Description: One of many decisive battles in the siege on Metro City - one last attempt at negotiation by Rolento.
After weeks of preparation, weeks of lounging, what might be the most deciding battle in the entire war upon Metro City is about to unfold. The quarter of the city has been under constant siege, but the actions of the heroes have been noticed. The Stinger blanket around the entire perimeter has been shattered, allowing helicopters to airlift in supplies and weapons. It has been massively reinforced by many high-ranking military and police who escaped from the prison, even if the bulk of the others were not so luckily inclined. Jiro's assaults on supply depoes have acquired them heavy ordinance, RPG's and better weapons, enough to deal with all but the tanks and helicopters. They are still horrifically outgunned, but they actually have an edge in numbers. Rolento's army has been taking many blows, and having to spread itself everywhere has begun the slow but not quite irrevocable process of deterioration. As it lies, the advantage is shifting away from him.
There's no doubt tomorrow is when the full forces will hit heads. Rolento has abandoned many outposts he defended for this fight. There are twenty tanks, interspersed amongst the long line of barricaded blocks. Two dozen Humvee's. The helicopters are perpetually humming over the line. Retrofitted vehicles acting as APC's are ready to barge down and smash through the barricades. The final preparations are in order.
There is a buffer zone of two blocks along the entirety of the 'face off', neither side quite within firing distance. The buildings within are completely abandoned and ransacked. In this 'No Man's Land', it would seem to be almost a ghost town. Snipers scan it from either side, and at this stage getting to the Police section is almost impossible through Metro City itself.
However, it seems that Rolento has decided to attempt one last show of negotiation. One of his tanks has begun to lumber towards the police line, crossing through a blasted out low-commercial district. He is standing upon the tank; And in front of him, hands bound in cuffs and looking like Mr. Big and Rolento never stopped hitting him with sticks for the entire two weeks, is Cody -- with a /lot/ of duct tape around his mouth. The only change in clothing would appear to be a large bombadier's black jacket worn. No other men are coming with Rolento. He is alone; And actually has a white flag held overhead, but still is using Cody as something of a shield in case the snipers want to try and do 1 damage to him with their onslaught. His right hand is grasping Cody's handcuffs tightly. But Cody might seem unusually lacking in an urge to leave for whatever circumstance.
"HAGGAR! THIS FIGHTING HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH! I AM WILLING TO NEGOTIATE FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS SECTION. ALL WE ARE DOING IS DESTROYING THE CITY WITH THIS USELESS RESISTANCE! YOU CANNOT WIN -- EVEN IF I LOSE, THE CITY WILL DIE. HUNDREDS HAVE ALREADY DIED DUE TO YOUR BRAZEN SHOWS OF FORCE... PEOPLE I PLANNED TO RETURN TO SOCIETY, BUT NOW ONLY FILL THE EARTH!" He doesn't have a bullhorn, but damn Rolento's
...One loud-ass mofo when he feels inclined. The tank continues lumbering forward, stopping finally about halfway through the buffer facing the main roadblock of the Police quadrant. And waiting.
Rolento drops Pose Order: Rolento, Cody, Haggar, Guy, EveryoneElse, Jiro Sucks..
Cody is, indeed, surprisingly docile. He's not putting up any struggle, at least bodily; whatever threat Rolento has cowed him with hasn't stopped him from busily attempting to chew away at the duct tape wrapped around his head, however.
Progress is, to say the least, slow.
Haggar hasn't exactly been visible during this ordeal, hasn't been out there fighting. However, he's been behind the scenes, coordinating supply routes, distributing orders to police forces, investigating about that damn warhead, boosting morale, and generally acting as a leader should. He was informed of Rolento's approach, and is himself making his way through this part of the city on foot toward them. However, he's not there yet. He does hear Rolento, and his chest puffs out as he prepares to respond. He doesn't have a bullhorn either.
"NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WERE IT NOT FOR YOUR SHATTERING THE PEACE OF THIS CITY! THE BLAME RESTS UPON YOUR SHOULDERS ALONE, ROLENTO!" His voice booms out across the streets, bouncing off walls, only seeming to gain in strength as it moves. There is no way to tell where Haggar is coming from due to this phenomenon - it almost seems as if Metro City itself is responding.
And where is Guy? In true ninja fashion, he's on the roofs. I guess he's too good for the streets. Whatever the reason, he's there, speeding toward Rolento's position silently. It sounds like Haggar has things covered in terms of talking to Rolento for now, and Guy doesn't have the voice of a large elephant, so for now he's just going to be there, watching from a rooftop.
