Description: What was originally intended to be a showdown between the psychic Rose and NESTS Second-in-Command Zero quickly devolves into a three-way free-for-all when Vega makes his presence known, showing off his newly reacquired toy -- Cammy, the Killer Bee. A long, intense battle ultimately leads into a nailbiting finish between Zero and Cammy... (Draw: Zero and Cammy)
Rose, on consideration, likes Masters Arena better.
However, fate has drawn her here, and it is where she goes. She steps out from the direction of one of the dressing rooms; she has not changed her appearance or her style, but she has taken efforts to be particularly neat today. She isn't sure just why.
It worries her when she can't make good guesses. The unusual and unexpected can be exciting. So can a war zone.
She ascends the small series of steps onto the grand stone stage itself, reaching up with a fingertip to push the shock of hair hanging before one eye in the other direction. She looks up to the sky -
She shakes her head. "How silly of me," she murmurs, as her attention comes back into the arena. "With the lights so bright, it would be impossible to read the stars."
Fate brings the psychic Rose here.
In sharp contrast, a jet drew Zero here as scheduled, and so here is where he goes.
Boots crisply turn with the scrape of soles against rough stone as the NESTS VP pivots sharply on his heel, dark brown eyes lifting upwards to gaze upon the crowds that have gathered in the stands from all around him. The wind that comes in from the opened skydome is warm and gentle, hardly offsetting the heat of the bright series of lights that loom above the arena. The warmth hardly disturbs Zero. It's been a while, since he's been within the Howard Arena. And considering his opponent...
... this fight should be most interesting indeed.
Guised in his typical choice of physical appearance for these public showings -- brown hair, brown eyes, and a thick, brown mustache -- Zero stands, calm and confident at the opposite edge of the arena from where Rose stands. His gaze falls upon her, and while he offers a convincing smile, he thinks of nothing save for the capacities of this woman and the best way to work around them. It should prove interesting -- and, at least, prove a prime opporunity to sample more psychic power... and perhaps, DNA.
"Greetings! Ms. Rose, isn't it?" He bows stiffly. Respectfully. All a guise, but a perfect one. "I will be your opponent today. Things should shape up to be quite interesting, don't you think?"
From above, the stars that shine can be seen. From the dome, the view above is beautiful and majestic - the lights of the city and the pinpoints of starshine blazing in the ebon web of night a masterpiece that could be claimed only by the masters of painting. It's a sight that those within the actual arena cannot see, more's the pity - as the pair above, on the rooftop can probably care less about the beauty of the scene, instead studying what occurs below with the gaze of a predator.
Vega's form is hunched on the edge of the dome, his cape whipping around him in the night's breeze. His fingers dig into the concrete for balance, and he watches Zero and Rose enter the arena. His lips curl into a cruel smile as they chatter and prattle on, his own moment of motion and movement finally settling into reality. An entrance, perhaps - but not his own.
Inside the head of every person within the arena, Vega's voice can be heard - dark and rumbling, amusement and threat tangled and entertwined. It's done out of a sense of theatric - a display set to cow or intimidate at least one of the fighters. Could /Rose/ do this raw display of power? Perhaps - perhaps not.
<<For your audience's viewing pleasure, I've taken the liberty of modifying your 'fight' a bit this evening. Welcome in your third contestant - The Killer Bee.>>
He doesn't make his location known yet - but to the girl beside him on the roof, he whispers a subtle, understated signal. Words for her, and for her alone, Words that should send her down towards the arena, and into battle.
"... Go."
From the roof, the Killer Bee can be seen for a moment before she swings down, gripping the edge of the retractable ceiling and coming around to perch upside-down on the roof, if only for a split second, leaping off some of the supports before then bouncing off some of the mechanisms. She moves at a blur, flickering from one point to the next before then launching herself at the stage. As she does so, she twirls like a drill, and then lands in a low crouch, skidding across the stage in a wake of dust and motion. There, she slowly behins to stand, looking over to the other two.
"... interesting indeed."
Rising, her pigtails come to rest for a moment as she stands up straight. Rather than show any sort of emotion after her effort, though, she seems unconcerned. Then, she salutes, looking upward for a moment before looking down to the pair blankly. "Subject: Zero, Subject: Rose. Analyzing..." She blinks slowly. "Preliminary analysis complete. Engaging. Please display your full capabilities. Your data will be useful to the project."
COMBATSYS: Cammy has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Cammy 0/-------/-------|
"I wonder what Howard's policy is on tickets in the event of a mismatch. Do we get our money back or are we considered having gotten more than our money's worth?"
"You may request a refund but it is not advertised," Igniz replies to his secretary. The president of NESTS sits, legs crossed and a hand on his chin, in the first row VIP seating. Unlike some of his peers, he takes pains to dress normally when attending public functions. In this case, a black suit with a red power tie. Red for blood, his secretary reminded him. She, on the other hand, was not without her trademark golden dress, perhaps a protest or sorts to Igniz not flaunting his position in this situation.
The president folds his hands in his lap, casting a sidelong glance towards Misty. "Are you going to update her file?" The secretary taps busily away at a PDA, sounding underwhelmed. "Already have. Poor girl. Didn't last very long, did she? Always did like her little outfit."
"I think it's tacky," Igniz replies.
Rose smiles to the brown-haired man. She does not put a great deal of energy in it, but it is polite and reasonable. As she puts one hand on her hip, she says: "Yes, I hope it shall be," and is starting to say something else - her mouth is open, in anticipation - when it happens.
Perhaps she cannot shout loudly enough with her mind to encompass an entire arena. Perhaps instead she only cares not to. Vega - even from his distant perch - should be able to tell when she turns around, leaving her side towards Zero, and stares directly up towards his hiding place.
Her legs tense, the muscles of her thighs briefly visible through the sheer stockings, before whatever she was about to do is cancelled -- when that 'Killer Bee' flies down. Rose's eyes widen in shock, and her expression is wracked, suddenly, with guilt. She takes a step back from Cammy, although she does not turn to face Zero once more.
