Description: Mad Gear vs. Chinatown! Well, pretty much just verses Kentou and Hotaru. Much to Hotaru's dismay, Kentou leaps into a one-kid battle against the two people that seem to be in charge of the gang. Unable to leave him on his own, Hotaru jumps in to back him up. Though the two Kenpo artists put up a good fight, they can't quite overcome the combined strength of Katana and Stray.
It's Chinatown. In Southtown. IN JAPAN. Perhaps the China town in Japan would not be so redundant to some, but then, it is true that China is not Japan. And that Chinese does not equal Japanese. But then, not everyone knows this. Some people postulate whom would be one of the ones who would mix up both JAPAN and CHINA at the same exact time.
Well. There would be a no brainer, really. As something large, ten feet wide and far far longer careens into view, taking the curve like it was meant to ( cutting off cars, and ramming through a wooden person carrier without people) wheels squealing as the brakes are put on and the Mad Gear Gang truck finally comes to a stop, the Japanese art on the side as well as the pure hugeness of the Semi-turned Mobile Mad Gear base would prominently display one thing.
MAD GEAR GANG IS IN THE CHINA TOWN.
That's about when the door on the Semi's kicked open, the leader of the Mad Gear Gang .. first apologizing to the truck. "No hard feelings. I have an entrance to make!" And slipping out both Wakizashi, one of them he needed replaced due to a THEFT from SHINGO. Such a dirty little kid... well no use crying over REVENGE he will get later.
"CHINA TOWN! I HAVE COME TO CLAIM YOUR RICHES! FOR I AM JAPANESE!" His blades flash in the air, Mad Gear Gang thugs beginning to file around him and behind him in an unorganized blob.
"AND YOU WILL TASTE MIGHT FOR THE ACTIONS OF THE PAST!" Chinatown =/= China but you just explain that to Katana.
"Mad Gear Gang! Look everything, leave not a basked still weaved! I don't care if it won't rip, tear it apart with your hands.. UNWEAVE IT! HAIIIII CHOOOOOOOO HAROOOOO!" He points a wakizashi towards the stores in the marketplace. "TAKE IT ALL!"
The last person to leave the semi, is a young man with a long green coat the sweeps back and forth lightly in the wind even as he casually strolls out of the semi, giving a slight hop as he comes to the end to land upon the ground solidly. He does not seem to be paying particular attention to what is going on. Instead, within one large gloved hand he holds a small state-of-the-art laptop and the other hand dances across the keys at an alarming rate. Within his reflected sunglasses one can see the numbers appear, the windows popping up and disapearing in a dazzling display. One could only wonder if he could truly read what they say before they vanish.
"You heard the boss," he speaks up to the rest of the gang, not looking up until he finishes that quick supporting comment, "It's time to let loose and show this town how Mad Gear parties! Chinatown is ours this night. Take whatever you want!" His translation of the orders seems less 'destroy' and more 'enjoy yourselves', but it hardly contrasts. And it seems he is only speaking up in order to send the other thugs off. For once they are gone he turns on his heel and looks up to the much taller 'samurai' boss of his. He peers up with a large, slick smile before lifting the hand that had once been typing and pointing at a small almost unnoticable shop, "That's the place that said they had the authentic 1500's tantou that was once owned by Mitsuhide Akechi's second nephew on their website." Apparently their purpose here isn't quite as random as it might appear.
Considering Hotaru is pretty much obsessed with all things Chinese, in spite clearly being a native of Japan herself, it's not a big surprise that she spends a lot of time in this section of Southtown. Dressed in her usual pristine white trousers and blouse with accompanying Chinese-styled regal blue vest, the girl often passes through Chinatown after school is out in order to get some food, play some engaging games of King of the Hill with the workers getting off their jobs too, or, on occasion, quelling trouble makers.
With her signiture pig-tails and vibrant red hair ribbons, it's pretty easy to pick the minor celebrity out from most crowds, even if she is rather small. Before the big rig tore into this district, she was enjoying a nice bowl of noodles at a street-side foodstand, minding her own business, carrying on a friendly conversation with the old woman who runs the joint behind the counter.
"...may be true that children are expressing themselves more violently these days," the girl comments, folding her legs as she sits atop the tall stool, "But that's no reason to with hold martial arts training from them. If anything, an art taught properly will provide them with discipline and self-control, and actually reduce the frequency of random violent fights. But they have to be taught /properly/," she emphasizes. "Not any of those senseless-"
The rest of her friendly chat goes unheard, the sounds of the mighty truck rounding the corner, slamming through anything too fragile to withstand its destructive power. Already horns are blaring, people are yelling, women screaming - the whole neighborhood is a great big mess. Way to go, Mad Gear! Yesh! Hotaru recognizes the truck, of course. It ran over her laundry just last week. How could she forget that? "Him again," the girl frowns, lowering the bowl to the stand, the woman she was conversing with having already ducked behind the counter for shelter.
Screeching tires and bellowing gang members can mean only one thing.
Mad Gear is in town.
A bucket of fish clatters to the sidewalk as youthful hands lose their grip. The sound of an all too familiar man's bellowing voice, echoing from within his mighty helm immediately takes him back. The boasting words, the agony of a blade in his flesh.
Some might run in fear, knowing full well what that challenge means for anyone who stands up to them. But no. Not THIS boy. Not this time.
Kentou turns on his heel, whipping his apron from his front in a single smooth motion. White delivery uniform cap yanked from his head with his long braids tumbling after. Thin lips pressed tightly together as he exhales stiffly through flared nostrils.
Oh no. They did NOT just come to Chinatown to start something. Nobody messes with the tight families, the tight communities here.
Mothers and daughters fleeing. Fathers and sons locking up shops and boarding windows as quickly as they are able. Anarchy and chaos breaks out in moments at the hint of gang violence.
What sort of man would Kentou be to let this transpire on his home turf? .... If.. If he was a man yet. That is. He wouldn't. He means.
Aw the heck with it!
The youth trots forth, winding through the alleyway from his obscure delivery, racing out into the middle of the street and towards the unfolding legion of hooligans pouring out of that truck like some kind of demented Nippon Cumm Americana Clown Car.
"HUT! HA!" The youth leaps and wheels through the air, neatly clobbering one passing goon upside the head. Landing smoothly and double-punching another in the mid-section, sending him down to the ground in a heap.
Kentou realizes striking at these goons is meaningless. If this assault upon his hometurf is to end.. The head of the snake needs to be ripped clean off!
Although, as the youth then sees the mammoth Faux-Shogun and his rather calculating looking aide.. Well, only then is his resolve tested. Kentou ... isn't certain if he can beat that goliath, considering the terrible beating he took last time. Even being ready for him this time may not make much of a difference but.. He won't back down! Not here!
"HEY! You take a wrong-turn to the Otaku convention again pal?!" The boy boasts challengingly. Apparently revealing what 'gang' he was a 'part' of to the invading barbarian.
COMBATSYS: Katana has started a fight here.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kentou has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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|-------\-------\0 Kentou
COMBATSYS: Stray has joined the fight here.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
COMBATSYS: Stray has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
As the Mad Gear Gang move forwards, Katana brings the wakizashi up, holding them in his hands, his mask staring out and his proclamation 'DEATH' on the front of his shirt, even if it's miswritten. It still has the meaning, to him.
And as Stray speaks up, Katana turns to him. "Now that's what I like to hear. Right in there? Then JAPAN WILL HAVE WHAT WAS RIGHTFULLY JAPAN'S! Mad Gear shall claim that weapon by the end of the night!" And when he begins to move forwards, sandals slapping against the cement as his sock wearing feet are still pretty large .. well, he doesn't see any opposition either. Not really any at all!
"Hahahah! They have all retreated from us, Stray. Such an easy victory almost bother my Samurai blood. I was half expecting a battle, something that I would have craved. But there is nothing at all!" He doesn't notice Hotaru, and the Samurai begins forwards as the Mad Gear Gang spreads out all over China Town. They'll be taking care of things alright. But he doesn't need to watch. He trusts them.
