Description: Amongst monsters there must be an order. Devils and Demons must have an understanding. The Devil of Koga does not lightly throw her allegience about. Respect must be earned. Does Helle's Belle have what it takes to control the Devil Ninja? A fight for the rulership of this burgeoning pack of wolves.
Amongst all allies there needs to be an understanding.
An unspoken order, in a fashion. Especially amongst thieves.
Not that the Devil of Koga thinks of herself as a petty criminal. But even she acknowledges she's certainly in bed with them. There has always been a single question Marise asks of herself every time she gets into bed with someone.
If push comes to shove. How easy are they to kill?
Beyond such primal considerations, there are other important understandings to be had.
The Helle's Belle has assumed a leadership position of her band of craven cutthroats and hired guns. The Devil certainly finds the woman both amusing and supremely useful.. But that nagging question does exist in her mind. The all-consuming consideration that all people of ambition have running through their minds at one time or another.
Does Elle deserve the credibility she's given?
An easy enough way to find out.
The Devil is casually seated in the far corner of the mostly-abandoned warehouse. One creamy leg crossed over the other as she calmly reads a weathered novel, flipping through the pages one after the other. Hidden eyes surveying every page with a dispassionate mein, her hair bound in an elaborate bun. The edges of her kimono spread about on the floor nearby her old chair.
A message was sent to the ruffian woman earlier. A simple request for a meeting.. and nothing more. Surely, the cagey and worldly woman will know what such an impromptu meeting could be about.
The role of 'leader' has never truly been Elle's intent, to be honest. It comes as a side effect of desire. Not but a few months ago, Elle was little more than another aimless wanderer, unsure as to her purpose in life until it hit her that in order to get anywhere in society, you need to use society to your advantage. As it is, the the only network she can legitimately reach for is the underbelly of the world and she has no qualms about sinking an iron claw into whatever weaknesses she can exploit. Her wild appearance and seemingly furious temperament aside, Elle is, at her core, a person that thinks with a brutal and unyeilding logic.
Part of this process has resulted in her working with a motley crew of crazies, sadists, psychopaths and scum that would just as soon sell her out or kill her as work with her, but for the grace of a paycheck. She doesn't hold it against them either. Were she in their position, she'd think differently, but she can't fault them for their ideas. After all, as so many people consider it a way of life, there must be some glimmer of success to it.
Still, the life has sharpened rather than softened Elle's rough edges. She's a little more succinct, a little more brutal. So when the call comes in that the newest and most sinister of the group has called her for an appointment, Elle arrives expecting to be challenged on any number of levels. After all, Marise doesn't appare to be the kind of person that applies her loyalties liberally. The grace period can only last so long without verification.
In truth, Elle doesn't look forward to fighting Marise on the simple fact that Marise is familiar with powers beyond her scope of knowledge. Elle has been quick to assert dominance over her other underlings in the past based on their rather simplistic approach. Marise is much more complex. Elle would have liked to have had more time to disassemble her new 'partner's' motives.
She steps into the warehouse, hands shoved into the pockets of her old brown leather jacket. "Got your message," she says, standing framed in the doorway, the floodlights of the street lamps behind her making her appear to be a silhouetted outline.
"So then."
Marise murmurs in response to the shadow that crawls along the floor from the doorway. Flipping precisely one more page, though her eyes do not betray their true target behind their veil of silk. The elegant woman looks as if she lept from the pages of some Japanese noir novella. Looking far too graceful to live in such a den of societal vermin. Perhaps, in a way, this is Marise's way of giving her recent ally respect. To show that she isn't so aloof that she isn't willing to roll with the dogs and get her well-manicured hands dirty.
It is her existance now. The Devil might as well just accept it. As Elle has decided to begin her rise from the bottom.. so too has Marise decided to tie her fortunes to that fate as well.
Might as well be certain they are worthy of one another's respect, when push most certainly will come to shove.
With a clap of finality, The Devil closes her book with an abrupt motion. Arranging the weathered tome on a nearby desk in a precise, measured fashion.
