Description: Kurow and Akira may have a bit of a history... but it's taking an entirely different bent now. Wait a minute, are they talking like =friends?= And what the hell is up with the jeep that pulls in? SPECIAL GUESTS?! (Winner: Akira)
Flying around the world all the time is definitely a little disorienting at times; Kurow has been back and forth between Southtown and Thailand practically on a daily basis lately. Fortunately, a combination of Howard-subsidized flights to SNFs and Shadaloo's need for hardcore members has allowed the youth this experience. The boy's actually somewhat grateful for this opportunity, as it definitely lets him see a little more of the world than he'd expect to.
Striding into the arena, the boy takes his place on the granite-and-slate arena stage, cracking his knuckles and getting his claws ready. The turnout is perhaps a little different than usual for a Main Event -- there are fewer 'hardcore' fighting fans, and more people who would traditionally be expected to watch The OC. Perhaps the bid for a slightly different angle has worked!
Sada Asai has been finding it a little boring around Southtown lately; a lot of the usual people seem to have gone off. She can't imagine why! Of course not, anyway. However, it was nice, in its way, to have a break, and it was even more surprising to get this kind of an invitation.
She approaches from a direction orthogonal to Kurow's, holding her freshly sharpened and cleaned kusarigama; the chain's links glitter in the spotlights. She raises the scythe itself in a short salute at Kurow; while she strives to keep her expression impassive, he can probably see a slight smile, in her eyes if nothing else.
After this, she spins the kusari at her side once, lazily, as if to keep her hand busy while awaiting the formal beginning of the battle. I hope, she thinks, that my skirt isn't riding up.
Akira would probably be rather upset about having Sada as a chaos agent if she was the sort of person to get upset in general right about now. After repeated brainwashings and the sort, Akira walks in a rather mechanical manner wearing the standard Shadaloo uniform--which of course shows off the belly for some reason. Can't have anybody mistaking that Shadaloo ladies are distinguished in their outfits, that would give the wrong impression to the United Nations.
She is also wearing a helmet. The skull, however, has wings--the symbol of Shadaloo! That she's moving on her own may indicate brainwashing success. For now.
She steps inside the arena and doesn't say anything. If Shadaloo wants to wield her to beat up Kurow, even Mindzorped Akira thinks this is relatively ideal.
The Kirishima ninja looks to Sada with a little smile of his own; he then turns to face the advancing Akira, giving her another small smile. "Well, well," he says, to her. "I see you woke up." That is, evidently, all he has to say to her; he does, perhaps, spend a little too long looking that lovely uniform over, which -- considering the angle on this fight -- might be just the tiniest little mistake.
Kurow doesn't know that the brainwashing isn't quite sticking -perfectly-, but then, he's too busy mentally stroking his ego about it. It is, after all, a very big ego, and in a situation like this, it needs a lot of stroking.
The outfit makes Sada blink, once. She doesn't know Akira personally but she's heard of the fellow student in vague and general terms. She purses her lips as she looks at Akira for a moment - maybe this is a joke or a parody thing, she estimates. The midriff thing's a little slutty but it's also comfortable. She then looks back towards Kurow...
... who is looking right at Akira.
RIGHT at Akira.
Sada doesn't say anything although words bubble in her mind. 'Hi, I'm here too,' along with 'Stop staring' compete in the back of her thoughts as her fingers shift slightly on the long wooden handle of the kama. They tighten fractionally, and she looks over towards the announcers rather than at either of the two fighters.
Amidst the crowd of fighters is one person whom isn't really into the 'plot' of the match. In fact, she really dislikes drama, it's .. Boring. At least until it gets to the part where there's a fight. She had been in charge of teaching Akira how to use some of her new talents, and now was the time to see it demonstrated on an opponent that wasn't herself, "This should be good."
Douyoubi would be that woman. Lol.
COMBATSYS: Kurow has started a fight here.
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Kurow 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Sada has joined the fight here.
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Sada 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Akira has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Akira 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-------|
Akira glances to Sada. Her gaze, however, is not obvious. She's wearing a helmet. She could be staring off into space for all that it matters. Maybe she is, even while looking at Sada. She looks back to Kurow and, well, just seems to be waitig for something. She doesn't respond to Kurow. She just stands there. For a little while the announcers probably wonder if she's one of those sleepfighters, who fight... in their sleep!...