That's about when something catches his eye. A young boy heading through the alleyway and racing TOWARDS Katana and the masses. The young wheels into the air and takes out a goon, another collapsing afterwards from the strike. But they fall fast, they still give, or perhaps get, Katana's attention. The boy from before. The same insult. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO GANG .. only some woman who helped his men. Oh and locked him into an agreement, at least he could use the money. For Mad Gear of Course. "YOU!" The Shogun bellows out towards Kentou. "I spared you before .. but now... Your actions against the Mad Gear Shogun will not stand! You will taste my steel!" The Mad Gear Shogun gets into position, weapons being held up as he readies himself. "I .. WILL SHOW YOU MY SPIRIT! The Ancestors tell me of your trickery! And today, this is when you will fall boy! KAAAAIIIIIIHAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
He's focusing all right, focusing to make sure the boy turns into nicely cut pieces when he's done with him! "Stray! Take care of the boy! I'll deal with him soon enough! Show him no mercy! He has already shown himself to be a problem to Mad Gear!"
COMBATSYS: Katana focuses on his next action.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
To see a 16-year old boy suddenly race up to the gang and boast like that is something that causes Stray's eyebrows to lift a bit in surprise. Actually, the boy reminds him a little of himself back in the days that Mad Gear took over the city. Of course, he wasn't there to fight them-- oh, no, he wanted to /join/ them. He remembers the severe beating he got out of it too.
He gives a light smirk at that bitter memory, closing his laptop with one hand and then slipping the hand behind himself to place it back into the truck. He needs not be concerned about it being stolen or something by his own gang, after all. He speaks up, addressing the boy, "Listen, kid, I got no problem with you..." His footsteps begin to slowly approach the young boy as he comes close, one hand stretching out to his side sweeping the area while the other reaches down to his pocket. As he keeps talking he starts slipping from his usual intellectual nerdy tone into one that he feels is more likely to be suitable to the audience, "And, really, my policy is 24/7 recruitment... But, you see, da boss here... he ain' like that. And me and him got some biz'niz to attend to right now, ya hear?" Of course as 'street' as he tries to sound, it kind of gets ruined as a small black cat climbs out of the pocket on the side of his outstretched arm and climbs up to sit upon his straightened shoulder.
Pulling the object from his pocket as he nears the boy, it turns out to be some kind of business card. Indeed, it has the Mad Gear symbol on one side in a very nice graphic art design and on the other side is his contact information. He flicks it towards the boy, sending it up into the air so that it slowly floats down in front of the boy's face, while subtly shifting his feet, getting ready to move if the boy should be foolish enough to try striking back. "So, dawg, join the party tonight and give me a holla' in the morn'." As hard as he tries, there is just something a bit unnatural to hear him speaking this way, it is clear that he is trying all too hard.
COMBATSYS: Stray focuses on his next action.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
Frozen on her stool for a long moment, Hotaru just stares at the giant truck, the mob of Mad Gear pouring out, causing havoc and mayhem in all directions. Chaos reigns tonight, driven through the streets at the hands of no good thugs, crooks, and miscreants. An able fighter. Exceptional, some might say. But not crazy. Hotaru isn't going to single handledly go attack the leader of Mad Gear in a bid to get them to go away. Even though she might have done very well against him previously, he might not leave it as simple as a one verses one fight were she to show up on his radar again, and she's pretty sure she can't take on all of 'em. Best to wait for law enforcement to arrive and back them up if necessary...
Or wait for Kentou to take charge, fearlessly barreling through a couple of Gears in order to challenge the Japanese gibberish spouting Shogun of their ragtag army. Eyes widen a little as she hears the boy's voice mocking the masked warrior with perceived impunity. "K-Kentou..." What's a kid like him doing trying to take them all down at the same time? Doesn't he have any idea what would happen if they get their hands on him?
Now she has no choice but to get involved. Sliding down to her soft shoe clad feet, the young Kenpo artist shifts from standing to sprinting incredibly fast in an instant, becoming a blue and white blur as she speeds straight for the gang leader. Must get there before he skewers the boy with those sharp blades of his! When she slides to a sudden stop, Hotaru is between Katana and Kentou, though Stray is much closer to the thirteen year old boy than she is, the girl not having noticed him before.
"Don't hurt him!" Hotaru pleads, "Come on, Kentou, let's get out of here. We can go get help!" She tries to swallow the fair amount of very rational fear she feels right about now, hoping to be able to get them both out of this mess without either getting hurt!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
The boy pauses in his approach after issuing his challenge. Breath heaving from his throat, wide eyes staring at the mighty conqueror with uncertain defiance. The youth knew his last-minute trickery to evade his execution.. or worse, conscription!.. would end up cheesing off this behemoth. The bellowed orders on his head earn a twitch in the corner of the kid's hard grimace. No going back now!
The youth seems to stand alone in the middle of the street.. the image completely ludicrous with the tiny thing standing amidst a horde of brawlers and thugs twice to three times his size. He'd love to make some witty comment or sarcastic asside but.. well, truth be told he's saving his breath for gathering his courage and the fight soon to come.
In.. actuality its a 13 year old boy. But hey! Kentou will take what inadvertant compliments he can get!
The youth listens to the Mad Shogun scream his orders and the youth swallows heartily. His feet shifting in his stance but not backing away, not so much as an inch!
As this new part of the equation strolls forth, Kentou turns his wide gaze upon him. Inwardly feeling.. somewhat relieved that the hulking pseudo-samurai isn't charging forth himself. Of course, the boy is certain this fellow must be strong if this Shogun orders him personally!
The shorter fighter squares his stance up with this new arrival and regards him solemnly. Lifting his fists as he listens carefully to what this gangster has to say.. Eyes focusing then on the hand as it goes into that mysterious jacket pocket. Only then does the boy take a step back.. Remembering that these gangy types don't fight fair. Startling at the emergence of the kitty but holding his stance rock-steady. Startling AGAIN as that .. card is tossed at his feet?
Brown eyes flicking briefly to the card then back up again as the youth then speaks an incredibly profound, and amazingly witty one-liner that should belong in every action movie for the rest of time.
"I have.... No idea.. what you just said.." Kentou murmurs slowly. o.o
However, at the familiar voice the boy's heart alights. Gasping once as he looks past Stray to Hotaru! Seeing her bound onto the scene summons elation within him as the boy laughs once! "HA! Hotaru! HA!" GRINNING then to Katana as the boy boasts, "You are -SO- dead buddy!"
In his estimation, this battle just became totally fair!
Turning his fists to Stray once more he gives a counter-offer, "You better listen to the girl! You better go run and get help while you can!"
Actually she meant.. the .. otherway.. ohwell. Not like he can hear very well over the hooting and hollering.
COMBATSYS: Kentou takes no action.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
Already ready, Katana is making sure that the boy has .. a small chance, if any, to take care of them. There might not be exactly a good chance that this single boy, whom fell to Katana so easily, is really a threat. But all are a threat. Especially when they are fighting for something that matters to them. And as the Mad Gear Shogun is ready, ... and then looks over to Stray as he puts on the street accent. His eyes behind the mask .. look on in a bit of confusion, but to see the boy get a recruitment policy. "Hahah! Yes! That is right, you may join us and I will spare you the pain of last time! So what will it be, child!? WILL YOU BECOME ONE OF THE GANG, OR WI-"
HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER.
That's about when he starts moving towards Kentou. The second step and then BOOM. Someone appears. And it's Hotaru, who pleads to Katana. She tells him to leave. She tells him to escape. And what does the Mad Gear Gang Shogun have in response.. "You ... you as well, would not surrender your belongings.. two of you in the same area... Hahhaha my luck is turning around! Neither of you are going to leave here!" Katana strikes the blades together.
"I don't think she was talking about us, kid. A true Samurai.. will never run! But they will charge into battle, without a hint of care for themselves, but would do all they could for victory!" The gigantic football like Samurai, with a 'helmet' mask and that jersey like shirt is covered much in armor, like he was before, and he doesn't seem to be pulling back. The sandal pushing forwards once more. "... And it looks like she almost learned her lesson to never get involved!"
"But she forgot to listen to me instead of just remembering it!" The sound of sandals hitting the ground is present as Katana makes a rush towards Hotaru, his blades flashing through the air as the rush is quick for such a sized man, already having steeled himself, Hotaru may not have the luck she had before!
Because half way through the rush his entire body lunges, the wakizashi's sliding forth, attempting to catch Hotaru with one and then the other, heavy, sliding thrusts, to scrape along the girl's body.