Wordlessly she rises to her feet with boneless grace. Her hands snapping out in deft movements, escaping from the shadows of her lengthly sleeves. "..Shall we?" She whispers as her kimono falls from her sleeves to her mid-upper arm.
Explaination? No. Marise does not insult Elle's intelligence. A rare courtesy from her.
COMBATSYS: Marise has started a fight here on the right meter side.
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Marise
COMBATSYS: Elle has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Elle 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Marise
Elle's eyes immediately flick about. Any close observer of the alleged madwoman in a fight would notice that her eyes move a lot, taking in all measure of data as if she were some kind of machine. The fact is, Marise is a complete unknown to her. She's seen not battle data. no fight footage exists on the woman, and she doesn't appear to exhibit any body postures of any known styles. Lacking the years of training that it takes to analyze a person't combat abilities with a glance, Elle is decidedly short on information.
And for Elle? Knowledge is exponentially proportionate to power.
Marise's beauty and elegance have never fazed her. What's unnerving is the almost wickedly certain nature of her teammate. That nearly fatalistic assuredness that she'll prosper under any circumstances. While most people have an arrogant air about it that makes their posture laughable, Marise seems almost resigned to it, as if it were a burden that she carries with dutiful purpose.
Enough musing. Elle doesn't want to let the woman close distance. Her immediate instinct is to start assaulting her instantaneously. However, that tips a hand far too early, and it's not necessarily wise to go in guns blazing at an unknown quantity. Thoughts seem to conflict in her head as the fatal lack of information causes her to falter for a moment, and thusly go into a defensive mode, power raising up about her feet and snapping across her body as she attempts to force Marise to tip her hand first.
COMBATSYS: Elle focuses on her next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Elle 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Marise
A hesitation that the Devil of Koga does not share. For there there are those who can gather much with a glance.
As the ghostly maiden rises to her full height, she stands in a relatively relaxed stance. Her arms spread at her sides openly, invitingly as she whispers, "..Your heart.." Her voice oddly resonant now, syllabant and sultry.
With a sudden rush of motion, Marise's bangs part.. revealing shockingly golden orbs aglow in the dim light of the warehouse. Pupils slit down the middle in the manner of something inhuman.. Staring through the rocker.
"Show it to me." The golden needles at her hair suddenly push themselves out of their own accord as her black locks unravel themselves.. cascading past her shoulders and behind her as a radiant ocean of ebon silk nearly to the floor-flowing in an unfelt breeze.
Perhaps Marise wishes to accomodate her ally and offer her hand. But if it is a handicap she is offering.. it is a small one at that.
Marise holds out her arm slowly, spidery fingers curling in the open air a moment as if taking aim.. telegraphing her assault long enough to give her opponent ample time to prepare herself.
Then the hand is nearly upon the rocker.
Her pale arm -extended- across the room with shocking speed, fingers spread at the tip of the elongated spear of pearlescent flesh.. seeking to -grab- Elle by the face and continue extending, SLAMMING her to the far wall unless she is able to resist..
COMBATSYS: Elle fails to interrupt Maou Tsuke from Marise with Some Like It Hot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Marise
Caught off guard from the unusual attack, Elle's first reaction is that her initial assessment of being reactionary was the incorrect one. Her initial instinct now is to retaliate in kind before the hand can close the gap. She lurches forward, attempting to tag Marise with a short sucker punch while ducking the incoming assault, but the attempt is nothing short of a failure. The hand grabs her by the face, and slams her directly into the wall of the warehouse, making the old building shudder from the impact.
Elle's eyes cross slightly. Not good to take so much damage so early in battle. She slumps down to the ground, and tries to get to her feet, moving across the floor in order to take a bette vantage point. Elle isn't immune to panic and terror, though she's excellent at focusing it as she looks for immediate cover to plan her next move behind a stack of crates.
The Devil of Koga's extended arm slithers through the air, retreating back within the folds of her Kimono's sleeve after the successful strike. Yes, her bizarre techniques often catch her foes off-guard.. and she relies on the obscurity of her forbidden arts.
That said, the Devil does not expect Elle to fall for the same tactic twice.
