Description: After unwelcome news reaches his ears, Edge decides it's high time he called out Acacia for her treachorous behaviour. Sarcasm and psychotic behaviour riddles the ensuing clash of titans.
The quality of life at Gedo High can be something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, there's plenty of violent action to be had and the excuse of delinquency stands up in a fair number of juvenile courts across the land. Even better: this is hardly an issue in Southtown for anything short of murder, and there /are/ various codes of honour upheld by the youthful gangsters that usually prevents things from getting that extreme. The courses offered give just as cushy a spin to matters, with Daigo's martial arts classes about the only 'necessary' classes to attend. And who would miss them?
On the opposing set of fingers? Politics. Damn dirty politics. This particular annoyance is why Eiji 'Edge' Yamada now stalks through the groups of students hanging about the rusty buildings, flanked by two subordinates on either side, with a determined glint in his eye. Ever a big mover in the school, he's recently caused especially large waves thanks to his acquisition of Juli, the organisation of that eventful large-scale street battle, and most of all... rumours that he is somehow related to the terrorist incident that crippled Gedo for several days. The former two are what occupies him now.
"I don't want you two to interfere hear me? She's a real feisty bitch when she's pissed off, but this is /my/ fight. Got it?" Snarling the order to the pair of punks at his left, Edge looks the other way pointedly to ensure none of his tag-alongs forget who the boss is here. He means to take on the quiet-but-deadly Acacia for her perceived crimes against his beloved school.. in particular, for her apparent driving off of the ex-Doll so recently 'welcomed' into the gang's ranks. "C'mon shortround, I know you're around here somewhere..."
Muttering a string of obscenities to himself and entirely ignoring his dejected admirers, the purple punk sets about a quick patrol of Gedo's grounds, a sharp eye trained for any sign of the plainly clad femme-tank who has so enraged him.
Plainly clad? Honestly. You don't see -Acacia- insulting Edge's fashion-sense, do you? Well. Maybe because you can't mock what isn't there.
But in general, Acacia's a lot more restrained with her tongue. Compared to Edge, anyway. More relaxed. Calmer. Case in point - instead of stalking round the Gedo compound like a prowling cat, she's napping. Also like a cat, perhaps. But a cat with better blood pressure. Arms folded to pillow her head, she reclines on one of the benches ringing the school courtyard.
Eyes closed, enjoying the chill air. Letting the breeze faintly ruffle her hair and clothes.
She's dressed much as she normally is. T-shirt, jeans, boots, jacket. Though her coat, today, is an old Army-surplus jungle camo deal, sleeves rolled up.
Oddly enough, the jacket seems to have hadouken-burns on it.
Not that the blackened decorations affect Acacia's relaxed mood any.
Hey! Purple is in this year, and all the sexy girls dig it. Really.
Awesome fashion sense aside, Edge hardly experiences a difficult time in locating Acacia, his angry pace carrying him along until he all but stumbles over the girl's sleeping form. Stopping a short distance from her chosen bench, his sneer slowly forms into a wide, malicious grin, arms snapping out to either side a moment later to prevent the Gedo cronies from going to work. "I told you punks not to touch her. Back the hell off." There's nothing but violent excitement in his tone, and the youth pauses before shoving his hands back into the baggy pockets of his pants, swaggering forward to stand right beside the napping brawler.
"Wakey wakey, rise and shiiiine... daddy bought something pretty for you. Ehehehe!" Snickering away in wonderfully crazed style, Yamada pulls a hand forth bearing a flashing blade - one of the smaller in his collection, barely three inches to the tip, and waggles it under Acacia's nose. There is no actual intent to impale, he'll even go out of his way to avoid it at this point, but the awakening should be fairly rude when coupled with the boy's staring eyes and massive grin.
Assuming she -does- open her eyes, anyway.
Which she doesn't.
Instead, Acacia simply speaks, in a clear voice. Calm, conversational, but with a definite icing of sarcasm.
"Five more minutes, mom," she says, not deigning to crack an eyelid.
Around the courtyard, other Gedo students have stopped their activities...to watch the unfolding scene. And those not part of Edge's little posse...find it hard to suppress a snicker.
