Description: Akira to Shadaloo: "I'm sorry, it's just not going to work out. It's not you, it's me."
Akira has been captured! She has been acting normally to those whom have rescued her but to make sure it's not a trick, they've been holding her in a Garden Shack and handcuffed behind her back. Her helmet has been removed and kept away from her. She is fed at regular intervals. Gedo has been called in to make sure she doesn't try to escape and to help verify whether she is or is not under Vega's control--an odd thing, really, since nobody was expecting her to be out from anybody's control despite how she's acting. So they're being careful.
Rock Howard and assorted evildoers could have found out about Akira's presence pretty easily, she was not easy to bring in and it is on Seiyjun so the students have noted that though they saw Akira moved into the shack, they haven't seen her leave yet--but are generally kept away by Zaki's minions.
When some one actually found Akira, Edge was happy. But when someone actually captured Akira and is olding her in te Garden shack at Seijyun High, and invited other Gedo stupdents to help watch over her, keep her there, AND verify if she's still in with the Vega crowd, Edge couldn't resist. He had to come, he owed it to Akira. Plus, he has high hopes for her. And pretty must trusts in her judgement, even if it might not look it.
So, upon arriving, Edge juts lets himself right in, his hair towering up into the havens and extra stiff just incase some one tries to mess with it again. This one time, some one used it as a handle, and that was not cool. Still, as he comes in, he as a weird little grin that he always carries, looking down towards Akira who's handcuffed, and he just nods. This was Akira all right. He's wondering why they didn't use two pairs of handcuffs instead of just one, but hey, maybe working for Vega actually made you weaker than stronger. Sounds about right to Edge.
Hands in pockets, he juts looks down towards her. "Heya." He offers.
You know, handcuffs really can only keep Akira under control for so long. And since she was just out of the control of Vega, and also away from those such as Kurow, Gan was more than happy to keep Akira within the shack. It was unfortunate that they couldn't trust her, but Gan knew it had to be done. Not until evertyhing was seen to be fine would he let his guard down around Akira, but not solely incase Akira had a relapse. Those who would attempt to take her back. As paranoid as it sounds, it would still have a chance at happening.
Entering the Garden shack after Edge, Gan wouldn't be that tight of a fit within it, even if he was rather large. Entering, he looked upon the area and then Akira, who's cuffed and helmetless. Even though she looks to be almost a prisoner, Gan smiles. "It's good to see you again, Akira." A simple hello, although not as simple as Edges.
Rock Howard found out about the capture (recapture) of Akira Kazama through the grapevine. People know that he's been working in Thailand and abroad to try and fight the evil forces of Shadaloo. Gan and Edge knew how to reach him and so when they found out about Akira's capture, they phoned Howard. He was back in Southtown a few hours later. Now he stands around outside the Garden Shack, playing guard duty. He's got his Terry Bogard hat pulled low, no jacket (it got stolen), and his hands jammed into his pockets.
Rock knows that they're going to come to try and get Akira back. He knows that it's only a matter of time. He's there to do everything he can to prevent that. Plus, he figures, staring at the schoolyard while leaning on the shack's outside wall, some of those guys probably want to kill him more than they want to get Akira back in their thrall. He's done a good job of aggroing the entire planet lately.
Zaki went out for supplies, or to recon, or something. And since Aislinn was somewhat instrumental in getting Akira -out- of there... well, she's been enlisted as well. It hasn't been so bad; all she needed to complete her mission was trust. And trust is easy to come by when people aren't opening their big mouths and getting others in trouble. Her position is kept at the door of the garden shack, her posture more that of a Gedo kid than a proper Seijyun girl--she's leaning against the door of the shack, staring out into nothing.
It's like she's watching intently; she barely nods to Gan and Edge, and even Rock, her eyes focused on the horizon. It's as if she's expecting -something-... but isn't everyone on edge here? Even Edge himself?
Seijyun High. While innately prone to chaos thanks to its unfortunate choice of location in Southtown of all places, it is still one of the most peaceful and secluded of areas, not only amongst the schools, but throughout all of Southtown. The summer weather is warm today, almost soothing; there's a breeze that helps to offset the heat, and the skies are clear. The perfect day to be outside.
Unless, of course, you find yourself trapped inside a Garden Shack.
Still, aside from all the company that graces this particularly secluded corner of Seijyun High, things seem relatively peaceful, and promise an uneventful afternoon. One would hope, at least. But when property is stolen, it needs to be retrieved... and between the forces of both Shadaloo AND NESTS, lost property is not particularly hard to rediscover -- especially when there is someone helpfully supplying information from the inside. But for now, there is quiet. Birds chirp, the breeze rustles through the leaves.
... and yet all of that changes in a single instant with a scream.
It comes from far away, in the distance towards one of the other gardens. If Aislinn or Rock were to look, though, they would see a pair of schoolgirls tending the gardens over the weekend running off in complete terror. The reason why might not be exactly obvious for the first few moments -- but it swiftly becomes all too apparent just what they were running from. Off in the distance, Rock and Aislinn might spot something -- something larged and hunched, moving -- no, prowling -- on all fours, making a slow and steady walk towards them. As it advances, what it is becomes all the more clear. A lion. A large, black lion with unnaturally red eyes, peering almost lazily at the two guards in front of the shack. It pauses, feet from them. It stares, unblinking, shakes its mane... and then it snarls.
In a single instant, there is a massive lion running across the distance, leaping through the air to literally pounce on Rock Howard.
So much for an uneventful day.
Seems like everyone knows the Shadaloo forces were coming! What's up with that, anyway? It's almost as if this were a =trap=. Sakura had been led to believe Zaki and Aislinn were involved in Akira's capture, in addition to the mysterious Cross... and Sakura seems to be none too pleased about that.
But then Zero mentioned he was bringing a lion along. Her fears were pretty much eliminated, right there.
Mostly, anyway. Aislinn still poses soemthing of a wildcard to the Shadaloo agent -- how trustworthy can her information be, if =she= was one of the ones 'rescuing' Akira from the clutches of Shadaloo in the first place? It doesn't sit well with Sakura.
But she has her orders. And her orders have her closing from an altogether =different= attack vector than Rock and the lion... that is, Sakura came in over the side gate. More shrieking ensues as the very obviously Shadaloo schoolgirl makes her appearance. Two attacks are made against Sakura, and deftly met with her metal handguards. The Seijyun defenders quickly find out why it's not a good idea to karate chop stainless steel.