The elegant ghost slowly stalks forward with unearthly grace. Approaching the crates with an unhurried pace as she passes through several streams of moonlight, alternating from white to black, black to white in her absolutely soundless movements.
Those piercing eyes look straight through the crates.. the faint image of chi visible to her. The pulsing of her heart, spreading those lines through her agitated body, "..I still see you.." She whispers. Plush lips carressing every word.
No, she does not call her 'girl' or 'child' as she does so many others. This is an exposition. Allowing the Helle's Belle to know just what sort of thing she has in her employ..
Or if the arrangement should be the other way around.
The Devil slows her pace, not walking into view of the diving woman as she holds her hands outwards. Drawing a deep, slow breath that reverberates oddly in the accoustics of the room.. Chest rising along with her lifting arms.
The air drops a degree cooler.. A feeling of uneasy tension increases as sounds become muffled, distant. Even the sound of Elle's own breathing seems far-away from her. As if.. something was drawing away the very energy of the room and leaving only stillness in its wake.
COMBATSYS: Marise gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Marise
Then there's no use in hiding, is there? Elle hurls over the crates with a leap, her boots slamming to the floor as she lets out a grunt. She's going to be feeling the aches from that first hit for a while. Being far more conventional than her opponent, Elle has adjustments to make, her tactical aspect reaching to compensate for something that just doesn't seem to fit any kind of predicatble logic scheme. Well, screw it. Elle's nothing if not flexible, and she immediately flushes the rulebook down the toilet. If Miss Spooky is going to be completely unpredictable? Then so is she.
Power. Elle's got some, sure. It's not the most potent mix, but it's got one quality she won't disparage. It's generally quick, and while many people as of late seem to be able to avoid her shots, the fact that marise seems to be focused on sucking up power from the immediate area should be met with in kind.
Unlike Marise, Elle is not soundless. She's a noisy fighter, her heavy boots cracking against the concrete floor, the ripping sound of electricity crackling across her fingertips. She seems determined to keep this mattle kinetic as she makes a round trip around the warehouse as she opens fire. Her lightning is a stream of energy sparking from her fingertips rather than short bolts. Hopefully they'll get the job done as the cascade in a brilliant blue display, shooting towards the demonic form.
COMBATSYS: Elle successfully hits Marise with Pure Energy.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Marise
The Devil witnesses the woman shift into motion behind the crates, her open stance unchanging as she stands in place like a haunted tree. Golden eyes shifting upwards as the rocker leaps into place. Though, that gaze widens a fraction as the lightning wells up from within the girl. Her arms quickly rise and close before her, but such an arcing assault is difficult to defend against at best.
The a tortured screech is torn from the ghost as the streams of energy seem to do much, much more to her than any normal foe. The energy wracks her body as streams of smoke erupt from her in geysers of agony.. Forcing the woman to stagger backwards several steps and fall to a single knee.
The yurei's expression remains hidden as her head lolls downwards.. catching her breath for a moment as her shoulders heave. No.. Clearly she is not invincible. "...Nnnn... Lightning.." She observes in a rasping voice.
"K..Kyeh heh.." Lips twisting into a grin, "..Very good.."
And it is joined.
The Devil -rushes- from her place, moving far faster than her flowing robes would seem to permit.. however, before the woman can reach at normal arm-length, she bangs her head forwards. Whipping the entirety of her ocean of black locks as the strands whip forth with startling agility and purpose.. Seeking to bind the woman in their steely grips like dozens of garrotte wires and crush the life from her!
COMBATSYS: Elle blocks Marise's Onigumo Wanami.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Marise
A hair attack? Elle's countenance tightens further. Alright. A pattern is emerging, and if there's anything Elle loves? It's patterns. Music works that way, as does life in the loosest sense. As much as people hate to admit it sometimes, humanity is a species of habit. Most peope would remove Marise from the definition of human, but Elle doesn't. Maybe it's because she's not precisely 'normal' herself.
As the locks of hair hurl down towards her, she steels her body. The strands wrap around her athletic frame easily. Despite the dire appearance of the situation, the woman remains calm and collected. Her body stiffens, steeling her strength as she literally rips through the tangling tresses with grim focus. She whirls aside, skidding across the ground on her boots before cracking her knuckles.
