Description: After a prior meeting with Yamazaki, Mature and the Orochi mercenary decide to take on Kyo. While the odds are seemingly against him, the kid proves just why the Kusanagi flames are so fearsome.
Most people see the end result of Yamazaki's work.
It's hard to look past it. It's usually bloody murder, a hideous mess left behind by a man that doesn't value anything but himself. Spatter on the walls, intestines on the floor. Viscera and bone fragments as far as the eye can fathom. It's a forensics nightmare, and a coroner's headache, as cleaning up a crime scene left behind by the madman can take weeks, if he's in particularly good form. But that's just the glamorous side of the picture, really. It's just the tip of the iceberg, and many people forget that there's a lot more to it than just gore and death.
In fact, there's hours and hours of careful plannign behind it, and Yamazaki sometimes acts in concert with others. There are many people that work behind the scenes to make the murders happen. Paid informants. Investigations. Spotters, stoolies and other weaselly little people that make their living hiding in the cracks of society, ekeing out a living being in the right place to see the right things.
It's a little thing, but people often forget those squirrelly little eyes. Public figures make big waves, and the ripples can be felt by the small and sensitive. Chatter eventually reaches a predator, like blood in the water, and triggers the hunting response. And it's that sort of mentality that has had Yamazaki tracking Kyo for the past few hours, keeping an eye out with spotters and other Syndicate thugs. It's all part of the plan, really... and what better way to start things off than with a bang? Attacking the Kusanagi heir mght even shorten things a bit.
And yet, if only Yamazaki was stupid enough to attack Kyo on his own. Then a hero's life would be much easier. Instead, the gangster seems possessed of an uncomfortable level of common sense and caution for a raging psychopath. And because of that, he's called in help. Hopefully, she'll be the poison bait in the trap set, as he waits for Kyo to pass by on the sidewalk a few meters away. If Mature does it right?
Well, this might just be easy.
Wouldn't that be lovely?
It would seem that tonight is one of those rare occasions when the Orochi mercenary acts in concert with others. While the Bernstein secretary is anything but another set of weasely eyes or a stoolie, she's still opted to accompany the likes of Yamazaki for this little endeavor. It seemed interesting enough, but more importantly, a chance to see just what the Kusanagi scion is capable of, especially in the face of unfavorable odds.
A message was delivered to the young Kusanagi, a simple white envelope closed by way of a wax seal. It may be familiar, it may not be; either way, an eloquent 'R' was stamped into the red wax. The request was simple: meet a woman at six in the evening at the provided address. Whether or not the Kusanagi scion shows, well...
At the given address the blonde waits. She stands out, easily picked out from a crowd of many. A fancy white fur coat is wrapped around her svelte figure, hints of a long black skirt peeking out from the hem of her coat. With arms folded the woman waits patiently for the young man to arrive at the aforementioned address. She hasn't really been waiting long. She got there a touch early, in fact, if only to go over the plan one last time.
A foot idly taps, an almost impatient gesture of sorts given--despite her calm expression--by the Bernstein secretary. She's a creature of order and schedule. It's six in the evening--will he leave her waiting? Or will he simply be fashionably late. Blue eyes stir, if only to eye the nearby Orochi mercenary before blue eyes stir, resting ahead and patiently waiting.
Unfortunately, not all those hired into the Southtown Syndicate are quite as good at stalking people as Yamazaki is. It doesn't take a seasoned fighter with keen senses like Kyo Kusanagi to notice the occasional suspicious-looking man pretending to read a newspaper then whispering into a concealed mic. For his part, Kyo goes along with the whole "unknowing stalkee" role, trudging down the sidewalks with his hands shoved in his pockets and his eyes half-closed. Eventually he makes a turn down, what else, a darkened and deserted alleyway, and shuffles all the way down to the very dead end of it, whereupon he turns around and smirks, "Alright, why don't you just come out and get your beating right now, I'm tired of playing around!"
Sometimes the best laid plans don't always go the way people want them to. It would seem that the Kusanagi scion had his hunch about the entire rendezvous between the Bernstein secretary and the young man. The woman had picked him out of the crowd easily as he made his way along the street. He was approaching, and honestly the woman thought she had it in the bag.
At least until the man turned down that particular alleyway.
Blinking once, slowly, the Bernstein secretary makes her move. Walking along, she slips her hands into the coat's pockets, making her way to that particular alleyway. Once she's at its mouth does the woman tilt her head up a touch, peering down into the alley at the young man. "A beating? Honestly. What do you take a woman like myself for?" Slipping a hand out of her pocket, she rests it gently against her chest.
"I simply wanted to chat with you, mister Kusanagi." It's her current cohort that really wants to dole out the beatings. That's what Mature would assume, anyway.
The whole thing is a poorly-disguised trap, of course, but that's never stopped Kyo Kusanagi from rushing headlong into danger before. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulls out the stamped envelope, throwing it at Mature like a frisbee. The envelope spins towards the secretary, only to burst into flame and dissapear into ashes right before it hits her. Kyo smirks at Mature, "You 'R' guys really crack me up," he says, shaking his head a little. "...no matter how many times I kick the crap out of your boss, you people still can't resist trying to involve me in little schemes of yours."
