Description: THIS IS IT FOLKS. MUSCLES and JAPAN. You cannot expect anything more than MUSCLES and JAPAN. Birdie, AKA Tauros and Katana the Mad Gear Shogun travel to JAPAN to steal in the name of MAD GEAR and get him a truck. BUT NOT ANY TRUCK. A fire truck. A RED ONE. Freshly painted with... well, READ AND FIND OUT. Also, burning buildings make muscles SHINE. Oh and a bunch of people show up to stop ULT-TI-MATE MUSCLE.
JAPAN. Land of rice, scantily glad Japanese women who fight, as well as MUSCLES. MUSCLED MEN WITH SWEAT GLEAMING OFF THEM.
THIS .. is the true face of Japan. That and right now, it looks like Katana is exacting his right of being a Shogun to take what is needed! And at this point it is a TRUCK. A rather large replacement truck for Katana. Solely because one for the moment lies within a ship. A ship .. set sail on the waves of life! Such a poor truck, but he would see it again. For the Truck was not lost, not when he believes it's not.
He just needs something to run people down with and pull along the Mad Gear Gang.
In a rather busy intersection, a fire is going on. And that's when the fire fighters who pull out the water cannons, aiming it at the blaze in Japan .. can't get the water going. That's because Katana has CUT THEM WITH HIS JITTE!
"Hahahah! Now, you will surrender your truck to me, and rescue those in the burning building by hand! I, the Shogun of Mad Gear, COMMAND IT!" Clearly this is INCREDIBLY BAD on Katana's part but there are sacrifices that must be made and right now that's A TRUCK.
Birde's come along. Because his this British thug just can't get enough of the interesting people he meets through aiding Katana in his incredible journey through life.
He, too, has bulging muscles with sweat hanging off of them. Predominantly due to the roaring fire going on in the background, but it doesn't hinder him that much. Katana chose the truck. It's different from the last one, but Birdie doesn't see Katana having any problem with using it to its fullest at all.
As Katana tells all the fireman off, Birdie's here to help make sure none of the heroes tries to be a hero. It's sort of confusing, but all he really has to do is keep all the fireman back through his own display of ogre-like black giant powers. Which is crushing anyone that gets in the way.
"Just call for another 'bloody truck. It's not like there's any damn shortage of them." Birdie says as he ushers people away, "Oi'."
One might wonder how this fire started in the first place. Flash back to a half an hour ago. Aranha was sitting in a bar with some of the fellas talking trash and playing poker when all of a sudden one man lays down a Dead Man's Hand. Two Aces, Two Eights and then he flips over a third ace. A full house.
Aranha looks down and sees an ace in his hand and someone else laid down an ace as well which could only come to one conclusion. Someone was cheating. When he lays his down his hand there are five aces on the table and they look over at each other and then the one carrying the Dead Man's Hand. The table with lit cigarettes in an ash tray flips over and a brawl breaks out.
Fast forward a half an hour later you see Katana and Birdie shaking down the firemen for their fire engine and you then if one were to look in the bar you'd see Aranha pinning mercilessly backhanding the man who flipped the table for being stupid. As for the guy who cheated, he's unconscious from the brawl and probably will die from smoke inhalation. Prophetic hand, huh? "God dammit! What were you thinking setting the god damn place on fire. Gahhh you slap nut!!!" The slapping continues for awhile.
It's hard work being Hotaru. All the young, wide-eyed students to teach each weekend. All the homework to do each night. All the practicing and chores to do around the Kyokugen Dojo. All the kittens to save. It's any wonder that she can keep up with everything.
This Friday is just like any other Friday afternoon in town. Except for the part where there's a firey blaze, sirens, a panicked crowd, defied fire fighters, and a fire engine up for grabs. Like many of the people on the street, the young martial artist doesn't have any delusions of getting involved... She isn't a fire fighter or anything. But like anyone else would likely be, she can't help but be drawn closer to where the commotion is, slipping through the spaces between people quite easily until she comes up in front with a blink.
Katana? Again? He's like the weekly villian of Southtown! And it looks like he's up to another one of his mad, nefarious schemes! "Che! That guy again. I can't believe that menace hasn't been locked up yet," she mutters. Of course she just assumes Mad Gear started the fire, 'cause that's how they roll. Her mouth tightens as she realizes that Katana is keeping the water from the firefighters. An eyebrow twitches at the utter defiance of justice going on around here. If she could just distract him long enough for them to get the spare hoses out...
Japan Bar was BURNING DOWN, BURNING DOWN, BURNING DOWN, JAPAN BAR WAS BURNING DOWN and Katana has your truuuuuck.
"Hahahaha! Mad Gear claims another treasure! You are quite a help, oh horned bull of a man, and I will call your Tauros, solely for your strength and skill with your head!" Katana is totally ON TOP OF THESE THINGS. And now he's literately on top of the truck, flailing his weaponry upwards. "All of you will not leave! Your money, and any belongings, are now Mad Gears! Form a line infront of the Mad Gear Red Hot Truck, and pay my ancestors respect through everything of yours that is worth money!"
Unfortunately, Katana hasn't looked INSIDE the building. It's burning. He's not stupid, just crazy, and burning buildings don't bother Katana whatsoever. He's busy, too busy, with what he's doing already! He neither sees Hotaru, focusing mainly on gloating and rounding up the people .. as well as stopping the Fire fighters from taking back HIS TRUCK.
"I told you, this truck is Mad Gear's now! And the burning building is far less important than what is going on infront of it!" He paces at the top of the truck a bit, waving his jitte around. "All of you will either join me in Mad Gear, or you will fund Mad Gear! It will be one or the other! Choose wisely!" He then flexes.
His muscles .. GLISTEN.
Tauros, as known as Birdie, just grins and nods to Katana, letting him do his thing. He's not one to actually stop Katana from stealing the truck. Hell, Elle actually owed him a truck, and Birdie came along to make sure that they actually get a truck. A truck of legends.
"A'ight bloke. Oi, who's that?" Birdie asks before Hotaru actually seems to appear to yell at Katana, "Is that the little chickadee from before? What luck, she seems to like a bit of the rough and tumble. Haha!" Birdie grins as he looks around, unraveling his chain and wrapping it around the nearest fireman's legs.
Pulling with a yank, he hurls him at a few other firemen, just to keep them company. Upon that, he turns towards the Shogun, Katana, and begins to climb up the firetruck towards him. Whatever Birdie's going to do, it'll probably be awesome.
But he climbs, like rampage, except he's not punching the truck.
And it would appear Katana is actually a distraction. Normally fire fighters would've peeled Aranha off the poor bastard by now so they could actually fight the fire. As of this moment though, he's gone beneath their notice as well.
It's been sometime since Aranha started his pimp smacking barrage and he finally gets off of him and begins to walk out the door carrying the other man by the scruff of his neck. And practically drops him down face first on the ground.
If anyone were to ask any of the eye witnesses they would identify the man lying down on the ground as the man responsible for the fire by sheer stupidity. So at first Aranha looks sort of like a hero. It takes a little more analysis of the situation to realize he's just a man pissed off that people ruined his fun.
Speaking of things that not fun losing money that you won in poker is also not fun. And so he moves towards the two men, arms folded across his chest. "Well I don't like the idea of giving up money." He doesn't elaborate, wanting to see if Katana interprets it as a declaration of war or as intention of joining Mad Gear.