Time to take the battle to Marise.
She leaps forward, hurling her body at the demon. Elle isn't much of a chatter during fights for the most part, leaving witty banter for people that beleive they have the luxuries of talking and fighting at the same time. She won't fault Marise for her talking, though. After all, if you're a genuine freakshow, why not be unnerving? The rocker's arms are like steel rods as she tries to avoid another torrent of wild hair to grasp Marise's slender neck with both hands and slam her into the ground viciously.
COMBATSYS: Marise endures Elle's Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Marise
The Devil's eyes widen a fraction as she can feel her strands grind and strain at Elle's steely form. A few of the strands snapping like twanging guitar-strings with the effort.
Nnn... Strong.
The ghostly woman is hardly a chatterbox in a fight, but she some details she enjoys pointing out and making note of. And.. of course.. there is the theatre of it all. Sometimes an opponent is defeated in their mind first.. before they are defeated in body.
Not that the yurei is making such an attempt on Elle. No.. this one is well accustomed to the dark, the unthinkable.
It's why the Devil likes her, afterall.
The ghost, however, whips her head back as she sees her locks are gaining no traction, flailing in a tidal rush back over her shoulders but not nearly fast enough to avoid the cometary violence that is to follow. Her step back was not nearly enough as her cool, slim neck is captured and her head -SLAMMED- into the floor with a resounding -crack-. Her whole body jolting from the abrupt motion as her hair slowly flutters down after her.. face all but embedded in the shattered flooring.
Her response?
"Ky..Kyeh.. heh heh haa!"
She's laughing.
At nearly point blank-range, the ghost's wicked locks suddenly jolt outwards. Whipping in multiple directions like an exploding nest of needles, nearly a hundred thin, stiffined fibers explode outwards like shotgun. Each of them, individually laced with a technique that disrupts the chi of whatever living thing they lance.. A virtual reversed hailstorm of them showering the walls near Elle and possibly the woman as well..
COMBATSYS: Elle blocks Marise's Onigumo no Kokufuu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Marise
Let it be known that Marise is not making life easy for Elle. The rioting burst of demonic hair would be enough to curdle the blood of any hardened fighter and at the very least startle and disturb the more battle hardened ones. Elle neverthleless may be far more jaded than her years need her to be. So much in life no longer holds the same kind of awe and wonderment as it used to, but Elle was more than happy to pay the coin of naiveté in order to battle more effectively.
What may be even more saddening, if one could call it that, is that Elle's immunity to the darker portions in life come from a clinical apathy and emotional ambivelance that has left her lacking in passion towards most things in life. Her thrills now come in the form of her criminal success, and the ability to play her music.
And of course, smashing the hell out of certain people in combat.
Marise's unhinged laughter garners a tight smile from Elle. It's only a matter of time, really, until her luck gives out. Marise is clearly not the kind of person that is shy about placing herself in danger's way, and she apparently plays for keeps. That makes her perfect for her job, as far as Elle is concerned. It also means that she's likely to let Elle close the distance so that she can apply an arm lock and a bodyslam back to the ground in an attempt to pin the demon lady and keep her from seeing her opponent clearly.
COMBATSYS: Marise interrupts Strong Throw from Elle with Maou Zansatsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Elle 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Marise
Weither or not Elle even begins to care, she's making all the right impressions with the Devil. The utter lack of fear or hesitation at the forbidden. The strength and power she displays. Oh yes.. Marise finds she can respect a woman as this.
An important first step.
She finds herself even more amazed as she slowly pushes her face from the broken ground, mostly unmarred as her golden eyes look up to her opponent, seeing that she managed to evade the bulk of her unexpected assault.
Most impressive..
Infact, the woman seems to be resigned as Elle easily leaps behind her.. grabbing her arm and twisting it painfully behind her, shoving her back into the cold floor with ruthless efficiency.
The battle seems to be at an end as Marise makes no move. Giving in to the attack.. Except..
Elle can only wonder why her arms begin to feel cold..