The impetuousness of youth. Yamazaki should have something witty to say about that, but then witty doesn't become homocidal maniacs no matter how hard Hannibal Lechter tried. Nevertheless, he has to crack a smile at Kyo's antics. It's not too hard to see what's going to happen. It's even less of a challenge to figure out what's going on in the boy's head.
Brash and bluster never gets you anywhere. Those would be heroes and champions, emperors or despots... they die fast.
Guys like Yamazaki? They linger for years. He lights a cigarette, and steps from behind his hiding space down the alley Kyo was peeking in. Hopefully, Mature will do her job long enough for Yamazaki to do what he needs to do. It's not often that he counts on anyone, much less a woman like Mature... but he can trust her enough to do things right. After all, she's a perfectionist. A man like Yamazaki can tell.
Thank be to little habits.
The envelope procured, the blonde hardly moves. A smile dares to crack her red lips, blue eyes narrowing a scant touch in muted delight, but she's otherwise calm. Said envelope is then tossed at the woman, only to burst into flames just before it actually strikes her expensive fur coat. Still, however, Mature remains the epitome of patience.
"Is that so, mister Kusanagi?" the blonde says, her words quiet, but enough to carry between them and the void that separates. "Well, I truly apologize if it's any real inconvenience to you, but you're far too interesting a man to simply let go to waste." Without any hesitations or second thoughts does the woman stir, heels clicking lightly against the cool concrete as she approaches.
"Again, I apologize." She bows her head once in his direction, a sarcastic gesture at best. Long fingers lift, idly peeling the coat from her body before neatly folding it and setting it aside atop a closed garbage can. "But, you see...I have a favor to ask of you. It's simple, really." Pausing, the woman shifts her weight, letting her feet slide a touch apart, fingers gesturing toward the young Kusanagi to come forward.
"But if you insist on doing things in a difficult fashion, then I suppose we must do it your way, mm?" Fingers curl, beckoning the kid to come.
COMBATSYS: Mature has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Mature 0/-------/-------|
"Give me a break."
Just like Kyo said, he doesn't want to play around anymore. Besides Rugal, he doesn't have much patience for fighting the lackies of the R organization, so when Mature gives him ye olde 'bring it on' gesture, Kyo is more than happy to oblige her. Generating a plume of crimson flame in one hand, he rolls it around in his palm into a ball, then heaves it underhand at the Orochichick. The fireball rockets down the length of the alleyway towards Mature, illuminating the whole narrow space with a reddish glow.
COMBATSYS: Kyo has joined the fight here.
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Mature 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kyo
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki has joined the fight here.
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Mature 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Yamazaki
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kyo 0/-------/-------|
Everyone knows it's always polite to let ladies go first. And if anything, Mature is a lady. Yamazaki treats her as such... meaning he mostly ignores her little idiosynchrasies. Women hav their own way about doing things. Most tend to have a flair for the dramatic, or a certain need for presentation, and that's fine with him. It keeps yokels like Kyo preoccupied so that he can get the important things done.
At the appearance of the Kusanagi flames, Yamazaki's pupils dialate. He can't even feel the heat from his location, but the illumination is enough to make his blood burn. If there's anything he hates, it's flames. Not because of what they represent, or what they can do, but because of an instrinctive measure. Fire is irritating. Light is even worse. With Mature in the way, he can't exactly get a clean hit on it, either. So rather than mess with the entire mess, he does something he normally doesn't do.
He lets go of the reigns on his Orochi power early.
Instanly, it's like something inside of him, a thin tension wire holding back floodgates, snaps. It's almost audible as he hurls himself into the air in a leap over Mature, hurtling at Kyo like a black-clad freight train, a hideous shriek of isnanity tearing from his lungs as he brandishes his trademark knife in one hand. Clearly deranged so early in the fight, he lets out a cackling laugh as the shining, well kept blade rips towards Kyo at a distressing rate, trying to gut the boy like a fish.
COMBATSYS: Mature blocks Kyo's Yami Barai.
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Mature 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yamazaki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kyo 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Mature 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yamazaki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kyo 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Mature has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Mature
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Yamazaki
Give him a break? But that'd be the easy thing to do.
Her response is simple; smiling lightly, the blonde in black and white tilts her head just slightly, letting her eyes narrow a touch further. "I'm afraid I can't do that, mister Kusanagi," she replies quietly, shaking her head softly to and fro. Everything she does has a reason and purpose. She may be a messenger, but the woman is anything but helpless.
She gestures to the Kusanagi scion and he obliges. With a careful curl of his hand and a toss he sends a fireball barreling toward her, the flames crashing against her--and her arms. Wincing only slightly, the woman regains her footing, but doesn't seem to make a move--especially not when the likes of Yamazaki comes tearing out of the dark, leaping OVER her and intent on skewering the Kusanagi kid. The woman's grin cracks a touch, eyes briefly widening as she stands her ground. She doesn't attack just yet. It would be a touch unwise to get in the way of Yamazaki and that sharp knife he has.