Sakura continues striding, at a fairly deliberate pace, towards the Garden Shack. ... Well, why not? It's where everyone else is.
Her eyes scan back and forth, assessing the situation. She's expecting trouble. But with enough of a force as is coming =with= the schoolgirl... words may do well enough.
She'll let someone else do the talking though.
If it were just a lion, that'd be one thing -- strong, and surprisingly well-trained for a cat, but ultimately just an enormous cat. Even if it were a lion and Sakura, that might be /manageable/ for a strong enough team of Seijyun defenders. However, what strides into the school after Sakura is, apparently, one of the most fearsome men the world has ever known.
It is Vega, leader of Shadaloo, and he does not look pleased in the least -- those pupilless eyes somehow still burn with the intensity of a man who has been denied something that is his by the right that might gives him. There is something a little off about his 'aura,' for those who can sense such things -- but then, Vega has been increasingly unhinged lately, hasn't he? It'd only make sense for him to read as just the littlest bit 'off.'
The man in the red uniform keeps on walking, just ahead of Sakura, with the regal posture that one would expect from the leader of Shadaloo. "Students of Seijyun," he says, voice even and commanding. "You have something that belongs to me. I will have it back. If you present it to me, we will only punish you for the time you have wasted, rather than the theft itself."
Akira smiles at Gan and Edge, "Hey guys," She says. She doesn't seem to mind being imprisoned. She doesn't have a complete memory of what she did, but she has an understanding of what happened, more or less. It's entirely possible that the handcuffs won't hold Akira, as she's a fighter, but at the very least she'll probably break those before breaking anybody who tries to stop her. Assuming that she wants to dash into Vega's unloving embrace. "Thanks for coming."
Maybe she doesn't think they'll be coming for her. She does not know Rock is present. "You too."
She is oblivious to cats, Vegas, Sakuras, and... NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTS.
Now, it seems, things are happening fast and furious. Aislinn kicks up off her leaning stance and... well, she doesn't look alarmed because she -never- looks alarmed. Somewhat disquieted at best, like the kind of look people get when they realize they're three thousand miles from home and they left the bathtub running, or they forgot to feed the kids. That kind of look.
With the commotion busting out, it's probably pretty easy for Aislinn to slip away. Before she can come back to the scene she has to change, first of all, from her Seijyun uniform to her NESTS uniform... and she has to grab one of Zaki's masks, so that she isn't just instantly recognizable to anyone who cares to figure out who she is. To the 'heroes', it may seem as if she's running off to join the battle. And she is.
Rock is drawn from his fugue by the erupting shriek of teenage girls. Horror movies have made it famous but it is still one of the most blood-curdling noises on the planet. It's an unmistakable sound that shoots through your ears, grabs hold of your spine, and starts shaking it. Rock could go his entire life without hearing something like it again.
He could go his entire life without what comes next. Standing bolt upright after the shrieking terror, Rock adjusts the brim of his trucker hat and squints into the schoolyard's horizon. Is that...? He's not sure. There's some sort of dark four-legged figure approaching. Is it a cow? A dog? A really big dog? What the hell is -- HOLY SHIT IT IS A LION.
Rock has about three seconds to react before the huge thing is bounding at him. He can't get out of the way. Hell, he doesn't even know how to react to it. It's a mixture of panic, played by his bulging red eyes, and horror, played by his gaping open mouth. With that snarling roar, the monster crashes into Rock and barrels him over; it's weight and strength so substantially greater than his own.
Skidding on his back through the grass, Howard manages to get one hand between the maw of the animal and his neck, wrestling with it as it tries to savage his throat. The animal's huge claws on it's paws pin Rock on the back, digging into his shoulders and legs painfully. He worries that he's already bleeding; does that make lions more aggressive, the smell? Or is that sharks?
Upon hearing a scream, well, Edge wasn't very happy. When he went to turn around upon first hearing it, he smacked his head right into an upper shelf of the garden shack. He faltered backwards for a moment before looking back towards Akira, holding his head. "No problem. Can't let Daigo down again, ight get trashed for it." Edge said, still holding his head as he looks towards Gan.
"Gan. Play wall." He just says towards the larger Gedo High student before sneaking out the front of the door. It's like the area is crawling with gang members! Still, Edge gets right out, his hand briefly showing to open and close before diving once more into his pockets. He cares about Akira, but he's sure Gan can handle himself. He's huge, after all.
Running out, Edge can already see a battle beginning, and a lion? Or is that a tiger. All he knows is that Rock's wrestling it, or at least trying too. Edge prepares a knife as he mosey's on forward towards whatever these punks are throwing at them. Akira's their friend, not yours. Back off.
It wouldn't matter to Gan what Akira had done. It was not under her right mind. He would forgive her almost through anything. Perhaps this is due to bias and perhaps past happenings to Daigo and his own problems from losing control. But then, it had perhaps a bit worse. Although being controlled by a warring state to fight and kill. Gan detests that with everything that he has.
Using anyone for someone elses own gain is a horrible thing. But seeing Akira smile back is quite calming to Gan, the giant nodding. "I'm happy to come. It is to help you." Daigo usually sends him to look after her, so Gan has tried to do his best. "I will not let them have you again." It's still a smile. He won't forget that he failed to keep her from them. But he won't let them have her back. He doesn't see the lion or Vega, or the others, either. He's inside the shack. But a curious sight when one of the guards runs off.
Looking out, Gan would see a few figures and then a Lion would pass by and slam into the other guard. Turning to Edge and Akira, his smile has faded. "It was just a cat." Before the giant puts himself into the doorframe, intent on stopping any enterance into the shack with his body, no matter what they do. He will not budge.
Edge will know that this wasn't true. And he would let the smaller Gedo student out if he wants. But no one will get inside without first getting past Gan. He would not let them!
And the lion pounces. One mighty blur of muscle and black fur sends the massive creature slamming into the young Howard, sending the pair tumbling. Aislinn has run off -- assumedly, towards the fight that originates from where Sakura makes her entrance. And it seems the lion and Sakura are not /alone/... as the great Vega makes his appearance. In assumption, it is the dictator; it is an almost identical look to the man, after all... and only those who accompany him know the truth.