The nerve of that masked gang leader! Not only stealing a truck but getting ready to rob everyone in the vicinity blind? It's... kind of a good idea, Hotaru realizes. Create a scene. Wait for everyone to flock nearby to rubber neck. Then have the gang rustle them all up for the robbings. Hotaru sighs a little as she realizes she's right in the middle of the whole mess.
The girl's hands clench tightly as Birdie picks her out from the crowd. It's her fault, for dressing all fancy. Makes it hard to blend in, really. Her face pales a little though, "It's that chain stealing thug..." she murmurs, remembering kind of getting bulldozed by him in a bad way. She should've known the likes of him would hang around with someone like Katana! As he swings the firefighter around by his chain, the girl winces.
Breathing in deeply as she tries to get the courage to act, Hotaru runs forward and leaps up onto the truck, landing atop the folded ladder in the back as she calls out to the crowd. "Don't let these bullies push you around! Just fight back against their oppression! They're just a bunch of no good thugs and low lifes!" She points at Katana as she tosses out the insults. Definitely a low life in her opinion.
As Tauros, the mighty bull man, pulls himself up on the truck, Katana seems not to care. "What? I don't see her. Tauros, you speak nonsense! There would be NO little girl who dares challenge me!" And he believes it alright. So when Birdie gets to tossing around Firemen, Katana hardly pays attention! It's all right. He certainly knows what he's doing. And that's when he starts climbing. Oh well. All is taken care of!
And then Aranha speaks as he mentions he doesn't want to give up money. "And I don't wish to tell you twice, but I will have to! My blades will in my stead, even, if I must! But your money or your allegiance.. or then, your blood! That is the way of Mad Gear!" The Shogun sneers towards him behind the mask .. to say with such disregard! How could he toss him off so simply!?
And that's when the girl Birdie spoke of jumps into the truck, onto the folded ladder, and YELLS OUT towards the people against him and Birdie. What .. it's .. IT'S HER. THE ONE WHO GOT IN THE WAY. AGAIN.
"You .. DARE STEP INFRONT OF THE SHOGUN!? After the things I have suffered before .. NOW YOU WILL MEET MY TRUE MIGHT! ....Girl. You have insulted my pride for the last time!" Bringing up the weaponry, Katana rushes forwards with his weaponry ... and leaps into the air, sending a sandal clad foot ... TOWARDS HER FACE.
Payback!
COMBATSYS: Katana has started a fight here.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Birdie has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
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|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Aranha has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
Birdie looks down towards the man, Aranha, half way as he climbs up the side of the truck. He doesn't answer, as the question wasn't poised towards him. He just offers the man a grin. One akin to 'So you really thinking about joining Mad Gear? Good luck.' kind of grins. No one sane would join Mad Gear. Katana proves this!
Still, as Birdie reaches the top, he can already see Hotaru beginning to escalate the situation, the truck rattling from her landing. Well, Birdie knows that Hotaru is one of those people that are hard to keep still, so Birdie's thinkin' up something to help out the situation. Instead of going for Hotaru, he approaches the bottom of the ladder.
Before pushing out the ladder they're both out quickly, allowing Katana to have a shorter run, and for Hotaru to loose a bit of her wits.
"Haha! Bloody beat her up. Girl or not, hahaha." One more that grin with the pearly whites. He loves his job of thuggery.
COMBATSYS: Birdie assists Katana.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Hotaru parries Katana's Light Kick!
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
Well, Hotaru had no name for the extremely large, chain collecting maniac before. But now, as far as she knows, his name is Tauros. Looking him over and remembering how he charged into her the last time they fought, it does pretty much make sense. But Katana is shouting out his name all the time, she of course she knows who he is. Besides, she's foiled at least a /couple/ of his masterfully designed master plans, so the two definitely have some history by now.
When he finally takes notice of the little distraction that is Hotaru Futaba, the girl braces. She's got his attention now, and that could mean major trouble. Especially if the mighty Tauros is a factor. Her feet shift a little onto the edges of the ladder, seeking better footing. And then Katana is charging toward her, weapons drawn. Her eyes focus on those blades of his. Those things are the worst! "I can't just stand by and let you get away with threatening all these people!" the girl replies when he speaks of his pride and her repeated interference.
But he choses to strike not with the blades but with his sandle-clad foot instead, the last second shift /almost/ catching the girl off guard. Having the ladder slide beneath her feet all the sudden makes things kind of precarious as well, but in the end, the girl decides to use the shifting platform by leaning forward and using the momentum to slip beneath Katana's evil foot.
Coming up behind him when he lands, Hotaru launches a swift kick behind her, a swath of blue chi trailing behind her leg on a collision course directly toward the gang leader. "KYA!"
COMBATSYS: Katana dodges Hotaru's Kobi Kyaku EX.
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
As Hotaru slips beneath Katana's foot, Katana launches towards the ladder, and hits it, when Hotaru launches a swift kick that trails around, attempting to slam straight into Katana as he moves against the ladder.. but the fates are not on Hotaru's side, because he doesn't wear shoes, and cannot actually get a good grip on the metal railing. So what happens is that Katana slides forwards on the shaken ladder as the whip kick coils around, slamming where he once was .. but Birdie's action has helped him greatly, for the shaking causes Katana to grab the edge as he falls, and the shaking causes Katana to be propelled forwards, pulling hard as he brings his weaponry .. FORTH.
"AHahhaha! Now you will see the Shogun's wrath today. Before I had let you off easy.. but now .. FALL!" His jitte hang onto the ladder as he seems to rock forwards on them and launch off and towards Hotaru, taking both of them and then landing back on the Firetruck.
But Hotaru .. is in the way! That's okay, because Katana intends on charging forwards, and perhaps through, Hotaru. Both jitte sticking forwards in an attempt to drive them into Hotaru as he passes by, forwards!
Oh, and charging forwards with his body mass too.
Birdie watches after he pushes it towards Hotaru. He laughs a hearty laugh, but he waits, and watches for his turn. Their strategy seems to be pile on with muscles at anything that comes at them, doused in the heat of the fire.
That's a great strategy, and that's why Birdie and Katana are sticking too it. But when it breaks, an just a little, Birdie cracks his neck and takes notice of the fast girl.
His eyes travel as she moves, to give him, or at least try, to give him the upper hand here!
Piling on Hotaru would be cruel! By luckily, they are thugs.
COMBATSYS: Birdie focuses on his next action.
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
Aranha mulls this over while the others are beating the crap out of each other. Ok atleast it looks like he's mulling it over. It's entirely possible that he already made his decision and is now watching things and then he finally speaks, "You know. I'm going to need some time to think about it."
Aranha begins to run rapidly as he vaults up onto the fire engine's hood and he doesn't seem to lose any speed as he does it. He hops up and begins to run on the fire engine in spite of the uneven terrain and then leaps up into an aerial before coming down on top of the helmet wearing pseudo-samurai heel first. "I must know... Is it fun?"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Medium Strike.
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
Birdie's pesky moving of the ladder is throwing everything out of whack. It may have helped Hotaru get distance beneath Katana, but it's also, perhaps unintentionally, helped the crazy masked Shogun get out of the way of her chi-laden kick without so much as a scratch too. As her leg snaps down she finds that she's wobbling a little trying to recover from the confusion as well, but at last she gets her footing.