COMBATSYS: Mature focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Mature
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki successfully hits Kyo with Sabaki no Aikuchi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Mature
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Yamazaki
Surprised by Yamazaki's intervention, Kyo gets caught by one of the slashes, the blade cutting a deep gouge diagonally across his chest, ripping open his shirt. "Gngh..." he growls, taking a step backwards. One hand moves up to the wound as he glares at Yamazaki, "Tch, you too huh? I have to hand it to you, Yamazaki, I wouldn't have figured to be smart enough to actually figure out that too weak to actually take anyone strong on by yourself!!" With that, he springs towards the wall of the alleyway, then plants off it, jumping to the other wall. In this fashion, he bypasses Yamazaki and makes his way towards Mature, finally springing off one wall and trying to catch her in the face with a flying punch.
Whatever garbage that falls from Kyo's mouth falls on deaf ears. Yamazaki's world is red, with sound arriving to his brain in an almost incoherent fashion. He's beyond reason at this point. Talking to him is like trying to reason with an oncoming car in rush hour traffic. There's a portion of his brain still cognizant of Kyo's words... but when has he really cared or responded to taunts? It's work. A job. Whatever get it done. And frankly, the loser is the one laying on the ground, dying or bleeding, and the winner is the one that walks off with the pocket of cash.
Most fighters aren't aware of that reality, going on and on about strength and honor and other nonsense. Let them run off to be the best. Yamazaki will be rich.
They'll be dead.
Then we'll see who's smiling.
A wide, demonic grin splits his face, his eyes bloodshot and unblinking as Kyo bounds away like a fire-tossing superball. The large man instantly whirls around, following the boy. Again, like when he works with Vice, he ignores Mature's plight. She's a big girl. She can take care of herself. With a cackling laugh, he snaps his arm down, as if to punch the air, but instead, the limb snakes outward, extending and moving at incredible speed. The trailing arm flies towards Kyo's back as Yamazaki attempts to whip the boy to death with his arm.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Mature with Strong Punch.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Yamazaki
For all the Kusanagi's fussing, Mature seems little more than mildly amused. Although his fireball hurt, despite the successful attempt to block and shrug it off, the woman shows no signs of...well, anything. She just continues to smile, even as a nice gash cuts its way across the scion's chest. Is he talking to the other Orochi? Well, Mature will just listen in and make judgments later. Folding her arms across her chest, she watches closely.
That's when the Kusanagi makes his move. Leaping off the wall of the tight alleyway, the kid passes the chance to put his fist into Yamazaki's face and instead comes for her. Furrowing her brows, the woman's arms drop to her sides as her feet shifts. She goes to move out of harm's way just as the fist descends, moving only after his fist begins making contact. It clips her, sending her staggering a slight touch. How dare he hit her face. Blonde brows furrow a touch, the signs of irritation daring to haunt her face, but they're quickly subsided.
As Yamazaki moves to slap the kid's back, the blonde moves in, her feet swift and her speed quick as a hand extends out, intent on burying long nails into Kusanagi's face and slamming him quite painfully into the concrete of the alleyway. "Naughty boy!" she cries. "Who hits a lady in the face?!"
COMBATSYS: Mature successfully hits Kyo with Death Blow.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki successfully hits Kyo with Snake Tamer.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kyo 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
Struck by Yamazaki's snake-like arm, the impact propels hims into Mature, who then promptly throws Kyo into the ground. The scion of the flames just barely manages to avoid landing face-first on the pavement, and rolls away from the two villains. Hoping to his feet, Kyo looks pretty thrashed by that last exchange of attacks. Well, at least this is a challenge. Kusanagi continues to focus on Mature, hoping to put the weaker of the two fighters out of comission quickly. "It's a good thing you're no lady!" He quips while spinning around and lashing out with a rather devestating-looking left hook punch that is punctuated by a burst of crimson flame.
He might be attacking the weaker one, but Yamazaki's the one that can deal more damage. Yamazaki doesn't take the time to muse over Kyo's choice in tactics. After all, he doesn't care, really. The focus here isn't to kill Kyo. No, if that as the idea, he'd have sent wave after wave of weaker fighters at Kyo first. Ryuji may be a maniac, but he's not an idiot. Some people tend to forget this.
Whether or not Kyo cares, it's a point to remember, really. Too many people are put off by the wild eyed maniac actions of the hired killer to probe past the exterior. That may be what keeps the murderer alive, really.
As Kyo heaves himself towards Mature yet again, Yamazaki doesn't let up his ferocious assault. He has no qualms about attacking a man in the back, and certainly no honor to tarnish. Rather than going in for anything fancy this time around, he rushes forward, and aims a low kick to the back of Kyo's knee, hopping to cause the boy to stumble and fall, so that he loses momentum in his assault on Mature. Not that he cares about the blonde.. but he has a vested interest in keeping her alive.
COMBATSYS: Mature blocks Kyo's Dokugami.
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Kyo 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
The double-strike from the two Orochi strikes the Kusanagi kin, the last of the attacks sending the poor kid rolling after the downward strike. Despite the thrashing he receives, the kid has moxie--that much is to be expected of the Kusanagi scion. A tiny smile cracks the woman's red lips, but she remains otherwise neutral in expression.