With a look, it is not Marise who is captured. But the rocker herself.. as her fingers find themselves latched onto Marise's cool skin. Warmth flooding away from her wherever her skin contacts the ghost's own as her veins and arteries surge, flooding the milky-skin with lines of crimson that flow into the monsterous woman. Her arm? Easily twisted in half without so much as a wince of pain.. as if she had no bones at all.
"Nnnmm.." A long tongue sliding along full, violet lips as she closes those golden eyes without even bothering to look back, "...black jade.. a hardened.. worldly flavor.." She whispers in a purr..
Ugh. Unpleasant. She can feel the strength ebbing away from her as Marise apparently has some kind of magical voodoo that she's never dealt with before play hob with her endurance. The sensation of crreping dread enters her system, and shes forced to break away, taking a sharp breath. The sensation is like shoving her hand into something cold, wet and slimy, and she's forced to almost gag as she tries to shake off the feeling of disgust.
And if Marise is trying to get under her skin? Well, she's succeeded in some small respect. Not much more than a glimmer of irritation on the woman's face, but enough to cause an unhesitant, full force retaliation. "Shut the fuck up," she snaps off irritably, and she raises her left hand swiftly.
The arm bursts into a writhing spectacle of power as the chi crackles along the limb. The energy coalesces at her fingertipes, and then rushes forwards in a torrential burst. The lightning rides a sharp arc as she attempts to blast the demon into next week.
Normally, she wouldn't act in such a hasty manner, but even Elle has her limits. Elements of a previous life bubble to the top as sparks of fury snap in her eyes, flicker, and then die just as fast as she releases the power, leaving only a dour expression behind.
COMBATSYS: Elle successfully hits Marise with Depeche Mode.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Marise
The Devil of Koga feels the woman wrench away from her. Her head jerking back in the abrupt motion as she simply lays there for a moment.. grinning to herself with a satisfied expression as she slowly begins to rise in an unhurried fashion.
Oh.. Marise was going to say more, reply to that snapping growl. But those golden eyes widen at the surge of power rising up from within the woman. Her arms are quickly raised but the defensive posture is just as useful as it was before.. but this attack proves to be far, far more devastating!
The dark image of the woman disappears behind the powerful lightshow. Arcs of power fly from her and alighting several loose papers alight, shattering several nearby lightbulbs swinging from the ceiling and cloaking the entirety of the warehouse if the lightshow of gaussian power!
If Elle found herself genuinely unnerved.. it seems Marise has properly paid for that.
In the aftermath, its difficult to see through the volumes of smoke at ground-zero of the attack. The half-dozen smaller fires around her doing little to pierce through the shadows.
Like any good horror movie.. now would be the time to dive out of the way.
If Elle was mildly surprised at what came before.. She'll have no way of preparing herself for this.
"KYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
An inhuman wail errupts from the smoke, darting for the hellion in a blur of white and black. Like a giant, striking cobra.. Marise's face, twisted into an inhuman fanged maw.. shoots for the woman, extending on a lengthly, serpentine neck! Her fanged mouth open wide as her tendrous black locks whip through the air, seeking to secure her in place...
...Maybe this Devil is not quite so human afterall..
COMBATSYS: Marise successfully hits Elle with Rokurokubi no Mai.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Marise
And as those black tendrils secure themselves onto Elle, she finds herself enfolded by those dark strands like a prison. The serpentine length darting around her and -squeezing- her in horrid constriction as that fanged maw whirls around her head once and -latches- that mouth on her shoulder. Fangs digging deeply as her blood is torn from her in guzzling swallows. Hideously extended throat bulging with every motion as the Helle's Belle can feel her bones creak from the pressure.. As if crushing out her insides like a tube of paste, into the hideous Ninja's waiting maw!
The Torturous attack continues for several seconds before the Devil unwinds from her prey and retracts..
That's a first. She can't compare that to much, really, unless you count getting nearly getting torn in half by Zero's battle pants. Chalk it up to experience. Still, Elle's not dead yet, a testimony to the fact that she's still one tough bird despite being practically mauled to death by a demon ninja. She clatters to the concrete floor like a rag doll, noticeably pale, eyes wide, her pupils narrowed to tiny pinpricks. For a second, she's not even breathing.