Just in time to have Katana come flying at her in what looks to be a real pain train coming her way. "Yikes!" Hotaru yelps, hopping back rapidly along the ladder rungs toward the cab where Birdie is. It puts her out of range of the charging strike from Katana, lines the Shogun up with Aranha's head stomp, and places her closer to the large black fighter all at the same time.
"Let me off easy before?" Hotaru questions, sounding a little incredulous. Stabbing her and dragging her and slamming her into the ground doesn't seem like getting off /easy/ in her opinion. But with Aranha jumping in, she sees a chance to really get Katana the way he deserves. Risking leaping forward a couple of rungs, her left foot comes down deftly as her right foot swings out with a snap kick toward his armored chest. After all, up here, just knocking him off the truck would hurt if she can pull it off, whether or not he has armor to cushion the actual blow!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Light Kick.
- Power hit! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Katana counters Colossal Kick from Aranha with Shiraha Catch.
- Power hit! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Birdie
As Hotaru continues to pile on into Katana, Birdie just ain't going to do nuthin' about it. But then Aranha piles himself into Katana, and all Birdie can think of is two versus one is really bad odds. It's time that he helped out a bit. And he can't be any happier.
As he moves over towards Hotaru, he has a sick, twisted grin on his face, literally exploding forward as if his fist had been charging energy within it, but instead of chi, just raw power over the manipulation of energy as he hurls towards the girl.
As she comes down, Hotaru might find a powerful punch aimed right towards her cranium, aimed to really make her see stars. "Cheep cheep!" Birdie calls out, to get the woman's attention.
It seems ... that Katana.. ... IS BEING ASSAULTED!
As Hotaru is able to leap backwards before leaping forwards, all seems lost! The foot slams hard towards the armored chest, harder than it should, Katana moving into the kick before being launched backwards by it! It hurts rather nicely, and it seems like the Shogun is done for, because Aranha launches towards ... THE HELMET.
As the heel comes down, Katana catches himself, one arm against a pole of the truck, another on Aranha's heel, holding it up from his strength. His muscular physique allows this! "You went for the ceremonial mask!? How DARE YOU!" With the force still upon him from the kick, the arm drags Aranha with Katana, spiraling to the ground, having the flesh of Aranha hit truck a few times before tossing him him off, throwing him upwards back up to the truck and the metal bars!
That's when Katana impacts onto the ground with a WHUD, his body almost making a crack .. but it doesn't, for he's not super human! The armor clatters as he forces himself to his feet once again. He staggers.. but he is not beaten. Far from it. "You continue to meddle in the affairs of the Shogun ... today will be your undoing!"
He poses once more, blades up as well!
Aranha's heel comes in contact with Katana's arm it's at that moment that he realizes all is not well. He goes to the ground impacting with the truck painfully over and over. He doesn't recall feeling so much pain in one moment. Oh wait... There was that fight against Luc... And the King of the Hill against Hotaru. Ok... He can remember being in this much pain.
Aranha pulls himself slowly back up to his feet and mutters before following Katana to the ground but in an insane nose dive before catching himself in a handstand. His legs open as he whirls around becoming a human tornado his feet impacting his body a few times before the attack ends however he's still in the handstand.
COMBATSYS: Birdie successfully hits Hotaru with Medium Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Birdie
Hotaru's kick connects and she snaps her foot back down to the rung afterward, managing to keep her balance atop the precarious perch. And down goes Katana. She's fine with - erk. And down goes Aranha too! Poor guy, the girl winces with a shake of her head. Those scrapes against the side of the truck are going to hurt. But at least he's getting back up in order to show Katana what's up!
Hotaru suddenly realizes that there was something else she should be paying attention to. 'Cheep cheep!' Oh yeah, /that/ guy! Hotaru whirls around, only vaguely sensing that she's in trouble in the midst of all the chaos. "Hey you, don't think I've forgot-" *CRACK* Okay, maybe now she /will/ forget. The girl gets clobbered right in the temple from a fist about the size of her poor head. The blow knocks her clean off the fire engine and down to the pavement where she lands flat on her back with a gasp. "Ooo..." she groans, sounding practically out of it.
Rolling onto her side, her left hand comes up to press against the side of her head as she struggles to get back up to her feet. Gritting her teeth, she lights her arm up with a flare of blue energy and glares back at Birdie. Or, well, the three Birdies. Make that four. Three little yellow ones flying around her head and one big blurry one up on the truck. That's the one she's aiming for! "YA!" She exclaims, swinging her arm forward and launching a shimmering projectile his way.
COMBATSYS: Katana dodges Aranha's Inverted Tornado.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Birdie fails to slow Hakki Shou from Hotaru with Thrown Object.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Birdie
Katana .. focuses on anything coming close to him! And it turns out that Aranha .. is DIVING INTO THE CEMENT. "That.. is not honorable! Hurting yourself is specifically for the weak! How could yo-" And that's when Aranha catches himself on the ground. "Truly impressive." The Shogun responds, before Aranha THEN begins to become a whirling human tornado, feet aiming to impact Katana's body time after time after time!
But when the feet come forwards, Katana already is bounding backwards, his body leaping away from the assault, the heavy armor makes him slower, but he is still not that slow! Pulling back, Katana brings his jitte upwards, before pointing them towards Aranha. "Your moves, as interesting as they may be, do not impress the Shogun! But you would make a nice member of the Mad Gear Gang!"
That's about when he lunges forwards with all of his might.. but lacking some speed. "I'll show you what is necessary to be true and powerful!" With Muscles.
The jitte are thrust forwards at the same motion, to scrape against the body of Aranha as he rips them by! And he'll keep going .. actually acting like a Samurai without the blades!
SUCH IS HIS POWER.
Birdie's got Hotaru on the run, at least, that's what he thinks. That last punch really cleaned the girls clock, but then she gets back up. It's quite brutal too, as you could imagine. He's just surprised that she gets up so quickly!
"And don't you forget that I remember you!" Birdie calls pointing back down towards Hotaru who now rests on the pavement. But that distanced them, so it ends pretty badly for Birdie. As he awaits her charge, she doesn't charge. Instead, a shimmering projectile comes his way.
In a hurry, he throws some of the heavy chain links, literally grabbing part and hurling it, but unfortunately, the energy just knocks him back and off the fire truck. With a loud THUD, Birdie comes to a stop on the other side, seeing birdie's himself.
His follicles of hair, however, are beautiful and untouched. "Bloody... 'ell."
COMBATSYS: Aranha fails to interrupt Fierce Strike from Katana with Sky's the Limit EX.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Birdie
Aranha has to admit that he's impressed by Katana's ability to move out of the way of the Tornado. But he still has to press his attack and so he decides to even push pass what he's sure will work. It's a calculated risk that doesn't quite work out for him.
He actually pumps himself up and out of the handstand as he watches the pain train come his way and then he takes one and two steps before leaping forward attempting shoot past the jitte. But his timing, and execution isn't quite there and he actually leaps at the jitte chest first adding to the collection of scars he already has and ends up getting knocked backwards legs in the air. "That... was a mistake."