One such person makes his presence known the moment the lion pounces upon Rock. He walks calmly, his left hand pressed against the small of his back, the distinct jingle of metal accompanying him as he walks. He wears an odd suit -- all black, complete with a strange skirt lined at the hem with a series of sharp metal 'teeth.' His cold gray eyes scan over the area, looking over the potential threats -- such as they are. He frowns. This should be relatively easy.
And Zero is rarely ever wrong.
He makes no move yet. Instead, he observes as the lion's claws dig into Rock, jaws threatening to clamp down as it bears its full weight upon him. And if he can't get the creature off, it may yet. Zero's gaze travels to Edge... and then Gan. Unexpected guardians of the shack that hold their target.
"Move now. If you do not, you will be killed." It's a simple ultimatum. If they follow it or not, it makes no difference.
One way or another, they'll be moving.
Sakura encounters little further resistance -- after her SNF showing against Hayato last week, most of the Seijyun students predisposed to fighting are =well= aware of the Shadaloo agent's power. They stay away, accordingly: it's nice for organs like ribs and lungs to stay intact.
Continuing her march up to the garden shack, Kasugano looks off to the side. Vega's making his announcement. That should suffice for the announcement bit, anyway. But with Gan standing in front of the garden shack, and Edge being just outside... well, Sakura could =easily= plow right through the side of the structure. There's really nothing stopping her.
Except tact, and the fact that she hasn't been commanded to destroy property yet.
But she =can= try to add some confusion. Sounding as much like the old Sakura as she can, she asks, "Akira, can you hear me? It's Sakura. We miss you..."
'Vega' keeps on striding toward the shack, and more pressingly, toward Gan and Edge. "What's this? The boys from the auditorium?" he says, leaving Rock Howard to his fate with the lion -- after all, Gan and Edge are practically in front of him, whereas Rock is off to the side, suffering the indignities of being pinned beneath a jungle cat. "I was hoping for this chance. Your quarrel did not go... unregarded."
He stands back, looking at the pair, then at Sakura. "They are her last link to the weak thing she once was." The dictator looks to Zero, then back to the task at hand; he decides that it's well in hand, and as such, shifts positions. He floats back quickly, seeming almost to teleport away; he places himself near one of the entrances to the garden area, making sure that he can handle any additional threats that come. "They are also beneath my power. I leave this to you: kill them both. I will intervene if things become too difficult for you to handle."
Now that Edge is outside, well, maybe it was actually better inside of that little shack. At least you couldn't see all these people bearing down about you. He isn't sure he can take two of them, hell, he isn't sure he can take one of them. He saw what Sakura did to Hayato. He also knows that Hayato can bench press a house.
Now, Zero is coming right at him. His face turns about sloth-like towards him as he's told to move. So he does move, towards the side. Let Zero move right past Edge. He's got nothing stopping him to go towards Akira. Except Gan. But Gan isn't towering is he? Well. He's large, if anything.
But the one that really gets Edge's blood cooking has to be Sakura. Acting like Edge and Gan aren't really there. Well, hah, you have to give her credit. She really is trying to egg them on. So Edge gives her what she wants. The thug moves right towards Sakura without any tact in his walk, rather unpredictable until he's stopped by ANOTHER person. He looks towards Vega and sort of snorts at him. But then he disappears. Edge turns around looking for where Vega went! But at the same time, he drags his foot through the grass and ground in turn, using a knife on his large boots to kick up some dirt towards Sakura's eyes. "Stop that, will ya? Akira's our friend. Not yours."
"Just a cat?" Akira asks, giving a small smile after Gan and then over to Edge. She shifts a little, wiggling her wrists to make her cuffs jingle. She sounds like she believes it but rest assured, she doesn't. Because someone just shouted OH SHI and she's hearing lion noises. She hears Sakura but doesn't respond yet--perhaps because she's under guard, or maybe she isn't sure what to say. When Akira doesn't know what to say, she defaults to not saying anything. She's a fairly silent individual, though her heart is very pained to hear Sakura's voice.
Now under significantly lesser guard, though, Akira works on her cuffs--with a small pick she had kept on her person. She could just snap out of them, but she doesn't want to attract attention to what she's doing.
"It sounds like a big cat."
It didn't take long. Gan had put himself infront of the path into the garden shack. The door was just enough for one of Gan, and so, he makes a very nice wall. But a man in a battlesuit comes closer. He knows it is not to help protect Akira. But to take her away. And as he states the simple ultimatum, Gan had already decided the answer before. "I will not let you through. You will not go near her." The simple ultimatum is responded to, simply. But Gan is promising a much less simple beating if they get close. Albeit, Gan is not as strong as any of the others here. Infact, Akira could easily take care of him if she so wanted.
But Gan puts himself on the line, even if he would only slow Zero fo so long. He would not let him by barring heavy wounds. And as Sakura begins to speak to Akira, Gan focuses still on the approaching man. And yet it gets worse. The man, the one who is behind this, stands before him. He's silent as he recites the death sentance to him and Edge.
"It is a big cat. The big cat dragged along a few rodents as well." These were less rodents, more like gigantic death rats. "But it's nothing to worry about." Gan doesn't see Akira working with the cuffs. Doesn't notice. But he stands in the way. Responding to those who want to get by, Gan positions himself more firmly into the door. "Let's see you get by then."
The lion tears a chunk out of Rock's black t-shirt with a growling chomp of it's huge mouth; Rock's twisting of his body saving him from losing his pancreas. That is unforgivable. Rock loved that t-shirt. It was his lucky shirt and he'd worn it every day for the last six hundred and seventy days. Actually, he has two dozen black t-shirts but he's not telling anyone that. This was definitely his favorite!
The situation is quickly becoming untenable. Rock can barely move his arms; the lion is an expert at pinning him and it's starting to overpower him in his private war with it's mouth. He really doesn't want to get bitten by a giant black lion. He really doesn't want to die like this, either. There are so many better ways to go out than mauled by lion. Headline: Former SNF Champion Mauled to Death by Killer Lion.
Enough is enough. Teeth grinding together as Howard's jaw sets into a solid steel ridge, his eyes burn brighter as he wills and marshals his determination. His right hand, the one previously disposed to fighting with the lion's huge mouth, pulls back and curls gloved fingers into a fist. The lion reacts immediately, going for Rock's brain. It never gets there. A terrible sound of knuckles hitting lion skull sounds as Howard literally punches the lion in the face.