And there she goes, tempting fate. Nothing like having your best-laid plans thrown off course by the appearance of an obstacle exactly like the one Acacia is proving herself to be. Not only making a bad situation out of something that was just about to improve - in the process making Gedo look like a band of wannabe idiots - but now by failing to wake up and scream like a good little girl. This actually aggravates Edge a lot less than might be expected, but still it prompts the faltering of his expression and the rather abrupt /slamming/ of that small blade into the wood of the bench by Acacia's head.
"Screw that! Breakfast's on the table, bitch. Get up and eat it!" Saliva flecking his lips as he barely holds back from screaming into the girl's shuttered eyes, Yamada straightens up and takes a couple of steps away from the bench, previously knife-bearing hand falling to his side where it curls slowly into a fist. Glancing back over his shoulder, a smirk adorning his lips, Edge continues to speak in a less psychotic tone; down at least two gears into 'quietly menacing'. "We've got business, Gillespie, and I'll teach you a lesson if it breaks every bone in my body. No explanations, no excuses."
"Way you say that," Acacia begins, stretching slightly as she sits up, "sounds like you -want- bones broken..."
Acacia swings her legs off the bench, standing languidly. She runs a hand through her hair, before finally, -finally-, opening her eyes. Well, one eye, anyway. Just a crack, peering at Edge.
A little sleepily, really.
Acacia yawns. Honestly, she's not trying to -taunt- him or anything, she really -is- somewhat fuzzy from her nap. Not that Edge will believe that, of course. Mind, Acacia isn't really inclined to disabuse him of the notion. Que sera, sera.
She folds her arms in front of her. "...right, so?"
Edge watches the object of his anger sit up, go through her motions, and yawn. Everything she does seems to bring extra depth to the stare he directs back at her, his own lids lowering gradually until he observes Acacia through narrowed slits. In a sense, it's a shame he has to resort to this; without her rogue tendencies, the powerful little female could be quite the asset to Gedo and to himself. The next Akira? She could have been exactly what he intended Juli to be... almost was in this preceding week, before she turned around to go fist-to-face with the voluptuous newbie.
"When you're /finished/," the purple punk mutters, turning around to face Acacia and taking a moment to crack his neck to one side. A hand lifts from one pocket, an accusing finger directed toward Edge's prey. "You're a damn good fighter, Gillespie, the Dog trusts you and so does Daigo. But you're a snake. I dunno what the /hell/ you were playing at last week, but you made us all look like assholes, and I don't like that." Never mind the fact he walked off perky as anything, or enjoyed himself like he hadn't done in months. He's had time to oil his brain. "You scared off what coulda been the best thing to happen to Gedo this year! I'll get her back, but first..."
Lowering his hand with a cruelly pitched 'heh', Edge kicks one white boot against the floor, sending a cloud of dust floating into the air between him and Acacia. "You gotta prove to me you're not a dirty little traitor. Stand up."
Acacia gives Edge an odd stare, scrunching her face up in befuddlement. If she were more awake, she'd probably be annoyed right now. As it is, she just looks at him funny.
"I -am- standing," she retorts, "we can't -all- be tall."
She does, though, straighten. Quitting her slouch. Rocking back on her heels, she squints at Edge, then at the gathering of Gedo students ringing the courtyard. Most of whom she recognises by sight, if not by name. Pfft. Great. An audience. How wonderful.
Acacia snorts, flaring her nostrils. She doesn't seem terribly irritated, though, just vaguely grumpy. Probably about being woken up, more than anything else. Though the verbal interrogation does nothing for her mood.
Still, her reply to Edge is a lot more civil than the punk's questioning. Aside from the thinly-veiled sardonic slant. "Your friend's a bitch," Acacia says, flatly, "but whatever..."
She frowns at him, unblinking. "...proof? Fine. But only if -you- prove to me you're worth anything."
Beat.
"Fair?"
Names? Pssh. Gedo students don't all have names - only the ones who kick the most ass. Why, look at Edge's most faithful and their often interchanging nicknames. Everyone has a name, and the gang leader knows the majority of those deep down, but why bother with all that effort? Handles work much better than officially bestowed monikers, except in the case of the worthwhile few. Heck, Acacia's even earned the right to be called by her last name rather than a slew of shortass jokes. Speaking of which...
"Heh!" Covering his misjudged comment with an amused grin, Edge cocks his head to one side and peers down at Acacia with something approaching respect. It's well masked behind his glare, but to the perceptive.. it's there. He doesn't exactly hate the girl, or even dislike her, there's simply a stubborn unwillingness to let this matter go and take the blame upon himself. Juli was a big mistake and this is beginning to show in her actions, but the chance of the brightly garbed punk /admitting/ that is quite pathetically low.
