Description: Katana isn't one to let a slight slide. He wants his VCR repaired and he wants it done /now/. Risking a second encounter with the 'manager' who so kindly escorted through the wall last time, the Mad Gear Shogun messes with Bernstein once again. Only this time, Rugal has to contend with his beefy friend too.
A quaint, inocuous three floor office building on the edge of the business district would hardly seem the place one would expect to find a powerful crimelord. And compared to the mighty aircraft carrier Rugal owns, floating patiently miles off shore, it is definitely doesn't seem like much. But appearances can be deceiving. After all, when Katana barged in here weeks ago depanding his VCR be repaired, he was escorted right back out through the wall by none other than the big man over the 'R' Organization.
The time now is late afternoon. The parking lot is mostly empty. But then again, it usually is. It's not like any legitimate business actually happens here after all. A few cars fill a couple of slots - they're pretty much always there. All part of the facade. In fact, the damage from Katana's last visit has all been covered over. The parking lot ruts and craters are gone. The whole in the wall patched up completely. The sign bearing 'Herald's Electronics and VCR Repair' flickering just fine and dandy in the slowly dimming dusk light.
Whatever really goes on in that building is anyone's guess. After all, the lobby looks like a reputable enough place. Let's just not worry too much what goes on on the other two floors...
Oh but not this time! Katana's coming back to get REVENGE on this VCR wounding scoundrel! The truck barrels through once more, and this time, stops infront of it in a skid. Nothing like before. And coming from the truck is the highly armored man, Katana, blades of the jitte he wields still flashing in the little light there is.
That's about when he tries to kick in the door to the building, to spread the doors wide open while he looks inside, perhaps even getting in without having the door shut on him! "I DEMAND TO SPEAK WITH YOUR MANAGER!" Katana bellows out, a VCR, broken, now in his hand. "He did not fix .. he TOTALLED IT! AND I WILL GET MY REVENGE ON HIM AND WHOEVER DID THAT!" Katana speaks out, before slamming it on the front desk.
"And you'll be lucky if you're not going to join them. My honor has been tarnished, and I will accept nothing less than a complete fix.. or else I'll have to regain my honor another way!" He motions to the jitte, one of them in his hand, before glancing back to whomever is at the front desk.
Even if there is no one.
Birdie couldn't give a damn. Not to the video tape, nor too the person who took it, but needing Katana's help always has a catch. And that's doing something for Katana. It's honor, it's trade for services. It's also pretty damn far out of the way. The titan seems out of place, reaching a dizzying height if he was to stand up.
Luckily, Birdie is bent over, more like an ogre or anything. Coming out of the truck behind Katana, the larger than life 'thug' seems to just stand behind Katana and let him do all the talking. He'll do.. well, something, and over here none the less.
He has to do something more important later, involving some hard to catch Metro City people. Still, he's just waiting for what Katana is howling about. This VCR place sure looks weird.
Probably because it wasn't one at all. Birdie wasn't paying attention anyways. "Bloody hell bloke." He just says in regards to Katana. Why doesn't he just buy a new one?
Katana's entrance is epic. Imperial, even. The proud Shogun demanding to be treated with dignity and self respect. To be honored by the lessor mortals that would impugn his honor. But at first glance there seems to be no one there at the desk after his door shattering arrival. At least, that's what it seems like at first. The voice of a man stammering nervously behind the workbench would be impossible to mistake.
It's Herald. The would-be VCR repairman. Cowering there, he hammers on a security alarm device clenched tightly in his hand. "Oh dear, oh dear. It's him again. What does he want. Why won't he go away. Why me, why me," the slightly balding, middle-aged fraud frets, his hands becoming sweaty as he prays for unholy intervention from this waking nightmare.
The rest of the building is quiet. Stooping to desperation, the man calls out from behind the workbench, "A-ah, office hours are between 9am and 3pm. I-I-I-'m afraid we're closed right now, my good sir, but I'm sure we can accommodate your needs tomorrow. C-customer satisfaction is our highest priority, of course! W-within reason..." Again and again he presses his thumb against the device that is supposed to signal an emergency situation at the remote 'R' outpost.
"This is a matter that transcends just jacking another one!" Katana says, before looking upon the man, balding, who happens to be rather afraid. HE SHOULD BE! With such abysmal service you'd think they'd lose more customers that way! "I refuse to come back when it is better for you!" The Shogun responds, his weaponry in his hands as he looks down upon the balding man. "And I refuse to leave until something has been done for it!" He certainly WON'T. He doesn't know about the help, but he does know the man's not doing it fast enough!
Stabbing the wakizashi against the desk.. hopefully it's wood, he looks upon the balding man. "You will stay here.. and the Shogun of mad Gear will have his service!" He holds onto the weapons just the same. "I found it to be lacking last time, unless you had changed it! Then I demand the new service!"
Looking back to Birdie, Katana nods. "You must show the shop who's boss! If they believe ever that the customer is never right, then you make sure that you are right through might! they have wronged me, and in doing so, have wronged my ancestors! My spirits! My ... " He forgets. Dead.. floating .. fire .. things?
"EVERYTHING! I will have service, and it will make up for my last one!"
Aislinn enters the downtown area from the business district.