The scene is pandamonium. Much like it is wherever Mad Gear goes. A nearby building is ablaze and firemen are on site, yet doing nothing to stop it. Mostly because they can't. Mad Gear has seized control of the fire truck and surrounded all of the gawkers with the intent to loot them while in the process of coming up with a large replacement vehicle for Katana. The fire fighters and the masses have been rounded up by the Mad Gear gang while Aranha and Hotaru are in the midst of fighting against the two main shows of muscle behind this big mess.
Having been struck clean off the truck by a powerful blow to her temple, Hotaru shakes her head slowly after firing off her friendly little blast for Birdie. Her vision is only just starting to clear up. "Ow..." she grouses, only just in time to see Aranha take a nasty stab to the chest. Seeing the boy get schooled by Katana's impressive abilities, the girl begins to fret about the way things are going here!
She isn't sure where Birdie went, since she could barely see what happened when she hit him. But she can see that he isn't nearby. Which gives her a second to clear her head and get a fix on what all is going on now.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Birdie
As Aranha catches himself on the jitte, Katana had to move just a bit over to accommodate ... and it works out well! As Aranha catches himself on the weaponry, Katana backs upwards and lets Aranha fall off them as he gets knocked backwards. "You were quite brave.. far braver than most!" Katana exclaims. "For this, credit is given.. but there is a problem that I cannot forget, for she is like a thorn in my paw of a bear!" Don't try understanding. "The ramen grows cold while kept waiting!" This is when Katana LEAPS ONTO THE TRUCK.
And that's when Hotaru starts to clear her head and get a fix .. and then SUDDENLY!!!!
Katana leaps down, alongside Hotaru, jitte being raises and brought upwards.. and then focusing upon the woman, raised but NO ACTION SEEMS TO BE TAKEN. It's like Katana is holding her hostage at jitte point! "You ... will learn of a terrible power today! ... And you will not even understand where it comes from!" Katana says, meaning the spirits and ancestors! .. FOR THEY WERE WITH HIM.
Are with him? MAYBE THEY DEPARTED. But either way, he'll distract Hotaru ... FOR THE HORDE.
COMBATSYS: Katana assists Birdie.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Katana
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Aranha 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Birdie
Birdie, upon falling towards the ground, begins to pick himself up. Breathing heavily, he finally does, moving towards the side. He can't see Hotaru for the moment, but he's making his way around the truck, and towards Hotaru's position. It's slow, methodical, and he's just waiting for the girl to looks toward his way.
"HEY! GIRL!" Birdie calls through the air, "I AIN'T DONE YET!" Birdie follows, beginning to appear around the front of the truck, leaning against the truck as he keeps his eyes on Hotaru. "Don't you want to finish the job?" The thug grins, his white teeth flashing as he unravels his chains infront of Hotaru.
The heavy inks fall against the asphalt, piling up at his feet. "Well?" Here's for hoping that she doesn't look behind her. Which she probably will, since that Samurai isn't sneaky.
COMBATSYS: Birdie gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Birdie
Aranha oddly enough understands what Katana is saying. Perhaps Aranha hit his head a bit too hard in the process of impaling himself on the jitte and then falling onto the ground.
Slowly Aranha gets back up to his feet and then shakes out the cobwebs in an attempt to get himself back together. After a few moments to gather himself he begins to move towards Katana and then he suddenly breaks into a run at Katana. With a leap he vaults over the pseudo samurai using him as a stepping stone as he leaps onto the fire engine and then off the fire engine to stomp on Birdie's head. "I don't think we've danced yet."
Having a chance to catch her breath has been pretty instrumental in the girl recovering from that vicious strike to the head. It's no surprise that a fighter like her can't take many hits like that. She's going to have to stay on her toes more than she has if she's going to be able to keep from getting struck like /that/ again.
But then the next thing she knows is that she's sandwiched between both of the brutes. Katana in front of her, waving those sharp pointy things her way, and Birdie coming up behind her - his chains more than giving him away. "I have a name," she mutters. And it isn't chickadee or girlie, either. Though she kinda looks the part.
She hears Birdie's challenge from behind and taking a couple steps backward from Katana, spares a quick glance over her shoulder to try and gauge the distance she has to work. Another step backward is taken before she suddenly spins around on one foot and takes off barreling toward Birdie. She isn't even quite aware that Aranha has taken to the air against the much larger foe but she does know there's more going on than she knows.
Coming in swiftly, she tries to slam her foot down one of his chains as if to snag it for just a second before reaching swiftly for one of his thick arms. If she can get a hold, she'll use the grip to dish out a rapid sequence of rising strikes right up the front of him, finishing with a foot driven into his chin followed by running right over the top of his shoulders to hop down on the other side in hopes of getting out from being trapped between the two brutes. "Ya, ya, ya!"
COMBATSYS: Birdie endures Hotaru's Shin-Jou Tai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Birdie interrupts Sky's the Limit from Aranha with The Birdie MAX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Aranha 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0 Birdie
As Aranha leaps off towards Biride.. somewhere, Katana watches as Hotaru looks at him, and then TURNS AWAY. That's bad practice! Katana is not very happy about it, either, and so, as she takes a couple steps away from Katana before spins and barrels towards Birdie, Katana looks on .. oddly. "Heeeeeey. YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON A WARRIOR!" Katana yells out as he strikes Birdie over and over.. well, Katana won't take that .. HE JUST WON'T! "Now... while your guard is down!" Katana yells out, rushing towards Hotaru as she kicks and punches Biride, he leaps up, and tries to catch Hotaru ... WITH THE JITTE IN THE BACK. And then slam her into the ground.
She knows where this goes.
"DAAAAAAAAAAIKYOOOOOOOOOOOOU!" Katana yells out, if he caught her, and begins to treat Hotaru like a truck, running her hard into the ground like some kind of monster, making her eat cement and then some before flicking her up and off the blades, and away from him, with the force he can muster!
To land in face first with CEMENT.
"BUUUURNIIIIING!"
Oh yeeeeeah.
Birdie's ready for the final onslaught that besieges him. At least, partially so. He's asked for it, after all, and when you ask for it, you definitely damn get it. But then Hotaru, instead of freezing like a dear in headlights, changes course and darts right for him. Birdie's pulling back still, but when Hotaru gets a foot on his links, he instead curls up, bracing for what's going to happen next.
As she onslaughts him, his thick arm being grabbed, and strike after strike pounding in on the muscles that bulge out, still gleaming from the fire. And finally, foot takes chin in a quick match, but preparing for it, it helps him more than it hinders.
His eyes up and looking towards the falling Aranha, coming straight for him, Birdie does the thing he knows best. "I don't think we're gonna dance, bloke!" He calls as the feet come to stamp on Birdie's head, put instead, strike the hair and slide down, bonking him instead of stomping. Thrusting his head backwards, he aims to cut most of the man's shoe, maybe even along the leg. Still, he pushes off the asphalt, literally goring Aranha as he falls, before pinning him against the side of the Fire truck.
Rapid fire punches follow, and it's just sheer power. No real finesse. "Eyyyyyyyyaaaaaaahhh!" Birdie grunts, finally releasing the man so he can continue on. "Heheh. Oi, so where'd ya go, chickadee?"
"What the..." Is all Aranha manages to get out before he's then rammed by the big brute and then slammed into the truck so hard that a dent forms on the truck in the shape of his back. It doesn't help much that he's driven further by the fists slamming into his body. Filling his battered body with even more pain.