"JIGOKU SCRAPE!"
It certainly wouldn't be too enjoyable for the girl. "YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE!"
The boy... doesn't understand? Did Stray listen to all that rap music for... for NOTHING?!! Well, he would have been willing to let the boy be, yelling or not. He isn't one to needlessly beat up little children, even loud ones. However, as events unfold he sees that he may have little choice right now. Although he would not take the miko to be much of a threat, especially since she is advocating running away. But then Katana had to go and start an unnecessary fight... again.
And so Stray springs into action... literally! It seems the cat must have known what was coming because it hops off its owner's shoulder right as his feet leave the ground. His body sails through the air, his hands coming down... not to put the claws into the kid, but rather to grab him by the shoulders as the much larger and heavier man throws his whole body weight and momentum to tackle the kid face-first into the ground. As he 'pounces' the boy he tells him in a rushed voice, "Stay down kid, and I might reach your girlfriend in time for her to live." Its not his most deadly move, probably won't draw blood, but he only means to strike fast and hard enough so that Kentou won't be able to bother them later.
And what does he mean by that? Well, simply that his boss has a temper and is armed with a sharp and nasty sword. Perhaps if he can help take her down, perhaps he can calm Katana down before the miko is shredded like a fine cheese. After all, that wouldn't be good for recruiting efforts at all!
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Hotaru with Jigoku Scrape.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
The tirade of the gangleader is not lost on the girl, but either is Kentou's misinterpretation of her call to run for it. Wait. No. She wasn't suggesting that they fight these two. Katana alone was trouble, but he has a lieutenant at his side this time that looks like he needs to be taken seriously too. "Wait, but-" she starts to protest, hands coming up to wave rapidly, desperately hoping to diffuse the building nightmare before it gets any worse. If she can stall for a bit, surely authorities will get here before anything too terrible happens after all.
But Katana will have none of that, charging at her with incredible speed this time - moving faster than she even rememebered him being able to attack before, his twin blades stabbing out toward her. Though Hotaru tries to evade the attack by turning sideways like last time, it seems he's on to her tricks this time around, both weapons scraping against her, leaving tears in her vest and shirt, along the front of her stomach and her lower back. "Ow!" The thin red lines that appear at both of points of impact make it clear she didn't slip past him this time. But at least she wasn't skewered. "Too scared to fight me hand to hand, I take it!" the Kenpo artist hisses back, perhaps just hoping to throw the Mad Gear leader off his game a little. Every little bit might help!
Being struck so does stagger her a little, but Hotaru believes it has put Katana in just the right position for her to retaliate as well, both hands reaching out to grab hold of his extended arms, biting back the pain of his successful strike. If she can get a grip, and manages to keep from being tossed around for her trouble, she'll use the leverage to deliver a rapid sequence of vicious stomps right up the front of the tall man just so that she can leap off of his shoulders in the end into a backflip intended to buy her a little bit of distance.
COMBATSYS: Stray successfully hits Kentou with Pounce.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kentou
Kentou was beginning to feel pretty smug about this fight! Hotaru's so good, together they can easily smash these two goons and make extremely short work of their invading posse. Tie them all up in one gigantic bow like he saw in that one show once, and presto! Chinatown saved!
At least, thats how it went in Kentou's head.
Lets review what happened in reality!
As the boy faces this new underling squarely, he resolves to at least delay this jibberish speaking weirdo long enough for Hotaru to beat the fudge out of that backward jibberish speaking barbarian. ... Mad Gear seems to have a reoccuring theme..
Instead, the boy's smile is completely erased off of his face as the rushing monster viscerally rakes his terrible blades over his ally. Seeing the girl bodily thrown into the air from the vicious attack. A horrific sight brought home as a few droplets of blood splatter on his cheek from the attack. A moment later the boy yells, "HOTARU!!" Leaving his stance as he begins to move towards her..
..Which is when his real opponent kindly grabs his shoulders and -SMASHES- the boy into the ground like a limp ragdoll. The air smashed from his lungs as his face rams into the crumbled asphalt. Limbs akimbo at his sides as he didn't take that fall at all well.
The youth takes this moment to listen to Stray's words. He'd bark out something to the effect of not having a girlfriend.. if he had air in his lungs.
Oh.. Kentou is sure this guy would take great care of Hotaru. Yeah. Right. Over his dead body!
The boy grunts with effort as he works on improving his luck. Whilst still prone, the boy swings his foot out in a sweeping arc sideways, attempting to lash this Cat Fighter's feet out from under him and use that spinning momentum to kip up to his feet in a single smooth movement!
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to interrupt Shin-Jou Tai from Hotaru with Light Kick.
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Katana 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kentou
As Hotaru goes to protest, nothing will be held back! And Hotaru is slashed by the blades. And standing close, Katana is pleased with himself alright. "Too scared? No! I, Shogun of the Mad Gear Gang, refuse to believe that I need a weapon to deal with you! Ahahahah! I will fight you in the way I am best able!" But, of course, Hotaru wishes to get him off his game.
This is about when Hotaru reaches out to grab his extended arms, and tries to leap up on Katana, before stomping onto him, before leaping off the man and launching him back. But as he falls backs, he kicks a foot upwards towards Hotaru!
But things do not work so well, as Hotaru is too quick for him. And it ends up with Katana slamming into the the ground, his body collapsing as he pulls himself to his feet.
"Hahahah.. so you have some fight after all! I expect this from you .. but can you keep it up? The Shogun of Mad Gear Demands to know!" His blades coming up again.
COMBATSYS: Kentou successfully hits Stray with Light Kick.
Glancing Blow
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Katana 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kentou
The cat fighter really had expected his prey to stay down. He had this whole thing planned out in his mind. He'd knock the boy down and then rush the priestess from behind to quickly end her struggles. It was all going to work out perfectly, it was a great strategy! And then the boy had to ruin it by getting back up.
Well, Stray wouldn't have been much of a strategist without a contigency plan. And he had one too! When the boy struggles back to his feet and sticks out that foot, Stray leaps into the air high above the boy! Unfortunately, he misjudged how fast the boy could get up and does indeed take a quick kick to the shins... of course, his shins are covered with big metal plates, so while it stings a bit the blow was not as bad as it could have been.
And then Stray descends to the ground, not in a light-footed, quick landing... No, playing nice with the boy is now over. Stray comes back down like a predator coming in for the kill. His spiked knuckles risen high into the air above his head, as he comes down he brings them together and down, driving all his momentum behind the big spiked claws and moving his arms outward to tear viciously at the boy. Yes, indeed, Stray is aiming to HURT now.
Hotaru lands after her daring backflip, feet sliding along the ground a yard or so before finding traction again, arms already raised in preparation. She saw that attempt to strike her mid-air with his foot, but this time the girl managed to best the much larger opponent. Whew.
But she doesn't lay off the pressure then. And even as he starts to push himself back to his feet, the agile Kenpo artist is already blitzing back toward him, attempting to hop up and latch her hands onto his neck while spinning around to get behind him. If she can pull it off, it'll put her in a position to wrench his head back a little, her feet dug into his back, her entire body in a very difficult position to retaliate at. It all depends on how flexible Katana is!
COMBATSYS: Kentou interrupts Aerial Slash from Stray with Tekkoudan.
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Katana 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Kentou
Woop! The boy gasps for air as his gambit succeeds. On his feet once more, Kentou's stance locks into place as his fists whirl in a tight sequence before held aloft and rigid. He can hear the sounds of battle raging off to the side.. but as much concern as he feels for Hotaru right now, he can't worry about it! The fighter needs to focus on the here and now.. Especially as this cat has stopped playing around!
The boy's eyes dart skyward at the descending opponent. No time to think, no time to breath. Only react.
The youth hops back a step before -leaping- forth again. The mouse has a few tricks up his sleeve when backed into a corner. To those looking outside the battle, the fight seems in fast motion.. the two working on a different level of speed and agility entirely!
The boy intercepts the decending feline in mid-air, slamming both fists directly between his decending spiked arms. Slashing his shoulders but solidly connecting and likely launching his opponent right back up into the air like a vertically spiked volleyball!
"TEKKOUDAN!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Quick Throw.