This, of course, is the burden of morality.
COMBATSYS: Rose has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cammy
The look of surprise on Zero's face is not one entirely feigned at the sudden intrusion to his thoughts from the declarations of a single man. The bulk of the shock that paints his face is merely an act; he's not particularly surprised at the display of power. However... the sudden variable thrust into this situation has put things into an interesting loop. Brown eyes lift, to view Cammy as she descends. 'The Killer Bee.' An assassin trademark of one man.
"... What a strange turn of events." It seems Zero's prediction was true.
In a manner of speaking.
Despite recognition in his mind, Zero shows nothing but surprise outwardly as Cammy descends. "Oho... so it seems we have a new addition to this fight, eh?" He muses aloud, gripping the edges of his black cape securely with his right hand. The left remains securely pressed against his back. "Well then--" Rose is not paying attention to him. But officially... the fight has begun. Zero sees an opening--
"Let's not disappoint the audience."
--and he intends to take it.
One leap is all it takes. Zero spins through the air in a somersaulting hop, lashing out with his skirt. In an unnatural display, the inky-black fabric of the clothes begins to expand at the apex of Zero's spin, lashing outward in a diagonal sweep. The blades -- blunted considerably for the sake of public appearance -- seek to batter Rose from hip to shoulder, with enough force to send the woman flying should she not react in time. Perhaps it'll teach her a valuable lesson in paying attention.
COMBATSYS: Zero has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Cammy 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rose
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-------|
<<Come now, Rose - I'm sure you can handle her quite capably. She won't soley attack you, I promise. This is just a test of how her conditioning is holding up. A ... display, perhaps as well.>>
Vega's mental voice is cold and cruel as he simply talks to the woman who backs away from his finest creation... The ultimate pinnacle of Shadaloo technology. A .. er, blonde pigtailed girl. Look, don't ask. It's not that important. He stands up on the edge of the dome, and just grins down at Rose when she looks to his 'hiding place', certain that through the arena lights she can still see his wide grin and bright eyes, the corona of power around them blazing bright.
There's a laugh, unheard to any but himself as he watches Zero leap into action, allowing him to have one last 'thought' to Ca... the Killer Bee - one last set of instructions, and a reminder of her duty and ability. <<Killer Bee - you /are/ Shadaloo's finest weapon. Do not forget this - and be certain to make me proud.>> This said, Vega turns to watch from his position of power. He's unafraid of retaliation now, with Rose so occupied - perhaps it will be an interesting experience to see how she handles herself under such conditions. What will she do..?
Whatever her choice is, Vega will enjoy watching it.
Cammy doesn't immediately step in on the fight. "As you wish.", she says simply to Vega, staring up to him through the vast height. Then, she steps towards the pair carefully, focusing in on Zero as he makes his move, apparently trying to take advantage... and wait for an opening. Her attention shifts to Rose, waiting to see if she engages with the attacker. There's a lot of options available to her, but if she's going to do her best, she can't be careless against fighters like these.
COMBATSYS: Cammy focuses on her next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Cammy 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Zero successfully hits Rose with Ouga.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-----==|
Rose's gaze is turned on Cammy as she stands there. The sensation of guilt and irresponsibility - even if she is not RESPONSIBLE for the negative outcome, she did not give her more guidance, she did not provide her with more of what she would need to know - grows.
Zero dispels it by attacking her with his skirt.
She is not sent, quite, flying; Zero's assault is powerful but even as it falls upon her, her body reacts. She staggers to the side, raising one hand up to try and guard herself from a further onslaught that is not forthcoming. She breathes in, then out, and looks to Cammy again for a moment.
She's going to watch, she realizes; watch, perhaps, and step in towards whoever is not serving the will of that man. Zero may be easily opposed by her; two at once is a far, far different story.
She pushes the fretting aside with a mental effort, and sweeps her scarf back in one direction. The yellow cloth glimmers before she snaps it back in a wide strike in the other direction; instead of a whiplike noise, it produces a queer sound that's only half audible, the other half like electronic feedback in the mind.
"The show, I suppose," she says, solemnly, "must go on."
COMBATSYS: Rose successfully hits Zero with Aura Scarf.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-======|
The show, indeed, must go on. And Zero gets a prime opportunity to see first hand just quite how powerful Rose's control over psychic power truly is. Falling swiftly back to his feet, he's not quite fast enough before Rose shows that she is capable of using her own clothes as weapons as well. Brown eyes narrow sharply, his arms lifting in a sudden, sharp attempt at a block --
But Zero finds himself far, far too slow. The aura the scarf produces burns at Zero's face and upper torso as it strikes cleanly. It sends Zero launching /upward/, flipping through the air before he lands, simply, on the ground feet-first a fair distance from Rose. He rubs his jaw slowly, working out the tingling sensation. "... hm." He muses to himself. The show must go on.
And so it does. Cammy hasn't yet proven herself a threat to /him./ In fact, the purpose of her being here seems to be to disorient Rose. As such, the brown-haired man keeps his focus on the psychic, seeking to leap /straight/ into the air towards her. His intent is to simply land /behind/ Rose, and then lash out with a single, backwards kick aimed for the woman's spine. It's simple, but it is quite forceful should it manage to connect. "Hmph!"
"Look at this," Misty says, tilting her PDA so Igniz can see. He looks over the information silently for several long moments. "That's interesting. Look at how it runs along the third lateral neural line."
"How do you proof against something like that? It'd take a full rewiring of his suit at very least to even begin to fix the problem. We can't throw away that much research."
Igniz drums his fingers on the armrest of his chair, looking back up towards the stage. "Reroute it to the dense energy converter, perhaps. Increase the outbound frequency. It might create a feedback loop that would act as a dampener. Tell chief Zero to not be so impulsive, please."
Misty raises her PDA closer to her lips. "Zero, President Igniz requests that you switch to more conservative tactics. I suggest you make yourself a... costly target to attack."