A half a second later, he wretches his left leg free -- the claws tearing at his flesh. He ignores that pain. He tears it free, inverts it some, and drives it straight up for the area right below the lion's tail. This is why lion's don't fight humans. They know to kick things in the balls.
Yes. Sakura was intentionally baiting Edge and Gan. That much is pretty obvious. But at the same time -- she does hope to be able to make =some= communication with Akira -- to confirm that she's actually there, that they're not fighting for no reason at all.
And that communication is confirmed, as Akira speaks to Gan. "Recon data confirmed," she states, more for her own purposes than anything else.
But temporarily ignoring Edge and Gan comes with its price, as a fine spray of dirt gets flung into the Shadaloo agent's eyes. Staggering back, she moves to ram her shoulder into Edge, before following up with a rather brutal backfist. "Incorrect. Akira is my friend =also=. She has many more than just you two lost souls." She's been given the order to attack, so by gum, she =will=. And 45-pound gauntlets might leave a wee bit more than a scratch -- especially with Sakura not dialing down her power even the slightest iota.
Sakura assumes Gan will wait for now, but she keeps some attention towards him as well.
Edge is never going to let Sakura live this down if she ever gets out of this crazy ass brainwashing. He's going to make sure he reminds her every single day and egg HER on. He can take the bruises and bumps he's going to receive in said wake, but making sure she's angry enough to not fall for it again, well, that's his plan.
But just how hard does she hit? Well, Edge finds this out right... now. Edge should have faked, but instead he hoped for the dirt to actually keep her at bay. Instead it seems he underestimated her big time, the Gauntlet backfists him into oblivion, knocking him back eons into last week. He already knows where this is going.
After rolling over himself about two times, Edge finally lands on all fours, looking up towards Sakura. "You know, he view's actually... pretty good from down here." He states in her direction as his tongue licks his lips. A few knives litter the area. It's okay, he's got a lot more where those came from.
"And yeah, she might, but we actually give a damn what happens to her."
Akira's cuffs go 'click' quietly but she keeps her hands behind her, "There's fighting," She tells Gan, and then slides to the side of the building, stands on her tippy toes, and peers out the window, watching Rock fighting a lion. She stares for a moment. "What the heck are you doing fighting a lion?!" She shouts through the window. "And how'd a lion get on campus??"
Wait, Akira thinks, that's probably not the best thing to start off saying.
Kazama. There she is. Her words, however, are not the measured, crisp statements of a Doll, but... /no/. /No/. They really did find a way to free her from the layer upon layer of brainwashing, from her destiny as a Psycho Power-wielding soldier of Shadaloo. The situation has changed, and now the man disguised as Vega, for the briefest of periods, wants to give up on her. She's lost, forced back into being the creature she once was, and probably slightly empowered for it besides.
He starts toward the shack where Akira is held, saying, "What a pity. Such promise, such potential for something vibrant and powerful -- squandered. I'm sure there is a use for you yet, but what I see here is not what I came for." He keeps walking toward the shack, hoping that Sakura and the lion can keep the team of assembled heroes occupied long enough for him to rear back a hand and pound through the wall of the small shack, toward Kazama. "Tell me. Why did you allow them to take your destiny from you? Are you truly happy being this sad, pathetic creature locked in a shed?" he asks of her, with a small chuckling noise emanating from deep in his throat afterward.
Looking back a bit, Gan notices Akira has gotten to her feet. "There is. But don't worry. You won't need to be part of it." Gan doesn't look back besides that, and looks upon those moving closer. As Vega moves closer, Gan doesn't move a single step back. Let Vega move closer. He will stay in the way until he can no longer take anything. "She is better here. And the shack will only be temporarily."
He doesn't branch off to Sakura. He lets Vega move closer, keeping Akira behind him if he is able. If she was going to actively sneak out, she would be able to. But Gan would not let Vega closer. If he was to reach her, Gan would be the wall between him and his goal.
Gan is silent otherwise. There is nothing to say. To completely deny everything Vega says.. it's possible, but that would make it seem like he was over protecting Akira. He wants to, but Gan will keep him away. Akira will have to fend off Vega's attempts to control her with words.
"I give 'a damn'. You people are messing with her mind. Continuing to agitate a stable situation. She lives in two worlds with you... and we gave her a third option. She took it." The voice Sakura uses speaking to Edge is cold, emotionless... devoid of any emotion. ... Well, aside from 'frustration' as she continues picking dirt out of her eyes with a fingernail, while she speaks.
Edge's tactic of poking fun of the Shadaloo agent's new attire doesn't seem to have had much of an affect upon the girl though.
The agent glances over to Gan for a moment. He's standing in the shack door. Vega... is standing =beside= the shack, having done what she'd wanted to earlier and step =around= him. Frown. Vega's saying something to Akira... and he should probably =not= be disturbed.
So Sakura sees no hesitation with keeping Gan occupied. Her hand flares with a burst of Psycho Power, a purple-and-black aura surrounding her fist. And then she punches Gan right in the face to see if that merits his attention. "Move."
It's typically more polite to ask =before= punching someone, but whatever!
The Psycho Power that weakened Akira's resolve is gone. She stares up at Vega with knives in her eyes. She was trying to hide it, for an opening, but she can't help it. She hates him so much. He's worse than Hyo, and in some ways is even worse than Kurow (but Kurow is definately generally ickier, don't worry buddy). She steps back as Vega rips holes through the shack wall. She stares straight at him for a moment and is very impolite.
She slams her forehead, aiming to whallop Vega in the FACE with her forehead. "Not sending Kurow to do your dirty work?" She hisses. On the plus side, she's still cuffed. Right?
As Sakura begins to move again, well, Edge doesn't get up, at least yet anyways. He's gotta lie down for a little longer. And that's when he hears Vega literally rip a hole through the side of the shack. Well. I guess he can go around Gan, thought Edge thought that impossible.
But not, since he did, Edge has to at least give him a prize for doing it, shouldn't he? And Akira is fighting back. At least, it sounds like it. So, like a snake, Edge moves on all fours towards the back of the shack. Closing in, he edges up towards 'Vega', and actually hesitates for a moment before fishing into his pants and grabbing a knife.
Now with the knife, Edge lets loose one of his trade mark laughs. "Hehehehehe..." Before swinging around the side of the shack, trying to implant said knife in the back of the leader. It's a really good try, but that's all it is. A try. They'll be others if he survives this ordeal.