Great. No man's land. The buffer of the entire city. Thankfully, the police that were freed are securing the streets. However, Rolento has Cody hostage. This isn't good. After keeping the Resistance from leaving, Jiro decided to check what is going on himself.
Thankfully, not all of the animals within Metro City went with the Stray Dog during the horrible event. Along his side is a terrier.
"Hrmph, I guess the shit's going down now... Godspeed, mayor."
Athena's been a bit busy lately, but her arrival here in Metro was inevitable. After all, for love and justice, she is the psycho soldier Athena... you get the idea, right? While it hasn't been obvious where her help might be needed yet, the loud shouting does get iner attention. And, so, she makes her way through the chaos about, heading for the front lines to catch the glimpse of the unfortunate situation. She blinks, and says, "Oh my...", simply, staring onward at the tense scene. But, seeing Haggar in the distance, she opts not to act rashly. It is 'his' city, after all!
Heavy D! is...well, he's sort of been on the down-low. No fighting, no worrisome meddling. He's just been helping the police still in this quadrant out, taking care of simple tasks and all that. Heck, he even shaved his head and goatee in order to slip in a bit easier, so he barely looks like himself. In any case, as the shouting match goes on, D! simply looks up, frowning. "THis doesn't sound good." If only he could find his old friends from the defunct Slum No. 5 gym....
Almost casually in response, Rolento tosses his flag upon the ground to the side and pulls out a large .50 caliber pistol. He releases Cody without any apparent fear of him running off, chambering a bullet with that lovely click only high ordinance firearms are capable of emitting. He doesn't appear perturbed by the Mayor's response, or the curious resonating that follows. "This pistol contains teflon armor-piercing magnums. It is capable of piercing through Riot armor without difficulty. I assure you, the potency of this weapon is more then enough to pierce Cody's skull." This is still said very loudly, but not nearly the roar that he began.
In a somewhat vicious kick to the back of Cody's knee, Rolento attempts to force the man to his knees, and then press the muzzle of the gun execution-style into the back of his head. Then, the hammer will be pulled back in a dull *click.*
"Haggar and Guy. Turn yourself over to me. You have ten seconds to reveal yourselves before me. This is the last bastion of my negotiation. You do not want to see the horrors I will inflict in order to win this war."
"Ten..."
Cody, unprepared for the kick, drops heavily to his knees at Rolento's blow, grunting in complaint as the gun is shoved into the back of his head. He shows no outward signs of fear; this may be because he's clearly very fatigued, or it might be because he's either too brave or too stupid to accept or realize just how much danger he's in.
He does, however, pick up the pace on attempting to chew through his duct tape.
Right at the ten, Haggar comes around a corner, face a neutral mask. He's in a very large dark suit, probably one he put on just for this occasion, though it has a few marks of dust and such on it from not being cleaned recently. It looks like the perfect suit to throw a chair in. His hands are clasped behind his back. He turns to face Rolento and Cody, approaching until he's about 50 feet away before stopping. "Don't be so sure about that. Rather thick-skinned boy you've got there."
And just as Haggar steps into view, Guy does the same. Well, sort of. From his high vantage point, Guy stands, and if Rolento's alert enough he'll probably see him. Honestly, though, that's not the important part. In a flash of motion, Guy's hand goes into his pocket and comes out with a shuriken, a shuriken which he's not wasting any time hucking at Rolento's gun. It's not meant to damage, really, just to knock the gun away.
Following this quick attack, Guy hops off the building, landing smoothly at the base of it. Still not bothering talking, really, but if looks could kill, Rolento would probably be impaled on a streetlight or some other equally nasty thing to be impaled upon.
Crap. Not good. The Stray Dog grumbles, noticing that the situation is about to get really bad. While he is opting to use the kunais that Duo Lon 'gave' him, Jiro doesn't. It won't turn out too well if he tries anything.
"Meh..." He just wants to punk Rolento for the little bitch that he is.
With the shuriken flying, it seems that the job is going to be done for him. Good.
Heavy D! furrows his brow. That's definitely the ruthlessness ROlento's showed before. "Dammit." This reminds him again that he really wants to find his old Slum No. 5 crew, maybe gather them up to help out here. In any case, he listens in to see how this plays out, quickly handing over a box of supplies he was helping move out to another person helping out at the precient.
Athena walks towards Haggar... and though she's a good distance away from him still, she comes to a stop, now more clearly noticeable by those who care. Moral support, as it were. But she's not rushing in to be proactive yet, instead- she almost jumps at the sight of the shuriken, but then traces it back to the quiet ninja... tensing a bit, waiting to see if she needs to step in. After all, even the long distance to Rolento is just a step away to her, in theory.