The announcer gives the call to start and she dashes forward immediately--lashing out with her hands to try and nab Kurow and fling him to the opposite arena wall!
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Akira's Back Roll Throw.
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Akira 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-------|
Kurow doesn't waste any time once the announcer speaks; he gets ready for Akira to come in immediately, and when he sees her grab for him, he weaves out of the way with a quick dart backward, which takes him just to the edge of the arena. "Well well. That strong this soon after?" He cracks a grin; he looks briefly to Sada, and says, "... I'll explain later," before refocusing on the Shadaloo operative.
The youth tries the same opening tactic on Akira that he tries on seemingly everyone else; he's always liked the series of three quick slashes that he moves back toward Akira with, closing the gap he made moments ago in no time at all. "Let's test your reaction time," he says, focusing carefully on how she moves. This is, after all, sort of a test.
Sada blinks at Kurow again - as he tells her that he'll explain later? What is this, she thinks, her brow furrowing further as she takes one step back, leaving herself leading with her right foot. She spins the kusari up further, letting it actually get to the point where the chain goes taut. The metal sparkles in the bright spotlight.
She glances to Kurow and to Akira and then back again. Who to start with, she thinks? It's hard to figure out. She should help Kurow.
She should, she knows, but at the same time... at the same /time/, that girl is putting herself out on display like that and not even for any REASON. What is that, she thinks, the summer fascist fashion?
COMBATSYS: Sada focuses on her next action.
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Akira 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Akira blocks Kurow's Yami Kagura.
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Akira 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-------|
Akira speaks finally, "You haven't seen it yet." in that 'I'm not really here, I like clouds and pixies' sort of tone.
He smacks the slices away with her arm--which cuts it up--but it doesn't seem to deter her very much.
She lowers her arms, glances back over to Sada--it's obvious because she has to turn her head back--and then she looks back to Kurow. She starts to twist around and hmm, this seems familiar. Something is UNUSUAL here.
It seems to be...?! It seems to be?!?! The Dancing Cyclone Kick?! She spins as she strikes--trying to catch Kurow repeatedly in the face.
But the 'chi' is purple. Wait a minute. This is no Dancing Cyclone Kick... It's a Dancing PSYclone kick!! The world has gone MAD!
COMBATSYS: Akira successfully hits Kurow with Dancing Psyclone Kick.
- Power hit! -
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Akira 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/---====|
There is a hard, distinct 'thud' as Akira's psionic kick catches Kurow directly in the face, twice; it sends him sprawling to the ground, a little blood trickling from where his teeth have cut his lips a bit. "... so that's why you couldn't..." he starts, before shaking his head; he can't say too much about it, and as such, he just rolls his neck and readies himself yet again. This is a test, he reminds himself -- it doesn't matter if she can beat you. She's firmly under your thumb. If anything, that might be the ideal situation.
He looks to Sada again, noticing the difficulty she's having deciding on a target; this means he has time to ignore her somewhat for the moment, at least tactically. This time, Kurow reaches out toward Akira, and whirls around behind her if he gets a solid hold on her; he then brings a knee up into her back before tossing her down forcefully. It's a forceful, techniqueless maneuver, with no purpose other than a brutal takedown.
What the hell!? Sada thinks as her eyes widen. The evil energy!?
Sada's only experience with psychic energy has been in the form of Miu, who shot a bunch of dark feathers at her and used various dark explosions. Sada's no fool - she knows evil energy when she sees it. Blasts of fire and light may be annoying, but this is pure evil from beyond the eighth dimension!
Kurow's moving to disable her - this is good, she thinks. They'll be able to take the evil-energied-up young woman down if they have to, even though her current role requires...
She straightens up. Kurow can take it, she realizes, as she spins the kusari up further, the blunt head of the chain whirring through the air. Besides, 'a' comes before 'ku' in the syllabary! And that is why, at last, she swings the weighted chain forwards at Akira's legs just as Kurow runs up to administer a harsh takedown.
COMBATSYS: Akira dodges Sada's Medium Throw.
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Akira 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Akira interrupts Strong Throw from Kurow with Strong Punch.
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Akira 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-======|
Mo' like PSYCHO energy!