And then, Cammy acts. The transition from her casual step to lightning-fast motion is instantaneous, as she rushes in towards the pair in a swift hop. It's not terribly clear which one she's targeting... at least until she's close, as she tries to use the ambiguity of her intentions to her advantage.
But then, she hops up towards Zero. She tries to catch his relatively unprotected head between her thighs so she can backflip it down to the hard stone below. Why Zero? Well... he's the less likely target, and hopefully the one that doesn't see this coming. But hit or miss, she bounces away, trying to get some air and avoid leaving an opening after the throw. After all, Zero's power level is rising quickly...
COMBATSYS: Rose dodges Zero's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-======|
Rose feels most of that faint confusion that had bothered her earlier fade away. Now that Vega has revealed himself - his negative intentions must have been clouding the area. Now his plan is exposed, removing that complication...
That, of course, and Zero is very close to her, and is leaping behind her, doubtless to no good end.
She twists around on one heel while leaning back away from the kick; a faint boost from her inner power keeps her from toppling over before she can put her foot back into position, and she is then greeted by the unique sight of Cammy lunging towards Zero's head with intent to thigh press.
That's always a little strange-looking.
She closes her eyes for a moment as she breathes in, then out, letting power build - instead of loosing it, she lets it gather near her. It sparkles near her sides, like a will'o'the'wisp, before sinking back into her elegantly-attired form for further usage.
Is Cammy /aiding/ her, she wonders, although she does not project the thought.
COMBATSYS: Rose gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Cammy successfully hits Zero with Frankensteiner.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
Communications don't distract Zero. However, the speed at which Cammy comes in is somewhat perturbing. And it is just as Misty relays her message that the man finds himself in the grasp of the Killer Bee's thighs. "And here I thought your target was--" But he can't finish his amused musings before he's tossed. Apparently, for some reason, he is the object of abuse here instead of the violet-haired Rose. It matters not. It just establishes the fact that they're both enemies, which means...
... he'll have to prepare a bit more.
Frankensteiner'd quite effectively, the thigh grasp turns into a full-blown through that sends Zero flying through the air, landing in an uncomfortable roll until he finally stops in a crouch. "Affirmative." He says at last, speaking quietly to the crackling, feminine voice of one Misty. "Starting defensive measures."
In truth, the throw was more of a help than a disability; it gains ground between himself and his opponents, and while they are still relatively close to each other... Zero hangs towards the back, analyzing the pair and developing a more firm idea of how they move, how they act. He'll be ready to attack again... soon.
COMBATSYS: Zero focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
<<Killer Bee - Your other opponent is looking 'neglected'. Target change, priority - Rose.>> Vega frowns as he watches the battle - the fact that her first target, when given the freedom to choose was the one that Vega didn't wish her to pick first was an interesting conundrum. Left to her own devices, was Cammy's choice to attack Zero done because of logic, or simply because her programming was flawed enough to keep her from willingly attacking Rose? Never one to leave things to chance, his words are for the Bee alone - and certainly instructive, with intent on peeling her off of Zero and refocusing her towards the target he wants her to beat upon.
For Rose, well - she gets another little message, the Shadaloo monster rising up on the dome and wreathing himself in a purple/blue aura, one almost the opposite of Rose's blinding psi. <<You see how well she works? She's a killer, a machine - not whatever she was before, Rose. You and yours have lost her again, and with her returned to me, I /will/ enjoy crushing you all beneath my heel. You, perhaps most of all.>> His mocking laugh might be heard before he cuts the connection between them.. and then he watches in eager anticipation to see what happens with all three girls fighting.
Hmn - maybe the one in the skirt would be good for the Doll Project...
Landing from her bounce, Cammy doesn't hesitate on Vega's orders this time. The problem stems somewhat from a contradiction; Cammy has standing orders to avoid Rose, after all. But the point is now made fine enough for her programming to process... not that any of this would be obvious, save perhaps to Dr. Senoh.
Thusly, she flips back forward, flying through the air before she lashes out with a swift flying kick at Rose. Angling downward like a missle, she comes in an odd angle. It's only a setup, though, as she lands, crouching, and handplants, launching herself at Rose. "Cannon..." Her leg lashes out high, as she tries to blow the fortune-teller into the air. "... spike!"
As she's in midair, though, her attention turns to Zero, as she practically expects to be targeted in her current state. Twisting about, she tries to flip out of her attack and back to the ground as soon as she makes impact.
COMBATSYS: Rose reflects Cannon Spike from Cammy with Soul Reflect.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
The light glittering around Rose seems to shine brighter as she turns her head again to look back towards Vega, in his remote perch. She answers him without words.
<<I can see how skillful you have become in manipulating those who seek to find their own path!>> is her reply. <<You shan't crush-->> Of course, at this point, Cammy is coming.
It is difficult for Rose to read, in detail, the fates of those who have been touched by Vega. She fears that it may be a great project to free Cammy once more from this foul embrace, and to teach her what she must know to never fall under that shadow again. This is, however, a project for later.
When Cammy lands in a handplant, Rose has little time to react. Most of the energy still coalescing around her flares off in an impressive but harmless display that may give the few in the audience with faint latent Psi talent a headache. She sweeps her scarf around as it flashes, crying out a wordless sound of effort as that kick rises, before it hits that wall of force back by the fortune-teller's implacable will!
And now it's time to think. Standing in the back as the other two fighters clash, Zero clasps both his hands behind his back, his head tilting ever so faintly to the side as he compares the two of them. Now would be an ideal time to attack Cammy, perhaps, weakened as she is. But -- gauging the strikes he took from both of them, the larger threat to his success here is clear. Besides -- Zero has a somewhat vested interest in confronting Rose. That power of hers... he wants a sample to examine.
Rolling his neck, Zero waits patiently until Rose displays yet another aspect of her psychic power, rechanneling the Psycho Power of Cammy's strike and pummeling her with it. His legs spread, before Zero launches straight across the distance between himself and the duo. Regardless of what /Cammy/ is planning, Zero intends to make a target out of Rose.