At the mention of Cody being rather thick-skinned, Rolento's reaction is fluid and immediate. He shifts the muzzle of the gun from the back of Cody's head to his right shoulder. And then he pulls the trigger, the horrific bang scarcely muffled by the proximity. The heated casing clatters to the ground, and it would seem Rolento was not lying. It would go through Cody like a hot knife through butter; At least the commando was grasping him by the hair at the time. Afterwards, still in a casual manner that might be better if it had /some/ sadistic edge, the pistol is returned to the back of Cody's head. And is very hot, just for reference.
"Do not patronize me, Haggar. Now where is G--" His eyes are raising towards the building just a moment too late, having focused his attention on the Mayor.
The pistol is knocked from his grasp by the shuriken in a cloud clang, clattering away as blood splatters on the tank. Almost cut off his damn finger. But his grip on Cody's hair did not falter, and immediately a sleek Bowie knife is yanked out and Cody's head is wrenched... Forward, instead of backwards. Actually, that allows the veins to be easier sliced by a motion that could follow in a heartbeat as the cold steel snaps forward to press against Cody's delicious neckflesh hard enough to draw a crimson flow. "Do not be cute, Guy." is warned, eyes shifting to the side. Doubtless that the commando's reactions would be enough to finish the hapless Cody off before another shuriken or forward assault could be done. "I have no qualms about removing my enemies if they might again oppose me. I believe the prison detonation proved this fact. Are you going to waste Cody's life like you wasted those in the prison? Is this worthless city worth more then Cody's life?"
"Son of a BITCH!" It's audible even through the tape gag. Oh, sure, in the past guns haven't hurt too much, but he's exhausted, unprepared, and that there gun is really, really big. He makes an attempt to slump down, but is foiled by Rolento's grasp on his hair. And then, to add insult to injury, his neck gets really hot, too.
His situation dramatically improves at Guy's shuriken, and then dramatically worsens at the drawing of the knife. That's great, Guy. Good job. Scowling underneath his gag, Cody continues chewing at it, the tape now beginning to fray and weaken.
Haggar almost starts at the gunshot, but not quite. He's sure that hurt, but Cody's taken far worse in the past, and even that gun is nothing like Edi E.'s personal hand cannon. He takes another few steps forward. "Well, Rolento, you asked for both of us, and now we're here. What do you want?" His face hasn't changed at all. It's not something unconcerned, or angry, or anything like that. Just... businesslike.
Hm. Well, that worked and it didn't. But what to do as a result? Just give up, and let Rolento have his way? Unacceptable. Yet, so is letting him killinate Cody. So the question remains. What course of action should Guy take? The best answer he can come up with is to stall.
"Why not let Cody answer that question for you, Rolento?" Guy's voice calls out, not nearly as loud as Rolento or Haggar's can be, but not soft by any stretch of the imagination. "It's his life we're talking about, after all."
After some time, the Stray Dog is escaping from the alleyway. He figures that the guys could use some support, but he's not going to jump into the fray. The Stray Dog keeps his distance as he emerges from hiding near the building, but he doesn't say anything.
He folds his arms, staring at Rolento with a stotic gaze.
Heavy D! winces as he hears the bang of the gun. Knowing that someone just got shot, he makes his way out of the police station, trying to find a way to hurry to where all the action is. Time for lying low may be over for him at this point...but hell, he can't let someone just get shot, can he?
Athena winces, but... the knife keeps her at bay. Still, she looks pained herself. She may hardly be a friend of Cody's, but it still hurts to just... watch. Still, she starts to jog up to where Haggar is, her eyes on Cody... and then she looks up to Rolento with a silent glare.
More people coming doesn't seem to concern Rolento in the slightest. It's obvious who retains the advantage, even if a slit throat isn't as immediately fatal as a gunshot to the head. Jiro in particular gets a dark glare, but not long enough for any opening to arrive. "You and Guy will immediately turn yourselves over. The police will disband and allow me to take control of this region. City Hall will be emptied. In return, the violence ends. I will exfiltrate you from Metro City, and this pathetic insurgency comes to an end. Think of the people, Haggar. The only ones who are hurting is the civilians, and it is not my doing. It is a direct result of this resistance, when all I want is to free Metro City from the grasp of America. To make it truly the land of the free, instead of an echo long since lost to the foreground."