Akira has been keeping an eye on Sada because even with her mind zorped, Akira is very used to fighting multiple opponents at once. It's not like she's a top tier fighter, but people tend to try and come down on her pretty viciously all the same. She hops over the weighted chain, and lands on top of it, holding it down and likely keeping Sada from being able to lash out with it again--just for a moment, but a moment is enough. She watches Kurow come in for the hold and--punches him in the gut. It's pretty simple, but it hurts. This interrupts Kurow's throw attempt-- and Akira has hopped off the chain soon after--twisting around to keep her body facing the direction of both the chaos agent, and Kurow.
"You are not Lord Vega's lieutenant." She notes. Just throwing that out there.
The punch to the gut staggers Kurow, and the words throw him for a bit of a loop -- he isn't even sure why she's bringing that up /here/ and /now/, of all places. Fortunately for him, it's probably a little too arcane to follow for most of the audience, who are probably not all that up on their weird terror-politics.
Now that Sada's started aggressing, Kurow knows that -- if the rules hold true -- she's going to be on him soon. He's forced to take stock of the entire situation now, hanging back and looking everything over as carefully as possible, studying the entire ring... but most of all, studying how Akira moves now that she's been -- changed. It's probably part of what's throwing off his mental math, he thinks -- he doesn't know what to expect from her anymore.
COMBATSYS: Kurow focuses on his next action.
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Akira 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurow 0/-------/-======|
Sada is thinking now that she hates Akira. God, what an arrogant little bitch! she thinks; she's flaunting herself around and talking like a robot. "Shut up!" she shouts at Akira, yanking her chain back up after it had been stomped upon. She then takes a step to the side, circling around the fighters; Kurow seems to be taking a break.
It's her responsibility, she knows, so she shouts "Oi!" before reaching out to smack Kurow across the back with the flat wooden end of her kama. This is probably going to sting a little if it connects, but it could easily be worse!
Akira is under mind control, you're jerk! Be a little more sensitive to the mind controlled population! She may be being arrogant because she's doing so well, however. Or maybe she just doesn't like Kurow. She tilts her head from side to side thoughtfully, eyeballing her usual-nemesis.
She doesn't wait for Sada to get into position--dashing towards Kurow and---past him?!--and throws her elbow for Kurow's back as she runs by--moving farther away after striking if she can. It's like a tackle, except instead of a tackle--she's sideswiping with her fist!
COMBATSYS: Kurow parries Sada's Weapon Jab!
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Akira 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Kurow fails to interrupt Strong Punch from Akira with Kirishima Kyoujuu Reppa EX.
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Akira 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-======|
Kurow has no problem whatsoever dealing with Sada's strike; a quick flip of his claws is all it takes to knock it away, a flip of his claws that he quickly moves into a nasty series of slashes that would, under any other circumstances, trip up Akira as she advances --
-- but it's not to be. The punch intercepts him well before he can finish, and sends him back into the wall, down, bruised, and battered. He doesn't get up at first.
"Hmph, that's what he gets, snobby little brat," Douyoubi mutters under her breath. While normally she'd love to be fighting in his place, this is.. Different. Not long ago he practically humiliated her, and even if it was an 'indirect' sort of revenge, the seventh day would take whatever she could get at this point in time. Yes, things were looking really really good right now.
Sada is suddenly confronted with the form of Akira. That hateful woman who's taken up her evil energy and is stealing the attention of her boyfriend with her skanky outfits! (She will need an explanation later.)
Her eyes narrow at the Kazama girl. "You're not going to be able to dodge forever!" she roars out as she brandishes the kama, pointing the handle towards the psycho-powered young woman. "Ha ha ha! How does it feel now?!"
And with this she twists the kama up over her head, leaning backwards in an obvious telegraphing of what is about to come! After this she swings the blade down in a brutal, carving motion down towards Akira's tender, evil-energy infused body, letting out a short cackling laugh as the blow travels with a graceful whick'ing sound!
COMBATSYS: Sada successfully hits Akira with Deep Strike.
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Akira 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 0/-------/-======|
Akira is an easy target because, unsurprisingly, she can't dodge forever. She takes the slice in her back, stumbles forward, and gasps out in pain briefly before straightening and looking back to Sada. She does not retaliate, but she doesn't advance on Kurow either. Instead she reaches into her uniform and pulls out a small piece of paper.