Brushing aside his change of expression to bust out with a snort and a half-smirk at the insistence that he prove himself, Edge takes a half-step toward Acacia, turning his skinny form side-on and extending another knife in one hand. "Life isn't fair! But you got a deal." The extended weapon is returned to concealment, its owner moving likewise to his former location, pausing only to hawk aside a messy globe of saliva before a subtle shift of his shoulders drops him into what passes for a fighting stance.
"Let's go!"
COMBATSYS: Edge has started a fight here.
COMBATSYS: Acacia has joined the fight here.
Acacia arches an eyebrow. She doesn't hate Edge, either. Mind, that doesn't mean she -likes- him - her view of the knife-wielding ganger is simply skewed to neutral. He's too arrogant and flamboyant for her tastes...but, conversely, he's blunt. Almost painfully -direct-. No masks, no pretense.
And Acacia respects that. If respect is the right word.
As Edge advances, she shifts her own position to the side, boot soles scraping across the dirt. She doesn't want to get trapped between him and the bench - that cuts her room. So she shuffles round to where her six is clear, before settling into her own fighting stance. Feet apart, arms raised, fingers half-curled into fists.
"No," Acacia murmurs, "isn't fair. But it -should- be, hm?"
COMBATSYS: Acacia focuses on her next action.
Edge might be a few grapes short of a fruit salad, but his fighting instincts are reasonably developed and his ability to reason within those is equally reasonable. He didn't gain the mixed admirations of Gedo's student body without proving himself in battle on a few occasions, and so when Acacia moves he notes the manuever with a spark of rekindled excitement. This in turn reminds the punk of just what mood he was in before having it derailed by the practically machine-like girl, and as her question comes he's already grinning from ear to ear once more. Politics aside, this should be fun.
"Tch! Fairness is for losers... you're losing touch if you reckon otherwise. Taiyo squirts need the world to revolve around 'em," pausing to rummage in his pockets for a moment, Edge seems to hang in motion for a moment before bringing his arms forward in a dramatic sweep from within his pants. There's a loud clink of metal, and then a building shriek of the same - that tooth raking sound we all love to hate - that raises in volume as he finishes his speech with a jubilant cry. "/We/ make it move for /us/!"
Suddenly all that metallic clamour seems justified, as from the extended palms of Yamada comes a massive hailstorm of cutlery. Knives, switchblades, jagged hunks of sharpened iron, everything he's ever shown to have carried about on a daily basis, all comes screaming out toward Acacia in the space of a few seconds. Potentially rather painful, even aside from the shriek that finally reaches a crescendo accompanied by the boy's laughter. "Ehehehehe-AHAHAHAHAHA!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia endures Edge's Strike Out.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Edge
Acacia's left eye -twitches-, visibly, as she watches Edge produce an array of weaponry that'd give airport security -fits-. Insane foaming-at-the-mouth fits. A little detatched portion of her mind immediately begins speculating just HOW he manages to fit all that in his pants.
Even as she does, though, she begins to move. Almost instinctively. Throwing herself forward, into the hailstorm. Flashing steel slices through her coat, drawing thin streaks of blood. More cuts decorate her legs, fresh lines of red even drawing themselves across her face. But that doesn't stop her forward motion.
She snaps her arm round, muscles tensing.
While her mind continues its silent speculation. How does he keep all that...in his PANTS?
Acacia gives voice to her question, even as she forms a fist and attempts to introduce her knuckles to Edge's gut.
"Whatever. The HELL you fit all THAT in your pants...without cutting off Mister Happy?"
COMBATSYS: Edge blocks Acacia's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Edge
"-HAHAHAha... ha... heh!" Edge grins openly at Acacia, fuelled by his passion for bloodletting and propelled into near-delerium by the mania contained within his laughter. The girl's question is one he doesn't get asked all that often, mainly thanks to the opponents left lying in pools of their own blood after such an assault, but he comes well equipped for it. "What can I say? I share a bond with metal! Hehehe!" The punishing fist is met with a twist of the blonde gangster's body, right leg raising tensed to catch the blow while his hands busy themselves preparing to thrust back into his pockets.
