Description: An attack on the temporary police headquarters(Dunkin' Donuts, go figure) ends in an almost certain victory for Rolento's men. If only Shingo hadn't come in at the end!
Metro City. A city of people. People who need people. People who are the unluckiest people in the world. Why? Because their freakin' city is under siege by a jackbooted thug and his various mercenary henchmen. The police? Powerless, until very recently they were given some breathing space by a group of dedicated vigilantes with nothing better to do than sneak into Metro City and try to whup Rolento's yellow-clad backside. Obviously, they needed to retreat somewhere, to rest up, to regroup, and to try and plan some sort of attack. So, naturally, where did they go?
A Dunkin' Donuts. Hey, you gotta keep 'em fed. Besides, it's a camo measure. What moron would hide out in a Dunkin' Donuts?
At the moment? A good chunk of police officers, bolstered by some suit-wearing Kanzuki zaibatsu security forces carrying handguns and satellite communications equipment and other expensive spy stuff. As well they get the Kanzuki boss, one Karin, who is currently surveying the street through a pair of binoculars. "I don't see them yet," she murmurs. "But if that anonymous tip we got is right, then they'll be coming."
A Dunkin' Donuts. Not the best location to pick for what may end up being a battle/siege, but not the worst either. After all, it's got food. And coffee. Both of which may be just what it takes for a group of beat-down police officers to fight back. Among the police and Kanzuki operatives, leaned up against a wall with the very window Karin peeks out of, rests Daigo Kazama. He, too, had heard the tip, and being the sort of guy he is, helpful and all that, decided his talents would be best used to keep this section of officers alive.
If they live, they can help beat the ever-living snot out of Rolento later...
"If they don't come soon, maybe that'll give us a chance to go tag them." Daigo offers, his arms folded over his chest. "...Unless the tip was so they could set up an ambush."
The Dunkin' Donuts isn't a /bad/ location, at all. It served many of the police officers needs, and had a bathroom. Sure, Duo didn't know where they slept, or what kind of horrible effects a diet of powdered sugar and frosting could do to a man, but, he wasn't there to care. Currently, the Hizoku assassin stands in an abandoned apartment, holding a walky-talky in one hand, the other in his pocket. The police men and bodyguards had shown up on time... and though the two hadn't shown themselves, he'd heard Karin Kanzuki and Daigo Kazama had been seen in the area, as well. At least. That's what the rumor was.
A quick look to the other men in the room, Chen and Kanji given a quick glance to see if there are objections to proceeding with the plan... and with that, he continues. Time to get this party started, right? The radio's brought to his mouth, and the input button clicked. "Open fire on the police officers and body guards. Aim to kill. Leave the two fighters alone, we'll handle them personally. As soon as myself, Mr. Chen, and Mr. Kanji show ourselves in the parking lot, attempt to draw fire off to the sides, deal with their supporting soldiers as efficiently as possible. We can't allow them to reach Rolento."
Quite immediately after that, from buildings all around the donut store, sniper-rifle fire spits from abandoned apartments, office complexes, and any other source of cover one could imagine. Policement and bodyguards alike begin to drop like flies.
Duo Lon is ninja. So is Kanji, though one of a different tradition. He wears robes, like those of a Shinto priest, stained black instead of the sacred white. The man's eyes are nearly hidden by his dark hair, cascading down his face and beyond his shoulders. But they still gleam faintly in the light, as he turns them to stare outside the window, tracking the bursts of gunfire as they break the silence. He watches, his shadowed eyes red and bloodshot, darkly amused.
Kanji smiles. A twisting of the lip. He nods, then laughs, a low, hoarse sound, barely above a whisper.
"Hn," he muses, out loud, "this will be amusing."
There's enough Shank Squad soldiers running around with that garish yellow uniform to make a grown man cry. But crying is beneath a man like Chen, who's more accustomed to enduring any number of hardships with a thin, smug smile plastered on his face. Enduring fashion disasters is pretty easy, in comparison.
He may not be a ninja, but he is dressed in black -- one of his numerous array of all-black suits, differentiated merely by cut and fabric. The flak vest, though... geh. "Mmm... operational necessities, I suppose," he muses aloud as he tightens the straps on the vest, idly surveying the scene through his mirrored sunglasses.
He nods a reply to Duo Lon. He's not entirely pleased about taking orders from this guy, but he hides it well. "One can hope, yes. These kids... not sure they know who they're up against here." He nods passively as the barricades are riddled with stray fire, before turning on his heel. Wanton violence and destruction are hardly new sights to him, so he shrugs. "Getting a head start. Wouldn't want to miss any surprises." He waves his radio over one shoulder, as a sign that he -is- listening, at least.`
...well, damn. A good deak of the police 'leadership' (and all of Karin's bodyguards) are currently inside the shop. That doesn't say much for the policemen outside who are trying their best to maintain a barricade of police cars, old boxes, and other assorted urban detritus; they, suddenly under fire, panic and flee for the safety of the barricade. One takes the time to yell inside (as if he needed to): "Enemy fire! They're here! They're here!". One police officer -- a rookie, looks like -- goes down in a hail of bullets, unable to reach the barricade in time. Once they can get to safety, the police draw whatever weapons are handy -- handguns, rifles, riot shotguns, slingshots, whatever -- and get to returning fire.
The blonde Kanzuki heiress, meanwhile, sees the man go down through the binoculars at rather too close a rage, and her eyes narrow as she tosses the things aside. "They're here. Radio!" A bodyguard produces a walkie-talkie, which Karin barks into: "Base here. Gentlemen, get into positions." A garbled response that passes for 'yes, sir!' is her only answer.
Turning to Daigo, Karin raises an eyebrow. She doesn't know the Kazama personally, only what she's heard from Sakura and from around town... but she does know his sister's reputation as a fighter and thus her expectations are high. "Alright, then... I'm guessing the 'leadership' will show up any minute now. We just need to buy my men some time to set up."
Quiet one second, riot the next. Such is the way things go in war. Daigo does little more than shift his weight off the wall when the gunshots start up, beginning a quick stretching regime to loosen up.
The elder Kazama knows little of Karin, aside from what he's seen with her personal bodyguard units, but he has the feeling she can hold her own. She'll have to. "Right. So we need a distraction then." the Gedo Boss notes. Giving his knuckles a solid cracking, Daigo turns to the door to leave the donut shop. He's not afraid of a few bullets.
Not when he can go out, grab a car door, and use it to try and deflect bullets from striking the surrounding officers, anyway.
Now that his stint as 'Guy with the Radio' was over, Duo takes a moment to look out the window, suddenly not nearly as vocal as he was a moment ago. Wasn't his style, after all. Something about the collosal exchange of energies, the beauty and horror of men shrieking, others screaming and fighting back... well. To anybody it elicited a great deal of emotion, but to Duo, who saw the ebb and flow of life and passion out there... it was something far more interesting than even that. He pulls an Ash, and simply stares out into the massacre for a moment, leaned up against a window. It's then that the soldier a foot away from him speaks, reloading his rifle. "..Sir, there's a big man out there defending himself with a car door. He's doing a damn good job of it."
Duo blinks at that, and comes out of the reverie, focusing on Daigo. A quick look to both Chen and Kanji, and the ninja's lips curl into the slightest of smiles. After that, his body simply.. dissipates.
Ten feet above ground, perhaps seven before Daigo, the Hizoku reappears, shrieking down at him, a brandishing that weight at the end of his ponytail. A raptor, a vision of black and white, the speed with which he falls is clearly augmented by his training. Look at the afterimages! Duo rears back to fling that weight at Daigo's offending car-door, but even as he gets close enough to strike... again, disappears.
And reappears right behind Daigo, something seen only to him streaking from a corpse to his hand, and suffusing the air around him in a much more visible explosion of deathly, withering energy. "Mr. Kazama, yes?"
COMBATSYS: Duolon has started a fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Duolon 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Daigo has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Duolon 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
COMBATSYS: Chen has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Duolon 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Chen has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
Kanji tilts his head, as Duo Lon vanishes, melting away before his eyes. His expression reflects...interest. He seems rather intrigued by the trick. More so than the battle, itself.
"Hn," he murmurs, in a soft, musing tone, "shall we, then?"
Kanji gestures, in Chen's direction. Sketching a bow, waving one hand towards the window, and the firefight beyond. Kanji gives a single nod, angling his head. Then he brings his hands together, joining his palms flat against each other. A strange, almost prayerful gesture.
Vanishing in a pillar of sweet-smelling smoke. When it clears, he's no longer there.
Although, it's not quite the trick that Duo Long managed.
For one thing, the window's open, wisps of that incense streaming in the breeze.
Kanji flickers back into being, slowing as he touches the ground. Landing, lightly, beyond the building. Then he charges, darting through the fields of fire. Advancing on the barricades around the police. Eyes lit. The bullets don't seem to touch him. His movements swift, fluid, assured. Like a ghost, he drifts. Right up to the besieged police, hitting the first of their number, with swift precision.