She looks at it for a while, "Kurow vs. Akira with chaos agent Sada... So he is my opponent." There is no inflection that may indicate that this is a quip against Kurow's skills--but it totally is.
She pockets the piece of paper again and moves in closer to Kurow--crouching down while he's lying there, grabbing at his feet, and intending to slam him into the wall like a sledgehammer. With Kurow as the sledgehammer!
COMBATSYS: Kurow interrupts Quick Throw from Akira with Yasha Guruma.
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Akira 1/--=====/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 1/-------/=======|
The second Akira reaches in and grabs at Kurow to toss him, the second that hard grip catches him and starts to sting, he pulls himself into his usual small ball of black chi, bringing the full force of his chi forward, slashing through Akira's grip as forcefully as possible, probably sending /her/ back several feet. Evidently, in spite of the fact that she doesn't make it -obvious- that she's sassing him, he can tell. Perhaps he's used to dealing with the ... eccentricities of the brainwashed.
Once he's done, he pulls away, saying, "Yes, that's correct." Even if he knows he's being subtly back-sassed, there isn't a lot he can do about it without accentuating that crack in the brainwashing.
Sada narrows her eyes at Akira as she raises her kama, glistening with blood. In fact, she turns her head towards Kurow and says to him in a tone full of Dread and Portention, "Now, face the technique of my Blood Claw!"
After this, she flicks that EVIL ENERGY-having blood towards Kurow, hurling the kama itself on the chain a moment later. She tosses it so that the blunt end leads again - the chain rattles at the slightly peculiar and highly dangerous maneuver.
Subtly. Akira knows Sada is barely fighting Kurow. But that can be dealt wth after Kurow, she figures. One way or another. She is an easy target again--slammed across the ground by Kurow's impressive chi assault. But she isn't thrown. Her body bleeds from numerous injuries, but she doesn't let herself go too far away. That hurt. And she's going to make sure Kurow feels something even worse.
Akira's fists alight with PSI. And this is about the time she turns around and tries to punch Kurow in the back with her fists--towards Sada's chain. To be a jerk. And she keeps on smacking him with her fists as quickly as she can--if she misses, she keeps trying to follow Kurow's body and hit him some more. No time to waste in being sad about missing Kurow. Be optimistic! Be happy about hitting him!
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Sada's Thrown Object.
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Akira 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Sada
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Kurow 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Akira successfully hits Kurow with Destructive Barrage.
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Akira 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Sada
[ \\\\\\ <
Kurow 1/----===/=======|
The vicious barrage of strikes on Kurow's form that comes so very quickly after he pulls himself forward, out of the way of Sada's quick strike with the blunt end of the kusari; the strikes laid upon him are nasty, vicious things, which push him dangerously close to the arena's edge. He narrows his eyes; in spite of the fact that he has control here, in spite of the fact that he knows that it doesn't -matter- if she's become stronger than he is, he feels a need to strike her as hard as possible -- to remind her who's in charge.
He pushes forward again as a brief gap forms in the strikes, and with a quick grab at her shoulders, tries to push the student he's had his eye on for so long to the ground. What happens next?
COMBATSYS: Kurow can no longer fight.
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Akira 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Sada
Sada's head turns around as Kurow is subjected to the cruel wave that is the multiple strike technique! Can Kurow handle the evil energy? Sada's sure he can but he may get ringed out before too long. This was uncomfortably short, Sada muses further, before taking two steps to the side.
She then lets out a godawful yell before sweeping one leg up in an arcing, brutal kick up towards the small of Akira's back - possibly combining with Kurow's own forward blow!?
Coincidence.
COMBATSYS: Akira blocks Kurow's Kirishima Kyoujuu Reppa.
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Akira 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Sada
COMBATSYS: Akira interrupts Strong Kick from Sada with Gate Elbow.
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Akira 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Sada
Akira grabs for Kurow as Kurow grabs for her. He manages to nab her arms but she twists along with Kurow as she tries to plant her on her back, getting clawed across her arms as she commits to the maneuver, but instead of ending up on her back, it's Kurow on HIS back and Akira is now sitting on him, above the waist. She's in Shadaloo now, if she doesn't fight like a whore she is disgracing Lord Vega.
Akira twists her shoulder--taking Sada's strike right THERE. And then she brings that very arm forward and slams her elbow right into Sada's gut--before standing back up. So soon after sitting on Kurow?