When the onslaught is finally over he begins swaying. "Damn... That hurt." But even still he has yet to make his own impression in this fight and so he's planning on getting atleast one meaningful attack in before making his exit. Aranha performs an outside crescent kick from his front leg which then drops to his rear leg. He shifts back and swings his leg around in a rear leg outside crescent kick which is quickly followed up by a trio of kicks where he touches the ground as he swings the heel of his rear leg towards his opponent's head. On the third of those particular kicks he cuts short and turns his foot as he drops it down on the ground before swinging his other foot at the head in a roundhouse kick-like motion though it's also done with both hands on the ground. Aranha then shifts his weight over to the side swinging the unplanted foot up and over which though it doesn't hit, it generates momentum for the other foot to come back across. He performs a handstand and performs a series of rapid spinning handstand kicks. All kicks in this sequence are engulfed in blue chi.
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Katana
> /////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Birdie
"HOTARU!"
A voice cuts through the chaos and calamity of battle and fire-fighting alike. Through the crowds gathered around at the periphery of the unfolding battle. A lone, young voice carries itself clearly as young hands cup together to funnel and project the volume with all the force his lungs can muster,
"I BELIEVE IN YOU!"
The nearby crowd parts a fraction to reveal the little coward himself. Huffing and puffing after that loud cry and the fast dash across no less than three city blocks since the fight started.. Arms bowed at his sides as he leans forward, mousey eyes wide. Only just managed to see that poor man get obliterated by that new brutish thug the Shogun seems to have dug up. Teeth gritting with wide-eyed terror. He won't let Hotaru fight these monsters alone!
...Mad Gear. AGAIN?! Will these guys ever quit?!
COMBATSYS: Kentou has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Katana
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Kentou assists Hotaru.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Katana
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Daikyou Burning.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Katana
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Birdie
The painful sequence of rapid stomps right up the front of Birdie seemed not to quite sway him as she had hoped. If anything, it just pissed him off and sent him into a violent rage against the young capoeira user. Hotaru touches down on her feet, completely oblivious to the raw carnage being dished out against Aranha behind her.
Only once her feet are grounded does she spin around and catch sight of the flurry of punishing strikes being dealt to her impromptu ally in this outburst of violence. Poor Japan. It isn't even safe to just walk down the street these days. You never know when you're going to get bulldozed by someone with deadly, sharp hair. "Y-yikes." She's been in Aranha's shoes before. Trapped against a wall as blow after blow got slammed into her by that very fighter. It isn't too hard to gauge that he isn't going to have much left to give after that beating. Which means she's left alone against two incredibly tough fighters.
It's then that she hears that voice calling through the chaos. The crowd splits and Hotaru turns to see with her own eyes where Kentou is. It's only by having her attention drawn his way that she even realizes that Katana was bearing in on her with his dual weapons, ready to unleash an incredible amount of damage if he managed to dig them into her back.
For this moment, however, it's not to be. Hotaru digs into that speed, confidence bolstered by a boy's belief in her abilities. As the blades come swinging for her, the girl leans low and slips around Katana all together, allowing him to continue his charge unabated. The opening this leaves for her to strike at Birdie is impossible to miss though.
"Stop calling me that!" the girl exclaims as she continues onward with her burst of speed directly for the much larger foe. A hop from a couple yards out takes her into a spin through the air followed by two whirlwinding strikes with her arms just before landing. The moment her feet touch down, she continues striking, each palm press laced with a spark of blue chi, adding power to the attacks that her arm strength can't possibly accomplish on its own. "Soushou..."
If she manages to connect, she'll deliver several more swings before lunging into his stomach with her shoulder and delivering one final, chi-laden roundhouse to try and send him staggering off. "Tenrenge!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Birdie with Sou-shou Tenrenge EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Katana
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Birdie dodges Aranha's Royal Flush.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Katana
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Birdie
As Hotaru slips around Katana completely, Katana stands there, breathing hard... and then he heards Kentou screaming Hotaru's name. "You ... GET OVER HERE YOU." Katana yells out, his voice weak, but his strength coming back to him. Almost completely. "I ...I'LL TEACH YOU COWARD! YOU FROM BEFORE.. TO EVEN SAY YOU BELIEVE IN SOMEONE ... AFTER THE STUNT YOU PULLED!" Katana doesn't even spare a moment, rushing towards the little fighter who's tired already. And as Kentou breaks from the crowd, Katana doesn't even seem to care, no, instead, he seems to have one thing on his mind.
Gutting the little guy. It seems .. a bit much. But when you're the Mad Gear Shogun, nothing is a bit much. THEY EARN THEIR RESPONSES. Well, Kentou doesn't want to let the girl fight the monsters alone. But in the end, she is alone. Especially because of Kentou's action.
"Get .. OVER.. HERE!" The jitte spin in his hands, the man charging through the populace, through his own gang members, just charging through everything to get to Kentou, and then tear into him with a slash from the jitte.
It's not skill, nor is it speed, but it's HONOR. Honor personified through lack of it on Kentou's part.
AND THE ONLY WAY IT CAN BE REPAID IS THROUGH BLOOD.
It always starts with this. Birdie can't take multiple foes. He tries too, and he falls like a house of cards. As the two find out in short order. Unlike it however, Birdie's got a little wiggle room, and he takes it.
"Oh, bloody 'ell more of you folks." He calls as he hears another voice, but then, well, the guy he trapped tries to get up. And that's when it begins. Birdie's seen a quick crescent chi kick bulldozer him before. It was all on a count of that one man, the one with even more powerful hair than him. Guile. He doesn't like chi imbedded kicks. It just isn't his style.
Firing himself back off and out of the way of each, he looks like a punch drunk ballerina. Each movement seems uneasy, forced, and unhealthy. The black man ain't supposed to be shifting like that.
And he doesn't, after he reaches the end. Instead, Birdie finds out the hard way as Hotaru rips into him with her strikes, landing right infront of him. His arms feel heavy. His body sore. And then the chi strikes just add up, sizzling and leaving his skin charred with the repeated energy strikes. Finally, his chest takes a powerful chi laced kick to the stomach, and Birdie just doubles backwards, bleeding terribly as he hits the wall of a building. The one next to the one that is STILL ON FIRE.
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Birdie just grins, even if his teeth are beginning to stain red from the blood. "You keep sayin' that but all I'm hearin' is cheep cheep." Birdie answers, seemingly stalling Hotaru now. Why?
BURNING REVENGE.
COMBATSYS: Birdie gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Katana
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Birdie
COMBATSYS: Kentou endures Katana's Medium Strike!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Birdie
Fwew!
Kentou watches his Sensei execute a flawless series of manieuvers. His heart racing as a smile brightens his exasperated face..
..That smile goes away pretty quickly, however.
The youth's eyes snap to Katana as the Mad Gear Shogun recognizes the youth right away. His lips press into a firm line then. The boy's gaze hardens with his head bowing a fraction. Casting his expression in shadows beneath his bangs.
The crowd around him -scrambles- for cover. Seeing that rampaging monster scatters the people around him like leaves before a hurricane, but the small youth remains unmoved. Not stirring even in the slightest.
Even as the rampaging man -SLAMS- his blades across the boy.. The youth -sliiiiiiides- back several paces. Teeth gritting visibly.. but somehow managing to stay on his feet. Even as blood all but pours down his chest..