Then a ragged gasp. Life won't let her leave so easily, and damned if she's going to shuffle off the mortal coil without making someone else supremely miserable.
Lightning crackles up from the ground, wreathing her in a brutal embrace, refilling her with energy if not the vitality to use it. It's questionable as to who controls the power at this point. Elle doesn't appear to have concious control over it at all.
She jerks to her feet like an animated corpse, the power feeding in through every pore, her pale features growing dark again, her stiffened and constricted joints gaining nominal strength. She staggers stiffly backwards like the marionette of an inexperienced puppeteer before slumping against the wall with a hiss.
Her eyes close.
Then snap back open, pupils now wide as bullet holes. "You were /this/ close." Elle says, holding up thumb and forefinger half an inch apart.
COMBATSYS: Elle focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Marise
The serpentine monsterosity flails in the air a few moments before returning to the disappating mists that spawned it. The abrupt motion clearing away the last of the smoke and revealing the Devil Ninja herself. Her hands held closely together in the manner suggesting she had invoked serious 'voodoo' in order to summon forth that bestial monster. Her mouth, beautiful once more, smeared with the blood of her opponent. Her chest heaving with heavy breaths as she's clearly fairing not all that much better than her seemingly decimated opponent.. Several blackened marks riddle her otherwise pale form. Sin yet smoldering in places.
Concern? About murdering her ally? Of course not. Marise is excellent at controling death. She can see the flicker of chi racing about within her compatriot.. Her blooded smile slowly widening as her golden eyes follow Elle as she rises up. Reanimating again like Frankenstein's monster reborn.
Monsters always adore the company of their own.
As far as the accusation goes.. Marise simply grins, eyes reflecting the sinister mirth. All of the blood on her skin slowly begins to fade, as if leeching into the achingly white skin and disappearing within it. Leaving her face marred only by the lightning's touch.
"..Let us see.."
Marise can tell the next blow will almost certainly end the battle. Both of them are hanging on by mere strands of effort. The ninja rises to her feet, her previous grace eradicated with wobbling effort.. As she slowly inhales once again. Stilling the air around her as her shadows grow deep and the air becomes chill..
COMBATSYS: Marise gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Elle 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Marise
"Yeah. Let's." Eyes sparking with power, Elle moves to remedy her flagging power reserves with renwered fervor. The power that reanimated her from her nearly dead state only intensifies, bathing her in a visible, cascading glow of blue. The thunderous sound of heat tearing at the air only adds to the effect, her chi expanding in strength as she attempts to marshal the last few sparks left in her. It's coming down to one last hit, and she knows it too.
And for once in a long, long time, Elle smiles.
She doesn't know why, really. Insanity? Certainty? Thestunning realization that there's no more turning back? The idea corsses her mind that she has the potential to become as horrible and twisted as her 'partner'. What shakes her to the core is not the fact that she may be looking at her end result, but the fact that she no longer cares.
Or worse yet, maybe she's already as bad as Marise. Elle lets the energy flow into her. So what if she preys on people around her? She doesn't care. As long as she gets what she wants. The power flows to her. Let's dance.
COMBATSYS: Elle gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Elle 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Marise
"Kye.. Kyeeh.. KYE! KYAA HA HA HAAAA!"
The Devil of Koga slowly erupts into cackles of madness. Perhaps she can see the darkness slowly taking hold of her compatriot. That smiling realization that.. hey, what does it matter anyway? The liberating realization that humanity is a worthless, foolish proposition anyway. Why bask in it when the alternatives are so, so much better.
She laughs at her opponent.. with her opponent.. at herself.. at the whole of the world.
And with that, The Devil Ninja makes her move. Diving low and to the side with great speed, whipping her head away as a shock of her ebon hair unleashes a smaller, yet nearly as potent, fullsade of black needles. Seeking to pierce into her ally and disable her completely..