Well maybe she just wanted a quickie. Or Kurow has low stamina. One of them.
Kurow hits the ground with a thud, looking up into Akira's eyes with a somewhat dazed expression and a bit of a groan; he's not -badly- hurt, but he's just about out of energy. He doesn't get up, even after the pseudo-Doll gets off of him; he rolls over to one side -- and off of the arena entirely.
Ring Out?!
Sada's eyes widen as she gets a (whore) elbow in the gut. "Grhk!" she vocalizes, taking a step back - that /hurt/, and she has to take a moment to remind her body to breathe. However, that strike hit taut muscle with a thin layer of fat, not a vulnerable soft pliable flesh suitable only for crushing and the containing of vast amounts of chi and/or evil energy.
Sada breathes in once, and looks down at Akira as she perches on top of Kurow.
When Akira rises, she swings down the kusari-bearing end of the chain towards the Psycho Doll, aiming to wrap up her shoulder and arm in chain and lead weight. If she accidentally breaks a bone or pops it out of its socket, well, life is a hard and dangerous place. She does not, at least, scream while doing it.
COMBATSYS: Akira interrupts Spite Musashi Art from Sada with Strong Punch.
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Akira 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Sada
Akira's body is wrapped up by the chain. She grunts in a moment of frustration as it tightens. She has to show the power of Lord Vega, she reminds herself. She can't just stop with KUROW. She has to keep smacking Sada until she can't stop smacking Sada! She grips the chain--and tugs Sada inward, throwing out her fist in a heavy punch for Sada's face as she drags her in close, thrashing wildly from within the chains. "NRrggghh..." She growls.
Meawhile, the announcers and audience are either flipping out or cheering this MYSTERIOUS TWIST on! Of course, it doesn't seem like Akira can keep this up for much longer ... but can she?
The fist hits Sada right in the cheek. It hits hard enough to send her staggering back, her lip splitting near the edge. She reaches up to touch that pained spot, eyes watering for a moment, and then lifts it up to see the blood on her fingers.
Then she looks up at Akira as her eyes widen. Her fingers curl, the blood smearing on her hand, as she breathes in deeply, her chest seeming to swell up. Her grip on the chain twists - and the chains fall away from Akira for a moment as she takes one step back, pulling it back up to raise it into a defensive posture. "Come on," she says. "Come on - if think your evil energy can --"
Her left arm twists suddenly as she sends part of the chain whipping forwards to twist at Akira's leg and pull it out from beneath her! You can't really stop attacking, even if you ARE shifting to a defensive stance for the moment.
COMBATSYS: Akira fails to interrupt Medium Throw from Sada with Quick Throw.
-* CRITICAL FAIL! *-
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Akira 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Sada
Akira tries to keep her grip on the chain, but all of a sudden--instead of going for it--her hands lift up to her head and she lets out a scream of agony, rapidly shaking her head about--in the middle of a fight no less! She is dragged across the ground and her thrashing only makes it MORE painful for her.
"Damn bitch!" Sada cries out, spitting blood out onto the arena floor as she approaches the screaming Akira. She raises up the kusari in a sudden twisting spin over her head, sweeping it down over towards Akira -- but missing narrowly. Why?
She lets the twisting speed of the weight carry through, spinning /her/ around to try and strike Akira in that head that's giving her oh so very much pain and send her sprawling! By raw force, if nothing else.
COMBATSYS: Akira interrupts Weapon Jab from Sada with Skull Slice.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Akira 0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Sada
Douyoubi is satisfied for the moment.. However, she wasn't where she was previously, which was the front row. Now she's nowhere to be seen.
At least that was the case until somewhere toward the back of the arena, the gates raise and in storms a jeep, probably a military one at that but it lacks a camo-pattern. At the front seat is the black-haired Douyoubi, and in the back? Well that'd be none other than Sakura Kasugano. How about that, special guests! The vehicles engine makes a loud roar as it tears toward the ring where the chaos has just ended, the brakes hit so hard as the steering wheel turns that it drifts sideways and stops just short of hitting the damn thing.
Oh well how about that, Akira's beating up Kurow's little girlfriend as well? Well, she'd intervene, but the helmeted terror is just -so- difficult to stop right now, honest! She gradually stands up and takes a look around at all the fight-crazy occupants whom likely are already confused by this crazy 'plot twist' and are probably demanding an explaination here.