Not many things can easily move Gan. However, a psycho powered fist to Gan's face is something that does, certainly, merit attention. While Gan doesn't seem to mind the punch all that much, Gan certainly doesn't take well to the psycho power. And the force behind it is also something that certainly doesn't help Gan. He's almost bowled over, but instead, a hand slams into the garden ground, holding onto the earth, keeping Gan there. Even if the fist strikes fully on to Gan's face, and the pain is immense. He said it.
Plus, if he actually was launched backwards, that might make some of the building also a bit unstable. Gan is pretty large. With just as much determination as before, but less ability to back it up, he stands.. even if he has moved a bit to the side. Certainly not enough to squeeze in!
But the other hand slams forwards, towards Sakura, a simple heavy palm strike. He can't really move from the door, and if he was to do anything, it would be otherwise to catch Sakura and throw her aside.
He gets this idea too late, however. The strike already thrown.
Zero has never quite understood the merit of 'word games' like the ones that Vega plays upon Akira. In situations like this, the NESTS VP regards it as he always has; there is a piece of stolen, defective property. It must be retrieved and it must be fixed, and if it cannot be fixed it goes the way of all broken property -- it is removed.
But that is not Zero's job at the moment. For now he merely acts as a distraction; whether Sakura and 'Vega' succeed is currently not on his list of problems. If they don't, well, he'll try his hand at it. For now, though, he watches with an icy, unnerving calm as the entire spectacle unfolds before him. He is surprisingly inactive throughout it -- largely due to the fact that most is already being taken care of. However...
... There are still some areas that could be improved upon. Gorgon seems to be losing the advantage of surprise it had on Rock, the lion suddenly taken over by a confusing white-hot flash of pain as the Howard ... kicks it in the balls. The creature's muzzle and eyes contort in pain and what could be construed as surprise as its grip on Rock is let go. Pain, however, soon becomes animalistic fury as the beast's maw snaps wide, glistening fangs threatening to snap forward and sink into Rock's jugular--
"Gorgon."
The name is spoken smoothly and instantly it catches the lion's attention. With surprising obedience and compliance, the beast shifts backwards and away from Rock, towards the source of the voice -- that tall, imposing form of Zero, standing calmly towards the shack. "Rock Howard," he murmurs thoughtfully as an icy sensation washes over the space between them. Zero's hand outstretches, form wavering for a moment as that uneasy aura permeates further -- and then, without much in the way of set up or fanfare, Zero simply releases a large wave of invisible chi like a wall of force, flattening flora all around it as it blazes a path straight for the Howard family heir.
The man with the hard, soulless eyes wasn't expecting a headbutt; he stays well-grounded and certainly doesn't /recoil/ from the headbutt, but it's clear it hurts a little more than one might expect considering IT'S VEGA. (As far as you know.) Gan getting in the way does not go unnoticed, either, but the dictator does not lash out at him. After all, he has more painful things to worry about.
Kurow, meanwhile, knows he can't keep the facade of not being somehow tied to Shadaloo quiet at this point. Akira knows. "When something must be done correctly," he starts, whirling around and just /slapping/ the hand Edge holds the knife in away as if he'd sensed it coming a mile away. "Ahem. When something needs to be done correctly, doing it personally is that much more likely to succeed. Now tell me, Akira."
What flares around his hand certainly /looks/ like Psycho Power. It has all the right visual cues to seem as though it really is that black and purple energy that Vega uses. However, further examination might have to wait -- after all, having a hand bathed in pure energy streaking for one's neck tends to be a little distracting. "It appears your subconscious has chosen freedom over strength, chosen your old life over the confidence and power afforded you in your new one. Why? Do you subconsciously seek your own end?"
So... Edge was knifing Vega in the back. That's fine. He can handle himself. Sakura's also peripherally aware Rock nearly getting eviscerated. But she'd like to spend more time focusing on what Akira's saying and doing to Vega. She certainly =sounds= like her normal self, not the Shadaloo doll version of such.
But she can't really process that with a palm punch going right into her stomach. Sakura's gotten a bit stronger after her dip in the Psycho Drive. ... But not strong enough that she can take a blow from Gan without flinching -- indeed, her entire 92-lb frame jacknifes from the massive palm-punch. Her mouth gapes open in pain -- but then her programming kicks in, enforcing control as her feet finally, mercifully, touch ground again.
"You're-- outnumbered," Sakura states, still trying to recollect her breath as she curls one arm about her torso. "Betrayed. Seijyun is unwilling to bring their best and brightest to save Akira." Kasugano opens her palm, brilliant purple energy, lined with deep black veins, coalescing into existence there. It's enough Psycho Power to blow the now-ramshackle shed apart -- but that's not its purpose. "All that stands between us... and her... is you."
Sakura minces no further words -- not even stating the name of her attack. She just slams her hand forward, unleashing the bulk of that energy into Gan. She wants him out of the way, quite clearly!
Akira hesitates at Vega's question, finding it a little odd. Why does she SUBCONCIOUSLY seek her own end? What's that supposed to be. Oh my god, she thinks, did I just headbutt Vega? Maybe I should run away. But where to? Your friends are here, you are here. She backs up, keeping her arms behind her back. She might need that moment of surprise when GOLLY she isn't actually cuffed. She hears INVISIBLE CHI flying about and lion noises but it's hard to worry for Rock when the leader of Shadaloo is staring you down.
"Ah..." She says slowly, a little too frightened to just do that again, "...How can I know what I'm subconciously doing...? It's my subconcious..."
Edge has the knife knocked right out of his hand. Well, that's peachy. As it falls, the gang member seems to go after it, falling forward and actually scurrying through the crack that Vegetow made. Through that hole, he passes Akira, passes Vega, and tries to actually go through and under Gan's legs. It's a long shot, but it's a shot he's about to take.
As he does, he notices Sakura putting all that she can into Gan, and he just ducks into a roll, trying to hurry it up because Gan getting out of the way is neer impossible. It would be like a mountain deciding to dodge, a planet suddenly shifting its gravitational pull so avoid a meteor.
The only thing Edge can do in this case is when the roll stops, fling out a single knife towards Sakura towards her shoudler to try and slow her down, or divert her attention towards him. At least Gan can try to pry Vega of Akira. Edge has scrawny man muscles compared to the man who eats ten tons of rice a day.