COMBATSYS: Elle blocks Marise's Onigumo no Dokubari.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Elle 1/---====/=======|===----\-------\0 Marise
Elle's eyes flick about again. No time to be distracted by the woman's unhinged laughter. The mental computer switches into high gear, and the crackling power around her almost makes a noise like a turbine as Elle raises her hands. The projectiles bite into her arms with a sharp sting. Normally, she'd shrug it off, but the battering that her partner seems to have given her makes the sensation all that more magnified. She grits her teeth, a noise boiling out the back of her throat as she whips her arms apart, scattering the remaining incoming spikes.
The motions of her hands also have an additional bonus: three electrical spheres fly forth from her hands, the bright, shining balls of energy shooting towards Marise at a decent clip. As they move, Elle heaves herself into the air in a feat of aerodynamics best describes as 'brute force over gravity'.
Her focus is to land behind the other woman and grab her, using herself as a lightning rod for the ball lightning streaking towards Marise, making sure the ugly shock discharges into the demon with a devestating force.
COMBATSYS: Elle successfully hits Marise with Dire Straits.
[ \\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Elle 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Marise
The ghostly woman is undone.
As her needles prove ineffective against her opponent.. her mad laughter only increases. This time, directed soley towards herself.
Oh how weak you've become.. Devil of Koga.
Her self-mockery is cut short as she's easily then grabbed, hardly strength left in her to put up a fight as she's brutally hurled into the balls of arcing destruction. Filling the whole of the warehouse in yet another supreme bath of light and glory. Her body errupting into geysers of steam and pain as her resulting shriek fills the abandoned halls.
Moments later the woman simply slumps down in place.. Her body limp as she collapses in a smoldering heap at Elle's booted feet.
Answer enough for the Ninja. The Helle's Belle earned the right to lead this crew. Earned it with blood. She will question her no more.
...Though.. the real question is.. if those needles she hurled during her assault managed to strike their target or not?
COMBATSYS: Marise can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Elle 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Elle negates Onigumo no Dokubari from Marise with Pure Energy.
[ \\\\\\ <
Elle 0/-------/-------|
The rocker raises her hand, and lets off a torrent of eletrical power. The burst consumes the incoming needles with a sharp popping noise, and her bright blue aura finally dies away. Elle exhales a huff of steam. That was a lot of effort taken out of her. Frankly, she hasn't had a fight that grueling in a while. Combat for her is a necessity. She's learned to enjoy it, but never really initiates it unless she has to.
Other fighters usually take this time to gloat, or lecture her fallen opponent as to why they're failures in life. Elle however sees no such need to do so. Nobody listens anyhow, and she's not of the kind to offer up sage advice. After all, if people stay dumb, it makes them easier to use, right? Marise doesn't need any, anyhow, considering she almost killed Elle. Luckily, the lightning that she controls seems to want her to live. Rather than insult the other woman by offering her a hand, she goes to find the redy made packs that she issues out to the members of the team. The plastic bags have painkillers, gauze, burn salves and other must haves for a fighter on the go. And just in case she doesn't play home doctor with modern medicine? Elle slams a bottle of vodka on the meeting table. "There. Clean yourself up and make sure you're rested for that book heist I asked you to go on." Not precisely sympathetic, but would Marise really expect any from Elle? Odds are she'd be disappointed if she /did/ get compassion.
Elle touches her neck gingerly, pulling away a blood covered hand. That bite is going to need disinfection and a trip to the clinic. Maybe she'll have Tran sterilize it first. Ugh.
At least the damage is localized. Needles don't hurt equipment, and the ones that missed are easy enough to get rid of. Elle's blasts all met their mark, so no troublesome fires or destroyed goods to be found. The woman needs to take stock of what needs to be replaced, after all. Business is business at the end of the day.
Kill the Rocker? Oh no. She is, afterall.. useful.
Let her stew in a coma for awhile? Thats another story.
The Devil of Koga remains where she is for a long while. Strewn upon the floor on her side with the smoldering slowly subsiding as dimmed golden eyes stare at the far wall.
Defeat is annoying.. but on the otherhand it invigorates her. Pain clarifies. Truth lies in pain.
Her whole life has been dicated by those who deliver it. And upon a time..
Upon a time..
But this is now. This is her reality. Eyes watch her fingers painfully curl inwards as she wills herself to movement..