But she doesn't provide any, instead she sits once more, and crosses her legs over the passangers seat, her arm hanging lazily over the drivers side door to witness the finale.
Thankfully, Kurow's mind conditioning is very strong, especially in conjunction with Vega's. The screaming fit passes quickly because a chain is flying for her skull. Akira braces against the ground, having a moment to recover, and then catches the chain between her hands.
Her fists, still glowing a lovely purple--suddenly explode in a point blank PSI blast that takes the form of a purple skull with wings, the symbol of Lord Vega's organization Shadaloo. The light is blindning for those in the stands--but it's worse to feel it.
However after the psi is expelled, Akira breathes slowly and lays on the ground, staring at the sky. Hopefully Vega will find this adequate. She didn't do as well as she could have for him.
Sada is filled with fury from pain, but she's also having a strange psychic wave pass through her mind. Her entire nervous system, for a moment...
Turns off. She keels over unceremoniously, the kusarigama following a moment later. Her eyes are wide and staring, as her muscles go slack. A moment later she twitches and gasps like a fish, clearly still alive! (At least, probably.)
COMBATSYS: Sada takes no action.
[ \\\\\ <
Akira 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Sada can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Akira 0/-------/------=|
That gasp is what finally gets Kurow to pull himself back into the ring; the count is long over, of course, and he's way, /way/ out of the fight, but at the very least, he's worked up the energy to start moving again. Perhaps it's love that powers him!! (In other highly realistic news, M. Bison has embraced a philosophy of total pacifism.)
He glances back toward the jeep, and wonders -- is he supposed to go with them? Is he supposed to stay here? He doesn't really know -- so he lies there, looking half-conscious, pulling himself slowly across the slate with his claws every few seconds.
Akira eventually stands up, somehow, and turns towards Douyoubi and Sakura, whom she salutes, body looking rather squiggy probably from all her gaping wounds. But she's saluting. Very well, in fact, which probably hurts a whole lot, but this is a time for discipline. For...control, Kurow might say.
Sakura, glancing over the monitors providing multiple views of the fight, turns back to Douyoubi. Her assessment of the battle echoes Akira's self-acknowledgement: "Sub-par, but adequate. She will improve with further training." Her voice is quiet, hardly the norm for the tomboy, but still shows her keen attention to the fight that just concluded. "Recommend we leave before the crowd decides to split." Clearly her mental conditioning is =far= from complete, though.
Glancing from side to side, she wrinkles her nose at the sight. She knows this place well, after all, but it's the first time she's seen it from the inside of a vehicle. She glances back to Kurow, though, noticing his questioning look. And for a moment, anger crosses her face.
... It's just a moment, though, after which point she opens her mouth to speak. "Perhaps we should re--"
And right about then, Akira snaps a quick salute. Narrowing her eyes, she raises the reflective windows, trying to slip back from view under the silent realization that every available camera will likely be pointed their way now. "... Recommend departure."
Sada remains flat out, although she does groan for a moment. She manages to move an arm, sprawling out on the tile and gasping like a fish. She will probably go from 'oh god am I dead' to 'oh god this hurts' before too terribly long.
Kurow starts to flip through the way the fight went. Really, he reflects, it wasn't that different from any other fight he's had with Akira -- tracing her movements in his head and matching them to the last time... it's close. Dangerously close. He doesn't like that one bit -- and in spite of the fact that he can hear Sakura calling for a hasty departure, he feels he has a much better idea.
"Akira." His voice is sharp, precise, in spite of his wounds -- it's the well-trained voice of authority. And perhaps -- just maybe -- what's necessary to trip something he left behind? "At ease. Come here." He is, noticeably, not paying any attention to Sada; she'll live, he thinks -- he doesn't /have/ to worry about her.
This is, of course, probably a dangerous line of thinking.
Akira glances down to Sada. Her helmet makes her expressions unreadable in general. That's the point of it. She looks to Sakura and opens her mouth but shuts it again. She seems a little conflicted, between 'departing' with Sakura or just going to Kurow. He's not an agent of Shadaloo, she doesn't have to listen--but the fight's over, he might be able to show her some more of that guidance--however she dislikes him.
She turns and walks back to Kurow with agonized steps. "...?" She manages to convey.