His right hand swings backward, and then like a piston it /thrusts/ forward with intent to strike Rose solidly in the stomach with a single bodyblow. It's followed with a quick adjustment to the move; a second, lancing blow aimed to strike Rose solidly across the face with his left hand, palm opened. If it succeeds, he'll carry through with the motion, with intent to grasp onto a single lock of violet hair and pluck it away as he recovers. Simple, subtle. He's not here to win, after all. He's here to collect data. Winning will just be a nice side-victory.
Argh.
Right - this is why Vega doesn't allow Cammy to fight Rose in general - the concept of letting her linger around the powerful psychic is a scary concept, one that might spell the doom of his ownership of the girl. It also tends to show that she has a few bugs in the system, perhaps - something that needs to be looked over when they return to Shadaloo's embrace.
He doesn't move to tell her to change targets, or to react - in fact, he simply sits back and watches how Rose and Zero react to the battle, and turns this into a fascinating display of his better half's ability to hold up a fight. In the end, he'll be amused, which is good enough. Anything else, is - as Zero himself thinks - a nice side victory.
As Cammy's struck, she goes flying away upside down, and bounces twice before she lands. Rising more slowly, she blinks, not showing a single wince at the pain undoubtedly inflicted on her. Instead, her mind is reeling a little that her tactical analysis turned out to be so /wrong/. "Processing tactical update.", she says simply, and flicks one of her pigtails over her shoulder. "Initiating repairs... and..." She lowers her brow slightly. "... reenaging."
With that, she rushes at Rose again. Rather than try anything fancy, she instead steps alongside Zero, as if fighting with him. and coordinates a quick series of jabs after his strike. Then, she finishes the combination by spinning about once to throw out a swift side kick before hopping back away.
COMBATSYS: Cammy successfully hits Rose with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rose dodges Zero's Jagai Kusetsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
Rose's head turns to face towards Zero. She has little time, now, for reflections of a mental nature, or for musing. This is a difficult situation, and it could be a painful one. When his fist pistons outwards towards her stomach, she takes a leap back, leaving him far enough extended that she can roll to the side and avoid his follow up move. She doesn't bother to think: Why is he trying to slap me in the face?
There is a downside to this fancy evasion; it is focused on Zero. This is a great deal of why Rose - while missing most of the jabs Cammy throws towards her - gets kicked in the side as she straightens up. It doesn't break a rib, but it staggers her, and she sucks in a pained breath through her teeth.
Her eyes flick towards Cammy, for a moment, and her scarf flicks towards the woman -- as it spirals around Rose's arm. With no cry, then, she lunges towards Cammy; the scarf flares outwards, forming a spiralling shape not so different from a drill and filled within by sparkling light. Her entire body is thrown into this attack, for better or worse!
Rose is fast. Fast enough, at least, to move out of the way of what is by and large Zero's fastest technique. This alone is mildly disconcerting, and it suggests to him he'll have to readjust his strategy. Finding his technique deftly outmaneuvered, the VP's recovery is remarkably swift. Both hands lash back to his sides as he takes a sudden /leap/ backwards to evade any incoming assaults. However... none come, and Zero is left to land feet-first and once more observe the exchange between Cammy and Rose.
Once more, Zero does not attack. The strategy here is to remain in reserve, to wait until he is attacked. As Rose has proven herself considerably fast, perhaps faster than anything Zero can throw at her, he hangs towards the back, watching as the violet-haired woman leaps at the Killer Bee. Two psychics, both displaying a disproportionate level of agility. The only thing to do now is to look for a weak point.
Right now, however? Zero takes a second break from the fight, redirecting the functions of his suit towards recuperative measures. Nanomachines help to repair minor injuries incurred from Cammy's throw, rejuvinating Zero as he waits. He'll be back in the fray soon enough. Give him a moment.
COMBATSYS: Zero gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Cammy blocks Rose's Soul Spiral.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-======|
The Killer Bee turns her arm to the side, and even though it shatters part of her armguard, she blocks the incoming assault. Recoiling a bit with it, Cammy ducks to the side, and then springs away. It looks like Zero's getting his second wind, after all, and Rose is putting forth a good offensive... and so she needs time to process her tactical options.
Backpedaling a bit with a light step, she raises her arms in a simple defense. She then keeps her eyes on Rose, apparently not worrying about Zero quite so much now.
COMBATSYS: Cammy focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-======|
Rose is left with a moment to catch her breath, and not by any planning of her own. She considers this situation as her chest heaves, trying to push past the sore feelings in her sides. At least it could be worse, she thinks to herself: I could have been struck in the solar plexus, yet again.
Vega is still there, too. She suspects that he has a plan; this may be a distraction for some other action of his in this area. Her eyes narrow and her lips purse. The warmth in her face goes away, leaving her resembling a china-doll mask as she slides one foot back.
Then her lips quirk in a faint, almost gentle smile. "I don't think it's time for us to take a rest." She then projects a brief, fleeting thought towards Cammy: 'I am sorry.'
She splits in half. Both Roses lean their heads back, as if a mirror has been placed between them. Then they move, and it becomes clear that one isn't real; the illusion isn't perfect, and may even show up improperly on the cameras turned onto this high-ticket Saturday Night Fight.
Rose herself runs towards Cammy, leading in with a hunched-over posture and snapping one scarf-wrapped hand towards the Killer Bee's midsection, with a flash of green light. After this, she rolls forwards, resting on her scarf and energizing it for use as a pivot, twisting both legs around in a kick towards the blonde's knees!
The illusion smiles slightly towards Zero, waggling one manicured finger that doesn'texist. Perhaps it can see those nanomachines in action. It swings one hand around as if to slap Zero in the face, although the blow is not well aimed; the spark of Soul Power is the real strike in it, and that may well hurt, especially when combined with two sparkling, short kicks towards his lower legs, and finally a twisting cartwheeling that brings both of the illusion's legs towards Zero's upper body.