Birdie still stands there, just being an ominous presence in the back of the room. A back up thug as one might imagine, to make sure that Katana's presence is doubly imposing.
He stands there, posing, arms folded at his chest as he looks towards the men sweating to try to keep Katana from hurting them over his VCR. It's enough to make Birdie break his Mr. T stance and actually grin a toothy grin at what's happening. The thuggery is a great thing to watch.
As they continue to try and shoo Katana away, Birdie's getting tired of this. It's not a really good thing to do, keep Katana waiting. Katana waiting is a bad, bad thing. Mainly because he's crazy. And preachy. Both.
Looking back to Katana, he just grins and nods. "Hah. Alright." Then he looks towards the people, telling Katana off. "Look, Blokes. Your here. Here's here. Just fix the bloody thing so we can get over this? Because I will break some heads if it comes down to it." Yeah, Birdie and violence are a great match.
Hiretsu enters the downtown area from the business district.
Of course, by now Herald looks petrified at the wildly gesticulating masked leader of Mad Gang. He never wanted to be in the front lines of the action. How do you think he got such a wussy, safe job like this working for 'R' anyway? "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a" He might be trying to say something. Or he might be just be having a nervous breakdown and will be collapsing uselessly to the floor on his own any moment now.
Out in the parking lot a long, sleek, black sedan pulls up to a stop. Compared to what's going on inside this might seem an event of fairly insignificant importance... Except for who gets out of the back of it. Red-orange suit covered legs slide out first, followed by the tall (Though no where near as tall as Katana and Birdie!) tyrant of 'R', Rugal Bernstein. He already looks annoyed, his expression dire as he impatiently lifts his hands to his lapels and adjusts the way his suit sits over his shoulders. The thin black scarf around his neck is adjusted next and then the man begins to stride forward.
Trouble again at this little office... it's time for this facade to go away. They'll set up shop somewhere else. This place seems to draw too much attention from repeated visitations by the Mad Gear truck. The man is already in a somewhat foul mood. He came to Southtown with the promise of what would have been an all out incredible battle of might against three other fighters of variable reputation. But the event was called off. Someone got cold feet. Or booked it wrong. He isn't sure. But he isn't happy about it. And now he has two suckers who seem to have volunteered to take this annoyance out on.
Decisive steps are taking toward the store before he finally steps in behind Katana and Birdie harassing his poor, nigh useless, quivering minion. "You /imbecile/," Rugal growls, reaching out with one hand to try and grab hold of Katana by his head before taking three more steps forward and slamming the masked warrior's head /through/ the counter, and THROUGH the VCR itself. "What made you think you should come back here and throw your life away on my fists again?! Did you just want me to finish the job I so generously left incomplete last time?" Uh oh, it's angry Bernstein on the rampage!
COMBATSYS: Rugal has started a fight here.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Birdie has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to counter Medium Throw from Rugal with Shiraha Catch.
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Katana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Birdie
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Rugal 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Rugal has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Birdie
> //////////////////////////////]
|=------\-------\0 Rugal
COMBATSYS: Birdie has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/-------|
As the man continues to seem to have a nervous breakdown, Katana wields his weapons yet. But.. no. Things do not go well. As Rugal enters the store, stepping in after Birdie, Katana is still yelling at the minion. "I DEMAND TO BE TREATED AND KNOWN AS A-" IMBECILE, Rugal screams out. "No, of course not, A SHOGUN!" And as a single hand slaps out to try and grab him, Katana tries to grab that single hand.
But the Tyrant's strong, and the man takes three more steps forwards and slams his head through the counter. AND takes out the VCR. The horrible pain of it all. PRIDE AND PHYSICAL. And while there could be worse hurt, Katana is able to ride through the pain. Unlike the rampant chi assaults he has weathered before, Katana never was the easiest to crack with other methods.
Slamming through, the mask is undamaged. It's steel. KATAN'S FACE however hits the mask and blood is the immediate result. But not that much. Oh, alright, a dent in the mask. "I ... REQUIRE ... SERVICE. AND MY HONOR WILL NOT LET ME STAY STILL!"
He stands up, shakily, and looks towards Rugal.
Weapons raised... this'll be bad.
Birdie was well and happy sitting there, waiting for Katana to get destroyed. But, it's just what happened afterwards.
The Sedan comes up from outside and doesn't really do anything. But then Rugal pops out. Birdie looks at him. Well, he looks pretty well dressed. He's probably the manager. But then Rugal grabs Katana's head and shoves it through the counter.
Yeah... he's not just a manager. Not even close.
However, since he's fighting Katana, Birdie might as well help out or else this is already a forgone conclusion. Whipping his left hand forward, Birdie unravels the chain in a quick, fluid motion. If it succeeds, it would easily wrap around Rugal's leg. And if it does, Birdie's pulling, trying to get the tyrant to lose his balance so he can force his head to the floor. "Eyyyahhh!"
COMBATSYS: Rugal interrupts Bandit Chain from Birdie with Fierce Punch.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Katana 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/--=====|
Katana is released, the head-smashing-through-counter bit completd. That Katana even has the guts to get back up after that speaks volumes about either his bravery or his complete ignorance as to the kind of trouble he is in. Back on his feet and STILL demanding service, Rugal's mouth is clenched, single human eye narrowed with a presence of anger rarely seen in the man by anyone who has lived to talk about it.