"Ooh.." That most certainly had to hurt, didn't it? There's no doubt in Douyoubi's mind that this was an outstandingly successful demonstration, to be honest she didn't think Akira would have been able to finish the whole thing. A glance is passed to Sakura, and she gives a subtle nod of her head, "Agreed, but I have just one thing to do."
And so she stands through the open sunroof, waiting a moment for the camera's to shift toward her as.. Kurow seems to be back on his feet? No matter, "People of Earth!" .. What?
"Please do not attempt to adjust your channel, what you have just witnessed is a product, a perfect soldier of Shadaloo!" Her raspy tone.. Suprisingly audible! "I'm sure all of you, within the arena and at home are familiar with all of these fighters whom are now under our control, but these are our particularly special guests because..."
Douyoubi's visable eye narrows, her finger pointing to the camera, "o/~ Daigo Kazaamaaaa... Ryu... We know you're watching. And I think we have something of yours. If you dare, come to Thailand and just -try- to find us and take them back! And all whom even think of trying to oppose us, well..." There's a brief pause, ".. This could very well happen to you. And that'd be a bad thing, boys and girls. Come on, you two, lets go!"
Sada doesn't straighten up right away; she does breathe in and out more easily. She rolls to her side - pushing herself up on one elbow, and looks over her shoulder towards where she can hear SOMEONE shouting. Her head is throbbing like it's been literally filled with angry wasps, and so she doesn't make out the words, not quite.
"Akira, stay here," Kurow says, remaining firm in his tone in spite of Douyoubi telling Akira to come on and go. "I'll return you to them later. I need to talk to you about your excellent performance -- and, for that matter, the way you carried yourself." He finally pulls himself to a full standing position, starting to walk away. "I can tell you exactly why you won that match -- exactly why you were able to perform so beautifully... but if you leave -now-, you're never going to have that chance."
He allows himself a smile. "What do you say? Go with them now, get back to base five minutes earlier, and never know what you could be -- or have a chance at something better? A chance at strength beyond what shocks and serums can give you." He smiles. "If you want to blindly follow every order you're given by people who don't know every inch of you, go now. If you want to face the world confident in your power, /come with me/." There is no question that -- if nothing else -- /he/ feels he has control here. He may or he may not, but even bruised and beaten, his posture, his tone -- everything reeks of command presence.
Kasugano curses under her breath. For some reason, unknown even to her, she =didn't= want to be noticed just yet. She didn't want Akira drawing attention to her, and she certainly didn't want Douyoubi grandstanding, even with the windows shut so that no one can see her. The fact is -- she saw several camera flashes fire before those windows went up. =Someone= got her on camera. And that really ticks her off.
But not nearly as much as what she hears Kurow saying. She knows Kurow. Implicitly, she =trusts= Kurow. But Akira's received a bit more attention at first, in preparation for this... planned spectacle. Perhaps Sakura's jealous. Perhaps... she's noticing a slightly different timbre to his voice.
"Commander, are you hearing this?" she asks, referring to Kurow's communication. Maybe she's too busy, but whatever. Sakura impulsively grabs the gearshift, slams it into reverse, and stomps on the pedal. With a screech of tires, the vehicle pulls right out of its slot, quite possibly ramming into something else! ... Bet Douyoubi's wishing she hadn't put Kasugano in the passenger seat, huh?
Akira probably doesn't want to be noticed as some pawn of Vega, but she did want to hit Kurow's face. These things cancel out in its own way. She looks to Douyoubi, then to Kurow. A moment of indecision which is a moment in physical time but a millenium in thought time. Akira's brain practically needs to reboot...
And when she gets over it, she shakes her head at Kurow. Control, she reminds herself. That's what you want. "You can tell me later. Orders. Tend to Sada." And so saying she turns and walks back to Douyoubi and the vehicle, intending to leave with her and Sakura. Girl power!
And then it starts screeching around. Akira looks a little confused, and walks towards the car. Maybe if she punches it it will stop trying to get away. Is the car possessed?!
Sada has managed to sit upright and is trying to scoot herself over towards the side of the arena; her head is pulsing like it's a wet sack full of blood and her face is still red from both Akira's punch and her crazy psycho blast. She wants to get DOWN, out of the cameras' eyes, before she curls up and passes out again.