That there tape's starting to really come apart now, as Cody's gnawing becomes more frantic. Just a little bit more and Cody should be free of it, and freely able to expedite his death by opening his Goddamn mouth. Other than rapid chewing, however, the captured American can't really take much action. So he doesn't.
Finally, something shakes Haggar's calm exterior. His brows turn down, and his voice comes out in a half-growl. "You're a madman, Rolento. Under you, though it might look like a perfect utopia, there will be an iron hand of control. It would not be a real peace - it would be earned through fear. I would rather die than just hand this city over to someone as corrupt as you." His hands come from behind his back, and it is revealed that in one of him he is holding a thick steel pipe, bent where his fingers have it in a white-knuckle grip.
And Guy...pretty much just stands there. This is more of a showdown between Rolento and Haggar than anything else, and far be it for him to interrupt.
When Rolento gives Jiro a dark glare, the youth responds by haivng his right hand up and letting the middle finger slip out. The Stray pulls the hand down, then he steps closer near the mayor. He's seen already and he's acknowledged.
Oh! Blaming the resistance, eh? This is what Jiro has to say.
"Bullshit." His eyes lift over. Sup? He's a resistance member.
Looking at Rolento, "Your only reason of the 'peace' is because the people here live in fear." He hisses, "It's not freedom if it's governed through fear." Jiro keeps his hands inside the brown trenchcoat.
Heavy D! sneers as he runs, hearing Rolento's attempt to shift the blame. HE hears Haggar's rebut, smirking as his thoughts are mirrored essentially. Finally, he gets to a point where he can see the group, looking up at the threatening military man. Shaking his head, the stares back at Rolento. Even if he's not exactly recognizable at this point, he still gestures to him, pulling his fist across his neck. As if saying 'Deal's off'.
Athena shakes her head sadly, and looks up to Rolento. "Can't you see you've caused all this? If you'd only used your people to help bring peace in the first place..." She looks to him, narrowing her eyes. "... it won't work this way. Even if you won... the people would turn on you someday. It's the way of Justice!" Holding out her hand, she creates a small ball of psycho energy, simply holding it in her palm as she waits.
Oh, Jiro will get what is coming to him. And everyone else appears ready to throw Cody's life away like it was nothing. Yet Haggar seems to similarly cause a reaction within Rolento with those words. He tenses, appearing to no longer be within a mile of a happy camper. He then tightens the hold upon Cody's hair, and prepares to draw the knife over the hapless convict's throat. "Very well then. Tomorrow, this city shall finally be mine!" There's absolutely no way to misread it. Rolento is about to kill him, and he has no qualms otherwise. In a heartbeat, there will be a gush of crimson, and a soon-to-be-dead Cody rolling off the Tank's front.
Rolento's knife finds its' progress suddenly halted by a sudden, and surprisingly firm, grip. This is because Cody has finally gotten the duct tape off, and maneuevered his head enough to bite down on Rolento's knife. Oh, sure, it might slash up his tongue a little bit if a struggle starts, but that knife's in a death grip, and it ain't going nowhere.
Rolento, however, might be, as Cody snaps one of his legs suddenly out backwards, attempting to smash violently into Rolento's knee and drop him forward, where his chin will meet suddenly with Cody's rapidly rising head.
At the same time, Haggar surges forward with something of a battle cry, "Over my dead body!" He whips his arm forward, the steel pipe screaming through the air toward Rolento's face, hopefully (as Haggar hasn't yet noticed that Cody has got the knife handled) knocking him away from his friend before he can finish the motion. Debris goes flying away whenever it meets one of Haggar's mighty feet, and another thing is revealed. That suit looks just perfectly made for fighting in.
Well it's about time. It was clear from the moment Guy's 'knock gun away' gambit sort of failed that Cody was on his own. After all, there's no way in hell that anyone is just going to lay down and let Rolento have his merry militaristic way with the city. And now...it's time for a good old-fashioned shitbeating, while Rolento's at a disadvantage. Dashing forward with every ounce of his not inconsiderable speed, Guy moves to makes himself a projectile, going into a flying kick that'll hopefully knock Rolento away from Guy's buddy.
COMBATSYS: Rolento has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rolento 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Haggar has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Haggar
COMBATSYS: Cody has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
COMBATSYS: Guy has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
COMBATSYS: Jiro has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
That's when the struggle begins. A smirk crosses Jiro's face as he witnesses the men charging into the fray. It's pretty good to see that things are going well.
Hopefully.
Jiro has a few words to say to Rolento as well. So instead of doing anything eyes, the young man's focusing. But while he focuses... he's drawing upon his hatred to form the violet flames.
"Hmph." Jiro's just waiting.