Sweat glistens on Rose's forehead as she takes a step back from Cammy, breathing heavily. That was not easy, perhaps.
COMBATSYS: Zero counters Soul Illusion from Rose with Forcefield.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rose successfully hits Cammy with Soul Illusion.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Cammy 1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/=======|
/Restoration cycle: Complete./
These hollow, mechanical words echo through Zero's mind like the faint humming of bees, his arms falling to either side of him. He shifts his position so that his side is facing Rose, his right hand lifting, and digits flexing thoughtfully. His suit tells him that she's up to something. There is a distinct surge of power that ripples through his sensors. Which gives him more than enough time... to prepare.
The moment that Rose's 'other half,' real or not, splits from her in a wild dash towards Zero, he prepares. His mind runs through a thousand options as he observes her, his battlesuit feeding him a wealth of information until... the right option presents itself. A wide smile splits his lips, wrinkling the corners of his mouth and squinting his eyes. It's not sincere, made only for appearances... and to give Rose a brief warning that something is amiss.
And then it happens. Fast as Rose moves, Zero moves infinitely faster, his suit charging his muscles to unnatural degrees, causing him to leave after-images of his own body as he takes a step backwards, and lifts his hand directly in the path of the 'false' Rose. "Full power." He says aloud. There is the hum of nanomachinery audible only to him; by the time that Rose's hand swings--
--She'll find her psychic self striking nothing more than a shimmering, royal purple barrier.
"Oho!" Zero exclaims, shaking his head, "I wonder if you'll be able to feel this?"
The leg shot hits the moment that the forcefield now swelling across the front of Zero's body lets out a sudden, disabling discharge of electricity throughout Rose's body. He banks on one, simple thing; that her 'illusionary' self, as made of psychic energy, is linked to her. And that Rose will feel every, single jolt of power that destroys her Soul Powered double.
"Interesting."
The Killer Bee tries to crouch as if to leap out of the assault's path, but she's already being struck before she can continue. Battered and knocked about, she's sent down to the ground. Certainly not the showing Vega might have been hoping for, but it seems her tactical analysis just isn't functioning properly. She quickly flips back up to her feet in a spin, shaking her head a little. "I don't... understand...", she starts, and then puts her hand to her head. Then, she slips back into her usual combat stance as if nothing had just happened.
"Your pity will serve us well, Rose.", she then says, and then rushes in again. Zigging from side to side, she then ducks low before springing off the ground. "Initiate..." Becoming wreathed in a blue aura of power, she launches at Rose like a missle feetfirst, trying to batter her as she spins rapidly. All the crowd might see that that speed, however, is a line of blue slashing across the arena. "... Spin Drive..." Then, she shoves off the ground, kicking upwards just as she did for the Cannon Spike with a flare of the asure Psycho Power. Combining both moves into one smooth combination, she tries to minimize the window for Rose to counterattack her. "... Smasher!"
COMBATSYS: Rose dodges Cammy's Spin Drive Smasher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/=======|
That psychic doppleganger's eyes widen as that forcefield arcs through it. It looks only startled, even though a few moments later it seems to wink out.
Rose herself lets out a short, tight scream as she takes another step back from Cammy, feeling that as a strange sort of rending through her entire body. When she's gotten her consciousness back together, in a single perspective rather than two, she hears 'spin drive' - and tumbles backwards sharply as the bright light of Psycho Power washes over her.
She doesn't fall flat on her back, but it's a narrow thing. She lands on one hand, and pushes herself up, panting for a moment as she steps back from Cammy. Her eyes flick briefly at Zero, but she then looks back to Cammy.
"My pity?" she asks, before breathing in again. "I suppose, if you wish to see it in such a way... it is pity. I would, perhaps, prefer to say - compassion?"
Please work, she thinks in the back of her mind. I would be satisfied if you do not attempt to kick my head off again. You do not have to aid me in this.
COMBATSYS: Rose gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/=======|
An interesting result. Zero looks only mildly thoughtful as the doppleganger is all be obliterated, at the same time taking note of the adverse reaction from the /actual/ rose. So it seems his theory was correct. Still, he does not inwardly congratulate himself or even offer a brief pat on the back. Already he is twisting with the softest ring of metal as those metal 'teeth' clatter against one another. The fight is far from done, but at the very least he has successfully averted a potential 'turn of the tide,' as it were.
His counterassault, and subsequent recovery is perfectly in time with the sudden, sweeping motion from Cammy. Once more does Psycho Power surge throughout the arena, and once more does Zero observe Rose's swift reaction times. Interesting. At least his analysis holds. Actually touching Rose will be difficult. Doing damage to her, however...
Zero's legs tense. In one, smooth motion, he pushes off the stony floor with the sudden upkick of dust, blazing across the distance between himself and the violet-haired Rose before /leaping/ right into the air. His body whips around at a complete 360 degrees, his right leg extended. The sole of his foot sweeps outward with intent to smash Rose right across the side of the head and send her crashing into the ground.
Landing, Cammy turns on her heel to face Rose. "The difference is irrelevant from a tactical standpoint.", Cammy states coldly. Then, as Zero rushes in on Rose once more, the Killer Bee springs up and past Rose, trying to snag her scarf and pull it tight... and then yank Rose right into his attack. It looks like she's trying a more measured offensive than before, but her target is still Rose. After all, the entirety of the damage she's taken this battle has been inflicted by the fortune-teller...
COMBATSYS: Zero successfully hits Rose with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Cammy successfully hits Rose with Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/-------/=======|
What happens is a beautiful example of what happens when fortuitous coincidences come together. Rose would dispute this conclusion, for reasons to be seen presently.
Her head whips around towards Zero as he leaps towards her. She shifts herself, but she seems to miscalculate his attack; she was not expecting a spinning twist rather than a forward jump kick. Even so, she starts leaning back --
Until she's pulled forwards by Cammy's grasping hands. She doesn't fall, though, not even then. She does stagger, however.
Twice.