When he turns on Birdie, it has nothing to do with Birdie attacking him with his chain. In fact, the frenzied crime lord almost completely ignores the heavy links when they wrap around his leg, because he's already charging for the large thug to deliver another attack. It isn't so much that he was worried about Birdie's interference so much as the fact that he's /there/, and Rugal needs to punch something.
The suited fighter's left fist comes in crashing toward Birdie's stomach, delivering an incredibly stunning blow... setting him up perfectly for the follow up - a vicious right hook directly into his face as Bernstein leans hard into the attack, pouring not just amazing arm strength, but leg and torso power as well, into the strike. "RAAAGH!"
The two have awakened a very anger opponent here. They might be in big trouble.
Yes. Katana causes people to hate him. AND EVERYTHING HE STANDS FOR. This is news like no other. Usually, however, he's bothering some children. Or maybe a school. How about a food store. Chinatown? Hell yes. Actually the list of places and people he bothers is vast and what he does varies from Stealing to just RAMMING INTO A SHOP.. to mug the people inside. Also, a new recruit was driving. Hey, he at least HIT Sergio with the truck.
But back up on his feet, and watching Birdie take the punch, Katana's not going to just take it laying down. "You .. REFUSE... the Shogun.. and turn your back on him! I will teach you, TEACH YOU FOR THIS INSOLENCE! You have broken the VCR as well as my pride. I will not let myself be thrown around like so!"
And charging towards Rugal, really, it's stupid. But he does it /ANYWAYS/. His blades flash outwards as Katana leaps off the ground, bringing both wakizashi straight down towards Rugal, planning to slash them down his back completely. He doesn't even bother besides trying to carve right into him!
This could be a bad strategy. BUT HE DOES IT JUST THE SAME!
Birdie's used to taking a blow well. But this blow just blew him out of the park. As he pulled on the heavy links, Birdie's stomach is feeling pretty bad right now. The powerful strike not only stunning him but driving him feet back into a desk which he topples over onto. Oh boy does it hurt. And the amazing face punch just obliterated him.
Falling as heavy as a brick, Birdie rattles the hole building as he topples, the desk turning into splinters as he falls. He just lays there though, trying to let the pain disappear. He's got no chance unless he makes it for himself.
Here is hoping Katana distracts Rugal, or, well, doesn't get killed. Yet, at least. Birdie's taking this moment to look for anything he can take advantage off on Rugal. If there is anything to take advantage of at all. Judging from the skill and power of the blow that'll leave nice black and blue marks, maybe not.
COMBATSYS: Birdie focuses on his next action.
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Katana 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Rugal endures Katana's Fierce Strike.
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Katana 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/--=====|
Birdie is sent flying, just as Rugal would expect. What he /does't/ expect is that the large man is actually still conscious. That blow would have been more than enough to cripple most of Mad Gear's thugs outside of Katana. But only after he slamed his fist into Birdie's face in an enraged state does Bernstein become aware of the fact that the foreigner isn't just an average minion.
But he is down, the desk in splinters, and Rugal is left to turn back toward Katana. For all of the masked warrior's effort, the attack is horribly visible to Bernstein. He could stop it in any number of excruciating ways with disturbing ease. But if he did that, would Katana fully understand just how impervious this madman is? The lunging harsh slash is allowed to land, leaving an angled gash across the front of his chest, rending cloth and skin as it passes. And Rugal... just doesn't seem to care that much. His mouth curls into a bit of a smirk as he replies back, "You think you can seek to harm me? Do you not even know who you are dealing with?" Clearly he can't possibly know. Or else he wouldn't be doing this, right?
The attack that comes next is targeted toward Katana, the man stepping forward to lash out with his left foot viciously, aiming to shove it into Katana's stomach. That's just the set up though, because if it lands, then three more kicks from his powerful right leg are next, hitting stomach, chest, and head - the final kick being a roundhouse that just might send Katana through a wall if he is caught by it. "Let me help you on your way!"
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Katana with Strong Kick.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Katana 1/--=====/=======|===----\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/--=====|
Birdie's first move is to wait for Katana to get his butt kicked... yeah, that's the sound.
As Rugal lurches for Katana, and devastates him, Birdie pulls himself back up towards his feet, beginning to make his way back towards Rugal. He's not done yet. Well. Less done than Katana is. As the kicks go flying, Birdie slowly sneaks up from behind, masking his powerful steps as well as he can. Which means he isn't at all.
Slowly, be comes up behind Rugal, only to crack his neck when the man comes to a stop, lifting both hand over his head, making some sort of makeshift hammer of flesh. "Heh heh heh. No." Birdie states with a grin as he powers his fists down, aiming to throttle Rugal where he stands, with a powerful downward strike. "We know we can harm you, bloke!"
Birdie still has that annoying grin on his face. Even if it, well, hurts.
Katana rises, and as Katana slams towards Rugal, bringing the blades towards Rugal. Haha, Katana thinks, he has him on the ropes! His blades again slash in. How pained he must be! "I will refuse.. to stay down .. NOTHING CAN KEEP ME DOWN!" Funny you should say that Katana. Because as Katana says this, Rugal mentions about who he is. "I don't know.. but even if I did, I would do this.. just the same!"