COMBATSYS: Kanji has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
Chen is not as gifted in ninja arts as the other two -- which would be why he decided to get a head start. Of course, he doesn't even make it out of the room before Duo Lon pulls his disappearing act -- which would be enough reason for the Chinaman to throw up his hands in defeat.
Of course, he keeps walking. When he gets to the stairwell, though, he leaps over the railing, and rebounds off the railing of each successive floor to make his descent all the quicker.
He then springs out the door, once more taking an assessment of the scene. No need to jump in just -yet- or anything, right?
COMBATSYS: Kanji takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Chen has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Duolon 0/-------/---====|
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Chen focuses on his next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Duolon 0/-------/---====|
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Karin has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
The police make their best effort to return fire, but it's the classic dilemma of the firefight; the potshots they can take popping out from behind the barricades aren't exactly sniper-class accurate, but at least the cover is protecting them from the brunt of the assault for now. At this point it could go either way; the Shankers have the benefit of more men and more weapons, but the police clearly have the benefit of terrain.
Karin blinks as Daigo simply... walks out the door, Hulks Out, grabs a car door, and starts defending like a human shield. "What the... oh, good grief," she mutters with a sigh, before turning away from the window, handing the radio to a bodyguard, and tightening her hand guards. "Keep control of the situation," she says gravely. "I'm going to go give Mr. Kazama some much needed assistance."
And then she's outside, espying Kanji making with the killing of the police. Seeing Duo and Daigo engaged out of the corner of her eye, the blonde fighter decides to take matters into her own hands, pointing at the Nega-Ninja with a defiant smirk. "Ah, a Shinto devotee with a goth twist," she taunts, falling into a fighting stance. "Good to know this is the best Rolento's money..." And then she's leaping at him, aiming a nice kick right at Kanji's face. "...can buy!"
COMBATSYS: Daigo blocks Duolon's Shiryou Hatsu Seikin.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
Richochet sounds, bullets flying everywhere, and Daigo right in the middle of the ruckus, playing tennis with sniper shots. Not that he's getting very far with it, considering that sniper bullets can generally go through car doors, or at least not be bounced back, but he IS doing a good job of protecting a few of the other officers for the time being.
That is, right up until Duo Lon comes to say hello, bringing his explosion of deathly chi with him. The elder Kazama had been eyeing the attacking ninja warily when he made his presence known, ready to use his fist to welcome the punk, when he disapepared to slip behind and blast. Daigo immediately pitchee forward, catching only the barest edge of that chi-blast, ending up on his feet again with the car door held behind him.
"Hm. Yes. I'm Daigo Kazama." Daigo answers, half a smirk forming on the big man's face, just before he decides to simply walk up and shake hands, Gedo style. With a big ol' flaming Phoenix Fist upside a ninja's head. "Who are you?"
COMBATSYS: Duolon dodges Daigo's Phoenix Fist.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
Duo Lon's got little to no time for anything aside from the initial verification that this, indeed, was /the/ Daigo Kazama. Now it was time for the Hizoku to get his ass out of the way. Daigo's burning hand(The size of Duo's head) comes lurching forward, and the young man leans backwards to the point where he's falling into a somersault, rolling backwards now, coming up in a crouch. A quick survey of the area shows that his companions had showed themselves, and the Shank Squad was beginning to draw the enemy fire away from the /middle/. This would be an interesting fight, no doubt.
In any case, Duo stands up quickly, brushing pale hands over his coat and pants, brushing himself off, even as a foot snaps forward, a black blur against the dusty parking lot. At the apex of this kick, more of that odd not-chi surrounds his foot, and the energy exerted in that kick erupts from the ground at Daigo's awfully exposed footsies. Duo wasn't here to /talk/, Sally... he just wanted to knock people around!
COMBATSYS: Kanji blocks Karin's Light Kick.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/------=|
Kanji pulls an arm back, his fingers poised in a striking motion. Before him, a police officer collapses, riot armour clattering as his body slumps against the dense plastic barricade - and then to the concrete of the parking lot. His isn't the only body there. A number of his compatriots already lie at Kanji's feet, victims of his charge.
Then, Kanji turns, raising an eyebrow. Watching Karin, as she dives towards him, driving a powerful kick towards his face.
In a swirl of movement, Kanji interposes one arm. A long billowing sleeve flashing in the way, catching the blow. But it still hits hard, the shock sending the robed man stumbling back.
As he drops his arm, he smiles. Seeming...amused. With a small flick of the wrist, Kanji produces an ofuda, a paper talisman, between thin linen-wrapped fingers. The thin strip of parchment resting in front of his face, near his lips. As his breath touches the paper, it glows faintly, crimson life-energies tracing their way through the script drawn in blood upon its surface.
His words somehow reach the frequencies used by the Shank Squad attackers, through the radios carried by Duo Lon and Chen. The audio quality is strange, his voice almost felt, not heard.
Kanji's never had much love for...conventional technologies. He does things in his own charming way.
But he speaks for Karin's benefit, as well. His eyes are on the Kanzuki heirless, as he whispers, in a quiet voice.
"I have encountered one of their leaders."
His tongue darts out, moistening parched lips.
"...Kanzuki, Karin, I believe? Mmn. I shall...entertain her, I think."
COMBATSYS: Kanji focuses on his next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/------=|
"Maa... seems we'll have to be doubling up here..." Shrugging lightly, the Chinese man is quick to enter the fray. Sure, policemen may be shooting at him and all, but he seems to be something of an acrobat -- apparent as he charges forward, ducking and weaving as bullets fly by, taking full advantage of the stormtrooper effect. And, oddly, never taking his hands out of his pockets.
When he's getting close to Daigo, though, he swerves suddenly to the left, an odd grin on his face. "EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!" he shouts -- before throwing his feet full-force into a newspaper machine, sending the large object flying headlong towards the burly Kazama.
COMBATSYS: Daigo blocks Duolon's Genmu Kyaku Uchikiba.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Chen successfully hits Daigo with Large Thrown Object.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Chen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/------=|
...Well, what can you say? The police are doing their level best, and the Shankers are doing their level best, and unfortunately the Shankers' level best is a higher level than the level of the police's level best. Hopefully at some point the police will level up. Isn't wordplay fun? Because writing NPC action isn't. The shootout continues! However, with the fight suddenly coming a lot closer to home the policemen are scrambling for purchase, and coincidentally to stay the hell out of Daigo and Duolon's way... and now Chen's, apparently.
With a hmph, Karin lands back on her feet and falls into stance, giving Kanji the once over and then rolling her eyes. "Oh yes... dark robes, throaty whisper. The traditional image of the martial artist is officially dead," quips the girl in a red fuku and pleather bike shorts. She gives Kanji a bit of a grin. "I suspect you're like that other girly one over there... all flash and no substance."
Planting her foot, Karin dashes in low at Kanji, attempting to get a hold on his robes and then simply plant her knee into his gut a few times for good measure, a rather typical knee bash hold. "And it's going to take more than flash to entertain me!"
Silence is all Daigo gets from his attacker. That's a little annoying since Daigo was nice enough to give his name out. No matter, it's a fight the ninja's wanting, and Daigo isn't here to parlay about it. Duo's energy blast comes quick, but Daigo has just enough time to swing that shield-door of his around to let it absorb the brunt of the nasty attack, though it gets blown apart in the process. Dropping the leftover pieces, Daigo straightens up and cracks the knuckles of one hand. "Don't want to talk? Fine. I'll b--" *CRASH!* The newspaper machine from behind scores clean, smashing right into Daigo's back, and sending the Kazama man stumbling forward. "..nngh. Cheap shot!" Daigo cries out, glaring over his shoulder at the punk who'd hit him with a large chunk of metal. Two on one? Not very good odds, but Daigo's had worse before.
They just weren't so...fast.
Having to pick between them, Daigo picks the closer of the two. The ninja that had assaulted him, whom will now be facing one mad Daigo, attempting to swing both a left jab, and then a mean right cross at the lightning-fast punk.
COMBATSYS: Kanji interrupts Homura-geri from Karin with Curse Seal.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Duolon endures Daigo's 1-2 Smash.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Duolon 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
"Perhaps..." Kanji replies. His voice, still low. But not a 'throaty whisper', no. Nothing so respectable, as that. The word is a hoarse croak, grating the syllables in a harsh rasp. "...let us see."
Kanji returns Karin's contempt with a genuine expression of bemusement. He stands his ground, motionless, as the girl grabs hold of his garments. The robed man stands much taller than her. But she pulls him down with ease, bringing his body into her rising knee. It slams into him, expelling air from his lungs in a sharp hiss of pain. And he breaks away, twisting backwards, doubled over, spine arched.
Then his head rises, and he smiles.
Remember that paper talisman Kanji was carrying? The one which he spoke into, just moments ago? It isn't in his hand. Not any longer.
Because it's resting on Karin's side. Plastered to her ribs, edges crinkling, smouldering. Producing faint wisps of smoke. As it sends a pulse of chi energy directly into the girl's body, leaving nerves afire.