Again he moves. Quicker this time, the Kusanagi seeks out Mature as his target, a flaming fist intent on smashing the blonde clear into the face. Blue eyes widen briefly, registering the threat he provides. Heels shift beneath the secretary, arms rising up to block the oncoming assault. Flames and knuckles crash into her forearms, a wince crossing the woman's otherwise blank expression. That hurt, for all the defense she provided. After the strike her arms drop, shaking out the discomfort briefly.
Her concerns, much like the Orochi mercenary's, aren't on the likes of Yamazaki. It's more on her own well-being, which is slowly but surely deteriorating no thanks to the scion. That in mind the blonde rushes the Kusanagi once more, crouching low before she springs up, long nails intent on cutting into the kid as she spins midair. "And what would a Kusanagi brat know of what it takes to be a lady!?"
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Yamazaki's Light Kick.
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Kyo 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Mature's Sacrilege.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyo 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
Kyo grits his teeth as he is still seemingly unable to land a clean strike upon the R organization's secretary, and it's costing him valuable time. It's almost like Kyo can feel his other opponent's warm, crazed breath on the back of his neck, bearing down on him and trying to capitalize on his blind side. But this time, instead of allowing himself to be struck in the back once more by the assassin Yamazaki, Kusanagi pivots and shoots an arm downwards to deflect Yamazaki's kick, then quickly ducks out of the way of those cutting nails. He has something for Mature when she lands, too; still facing Yamazaki, he steps and lets an arm loose, hoping to backfist the woman in the face.
"Nice show, punk," Yamazaki is able to snarl from his half crazed state. "It's almost a shame nobody thinks you're important to put out a hit on you... I'd almost enjoy tearing you apart. Of course, I'd have to pick off your friends, first." He pauses, crouching low and putting his legs underneath him. "Problem is, son... you can't kill. You don't have it in you. Same thing I see in your old man's eyes. You got soul. A concience. You might be more powerful than my old as will ever be... but you'll never amount to anything but a punk with a few volts loose."
Any more insight Yamazaki might have instantly sinks beneath the boiling waves of Orochi's influence, his eyes growing red again as he gladly sinks into the abyss of his own making, the horrors in his head swallowing back up his sanity and gently moving it aside for an all out assault. His muscles stretch and shift under the sudden burst of momentum, and the man is no more. Only the creature within remains as he heaves himself into the air.
Seemingly made of rubber, Yamazaki's leg whips out, raising to an improbable height. It would almost have to dislocate to reach the level it's at. The snap kick is powerful enough to blow up a gust of wind as he aims the foot to smash into Kyo's back, and then bring it square down between his shoulder blades to beat the air out of him.
COMBATSYS: Mature dodges Kyo's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyo 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> /////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
Her attack unsuccessful, the blonde simply swipes empty air, the Kusanagi kid just isn't there when she goes to attack. A soft 'che' slips past her lips as she lands, long fingers touching ground as she lands in a three-point stance before rising. Slowly but surely she turns to face the kid.
Despite the woman's seeming position in the R syndicate, she's more than meets the eye. Quick of foot, that much is obvious when the Kusanagi scion attacks her yet again. His tactics are clear at this point--seeing her as the weaker of the two, he intends on taking her out first. Understandable, really. She'd no doubt do the same, were she in his shoes.
That's why the woman stirs, shifting her weight briefly. When he moves, intent on smacking her cleanly in the face with the back of his fist she hops back, her figure a quick blur of black and white before she lands with a soft click of heels. There's nothing clever from the woman this time. Instead she just attacks--rushing forward, she extends an arm, intent on snagging the kid by his shirt and tossing him across the alleyway.
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki successfully hits Kyo with Yakiire.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kyo 1/---====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> /////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Kyo counters Quick Throw from Mature with Nue Tsumi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Kyo 1/=======/=======|=======\=------\1 Mature
> /////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Yamazaki
Again, Kyo has his focus on Mature; as she dodges his punch then rushes at him, he simply snatches his arm out of the air and holds it there while he smashes her in the body a few times, driving her into one of the alleyway walls. Of course, this gives Yamazaki enough time to strike Kyo in the back with the Yakiire attack, which causes Kyo to stagger forwards a few steps, past Mature. At least he has a little bit of distance between them now, and a second to turn around so that he has both of the Orochi-tainted fighters in his gaze.
As Mature flies past him, Yamazaki only diverts a moment of his attention to the flailing woman. That had to hurt. Still, the wide, sharklike smile on his face is indicative that he can sense that Kyo isn't going to last much longer. That being the case, he motions down with both his arms. The sharp snap of cuffs disgorging two small black ceramic knives can be heard, and in an instant, he's charging forward to finish Kyo off.. or so he assumes, anyhow.
A shriek screeches from his lungs, the man charging forward with all the subtility of an incoming bus, tongue hanging out, saliva trailing behind him. His bloodshot eyes are rolled into the back of his head as he stabs at the young lad, and instantly goes intoa furious burst of action. The knives tear at Kyo, slashing every which way, jabbing, ripping, stabbing and cutting if he can, trying to find some purchase into the boy.