And that's about when the man slams his left foot out towards Katana's stomach. Time stops. The world vanishes for a second, before the first kick strikes, causing Katana to stop in his tracks, even as he moved to prevent the assault. Three more, his right leg nearly buckling, his chest knocked back, and the head causing him to be launched upwards.
And then the LAST kick comes. And well, Katana's not slammed through a wall. He's slammed through a wall AND A LIGHT POLE. It bends from the force, down, barely missing Rugal's car. He'd probably be more pissed had the wall not started to crumble and Katana slowly get up.
It's .. painful. But the Shogun refuses once again to say die.
"You ... will not .. be rid of me! .. The shogun of Mad Gear ... NEVER QUITS!" Bloodied, weakened... he still rushes towards Rugal. "DAIKYOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" To slam the wakizashi towards Rugal's chest and then drag him through his shop, stop at the end of the hallways and then force him through the door at the end of the hall, tossing him upwards and then lashing out with both wakizashi. "BUURNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!"
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Rugal with Daikyou Burning.
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Katana 1/-======/=======|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Rugal fails to counter Fierce Punch from Birdie with Scorpion Blow.
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Katana 1/-======/=======|===----\-------\0 Rugal
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Birdie 0/-------/-======|
Now that the two are finally acting in unison, it seems that they may actually be able to turn the tide against this ridiculous foe of theirs. With Katana launched straight out of the building, Rugal literally ignores him like so much useless debris. There's no way he's coming back from /that/. The sound of the wrecked light pole outside is heard and the man just chuckles with macabre amusement, turning instead toward Birdie now. Time to-
Get blindsided by Katana charging back in, announcing his attack even as he does so. "Impossible..." growls the man as the decidedly JAPANESE warrior tears into the man, knocking him clean off his feet, leaving him an easy target for Birdie's powerful punch as well. Sent reeling by the two stunning attacks, there's nothing he can do to keep from getting dragged down the hallway, his feet and arms thrashing out, wrecking the plaster walls as they go, sending white dust into the air, forming a choking cloud.
Herald, scared out of his damn /mind/, goes running out of the building then, waving his arms over his head, his pupils dialated - sure signs of a man who has no idea what's going on now but just wants to get way from these monsters unleashing such muderous mayhem!
So Rugal finally got what he deserved. At least, potentially what he deserved. Hell, who's in the right here, we'll never know. However, punchings are sure on the menu.
And as Katana gets Rugal, all right, he throws him up.. and then Birdie slams him with the punch. Plaster is wrecked nicely, and as his body thrashed out.. Katana looks on. Hahaha! Katana leans back, looking towards Rugal. "You .. you are not done .. My honor is not restored... AND I WILL MAKE SURE IT IS! A Samurai never .. ever lets themselves face defeat without giving it his all.. then now, VCR WRECKER, I will show you my all!"
"TEN!" Dashing towards Rugal once more, Katana attempts to leap up and then slam the wakizashi onto the man's back. Rugal, if he's getting up, won't have half of the problem than if he stays down. Either way, Katana plans to run the man out into the open if possible.
"CHU!" By dragging him once more against the ground. Charging against the ground with Rugal, he doesn't stop. He goes towards a wall this time, intending to drive Rugal straight against it and then THROUGH. "SATSU!" And if it works, well, Katana is going to rip his body upwards in a quick lift, before leaping into the air, slashing towards him with both blades once each, and then jamming them into Rugal once more .. to slam him straight into the ground!
He'll land afterwards.
But if things don't go his way.. Katana will be a very vulnerable Japanophile who will be seriously in danger of being kicked away like a gnat... A GNAT!
So Rugal finally got what he deserved. At least, potentially what he deserved. Hell, who's in the right here, we'll never know. However, punchings are sure on the menu. As Rugal gets struck twice, it's sure not something the man would probably enjoy, either way.
Watching Katana fight is like watching someone who just couldn't stay down get up after getting smacked, and continue to do so over and over and over again. Then again, Birdie also fights with conviction. But this SUICIDAL JAPANESE condition, he does not. But he does notice the way Rugal fights. And Katana fights. The blow Rugal tried to strike thrown away by Birdie's own luck.
But now as Katana, assumedly, rushes at Rugal once more, Birdie does as well, following up behind Katana and gaining momentum. One powerful step after the other, Birdie's making momentum. As he increases in speed, he increases in strength. So much, in fact, that he tries to hurl himself, like a bull, towards Rugal who is assumedly on the ground, if Katana strikes.
If not, he just tries to plow right into him, horn first, and drive him into a wall. "EEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Birdie grunts.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Katana's Ten Chuu Satsu.
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Katana 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Birdie successfully hits Rugal with Bull Head.
- Power hit! -
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Katana 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/=======|
On their own, it would be a hopeless, lost cause. But together? They might /just/ have what it takes to pull this off. Katana had big plans, going for Rugal's back, but the man turns around in time, slaming his left hand out, literally catching the blade in his clenched fist, stopping the rest of the intended assault short. "You buffoons," he growls, his human eye narrowing dangerously as he glares at Katana. "Do you think it wise to become a target for 'R'? Do you not know what fighting me will /do/ to you?"