"We shall see," Kanji laughs, "enh?"
Two punches across Duo Lon's face. Two, and both of them do exactly what Daigo had intended them to. Hurt lots. The young man doesn't even try to get out of the way, instead stepping into the attacks, hands already moving about in a pattern that rather reeks of mysticism. Grey streaks, energy coming from corpses all throughout the battlefield. Yeah, it's time for some Ninja Voodoo action. Is Daigo ready for this madness? Duo's so well-prepared for the attacks that come, as a matter of fact, that his build-up continues despite the pounding to his face, and as he's sent sailing away... well. It all begins.
In midair the young man shrieks out a call to whatever forces he's marshalling, "Hiden Genmu Juu Onshii Kon!" ringing out over the battlefield, a corpse twitching here and there. Because, you know. He's totally manipulating /them/ into doing what he needs them to. Like congeal into a big, cloudy muck of grey, life-draining deathly goodness. The attack forms nicely, in his outstretched palms, and by the time Duo hits the ground, the mass of spirits and shrieking ghouls, the grotesque imagery of screaming, moaning faces all coalesced into a nice, compact Cloud of Death... well. It's all sent flying straight towards Daigo. He asked for it, after all.
Pay dirt. Chen was a bit surprised to see his attack land home, but far be it from him to rest on his laurels -- he's already dashing about to find the next heaviest object he could find... and in this case, it happens to be one of the barricades set up by the police. Of course, there's policemen hunkering down -behind- it, so Chen dispatches them first by kicking the barricade -into- the policemen, knocking them over. Hooking the barricade with his foot, he then slams it into the officers -again- for good measure, snapping off the legs of the barricade in the process. "... Ah, foo." he mumbles, though the smile never quite leaves his face. Reason? He raises his foot sharply, and suddenly cuts a quick 180, slinging the remainder of the barricade onward towards Daigo. If at first you succeed, try, try again!
Finally, a break in the action... of course, it's not always a good break. You take the good, you take the bad, and there you have the facts of life. Or death, anyway, as another policeman -- a seasoned vet -- suddenly leaps in front of a rookie who wasn't paying attention, taking a bullet to the chest and instantly collapsing. The rookie has enough time to look stunned at the death of his partner before he turns and sees a Shanker descend upon him with a knife, and he falls too with a slit throat. Of course, said Shanker didn't reckon on the riot cop right behind him who quite promptly blows him to hell with a shotgun. Bad guys: 2, Good guys: 1.
Oof. Karin goes spinning back, not necessarily from impact, but in an attempt to get herself under control. Kanji didn't actually *hit* her, but it hurt like hell anyway. Still, the blonde seems more or less unscathed in the overall, and she grins a the black clad ninja. "Ah, to think once upon a time I used to be angry about this sort of thing," she says in a wistful tone.
Summoning her will and getting the pain under control, Karin wastes no time in getting back on the offensive. "But I'm a much different fighter than I was just weeks ago!" Lashing out with a pair of quick palm strikes, the blonde fighter is apparently in the middle of her Guren Ken... but rather than the vicious finisher she typically uses, the Kanzuki heir makes a short hop, intending to bring her right hand down right on Kanji's shoulder, changing things up a little. "Hup... HAH!"
COMBATSYS: Duolon successfully hits Daigo with Hiden Genmu Juu Onshii Kon.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Chen successfully hits Daigo with Large Thrown Object.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
Kanji has disconnected.
Kanji has connected.
A...cloud of death. Creepy. Daigo was just getting into the whole swing of things, too, when that crafty bit of death-type ninja magic did its work. Daigo...doesn't even know how to begin to defend against a cloud of soul, some incredulous look locked on his face the moment he's enveloped in the sickening attack, feeling his very strength be sapped right out of him.
And then feeling a barricade smash on top of him to add more injury to the insult. Daigo is flattened, purely flattened, and doesn't appear to be moving. Has the mighty Kazama been brought down? So quickly?
Or does he just need a moment to collect his wits after that thorough trouncing..?
COMBATSYS: Daigo focuses on his next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
Given that the enemy's been sack-beaten by a giant thrown thing and a Cloud of Death, Duo's been working himself into a bit of an advantegous position, namely, backing the hell off. He didn't want to deal with Kazama anymore, especially since the man looked like he was about to brain somebody. Which, you know, isn't cool at all. That being the case, Duo's got his defenses up, his foot out again, another purple flare surrounding it. Pulling out all the stops, right?
As you might expect, being the avid viewer that you are, the ground erupts beneath Kazama's feet once more, an unpredictable, untelegraphed, lightning-fast blow to the lower limbs. Maybe that'd take a bit of the pep out of whatever was coming his way.
COMBATSYS: Karin successfully hits Kanji with Guren Ken.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 1/------=/=======|
Kanji narrows his eyes, as Karin approaches. His muscles tense, beginning to move...and then he blinks. Distracted. Feeling a familiar tug in the energies of the local plane. He turns his head, just enough to catch sight of the other battle. Not the little skirmishes going on between Shank Squad gunmen and police officers. The only other -real- fight. The one between Daigo, and his two allies of the moment.
The Gedo boss is of no concequence to Kanji. Nor is the barman. But the other one, this fighter named Duo Lon.
Kanji sees the attack. Not just the manifestation, but the flows of power. The distinctive taste of chi. And something shifts, in his eyes. Not admiration, or jealousy...not quite. But recognition. He thought the man just another practitioner of the -average- ninja arts, with their little blades and throwing stars...but no. This, this is different.
He will have to speak with this 'Duo Lon'. Later. But for now...Kanji has more pressing matters at hand. Like dealing with this little girl who insists on mocking him while dealing extreme amounts of trauma to his person.
And, unfortunately for Kanji?
His little moment of distraction...was something he couldn't afford. Something he's now paying for.
To his credit, though, Kanji doesn't make a sound. He remains mute, as he collapses, Karin's assault spilling his body to the ground. Falling in a shapeless mass of black fabric - his face meeting the concrete ground of the parking lot, flesh tearing open, spilling blood.
He twists, rising in a crouch, one knee resting on the ground. Touching the crimson-smeared graze on his cheek. "You are powerful, Miss Kanzuki," he murmurs, calling her by name, "in more ways than one. So why...why are you here, hm?"
Kanji tilts his head. Indicating the battle raging round them.
As he speaks, though, something else is happening. Beneath his feet, where he kneels, the fresh blood from his wound...staining the ground. It twists. It writhes. Suddenly forming a giant character, beneath Kanji's feet. An ideogram. His namesake. Blazing with crimson light, pulling in elemental forces from around...twisting brightness that engulfs Kanji's form, eight streams of pure chi wrapping round his arm as he lunges at Karin, hand ablaze.
"Why? Charity, hm?"
Hrm. His attacks seem to be having the desired effect. While the covering fire from the building continues, some policemen just don't seem to get the concept... Chen's sad, sure, but it's not his place to show it. This is a war, as far as he's concerned, and his employer directed that some ass be kicked.
Thus.
"Shame all you policemen are getting such nice uniforms dirty..." Rushing out to the next barricade, Chen decides that he's -liked- that as a weapon. Grabbing the barricade, he twirls it over one arm. The policemen step close, but Chen swings the barricade closer. Forward step, another feint. "Tsk. You've done enough for now... take a seat!" One more twirl, and he steps forward, levelling all three nearest him.
But by this point, Daigo's still getting up. He's still a distance away, but Chen closes on him -- though instead of aiming for the head, Chen's trying to entangle the barricade around the man's ankles. And if that's possible, he'd lift up sharply, using the legs of the barricade to take the big man off his feet -- and sling around for about thirty degrees of spin. Not too much further, though -- Daigo's a big boy, after all! "Alley-oop!"
COMBATSYS: Kanji successfully hits Karin with Eightfold Path.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
The police and the Shankers continue to shoot it out; a few more of the police go down and it's clear that if something doesn't break here, they're going to be buried at Wounded Knee, only Wounded Knee will be full of shot-up donut holes. However, what they might not have been expecting was the voice of one of Karin's bodyguards inside, saying into the radio she handed him: "Now!" And then the hail of supporting fire starts. Where were Karin's "men" she referred to? In nearby buildings with sniper rifles. It worked on Mr. Big, so why not on Random Q. Terrorista? A couple Shankers go down in a hail of... well, alright, they fire one a t a time, so not so much a hail of gunfire as a light sprinkling of gunfire.
Karin herself, however, is not so lucky; Kanji's chi-powered strike suddenly comes at her much faster than she'd anticipated, and before she can mount a proper defense it's inside her guard, knocking her clear and away to skid to a stop at a trash can with a loud CLANG. Ow. OW. Although it looks like that stung, Karin's a tough kid, and after a few moments to clear her head is up and at it again, staring Kanji down.