"Ngh." He staggers from the force all the same, barely avoiding going into a full circle spin. Acacia's as strong as he always suspected. "And I share that bond... with Edge Junior..." Accompanying the last with the thrusting forth of his tongue, waggling it obscenely as he swats the extended fist away with his right hand, the left now back in his pants. After making their defence, in tandem with the retracting of his tongue, Edge's fingers reach out to get a grasp on Acacia's mussed hair.
"Go fly!" Provided he makes the grip, the purple punk drops into a low step forward, past his opponent's flank as he attempts to drag her with him subsequently - wrenching upon those silver strands with intent to hurl her bodily away to the cement.
COMBATSYS: Acacia fails to counter Medium Throw from Edge with Icon of Stone.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Edge
[OOC] Acacia laughs. I've been having terrible luck with the CSYS lately - probably retribution for my run of victories.
Acacia hits, and -bounces-, before coming to an awkward halt in the dust. Growling, she levers herself to her feet, trying to ignore her aching body. And her aching scalp, for that matter. Not that she has any philosophical or moral objection to dirty fighting...she just doesn't appreciate it being used on -her-.
"Cute," Acacia spits, "hope it burns whenever you take a piss."
She wouldn't normally be -quite- so caustic with her comments. Heck, mostly Acacia isn't inclined towards mid-fight banter at all. But for Edge, she'll make an exception.
Wincing, Acacia settles back into a rough fighting stance. He's fast. Faster than she expected. She didn't manage to escape that little throw before he slung her earthward, despite her best efforts.
Bah. Just have to hit him harder, then.
Edge is only too pleased to see he's having an effect upon the usually unshakeable Acacia, and on releasing his cruel grip his hand is immediately thrust back into his pocket as the boy tosses back his head and laughs. It's short, barking and less crazed than his prior offering. "HAH!" Grinning as he lowers his gaze back to the recovering girl, he pauses only to idly wriggle his shoulders - setting his outfit a little more comfortably after all that movement - before starting forward at a brisk stride. "Ever read history books, Gillespie? There's nothin' you can do to stop this..."
Regardless of the huge gaping wound in his logic, the last 'history book' he read being an old issue of 2000AD, Edge quickens his pace to break into a three-step sprint for his prey. "THIS IS JUSTICE!" Screaming the words with an unnatural zeal, the brighty clad punk whips a foot up at the last instant to catch Acacia with a punting kick to the jaw, Yamada's body lifting off the floor with the force of the motion.
COMBATSYS: Acacia counters Medium Strike from Edge with Icon of Stone.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Edge
Acacia's a lot more honest than Edge. To herself, and to others. Which explains her retort, delivered with a liberal amount of raw vehemence.
"Don't like to read," she replies.
And as she speaks, she moves. When Edge kicks, she -twists- round, an elbow blurring to meet Edge's leg with the crack of bone-meeting-bone. Deflecting the strike...by attacking his kick.
Mind, she wasn't exactly telling the whole story, there. Acacia -would- like to read, if she didn't have so much trouble with the actual process of scanning words on a page. The whole language thing has always been a struggle for her. Having someone allude to it, albeit indirectly, just makes her bristle even more.
And -that- explains the glare she shoots Edge, as she takes a step back.
"'cides. We're Gedo, not Justice. Forget?"
Give as you receive. An eye for an eye, pain for pain.
Something Edge can appreciate in others than himself, and as his fiery gaze watches Acacia's motion away from his kick there is once more just a small spark of respect. There's nothing he hates more than someone who can't put up a fight; it extracts all the joy from battle, and while the resulting blood and victory is something he can be proud of, there can be no shaking the slightly hollow feeling of a one-sided scuffle. This time, he gets so much more.
"SHIT!" Spinning around his numbed limb, to crash heavily onto one shoulder, the psychopathic gangster takes a moment to let fly a stream of curses before rising with a noticeable tendency toward favouring his left leg. He actually staggers a moment, a hand clasped in annoyance to his thigh as he meets Acacia's glare with an angry snarl. "You upstart little bitch.. I remember just fine! We'll see how you remember when I string your gnarled corpse over their gates! SYAAA!" Not that the punk would really kill anybody - they'd have to piss him off quite immensely - but talking smack in a fight never hurt anyone.
Throwing knives occasionally do however, and with an underarm pitch from his 'free' hand, Edge gives his opponent exactly such a thing to be dealing with while he massages life back into his leg. Yes. Apparently, he has /more/ of those...