"If you focus," she says, "only on tactics, then you will lose sight of your strategy..." She resorts now to the basics as she looks from Cammy to Zero to Cammy again. She snaps the scarf out, towards the blonde --
It wraps around her arm as she twists at the last moment, crouching down and aiming an emerald-bright punch towards Zero's midsection as he recovers himself.
COMBATSYS: Zero blocks Rose's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/------=/=======|
Fast, Rose certainly is. But against two fighters, even with a speed like hers, its hard to keep up. That's Zero's goal, at least; to take her out first, take what he desires, and then deal with Cammy if she insists in continuing the fight. His kick swings in, and completes itself with a vicious crack against the side of the woman's face. A clear, clean hit.
But if someone were to say that hit has gone to the man's head, that he is not remaining /aware/ of his surroundings, well... they would be all too incorrect. Rose moves quickly, it's true. But the moment that her sweeping, Soul Power-infused punch races towards Zero's gut, the man sees it. He moves within the span of a second, gripping the edge of his cape anf flinging it upwards like a Matador presenting his cloth to an angry bull. The fist strikes unusually dense fabric instead of protected flesh, dispersing much of the force such that, when it actually /does/ strike, Zero hardly even offers a grunt of discomfort. Fast. That's good.
In the same moment that Rose's punch strikes his skirt, Zero's left hand clenches. In one, rapid motion, he thrusts his fist forward -- intent on crashing it two fingers right into Rose's throat to, at the very least, make talking something of a discomfort for the rest of the fight.
Interesting. In the end, things were oddly balanced between the three, from all Vega's wandering eye could determine. Each one had their strengths, and their ways to avoid the punishing sorts of damage that people were dishing out. In the end though - his Bee would triumph. He was certain of this, and more certain still of the inevitable victory over the two, and already savoring just how it would tweak Geese Howard's temper for his vaunted 'Saturday Night Fight' to be thrown into chaos and confusion by the invasion.
<<Well done, Bee - your tactics are growing stronger with each moment. Senoh will be pleased with your assimilation of the training. Choose your target as you will.>> For her a compliment, and then for Rose - well, Mockery. <<Slow, my shadow half - your 'goodness' does not help you, and in the end, you will always be less than I am. Your talk weakens you - she cannot hear. She will not hear what you spout, and in the end as this fight is done, she will return to /me/.>>
"Your advice is noted and ignored.", Cammy replies simply to Rose. "My programming has been sufficiently upgraded. Your words are useless." r The Killer Bee, rather than pursue Rose further, dashes back into a backflip, landing quickly. She then seems to narrow her eyes, and closes her fist before her. "Haaaaah!", she breathes, psycho energy swirling about her for a moment. It's not as effective a technique as it is for Juni, but Cammy can recover from the drubbing she's taken so far. She can only hope, of course, that the "official" fighters are too occupied to pursue.
COMBATSYS: Cammy gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Zero successfully hits Rose with Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 1/------=/=======|
Rose's attention is taken up by the mockery of Vega; her head turns slightly, up towards where the caped man lurks. Of course, this is enough to put her at a disadvantage to Zero's attack; she steps back as his fist thrusts forwards, keeping her from deep and irritating damage, but evoking what must be a satisfying 'gack' noise.
Her breathing is labored for a moment, and she begins backing up. She doesn't say anything, either; that mission, at least, has been accomplished.
Her eyes flick towards Cammy. This wrenches her heart, but she pushes that aside as her focus goes back to Zero. She smiles at him, without any real warmth in it. He's ruthless, and a bold fighter; she is not surprised at either of these traits.
She draws her scarf down, letting it hang limply at her side as she takes a deep breath, and as she lets it out, she pivots around her heel. The scarf seems to leap in the air as it gleams, energy flowing out from behind her at the shoulder blade and sliding along her arm, and then along the scarf as it sticks out, perpendicular to the ground. The Soul Spark builds speed as it goes, streaking finally out towards the man as it leaves the fringe of the cashmere fabric.
COMBATSYS: Zero overcomes Soul Spark from Rose with Mokushiroku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
All this time, Zero has rather persistently used physical attacks. Both because they're his forte, and for obvious, tactical reasons. But when the opportunity presents itself, well... who is he to resist?
Backpedaling in the aftermath of his assault, his suit is already feeding him information, noting the sudden, slight pulsation of psychic energy once more throughout the arena. But the power that Zero has been building up quickly comes to play. As the Soul Power Rose wields pulses throughout the room, there is a counter-pulse. A sickening, chilling shockwave of icy black chi that rocks the very foundation of the arena in a circular ring of power; the presence of it alone enough to send chills. It's only a prelude, however, a sort of warning. Because, as Rose's scarf swings forward, she might notice--
--Zero's cape is lifting upwards of its own accord.
With only the faintest of movements, Zero takes a simple shift backwards. His entire battleskirt /rushes/ forward in that very moment like an onward rush of liquid shadows, expanding to unnatural lengths. The Soul Spark that Rose musters is almost thoughtlessly battered aside as it continues in its flying frenzy, intent on impaling Rose in various parts of her body with /all/ of those metal 'teeth.' If they connect, what occurs next is a simultaneous series of explosions of powerful, unnatural black-blue chi, mustering up enough force behind it to /actually/ send Rose flying.
Killer Bee looks at Zero with her blank stare. With Rose on the seeming ropes, priorities shift, and she rushes at Zero while he's occupied with Rose, hoping to exploit the window his counterattack provices. Ducking low as she runs, she tries to get around to Zero's back and reaches out with her gauntleted arms at a blur. If she can get ahold of the black-clad fighter, a backdrop will follow, once again trying to inflict damage on the head rather than the voluminous coat. It's a risk, to be sure, but self-preservation isn't one of her primary goals here.
COMBATSYS: Rose fails to reflect Mokushiroku from Zero with Soul Reflect.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
Rose is sore now, and her head hurts. She curses herself for her stunt earlier. Foolishness! Playing to the crowd at best. That wasn't the important thing; she should have tried to swamp Cammy's mind with a simple wave of psychic force and flee with her, but in front of a hundred thousand witnesses?