So caught up in his anger, helling at the mask up close and personal, Bernstein completely misses the fact that Birdie is coming for him. His right hand reaches forward even as blood begins to spill out from around the left blade that he clenches tightly, intending to crush the head of this persistant opponent for good.
Birdie is just in time, however, to spare Katana an untimely demise, as the bull literally smashes Bernstein sideways through the wall into one of main supporting struts of this side of the building. The steel bends and all the weight above it begins to shift as the perfectly balanced floors are now... not so perfectly balanced. But Rugal peels himself off, stepping forward and shaking his head. He isn't out of this yet... In fact... there is a massive surge of chi from that next room over, though what is happening exactly would be hard to see through the thick dust caused by the ceiling overhead slowly falling inward.
In the next instant a new hole is made in the wall as broiling, searing, pulsating wave of raw, white chi comes plowing toward Katana, driving asunder plaster, bricks, and steel in its relentless blaze directly toward the self proclaimed Shogun. It would appear the manager of the office is done doing business with him!
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Katana with Reppuken EX.
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Katana 1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0 Rugal
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Birdie 0/-------/=======|
The Reppuken is launched from Rugal, and that massive surge of chi by Rugal is more than enough to cause Katana the pain he deserves. But when it goes through the WALL? Katana was just pulling himself to his feet, and now he gets to look on as a GIANT BLAST OF RAW CHI ripping apart things comes towards him!
... Why does he charge right into it?
BECAUSE HE DOES. Katana unfortunately couldn't ready himself, and instead of being in a batter place, he ends up plowing backwards, slamming through, oddly enough, the doors of the truck, knocking back the lever, his face slamming onto the gas pedal and SETTING EVERYTHING INTO MOTION.
It heaves forwards, at first, before the wheels spin. But it's set to park. WHEELS SPIN FASTER. It's still set to park.
WITH THE LAST OF THE SHOGUN'S MIGHTY STRENGTH... he rolls over, and his girth puts the truck into DRIVE FAST. And that's about when the building loses all that makes it one. An entire truck barrels through, ten feet wide and probably about that high if not higher, to go through the building completely.
Maybe Rugal wouldn't see it .. until it was TOO LATE.
COMBATSYS: Katana can no longer fight.
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Birdie 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Rugal
Birdie knocks Rugal clear of Katana, he at least knows his compatriot is going to survive. He's a good meat wall, if anything. As is Birdie. They're the meat squad. They're pretty stacked. With MEAT.
But as Rugal cracks something, and the building begins to creak, Birdie ain't staying in it. With plaster and pieces of the building beginning to fall, and Katana having an addiction to the Semi, Birdie has only one real thing to do.
Get the hell out of that building. This is only enforced further as a wave of raw, white chi whips out from the plaster and steel and everything else.
Birdie dives through the front wall, rolling to a stop. He takes this moment to catch his breath. Lying there, as the truck passes by.
COMBATSYS: Birdie drops his guard to recover.
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Birdie 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Rugal
COMBATSYS: Rugal dodges Katana's Run Your Ass Over.
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Birdie 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Rugal
Hokuto enters the downtown area from the business district.
Frei enters the downtown area from the business district.
There's just no hope here. The upper floors were already threatening to cake down on the first floor after the damage done to the supporting beams, walls, and other important parts of the structure. Not to mention the damage already done /last/ week. The minute a SEMI comes plowing through, rending asunder plaster, steel, and concrete, that's pretty much all she wrote for this office building.
The outside walls fall inward the same moment Birdie makes it out. Just in time. The floors above come crashing down, pancaking the first floor as a giant plume of dust and shattered splinters go flying up into the sky. Rugal was going to call in a demolition squad, but it looks like Mad Gear and Friend have saved him the hassle... This shop is /closed/.
As far as Bernstein? He walks out of the cloud. The truck must've missed him completely. Covered in a thick layer of white powder, he looks almost like a ghost stalking slowly, steadily toward Birdie. The only thing with any color is that pin-point thin red light where his right eye should be...
COMBATSYS: Rugal gains composure.
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Birdie 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Rugal
Getting back up towards his feet, scampering to them more likely, the ogre of a man, Birdie, is up and moving against. After catching his breath, he can finally get going once more. As the truck passes through the store and it collapses, the man can't be coming for them. He just can't be.
But, oh, he is. Infact, the same man walks right out of the shop as it falls down. The thick white powder and what not. The ghost of Rugal? Maybe. Still, Birdie has some fight in him, and he's going to use that fight.
"You just don't know when to bloody quit, you damn fool." Birdie says as he charges right for the man, grabbing his chain with his right hand, actively trying to trip him up and slam him down into the cement. Of course, this man just dodged a truck.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Birdie's Bad Scrap.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Birdie 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
After several steps, the pale colored figure pauses, one hand coming up to begin lightly brushing the powered plaster from off his face, though much of it is already sticky and moist from the perspiration built up from engaging the two men who, while not of his calibur, have definitely done a damn fine job of holding their own through all this insanity.