COMBATSYS: Jiro focuses on his next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
Somewhere -- floating through the alleyways in the gap between the two armies -- a young man wanders. Clad in boots, leather pants, and a red sweatshirt, the identity of the man is unknown save for two things: A tuft of blond hair, unconcealed beneath the drawn-up hood of his sweat shirt, and his build. Athletic? A fighter? Not long before the 'action' begins, the young man breaks into a run, sprinting through the alleyways. Booted feet thud through heavy puddles as the figure, whoever it is, makes a b-line for the collision between the two armies.
His identity is unclear, at least, until his hood falls down over his shoulders, making the two white wings emblazoned on the back of his otherwise plain sweatshirt make more sense: Rock Howard. "Trailerpark," he mumbles, under his breath, red eyes watching the engagement ahead as he makes for the battle at large. "You better not die before I'm through with you!"
COMBATSYS: Athena has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
Athena thrusts her hands out in a palm strike, sending the ball at Rolento. And then, she's gone, not worrying about whether the strike connects or not. Rather, she reappears near Cody, saying, "If you can hold on for a moment, I'll help that wound...", she says worriedly... half-expecting to get blown off. It's a guy thing, after all... if not necessarily a Guy thing. But it's the intent that counts, right?
COMBATSYS: Rock has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: HeavyD has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
As the chaos starts, D! hangs back. He's not going to rush in immediately, oh no. Instead, he decides to charge up, focusing his chi and power into something usable. As soon as he's got the power to pull something out...then he's gonna show Rolento just what he thinks of him now.
COMBATSYS: HeavyD gathers his will.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
Rock bounds up onto a fire escape, quick, athletic leaps -- the leaps of a trained fighter -- carrying him straight up two stories in one go. Perfect set up. With one leap, Rock launches himself from the fire escape towards the tremendous melee, plummeting from above while the others assault from all sides. "Cody," he growls, even as he plummets through the air with one foot arcing towards Rolento's head. "Now you owe me /two/ favors!"
COMBATSYS: Guy successfully hits Rolento with Bushin Senpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento dodges Rock's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Haggar successfully hits Rolento with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento dodges Cody's Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento blocks Athena's Psycho Ball.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
This is certainly quite the festival of assaults. Rolento didn't expect such to happen; Cody's gesture was easily enough predicted, but he still manages to wrench free and get away despite the fancy footwork atop the tank. Guy manages a swift kick that doubles Rolento over, but he collapses backwards and Rock misses by a few inches. Close enough to unsettle the beret atop his head. A lead pipe then bounces off him, and his forearms raise flailingly to stop the incoming explosion of psycho energy. "Get us out of here." Rolento hisses somewhat mildly. The tank then begins a full retreat, speeding backwards at fairly impressive speed as Rolento gathers himself and gets to his feet. "So this is what I get for attempting negotiations! SO BE IT!"
He then gestures towards his own side. In a literal hail, machine guns, tank turrets, RPG's, assault rifles, and more come screaming towards the heroes en-masse. It's not very dangerous really, but it might make it somewhat more annoying to injure Rolento. They are literally everywhere, a blanket that even Rolento has to duck to avoid. He doesn't seem much concerned about Cody, instead pulling out a radio and mumbling into it a single word.
COMBATSYS: Haggar dodges Rolento's Stinger.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento successfully hits Cody with Stinger.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Guy dodges Rolento's Stinger.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento successfully hits Jiro with Stinger.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/----===/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: HeavyD just-defends Rolento's Stinger!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/----===/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rock fails to counter Stinger from Rolento with Joudan Crack Counter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges Rolento's Stinger.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
What the crap? Before Cody's really able to grasp the situation, he's suddenly surrounded by people, and then bullets. Cursing and ducking down just as quick as he _was_ rising, a few bullets slamming into the back of his shoulders and crumpling, Cody yells up at the nearby Athena, "Wh-- aren't you Athena? The singer?!"
Only slightly in shock, he turns to survey the situation. Okay. Lots of people all of a sudden, Rolento's running, gunfire everywhere, dead best friend is oka-- what? "Hey. HEY!" he bellows at Guy, gesturing the ninja over and informing him, "Secret handshake. Right now."