COMBATSYS: Acacia negates Thrown Object from Edge with Thrown Object.
"Enh," Acacia replies, scowling, "people always threaten to kill me."
Honestly, they do. It's almost a weekly event, really, what with all the psychopathic murderers, terrorists, and cultists running around. Acacia's long since decided that being a fighter automatically creates some sort of supreme weirdness field that attracts that kind of shit. She's tried telling people about this, but nobody takes her ideas seriously.
Meaning Edge's threat doesn't really faze her. Heck, she seems more disappointed than anything else. Can't people be more -creative-? Supressing a sigh, Acacia squints at the incoming blade, judging the distance. Then she snaps a leg round, dropping her body, delivering a fast sweep kick to the dust. An odd move, given the circumstances.
But perhaps not so strange, considering the number of knives and pointy metal objects Edge left scattered on the ground from their initial exchange of blows. More than enough to fly skyward as Acacia knocks 'em airborne, forming an impromptu shield of clattering steel.
Knife meets...lotsof other knifey-debris.
"Feh," Acacia mumbles.
"Well, isn't this nice?" Edge croons from behind the dissipating cloud of dust, lifting his voice enough to be heard over the clatter of falling blades. Watching his quarry through the entire process, he keeps his uncurled fingers extended, lightly twirling them in the air before beginning to lower his arm. "Don't worry, Gillespie, I'd never actually /kill/ you. If you can't offer me good reason why you did what you did, I'll make sure you're kept alive forever - in burning agony..." Pause. "Maybe a pretty little pair of knickers too."
Smirking, Edge thrusts his hand back into his pocket with a dull clink. That telltale sound of a metallic object shifting about greets Acacia's ears shortly before her less-than-sane schoolmate dashes forward, both hands deeply buried. On closing the inconsiderable distance between them, he brings his left foot up to feint a kick toward her midsection, before hurling his fell weight over that injured right leg - pain lending passion to his incoherent scream - and lashing a fist out in a haymaking arc "SEIYAAAH!"
Never mind the glint of punishing brass about his knuckles.
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Edge's Fierce Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Edge
"Yeah, yeah," Acacia growls, "we'll talk. -After-."
After we're done kicking the living crap out of each other, is what Acacia means...but she's not really one for complete sentences. Takes too long. Breath and time are both at a premium when purple-clad punks are coming at you with brass in their hands and fire in their eyes. Acacia's got other things, more important things, to worry about.
She doesn't flinch, doesn't react, to Edge's feint. But she -does- move when the real blow comes blasting in. Raising a forearm to block, catching the renforced punch on tensed muscles. The impact sends a jarring shock down her arm, but she grits her teeth and holds her ground.
Even as she brings her other arm up, thrusting a white-knuckled fist at Edge's jaw...while they're still locked in close proximity.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Edge with Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Edge
"NGH!" The blow that comes in response strikes Edge hard, snapping his head back, the unbidden exclamation coming forceful enough to fleck the boy's lips with saliva. Acacia certainly doesn't disappoint when it comes to meeting the expectant standard, fulfilling everything her reputation would suggest - and to think she seemed like such a walkover a moment ago. Her judge and jury isn't put off though, beginning to cackle with something approaching glee, keeping his head thrust back for a moment before suddenly hammering it forward in mid-laugh, turning the sound into a scream of violent intent.
"SCREW YOU!" Of course, in pausing to posture like a serial killer, the brightly dressed gangster gave his prey plenty of time to scarper away. But all the better should she be struck - she'll have something to truly be embarassed about, and the attack fails to end with the crack of skull against skull. Gripping the girl by the scruff of her neck, Edge pulls himself back and ducks down low, hauling Acacia over his shoulder to pitch her down onto the weapon-strewn battleground.
COMBATSYS: Acacia fails to interrupt Strong Throw from Edge with Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Edge
That, Acacia reflects, grumpily, hurt.
She kicks her way out of Edge's grasp, rolling away from her very -uncomfortable- landing. A couple of knives actually sticking in her, as she rises to her feet. Working her neck from side to side, Acacia grumbles. Despite her best efforts, she wasn't able to stop him from throwing her around like a rag doll. And she -really- doesn't like feeling helpless.
Acacia gives Edge a -look-.
"Screw you? Nah," Acacia snaps, "not my type."