Shifting her stance a bit, the blonde hmphs at the Nega Ninja with a derisive, self-assured smile. "I'm a capitalist," she explains carefully, before rushing in and actually past Kanji... but only by a step, the feint blossoming (so to speak) into a pair of overhead down-sweeping punches, one to the left and one to the right, the Kanzuki style emphasizing preparedness for any eventuality... even two guys coming at you at once along a 2D plane. "I don't believe in charity!"
COMBATSYS: Daigo blocks Duolon's Genmu Kyaku Uchikiba.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Chen successfully hits Daigo with Siberian Sleighride.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
Wits, gathered. Enough so that Daigo can at least get up and throw his arms up in front of Duo's blast attack. Only to be smashed around and taken for a ride by Chen's chunk of barricade. Brought down to the ground again, Daigo's head is rattled by the impact, though he manages to get up to a kneeling position this time in short order. "...Punks..." he murmurs, looking up at Chen, and then over at Duolon. This is a tough fight. Maybe it was a bit much, but Daigo isn't about to go down without throwing his weight around. The best way to do that just happens to be by gathering up a little more of his focus...
...and calling forth a burst of his own inner strength. A great fiery burst that fairly well explodes from the center of Daigo's being, radiating outwards, sending waves of great flaming energy swirling around for his opponents to sample. The brief blazing image of a great fiery bird forms above the Gedo Boss as he unleashes this assault, both of his eyes momentarily open, and glowing briefly red whilst he glances from one to the other.
"I REFUSE to let you kill these officers! BEGONE!"
COMBATSYS: Duolon dodges Daigo's Super Phoenix Fire.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/-------|
Oh jesus, this guy was loaded with... super painful attacks. That is, if they were able to hit him normally. Duo Lon is what you'd refer to as a "tricksy" ninja, and as ninja were wont to do, he got the hell out of the way. Well, after his eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped a bit. I mean. Daigo, sweetie. JESUS. Duo took absolutely no time in vanishing again, waves of heat rippling over his bones just as they began to dissipate, and if anybody had any question of what would happen to Duo... well. Those bones? Totally blackened as they hit the floor. And dissipate.
And Duo's falling through the air from perhaps 20 feet above, twirling once as he throws a volley of sharpened, likely poisoned darts at Daigo's back. Nevermind that the position leaves him totally open to a kick to the rear, or that his back is turned to rooftops, or whatever. Who else, really, could be coming to the fight? Rolento had the whole town up in arms.
COMBATSYS: Karin successfully hits Kanji with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/---====|
"Really? Hn. So how -are- they paying you? The pleasure of seeing blood?"
Kanji gives a laugh. It doesn't last, though, since it's cut off by the distinct -impact- of Karin's fists with his body. The clash of bone. Managing to echo even -over- the roar of gunfire, cracking painfully in the air.
And yet. Kanji still stands. Swaying on unsteady legs, but standing. He straightens, and gestures, with a hand. With a languid wave, Kanji points to the bodies littering the battlefield. His features briefly lit by a flare as a tracer round zips past.
Many injured, some dead. The urban warfare's taken its toll. On both sides. The Shank Squad gunmen had the better position, in their buildings, having surrounded the area before the attack. But even still, it isn't like the police and their corporate allies came unprepared. Karin's snipers, for one, are equally well placed. Maybe better. And while gunfire might not be of much use on fighters. But for those less trained in the martial arts...well. Modern weaponry exists for a reason, after all.
A brutal clash, indeed.
He coughs. A wet, spluttering cough, blood flying in flecks from his mouth. Running down, in a trickle, from the side of his throat, staining his pale features. But he still manages a smile, even despite his obvious pain. "How very mercenary."
Kanji's tone is light, but also faintly sardonic.
He raises his arm, then, as he floats backwards, almost flying as he opens up distance between the two of them. Twisting into the air, skidding across a barricade, landing atop a parked squad car. As he touches down, the fabric of his robe sleeve billows. Swirls. There's a whisper, a rustling, a soft sound. And then...a paper talisman arcs towards Karin, flashing out. One. Two. Three. A multitude, speeding in dozens as they fly.
COMBATSYS: Daigo successfully hits Chen with Super Phoenix Fire.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Daigo
[ \\\\\\\ <
Kanji 0/-------/----===|
Oof, flames. That's not gonna be fun. And the barricade he's still got in his hands isn't much of a shield either, but that doesn't stop the Chinaman from swinging it around and trying. Smoldering as it's blasted into ash, it doesn't last long -- but it's enough to take some of the heat off Chen as he remains crouched throughout the wall of fire. Not that it stops him from getting blasted backward, flying bodily into the officer nearest him. The officer started to aim a gun at him, but apparently, that's just not gonna do -jack-.
Knocking the man over like a bowling pin, Chen immediately springs back to his feet -- though he's reaching for something in a pocket. A shot glass. That shot glass is summarily thrown out at Daigo -- for the split second before Chen reaches for the downed officer. Grabbing him by the legs, Chen shakes his head. "Please accept my humblest apologies, but you're the closest I can manage." Much too cheerful for what he's about to do -- sling the dazed officer around like a mace for one, two, three repeated attacks on Daigo's flank. With no weapons at hand... well, he has to make do.
Faster than a fat man chasing an ice cream truck. More powerful than the GeForce 7800 GTX. Able to leap tall fences in a single bound. Look up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, It's... "SHINGO KIIIIIICKU!"
Super hearing and super telescopic vision that can see around the world he does not have. What he does have is a piece of paper that tells him he was supposed to meet Karin and Daigo here to help with the defensive against Rolento's group attacking the police force. Only thing is that somehow he managed to get lost. Which really shouldn't be surprising considering that after causing trouble at that prison last week he's been doing his best to avoid conflict getting over here. After a few close run-ins with the armed patrols that would've slowed him down even more Shingo has finally made it. Only to see that the battle has already started without him and things don't seem to be going so well for the 'good guys'. Of course he can't help but feel like it's his fault the situation has taken a turn for a worse. But he isn't one to dwell on such things. He can get chewed out later. For now he's got to find a way to help turn the tide back into their favour.
Taking advantage of everyone attention on the battle Shingo sneaks around to the back of the store and in between leaping up and scaling the rest of the distance he makes it to the very top; taking refuge behind the sign and looking out for perfect chance to ambush the villainous villains. His opportunity coming as Duolon evades Daigo's flame attack. In a blink the boy is running along the rooftop at top speed towards the edge. A powerful jump sends the Taiyo fighter hurtling through the air at the falling ninja with his body twisting to swing his leg out and down in a deadly arc at Duolon. Shingo making full use of his momentum, weight, and gravity to make this count.
COMBATSYS: Shingo has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Daigo
COMBATSYS: Karin negates Thousand Cranes from Kanji with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Daigo
Things are not looking good for the police. All around Daigo, Duo, and Chen, police are falling left and right. Unless help comes soon, there's a good chance the Shankers are going to start heading inside. Then the donuts will be in danger... and we certainly can't have that. The police around Karin and Kanji, however, are rallying something fierce; the Shankers are actually being pushed back, since the sniper fire is starting to crumble their front lines.
Raising an eyebrow, Karin squares off with the ofuda ninja, snorting at his comment. "Just because something isn't charitable," she offers, turning as she passes him and shifting into a ready stance, waiting on his retaliatory strike, "doesn't mean it can't be free. I'm here because Rolento's ideal is a stupid ideal. People only thrive in a free environment..." She grins faintly. "His forced peace is a sham, nothing more!" Never mind that she's taken quite a beating over this and has every plan to beat Rolento over the head with a 2x4 once this is all over.
Of course, then the paper cranes come flying, and Karin does look shocked for a second... while they don't look threatening, there's an *awful lot* of them. However, the unnaturally perceptive and quick-thinking Karin isn't going to be kept down by a bunch of paper dolls. Looking around for anything she can use in a hasty defense, she finds a discarded box of... donut holes. Perhaps they were on their way out to the barricade lines for a snack?
But it matters not! Grabbing the box, Karin pinches the lid and then simply swings in a circle, letting the various glazed pastry bits fly where they may... and the swarm of donut holes is, apparently, mightier than the enchanted paper cutout. "Well, it's not as elegant as beating Sakura's technique with a shrine garden's stone," she admits, tossing the box over her shoulder and readying herself for Kanji's next attack, "but I'll take what I can get!"
COMBATSYS: Daigo dodges Duolon's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Daigo
COMBATSYS: Daigo blocks Chen's Lights Out.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Daigo
It's been a painful battle. A very painful battle. Between newspaper machines, chunks of solid material, and now the body of an officer, Daigo's head is pounding. Luckily, he's juuuuuuust versed enough in battle to know when the tide's turning. Besides, that phoenix flame always seems to invigorate him for an instant.
A well-used instant it proves to be, too, as Daigo neatly sidesteps those evil poison bolts from Duolon, and still manages to find the time to do a fanciful bit of blocking. That is, moving his arms in such a way that deflects the shotglass, and then cushions the blows Chen does with the police officer. Anti-death, Daigo is. And after the third such bludgeoning attack, Daigo strikes back, right fist cocked back, and sent for Chen's jaw. "Don't say I didn't warn you, pal!"