This is not the mentioning of a possibility, or even a request. It is a _demand._
COMBATSYS: Cody takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rolento 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
Mike Haggar skids to a stop as the hail of light AND heavy weapons fire comes at him. He has but a single recourse - the man crouches down, slams both hands into the pavement under him, and then grabs and /lifts/ a chunk of road up at an angle to serve as a shield. Bullets bounce right off of it, and an RPG manages to swerve around the impromptu cover right at him. The Mayor grunts, catches the thing in a sort of a headlock, and holds it there until the rocket runs out of fuel. Gingerly placing the explosive on the ground, Haggar pushes forward, tearing the slab of pavement free completely, and closing the distance between himself and Rolento, leaping up at the tank after him. He can't quite get onto the tank, but he's close enough to be in range. Then he tries to hit him with the road.
Hail of assorted gunfire? Child's play. Recovering from kicking Rolento's ass around a little, he's just about to run after Rolento, but then...Secret Handshake.
With a sigh and a look of resignation, as if this is battle he's already fought and lost long ago, Guy moves over to Cody. Witha glare, just to make sure Cody understands he's not happy about this, Guy starts doing...things, with his hands. It's damn hard to see, but the end result is that a secret handshake is aggressively performed at Cody.
While the others are beating against the older man. It's a frown that curls along the youth's face. "Damnit..." So instead, the Stray Dog is heading over towards Rolento, running over to the side to see the tank moving around quicikly. He's getting an early start to show Rolento what he thinks of the man.
...Wait. What the hell? Jesus, what does this guy pack? The artillery filled with tank turrents, RPGs, and other sorts are blasting against the Stray Dog. This is not a good thing, as he is aiming to avoid getting shot. He probably should of attempted to avoid it.
No such luck. While he is blasted straight towards the ground, the youth groans under his breath... "Damnit..." He coughs in pain, then he starts to turn and leap onto the retreating tank. "Oh no the hell you don't..."
What he plans to do? Well, he is reaching over from behind Rolento, the youth aims to roughly turn Rolento around.
The assault that comes is enough to make most mortals wince and fall back.
Heavy D!, if only for today, is not a mere mortal. Rushing in through the fire, he punches at the air, bullets ricocheting off his fists, and simply pealing off his freshly bald head. Maybe it's the lack of wind resistance that's made him flow through the hail like water. In any case, he charges in, moving in on one of thsoe firing tank turrets. "Target Practice is over," he calls, jumping into the air. As he drops, he snaps his arm out straight, a soul of chi surrounding it as he tries to descend on the retreating Rolento and push him through the whole damn kebob. He usually doesn't jump with this attack...but hey, anything goes here, don't it? Aerial Rolling Souls aren't against the rules are they?
"Damn!" Rock miscalculated rather tragically. He was hoping to help cut down the head of the snake -- instead, he finds himself under fire from an insane amount of bullets, grenades, and rockets. Great. Hitting the ground after being neatly evaded by Rolento, Rock instead finds himself charging head to head with a rocket-propelled grenade. "... Of all the..." Rock scowls, but then launches himself straight up into the air, /towards/ the rocket. Planting his hands on the top of the RPG and momentarily dropping it low to the ground, the wolf cub aims to vault right off of it and towards Rolento for a second volley. It doesn't quite work; the thing explodes just after he's away from it, hurling Rock forward and away from his target. It would have been handy if it had worked, though.
Athena eyes the retreating tank, saying to Cody without looking at him... "Sure. And soldier of Justice, too!" She focuses on her energy, creating a another luminescent ball. She them crosses over hand over hand as she fires at the tank's /turret/ this time. Which may seem like a futile thing to do, but with Athena's psychic might, it just could do some real damage! After she fires it off, she raises her hands wide, creating a circular shield to protect the two Metro City heroes from incidental damage, hopefully, while they do... whatever it is they're doing!
COMBATSYS: Haggar successfully hits Rolento with Random Weapon.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Rolento 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento dodges Athena's Psycho Ball.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Rolento 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: HeavyD successfully hits Rolento with Rolling Soul Diver.
[ \\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Rolento 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Athena
> /////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento counters Strong Throw from Jiro with Deep Kick.
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Athena
> ////////////// ]
|=======\===----\1 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento can no longer fight.
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Athena
> ////////////// ]
|=======\===----\1 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Rolento can no longer fight.
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Athena
> ////////////// ]
|=======\===----\1 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Cody interrupts Medium Punch from Guy with Medium Punch.
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 HeavyD
> ////////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Cody
> ///////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Rock
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Haggar
> ////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Guy
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Athena
> ////////////// ]
|=======\===----\1 Jiro
Cody mimics Guy's actions. Arcane, mystical actions, unknowable by mortal man or woman. Those paying close attention might actually take sanity damage, as if gazing upon some otherwordly monstrosity from the depths of space. And just as aggressively.