"Hai. Elle-sama." Marise whispers in the affirmative..
Now she can respect Elle. She can be a part of this league of roguery she's cobbling together from like-minded madmen and criminals. She can feel confident in knowing that the person she takes orders from.. is brutal enough to enforce her word.
That is loyalty. Thats the way of Ninja.
Slowly pulling herself to her feet in careful, agonizing movements.. Marise then shambles towards the exit in the manner of the living-dead thing she certainly is. Her arms limp at her sides as her body sways ackwardly like a decrepid, pale thing.
Marise has a job to do.
No feudal lord, Elle. If there's any true tenents of normalcy left in the coldhearted woman, it's the notions of respect and a strange code of honor that coalesces more and more each day she forges ahead. The sound of 'sama', hits her ears. Her Japanese is horrible, but she knows enough to understand what that means, her lips turning down slightly into a mild frown. "Stow it. I don't want grovelling. I want independant thought, intelligence, and know how. If I wanted my ass kissed, I'd have kept Safiullah around." The rocker's finger points almost accusationally at Marise, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I want you to do what I tell you, yeah. But I don't want you to scrape and bow and lay on the honorifics. Speak your mind. I may not like it, but I don't want sunshine blown up my ass, either."
"Now," she says, her voice flat. "There's a bathroom upstairs near the management office, and I want you to take this shit, clean up, and get some rest. You're too fucked up to be wandering around outside right now. I don't care how many demons you have hiding in your pockets."
She sits down in one of the convenient chairs, and opens up her medical bag for alcohol to treat her wounds. "The books will be there tomorrow. I look after my people. I expect the same out of you." She dabs at her wounds, wincing sharply as the pain seeps into her body. Christ. This is gonna scar.
The Devil Ninja pauses at the doorframe. Her hand clasping at the edge as she leans heavily, her back towards her commanding officer as she slowly turns her head. Spying the woman as she barks her will in her direction.
The corner of her lip twists upwards slowly.
Ahh. Foreigners. They just don't get it. That is not how Japanese do business.
Obedience. Duty. Strength.
The only concepts that matter to the Koga Clan. There is a proper way to go about everything. An order to existance that even demons such as she acknowledge. She mistakes order for 'asskissing', does she? Dangerously ignorant.
Or perhaps Elle somehow realizes that Marise has slit the throat of every last person she ever called 'sama'? There is a proper way for everything. Including hiding your ambition
"As you say. Elle-san." If the tables were turned, of course, Marise would have removed an ounce of flesh for every time a subordinate spoke her name without the proper address and respect.
A strange culture indeed where its found cripplingly insulting if they arn't to properly. But then, how could a foreigner hope to understand the concept? Especially a soulless one as this.
But if Elle entertains Marise's subleties.. She will respect the hellion's in turn.
The silent one then turns about. Changing her course for said bathroom in a significantly unhurried pace. Replying cooly with the requested retort, "Looking after people.. is something I am quite good at.. yes." Grinning painfully as she carefully holds onto the railing of the stairs and ascends.
The rocker snorts. The thin veil of obedience often hides resentment. Maybe it isn't the way that the Japanese do things, but Elle frankly doesn't care. Her culture may be inferior. She won't refute that. But in a short span of months, Elle's torn people from their sense of security and forcibly molded them into some semblance of a team. Adherance to order and heirarchy doesn't afford for that as easily as a failure to heed social rules and norms.
Elle isn't so much insulted as she denies the sheets of protocal and ceremony to seperate her from truths. Maybe in another time and another setting such things would be needed. But in a space where decisions, especially smart ones, need to be made in an eyeblink, there's no time for decorum or even time to enforce it.
Situations change, and Elle changes with them... or she changes the situation... through brute force if necessary or subterfuge when possible.
As uncouth and mad as Marise may see her, Elle has a method to her madness. She doesn't respond to Marise's words, instead already moving her mind to other tasks, such as meeting with NESTS for an exchange as well as her reports to Shadaloo. The idiosyncrasies of one demon woman will just have to wait for later.
Log created on 22:33:34 05/12/2007 by Marise, and last modified on 04:21:59 05/13/2007.