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Katana 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Kentou
As Hotaru lands, feet sliding off the ground and everything, she latches her hands into Katana's neck, and as she spins around behind Katana, Katana raising his blades.. what will he do? Her entire body is going to dig into his back.. His choices.. he stays through it, trying to use it to his advantage!
But it ends up failing, and he's tossed to the ground. Slamming, Katana pulls himself back, up to his feet, and doesn't even have the time to speak to Hotaru before he's in motion once more.
"Hoooo---HARO! HI!" His blades flash in a quick slash about himself where Hotaru was, attempting to cut into her! But she could be long gone before then!
The first thing that Stray realizes before he fully understands what is going on is that the ground is suddenly not moving towards him like it should be, but instead it is moving... away?!! It is only after realizing this does he feel the stinging sensation in his arms. Being fairly adept at moving in the air, for this cat, like many, most often lands on his feet, he is not entirely taken out of the game with this move.
Instead he braces himself and places one hand behind his back and crouches his feet down. And then they impact something... yes, but he expected this. Against the shop wall he stands, seemingly defying gravity for just that split second. And then his powerful legs fire out behind him, pushing with all his might against that wall.&r And, as though he'd been fired from a real canon, he descends upon the boy once again. His claws held out in front of him, his body stretched out like a cougar leaping across a gorge. Considering how well the boy dealt with the last aerial attack, this may not have been the best move... but Stray is counting on the boy not quite expecting to have the man flying at him again so quickly.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Medium Strike.
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Katana 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Kentou
Quick like a bunny! The moment Katana goes to the ground, Hotaru has to book it. Staying right next to the crazy man with the sharpness when he gets back up is /not/ a stellar idea. Leaping backward in the nick of time, his weapons slice through the air, missing her by a fraction of an inch, Hotaru's feet coming down as she backsteps rapidly before coming to a stop.
The girl looks at the masked warrior with an intense expression, realizing that dashing in and out on him is really taking a major chance. But she can't just keep hopping away from him either. If she turned and ran for it, that would leave Kentou behind with the both of them, and then the poor kid would just be in for a world of misery.
She spares the exchange of attacks between Stray and Kentou briefly, but she has to leave the thirteen year old to his own for right now, unless he wants to trade her for the armored titan sized man. "Oof. What is it with you guys, anyway? Haven't you thought about settling down nicely in some park somewhere and just hanging out? I mean, you've already got the trailor..."
And with that, Hotaru charges forward again, taking to the air in order to deliver a jump kick that never comes... because she just waits until she lands in a sliding kick, aiming to take Katana's feet out from under him. With large opponents like him, knocking them down repeatedly is a great way to wear them out fast. "Ya!"
COMBATSYS: Kentou endures Stray's Leaping Punch.
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Katana 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kentou
Kentou's technique strikes true, watching his opponent sail away with some measure of satisfaction as he hops a few steps forward in the aftermath of his blow. Recovering quickly as his eyes never leave his enemy.. But even he can't help but marvel with surprise at how easily this nimble figure lands and vaults off the wall with incredible fluidity. Jaw slacking a bit as his eyes widen..
..Oh, wait, he's vaulting this way..
No time to move, too fast! In an instant Kentou makes a split-second decision as he braces himself.
..Ooooh this is gunna hurt..
The youth accepts that leaping strike full-on. Feeling those claws -rake- across his chest, he grits his teeth in the pain but holds his footing. Sliiiiiiiiding back as he lets the taller young man collide against him, but does not topple! Acting like a particularly painful roadblock, the youth then launches his assault at point blank! Fists becoming lost in a blur of movement as Kentou's voice rises into a tiny roar! "FUUHAKEN!"
Unleashing that torrent of blurring punches, hopefully before the cat-warrior has time to leap away!
COMBATSYS: Katana counters Light Kick from Hotaru with Shiraha Catch.
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Katana 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Kentou
Well Hotaru may be quick like a bunny, but Katana is going to have to catch him some rabbits! And as Hotaru charges forth, straight towards Katana, the masked man looks up.. and then she comes down? She slides, trying to take out Katana's feet, and tries to knock down Katana!
This is .. an odd way to do it, but Katana bends forwards, grasping with his hands towards the foot as Hotaru slides towards him, leaving him rather open if he fails.. but the Shogun never PLANS on failure!
And he doesn't get it, either, because as Hotaru slams her foot right between the hands, the Shogun grabs it and drags Hotaru against the ground farther than she had planned to slide, her body being jerked upwards afterwards, leg torqued before being tossed towards the side of the Chinese building, "Hahahaha! Have you learned nothing? Or do you plan to make this simple for the Shogun of Mad Gear?!"
Oh, he's really believing he's got her now!
COMBATSYS: Stray blocks Kentou's Fuuhaken.
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Katana 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Kentou
Yes!! The blow landed, landed hard! Stray's feet finally touch the ground once again, sweatdrops rolling down from under his scraggly hair. This boy is putting up much more of a fight than he expected. How is a 13-year old still standing after that?...
And then the boy's hands start to glow. The glow reflected in Stray's sunglasses. He can't help but think to himself 'not another of THOSE types'. Yes, those ones with the mystical chi abilities that he never quite managed to learn to pull off. His hands fly up before his face and he ducks down enough to let the energy flow over him. Honestly, he'd expected that to hurt... a lot more. Instead it didn't really hurt much at all. The boy would have been just as well off to have slapped him.
Lowering his arms and feeling quite a bit more confident after that, Stray moves in rather casually, taking a low, fast punch at the boy. "Just give up, kid!" he tells him in an annoyed voice, "You got moves, but you aren't ready to hang with us."
Erk. The moment he doesn't fall for her leaping feint, Hotaru realizes she's in trouble, Katana's hands clapping down to snag hold of her leg by the ankle, completely stopping her attack short. Arms flail rapidly, trying to get a hold on anything as he drags her along the cement. It's kind of rough, but that's hardly the worst of things the young fighter has had to deal with before. And she might even be able to kick her way free- But then there's the twist of her leg, eliciting a sharp yipe! of pain before he spins her around, letting the Kenpo artist fly against the wall to his side where she slowly slides down to the ground.
She's only down for a moment though, rising back up to her feet, using the wall behind her for support with one hand as she grits her teeth, eyes on Katana. Her leg hurts, but not too bad. He might've underestimated just how flexible she is. She was able to fair a lot better at avoiding him last time they fought, but he seems to be wise to her now.
"What did you come here for, anyway? What's this place done to you?" she snaps, pushing off from the wall to lend speed to her next assault, the girl leaping into the air -again-, this time trying to carry herself high enough to plant her small hands atop those large shoulder pads of his. Should be an easy target, right? If she can get there, she'll spin around, swing down with a kick to the back of his armored head before sliding down to his arm in an attempt to wrap herself around it and wrench it back behind him by pressing her legs against his chest for leverage. "Hah!"
COMBATSYS: Kentou blocks Stray's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Katana 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Kentou
Kentou's fists, while blindingly fast, alas have no glowy bits to them. Still! In the whirl of motion and chaos, one could say the boy's very burning spirit glows brightly! His passion for justice! His..
Aw heck, did that guy even flinch?!
The boy leans into the last bit of his flurried attacks. Breaking his storm of strikes with a stumbling step, hopping to the side awkwardly as his opponent simply readjusts his glasses.
Breathing hard, the youth finally regards his enemy as he stares up at him. Shaking fists held aloft defensively, "I'm.. Not... out of moves.. yet!"
The youth is then back on the offensive. Not backing down nor running away, perhaps in defiance of all logic. No! This is his home! His fate will be no different than his neighbor's!
With fast step of motion, the boy pushes off from the ground in a rush of movement, "HAAAAAA-HAH!" Fist shooting forth as fast as he can throw it, knowing full well how agile his opponent is.. squeezing out what speed he can manage to connect solidly!
COMBATSYS: Katana interrupts Ten Ranku-Tou from Hotaru with Tengu Walking.
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Katana 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Kentou
Once Hotaru leaps back to her feet, Katana is up already! But he's preparing for a different kind of strike! When she asks him, Katana only has the honor to answer! "Ahahahha! The Mad Gear Gang have come for a very special weapon.. and it is only right that the Mad Gear Shogun wields it, instead of having it stay within a museum! There is nothing that is more deserving than being wielded by a warrior such as I!"