COMBATSYS: Duolon dodges Shingo's Shingo Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Daigo
Duo Lon would grimace when Daigo somehow dodges his needles, but there's the issue of one Shingo Yabuki sailing overhead. Somehow, the famed Shingo Kick missed(It does this a lot), but the ninja was /not/ happy with this change of events. He reaches a hand up, and grabs at the younger boy's ankle, an attempt to clamber atop Yabuki and turn him around in midair, so that Duo falls to the ground with a Shingo Cushion. It's kind of a neat attack approach, really. Even if it's doomed to failure. Anybody who learns to punch has heard of Shingo and his Tsuki Hiji.
Even as he mounts Shingo(Headline material), Duo snickers. "Remember, this is business. I'm not backstabbing anybody, Yabuki. And when you need a hand, I'll offer one. But for now, I'm afraid I'll have to apply force instead."
Kanji blinks, once, as Karin deals with his attack...in her own unique, special way. He eyes her, still kneeling atop a squad car, one of the bullet-ridden vehicles resting outside the donut depot.
His lips part, mouth opening. Kanji takes a ragged breath. Forcing air through his lungs. "All society is forced, Miss Kanzuki. It is...fiction. A lie, always a lie..."
He breathes, again, a shudder running through his lean, almost skeletal frame. His body shivers beneath his enshrouding robes. Regardless of how the assault is going...he's losing -this- fight. He has no delusions about that.
It is clear he cannot beat Karin. Not today, at least. Perhaps not ever. Her technique, with its emphasis on harsh physical blows, does not play to his own strengths of energy sensing and manipulation.
Kanji takes another breath, and goes still. Calm.
He knows this, and accepts this. It does not trouble him.
Nor does the pain.
A grin plays across his bloody features. His ghastly visage a rictus, a death mask.
"...grind the universe into elementary particles...and find me one molecule of freedom, one atom of equality. No? No..."
Kanji touches a hand to his face, smearing his thumb across his own blood. The crimson soaking into his linen-wrapped fingertip.
He folds his hands before him, flickering his fingers through a number of rapid shapes. Hand seals, representing animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Rat. Ox. Tiger. Hare...
As his fingers move, Kanji continues speaking. In that strangely serene manner of his, voice floating over the chaotic exchange of fire, the shouts and cries of police and soldiers. Calm.
"Schugerg may be mad. But are we...are we any less?"
Smile.
Flicker.
Smoke.
It obscures Kanji. Hiding him from view. Streams of sweet-smelling substance spiralling around him, flowing skyward. And then...and then, it -shifts-, it -changes-, the smoke...not dispersing, but wrapping round his body, writing like a serpent, a living thing. Smoke tinged with crimson, as if lit from within. Swirling, swirling - before bursting into flame. As Kanji dives forward, thrusting an arm toward the red-clad girl. Towards Karin.
He may already be beaten.
But not just yet.
COMBATSYS: Chen counters Phoenix Fist from Daigo with Monkeywrench.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\ < > /// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Daigo
The police officer, having fulfilled his usefulness to the Syndicate bartender, is slung to the side. "Ah... yes, warning. If we always did the smart thing, where would we be?" Grinning smugly, Chen actually... runs right towards the Gedo Boss.
And for a brief instant, it almost looks like he'll get hit. Not so, though -- Chen's face actually whizzes right past the punch, for he's spun his right elbow in a smash directed right at Daigo's sternum. Pivoting to the side, he actually spins -around- Daigo, following up with a left elbow at the Gedo Boss's left arm. And another half-spin will bring his right elbow around for a strike at Kazama's back -- only to be followed by a high right knee. And with any luck, that should fell the tree-trunk of a Gedo student, right? "I'd be happy to accept any further warnings from you, though!" he adds, much too cheerfully.
COMBATSYS: Shingo blocks Duolon's Suishu Ransaiki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\\\\\ < > /// ]
Kanji 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Daigo
Somehow indeed. Shingo isn't exactly sure -what- exactly nor is he going to think about it too much. It happens. He'll get over it. That and he's going to chalk it up to pesky ninja tricks in the air. When his ankle is grabbed he does his best to wrestle it free but to no avail. Duolon has a good hold on him. The only other choice for the boy is to brace for the impending impact. The air rustling past his ears almost blanketing out Duolon's words of explanation. Frankly at the moment he doesn't want to hear it. Guess his friends were right not to trust the ninja after all. He will call in that favour soon enough though. That's another one of Rolento's pawns that owes him.
Shingo crashes into the ground with Duolon on top of him. He was prepared for this and as soon as he hits his body twists to turn the two fighters over to alleviate the pain from the fall and get back onto his feet. Also freeing his leg from Duolon's grasp. "I'll remember that. But you should also know that..." Shingo hops forward with one leg, a fist trailing along side and swinging in at Duolon's torso in a swift hook punch. "You're not so tough!" At the last moment the fist veers off and aims for the ninja's head instead in an attempt to floor him.
COMBATSYS: Karin interrupts Incense Paper from Kanji with Mujin Kyaku.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\ < > /// ]
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Daigo
Well, there's good news and there's bad news. The bad news is the police around Daigo protecting the precious, precious donuts are pretty much gone; the ground is littered with bodies, which I'm sure is making Duo Lon all gleeful and morbid and goth. On the upside, Shingo's distraction allowed enough time for the people *inside* the Dunkin' Donuts to get prepared and then come OUTSIDE. Apparently, it's time to rally. Do or die! As for the police in Karin's cadre... the Shankers are toast. Police there are mopping up, and soon will turn an eye toward the donut shop. Protect the pastries at all cost!
"All philosophy aside," Karin says, facing down Kanji with an even expression of bizarre calm, "I really don't care about your attempt to relativize everything. Rolento is crazy; I and others have the means to stop him." She puts her fists up into ready position, edging her right leg outward into an offensive posture. "Thus, we will!"
And perhaps Kanji should have noticed that sudden shift to an offensive posture before he decided to leap in with a flashy move... because Karin, prepared and ready, meets his incoming elbow with a kick from her right leg that sweeps upward and simply boots it out of the way, leaving the now-falling Kanji open. "That sort of selfish rationalization..." she begins, and then brings her *left* leg up, making her hop a step and then driving her right toe into Kanji's body, booting *him* out of the way and leaving Karin fresh as a daisy, "...I hate more than anything!"
Ka-pow. That's all that need be said. Daigo is, indeed, dropped by the wonderiffic counter to his weak attempt to punch Chen's lights out. Again, Daigo can feel the strength slipping out of his limbs. His consciousness, beginning to darken. Lights out? Just about... A flash of anger in the gang boss' head steeles his arms for just one moment though. Failed to protect? Perhaps... But he's going to leave a mark before he drops.
"...You want one more warning..?" Daigo growls, getting up to his feet again. "If I...ever see you again...you're going to be paste on a wall." That said, Daigo reaches out one hand, and attempts to quite simply grab Chen's face. If he can hold the man still for just a second, another gathered burst of chi will explode, this time from the palm of his hand, lashing out to strike Chen face-on. Dark purple chi, that of his darker side, carrying with it all the pain that's been given to him in rounds past.
COMBATSYS: Daigo can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Duolon dodges Shingo's Aragami Mikansei.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Shingo
[ \\ <
Kanji 0/-------/--=====|
Duo sails down to the ground along with Shingo, the two young men vying for control of the tumble until they both hit the ground... on their sides. Duo's not as hurt as Shingo, though, blessed angling and slight frames being what they are. That being the case, the ninja's able to roll backwards, several feet behind the point of initial impact. After all, who wants to stick around for a heavy punch to the torso? The case in point being that he's just... rolled, Shingo's attack sails by overhead, and Duo comes to a standing position some distance away.
He watches the situation between Kanji and Karin, wincing as the girl obliterates his comrade in Stealthy Flipoutty Abilities. Duo'd kept a bit of an eye on the other ninja, and the ritualism, while flashy, wasn't as often used as one would think. Anyway. His eyes flicker back to Shingo, and the ninja steps forward, foot arcing out in a straight 45 degrees, pointing to the ground, wreathed in purple energies. We all know what /that/ means.
Shingo better move or something. At least, his feet. Maybe hop?
"You are stronger, therefore your way is right..."
Kanji's voice is quiet, hushed. But it reaches Karin's ears, despite that, somehow carried in the wind. He picks himself up from where he lies, broken and battered upon the scarred earth. The blackness of his robes hiding the blood from his wounds. He stands, slowly, favouring one side.
"How is that different from -his- philosophy, hm?"
Kanji is badly injured. That much is clear. Karin must have felt his ribs give beneath her foot, in that last exchange of blows. Bone splintering, shattering beneath superior force. And the way he's holding himself - yes, it's apparent he is suffering.
"You reject, you deny, with only violence. Is that not selfish? Mmn..."
Kanji should be in pain. No question, he is. Yet none of that obvious injury shows in his speech. He remains collected, at peace. Almost smiling, as he brings his hands together again, an island of motionless tranquility, amid the constant gunfire, the ebb and flow of battle.