If he's successful in his initial drive? He'll pull out his large knife, and finish the deal, sealing it off with a powerful sideways chop that should send the bleeding target to the ground.
Her attempts to snag the kid prove a painful endeavor--not expecting his counter, blonde secretary's arm is snagged by the Kusanagi youth and is ultimately greeted into the nearest wall--very painfully. The air expelled from her lungs, the blonde sags a touch before she offers a faint frown of disappointment. This wasn't meant to happen.
Slowly but surely does the blonde peel herself off the bricks. Rubbing her shoulder, the blonde flicks her eyes to the other Orochi, whose hit successfully plants itself square into the kid's back. Still, the woman doesn't smirk or grin. Instead she just turns her attention back to the Kusanagi, eyes widening briefly. His gaze is met without any hesitation. The screech diverts the woman's attention, however, her Orochi counterpart's attack catching even her off her guard, however brief. Only when he's dealt with does the woman turn her eyes back to Kyo.
And that's when she moves.
Like a shot in the dark the blonde Bernstein secretary blazes for the Kusanagi scion. In a blink she's gone and suddenly there again, coming to a sharp halt just at Kyo's feet. Using that momentum the blonde twists her body, issuing a series of harsh slices with her long nails at his midsection before lifting her long arms up, bringing them down to finish the onslaught with an arc of brilliant blue chi and wind.
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Yamazaki's Nightmare, then Darkness.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Kyo 1/=======/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mature
> ////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Mature's Nocturnal Lights.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Kyo 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0 Mature
> ////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Yamazaki
Here it comes. Eyes flashing from Mature to Yamazaki, he can tell from just cursory glances that, by the way each of them are moving, that they're aiming to finish him off with their next attacks. Yamazaki reaches Kyo first, blade stretched out, crying out for Kusanagi blood... and it gets exactly that. *SMACK!* Kyo catches the knife between his two palms, the edge of the weapon drawing a small line of blood from the scion's hands. He holds the knife there for the briefest of moments, just long enough for Yamazaki to get a good look at his shit-eating grin. Kyo then releases the knife, and with the assassin's momentum halted, he is able to evade the rest of the frenzied slashes.
Then Mature leaps towards Kyo, also attempting to cut the young fighter up. This time the attack is thwarted by a series of canny blocking by Kyo that allows Mature's strikes to hit him, though with the sides of her hands or other areas other than her clawed nails, minimizing the damage done. The last blow is met by Kyo's forearm, impact's sound reverberating down the alleyway, and he hold the block there, face obscured by his arm. A beat passes...
"Is that all...?"
*WHOOSH!* Kyo's body literally BURSTS into fire. The flames cover his whole body, tendrils of it laping up from his limbs. From behind that flaming aura, the two Orochi kin might be able to detect a dangerous-looking smirk, "KURAEEEEE-" His hand raises up, above his head, to be held there for a moment before sweeping down in front of his body, sending forth a hellish, swirling mass of flame towards Yamazaki and Mature. While Mature will take the brunt of it, being right next to the human torch, the flames take up the entirity of the alleyway, turning in into a sort of blast chamber. Escape looks nearly impossible.
"-YAGARE!!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Yamazaki with Orochinagi'.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
Ahh, the fire.
Yamazaki's not immune to it. In fact, the flames hurt lik hell. But there's somwthing to remember about him. He's been hit with it before, and can really manage to deal with it quite well. Despite being knocked down a serious peg with a single blow, Yamazaki's still well above the mark of being able to finish the party. "Not by a long shot," he replies, the heat raging around him as he's blown backwards.
Staggering to his feet, still smouldering, and his knife melted into slag, he tosses the weapon aside. He doesn't even bother to look for Mature. Now things are getting a little interesting.
Still, he's not in any condition to fight. not yet anyhow. Rolling his head, he stands up straight to look at Kyo. "Nice job you did on the skirt." He says. "Keep a good eye on her. Think long and hard about it. And then think about what I'm gonna do to your mother. Remember: Geese runs this town. He keeps records on everything. Hell, I could tell you what time of day every morning you take a shit if that's how you get your rocks off."
The flames are still burning on his body, the pain is horrible, and the smell of cooking fless reaches his nose.. an acrid scent as his jacket is tossed off, the polymers it was made out of practically napalm clinging to his skin. "Come get me, boy."
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki takes a breather.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Mature blocks Kyo's Orochinagi'.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
Each slash from the Bernstein secretary is met with a block. Regardless, the blue-eyed blonde is anything but discouraged--it only encourages her to pursue further. The last attack is fired off, but there's little to show for it, save for the Kusanagi kid's words. Is that all? How insulting.
Furrowing her brows, the blonde shakes her head lightly, lips pursing tightly. How bothersome, the Kusanagi kid's spirit. Still, he's yet to really show his true extent. That in mind, the woman's eyes are entirely on the kid as he fires up, his attack engulfing the alley in harsh flames. That gets the blonde's attention, and cautiously does she lift her arms and plant her foot solidly. The swirling mass of flames barrels into the blonde, singing her garments, but she's ultimately kept in one piece--even if she staggers a bit and attempts to catch her breath.