And as Hotaru pants her hands against the shoulder pads, kicking the back of Katana.. he kicks off the ground, his legs already bent. But will it end in failure or success!?
Bracing his body, the Shogun kicks off the ground, and when she goes to wrap herself around Katana .. he's just not there! He flips over the girl, odd with his size, before the blades come out, holding him up in a blade stand.
Hotaru knows where this is going. And slamming blade after blade into the ground, Katana begins to catch up on Hotaru before slashing at her back and her legs with the blades, stabbing out.
"And there won't be a single girl in the way this time. This time, you fight the Shogun at the top of his game! Let's see what chance you have now! TENGU WALKING!"
Afterwards, he pushes back, landing on his feet.
And then braces himself, a momentary surge of energy bringing him out of his overexerted state. "I'm just getting started!"
COMBATSYS: Stray dodges Kentou's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Kentou
Well, if Kentou thought that putting the cat fighter into a fist fight was going to throw him off his game, he was sadly mistaken. After all, he does where big spikey things on his fists, one has to imagine he's pretty good with them. Stray doesn't seem to mind much that the quick punch was dodged, he has plenty more where that came from.
However, the cat fighter does have to admit that the boy can sure throw a flurry. The speed of those fists is amazing, truly impressive! One would surely think that one day this boy will be a grand World Warrior... one day. For as fast as Kentou is, Stray simply slides to the side, letting the boy pass by. His own fists then comes flying down, not the quickest punch but one that could be potentially nasty. For he builds up momentum before sending those spikes directly towards the boy's kidneys.
Once again, the Shogun swats Hotaru off like a gnat, driving the girl to the ground for her brazen attempt to take advantage of his size and stature and slip him into an armlock that might let her slow him down at last.
Vicious stabs with his weapons leave scrapes, cuts, and punctures in her legs and back as she stumbles away from Katana, dropping forward into a roll, coming up in a crouch a little distance from him, looking like she didn't weather that too well at all.
Time to change tactics, the girl muses, though going both high and low have been repelled... the last time she was able to fell him with a stern kick to the top of his helmet. Perhaps she can knock it sideways enough that he can't even see what's going on anymore. That'll teach him!
The purpose of his mission here isn't lost on the girl as she charges forward, leaping into the air, driving her heel down toward the top of his head. Some sword, huh? And all she wanted to do was have lunch. "KYA!"
COMBATSYS: Kentou blocks Stray's Hook Punch.
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Katana 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Kentou
Now or never!
The boy's fast punch sails clean by the Cat Warrior. His speed not quite a match for this Mad Gear's own agility. But.. Desperation proves the mother of invention.
The Youth's leap continues a little further than the punch would suggest. Spinning him about in the air as he pulls into a tight ball.. Arms held inward as he twirls and LANDS in a solid crouch. Just inside of that hooking punch.
The strike misses any precious internal organs, but the blades do slash painfully along the boy's shoulder, but he doesn't think about that. No thoughts go through his mind now save for concentrating on this one blow!
"TENCHIII!"
The boy -unleashes- all his stored kinetic force. Springing his entire body into the blow with enough force to kinetically crack the pavement beneath his feet. Rubble lifting into the air and actually rolling back in the wind as the boy's fist screams forth with incredible speed. A ring of force travels outwards upon the street in the aftermath of the surprising blow aimed straight for Stray's middle!
"SHUUEN!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has saved the state of this fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Katana 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Kentou
COMBATSYS: Katana interrupts Koushuu Da from Hotaru with Light Kick.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Stray 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Kentou
The mighty headstomp from Hotaru comes down, DOWN towards the Shogun. Infact, her feet slamming towards Katana's head spells doom to him under any other circumstances, but in the end, the Shogun would not have it happen like before! He was ready for Hotaru, his body relaxing as she comes down, but tightening up as he feels her land on him. And then.. that's when he goes into motion!
Flipping backwards after the heavy stomp, he begins to do the same act as he would with Tengu Walking, but instead of taking his blades out, his hands hit the ground, and his sandal wearing feet slam upwards, striking the courageous girl and launching her backwards! The pain.. it would pass, but not for Hotaru!
Flipping back once more, he would land on the cement ground of Chinatown, the street breaking his fall, as he holds the wakizashi up. "I am ready for any and all of your strikes! The Mad Gear Shogun will be the victor! Boko no bun kan! I am the best!"
He takes out .. a paper fan with a hand and fans it. Perhaps.. to taunt Hotaru!
COMBATSYS: Kentou successfully hits Stray with Tenchi Shuuen.
- Power hit! -
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Stray 1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0 Kentou
BAM!! Kentou's amazingly fast, killer strike... that which was passed down from his family honored tradition strikes full and true! The boy's fists is reached out past the head of the Mad Gear thug as the leafs slowly begin descending to the ground. The amazing, shockingly cool strike hit dead center, right on, there was no time for the larger man to even have moved his hands up to protect himself.
And for what may seem like a long moment, but only lasts a couple brief seconds one may well expect the thug to drop right there. Yes, surely one cannot expect him to... to...
Stray keeps his head turned slightly to the side, tilting his head one way and then the other, the air bubbles in his neck audible popping before he lets out a low, long, groan... which sounds far more annoyed than pained. As he turns his head back towards the young boy, a small crack can be seen on the edge of Stray's sunglasses. "You... little... brat..." he growls in a low, but furious tone before bringing his fist sailing back down at the boy.
Having tried to come in high enough to avoid his grabby hands, the girl hadn't anticipated the Mad Gear boss would be capable of such an acrobatic reaction to make up for the sharp angled heel kick. But Katana takes to the air in a backflip and ends up striking the smaller fighter with his kicking feet, knocking her right back the way she came.
This time the girl manages to recover in mid-air, landing nearly back where she started, over by the wall. The last time they fought she had been able to slip in enough attacks to wear him down even if it took a long while. But this time he's wise to pretty much everything she's thrown his way, dealing with her like one might an annoying fly, just striking her away every time she tries to get at him.
Leaning back to press her hand against the wall, the girl struggles to keep her balance for a moment, breathing hard. He might be trying to goad her into coming at him again, but it seems for right now he's pretty much convinced the girl that attacking him directly is a losing proposition.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Stray 1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0 Kentou
COMBATSYS: Kentou fails to interrupt Fierce Punch from Stray with Bakuretsu Tekkouken.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/----===/=======|
COMBATSYS: Kentou can no longer fight.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/----===/=======|
For a long moment, Kentou stands there utterly motionless. His fist connected to the taller Stray's midsection as the aftermath of the furious technique slowly settles about their feet.
For a long.. hopeful moment, the boy holds still.. Hoping beyond hope that the brutal impact was enough to send his opponent slowly sinking to the ground. Instead, Kentou's head snaps back as his eyes widen. Seeing the man more.. annoyed than hurt.
The youth only begins to press the assault even harder. Not willing to quit, not willing to stop. Gritting his teeth in a desperate bid to continue the punch just a little more..
WHAM.
Kentou's head recoils at the impact. His entire torso lunging to the side at the impact.. Twirling him about in place before -CRASHING- to the ground like a ragdoll.
Raw.. Pure bravado forces his fingers to sift through the rubble.. willing his arms to move. MAKING himself see through the pain.. even as the world swirls around him. But even he must obey his body when it refuses to cash the checks his determination writes. Arms waivering before collapsing fully to the ground once more. The fight finally beaten out of him.
As Hotaru comes down again, landing nearly back where she started and a little worse for wear, Katana seems to still be going strong.. to a point that is. And it's very true. With his might, the Shogun can cause all girls named Hotaru to FEAR HIS NAME! And respect it.
And as she begins to let herself recover.. Katana will have no such thing.
Holding the paper fan, he begins to fan himself with it. He stands there, fanning, a paper butterfly flying upwards from the draft. The other hand holding a wakizashi. And his eyes though.. are focused completely on Hotaru. Things begin to happen, and with a flick of the wrist, the butterfly floats up! Up and away!
That's when the driver starts the truck, and warms the engine up.
Katana, meanwhile, moves closer. Wakizashi's out, eyeing her defenses, trying to keep her attention. "Now, look upon death, such as my shirt says, and you will FEAR! AHahahah! CONO -HARO - CHA!" He steels himself!