Her eyes narrow as that Soul Spark is burst and battered through. She draws the scarf taut between two hands and moves it up to guard her face. She tries to say something, which comes out as a croak -- and manages to block the skirt-tendril coming for her face.
The problem, of course, is that there is more than this, and while she may have been able to parry larger quantities in other situations, she is faltering, now. The strikes explode and detonate against her body, sending her sprawling off to the side; her dress tears along the left side, giving her an involuntary second seam to expose a steadily-bruising leg.
"Nghk," she says, before pushing herself back to her feet. Cammy is not coming at her; good, she thinks, before stretching her arms out and gathering power to herself again. Hope is not lost, not completely, she thinks as the flickering light glows around her body again.
Although, she admits to herself, it DOES look rather dire now. She scoots one leg back, to prevent herself from stumbling backwards ignomiously.
COMBATSYS: Rose gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Zero blocks Cammy's Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/-----==|
While normally Cammy's tactic would be sound, Zero is not quite so slow to recover as others might be. And despite the expenditure of energy on that previous maneuver, it doesn't seem that he's quite out of it enough to /not/ notice the approaching Bee. Brown eyes observing her rapid approach from behind, Zero pauses... and smiles a single, kindly smile. It's not sincere. And in truth, it might seem a little foreboding.
"Oho! You're pretty fast, aren't you miss?"
The words are spoken with a cheerful tone as the NESTS VP sends his dark skirt reeling back towards him from its unnatural length with the simple flick of his wrist. It is just as they snap in place with the chime of metal that Zero pivots sharply on his heel, dark cloth whirling in an obscuring veil of fabric that helps to slow the approach of Cammy. The drop is stopped by the sudden /thrust/ of Zero's hands in a forward motion against Cammy's downward thrust, leaping /backwards/ and away from Cammy and Rose. His arms are sore from the impromptu guard, but little more than that. Cammy was quick -- but just not quick enough.
Landing smoothly on his feet, Zero works to recover lost reserves of power as energy thrums throughout his suit, artificial channeling of chi empowering the nanomachinery that work on repairing the man's wounded body. That last attack expended more effort than he would have liked to put forth quite yet. And so, away from the other two, he seeks to recover himself while debating his next course of action.
COMBATSYS: Zero gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
The Killer Bee steps back as the attack fails, and she straightens up as she stands. "Your suit is a technological aid. My organization would benefit from data regarding it." She raises a hand, tightening the damaged gauntlet. "You also must have backing behind such a weapon. Unfortunately, there is no need for such a group in the world that is to come. If you were to cooperate, however, my Master may be generous."
She watches the sway of skirt, though, and raises her arms defensively. "Updating combat analysis." She swipes her arms across her body in a sharp motion. "Updated. Preparing for assault." She flicks a glance to Rose, as if evaluating her intentions... but only for a moment, clearly preparing herself against Zero.
COMBATSYS: Cammy focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
Rose, for the moment, does not strike.
The gathering of her power together has kept her from keeling over, but she does not seem to be interested in striking, at least not now. The light around her dims slightly, and she breathes heavily, although her eyes stay alert - focused on the two fighters who remain in, to put it charitably, much better condition.
COMBATSYS: Rose gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Cammy 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
As any logical person could tell you, in the realm of combat it is always best to pick off the weakest individual first. The one who is in the most dire straights can often pose the biggest problem, like any cornered animal. So, when Rose hangs in the back, and as Cammy seems to focus her attentions on Zero, the NESTS exec instead looks towards Rose. Logic dictates, and just like any logical creature -- Zero listens.
One push is all it takes to send Zero rushing towards Rose in a surge of motion. Knowing her uncanny reflexes, he expends just the right amount of speed and effort he feels will be necessary in order to keep her down. Becoming much like a simple blur of dark colors, Zero only makes his move once he is close enough to Rose. He lashes out with two gloved hands, intent on taking her by the shoulders. And, should he succeed, he'll simply /thrust/ his knee forward, intent on crashing it directly into the psychic's gut with quick, brutal force.
Cammy doesn't need to focus on Rose, because she already knows Zero's going to do that job for her. Right now, the tactical benefits of the three-way battle exceed those of a duel, and so...
The Killer Bee targets Zero this time, jumping into the air before shifting her weight so she drops at a sharp angle. Kicking out towards, she tries to nail him with a diving kick. Throwing her weight behind her attack, she gives it unexpected power - but with little loss of precision.
COMBATSYS: Zero successfully hits Rose with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Cammy 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Rose
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zero 0/-------/------=|
Cammy is a smart girl.
Rose tenses up as Zero dashes towards her, as if about to make an incredible leap. It isn't enough as those hands grasp her shoulders; she seems, at that moment, to become peaceful, and her body relaxes. She cannot do any more there, just now.
'Forgive me,' she thinks, rather loudly - certainly loudly enough for Cammy to hear - before the knee strikes her, right in the abdomen.
She is distant enough from her body at this moment that she can tell that she is fading. She opts to not go entirely gently into that good night; as the color washes from her vision, she lifts one leg and stomps that heel down wih a flare of violet light, aiming to stamp Zero's foot and give him, perhaps, a temporary limp. The least that she can do.
COMBATSYS: Rose can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Zero 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Cammy
COMBATSYS: Zero blocks Rose's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Zero 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Cammy
COMBATSYS: Zero endures Cammy's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Zero 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Cammy
And Rose falls. As well it should be. Vega would rather have sent Cammy against her alone, with him there to stop Rose when she attempted to sway the girl from Vega's influence. A true test of her power and skill... and of her control. However, defeating the two fighters would be a good second sort of win. At least, for now.
<<Excellently done, Killer Bee. Finish your other opponent off, and then return to base. You've performed adequately.>> With that, Vega cuts contact - it could be impossible to tell if he was actually staying behind or not - the piece of information he needed to know already answered, no further reason to stay other than to steal Cammy away should she fall. So .. he may be there, or not.