There's definitely more to him than meets the eye. Still, she does not attack him. Instead she stands her ground with her head held high.
COMBATSYS: Mature focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Mature
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
Kyo doesn't presume that he finished them both off with that attack, but by now the two Orochi-kin have to be "feeling the heat" (pun intended), and it's confirmed by the fact that neither of them attack him right after the Orochinagi turns most of the alleyway into a melted canyon. He's doesn't give Mature any time to take a breather, though, and leaps right at her, a few flames still trailing off his body as he laces his fingers together above his head and then swings both arms downward upon her her.
Far be it for Yamazaki to ignore another opportunity to beat on a target more. A breif flash of concern crosses his face this time. Mature's not going to last to long, and having to scrape her off the sidewalk was not part of this deal. Nevertheless, he's never been one to let that stop him. It'll just slow him down when he has to leave. A scowl crosses his face. This makes things a tad harder.
Charging in after Kyo as he goes to attack the other Orochi, Yamazaki rears back his fist, and then lurches forward in a heavy punch. The blow, if it connects is followed through by his odd snakelike ability to distend his limbs at an astonishing speed. Thsi in effect would piledriver Kyo stright down to the ground, as if Yamazaki was attempting to ram his fist straight through the boy's back and punch out his liver from behind.
It's not the most elegant of maneuvers, but if it hits, it'll hurt like hell, and that's the goal, isn't it?
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Mature with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Kyo 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Mature
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
She's very much feeling the brunt of the force behind all those blocks she'd dealt in response to the Kusanagi's attacks. Furrowing her brows, the blonde secretary looks very much near her limits, her breathing very much audible. Still, blue eyes are fierce, for all the lack of expression that haunts her face. Her eyes are afire, the Orochi blood within her daring to bubble. It doesn't boil--never does it truly boil.
The faintest of grins cracks her red lips, brows knitting in mild amusement. The kid moves quickly--too quick for the poor, well-beaten blonde. Her feet stir, attempting to peel her just out of harm's way, but she's far too slow to really hit him successfully. Instead the fierce overhead slam of the Kusanagi scion's fists come down and crash into her, sending her crumpling to the ground.
She's not down JUST yet, however.
Slowly but surely the woman rises from the ground. Looking as if she's seen better days, the blonde sways, but never really falls. Not yet. Instead she lunges forward again, intent on slashing him fiercely with long nails once again, following the onslaught of nails and chi with that familiar arc of blue-colored energy. All that before she simply falls to the ground, landing with a meaty, unconscious thud. Still, however unfortunate for Kyo as it may be, she's breathing.
COMBATSYS: Mature can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Mature's Nocturnal Lights.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Yamazaki's Snake Tamer.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Yamazaki
Kyo stands there after his flying attack, watching Mature get back up on shaky knees, causing him to smirk a little bit... and when she staggers towards him with a few haphazard energy slashes, essentially using up what little remains of her stamina, it's not a big problem for Kyo to merely side-step the slowed attacks. Of course, Kyo has to rub it in, too: he sticks out a foot to trip Mature, "helping" her on the way down to the grungy ground.
One down.
He has to react fast to Yamazaki's attack, spinning and throwing up an arm to take the brunt of the first blow, which helps save him from being assaulted any further by the Syndicate thug's extendo-arm abilities. Growling, Kyo takes a step forwards towards Yamazaki and shoots an arm for the larger man's neck...
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki blocks Kyo's Koto Moon Positive.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Yamazaki
Mature's down, but hopefully she's done her job. Yamazaki's in no mood to really discuss the matter further. Without the other Orochi as a buffer, he'll have to tough this one out on his own. That's fine... as long as he can do it, that is. Kyo currently seems to be able to stop his stronger attacks. The incoming blow is deflected witht he powerful swing of his forearm... the blow strikes solidly against the hard bone, but doesn't go much farther. Yamazaki doesn't have time to think however, and is already moving in to finish the deal.
Twin knives fall into his hands, and he backs up, and he lets himself fall into that burning comfort of his own power. There, he doesn't have to worry about anything, since that animalistic portion of him doesn't worry about wins or losses... just causing death and carnage. Leaping up at the boy with his forearms outstretched, the blades descend, hopefully the prelude to a more painful attack.
COMBATSYS: Kyo counters Nightmare, then Darkness from Yamazaki with Nue Tsumi.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Kyo 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
Eyes narrow as Yamazaki manages to prevent Kyo's hand from getting a solid purchase. "Tch..." He says, knowing that he just blew a major opportunity. Yamazaki doesn't give him much time to curse himself though, coming right back at Kyo with a fearsome barrage of knife attacks. There is only a split second between the time that the Syndicate assassin pounces at Kyo and when those blades are going to start cutting him up, but Kyo sees it almost in slow motion. That familiar feeling in his blood, urging him to oppose the forces of the Orochi, spurs him into quick and decisive action: he grabs one of Yamazaki's arms out of mid-air, spins, then throws him into the nearest alleyway wall.
This isn't getting any easier, either. As Yamazaki collides with the ground, he narrows his eyes. He's going to have a tough time of this. Kyo's speed isn't degrading, and Yamazaki's not doing so well. The disparity in conditions isn't going to make for an easy win if he can pull one off at all. So he's forced to play another card in his arsenal.