"Miss Kanzuki, please..." he murmurs, shaking his head, sounding almost disappointed.
His hands are clasped, almost prayerfully. Then he forms another of those hand seals, his bloodstained fingers moving in practiced forms.
"...you are smarter than that..."
Another pillar of smoke erupts around the ninja. And from it, he bursts, heading towards Karin, mouth open in a wordless scream, fingers outstretched...
...no. No. Something's wrong. That's not Kanji. It looks like him. Is shaped like him. But it isn't him. That figure, trailing wisps of smoke - no, not him. It's bleached, pale, like a paper figure drawn from blood. Features writhing, disintegrating even as it moves. Grotesquely clawing, as it dies.
When the smoke fades, the real Kanji is gone. But his voice lingers, as his replacement attacks.
"Please, I beg. Think, think."
COMBATSYS: Kanji can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Chen dodges Daigo's Super Skull Aura.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Shingo
"That sounds most unpleasant," comes Chen's ready reply. Though... the warning -did- serve a purpose -- it got the Chinese man anxious enough that his feet started shuffling. When that hand reaches out for his face? ... Well, Chen bridges backwards, arms out to the side for balance as his head is neatly pulled out of reach. It seemed to be a bit overkill, though -- as the man soon drops one hand, pushing off with his fingertips as if he were in a Chinese martial arts movie on wire-fu. No reason, just because!
Breathing a sigh of relief, he turns back to Daigo, nodding. "You fought well! But it's up to your successors, now!"
Speaking of successors, Shingo is looking awfully clean right now. Not a fleck of blood anywhere. This'll have to be remedied. Chen runs up to the nearest sign -- the one reading 'OUT->' -- and kicks at its base, shattering the plastic molding found there. That's enough to allow him to pull the rest of the sign free from the ground, and then spin a quick 360 to lob the sign over at Boy Wonder over there. "Hey! You're going the wrong way!" It's not meant to actually -hit- the boy, though -- but rather explode in a fury of shattered fragments just at Shingo's feet. It's no frag grenade, but close!
Daigo makes a sound between a growl and a gurgle as his last stand is made ineffective, slumping into unconsciousness. KO! (thrown in to get it over with)
COMBATSYS: Duolon successfully hits Shingo with Genmu Kyaku Uchikiba.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Chen successfully hits Shingo with Jericho's Breeze.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Shingo
It's always flattering to be double-teamed. It shows how much his opponents either respect or fear him as a fighter. Either way they're see Shingo as the greatest threat to their objectives and have decided to gang up on him. That's fine by the youthful fighter. It means that Karin gets a free shot in on either Duolon or Chen. Better they target him than her, that's for sure. He's still fresh. Or at least was until the pillar of chi rises up from under him just as the sign splinters at his feet. Ouch and double ouch. That really hurt and it shows. The boy's pants shreded by the fragments and energy marks over his clothing. Shingo's step falters as he works on getting out from the pincer position he has been placed in.
This is accomplished by hopping. Hopping into the startup of his signature technique once more. This doesn't exactly have the greatest track record against ninja, but hope springs eternal. "SHINGO KIIIIIICKU!" Shingo's body lifts into the air to put some distance between him and Chen and to bring himself closer to Duolon. The boy's foot most definitely looking to catch Duolon's head from an upward diagonal angle and smash the ninja's skull like a watermelon at a Gallagher show.
COMBATSYS: Karin dodges Kanji's Paper Doll.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Shingo
Unfortunately for Our Heroes, Daigo falling is a morale hit of sorts, and Shingo's completely nonexistent defense isn't inspiring them either. Still, the crew under Karin's guidance have now begun to make their way over and reinforce the barricades; that, combined with the continued sniper fire from Kanzuki security forces, has once again made this a stalemate for now. Could go either way.
Kanji's attack is, as with his others, flashy and distracting... but maybe at this point, Karin's inured to them. The energy body comes flying at her, and the blonde simply twists out of the way so it passes harmlessly by.With a 'hmph', Karin throws her curls over her shoulder, glancing at where Kanji used to be. "It has nothing to do with 'might makes right'," she explains, as if the ninja were still here to hear her say it. "I don't know that my way is 'right', I only know that Rolento's way is 'wrong'." With a grin, she puts a hand to her chin. "So as long as I can, I'll take action against what's 'wrong' with my own power and nothing else. In the end history will decide."
With that out of the way, Karin glances over to where Daigo is... and finds that it's where Daigo *was*. Alright, not good... on the plus side, Shingo has appeared out of nowhere, which... presumably is good, mainly because it means Duo Lon and Chen haven't had time to notice her yet. Cracking her knuckles, the blonde makes a beeline for Duo Lon and lashes out with two blazing fast palm strikes, the Guren Ken combination, but with a twist; the final hit is actually a pair of zig-zagging elbow strikes, one to the upper left, one to the upper right.
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Duolon with Shingo Kick.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Duolon dodges Karin's Guren Ken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Shingo
Duo throws a hand up as the sign explodes at Shingo's feet, though the motion is unnecessary, Chen's mastery of Sign-Fu is impressive. The ninja's eyes go wide as Shingo flies at him, recovering... well, way faster than he'd expected. And, of course... there was that 'SHINGO KIIIIIIICKU' to worry about. Like it was /always/ there to worry about. That and the rampaging Kanzuki coming up on his flank. So Duo does what seems logical, and ducks. Nevermind the fact that Shingo's lower foot slams into his back while he turns. Nevermind that Karin's attack flies overhead.
Duo's trying to /hit/ Karin, see. He figured the attacks would just go through his body, on account of his super Ninja Powers. Everything else missed, anyway. ANYWAY. Duo's still got focus enough to send a slender leg arcing around on the ground at Karin's ankles, hopefully tripping her up. He then circles around again, bringing his foot higher up, this time to smack her in the face. It /should/ work, at least. If, you know. All odds failed and it actually didn't mess up this time.
So what is Chen, chopped liver? Apparently. And with Shingo and Karin -both- occupied, well... he's pretty much picking and choosing here. Might as well stick to Shingo, even though he's not quite as pretty.
"Hmm... " he hums pensively, glancing over towards the discarded barricades. Worked before, so why not? Grabbing one of the broken ones, Chen twirls it around his right arm, slowly walking towards Shingo. "Hmm... you seem like you need a breather, young man. Might I recommend a brief nap? Though when Chen approaches, it's not to smack him with the barricade itself -- but rather twirl it like a baton, aiming to snare Shingo's elbows in several successive joint locks, before finally tugging him by the elbow and slinging him to the ground. "Hyaaa!"
Kanji has disconnected.
COMBATSYS: Shingo counters Medium Throw from Chen with Tsuki Hiji.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Shingo
You know what they say, Chen. No rest for the weary. Or the wary as it seems in this situation. Karin has come to the boy's aide and drawn the attention of the ninja away from him. For now. Leaving Chen with Shingo's full focus. Also for now. That and giving yourself away with idle banter also helps in the boy spinning around suddenly to smash the make-shift weapon in two and/or knock them away. He sometimes doesn't know his own strength so you never know what can happen. "GECCHU!" Still spinning around his leg comes up with an abrupt kick to Chen's ribs from his shin. Hopefully it's enough to break if not fracture some bones on the Syndicate thug and send him flying away from Shingo so he can turn back to the pesky ninja.
COMBATSYS: Karin fails to counter Fuuka Tenshi Combo from Duolon with Yasha Gaeshi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Shingo
Karin passes harmlessly around Duo as he gets to dodging her strikes despite a marked effort to make them tricky to dodge, but she gets a bit of satisfaction from seeing Shingo's foot impact the ninja's back. She attacked first and thus has time to get herself into position before the voodoo ninja decides to counterattack... and if previous experience is any indicator, he most certainly will.
Unfortuantely, Karin was expecting Duo to attack after *standing up*, which he most certainly does not do. Thus her attempt at using her signature counterattack stance to fend off the pair of kicks doesn't fare so well. In fact it flat-out doesn't work at all. The blonde is sent stumbling back a step or two but is ready and back on her feet fairly quickly, ready for more.
Duo Lon is a man of many talents. Ninja Voodoo, Teleports, dodging tricksy skills, and kicking girls in the ankles. He comes to a standing position after his brief roundhouse combo to Karin, and with a rather casual motion, withdraws some heavy-duty kunai from his pocket. Nothing spectacular, but the liquidy gleam to that metal is probably an indicator of what's /on/ it. Poison?! Water!? Is it maybe halfway polished?
Probably the former. The knives are brought forward in such a fashion so as to show them fully to Karin, and he takes a moment to arrange them within the spaces between spindly fingers. A smile, and then he whips his body around, arm coming out in a lazy arc. Three heavy blades fly through the air towards Yabuki. Will he dodge? Will he block? Maybe Shingo Kick through /all of them/?