...".A..Again.." Kentou painfully rasps.. Still not lifting his gaze from Katana's boots.
COMBATSYS: Kentou takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Birdie
Her powerful roundhouse delivered, Hotaru staggers back a couple of steps from Birdie. She can't dish out combinations like that often, but at least she can make it count when she does. At first she stries to split her attention...
It occurs to her only after Katana goes speeding off to charge Kentou that the two have history. And it isn't the same history that she has with Katana. "That stupid fight," the girl whispers to herself as the blade using gang leader tears through anyone and everyone that gets between him and the young boy. She should be there. She should save him from the mad Shogun's rampage. She... still has a very much conscious and deadly Birdie. If she were to go help Kentou now, the chain wielding beast would be right there too. All she can hope is that the boy holds his own for a bit. "I believe in you too, Kentou." is the whisper of hope as she fixes her attention on Birdie.
Having already fought him before, she isn't a complete stranger to his strength or his ability to just keep going in spite what gets thrown at him. Kicking and punching him seem to leave little impression unless backed by that blue energy she has to dig deep in order to utilize but she'll run herself ragged doing that.
When she pushes off to charge the giant next, the girl takes to the air, attempting to latch hold of his burly arm like a rabid squirrel and wrap herself around him, her legs around his biceps and her arms within grasping range of his hand. Wasting no time, she'll try to clamp her hands onto his hand and bend it inward with a twist, applying a very simple looking but painful pressure hold on the limb. It beats trying to pick him up and toss him, to say the least!
As Kentou bleeds, Katana rips the jitte away from him, watching as he bleeds and he rasps. "You bring this upon yourself, boy." The Shogun responds to him, grimly. "Cowards die a death .. while those courageous are remembered forever, their death in battle passed on! The spirits! Your Ancestors! All of them will know of you. But now, you will be forgotten." And that's when he hears Hotaru. Hears the quick movements and the assaults that she's busy with, but no speaking. And that's when Katana ignores Kentou now, before charging towards Hotaru once again.
His blades pull backwards as he tears across the cement again, sandals hitting the pavement heavily, as he goes to reach Hotaru once more. His body is steeled and his muscles are strained, but he's riding on adrenaline. He's like he just started. Things will keep degrading for the others.
"GIRL! Your coward disgusts me .. and if I have to take it from your hide, then I will!" The jitte are swung out once more, but this time, attempt to repeat something once again. The jitte do no so much stab as they do slash, Katana taking a slower pace at the strike. Much easier to see.
But at the same time, difficult to deal with.
"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! GOMEN - NASIPOOOO!" The jitte cross as he slashes, attempting to dig into Hotaru from behind.
COMBATSYS: Birdie blocks Hotaru's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Birdie
Birdie is two things. Black, and huge. This means that trying to do anything like that, by which I mean, break him like a turkey, is really hard.
Partially because of his bling. Partially because he's just that hard to take down, the muscles literally getting in the way by resisting! What's a girl to do? Well, other than get off him, Birdie knows he's going to keep chugging in this, keep on truckin'. It's the least he could do.
And so, as Hotaru tries, he resists as much as possible.
"Hahaa... you ain't got nothin'!" He grunts at Hotaru as he tries to help pincushion the hapless Hotaru, by throwing himself off the side of the building, and charging at her, even with the tight space, and core her, there and then, only to try to pull her up and into the wall behind him!
COMBATSYS: Kentou interrupts Fierce Strike from Katana with Tekkoudan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Birdie
Heh!
If this American really knew anything about the Japanese.. He'd remember that falling upon a sword is one of the chief ways of regaining one's honor. The boy holds still, accepting the giant's judgement with clenched teeth and fists. As much as Kentou loathes this monster... The boy acknowledges he did him a terrible disservice. Enemy or not.. The boy owed him. For his ... cowardice. And he is willing to repay the blood owed...
That is.. Until Katana turns away? That was not what he expected.. Doesn't he want revenge? ...
That is. Until he runs off to stab his Master in the back right in front of him.
The boy's eyes glint like flame.
Its easy to just stand asside when its your own neck on the line. Easy to just let down people who you hate. And he regrets it terribly now..
..But no way is he going to let down the people he loves!
Wounds and all, the boy is off like a -bullet-. Ducking low and shooting forth like a track-star as dust kicks up a heartbeat after his passing. Just as Katana's blades slide forth in a wicked arc, without Hotaru even seeing it coming.. the giant may see a slight shadow passing over his head.
"TEKKOUDAN!" Kentou flips clean over him.. Landing literally back to back with Hotaru JUST as he vaults directly into those blades. Blades raking into him yet again but the boy pushes ahead. Both fists together as he twists and -shoves- into the strike. Striking the Mad Shogan's armored plate with a fraction of a second to spare, "HUUAAAAA!"
Oh no. This is going to be settled right here! Katana wants a fight, he's getting one!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Birdie's Bull Spike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Birdie
It's all she can do to to frantically release her hold on Birdie and scram the instant she realizes that she can't overpower him with something that direct. Coming back down on her feet, looking rather weary herself, Hotaru's attention is so fixated on Birdie that Katana's weapons had an easy shot of finally dealing with the pesky, persistant young fighter.
In fact, with Birdie's insistence on charging her right then and there, she doesn't eveh have /time/ to check for an attack coming from another direction. It is in the last second that she feels the ground vibrating behind her that she glances over her shoulder, eyes wide as she finds herself too flatfooted to avoid the menacing slash intended for her back. Trapped between the two strikes, time seems to slow down. There's nothing she can do now. But then it is that while looking up a small figure blocks out the sky for one brief moment as the boy, determined to regain his honor, lands at her back and intercepts the slashes meant for her by pouring everything he has into dishing out an attack against Katana. "Kentou..."
No time to say anything else though as the thundering sound of an extremely large opponent comes bearing in on her. Taking to the air, the girl avoids his deadly charge and stomps down with her foot, aiming to plant it right on his forehead in order to get a little boost and flip to land behind him. "Kya!"
COMBATSYS: Katana interrupts Light Kick from Hotaru with Tengu Walking.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kentou 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Birdie
So as Katana rushes towards Hotaru, Katana doesn't expect Kentou to leap into the blades, and then Kentou vaults onto them, before he shoves into the strike, the armored plate being struck.. Katana is caused to more than stumble backwards, but the same thing is .. really! The Mad Gear Shogun is built like a TANK, because Katana is seriously just that. The painful strike .. was sort of painful. Katana looking at Kentou, Katana shakes his head. "Boy. I refuse to fight you. I have told you my response. You are a coward. I will not fight a coward. LEAVE ME BE." Katana doesn't even draw his blades against the boy. The boy ran into his own.
Instead, Katana looks towards Hotaru. And as she lashes out towards Birdie, Katana will have NONE OF THAT.
He would rather fight the other one, instead of the one he currently had dealt with. Hotaru wasn't so much of a coward, or at least, this is something more. She tries something beyond just throwing herself in the way of weaponry after running from a beast. One is stupidity. The other is courage.
And Katana would refuse to be ignored any longer.
Leaping upwards, Katana attempted to take the kick FULL HEAD ON, and then take her and the kick towards the cement, before slamming the jitte against her, strike after strike! And it works out as he planned. His chest and armor take the strike, but it more or less glances off. It hurts, he can feel it, but it would not have been what Hotaru was aiming for.