Unfortunately, Rose's 'light stamps' have the capacity to hurt much, much more than that, and as such Zero prepares himself for what is simply inevitable. The simplistic attack isn't unexpected, but it's not nearly fast enough to confuse or take the NESTS Vice President by surprise. As that leg of Rose's lifts and then descends, Zero is quick to launch his own leg upward to use his shin as a makeshift guard. He does not budge as the attack strikes, giving only a dull, brief sting as Rose makes her final stand.
It's is quick, and brief, but Zero has a secondary job in this. Sweeping downwards, before Rose can drop, he moves to take a single hair from her head; he rahter cleverly passes this off as helping the woman to the ground amidst the roar of the crowds, his falsely cheerful eyes squinting shut in the wake of a smile. "Good show, miss--"
Zero isn't blind, however. Expecting the assault from Cammy, the moment that it comes, the disguised exec actually moves INTO the attack, moving with an almost fluid sort of grace as he leaps. The blow hits his shoulder at the moment he twists in a somersault, intent in whipping the deadly, metal teeth at the hem of his cape right into Cammy, from side to side. If it connects, it should be enough force to knock her straight out of the air. "Hmph!"
COMBATSYS: Zero successfully hits Cammy with Ouga.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Zero 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Cammy
Trying to hold off the attack with her gauntlets, Cammy's block is thrown aside and her shoulder is slashed. She hits the ground, rolls, and hops back to her feet. She's not inclined to hold off. Instead, her eyes remain blank and cold as she then springs forth at Zero, ducking into a roll, her pigtails trailing after her as she does so.
As she gets near Zero, however, she unfolds, trying to catch his head again with her legs for another thigh press. This time, however, the added momentum would be enough for a full flip before she smashes him into the stone arena... presuming she can connect. The unpredictability of this move is its strength, but it's still one of the harder moves for her to pull off against a seasoned opponent like this.
COMBATSYS: Zero fails to counter Hooligan Suplex from Cammy with Forcefield.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Zero 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Cammy
Connect Cammy does, and in a far more brutal way than she may have anticipated. While Zero doesn't seem to attempt to even /move/, it's clear he has something planned. Whatever it is, though, is thrust to the wayside in the sudden /burst/ of speed that Cammy performs. Caught again with the woman's thighs, he is summarily tossed, slightly harder than the previous time. Stone crushes beneath the wake of the sudden, flipping through.
It is certainly painful, though Zero's felt worse pains throughout this fight. But, even so... it's still not enough to stop him. Breaking away from Cammy's hold on her, Zero pushes off the floor with his gloved hands, launching bodily through the air before landing, smoothly, on his feet.
"Hmm..." He muses softly to himself. He can't yet muster a counter-assault. As it stands, it seems that Zero can only shake his head in an attempt to recover. What a dire mistake.
Bouncing back to her feet, The Killer Bee already moves back in on Zero, apparently quite intent on violating his personal space. Ducking low, she rises up with a upward punch, trying to knock him into the air. After all, it's easier to toss people about when they don't have the chance for footwork, and should she manage this attack, she tries to grab Zero's jacket and slam him down to the earth once more. Whatever the result, she tries to spring past him, forcing him to turn around if he's going to lash out at her. In theory, at least - it's hard to tell with that bizarre skirt.
COMBATSYS: Cammy successfully hits Zero with Combo Throw.
[ \\\ < > /////////// ]
Zero 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Cammy
Again -- Zero is apparently caught off guard by Cammy's assault. This one doesn't particularly /hurt/ -- but apparently it's just enough to take Zero out. The punch doesn't quite knock him into the air, but it's enough to unbalance him such that, when he's grabbed, he is thoroughly slammed /down/ into the stoney ground, his face grinding unpleasantly into the flooring beneath him. He's done for with that assault, even if only barely. However--
--That doesn't mean he doesn't have one last maneuver left in him.
As soon as Cammy releases and leaps, Zero pushes off the ground and onto his feet. Gripping his skirt, he flicks it out once, the length of it expanding outward in attempt to snag her before she can descend. If it's successful, it'll be followed by a rapid fire series of somersaulting blows, the cape expanding out further, and further, and further until it is encompasing the sum whole of the arena's radius. He'll tear into Cammy repeatedly, with the final assault being enough to simply knock her into the stands.
But, regardless of outcome? Zero will collapse onto one knee soon after, taking in a deep breath. "Ho ho! Quite a good fight, indeed!" And it's at least partly sincere, even if the good-nature behind it is not. He got what he came here for, after all.
COMBATSYS: Zero can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Cammy 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Zero successfully hits Cammy with Gokusa Zanjin.
[ \\ <
Cammy 1/---====/=======|
Killer Beeslams back, skidding as she slumps into a half-sitting position. "Continu-", she says as she tries to stand up, but her legs fail her and she wobbles, her hat falling to the ground as she drops into a kneeling position. She stares at Zero with her blank eyes, and breathes heavily, hanging on to consciousness only through sheer force of programming. "We have both succeeded in our missions, but..." She closes her eyes. "... that sample is worthless." Dropping a bit, she forces herself to keep from falling with one hand. She stares at the ground, looking out of it, and then she just falls still, her head falling a bit, more like a broken doll than an unconscious person.
"Hnh."
In the end, her falling is not a bad thing. It's a frustration, a slight miscalculation that proves her ability for persevereence still needs some time, some effort, and some work. As she falls, Vega moves - dropping from the roof and fading into dark purple energy as he starts to fall - reappearing at the arena in that same shrouded aura. He moves between the contestants, then lifts Cammy up as a man might cradle a child. He turns his back on the arena, and makes his way towards the exit, a wash of dark blue and purple psi causing the pair to dissappear. Out of sight, out of mind - and back to the lair for the best care that Senoh can give.
Log created by Zero, and last modified on 05:55:53 04/26/2007.