"The sad part is," he says with a grin, "Is this isn't even about you." He cracks his knuckles simply by clenching his fist. "It's about Athena. See, I don't care if I get my ass beat. I know you won't kill me... and hell.. what's life without a little pain anyhow?" A tongue glies across his teeth as he chuckles. "I'm impossible to kill, boy. Stab me, Burn me. Leave me for dead? I'll come back again and again. But remember... it's all because I want you to get a message to that squawking little bitch. Tell her I'm looking for her. For a chat." His eyes narrow, and suddenly, he's moving fast, jolting it to simply backhand Kyo across the face, simply to add insult.
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Yamazaki's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Kyo 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Yamazaki
Kyo is there, and then he isn't there. Yamazaki's backhand swipes through the air in front of Kyo's face, doing nothing but rustling Kusanagi's hair with the gust it creates. It almost looks as Yamazaki just judged the distance wrong, but actually the scion of the flames subtly slided his feet backwards to make the attack whiff, though it looks as if he didn't move at all. "Yeah yeah yeah, you keep coming back to irritate me. I get it. Just like a cockroach, right?" He flashes that smirk again, "...and just about as strong as one too. Gimmie that.." he reaches for the arm Yamazaki just tried to slap him with.
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki fails to counter Quick Throw from Kyo with Sadomazo.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kyo 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Yamazaki
Kyo just keep throwing Yamazaki around, this time he yanks on the captured arm, pulling Yamazaki right into a nasty lowered shoulder. "And what's your problem with Athena? No wait, let me guess..."
"She beat your ass until you cried, and now you're bitter. Pft, pathetic!"
With a slam, Yamazaki is taken to the ground... and it causes him no end of irritation. At this point in the fight, it's not going to be any more than a loss. But he's not going to go down without a fight. "I got no problem with her," the man admits. "But I don't have a problem with anyone. I just want to see everyone die bleeding. And you keep talking boy. You know you can't kill me. You can't kill anything."
"Call me weak... but I'm not dead yet."
At Kyo's statement, he lets out a barking laugh. "Please. That's all you think about. You think there's nothing else in life but fighting.. you're pathetic, boy. In a hundred years, nobody's gonna remember you... so who gives a shit how many people you punch in the face?" He staggers up, and chuckles. "You think you're badass, boy? Think you're something? You're a chump, kid. You don't have a job, a life, or a future. When you get old, you'll be stuck like your old man... frying fish on the street talking about your glory years to people that don't care."
"There's more to life than just revenge, boy... a lot more."
While Yamazaki is jabbering on and on and on, Kyo decides he's had enough of this little song and dance. So somewhere around the time where Yamazaki is say "Please." Kyo twirls around so that his back is facing the Syndicate goon, his torso twisted up with one hand stretched out behind his back. A ring of fire bursts up around the scion of the flames' feet and his hair and clothes start getting blown around by some invisible force. By the time Yamazaki is done with his little speech, Kyo has whatever it is he's charging up for primed and ready, so that when Yamazaki finishes, the only reply he gets is that of, "Kore de... KIMERU ZE!"
And with that, Kyo spins around, putting all that charged-up energy, along with a ton of momentum and the force of nearly 180-degree rotation, into a HUGE haymaker punch that might be considered the "perfected" version of his Aragami and Dokugami punch techniques. The blow itself is a massive one, but to make matters worse there's also a gigantic burst of flame generated by the attack to contend with as well.
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki fails to counter 182 Shiki from Kyo with Sadomazo.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Kyo 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Yamazaki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Kyo 0/-------/------=|
Yamazaki smiles.
He knows there's no way out of this, and so the best he can do is brace himself, and try to punch through the exploding blast. Never mind the flames, really. Pain? Yamazaki's felt worse. Having gone toe to toe with everything under the sun, it's just a temporary bout of fire... nothing compared to what Kain could come up with, for example.
Despite his set up, there's no getting through. The fire's too much and he can't reconsitute his strange body in order to redirect the flow of pain, and the blows strike him, hammering into his larger form like a piledriver, and he's blasted backwards. Slamming onto his back, he can only laugh. Defeated? Yes. But he doesn't care. His job is done so far, and though he's still actually very much on fire, he manages to lift himself up. "Good show, kid. Good show."
Kyo holds his fist there at the point of impact, taking a few breaths, then stomps over to the end of the alleyway where Yamazaki is. He reaches across and roughly hoists Yamazaki up by the collar.
"Kill you? Hilarious, you think I'd actually wanna get any of that tainted Orochi blood on my hands? It's not even worh the effort. So I guess yeah, I'm pathetic. After all, I could be a crazed lunatic, prone to fits of frothing at the mouth and REALLY stupid-sounding cackling. I could also just whore myself, being a glorified errand boy for a crime boss. I could go on and on about how tough I am and how I can't be killed, but I'd bring back-up on every little grocery run I do, because I'm too weak to get anything accomplished by myself."
Kyo smirks, "So what was it you wanted me to tell Athena? You remember right, the whole 'sad part' thing you were talking about earlier? The whole reason you came down here to get trashed by me?"