This is it. Rock can feel the animal's hot breath on his face. He can smell it's lunch and see the still clinging filaments of meat between it's teeth. He knows he's going to be dinner. Even kicking the thing in the balls doesn't seem to be slowing it viscousness. When a lion is hungry and has a meal in it's pounding grip, it doesn't stop unless it's dead.
Or the man who trained it is there. The name strikes Rock more than the realization that he's not about to be eaten. Freed from the lion's death grip, Rock kicks a heel into the schoolyard grass to push himself back from the black lion.
He's still sitting, his back pressed against the shack wall, when Zero emerges forward. He doesn't recognize the man. But even if he knew who Zero was, he wouldn't have time to realize, because the wall of invisible chi is screaming towards him. Rock detects it's presence, but he's pinned and prone against the wall. All he can do it brace against the oncoming rush of force.
Lifting a forearm to shield his face, the energy slams into and around Rock. There's a moment, as the initial blast strikes, where it looks like he's able to withstand the force. It disappears. Suddenly blasted straight back into the wooden wall of the shack housing Akira; Rock's body snaps straight through the barrier with splinting noise and a shower of wooden shards. Rock explodes a moment later out the far side wall, briefly visible as he is shot right past Kurowega and Akira. He lands in the grass, rolling end over end a few times, body smoking.
The shack starts to lean. It's probably going to crumble to pieces any second now.
The strike had hurt. Gan had put all he could into it. However, this would only be enough to keep her at bay for a bit. Gan isn't able to really take all that much that isn't a simple punch, or a physical assault. Shadaloo rarely does that, from what Gan could see. So when Sakura starts again, he nods. "We are." He doesn't nod the second time. "We were not expecting you." And as Sakura opens her palm, the energy glows. The chi, from Gan's view, in her hand .. it's incredible.
Gan is certain that if she strikes, that would prevent him from what he strives for. To protect Akira. However, Gan can not keep it up forever. Sakura makes it obvious that he will be the one to recieve that glowing ball. "Then I will stay between you and her as long as I can." That is when the hand is slammed forwards, towards Gan.
The massive bulk of energy actually swallows up Gan. He cannot be seen as it burns about him, the psycho energy bombarding Gan, crushing him, slamming him against the shack. And when it finally ends, Sakura will see Gan, hands infront of his body, his body tensed up, having prepared for the assault, and also his arms up to prevent the blow fully. But yet, he seems like he is about to collapse. "I .. will not let you... get to her."
His body is burned by the psycho energy enoughy, as his right hand is not covered by any sort of clothes. Rushing towards Sakura, Gan gathers chi in his hands, slamming them forwards with each blow, a cleaving of chi in the air as he slams palm after palm towards Sakura, each heavy strike slow to pull back, but launching forwards with the speed of a gunshot. At least, towards Sakura.
Five strikes in all, a final to slam her away.. but Gan is slow. His movements telegraphed. In such a condition, barely standing, he would not be all that accurate. And all that keeps him going is determination. Another strike would easily be enough to strike him down. But he does as he promises.
/THOOM./ The air around Zero crackles in the wake of that release of chi, and yet he seems hardly even phased by the sudden exertion of power. Gorgon remains at his side, patiently waiting for anything else to pounce upon if Zero so deigns it. The NESTS Vice President watches with lifeless eyes as that chi makes a crash course for Rock. It slams into the young man, overwhelming his defenses and sending him on a collision with the garden shack.
Calmly, Zero starts to walk once again. He disregards the clash of blows between Sakura and Gan, disregards Edge's activities. Instead, he cuts a clear path straight for the whole that Rock has blown through the wall so helpfully. Gorgon follows obediently as Zero's arms clasp behind his back, a cool stare given towards 'Vega' and his prey as he steps inside. The NESTS executive says nothing. His look should say enough. There is a schedule to be kept, after all... and other important tasks to be completed.
The shack creaks as it begins to lean, dust and debris sifting down from the roof. He looks up, regards it calmly... and then slowly begins to scrape that dirt from his shoulders. "It would seem we are pressed for time," he remarks, making another glance towards the roof. That blow will have surprised Rock, but Zero knows it won't have put him down. He'll be back up soon, and that... will just delay things even further.
"I trust convincing the target of her loyalties can wait until after she has been collected and taken from here...?" Despite his questioning, Zero makes no move or motion to leave. It is, after all... 'Vega's' Doll, and his choice.
So he couldn't catch her throat -- that's acceptable, to Vega. Going unmolested by Edge and Gan, 'Vega' keeps moving evenly toward Akira as she backs away, even as the walls of the shack shake. "That is not my concern," he says to Akira, looking to the side with the window, seeing that it is indeed Rock Howard that's been slammed into the wall. At first, he decides to leave Rock to Zero... but then Zero comes into the shack /with/ him, as he keeps moving in.
"... Do not presume to tell me how to conduct my business," he says to the NESTS Vice President, not looking. He keeps his focus squarely on the former Doll. "However, you are right. It is time to collect her." Energy begins to flare around him, and he starts to move in, seeming to be gearing up to hit her with the full force of a Psycho Crusher at dangerously close range. If this truly were Vega, Akira would likely be doomed -- and this time, her mind would no doubt be even more thoroughly scoured.
The technique, however, is new to Kurow -- unpracticed, barely observed. His form is somewhat poor, and he leaves his solar plexus /wide/ open for a quick takedown as he gets ready. Things look dire for Akira, but /if/ she capitalizes on this one opportunity...
While it may be true that =Sakura= won't get to Akira... it's hardly the case that =no= one will. Zero and Vega are already right there with her, after all, chatting up a storm.
With them there, it hardly matters whether =Sakura= gets to meet her. What's she gonna do, play patty-cake with the girl? Toss her over a shoulder and cart her off? Not bloody likely -- the girl's already carrying around nearly double her weight with those gauntlets, her Psycho Drive treatment being the only thing convincing her that she can lift =those= with no trouble.
... So really, Kasugano doesn't need to do much other than give Vega and Zero some breathing room -- a fact which she notes with a terse, hardened expression. Sure, she takes a knife to the shoulder -- staggering slightly, and even letting the blade stick in. And sure -- she lets Gan advance out of his guarding position -- the shack is already falling apart, after all.