After pitching Acacia to the floor, Edge straightens up with a huge, shit-eating grin. The youth's teeth are bared and breath comes in hisses between them as he backs off a few paces, visibly shaking with excited adrenaline. Bright eyes rake the dimunitive female as she rises to her feet, and her comment draws forth a brief giggle from the Gedo liuetenant. His arms lift to either side as he gives a flamboyant shrug. "Can't win 'em all, Gillespie! Besides... I respect my own. I'll leave you to the Dog." Grin degraded to a smirk, he drops one hand back to his pocket as he delivers the last. Yeah, he's been keeping an ear out.
"But let's talk afterward, eh?" Making a few quick adjustments to his collar, Edge begins to stroll forward at an almost amiable pace, getting in reasonably close to Acacia before making an exaggerated sidestep and then lunging in, hand darting from its hiding place to catch her with a sliver of sharpened steel across the flank, "Ehehehe!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia endures Edge's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Acacia 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Edge
Acacia flushes, cheeks turning faintly red. Quite an accomplishment, considering the fact she's got naturally dark skin. The comment about leaving her to Jiro, yeah. It hits home, and the faint surge of laughter from the watching Gedo students doesn't exactly help.
She bites her lip, forcing down the retort, instead slitting her eyes at Edge. Acacia stands her ground, not budging as the knife-wielding punk slams toward her. She doesn't bat an eyelid as his blade travels through her heavy jacket, fibers parting beneath the steel. Doesn't make a sound, as the tip slashes through cloth and flesh, drawing fresh blood.
"Yeah," Acacia grinds out, "-talk."
But for now, it's body language she communicates with. As she takes all the anger, embarassment, raw emotion...and forces it -through- a powerful filter. Chi, spiritual energy, surges from within her lean form, blasting through tense muscles...
...releasing in -all directions-. It's not a fireball, not any sort of glowing energy. Just a shockwave that makes the air shimmer. A spherical blast of pure, unadulterated, extremely CONCUSSIVE force that tears a crater in the ground, a radius spanning a dozen feet...dust and discarded weapons flying to all points of the compass. A blast with Acacia at its heart, and Edge as its target.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Edge with Irresistible Force.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|=======\======-\1 Edge
Edge almost gives a jubilant giggle as he feels the honed point of his weapon dig into warm flesh. Almost. There are only two things that stop him; first, the nagging feeling that something was a little /wrong/ about that last strike, as though some conspiracy on Acacia's part has led him directly into a trap. Second is the devastating explosion of force that overwhelms the purple punk before he can form any kind of reaction. He fails even to oversell this strike, has no chance to revel within the impact of pain as he's tossed backward along with the myriad knives scattered around the combatants.
WHUMP. Edge's passage is halted abruptly as he finds himself slung against a pile of wooden slats propped by the school wall, at least saving him the back-breaking impact of brick. But the damage done is enough, especially coupled as it is by the subsequent arrival of a horde of shiny things, which dig into Yamada's skin and even manage to pin him up against the flimsy wood. His own bladed objects digging into that beloved outfit and his less-important flesh. "...shit..."
Lacking the usual weight of delivery, the conclusion to that veritable energy bomb comes a few moments after impact, when the shock has worn off. Not that it has even then, and Edge seems curiously withdrawn as he gives a cringe, pulling himself away from his situation with a wrench of his shoulders. Various items hit the ground along with him, as he lands in a crouch and begins to almost unconsciously pick at the weapons adorning his body. "...bitch..." Standing up slowly, he focuses on Acacia through bloodshot eyes before suddenly, it all seems to come back at once.
"Heh! Nice shot, shortround! Ehehehehehe!" With the giggle comes one more thing, the ultimate reaction to all of this. Throbbing arms are thrust forward with the clank of all those metallic objects, iron and steel all channeled into a massive onslaught from opened palms. Perhaps the forceful girl will recognise a similar manuever from earlier, though this time there are notably less items but notably more intent to harm. "NO CIGAR!!"
All systems: engage!
COMBATSYS: Edge successfully hits Acacia with Strike Out.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Edge
Acacia sets her jaw, mouth settling into a thin line, as the wave of steel crashes over her body, breaking through her feeble attempt to block. She's beginning to tire, all the injuries she's sustained...well, they add up. Bleeding, battered, she glares through a haze of pain at Edge. Doing her level best to ignore the -new- collection of knife wounds decorating her shredded and bloodied clothing.