"Think what you want, boy. I tell you. A hundred years, kid. A hundred years."
"Nothing wrong with being smart. And I'm old, kid. I'm not getting stronger. You think you're invincible... you're not. The only ones're gonna be left are the ones that are smart enough to know what they want in life, and have the balls to kill for it," he rasps, eyes narrowing as he smiles. Yamazaki's voice holds no contempt. Only the heavier words of someone that firmly beleives in what he's talking about. "Orochi, eh? You think I give a shit about that? Hell no, boy. You might call me an errand boy... but I do what I want when I want to..." His eyes flick over to the fallen body of Mature, and then back at Kyo. "Her too. Part of it is knowing when to follow orders... and when not to. Beleive me. There's gonna come a time, boy, when you're gonna be used. If you know what's what, you'll know that in the end, you're only alive to do one thing: stop people like me... and her."
The man laughs again, a soft, rasping chuckle, and he shakes his head. "Power, boy. That's all you know. Be strong. Be powerful. That's nothing, kid. The things I've seen... people I've met. You're gonna need somebody, too, someday. Think you'll be able to let go of your dick long enough to admit it?" He coughs, and laughs again, a bit of a ratcheting noise as his eyes go bloodshot for a moment, and he grins. "Probably not, kid."
"But I don't expect you to be able to see what's beyond the surface. Try to think, boy. You think long and hard. Sure... I'm Orochi. I'll admit to it. But you think I'm gonna follow it when it comes around? Hell no. But you'll play your part. That's the /only/ reason you're alive, boy."
"But let's talk business. I wanna talk to Athena. She's got something I'm interested in. If you don't wanna get the message to her? Then I'll cherry pick all her friends. I started with you 'cause I figured that it'd be a challenge... and that you wouldn't back down or run off, first. I was right, eh?" The gangster's eyes narrow, and he tilts his head. "SO do it or don't. I can break little kids all day long if I have to."
Kyo listens to what Yamazaki has to say, and when the guy is finally finished, he dips his head a little and chuckles, "What a messed up guy." He murmurs before looking staight at the Syndicate thug's crazed eyes, "You can't escape your fate, I won't debate that... and maybe you're right, we'll both get used eventually, but you know what, Ryuji? There's a big difference between a main character like me..." he smiles, and "...and a meaningless bit player like yourself." With that, Kyo tosses Yamazaki on top of the unconcious Mature, shoves his hands in his jean pockets, and starts to trudge to the end of the alleyway. "As it stands now..." he stops, right at the mouth of the corridor, "You two guys are no threat to anybody but your bosses. I'm sure they don't like liabilities who screw up all the time. Later." Kyo dissapears down the street, and while the fact that Yamazaki says he going to go after Athena's friends is definitely disconcerting, he can't let that look like it's gotten under his skin.
"Yeah... the difference is that I'll always be a free man, and you'll always be stuck with whatever path someone else makes for you," Yamazaki says after a while, lurching to a sitting position, moving off of Mature. He sits for a moment, looking at the woman. Certainly, she's Orochi. There's something about them that makes him irritated, others of his bretheren. But Mature? A little differrent.
There's a kernel of something... that small point of rebelliouness that lurks under the polished surface. As to what that might mean, he won't speculate.
He's not a genius, but life has shown him more experiences than many. And in a hundred years... well. Orphans cry tonight, alone and cold since Yamazaki's blade took their parents. People lay dead in alleys, never to finish their lives. Cutting people short in their prime, robbing others of happiness...
Call it what you will. It's a way he can leave his mark on humanity. The effects of the deaths will long outlive him when his ticket finally punches out. A hand grasps the woman by the shoulder, and he pulls her up. "Wake up. It's done. We'll see what happens from here on out. In the meantime, we can't let up. You get started tracking down Shingo, and tear him to peices. I'll find Kensou and deal with him."
Having been unconscious of sorts for the last half of the fight, Mature is only roused into consciousness by the Orochi mercenary's sure grip and idly tug. For a moment the woman is dazed and thoroughly confused, head bobbing idly before she lifts her hand and rubs the palm flat against her forehead. An incoherent mumble of sorts manages to creep past her lips before she finally comes to.
"Huh? Oh, yes," she murmurs, nodding once and slowly but surely clambering to her feet. By the time she's aware that the Kusanagi kid was their target, blue eyes blink owlishly before she offers a glance to Yamazaki. "The kid is gone?" she asks, looking vaguely bemused. Did Yamazaki win?
She doesn't really get to ask. Instead the blonde fixes her hair, rubbing her face lightly before she simply nods. "Very well," she replies, making her way to her coat and pulling out a cell phone. Pressing the tiny device to her ear, the woman makes a call before snapping the device shut.
"I'll get back to you when I've dealt with the Kusanagi kid's brat of a shadow. Kensou should be a piece of cake for you. For now, I bid you adieu, mister Yamazaki." Bowing once, gracefully, the blonde about-faces on her heel and makes her way to the limo waiting for her at the alley's edge.
Log created by Mature, and last modified on 11:27:54 01/03/2006.