This necessitates some form of action on Sakura's part, though. Gan would easily tear her up if she'd let him punch like that =full force=, anyway. It's here that she puts those steel gauntlets to full use, bracing herself for those five successive impacts. It's powerful -- mad strong. It'd be enough to break the bones of people unused to feats of physical endurance. It's enough to drive Sakura back a half-dozen feet, her boots carving gulleys into the garden grass. It's doubtful she'll replace those divots.
"Admirable, but misguided," she comments, calmly pulling the knife out of her shoulder. Kasugano spares one glance over towards Edge -- regarded now as little more than a mosquito-like annoyance. Gan... well.
She slams forward, driving the knife into =his= shoulder. She's not aiming to kill, she's aiming to give him some rather intense pain... which will, she hopes, drop the burly man into shock.
Rock can the acid in his stomach boiling from the chi he just swallowed. It's like eating dinner at Takuma's favorite Asian Bistro. You might love the food but you're going to pay for it later. You're gonna pay a whole lot for it. Fortunately, internal injuries aside, Rock isn't dead. He's bleeding some from his leg, courtesy of Gorgon. He's got some cuts and scrapes on his arms and his knuckles hurt from bashing the lion in the face, but he's still alive. Nothing is irrevocably broken.
He exhales a gust of breath and manages to roll over onto his side. He stares across the schoolyard at what's happening inside the tilting shack. "God..." he says to himself, slapping a palm into the dirt and starting to push himself up. "Dammit!" he yells in defiance to his body, swinging a leg under his bulk and pushing himself back up.
Disoriented and in pain, Rock does what he's good at -- he ignores it and he breaks into a run forward. He finds his booted toes dig well into the grassy ground of the schoolyard, even superheated by Zero's chi surge. Blitzkrieging like an insane man back through the remaining bits of shack wall, Rock doesn't go for perhaps the more intelligent 'Vega.'
No, instead, he lands his kool-aid burst, takes a half a step forward at speed, and then barrels straight for the mysterious Zero with his shoulder dipping as he crosses into the man's threshold.
Akira has seen vids of the Psycho Crusher. And more importantly, she saw videos of people who got hit by that thing. Soldiers spraying into several pieces and incinerating against the full force of the psycho power, powerful fighters bein reduced to broken dolls. Oh god, she thinks, I'm in troubl...e?
Odd, Vega is leaving himself open. More open than she has seen Vega on the vids. Is he expecting her to be too numb to see the opportunity?
She grits her teeth and throws herself back at 'Vega', shouting out a, "HYAAH!!" as she spins for him, twisting into a set of three kicks right for his chest, bursts of wind chi--not psycho power--accompanying each strike. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screams.
This answers the question of whether she wants to be anywhere near Shadaloo, at least!
Heaving heavily, Gan's grip into the ground is pretty large, and he places himself into the large 'hand holds' he made, the sandle locking into them. And as Sakura is slammed back, Gan still will keep her away. He will do all he can.
This does not change that he isn't anywhere close to those around him, besides Edge, in threat. But it never goes through his mind. As Sakura comments, pulling the knife out of her shoulder and then rushing towards Gan. The power he's already taken has left him unguarded. And as the knife slams into his shoulder, it goes deep. He bears it, but perhaps this was a mistake to not strike back. He's left in shock, standing, looking towards Sakura with that same determination he has held. "... Will.. not.." And then he finishes the sentence with his body, Gan slamming forwards, into the ground, landing at Sakura's feet.
The Gedo giant bleeds from the shoulder injury, but it's doubtful that he would die from it at all. Kinves don't bother Gan so much. It's just that he could barely stand as is.
The large body moves once more, a protest to his defeat, buit he eventually succumbs. The shock from the psi from before with the knife is too much for even him.
Now, he makes a nice mat into the roughed up garden shack. Albeit a bit large for a mat!
Edge might be a fly, a bug, but he's a pesky one at that! He'll keep trying, if anything, to fend of his freind Akira. He listens in, hovering around them and listening to their conversation. It's his own way of trying to determine if Akira wants to be with Shandaloo anymore, or if she's just playing Gedo for a fool.
It seems that she's convincing Edge pretty well that she might have made up her mind with that. Still, Edge now has a job to do, and that involves making sure Gan doesn't die today. It's a pretty convincing argument, if anything, since everyone is rather un aware of Edge at most times, or throw him away like regular thug trash. That's just what he wants.
When Sakura comes for Gan with his knife, he knows he's better at knife play, lurching forward towards Sakura in an unexpected fervor as she sticks the knife into Gan, twisting and cutting in different directions in a fury that Gedo student usually displays in matters of violence. Each slice looks practiced, and the number of thrusts around the area, if she's there or not, dazzaling. He's just hoping that he can get her once or twice. The real idea is to drive her away from Gan. "Hehehehehe..." He cares about Gan, but he usually dosn't show it.
This is not working. It's a fact that Zero observes cooly from the exchanges between Kurowtega and the ever-defiant Akira. As that so-called Psycho Power flares around the red-clad dictator, Zero takes note of the look in Akira's eye, the opening in Vega's own stance. He hasn't used such a move before, Zero realizes. He's ill-prepared to use it.
"This is not the time for grandiosity." Zero's voice cuts firm and with unbelievably chilling coldness throughout Vega's display, seemingly unafraid of contradicting the other man's words and stances. He knows that this is not working. It's time for a new tactic. "This ploy is not working. Incapacitate her and evacuate immediate--"
Zero doesn't have time to finish his sentence. Mainly because, split seconds too late, he notices movement out of the corner of his eye. Rapid movement. Eyes snap forward towards the rapidly approaching form of Rock, and he only has a moment to brace himself--
--Right before the Howard boy impacts with a resounding CRACK. Both he and Zero are launched out of the shack once more from the tackle. As they are, though, Zero curls, his knees pressing against his stomach. Within a split second, the man is kicking straight /outward/ with titanic force, intent to deliver a powerful blow to Rock's ribcage and knock him /away./ "Hmph!" This is not going as planned.
And Zero finds himself displeased when things don't go as he envisions them to.
Oh, /mother of God/, not again.
Kurow has been hit with that bloody set of kicks more times than he can count. Even disguised, even with a different posture, it's like the attack homes in on him. Falling out of the 'Psycho Crusher' attempt with a distinct, inhuman crunching noise, Vega's rather large frame seems to /crumple in/ on itself a bit; the second attack hits him in the shoulder pauldrons, and the third catches him right across the face. Something in the air seems to glint in the light as his head swings forward and down from the raw force of the unexpected impact.