"Yeah," she growls, taking a deep breath, "bite me."
COMBATSYS: Acacia focuses on her next action.
"Bite you?" Edge echoes as he lowers his hands, a wide dirty grin smeared across his lips and the shine of pure ectasy in his eye. Battered and bruised, spattered in blood and with more left to give? He's in his element, and Acacia's words only enhance the situation, cause a fresh thrill to surge through the crazy youth's veins. "Ehehe... if you insist!" Dropping down low, predatory, to the ground, he watches Acacia for a moment as he draws in a few deep breaths and then...
Yamada is on the move, launching himself forward with an application of force from both hands, sprinting the distance toward Acacia before stopping at the last moment and flinging himself into a leaping forward somersault. Turning once in the air - skinny form tucked in almost impossibly tightly - he extends himself back out before aiming to clamp his gnashers down upon the girl's arm. "RRRGH!"
Frothing madly, Edge delivers exactly as requested, gnashing his teeth up and down with reckless abandon - enough to cause sizeable dents in the flesh though it's hardly likely to punish to the extent of a tossed blade or a knuckle-dusted punch. He'll chow down for a few moments before letting go and dropping back into a crouch nearby, still Cheshire'ing from ear to ear. Unhinged much?
COMBATSYS: Acacia counters Light Kick from Edge with Icon of Stone.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Edge
Damnit, she didn't mean for him to take it -literally-.
A faint look of disgust crosses Acacia's face as Edge latches hold and begins -gnawing- on her arm, like something out of a bad cartoon. She's too shocked to flail, and in fact, only manages to do so -after- Edge leaps back. A few flecks of saliva beading the air.
But she wasn't surprised enough to...-not- prepare.
Edge probably notices this right off the bat. That chewing on Acacia was like trying to bite through steel rebar. Those aren't just hardened muscles, they're -ing -RENFORCED-. With chi and sheer bloody-mindedness. Though her sleeve is shredded, beneath lies unbroken skin. Not even teeth marks.
And, shuddering in revulsion, Acacia darts forward, aiming a powerful kick to Edge, just as he lands in a crouch.
"BAD DOG! NO BISCUIT!"
Mmm mm! If Edge didn't have his mouth full, he would be throwing out some highly embarassing comment about learning exactly what it is Jiro sees in the girl. Though he'd be lying - she tastes like sweat and treachery, all bundled up inside a wound ball of cast iron. There is the slim possibility that he is imagining the second part... but 'cast iron' is certainly about right, and on coming to a short distance off, he's ill prepared to be caught by one mother-lover of a kick. Giving off a yelp much like a wronged canine, high-pitched and perfect for drawing sympathy from cute girls, he's slung back onto the concrete and bounces off his skull before coming around in a crouch once more.
"...jeez, Gillespie," he manages through the crimson wells between his teeth, lifting a hand to brush away these miniature slicks of blood, mainly succeeding in smearing red lines across his cheek. "Do you treat all your mutts like this?" Grin. Huge, cocky, bastard of a grin. No prizes for guessing which particular Dog he's implying. Stuffing his hands into his pants and remaining in his tight crouch, Edge seems inclined not to do anything more for a moment - collecting himself and... maybe preparing a little surprise, to judge by the movement of rummaging fingertips inside his pockets.
COMBATSYS: Edge takes a breather.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Edge
Acacia eyes Edge. Warily. She's seen the guy pull more crap out of his pockets than Felix the Cat and his Magical Bag. Like some kind of demented magician on crack. With a weapons locker instead of a top hat, and a Ginsu showroom instead of a rabbit.
So, you probably can forgive Acacia for being...a little reluctant to approach Edge. But then again, it's not like she can stand here and -wait- for him to attack her. That's dumb too.
All that plays out on Acacia's face...before she sets herself, reaching a decision. She snorts, then, before saying dryly: "At least -he's- housebroken."
She'll be mortified later. Right now, she's rushing toward Edge, feet skidding in the dust as she swerves...one knee rocketing towards his skull.
COMBATSYS: Edge blocks Acacia's Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Edge
*whump*
"Hehehe!"