And then he hears the smashing of a body into the ground, looking over to Stray. "Hah! One down .. and now the girl to go! Mad Gear won't fail this time! The spirits are with us today!"
COMBATSYS: Katana focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/----===/=======|
As the boy struggles back to his feet, Stray moves in for the approach anyway. He brings his fist back, ready to lay another hit down upon the boy who has so far refused to stay down. Of course, Kentou, perhaps wisely, collapses to the ground before that punch can come. The cat fighter looks down at the boy with a bit of a huff. Perhaps in a few years, once he goes through puberty, the boy has potential. But, tonight he has simply caused too much trouble.
Glancing back, Stray takes note of the young priestess resting against the wall. As he looks at her and then turns his attention back down to the boy upon the ground... a smile appears on his face. More of a smirk, actually. An evil, nasty, cruel smirk, the outward signs of an idea that only someone as unscrupulous as the Mad Gear Gang would be willing to pull off.
One of those clawed-gloved hands reaches down to yank limp boy's body off of the ground. The boy is reasonably heavy, as any human body is, and so it takes some exertion to lift him off the ground, even once both hands are into effect. "Hey, you wanted him?!!" he calls out to the Priestess, intending to get her attention before making his move. Once lifted he takes a few running steps forward before throwing all of his momentum and body weight, letting himself go down to the ground with the sheer force of this throw as he sends the boy hurling towards his would-be savior. Looking up from the ground, stray grins wickedly as he whispers in a voice far too low for anyone but himself to hear, "Take 'im."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Stray's Large Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/----===/=======|
Having a moment to catch her breath gives Hotaru all the time in the world to survey the circumstances of the brave, if perhaps naive kid who saw fit to test is strength against that which Mad Gear has brought into town by way of a frightening truck. Which means she is forced to watch as the kid gets punched out by the far more capable Lieutenant that Katana has a long tonight. Eyes widen a little and she looks like she wants to rush to the boy's aid.
Pushing herself off the wall, Hotaru slams her foot down on the side of a broken board lying in the street from when the big rig smashed through the rickshaw while pulling into the district. The board flips into the air with a rapid spinning motion before coming back down right in front of the determined girl who spins into it with a swift roundhouse... sending the board flying straight for Katana's head!
That out of the way, she starts off toward Stray as if afraid of what he might do to the battered youth. What she didn't expect was for him to send Kentou flying right back at her though. Special delivery, 1 scrappy kid, courtesy of Air Stray. "Yikes!" Leaning to the side as to avoid a direct collision, Hotaru snags a hold of Kentou's uniform by the collar before he flies completely past her, putting her own strength to use in stopping his trajectory toward the wall he would've hit.
Grunting, she lets him fall to the ground, her hand still on his collar, almost like she's holding him by the scruff of his neck. Wait, what was that blaring noise she just heard?
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/----===/=======|
As Hotaru slams the board forwards, Katana's intercepted straight on by it! The roundhouse sends the board right into Katana's head as he tries to dodge it, but to no avail! There's nothing he could do!
Slamming his head against the ground, the ceremonial mask almost cracked, Katana gasps. "You .. You DARE strike the Shogun's ceremonial mask!" He leaps to his feet, and then points a blade towards Hotaru. "I ... WILL NOW SHOW YOU NO MERCY!" The Shogun commands, and raises a wakizashi.
Wait .. what is he doing?
That's when that blaring noise comes again. The lights come also, focusing onto Hotaru. As well as a few tons of SEMI TRUCK come blaring through Chinatown, the engine already cooled up.. that projectile pushed back Katana, but that truck's not going to be all too effected by it!
And the Semi charges through, towards Hotaru, the driver trying to not make the same mistake again that he made before! "You've bothered me far too long! You and that boy! I think it'd be better if we got rid of both of you right here! Hahahhaha!" Katana's laughing .. and that truck is barrelling towards Hotaru at speeds that aren't safe at all.
She'd going to need to beat feet if she doesn't want to be Hotaru roadkill, or perhaps a fender decoration.
It blares the horn, loud and clear, the Mad Gear Semi truck just GOING THROUGH CHINA TOWN.
And maybe right into Hotaru and her passenger!
Stray slowly makes his way to his feet, feeling as though there is no particular reason he needs to hurry. Afterall, the boss surely has the priestess perfectly well in his power to take care of. He provided a quick distraction, that seems to him as though it should have been plenty to keep the tide of battle turned in their direction.
Even so, however, once to his feet he begins to slowly approach the Priestess with the wounded boy, stretching his hands out to the side as he calls out to her with a wide grin, "And this... THIS is why you don't mess with Mad Gear, Bae-by!"And that's when he hears the loud noise of the truck barreling into the scene. He has trouble believing that this is happening himself, having been on so few 'missions', his role is usually hacking into systems while hiding far from the line of fire.
But, yes... to his abject horror, the truck is barreling into the scene. Overkill for dealing with a small girl and a little boy? Well, yes, he believes it is... But more importantly, "Hey! Careful! My stuff is in there!" he shouts out to no avail. Well, at least he is getting a bit of a break.
COMBATSYS: Stray gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Run Your Ass Over.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/------=/=======|
She remembers how this goes. In /all/ of her life as a fighter, the girl has never had to deal with someone rolling their giant friggen truck into a battle in an effort to splatter her against the road. When the horn blares again, Hotaru's blue eyes widen with obvious fright as the headlights focus in on her and the boy she's got a hold of on the ground.
Fortunately, while the truck is massive, and almost nothing can slow it down, it can't turn all that sharply at the speed it's going either. Gritting her teeth, the pig-tailed target drags Kentou over the sidewalk at a sideways angle from the path of the truck, allowing it to go careening on by her, missing by just enough space to blow her hair sideways for a moment. "Whew!" she gasps, struggling to move Kentou along.
But now she's got a problem. The truck might have missed, but she's got two fighters left that are just as tough. Glancing back and forth between the practically prancing Katana and the grinning Stray, Hotaru decides to test just how tough the Shogun's sidekick is. If she can take one of them down, the odds of turning this into an escape seem reasonable. Especially since Kentou won't be /protesting/ her now!
Leaning forward, Hotaru sprints right back at Stray, leaping into the air and spinning into a pirouette that will let her kick out toward the gang member's chest with strong force. "Kya!"
As the truck blows by, Katana watches as Hotaru yet stays un-splattered against the road.
He will need to fix this personally. "So you have once again avoided the truck, woman. But you will not have a chance against both of us! The Mad Gear Gang is strong, and their might only grows with the numbers! I am ready for you, girl, and anything that you ha-" And that's when Hotaru leaps forwards, sprinting towards Stray and leaping into the air to spin into a pirouette against his ally .. and that's about when Katana isn't all too happy.
"You .. YOU ARE DENYING THE SHOGUN HIS BATTLE!? Stray is certainly capable, and a threat, but you should never turn away from me! The Mad Gear leader! Never forget this!" And then he charges towards Hotaru, the blades of the wakizashi whipping out towards the girl as she flies up above!
It's a passing ground slash, his feet slamming against the cement as he keeps pushing himself! "Now, all that needs to happen is for us to take care of you, and the sword will be ours! ... And everything else we can carry!" They aren't picky! "For the spirits have given us such a boon!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Stray with Light Kick.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Katana 0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Stray 1/-----==/=======|
Sometimes even the smartest of people are caught offguard by an unpredictable move. Since Hotaru had been focused on Katana thus far, he hadn't really expected her to come charging at him like that. As such he was busy just watching her, trying to figure out her moves when he realizes all too late that she is not making a wide pass for Katana, but instead coming towards him.
And so Stray reacts quickly... just not quite quickly enough. He leaps into the air, trying to put himself even above the incoming kick. He is a good jumper, but he underestimates Hotaru. And, in fact, the kick lands... onto his shinguards just like the earlier one that Kentou had thrown at him did.
In fact, as he comes down it is literally a mirror of his earlier action. His claws rises above his head and then come diving down at Hotaru as he drops towards her, the hands sweeping apart as though to stick into her and rip her torso right open with a sweeping vicious slash.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru parries Stray's Aerial Slash!
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Katana 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Medium Strike.