This may be why 'Vega' keeps one eye closed as he clutches his wounded chest. "... I believe," he says, getting up and moving back, "that risk is starting to outstrip reward. We'll be watching you, Akira Kazama. Enjoy whatever small fulfillment your purposeless existence offers while it lasts." Once again, his form starts to fade back, leaving afterimages as he retreats as quickly as the energy he controls allows him to.
If Sakura had wanted Gan dead... she'd have killed him. Knife, right through the heart. She aimed elsewhere on purpose -- and she'd likely tell Edge if he'd bothered asking.
But the time between plunging that knife into Gan's shoulder, and getting razed numerous times across the back and sides is too short to allow for substantial conversation.
If she were facing him, she'd be able to stop it. As it is, her form-fitting kevlar mesh is sliced through rather efficiently, red gashes quite visibly showing the results of Edge's frantic slashing. The Shadaloo agent nearly shrieks from the pain, but it only comes out as a hoarse whisper. Just... ow. Edge messed her up but good! ... She'll be staying fully clothed though, despite the numerous gashes. Sucks to be you, Edge.
What sucks more is the fact that Sakura's turned to face him, by the time of his last strike. There's a spark, and a rather grating nails-on-chalkboard sound, as his blade scrapes metal instead of flesh. "I never liked you much, mosquito." After which point she... stops.
Because her boss is pulling out, and that Zero guy is =telling= the three to disengage. Grr.
"Consider yourself spared."
And then Kasugano puts all of her effort into one leap. She springs up... to the top of the shack, which shudders quite noticeably.
It kinda collapses as she leaps off of it again, though. See, Zero and Vega get to teleport -- all she can do for an escape is =leap=, you bastards!
Akira prepares to die and... Vega actually hits the ground. Akira blinks a couple of times in sheer disbelief. That's impossible, there's no way. She can't fight VEGA. That guy looks at missiles and they explode and then he punches the air and sends tanks across the planet flying around. But yet, he's falling back. This may be a humiliating defeat ... for ... Vega...
Huh. How about that.
But she hears the ceiling caving in and say "Sakur--" and is interrupted by her instinct throwing her away from the shed and into the ground as the ceiling smashes where she was moments before. The jostling movement sends her cuffs flying off her.
Gan is quite nicely covered by parts of the shack. The roof doesn't go with the wooden 'belt' tied about him with the rope. It just won't do! Too clashy.
"Rrrgggghhhh!" Rock is Wolverine growling when he feels Zero's knees in his gut. A split second later, he's being kick-thrown straight over the man's head. Flipping entirely over, his back slams into the yard and he skids along it for a few meters to ultimately end up near the perimeter fence. That hurt. That hurt a lot. He's getting the shit kicked out of him here but he'll gladly take it if it means that Akira is safe. He wouldn't even send Geese Howard to the clutches of Shadaloo after some of the things he's seen in Thailand.
Climbing back to one knee again, Rock braces a fist against the ground and breathes in and out. With red eyes locked on Zero, he studies the unfamiliar man for several long seconds. He finally decides on what he's going to do. He's going to beat the crap out of this man until he can't walk anymore. "I don't who the hell you /think/ you are," he says. "But you're in my town and you're trying to kidnap /my/ friend. That's not gonna happen."
Edge will probably ask some time instead of stabbing Sakura for even listening to the nonsense that's been going around. And just for once, well, he hits his mark. A couple of times. He knows she's really strong, so he's not holding back. And he's ready for anything, like, really anything. Anything that she could possibly throw at him at all.
But when she turns around and he's still backpeddling, boots in the dirt, she seems weird for a moment. Almost metallic. Did they put some metal inside of her or something? He can't be sure. Either way, Edge knows it's about to hurt. He begins to brace, and probably not doing too nicely.
"It's okay. The feelings mutual." Edge announces in what is sure to be his last breath for a while. But then Sakura stops mid strike, and begins to disengage. She tells him he's lucky, which he really thinks he is at that point, and watches her run off. He blinks, giving her a way, and watching her leap off. He turns only to see Gan get burried in the shack.
Edge only now feels the sharp bits of pain and exhaustion that he's put his body through. He almost topples forward onto Gan, but instead props himself up with a piece of the shed, only to whip it towards the shed.
Time to start digging out Gan. It might take a little while at this pace.
"Akiiraaaaaa..." Edge whines, "You okaaayyy?" He talks to Akira while looking to Gan, or the peieces on him at least.
Sadly -- it seems that this operation has been compromised. Zero notes the retreating form of Vega as he lands, sounding off a slight 'hrmph' of effort as he falls smoothly onto his feet. Gorgon is already beside him, ready to attack Rock if necessary... but the NESTS VP stays the beast, placing a hand on the lion's head. Sakura, too, is retreating, and idea that the cartel executive had already put forth. And as Rock speaks? Those cold, lifeless eyes lift to look /squarely/ at the young fighter, considering him silently for a long moment.
"Not today. The mission has already been far too complicated." He talks as if he's not actually speaking to Rock, and yet -- there's no one else there, so the boy must be his target. "This is a failure. However..." As Zero speaks, he takes a step backwards, his gloved hand pressing a single device hidden upon his person. His body shimmers, a capsule of light encasing and overcoming him.
"... we will meet again, Rock Howard."
And as Zero fades away, one could almost swear Gorgon was pressing a similar device, before giving the thumbs up as he disappears. Probably not, though. But it'd be killer sweet if he did.
Edge as well doesn't even notice that Sakura's clothes had any scratches in them.
Maybe he's gay or something. Maybe he just doesn't think Sakura is hot.
Rock is a teenager. He brushes past another ominous man in his life with a flippant squint into eyeroll into shrug of a shoulder. "Whatever, man," he says, as the column of light swallows Zero and the motherf'ing lion. He's going to shank that lion if he ever see's it again. He's going to shank it really good.
With the Shadaloo forces in full retreat, Rock watches for a fleeting moment the disappearing form of Sakura across the schoolyard lawn. He can't smile at their victory. They saved Akira, perhaps, but there are still people in the thrall of that man in Thailand. It's time to take the fight to him. This /can't/ keep happening.
Log created on 19:35:29 06/23/2007 by Sakura, and last modified on 11:28:27 06/30/2007.