A combination of sounds that most assuredly cannot be good, as Acacia's rocket blast of a knee strike seems to impact briefly with flesh. However, to the naked eye of any onlooker short of the most analytical fighter, the seemingly suceessful blow is seemingly nothing. At all. Only a puff of rising dust billows about the leg of the diminutive brawler, and there is no sign whatsoever of her unpredictable opponent, at least.. this is the case for the space of a single heartbeat.
Then with a flash of metal in sunlight, Edge appears standing directly behind the recovering Acacia, a self-content smirk on his lips and an intent gleam in his narrowed eyes. In a single, almost lethargic motion he slips a hand from inside his pocket, bearing a long Bowie knife which is slipped into warm flesh a fraction of an instant later. Once the blade is hammered home, time seems to speed up once again, as with a vicious jerk the youth pulls it outward to freedom at a most painful angle, staggering away from his opponent with the motion.
"SURPRISE!"
COMBATSYS: Edge successfully hits Acacia with Sneak Attack.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Edge
Acacia swears. Violently. Incoherently. Loudly. Oh, very, -very- loudly. Her voice all but echoing off the school walls. She's pissed, oh so -very- pissed. And in pain, too, can't forget the pain. Acacia certainly isn't, not anytime soon, not after being run through like -that-.
Blood oozes from the jagged wound on her back, soaking through the green-brown camo pattern of her coat. She stumbles, swaying, barely remaining upright. Hell, barely staying -conscious-.
Crap, crap, -crap-.
She snaps her head up, eyes locking on Edge.
And somehow, she finds it in herself to move. One foot, first, arcing in the dust, her balance shifting. Then the other, as she pushes herself toward him, like a sprinter rising from the blocks. Her arms come together, one hand bracing the other, her forearms joining into a solid bar of bone. With an elbow as the attacking element, aimed...for Edge's throat.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Edge with Mass Driver.
[ \\\ < > / ]
Acacia 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Edge
Once he's pulled the blade free, Edge recovers from his violently shifted momentum with a pleased little 'heh!', flashing gaze turned to his nearby cronies who are watching with teeth clenched, knuckles white as fists are tensed in excitement. Whatever the outcome, this has been one /hell/ of a fight for the Gedo students to observe, and it still doesn't quite seem over - if anything, there is a vigour within the purple-clad youth that surpasses what he was showing only a few moments ago. But.. Acacia hits HARD...
"Grkh!" The sound that greets her this time is far more satisfactory, as a piercing elbow strike finds a succulent throat to plow into, Edge turning around barely in time to meet the incoming bundle of feminine rage. Let alone react to it. However, even as bloody saliva wells up from his throat to dribble slowly down his chin, the nutjob is conjuring up another manic grin. There's barely the windpipe left to giggle with but he tries, managing a sickeningly wet gurgle as he reaches out with both arms to encircle Acacia in a dangerous embrace.
Dangerous indeed. If he can get a grip before she finds strength to pull away, Edge aims to leap clean off his feet, curling backward and dragging the little tank with him to introduce her skull into a messy collision with the concrete below. It's all he has left, and he'll probably black out for a moment should he succeed... but he has to try, FOR JUSTICE.
COMBATSYS: Edge can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Acacia counters Brainbuster from Edge with Unyielding Stance.
[ \\ <
Acacia 1/-------/=======|
The sound of bone meeting concrete. Hard enough to -spiderweb- the ground in cracks, hard enough to send little chips of shattered earth spinning through the air. Kicking up a cloud of dust to accompany the incredible shock.
And the sound of Acacia swearing.
She squirms free of Edge's grasp - probably not too difficult a task, owing as to how the Gedo punk's probably just about unconscious by now. She gives him a little kick as she rolls away...not enough to really hurt, just enough to emphasise her displeasure.
Then she rises, in a crouch, one knee against the ground, her other leg propping her up. And runs a hand through her hair, brushing concrete dust from her scalp.
A scalp that looks...entirely unharmed, from that little encounter.
Acacia exhales. Channeling chi to absorb the shock...wasn't the easiest thing, especially in her fatigued state. But she -managed- it, and that's all that counts. Hauling herself fully to her feet, she glares at Edge...making sure he's not getting up. Then she turns on a heel, and begins trudging back to the school building. The gym, actually.
The crowd of onlookers parts for her, as Acacia growls, "Gonna take a -shower-. We talk -later-."
COMBATSYS: Acacia has ended the fight here.
Log created by Edge, and last modified on 10:50:31 11/26/2005.