"You have no authority to give me orders," Kurow says, locking his eyes squarely on Akira again. "Besides -- look at that. They're going back on their orders. They're leaving without you." The youth moves closer to the injured Sada, looking down at her various injuries; this is far beyond his ability to treat -- while he knows how to defend himself against psionics, they're not an easy thing to heal.
Of course, he can't look like he doesn't know what to do; it is best, here, to do nothing at all, merely to wait.
Douyoubi has absolutly no idea what it is Kurow is trying to do. Well, other than annoy her, that is. Her eyes rolling in obvious annoyance, she's learned a couple of things here tonight, one of them being that some things just never change. Before she can yell further, Sakura slams down on the pedal, and she lurches forward, nearly slamming face first into the roof, "Rrk!" she slaps her hands down to keep that from hitting all the way, then drops into the roof seconds before it smashes into the spectators divider, when presses her further into the drivers seat; the people in the row luckily had enough sense to get up and out of the way!
"What the hell are you doing?" she yells to Sakura. Was this part of Kurow's plan?? God. Next time Sakura's definatly sitting in the back, and Kirishima had some explaining to do!
No, no... Sakura relinquishes control once she rams into something. It's enough to jar her foot loose at any rate... and besides, the net result was that the vehicle got close enough to Akira to allow her entrance. Kasugano hits the door release, and the door pops open to allow Akira entry.
"Mission parameters had been jeopardized. Urgent action was required," comes Sakura's cold reply, as she glances back towards Akira, motioning for her to get in. Just what 'mission parameters' Sakura has in mind are probably =quite= different from the ones Douyoubi had in mind... but the fact remains that Sakura's little moment of rebellion seems to have passed.
Akira considers that it's very true that she can't give Kurow orders. She nods at him. That's true, she thinks, I can't give him orders. Very true. Completely accurate. "Then I better hurry." She likes Sakura, however, she remembers that. Sakura is awesome and likes sushi. She has no idea what the mission parameters are either, but they sound important.
She slides into the car, having to run a bit to make it there. She'll probably collapse once she's in the backseat, but not before putting a seatbelt on. Safety is importat.
Sada thinks she hears Kurow nearby. It makes her feel glad, as best she can; she isn't really thinking on any sort of a higher level right now. Probably there is residual Psycho Power boiling out of her brain cells in the front of her brain, while the movement and feeling parts are OK.
She reaches the end of the arena and puts her hands on both edges, hooking the kama into the gap between two granite plates out of habit before sliding limply off the side and down into the relative dark.
This tells Kurow much of what he needs to know. Conditioned or no, Akira is too unstable for his tastes -- he can't treat her quite as the 'ideal minion.' Sometimes, you just have to roll with the punches a little, he says to himself; this prompts him to follow Sada off into the darkness, slipping down off of the plates after her.
"... Are you all right?" he asks of her, trying to help her up. It's slow going, with his own injuries, but it's not impossible.
COMBATSYS: Akira has ended the fight here.
Douyoubi holds the back of her head, grumbling under her breath, "Whatever." The important thing was yes, it was certainly time to get the hell out of there, but her gaze for a good long moment is LOCKED on Kurow.
So yes, the second thing, there needed to be some minor research done. But that was another problem for another time and the moment Akira is inside the jeep, the tires screech and the seventh day breaks the speed limit in record time. She was PISSED. Kurow was no way no how getting away with this one!
And for crying out loud, what is with you kids and sushi? That's her shtic!
Sada likes pork cutlet better.
She looks up at Kurow and smiles weakly. "I'll be fine," she says, although when Kurow moves to hoist her up she neither resists nor cooperates. She still seems pretty boneless - although, of course, she could just be glad to be helped.
Sakura sits back in her seat, looking out the one-way glass at the fading image of Howard Arena. Memories here are so rich... but she remains eerily silent for the rest of the ride home. No doubt she'll have plenty to say in debriefing...
"... good," he says, trying to help her the rest of the way out of the arena; it shouldn't be too hard if she's at all cooperative, though the less cooperation he gets, the more difficult -- and the rougher -- the 'help' will be. "I think... that we may have to have a long talk about what just happened," he tells her, with a long, deep breath.
Log created on 18:47:29 06/10/2007 by Sada, and last modified on 21:00:43 06/12/2007.