Oof. No rest indeed. Shingo's job of deterring the Syndicate enforcer ('thug' is such a harsh word for such a nice guy) is successful -- he staggers backward, quick to replace the mirroed shades upon his head. Never know when his identity as a bartender in Southtown might come in hand, after all...
Wait, where were we? Oh, right. Fighting. And Chen was just getting schooled, his barricade flying out of his hands and scraping across the pavement. But since Shingo's changing his target... hey, why not?
"Back home, we have another game we like to watch on TV..." he says, reaching for the barricade. He then walks over to the busted-up entrance sign, reeling back. "... 'hockey.' Ever hear of it?" Better hope Karin's familiar with the idea of a 'goalie', at any rate.
COMBATSYS: Shingo blocks Duolon's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Chen 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Shingo
While Shingo Kicking through all three daggers does strike him as a genius idea he thinks he's going to have to pass on it. At first he was thinking that Duolon was going after Karin again. How wrong he was. The blades are obviously intended for the young hero to keep him distracted for the incognito bartender to switch up to the blonde rich girl. Only thing with that plan is that it doesn't exactly pan out for Duolon. If that's what he was planning from the get-go that is. Shingo holds firm his ground and steadies his nerves. Thinking back to his short training with Oro he holds his arms up. But not in the form of any known block. The first knife comes in and...is snatched out of the air with his right hand. The second? Caught with his left hand. The third? Caught with...aw crud. He's run out of hands and takes it right in his side. The blade narrowly missing his lung. It's stuck in his torso though.
No worries! It'll take more than a simple blade to stop the incredible Shingonaut! But let's see if the same holds true for Chen and Duolon. Fighting through the pain in his gut, the boy brings his arms across his chest and then whips them out. "I think you dropped something!" Got to cue the one liner as he hurls the dagger back at the ninja and one at the latter's compatriot. No warning for the Chinese fighter!
COMBATSYS: Karin blocks Chen's Headless Horseman.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Chen 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Shingo
The Kanzuki family is not privy to such plebian sports as 'hockey', although Karin herself used to be a Red Wings fan before she discovered fighting. Still, she doesn't know jack about hockey. She does, however, have a working knowledge of how to stop things from hitting her, or at least stop them from hitting her very hard; she flips out an arm and quite literally knocks the sign right outta the air. Does that hurt? Yeah, it stings a bit on that arm. But on the upside, she didn't take a sign to the head. Puck you, buddy.
However, Karin had to take on Kanji before this and isn't looking all that hot; she retreats for a moment and takes a deep breath, falling back into a fighting stance and giving herself some space to think. The situation might be salvageable... really, if a falling chunk of a 747 passing over would fall and crush Duo, that'd go a long way toward helping.
COMBATSYS: Karin focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Chen 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Duolon with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Chen 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Shingo
Aw shit, Shingo. Shit! You didn't just do that, did you? The ninja gasps as his /own goddamn knife/ slams into his shoulder, an attack Duo clearly was not expecting. Furthermore, well. The ninja staggers around for a second or two, and rips the knife from his shoulder with a wince. The blood's already soaking through his suit. Shingo would have to pay, obviously. Nobody stabs Duo Lon in the shoulder. NOBODY. Except for people stronger than him. This... This was just, insulting, mang.
Of course, there's also the fact that Karin's running around getting ready to do something big. Duo wasn't a fan of many people fighting him at once, and, furthermore... deep down inside, he was a paranoid. The knife is thrown to the ground, Shingo given a growl, and a quick nod(good job), then Duo focuses on Karin. Time to take her out of the fight for good. The young Hizoku rushes forward, and attempts to grab her arm and waist, then plant his elbow, his bony, piercing elbow, directly into her stomach.
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Chen with Thrown Object.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Chen 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Shingo
Knives? The bartender's seen plenty of those in his tenure at Shanghai Sports Bar -- let alone the time spent in Shanghai proper. So really, it shouldn't be any trouble for him to calmly step to the side and let the blade whistle by, right?
WRONG. See, he's still carrying that barricade, and it slowed him down juuust enough to allow that blade to sink right into the Chinaman's shoulder. "... Bother."
Without any cry of pain, he jerks the knife out of his shoulder. Shake it off, he'll be aight. Of course, he then rams the knife through the barricade. Idly whistling, it doesn't seem like he's overly concerned about the pain... but then again, he's not overly concerned about tossing the whole kit-and-kaboodle at Shingo, either. The barricade with a knife in it actually looks kinda like a tomahawk, if it were to be doodled by an average three-year-old...
COMBATSYS: Shingo dodges Chen's Large Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Chen 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Shingo
That's pretty cool for Chen to do. Going with the flow and using the knife like a handle to throw the barricade at Shingo. Know what would be cooler? Is if as Shingo ever so casually slides to the left avoiding the hurtling object it kept on going and hit Duolon right in the head. Unfortunately that doesn't happen since the dang fruity ninja has seen it better for his chances to go eliminate the lone female from the fight. Tch. If that's the case then Shingo might as well return the favour and eliminate the lone bartender. Fair's fair, right?
As soon as he slides out of the way Shingo breaks off into a dash straight for the caster of that crude tomahawk-like object. A small grin tugs at the edges of his mouth as he quickly closes the distance between the two. You know what? Why the heck not? "SHINGO KIIIIIICKU!" Shingo's feeling lucky today with his perceived ultimate technique and returns the gesture of the thrown barricade with a thrown leg attached to a Shingo. He intends to hit -someone's- head today successfully with it, darnit.
COMBATSYS: Karin fails to counter Suishu Ransaiki from Duolon with Yasha Gaeshi.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Duolon 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Shingo
Ow. Closing her eyes for a moment, Karin falls back into the Yasha Gaeshi stance when she sees Duo Lon coming at her again. Last time her failing was not looking low enough; this time she's simply too exhausted to be ready for the attack, and she's shoved back by Duo's sudden elbow with a little 'oof'. That stung. Not a lot, but it doesn't really take a lot when the person you're fighting is simply worn out.
But she once again pulls herself back into a fighting stance, watching Duo Lon. One ninja with his whatever tricks was enough for her; two is just beyond frustrating, never mind that this entire Metro City situation is beginning to get on her nerves. She stares the ninja down, and she looks *angry*.
There comes, in every fight, a point where Duo Lon tires himself out. This is that point. After dinking Karin in the stomach with his shoulder, Duo falls back and closes his eyes, fingers extended rigidly, arms crossed over his chest so that his palms rest against his shoulders. Emotions, be them Karin's rage, Shingo's exuberance, or Chen's growing desperation, are ignored. There was a /wealth/ of death on this battlefield. Dozens of corpses, the lingering feel of combat's passion. It was like... like Duo Lon FUEL.
So, Shingo and Karin. Pay no attention to the ninja in the corner. He may be glowing purpley-grey now, he may be actually /exuding/ chilly energy... but really. Don't mind him. He won't do anything to you until he opens his eyes again. He promises.
COMBATSYS: Duolon gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Duolon 1/---====/=======|=======\==-----\1 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Chen counters Shingo Kick from Shingo with Long Island.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Karin
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Duolon 1/---====/=======|=======\====---\1 Shingo
Shingo Kick, eh? Chen's watched enough of Shingo's fights to get the general gist of the attack. It's a bit risky, but when he's facing the threat of Shingo's foot rocketing towards him, there's only one thing the Chinese martial artist can think to do.
... Fall onto his back. Of course, this means that the Shingo Kick goes right overhead, right? Right. Because there's just no reason for Shingo to be getting away with that kick, time and time again. "Your signature move, is it?" quips Chen, flattening his hands against the pavement as Shingo approaches. Thrusting off the ground with both hands, he comes right back -under- the aerial Kusanagi-ryuu fighter, feet pumping as if pedaling an imaginary bicycle. Only there isn't a bicycle there -- he's hammering kick after kick into Shingo instead, a faintly smug grin adorning his face on the entire circuit.
And once his momentum starts to die down, Chen pivots forward, hammering off one final punch at Shingo. "Predictable!"
Counter one leg technique with another is how these kids are doing it nowadays? Please pay no attention to the little detail that Chen is in fact older than the teenager by a few years. It's really a moot point with Shingo getting his body pounded and lifted by the upside down kicks of the bartender. If he were in better condition then it wouldn't have hurt so much but you know there's a knife embedded into his side. Being kicked repeatedly doesn't help this fact. The final punch knocks him to the ground. But Shingo still's got energy on him and somehow manages to recover by placing a hand flat on the ground to land and flip up. Good as new. Almost.
That was surprising and interesting. He'll take a note to write it down in his notebook later. Time to take care of business. Oh look. Duolon's over there by himself doing nothing. Let's fix that. "Uh, hold that thought, mister!" Shingo charges off at the ninja standing still. The blade stuck in him removed along the way. The increased flow of blood causing him to bleed that much more. The red liquid soaking into his clothing. No matter. As long as this works. This being a variation on his typical shoulder-tackle smash move. This one involving a stab right into Duolon's torso with the shoulder ram and then leaping back to leave the blade there. "You dropped this, by the way."