It's only now that the man begins to really notice Birdie. After the punishing strike earlier on, he became more fixated on the verbally annoying and highly persistant Katana, leaving himself open for powerful attacks from the extremely large fighter. It's not often Bernstein feels massively dwarved. Only when next to his tall minion, Battler, does he typically have to consider the ridiculous size disparity... but Birdie definitely counts as an exception. In fact, he's large enough that Rugal begins to wonder why he's never heard of him before. He isn't just big. He knows how to hit. And that means he should stand out more.
Some of the ire from before having bled out of him, vented in the punishing attacks dealt out on the two trouble makers, Rugal seems to be calming down slightly now rather than acting with wreckless abandon. "You I don't know. Who are you," comes the demand. That right eye of his begins studying Birdie even more, making sense of the man. The way he moves, the way he carries himself, the nuances of his very behavior getting analyzed with incredible precision. Given enough time he'll know all there is to know about this powerful fighter. Except, perhaps, his name?
COMBATSYS: Rugal focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Birdie 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
As the chain is blocked and Rugal and Rugal speaks, Birdie smiles a little smile, showing a little teeth. They stand out compared to his obvious black and gold features, only offset by his blue clothes. As they seem to be at a stand point, Birdie holds himself there with the chain. He'll use it later. First, he wants to talk a little.
"Birdie... heheh. But most blokes just refer to me as cheep cheep." The large man grins, as if setting Rugal up for something. He might be, and then he totally might not be. One imagines he really could be. His muscles tense as he gets a good look at Rugal. "You're the VCR repairman boss. Hah. I guess business is brutal." He refers to the building, and the customers. Katana is no easy customer.
Even looking at Rugal, he can tell the right eye's doing something. It's weird. But Birdie tries it anyways. What starts off his attack is wrapping the chain around Rugal, grabbing it behind him with both hands. Then, there would be a single downward slash with the blade on his head, and like a rhino or a bull, he's try to gore Rugal, by lifting up and aiming to throw the man. "Eyaaahhhhhhh! "
But Rugal might not even be caught.
COMBATSYS: Rugal fails to counter Bull Spike from Birdie with Scorpion Deathlock.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Birdie 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Rugal
When Birdie stops, Rugal waits, his stance adjusting just slightly, clearly bracing himself. "VCR..." the man echos back, sounding like he has no idea what Birdie is talking about until he slowly glances over his shoulder at the sign sitting in front of the massive rubble pile. Oh. Right. VCR repair /was/ the cover for this destroyed building. Heh.
Turning back around toward Birdie, he shakes his head, marvelling that the other man has no idea who he even is. Ah, so be it then. And here he comes again. "Decided to test if it's your time to die, I see," the man growls, reaching out with the intent to stop Birdie short with his arm, only to get the chain wrapped around it instead of finding perchase on his opponent's neck. "What-"
The rest of the attack is pretty brutal, the slash against his head striking Bernstein fiercely as he stumbles to the side followed by the painfull headbutt that comes in and wrecks him, tossing him completely over the top of Birdie to land on the ground some distance away. Not that Rugal is done, by any means, the man slowly getting back up to his feet, blood mixing with the white powder that still clings to him even now. Teeth gritted... he will make this thug /pay/.
Birdie's a thug all right. A damn good one too. He knows when he's bested, but he knows when he's got a chance.
As Rugal goes flying over him, Birdie takes a moment to breathe. He's really running himself rugged. He might not look it, but he surely is. As he begins to turn around, he can hear where Rugal lands, cement breaking. As he looks down at the fighter, he can tell he did some damage.
He grins, that shit eating grin. "Cheep cheep." And there are his pearly whites again. Oh, you're going to love when you finally land a blow on his ugly mug. It'll be hard to mess it up more than it already is though.
As he approaches the fallen Rugal, each step crushes the powder and the debris further into the street asphalt. Ending his path near the man, he simply thrusts a single large foot down on him, the crush him like a gnat. "Heh heh. So kill me."
COMBATSYS: Rugal interrupts Light Kick from Birdie with Genocide Cutter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Birdie 1/=======/=======|======-\-------\0 Rugal
It seems Birdie doesn't want to let Rugal get up. It seems he thinks he has the man down. Considering the extreme amount of abuse this 'manager' has taken, it might be easy to assume that. "Birdie, is it," the man growls, his bare hands pressing against the concrete as he begins to push himself back up. "Then I guess you must be familiar with the old adage two birds and one stone," he grunts.
And then comes that stomp intended to finish him off. Intending to deliver the kind of pain that might just put the tyrant down for good this time. But it's then, even in the middle of getting up, that the would-be victim suddenly lashes into a flurry of blurred strikes. It starts with a lashing kick up from the ground. It isn't just a kick. Oh no. Birdie might be somewhat impervious to just pure brute force. This happens to be a kick with a trail of red, piercing, searing chi behind it - sharp as a blade and hot as molten steel. The first blow is straight into that obnoxious grin of Birdie's with enough force to send him flying into the sky. "Genocide-"
But that's not all. Rugal is following him up with a second kick, this time with his right, driving it into the man's back as he has his way with the thug while in mid air. The final blow comes in the form of a vicious axe kick. This one directly into Birdie's stomach, intending to crush the breath out of him, reducing the likelyhood that he'll even be able to continue fighting before long. "CUTTER!"