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Katana 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
Hotaru is an experienced fighter... when it comes to one on one battles. Her training in dealing with multiple opponents has been limited, and her fights that have involved such scenarios have never gone well at all. But sometimes when high stakes are on the line, adrenaline, and no small amount of fear, can sharpen one's timing, pushing oneself beyond prior limitations. Now that the small fighter is dealing with two strong opponents, the tables have certainly not turned her way...
Thus it is that she gets aggressive when Stray comes at her. Rather than hopping out of the way like a scared rabbit, the girl lunges into the clawed fighter, her own forearms coming up to brace against his wrists, stopping the slashing attack short and probably catching him a little offguard... Snapping her hands to take hold of his arms, she pulls with one arm and pushes with the other, trying to move him between her and Katana like a quick, makeshift shield.
Either way, the movement gets her out of the way of Katana's slash and the instant she releases Stray, the girl rolls her arm to her side, a vibrant, blue aura charging over her forearm, before she swiftly swings that arm forward, "YA!" A blue energy projectile goes flying toward Katana from right around Stray, making it harder to notice the attack coming until it might be too late! "Here's your battle, you giant jerk!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Hakki Shou EX.
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Katana 0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
And... once again this attack fails to connect. Perhaps Hotaru was watching what happened earlier and expected him to make that move? Well, whatever the reason, he doesn't go flying into the air this time. He merely gets turned around and pushed aside. He really doesn't know what happened at first, it is the familiar looming shadow of the much taller shogun behind him that tips him off to what happened.
He turns around quickly to face the charging Katana, whose strike it seems misses its target entirely due to not trying to hit the cat fighter. Although Katana is the leader, Stray shows he is the tactical guy. He makes a quick motion with his finger and a fast nod, the signal meaning 'you go right, I'll go left'.
The plan set in motion, Stray suddenly spins around, his green jacket lifting up and fluttering in the wind as he builds up momentum with his turn and sends the clawed fist directly towards Hotaru. Of course, as he turns and starts heading towards her the bright blue glow flashes across his glasses as the projectile soars past him at high speed towards the boss. All Stray can think as he goes barreling towards Hotaru is 'what the f*** was that?!!'
As the girls rolls to her side, a vibrant and blue aura charging over her forearm before it's launched forwards towards Katana, Katana tries to leap out of the way. Things .. don't go well. He leaps up, but then it strikes him head on into the body, and the Shogun collapses onto the ground. The pain, the pain!
But as a Samurai, such a thing will only slow him down. "Hahahha.. almost.. you have shown yourself to be strong.. but you are not strong enough! To think you have a chance yet. You will be defeated! .. But first.. I need to take a breather... just you wait!"
The Shogun of Mad Gear .. NEVER SAYS DIE. NEVER!
He just needs to get up again, his body nicely charred by the blast of energy. He'll get up soon... er or later.
Hopefully sooner!
COMBATSYS: Katana gains composure.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Stray's Hook Punch.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
Alas. Poor Stray. He had a good plan going. Sandwich the girl so that her evasive tactics become greatly stiffled, unable to veer right or left swiftly enough to avoid a well coordinated pair of attacks. But Katana decides to TAKE A NAP, leaving Stray on his own to try and strike the girl. Lowering her arm, the blue aura that had covered her arm melts back beneath her skin, fading away as if it hadn't been there.
But concentrating on delivering a painful chi blast to Katana doesn't mean she's completely out of it. When the clawed fighter comes at her this time, Hotaru veers... to the right! Where there's a wide opening thanks to Katana being too devastated to move into position in time, alas. "Che," the girl mutters as her quick steps take her away from the punch, "He's just a bunch of talk and a mask." she states as if speaking to herself, but her eyes are on Stray. "I'm not sure what you see in the guy."
The verbal jab aside, she darts forward again. At first thinking to aim low and sweep his legs out from under him, but those shin-guards make that less appealing. Thus it is she levels a quick snap kick toward Stray's stomach. "Kya!"
COMBATSYS: Stray dodges Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
Stray is slightly disapointed to feel his fist pass through midair. However, he is even more disapointed when he realizes that Katana didn't... well, couldn't, follow the plan he had laid out. So Hotaru manages to pass through the would-be joint attack unscathed. Stray quickly pulls his fist back as he realizes he may have to box this out like he did with the young boy, she seems far too slippery for bigger attacks.
He neatly slips back from her kick, letting it pass by him. He then rushes in, giving a quick punch with his closer fist towards the side of Hotaru's head, doing his best to get up close before she has a chance to pull her foot back. Of course, close quarters fighting isn't his forte at all-- but against such a smaller, faster opponet he realizes it may well be his best option.
As Hotaru asks what he is ... Katana .. HE COULD NOT TAKE IT LYING DOWN. Exploding upwards, Katana raises his weaponry towards the sky, Hotaru causing his ... HONOR to be so wounded, it feels like a stab to the heart. "How .. HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH! I, KATANA, SHOGUN OF THE MAD GEAR GANG. I ... give everything for them! Everything that I do is to further their lives and ideals, every battle I fight is filled with honor, to prove to them that I am their leader because of my drive to help them, and in the end, I do this so that they will see a better Mad Gear Gang ... Far better for anything that you will ever do, girl!"
Katana's wakizashi's clash together, his mask nearly burning with rage and the look that Katana gives the girl. "You .. How could you ever assume the Mad Gear Shogun is anything but one who will fight to the very end!" With his blades slashing outwards, Katana charges the girl once more! But less intelligent, more rushing straight towards her!
The slashes were quick as he runs towards her, but in th end, what's tossed is.. rather high unadvisable in the end.
His blades thrust forwards at the same time, a show of strength, not skill. "Never talk bad against the Mad Gear Shogun!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Stray's Light Punch.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Deep Strike.
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Katana 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
Stray coming in tight forces Hotaru to back peddle rapidly. Her attempts to distract him verbally appear to not have slowed him down in the slightest as he aggresses with an attack that proves to be much harder to avoid than his slower tactics. His clawed fist is avoided by Hotaru ducking him this time, his arm brushing past the top of her hair as she uses the lower position to slip around behind him...
Only to realize that she's incurred the wrath of an angry warlord! The mighty Shogun of Mad Gear flying in at her like something out of some old black and white Samurai movie... except with football jersey! Fortunately, he's charging with intent to slaughter but not paying a whole lot of attention. Making it easier for the girl to take to the air and this time... completely jump over him, landing on the other side, avoiding getting close enough for him to get a grip on her. Once there, she swings out with the palm of her hand toward his back, as if intending to send him toppling forward onto his face for being off balance. "Gotcha!"
COMBATSYS: Katana interrupts Quick Punch from Hotaru with Medium Strike.
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Katana 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
The second that Hotaru jumps over him, Katana is getting ready for her to responds.. and respond she does. The woman's tried it again and again, and this time, once more, Katana is all but ready for the strike. As she lands on the other side, swinging for his back, she had enough of a strike to cause Katana to slam backwards... but she'll notice his back is ready for it, and with her strike, his wakizashi's aren't far behind.
The blades slashes against the hand as he's sent forwards, cutting into Hotaru's body, perhaps drawing red lines on the arm as he's knocked away by the latest powerful strike. But he doesn't collapse, instead, the force knocking him away.
"I have already told you ... there is no chance for you to do anything but give in! The Mad Gear Gang will not fail, for the Ancestors have marked it upon the stars that our spirits and might is imprinted upon you! For I am Japanese... I cannot be defeated!"
He presses the blades against each other once more, looking on to Hotaru, the mask, crescent and everything, still staring back at her.
This girl is slippery! Stray assumes he connected with one of his fastest punches at first, only realizing when he feels the girl slip by and brush against his jacket that he in fact missed her. He slides his foot behind himself and spins around in a quick, fluid motion towards where Hotaru should be standing... only to see her leaping over Katana.
Well, he isn't going to try to attack with Katana in the way and so as he really hasn't a way to try to stop her from jumping on the boss. Of course, as Katana turns around and slams the charging girl with a powerful slash of his blade, he feels quite satisfied that the boss has the situation well in hand. This gives Stray time to prepare in case the momentium should shift again.