As the handshake winds down, Cody suddenly hauls off and punches Guy in the Goddamn face. Chances are, that wasn't part of the Secret Handshake. "You _asshole!_" he roars, angrily. "We thought you were _dead!_ What the hell is wrong with you?! Why didn't you come find us and tell us you were alive?!" Clearly, the threat of Guy's death upset Cody very much.
Rolento, truth be told, is rather impressively able to survive. He was close to evading all of the assaults, actually. Haggar perched on the tank manages to impact Rolento pretty swiftly, cracking the treads of the tank. HeavyD then immediately impacts Rolento as well, and the tank buckles, smoke pouring out of the edges and a Rolento-shaped imprint within it. The good part of this is that Athena's Psycho Ball flits overhead. However, as he manages to get to his feet, Rolento is grasped by Jiro. Who is swiftly kicked right between the legs, hard enough to send the rebel leader flying off the tank. Groping blindly in the air, Rolento catches a zipline from a passing helicopter and lifts off in a flash of speed. He does bounce off the corner of a building, but seems to be laughing in a sadistic fashion. As if he somehow won. Which he did not.
Or did he?
The gunfire ceases on Rolento's end, and the people shuffle to secure the perimeter. However, then something curious happens. The heavy shot of a material-destroying sniper rifle can be heard, cracking into the air. Once. Twice. Three times.
Cody is hit center mass by all three. And crimson begins to bloom over his white shirt...
Bullets hurt real bad. Cody, ironically, is struck by the trio of them just as his bellowing at Guy about the threat of the ninja's death ends, three sprays of red mist erupting out of his back and, unfortunately for Athena's hygiene and fashion, misting aggressively at her.
Cody's eyes widen and deaden almost immediately, the blonde taking a staggered step back... and then rocking forward, lashing out with one hand and slapping at Guy's shoulder, and Athena's if she's near enough. Trying, apparently, to get them away. "Is that all you sons of bitches got?!" he roars, taking another stumbling step towards the battle line of the revolutionaries. "COME ON!"
Haggar had only managed to get enough forward go to hit Rolento with the pavement slab; after his attack, he lands solidly on the road. He watches as Rolento is further pummeled, and then zipline'd back up. He pumps his left fist with a shout, then turns over to where Cody and Guy are performing their Secret Handshake, stubbornly not taking sanity damage. Haggar hits insurgents with roads and ninjas with busses - he /causes/ sanity damage. The Mayor is just then walking toward the two of them, filled only with joy that Guy is alive, when the gunshots crack out. "No... NO!" He whirls behind to where he thinks the shots came from, whipping the pavement like a frisbee, and sprints toward Cody.
And as Cody gets shot repeatedly...well, fine. Guy was going to explain himself, but then Cody has to be all /dramatic/ and shit, getting shot like a big man and trying not to get help. Well, fine. Maybe Guy won't tell Cody exactly how and why he's alive. And he won't help Cody, either. Stubborn fool. He'll probably be fine, but. Hmph. Guy turns away, and begins walking toward the police station. Rolento probably won't waste any time attacking, now, and that means he's got to prepare.
Unfortunately, the young man did attempt to come forth by trying to turn Rolento around to show the man what he thought of him. The problem? Well, Jiro is given the big boot between the legs.
Combine that with the truck moving off, the Stray Dog immediately starts flying towards the ground, landing on his back. "****!" He growls, clutching onto his chest. He's aiming to recover from the strike to the groin, growling as he stares as the snipers fire and strike Cody.
".... What the...?!"
He grunts to see the man endure the bullets. This does, however, give Jiro some time to stagger around so he can regain his movement. "God...damnit... that bitch is so going to get punked..." He's too unfocused to deal with the matter for now, but, he does pull out a kunai, maybe to strike one of those damn snipers if he can spot them.
Heavy D! glares as Rolento retreats after becoming a nice mold into the tank from his punch. "Nngh..." Turning around, he decides to help take care of the left behind tank before the drivers retreat, punching right at the start of the turret with all his might before leaping off. Hopefully, the Tank isn't TOO tough that the turret isn't damaged some how. After taking off, he decides to meet with the other fighters that helped...before the shots ring out. "SHIT!" It's rare that D! actually curses, but THIS is a special occasion. "I'm going to get help at the station!" he shouts, quickly dashing to the police station in hopes that they can muster up some emergency help, as strapped as everything is.
Athena winces, and says to Cody. "Wait!", reaching out towards him. "You're in no condition to go after them!" She looks very concerned, looking about for the direction of the sniper... narrowing her eyes a little. She then asides to Cody. "Please, just let me heal you... you can do whatever you want after that."