The downwards blow sends the huge man back down with enough force to spider-web crack the concrete, while Bernstein lands on his own two feet, looking not too much worse for the wear.
Meanwhile, where Birdie just stood, he's no longer standing. AT ALL. As he throws down a kick, a kick comes back up, except it's searing red. Birdie already knows this is going to end in tears. His blood and sweat for nothing. But, that's a thug life, and he's not even thinking that. He's thinking about how he can get his man back.
"Ugh!" He lets loose as it first strikes him on the head, a terrible grunt of horrid proportions. The second is deep into his back, cracking it somewhat, and not the way a chiropractor does it. Hell, this is way more powerful. As Birdie is send flying, the axe kick comes, the breath being knocked right out of him.
When he finally lands, and it's a harsh landing, Birdie's breathing heavily, bleeding from his face. He's lucky he didn't lose any teeth. He doesn't get up at first, the cracking of the concrete enough to keep him down and out for the moment.
But he forces himself up, looking for a way to get Rugal back for that. He kind of deserved it, but he's going to try to get around it.
"Nope, I have no bloody clue where you heard that."
COMBATSYS: Birdie focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Birdie 1/=======/=======|======-\-------\0 Rugal
His signiture move delivered, Bernstein is starting to feel a lot more control of this situation. Few can survive the dreaded Genocide Cutter and continue to fight with the same ability they had a moment ago. That Birdie even finally gets up is somewhat a surprise. The viciousness of the beating delivered was not intended to leave him capable of going any further here... Yet there he is, on his feet once more.
"Che," grunts the suited man as he takes the breather to lift his hands to his suit's lapels and shed the jacket to the ground, leaving the blood streaked, torn up white dress shirt over his torso. "When will you idiots get it through your thick heads ..." he continues as he turns around, both hands reaching down to tightly grip the 'Herald's Electronics and VCR Repair' sign that so proudly designates the rubble pile as being a fine, reputable shop clearly owned by Herald.
With a flex of powerful muscles, the sign is torn loose, ripped clean off the two cement foundation posts that have held it there for years. Sparks fly as wires are pulled out of the wall, causing the glowing sign to flicker then dim forever.
"This wasn't a real STORE!!" And with that, the sign is sent hurling through the air like a giant misslle made of plastic, glass, and metal. Yup. Herald's is now officially out of business.
COMBATSYS: Birdie Toughs Out Rugal's Large Thrown Object!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Birdie 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|======-\-------\0 Rugal
Birdie gets up, but what he sees next ain't that fun to see. It's Rugal standing as if he hadn't taken a punch. He's bleeding sure, but it's about te way you carry yourself.
But then Rugal talks, moving forward as he grabs the sign from the pile of rubble and hurls it towards Birdie in a single throw. It's devastating. The huge sign being hurled at him at such a momentum. A great feat of strength for any man to do. Birdie's starting to feel as if Rugal isn't just any man. Or if he's a man at all.
As it comes, Birdie throws all caution to the win, beginning to run right towards the sign. It's going to cover him for precious seconds. Seconds he could use. He might put on a stupid act, but sometimes you have to take a shot. Sooner or later, object meets large black man.
The sign looses. Striking Birdie with great power, it crushes in on his features, blunt damage hammering him. But Birdie keeps moving. He looses some breath, but still, he's giving it his all. "Heh heh. You sure fooled me, Herald. So take yer bloody medicine and piss off!" Birdie cries as he accelerates, his strength beginning to fail him.
As he does, he lowers his head, charging once more like a rhino. If he does get close, he simply tries to ram at first, and slash across his chest. Oh, but that was only the insertion method. Once there, a volley of punches would rain down upon Rugal, devastating blows from the larger man. Finally, it would end with a single, fierce strike to the chest of R. "You're meetin' the true Birdie, bloke!"
All assuming R doesn't find his way out of this.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Birdie's The Birdie MAX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Rugal
The sign thrown, Rugal actually begins to dust off his hands. A crushing collision like that against the stubborn forehead of even someone like Birdie should just about take care of this annoying, destructive altercation. But the gesture comes to a halt the moment he realizes that not only did the man decide to charge straight through the heavy wreckage, but is /still/ coming on strong!
Reacting surprisingly defensively for a change, Rugal merely weathers the attack out. Powerful arms lifting, hands forward as he absorbs the worst of the charge by simply 'catching' Birdie, even if the momentum sends him sliding back several yards, his shoes at last finding their traction. The punches that follow are intercepted by those same arms, each time moving to just the right location to keep a clean hit from getting through... And the fierce strike is avoided all together, Rugal taking two steps back, letting Birdie's aggressive swing send him reeling.
"You fought well for a low class thug with what seems like pretty much no real training..." The man is actually looking winded after all that, his arms lowering to hang against his sides, the white sleeves of the already ruined shirt now in tatters, revealing the bulging muscles they once concealed. "But you are against far too much power here, I'm afraid." Rugal's right arm comes up, hand clenched in a fist, the limb trembling as an incredible amount of power builds up. There is a coil of chi that looks like orange fire... it would be almost impossible to tell the difference from the real thing. "But this little joke is now over!" And with that, Rugal steps forward, swinging his arm down at an angle in front of him. What started as small coils of fire expand to form a giant swath of flaming chi that spreads rapidly outward toward Birdie. He might not be an experienced enough fighter to recognize Rugal's take on the Orochinagi of Kyo's fame, but he can be sure it's going to hurt dreadfully all the same.