Leaping up to his feet again, Katana would be before Birdie. "Tauros... to keep this battle to yourself .. I am appalled! They only send the shrimp towards me, instead of the main course!" Katana holds the jitte up. "I .. am far from tired! But what about you!? You have ignored the shogun for the last time!"
As Hotaru gets out of the way, Birdie is just fine with that. Letting Katana jump infront of him is one of those things that he cannot say no too, so when he did, Birdie was more than happy to let him. With a broken grin, Birdie throws himself towards the side, inking out against the wall as he looks over towards Kentou.
Heheh. Hotaru kept talking about Kentou. And man, Birdie wants to get back at Hotaru for side swiping him he was busy wailing on that other fighter. So what would a man do if he was desperate and seeking for something to destroy?
Charge it. Placing both hands against the wall, Birdie gets down, leveling himself on Kentou. Without another thought, he explodes forward, head down, hair forward, aimed to literally charge into the youth and take him against the fire truck, and try to paint the Japanese truck with another coat of red.
"You woke up on the wrong side of the bed, bloke!" Birdie calls as he charges around Hotaru, arms even up to almost try to funnel him to the deadly follicles.
COMBATSYS: Kentou blocks Birdie's Bull Horn Final.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Katana
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kentou 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Birdie
Kentou recovers from his quick attack slowly. Adrenaline so thick in his pumping blood the youth can't even feel the pain from those gashes. Fists quickly rising upwards as Katana... tells him to go away? The edge of the youth's lips quirk.. Eyes narrowing as the small boy begins to snarl. Grrrrrrrr!
Fine! Kentou considers this debt paid up! He gave that man the blood he so wanted.. If that isn't enough then..
The youth, however, is wholly unable to stop that charging giant. Trying to get in the way and not let Katana pass.. But is simply bowled over as the boy spins and stumbles about!
Trying to get his barings to see just where that Shogun ran off too.. That is.. Before the boy barely has a fraction of a moment enough to see the incoming beast. Feeling the trembling asphalt more than seeing it coming.. the youth twists and raises his hands up swiftly! Mousey eyes wide as he -squeaks-! Hands -clamping- at eitherside of Birdie's head and holding him at arm's length.. Footing giving away instantly as the boy -sliiiiiiiiiiides- back along the ground. The tip of that spikey hair pointed straight for his middle.. Gritting his teeth as the jarring impact from that hasty block alone enough to nearly knock him senseless. Knowing full well he can't even hope to stop this charge.. And deciding being impaled to the firetruck ranks awfully high on the scale of 'bad' things.. The youth gulps and -springs- up.
Deciding to put Birdie's mind to use, the boy uses his noggin as a fulcrum and flips up and -over- him. Twirling about in mid-air and attempting to veer the man's course astray and possibly into the fire-truck anyway! "Nadareeeee! KUDAKI!"
Her foot comes down but it isn't with the thud she expected against Birdie's thick head, but rather a thunk against the helmeted head of Katana as he leaps up to intersect her stomp. Having caught her early, she can't quite kick with the full force she had intended, and it leaves her completely open to being grabbed and slammed right back down to the ground from which she left an instant ago. "Ah-!" comes the startled cry as she finds herself being targeted with a number of vicious strikes. She manages to weave and squirm her way through the assault to avoid anything more grevious than a couple painful gashes along one of her arms and a slash in her leg, but even thoughs are starting to add up against the already tired fighter.
As Katana turns to talk to his good friend, Tauros, Hotaru struggles back up to her feet slowly, her right hand clamping over a bleeding wound in her left forearm as she glares at that terrible looking mask. "You look ridiculous with that thing on," the girl replies as she gasps for breath.
It's only then that she realizes that Birdie is zipping right by her on a collision course toward Kentou, "Look out!" she yells just in time to watch the poor kid get plowed back some distance... but he manages to stay upright all the same. He'll have to fend for himself for a moment, for Hotaru has a crazy Shogun to contend with. "Just hang in there," the girl hopes, in spite of the incredible size of the man going after him. The kid is tough. Hopefully he can last.
"All right, you've got your fight!" Another leap for Katana. This one aimed high as she flips forward such that her hands might be able to plant against his shoulders. If she pulls it off, she'll shift from that into dropping down right behind him, both arms wrapped around his neck while she dangles against his back. It's a bit crazy, but it might be hard to cope with if she's quick enough!
COMBATSYS: Katana endures Hotaru's Quick Throw!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
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Kentou 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Birdie
Once Hotaru leaps again for Katana, he seems ready for the woman. Especially when she plants against his shoulders, shifting and dropping behind him. As she wrings his neck and dangles against the back before trying to bring him down, Katana, unfortunately, has seen it coming. Dropping down once Hotaru does this, he follows through, working with the movement, and then pulling him up once he hits the ground. It's not something Katana particularly enjoys, but he works through it, and around it, bringing the jitte up.
"Hahahah. Fine then, little girl! We'll fight alright! And I will make sure it doesn't end like it has before!" his body rolls once it hits the ground in a way it really shouldn't. And with that, the weaponry spins around as well, driving it towards Hotaru's frame with all the speed he is capable of.
Afterwards, he pulls back, looking to Birdie fighting against the child. "While he is small, and weak, he is capable of some yet. Remember that.. but remember also to take him down! Hahahhaha."
The shogun stands wearily, grinning towards Hotaru through the mask. "Tired? I'm only beginning! Maybe if you were not so focused on running around, then you would have one better!"
He's ready to keep going. But what about Hotaru!?
COMBATSYS: Birdie endures Kentou's Nadare Kudaki.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
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Kentou 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Birdie
Birdie... seems to let Kentou take control of the situation. Maybe he's just tired, but he hasn't given up yet. Instead, Birdie fights with every last drop he has. He's going to help as much as possible, since, he doesn't like any or all involved. Except Katana. He's okay.
As Kentou throwings himself over Birdie and tries to use his own strength against him, it works! But at a price. As he begins to come around, Birdie crashes into the fire truck, bouncing off the side, only to come right back towards Kentou, head down, attempting to run him against the wall he was pinned against.
Fair is fair, after all. "Eyaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Birdie calls, not one for conversations at the moment, trying to hook 'em, taken all the way to the wall, and lay down thuggery with punch after punch into the young, Hotaru apprentice.
Succeed or fail, the mighty Birdie finally falls, breathing rather heavily.
COMBATSYS: Birdie can no longer fight.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
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Kentou 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Birdie successfully hits Kentou with The Birdie.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
[ \ <
Kentou 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
The massive -crash- behind him tells the boy his gambit worked! The youth lands in a crouch a short distance away with his back to the fire-truck. Expecting that mammoth to have knocked himself goofy!
Now then.. time to help Hotaru! There's..
The boy blinks as he stares at a shadow wiiiiiiidening over the ground, "..Huh."
*WHAM*
*WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM*
Sometime later.. In the aftermath of the brutal beatdown.. The boy just limply slides down from the series of craters against the wall. Flopping to the ground in a heap. Fingers gripping the ground painfully.. Trying to drag himself just a little further before coughing a gout of blood, "...H..Hotaru.. Y..You can.. win.."
Whispering the words towards her before slumping his head back to the ground..