So, instead of pressing the attack for the moment, Stray crouches down a bit and takes the time to adjust his glasses and then his gloves one at a time. All the time watching how Hotaru moves, paying special attention to the way her body moves in the air and spotting the weaknesses in her defense. His head tilts just a little to the side as he watches, but slowly a smile spreads across his face as he thinks he sees a flaw he can exploit. "Ah... got'cha!" he whispers in a low, feral voice.
COMBATSYS: Stray focuses on his next action.
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Katana 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
The stab back with Katana's wakizashi manages to snag the girl, Hotaru having been certain that she had managed to out maneuver the much larger foe with her swift movements and rapid swing. But instead she gets caught taking the chance, the sharp end of his blade slicing along her arm before landing a shallow gouge against her stomach, shreading thin lines through her vest and white blouse, causing both to get stained by the wounds he's opened beneath them.
Hotaru staggers a little, eyes widening. She felt she was getting things under control with her rapid, evasive tactics, but now it seems like Katana is back to his usual tricks of stopping her short. And now she's starting to get a little panicked, her complexion paling as she glances back and forth between the two gang members. Stray is holding back for a moment, leaving the massive warrior in her direct line of sight.
A glance is cast toward the fallen Kentou but then her focus is back on the Mad Gear boss. It's now or never. She has to go all out. She has to beat him. When the girl goes from standing to attacking, it happens in a flash, a blur of blue and white, as Hotaru dives forward into a roll that brings her in low, toward his feet, where she hopes he can't catch her this time.
Coming out of the roll brings her into a powerful back flip, a large swath of chi trailing behind her legs as Hotaru tries to deliver her strongest setup Katana will have ever seen from her yet. "Tenshou..."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Ten-shou Ranki EX.
- Power hit! -
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Katana 1/--=====/=======|=------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|
The chi-laden flip kick has shattered through the defenses of many a powerful warrior in the past and unfortunately Katana proves to be no different. But the flip kick isn't the only thing, for as Hotaru reaches the apex of her momentum, she flips forward into a dive right back toward Katana with enough momentum to finish toppling the mighty Shogun to the ground, sliding him along on his back.
By the time they come to a stop, Hotaru is kneeling on top of the much larger foe, leaning forward, her palms pressed against his chest as if trying to give him CPR or something decidedly /less/ painful than what she's about to administer. It's impossible to miss the sudden surge of energy building up around the two, manifesting itself as a visible, swirling sphere of blue energy covered in forking, crackling yellow lightning. Pulling energy from the environment, herself, and from her unfortunate victim, Katana, Hotaru powers up the massive chi bomb. "oooooooOOOOOOOOOO!"
And then she can control it no further, and all she can do is allow all that energy to collapse back into her so that she can channel it down her arms, funneling them into Katana's chest in order to batter him with a massive influx of chi. There is an explosion of force, sending debris flying out from the two, and the sound of Hotaru sighing, exhausted, slumping forward just slightly to prop herself up with her hands, having poured everything she had into that attack.
Things don't always go so well. And as she comes out of the roll, Katana's not ready as she delivers the strongest move from her .. but then. She is not the only one capable of such. Far from it.
That's when the flip kick slams into Katana, and as he's grabbed mid flip kick, he's dived into, toppling him alright. And he's on the ground. Palms against him before the sudden surge of energy slams into Katana, ripping into Katana as it finally erupts into Katana's chest, and launching him against the wall.. and out of sight. It was rather strong.
But she would not hear the last of Katana. Or see the last of him. Staggering forwards, Katana looks towards Hotaru. His get up is trashed, so is his body, but the mask is mostly unhurt.. to a point. "You ... HAVE PUSHED ME THIS TIME. The Shogun of the Mad Gear Gang.. will not ... FALL!"
Charging forth, his body being forced every step, Katana attempts to slam the wakizashi's into the weakened body of Hotaru. "Now for the strongest assault of the Shogun of Mad Gear.. BEAR WITNESS. TEN!"
Attempting to slam them into her, if they stick, Katana isn't going to let Hotaru rest at all. His body will push him for everything he has, and the wakizashi stuck into Hotaru will drag her against the ground, the blades holding her down as he pushes her against the cement. The torment wouldn't be too enjoyable. "CHU!"
And nearing the end, she'd be tossed upwards, blades slashing through the air as hard and as fast as possible, Wakizashi ripping through the air before launching her finally upwards, the football samurai, of the sort, grabbing her in the air and then slamming down towards the ground with her in tow, and .. just crashing against the cement. "SATSU!"
If he does catch her, and they slam against the ground.. he's not getting up.
The pain is horrible, and it's masked by .. the mask. And his determination.
COMBATSYS: Katana can no longer fight.
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Hotaru
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Hotaru with Ten Chuu Satsu.
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Stray 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Hotaru
It seems that staying back is a choice that Stray will have to come to regret. For by the time he has a chance to rush in for an attack, it appears as though it is too late to make much of a difference. His foot slips just a little as he begins to charge when the bodies are rolling about. However, he just doesn't see an opening.
At least he doesn't see one until Katana sends Hotaru flying up into the air, soaring through the sky. Before he sees the boss fall, Stray is already springing into action. His legs bend and then he leaps up high, meeting up with Hotaru's body in midair.
He reaches high above his head before slamming his claws down hard, intending to impale and 'spike' Hotaru towards the ground even harder than she was going to land normally.
COMBATSYS: Stray successfully hits Hotaru with Aerial Slash.
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Stray 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Hotaru
All that effort into taking down the Mad Gear boss has left the girl spent of her strength. Even as she staggers up, it's clear that she's in no condition to play hard to catch with Katana anymore and his twin blades at last find their vicious mark, stabbing the girl good this time, eliciting a gasp of pain as she crumples forward against his weapons, the fight practically taken out of her by that strike alone.
What follows is just sealing the deal as Katana drags her along the ground and subsequently launches her into the air... lining the fragile fighter up for Stray's mid-air strike. His claws pierce through her vest, stabbing her just like Katana had moments before, driving the young girl to the ground with a cry of pain, "Ayya!"
Landing on her back, a bloody, cut up mess now, the girl coughs, rolling onto her side, her arms trembling as she pushes herself back up once more, getting to her feet as she turns toward Stray, not quite cognizant that her body no longer has the strength to go on. She toppled the mighty Mad Gear boss in the end, but there's no way she can finish this, is there?
The attack that comes for Stray is easy to read, but Hotaru is moving with what speed she has left, swinging out with her arms in order to land rapid, chi-imbued strikes intended to shatter Stray's own defenses if she can manage to catch him.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru can no longer fight.
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Stray 1/---====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Stray interrupts Sou-shou Tenrenge from Hotaru with Jab Punch.
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Stray 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
After landing and sending Hotaru to the ground with that hard slam, Stray had figured it was all over. In fact, after he landed on his feet, crouched down, he rises slowly and brings a hand up to slowly adjust his sunglasses. Yes, all is well that ends well... granted, Stray hadn't realized that the boss was down yet.
It is the sound of footsteps and the soft glow behind him that get his attention. He turns his head around casually to see the priestess dashing at him at full speed, the chi glowing brightly around her. However, as her image reflects in his sunglasses he does a quick assessment of her. He knows that his blow landed true... he knows that she has nothing left. And so?
Instead of actually trying to attack her back he merely sticks out one hand out in front of her face, pointing one claw towards her. It is all too casual of an action, all too arrogant too. For although that fist does indeed contact flesh and drop the Priestess with absolutely no trouble, he didn't at all account for the big, fat chi blast.
*HISSS!!* the chi washes over him causing him to give a loud yelp of pain and get knocked back several feet. He manages to land on two feet and a hand, loooking at the ground and breathing heavily. Slowly he takes time to take a long gaze around at his surroundings and assess the damage. It... doesn't look good. "Jack!! Hunter!!" he calls some of the thungs running around by name before motioning towards the badly beaten Katana, "Load the boss back up into the truck."
He turns away, only to turn his attention to another pair, "Billy!! Joe!!" he then motions towards Hotaru and Kentou, "Get them out of the street, tie them up... and leave them in the alley." Finally he turns towards the shop that he'd come here originally to raid. He doesn't look around him again, he already took into account who was in the area, "Mai!! Come with me... we have a dagger to get."
COMBATSYS: Stray has ended the fight here.
Log created on 22:45:36 09/05/2007 by Hotaru, and last modified on 14:29:33 09/07/2007.