Karin hasn't been training in it long, and she's still a considerable novice when it comes to the matter of Chi. However, even she can sense that *something* is going on with Duo Lon, and it's in her best interest to put a stop to it RIGHT NOW. Of course, she's ridiculously ragged at the moment and rushing in is for suckers. There's got to be something she can do...
And, after a moment of looking, she finds it: a parking meter, ripped off its post by a stray shell, most likely. Although primarily against such tactics, it's clear that Karin's rage has completely overridden her good sense at this point. Picking up the heavy metal thing, she stares at Duo, and then with a ridiculously loud "HNNNGRAAAAAAGH!" simply CHUCKS it at him at high speed. She's... pretty damn strong for a little girl. Must work out.
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Duolon with Ge Shiki - Kake Hourin.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Karin
[ \\\ < > /////////// ]
Duolon 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Duolon blocks Karin's Large Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Karin
[ \ < > /////////// ]
Duolon 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 Shingo
Whoa whoa whoa. Duo put /warnings/ up, folks. Don't attack the Ninja. Please. He didn't do anything to you, right? In any case, Duo Lon's going down for the count after getting beaten by Shingo's shoulder and then stabbing him. Also, Karin's thrown a parking meter at him, which he manages to put an arm in front of. The chinaman's eyes fall to mere slits, and while the energy around him positively /boils/ with potential. His features contort, even as he slumps, and a hand stretches out towards Shingo's ankle.
"I'm.. out.. But so are you."
"Hiden." The bodies around the battlefield begin shuddering, as if caught in a strong wind. "Genmu.." At this, grey chi begins manifesting in the air around the corpses, some resisting, but most giving it up freely. "Onryou.." The grey chi energy begins manifesting itself in finer detail, the soldier's faces and features brought out, their limbs beginning to show. "..HEKI!" The ninja slumps to the ground, quite unconscious.
And the spirits of the dead men get up, and begin to lurch towards Shingo and Karin. Clearly, there is a massive spiritual beatdown coming. Nothing too skillful, individually, but the spirits limbs would wither away at Shingo and Karin's energy, and the men would dissipate after about ten seconds. Consider it a gang-beatdown until then.
COMBATSYS: Duolon can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Karin
> /////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Shingo
... Oh snap, the ninja's on his last legs here. This would be a good time for Chen to get the heck outta here, right? Hrm. But even still, that Yabuki kid really irks him. Embodies the heart and soul of everything Chen dislikes about tournament fighting and all that -- though you'd never be able to tell from the thin smile on Chen's face as he lands from that attack. And being that he's still -quite- a distance away from the crazy necroninja... well, geez, might be good to get the heck away, huh? Chen does exactly that. But he's also scooping up what he can of the fallout from his -previous- attacks -- most notably the splintered remains of the very first barricade. It's still mostly there, and very unwieldy, and it'd quite probably hurt whenever it's chucked at Shingo's head, after the ninja's done summoning the dead and all that. "Hrrrrn!"
COMBATSYS: Shingo dodges Duolon's Hiden Genmu Onryouheki.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Karin
> /////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Shingo dodges Chen's Large Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Karin
> /////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Shingo
Spirits of dead men rising up from their resting places to come after Shingo? Oh snap. That's some creepy stuff if he's ever seen creepy stuff. Now that's the sort of stuff you definitely don't see every day. The apparitions moan and groan as they lurch at the boy. Shingo twists and contorts his body to avoid their boney fingered grasps. Man. If only he could do the Lion's Roar. He'd be out of this mess easy. Almost as easy as slipping on some loose debris and falling over comically onto his back. Incidentally, this occurs. Having the pleasant side effect of having the object thrown at his head sail harmlessly overhead and any last gropes from the undead. Suckers.
Shingo rolls forward and leaps at Chen one last time. You know what's coming. Once the boy sets his mind on doing something he follows through on it till he's stopped by an equal or stronger opposing force. Chen got lucky last time. Let's see if his luck holds out against yet another one of those 'predictable' Shingo Kicks. As the Chinese man so eloquently put it. "SHINGO KIIIIICKU!"
COMBATSYS: Karin blocks Duolon's Hiden Genmu Onryouheki.
[ \\\\\ < > // ]
Chen 0/-------/-----==|=======\====---\1 Karin
> ////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Shingo
Whatever that attack was... it's scary. Very scary. And Duo is certainly going out with a bang. But there is something... not quite right about Karin's expression as the dead start to walk at her, even in spirit form. There's a... glint. Something. This entire ordeal in Metro, from start to finish, has essentially built up to this moment. She's played the calm, collected doler out of justice for weeks now. And now that victory is in sight, she's not going to be stopped by anything, not even the walking dead.
So the blonde... screams. And then starts LASHING OUT at the dead as they come near her with kicks, punches, elbow gouges... anything and everything she can think of. The kitchen sink is an understatement. And whether it's fighting spirit or latent chi or something, whatever she's trying actually *works*. The ghosts just dissipate whenever they get near. Mind, it's taking its toll on Karin's body; by the end she looks like she was hit by a truck. But unlike Duo, when the ghosts fade, she's still standing.
There's a moment where Karin looks like she's ready to collapse... but Shingo's shouting of his attack name seems to snap her out of it. Frowning for a moment, she swims through her disorientation to find the Dunkin' Donuts entrance sign Chen chucked at her earlier. Pausing, she reaches down, eyes the Chinese weapon fighter, and HURLS it at him. "Sir, you forgot something in our store," she singsongs. "Allow me to return it, and thank you for your patronage."
COMBATSYS: Chen blocks Karin's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\ < > /// ]
Chen 0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1 Karin
> ////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Chen fails to counter Shingo Kick from Shingo with Bermuda Triangle.
> /// ]
|=======\====---\1 Karin
> ////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Chen can no longer fight.
> /// ]
|=======\====---\1 Karin
> ////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shingo
Right, right, Shingo Kick. Chen sidesteps sharply, reaching out for Shingo's leg as it rockets forth. Of course, in the process of -grabbing- said kick... well, it was easier when Chen ran through this in his head. It was also easier before Karin started hucking stuff at him. Point being that Chen flinched a bit too much when he saw the projectile coming in, which means that Shingo's arcing kick happens to catch him in the shoulder -despite- said sidestep. And he gets clocked in the head and all that, crumpling like a... so... something that crumples. It's been a long day, and Chen... Chen just got knocked the fuggout.
Landing after the satisfying impact he feels from his leg making contact with Chen's head, Shingo surveys the scene to make sure all opponents have been defeated and to see how well they've done this day. Not bad. Not bad at all. It was close. But they made it. Hooray for Team Good. And he got to beat up a ninja. Talk about a good day. Except for the cuts, bruises, and gaping hole in his side that's leaking out fluid. Despite all this Shingo turns to Karin and grins at her with his signature Super Nice-guy thumbs-up pose, "Looks like we did it!" The pose is held for a few seconds so someone can take a picture if they wanted before he starts to walk over to Karin to see where they go from here.
Without warning, Shingo's step falters. His vision begins to blur and distorted; muscles going limp. Glazed over eyes glance over to the blonde with concern. The boy hasn't a clue what could be happening to him. Unbeknownst to the young fighter that blade he caught in his side was poisoned. The pace of the fighting that had his heart pumping the blood throughout his body only sped up the spread of the poison. Shingo feels consciousness slipping away and slumps forward to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Shingo takes no action.
> /// ]
|=======\====---\1 Karin
> ////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Shingo has left the fight here.
> /// ]
|=======\====---\1 Karin
And the day is saved, thanks to... well, not exactly the Powerpuff Girls, but good enough. The invaders are down for the count, except for the mysteriously missing Kanji. The police have made a miracle rally, backed by Kanzuki sniper fire, that has put all of the Shankers either out of commission, in custody, or fleeing completely. All in all, this really was a victory for Team Good.
But at what cost? Many police -- including seasoned veterans -- died; the Dunkin' Donuts is a shambles and THAT is a crime against humanity in and of itself. Shingo and Daigo are out cold; of the three heroes only Karin is on her feet, and that's a "just barely" for sure. While it might be preemptive to call this victory 'Pyrrhic', it certainly had its share of attrition.
Police and Kanzuki forces come to take charge, Karin's personal bodyguards getting her settled into a chair somewhere since she is now, in the absence of police authority, the closest thing they have to command. "Take the Chinese man into custody and get first aid for Mr. Kazama and Mr. Yabuki immediately," she murmurs, rubbing her head. Exhausted only begins to describe. "As for the man in the flowing clothing..."
And here, Karin's eyes narrow. There is the tiniest suggestion that she'd like to do something very bad to Duo. After a pause, however, she simply says "Secure him to something -- with *chains* -- and keep him under close guard." The NPCs scurry off to do her bidding!
Now, was this worth it? That is for other fighters for good to determine...
COMBATSYS: Karin has ended the fight here.
Log created by Duolon, and last modified on 13:49:37 09/13/2005.