at this, the vehicle already beginning to move, speeding up just as Saishu leaps out of the back alley. And it's clear to the driver that this man isn't just some passerby. He saw what the old man did to Katana and Big Eddie, and with a loud, ear-splitting honk of the horn, he swerves the wheel in an attempt to flatten Saishu and continue on towards the docks..
The would-be hero has only one chance to stop the vehicle, before it's a clear path towards the harbour to unload the cash onto the boat Mad Gear has anchored there.
COMBATSYS: Katana can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/---====|
[OOC] Saishu laughs his ass off. "I just have to do this. It's stupid, but I just have to."
COMBATSYS: Saishu interrupts Run Your Ass Over from Katana with Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/=======|
[OOC] Katana says, "Ooof."
"Aaaaaah!" he shouts, running toward the semi headlong, eyes blazing with-- what is that? It's joy. He's delighting in this, just as he seems to delight in everything, his face split by that huge grin. No matter what the outcome of this, Saishu Kusanagi is going to live this to his fullest. Even if this oncoming truck means the end of him, he is unafraid. The only thing that could happen here that he might regret, would be for him to back down now.
Images of Gouken, Takuma, Shizuka, and Kyo flash before him, and his grin only widens.
~ You all know. This is just who I am... ~
To live until you die is to live long enough. Light from the Kusanagi fire emanating from his very body, Saishu hits the truck headlong.
Kablam! There's an explosion. Smoke and flame obscure the scene for the moment. It's impossible to see what's happened. Then, as the smoke clears-- it's clear that the truck hasn't moved. And that's because it's not touching the ground. Saishu, rearing back, the tendons in his neck huge and straining, sweat pouring down his face, and his grin huger than ever before, has managed to lift the entire truck off the ground, tilting it up and back so it's almost at a thirty-degree angle. Then he spins around-- and flips it upside down with a huge, mighty spinning leap.
BLAM.
Saishu collapses on the ground, chest heaving, and doesn't move for a moment. Then, weakly, he struggles to his feet... and raises his fist into the air, pumping it furiously.
"High Score!!"
The driver's mouth widens as he sees Saishu rush -towards- the truck. Typically, when someone doesn't run -away- from a speeding semi it means they're either insane, or they plan on doing something crazy like..
"Holy shit.."
Those are the only words that come out of the stunned driver's mouth as the elderly man actually manages to LIFT the extremely heavy truck into the air. The thugs in the back are equally shocked by the sidden shift in angle, the dozens of goons falling to the ground and sliding towards the back door of the truck.
And then, Saishu flips the vehicle upside down, the mass of Mad Gear thugs in the back of the truck suddenly finding themselves falling head-first towards the roof of the cargo hold. The impact is enough to knock most of them unconscious, and those that are still cognizant are unable to pull themselves out of the mass of bodies..
And still, there's no police sirens.. but the semi certainly isn't going anywhere anytime soon..
His work done, Saishu staggers back into the totally trashed bank, to find the one survivor he rescued, the woman still cowering behind her desk. She stares up at him with total awe as he drops two sacks of money from the bank's vault right next to her.
"So, about that loan..."
He grins.
Log created by Katana, and last modified on 01:40:05 08/10/2005.