The air hangs quiet for a long few moments. Then, as Cody is still seen to be stumbling around in a manner not befitting his execution, another crack of the sniper rifle is fired. This one hits Cody in the leg. Another. Crack! Shoulder. A final shot strikes Cody in the head, and it's after that the assault ceases.
And upon the roof of a building far in the distance, barely within sight of the street this battle raged, El Gado calmly begins to disassemble the massive sniper rifle and place it within the case. With a sort of lazy tone, the Arabian assassin responds to Rolento's order to fire.
"Mission complete."
"Run!" Cody snarls at Athena. She is, after all, just a girl. Slash pop star. Slash Pretty Soldier. As he's distracted, another Giant Goddamn Bullet buries itself into his leg, dropping the already-slumping Cody onto one knee heavily. The second - fifth total- almost hits his shoulder, but he rallies enough to snap his fist across the air in front of him suddenly and actually punch it out of the air, deflecting the bullet into the ground near Athena's feet.
And then the sixth crashes into his head - it's not a between-the-eyes hit, instead carving through the flesh just above his left temple. This appears to anegate the American's zeal to quite and extent, as his other knee joins the one already on teh ground and he slumps forwards, barely holding himself up on all fours.
Mike Haggar's eyes are wide as he gets to Cody, and he skids along the dirty pavement the last few feet toward him on his knees, showing shameful disregard for that nice suit of his. He's almost panicked as he glances around at what people are gathered around. "Someone get to City Hall--! Get Jessica!" He shakes himself, coming a bit more under control. "No, no, it's too dangerous here... someone get a stretcher, we need to bring Cody there! Damnit...!" Haggar slams a fist on the ground next to him, feeling more powerless than he has since... well, since his wife was killed.
Heavy D! takes a long time to return...but after a while, a good few minutes after the second wave of shots, comes in with a couple of emergency workers, first-aid kits and a stretcher hauled out by their sides. "...oh, man, he got shot even more?" he says increduously as he sees the extra bullet wounds, the emergency guys quickly moving to Cody and Haggar's sides to tend to the bleeding brawler.
The Stray Dog looks towards Haggar, hearing his command. He starts to reach for his cell phone, then he sees that Heavy D already has things ready for Cody.
This leaves the Stray Dog taking a few deep breath, then he looks at the shot man, "...Damnit..." He frowns. Rolento is -so- going to be punked for this. The young man growls, staggering around as he pockets the knife. He looks at the medic crew, then back at Cody. It earns a frown from the American. "...Damnit." He starts to walk off. Time to tell the Resistance the news.
As the Stray Dog begins to walk off, a slender, pale form falls in step behind him, in such a fashion so as to avoid notice by the other fighters. Unless, you know, somebody was /really/ paying attention. Then he'd have to shimmy his skinny ninja ass out of there. However, as it is, he's behind Jiro, following the young man down the street.
A tap on the Stray Dog's shoulder. "...Fruity ninja, eh?" Following this, a bony hand rises, fingers straight, sharpened, purple-painted nails gleaming in the sunlight. The hand descends towards the Stray Dog's head, and if the boy doesn't get out of the way, he'd be getting a pretty hefty bitch-slap to the back of the head. After which Duo Lon would be leaving, score settled.
Athena puts herself between the seeming arc of fire, and then creates another shield, wincing as she strains to make it as large as possible. "Sorry, Mister, but...", she says apologetically. "... you can worry about me later!" After all, she might be a girl, but she's a girl who beat Lord Vega... twice! The normal assumptions just don't apply, really.
While looking back a Cody, there is a pang of sadness within the Stray Dog. "...Damnit..." He grits his teeth, tightening his fists. This guy was practically a hero who cleaned this place up, or at least did what he could. The young man grumbles irritibly, shaking his head. "...Godspeed on your recovery, Cody."
And his moment of sadness fades away when a finger taps him on the shoulder. "...Huh...?" He turns around. Fruity---oh hell! The hand smacks Jiro across the right cheek, which sends the Stray spawling towards the ground. "****!"
Okay, sadness gone. Anger sets in. "You ****ing fruit..." He tightens his fist. "Grrr..."
%
Cody, having been shot repeatedly and violently, doesn't seem to willing to protest Athena's help anymore. Blood now pouring from at least one source on damn-near every individual part of his body, the blonde manages to hold himself up for a few seconds, but collapses as the stretcher and what few medical personnel could be scavenged arrive.
Log created by Rolento, and last modified on 11:30:03 11/01/2005.