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Birdie with Barrier Crash EX.
[ \\\ < > //////// ]
Birdie 1/--=====/=======|=------\-------\0 Rugal
Birdie knows something is coming his way. And it ain't pretty. As he throws punch after punch after punch, Birdie's just shooting blanks in the face of Rugal. And then he begins to speak, and he throws even more blanks. He's trying to end him. This ain't gonna be pretty.
Then the flame builds. "Uh-oh." Birdie says in all his glorious ability to recognize pain when it comes his way. The flame tears out, a massive strike of chi that literally blows Birdie backwards without a care of who or what he is. Once he lands, the chi still lingers. His form scorched, as are his clothes and everything else. The cement breaks as he bounces one or twice. He should be down and out, but he's not.
Slowly getting back up to his feet, Birdie breathes heavily. "And this," Birdie begins, bursting forward in a swath of untold speed towards Rugal. He charges again, leaning forward as he powers through the debris in the street, even running back over the sign. "is the punch line!" He cries, aiming to spear Rugal once more, but continue on by, trying to push him right into the fallen building once more. He even continues on.
He's just trying to take Rugal down.
COMBATSYS: Rugal interrupts The Birdie MAX from Birdie with Jab Punch.
[ \ < > ////// ]
Birdie 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Rugal
Lowering his arm after releasing the destructive attack, Rugal is certain the agony Birdie is in should be crippling by now. Yet... he comes again. Brazenly charging forward to dish out just as much pain as last time, without a care in the world for what was just done to him.
This time there is no effort to block the attacks at all. Simply a right arm, cocked back, fist clenched. And just before Birdie impacts with his brute force, Rugal slams his fist out into the other man's face. It isn't with enough power to stop the thug from smashing into him, sending Bernstein sliding backward once again until he at last is standing next to the rubble pile. But it is enough to prevent the rest of the assault from having to be dealt with.
"You're finished," growls Rugal, malice in his tone. "It would take ten men like you to take me down!" He's kinda lying.
Birdie grunts. The punch striking him clear into his face and sending him reeling back a little with a couple of steps. That shot did it. It's over. He's out of here. Walking back a good deal, there's nothing Birdie can really do.
Tired, beaten and bruised. He does the only thing he knows how. Get in a scrap and end it.
He comes at Rugal, slowly dragging himself, until finally... finally. He gets there. He reaches out with his chain grasped by his right hand... and then he falls forward, aiming to choke Rugal as he falls, to pretty much try to catch him under it, like a tree falling in the forest, Birdie is fall in the city. "Ugh..."
And maybe right on you, Rugal.
Either way, there's going to be a really loud crash when Birdie topples onto the cement.
COMBATSYS: Birdie can no longer fight.
> ////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Rugal
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Birdie's Bad Scrap.
> ///// ]
|=------\-------\0 Rugal
And then it comes. Birdie's last gasping attack. Rugal is ready for it. He thinks. His body is starting to tell him something. Something he lost in the anger that caused him to lash out in such away against the two intruders with a degree of recklessness not common when the crimelord fights. Normally precise, controlled, commanding the ebb and flow of the fights he is in, his anger nearly cost him dearly.
And now that it is nearly over, he realizes that he is just barely holding it together. There's no denying the damage Katana and Birdie inflicted on him. Dumb but strong is all he can conclude. The world has people like that. People like that are useful in their own ways as he knows well. They fill a critical role...
When that chain comes out and gets around his neck, it is almost enough to pull the man down to the ground along with the falling thug. But Rugal braces himself, his legs sustaining him as he lifts his arms and removes the chain from around his neck, dropping it to the ground on top of Birdie. "Feh," he grunts, standing up more straight now. The two trouble causers are down... and he really could stick around to make sure they never bothered him again by putting an end to their miserable existences. But on the other hand, they did him a favor in tearing down the building for him. And he's barely standing, himself. "Find yourself someone with a brain to lead you and you might actually be dangerous someday," is all the advice he'll offer as he takes one weary step forward to test his balance. Followed by another... slowly strength seeps back into his limbs as he approaches the car parked off to the side.
The crimelord all but flops into the backseat, filling the interior with a cloud of that powdered plaster he's covered in. Leaning his head against the headrest, he stares tiredly at the ceiling. "Make a note to sell off this property tomorrow." The man in the passanger seat jots the item of notice down while the black car starts up and rolls out of the parking lot, leaving the Mad Gear menace to fend for themselves. They'll want to get a move on it before the emergency relief vehicles arrive to figure out what the heck caused a three story office building to explode like that.
COMBATSYS: Rugal takes no action.
> ///// ]
|=------\-------\0 Rugal
COMBATSYS: Rugal has ended the fight here.
Log created on 17:35:42 09/08/2007 by Rugal, and last modified on 23:18:51 09/08/2007.