COMBATSYS: Kentou assists Hotaru.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
COMBATSYS: Kentou can no longer fight.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Katana's Medium Strike.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Katana
She gets that grip on his neck like she wanted, but it isn't long before he worms his way out of it. She admit, it seems that the masked warrior is getting better at dealing with her every time she fights him. A little faster, a little more accurate, a lot more difficult to predict. But one thing's for sure. The instant he slips free, she's backing away, causing his twin blades to barely miss skewering her as evidenced by the two hair-thin slashes left in her blue vest at the level of her stomach as she gets out of range.
The first time she fought him, she almost thought he was some kind of joke. But he's proven otherwise multiple times, and the young fighter isn't going to mess around at all. She's definitely looking tired though. While he boasts that he has endless energy, the young fighter's hair is damp against her cheeks, moist with perspiration. Sadly, there's nothing in her power to save Kentou from the fate Birdie has in mind. And it looks painful at that. The sound of fists coliding with a kid not built to take that kind of abuse are heard while Hotaru simply stands her ground in front of Katana. The crash of Birdie falling over after word at least lets her know that Kentou did what he could. He lasted just long enough. All she can hope is to deal with the Mad Gear leader and get the boy medical help fast.
"You sure talk a lot," Hotaru murmurs before finally lunging back at the man grinning from behind that mask. She'll give him something to grin about if she can help it! Rather than taking to the air, she slides low, attempting to slip behind him. If she pulls it off, she'll reach out to try and grab his left arm and yank back on it with both of her hands, while also pulling herself up to smack her feet into his back so that she can try to twist his limb into a reverse armlock right where he stands. If she manages to get in position, she'll pull back on his arm with all she has!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Ten Ranku-Tou.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1 Katana
Well, looks like Birdie, or Tauros, took care of the kid. Katana doesn't even look over as he hears the kid fall back. "Coward. Going out with a whisper instead of a yell, or a clash in battle." Katana responds to the boy as he finishes his strike which Hotaru doesn't seen to have much trouble evading, actually. But it wasn't meant so much to strike as to toss her off balance.
Because Katana stands again, and as Hotaru slips behind him, grabbing his left arm and yanking it around, the limb almost reversing, the arm's pulled.. but really, to Katana, all things considered. He doesn't seem to mind too much. "Pull harder. If you want me to take you seriously. You ... have shown me while you are strong, you are a weakling in your thoughts. You pull yourself through, and for everything, all you do ... is to simply follow me into all of these battles.. but no matter. I'll put you out of your misery soon enough!" Katana laughs to himself, bleeding, albeit, he pulls out of the assault by Hotaru with a bit of focus. But he's not tired. Not at all.
"You .. will see ... MY STRENGTH ONCE AGAIN!" His jitte rise up as he focuses upon Hotaru.
It's go time.
COMBATSYS: Katana focuses on his next action.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1 Katana
She manages to give his arm a bit of a wrenching, but his raw strength manages to over power much of what the girl can do even with her arm and torso strength combined. Realizing that this isn't working either, she lets go once he starts to get his act together to pry himself free, deliberately releasing early to avoid getting caught off guard. Several steps back are taken before the girl pauses, trying to get her breathing under control.
"Any time you go causing these kinds of problems in this city, there will be people like me there to stop you," Hotaru replies, standing up a little more straight. "I guess I'm just unlucky enough to get stuck with the privilege so often." She shakes her head a little, one hand coming up to brush her damp bangs aside... and then she's back on the offense.
Trading power for speed, she leans in slow before punching upward, an open palm toward his less armored stomach followed by a quick elbow from the same arm and then a roll backward to try to keep from risking too much Close Time with the bladed warrior. "Ya!"
COMBATSYS: Katana fails to interrupt Quick Punch from Hotaru with Meido no Miyage.
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Hotaru 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Katana
As Hotaru rushes towards Katana, Katana rushes back. So when the elbow strikes Katana, Katana takes the jitte and slams them forwards, but things unfortunately do not work out! He's poke backwards by the strike, and then puts away his jitte, looking towards Hotaru. Glaring towards Hotaru, it seems simply .. like he's done.
"I was wrong. You are not a warrior. You are a little girl afraid of a simple weapon. BEGONE WITH YOU. I will have this truck." And he begins to walk towards the door of the truck. It's rather simple, the strike didn't even hurt all that much.
He's just heading towards the fire truck now, sandals hitting the concrete. "You and your coward of boyfriend can stay away from the SHogun. He is not interested in facing you again." Before he hefts up 'Tauros' and then heads to the truck.
Yep.
The palm strike, then the elbow, the girl leaning into the attacks just enough to make them land - quite aware of the risks his sharp blades pose. The swing she anticipated comes, but the girl just isn't there anymore, having rolled backward just as she had intended, coming back up on her feet, hands clenched as Katana glares back at her from behind his mask.
She shouldn't really let his words bother her so much. After all, what merit is there in the evaluation of someone who stands for nothing she agrees with anyway? The insults, the mocking of her poor, battered student. His opinion should be dismissed as nothing but idle words, much like almost everything else that comes out of his mouth when he's throwing out words from a language he doesn't even seem to have a clue about.
But to turn around and walk away with the intent to simply take what he wants and be done with it gets to her all the same. "Che," the girl snaps, mouth tightening and then she's after him again, "Turning your back isn't a very good defense!" she shouts as a warning when she's already almost there, as if feeling maybe just a little guilty for blind siding the guy with perhaps the worst peripheral vision in the world.
When she gets close, hopefully he's not trying to use Tauros as a human shield as she lashes out with three swift kicks from her right leg - targetting his leg, his stomach, and his upper torso. And if able, she'll snap that leg down and swing around with a follow up roundhouse with her left. If he wants to see a hard hit, she's going to give him one. "KYA!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Katana with Heavy Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Katana
COMBATSYS: Katana has left the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|
As Hotaru strikes Katana, Katana was walking away. He doesn't even really seem to pay attention to Hotaru. "To you who would strike a warrior when they have put down their weapons. I believe you are a weakling." Katana responds, before throwing Birdie into the side of the Fire truck.
That's about when the kick strikes his back, causing him to be unable to continue fighting at all. "I'm done with you and all of what you are. If I see you again it will be too short in this lifetime. A bratty girl with a coward for a friend. While I am a Japanese and strong, a warrior, I care more about myself and some crush. What I do I do for Mad Gear. What you do is worthless in the end."
Pulling himself onto the Firetruck, Katana's not so beaten that he can't at least throw himself, and his leg, on the ignition.
And that hit was still pretty weak in Katana's response. At least, to what he's seen.
Hotaru slides to a stop, her kick landed but rebuffed in the same gesture. That he could take that and continue on unabated suggests that he's a lot tougher than she had given him credit for based on prior experience. Or maybe just far more determined this time.
She leans forward, resting her hands against her knees. That last kick was the last of her strength to try and stop him but he seems capable of continuing on all just the same, even while lugging such a large partner in crime. As the fire engine pulls away, Hotaru is left behind with two beaten partners to get care for as well as a sheepish feeling at being utterly unable to stop them from what they wanted in spite the help she had.
"Ugh. Maybe armor /is/ the way to go..."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has ended the fight here.
Log created on 18:06:07 09/21/2007 by Birdie, and last modified on 03:32:23 09/22/2007.