Description: A friend is someone who is there for you when she'd rather be somewhere else. Anywhere else. Certainly not running through an aircraft carrier in the middle of a freaking war zone. But Eva and Naerose know Arika's been captured by "R" - and Himeko's still missing somewhere within the Black Noah. And so they're here. But you know, that's another truism, isn't it? Be careful what you wish for...you just might find it. And as events unfold, bonds of friendship are sorely tested indeed.
The ship (or, well, Riko, at least) may not like the fact that Eva's not jumping to the chance to be the best fighter ever and help out, but, for this rare moment, Eva's not going to dance around the fact that she could care less. Or that she wishes the ship would go bite itself, if ships are able to indeed technically bite themselves with a hypothetical mouth. Or something of that sort.
However, R's currently the top evil on her list right now, especially since they kidnapped Arika. And, perhaps, they kidnapped Himeko too; that's what she's assuming. She heard something about 'cannons' too, but.... would the Suiryuu reaaallly be that stupid to shoot fights at a ship? Especially with the ammo they have on board? The bazookas were taken care of, but things like spears and 'less fatal' goods are still up for grabs until this temporary alliance of sorts is together and able to throw some more things overboard.
The deck didn't seem to hold anything she and Naerose wanted, so going under the deck seemed more promising in a sort of 'headless chicken' sort of fashion. It's only that odd sense of anger that boils underneath her skin that keeps Eva moving, wanting to do *something*, hit *something*, exact vengeance against- no wait.
She's here to find Arika. Arika's her fault. Teammembers stick together and help each other out! "Naerose, let's keep sticking close together. We'll be better together than apart, so..." She frowns. Her heart pounds. Maybe this door? She pushes against it, going into.... a parlor. "....."
She sees grandness, unlike she's used to. ".... I'm not sure if this place is..." She trails off, looking around.
COMBATSYS: Eva has joined the fight here.
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Eva 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Hiretsu
COMBATSYS: Eva has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Eva 0/-------/-------|
"Right right." Naerose says while sticking close to Eva. Like Eva were a seeing eye dog. . because Naerose needs a seeing eye dog. This is odd of course, why would she need that? She does look like a blind person, that is true, she has the blind person tell tale shades on. . and that. . . si the problem. In poor lighting shades are likely a bad idea, yet she refuses to take hers off. One hand on her broom, the other on her hat as she hurries along with you know, a vengaance? Well not quite. She's letting Eva be all the vengeance. She's just here to help get a friend out of a cell and then off of this ship.
"I'm gonna totally follow your lead," Naerose says to Eva.
So where's Katelynn this whole time? Simply moving around trying to get her bearings around the ship and trying to see where everyone else is. She's not sure if her ally Aranha is still around, but that's not important right now. Right now the important thing to do is finish up what she came here for and get out alive. Even if that means meeting a hard defeat at a tough opponent...
In the end, the team of heroes finds their way to precisely what they're looking for -- albeit not quite in the way they might have hoped, and it's certainly not the first thing they have the misfortune of seeing. As they step into the parlor, it's initially empty, however grand it might be -- the lights are on, as they say, but no one's home.
That quickly changes.
The first man to step into the parlor that isn't one of the invaders from the Suiryuu looks to be a thirty year old man of British extraction; some may recognize him from the invasion of the boat itself. He carries a modestly-sized longsword with an ornate golden guard for his knuckles, not unlike brass knuckles, and his jacket and matching pants make him look like a butler of some sort.
"Ah! I see our guests are here," he says, glancing back toward the dark entryway from which he's stepped. "Just in time, I suppose. Come out and greet them." The disguised Kirishima makes a 'come, quickly' motion with his free hand, with no small amount of urgency. "Don't be shy. Why, if our intelligence is right, some of them might even /recognize/ you!"
What a way to end things, and not without irony. Kidnapped prior to the tournament to determine if she would 'do', for whatever nefarious purpose the ninjas have in mind. Kidnapped defending the same ship that she'd very much like to see sunk into the ocean at this point. Several hours have passed since her capture, and the punk princess is little more than a broken shell right now. Several wounds cover her body, gashes along her shoulders and rips in her shirt. Her face is fairly marred thanks to Mature's ever-loving hands, and dried blood cakes a lot of the wounds.
"No." The reply is short, quiet and scathing. Arika is beyond irritated. She's broken and humiliated by the collar they've slapped on her. As if she's a bloody puppy to be ordered around. Then she remembers what she's been told. Fight or die.
When options are limited in such a way, she has little choice.
She kind of likes being alive.
Stepping out of the shadows, she doesn't even have the energy to look up at those that have come aboard from the Suiryuu. She lurks back, hoping that none of them are fighters she knows. "You know bloody well that your intelligence is right. Quit takin' so much pleasure in this..."
Noticing the strange British man as he strolls out into view, Eva's lips purse nervously, trying to figure out that age-old question: friend or foe. Could easily be foe, but could be friend, since the people from Suiryuu are running around nilly-will-
Eva knows that voice. ".... A-arika...? " She tilts her head quizzically at the Brit. "... What's going on here?" Naerose's presence allows the girl some permission to steel herself against that sudden uncertainty, forcing her to continue to act the leader, as opposed to the aforementioned headless chicken looking for its missing part. "So you're alright?" Hope, almost child-like in how it cracks through that veneer of suspucion and uncertainty, leaks through into her voice. "... They didn't do anything to you, right? I mean, I bet Himeko's on this ship. We could go search for h-"
The hope dies. ".... This.... isn't going to be that simple, is it." She turns to the Brit, her emotions wavering between rage and uncertainty as to his role. It may be somewhat obvious what he's here for, but Eva can't jump to conclusions, act like she did in that first huge fight in Thailand... "..... Please." Her voice is hoarse. "Who are you, and tell me what's going on."
The witch for her part is totally different. She isn't looking with uncertainty, or rage, she is looking with utter calculation. She is adjusting her shades and taking in the brit and the masked man. She leans on her broom and lets Eva speak, for a moment, the man speak, Arika speak. She takes her time in entering into this part. Then she speaks up.
"Eva? Do you not see? She is either here as a bait or she is here to turn .. er. be turned.. Er.. Turn friends against one another! the villainy." The witch says then points her broom at Arika.
"She's under a spell or something, the only way to save her is to BREAK the spell. We have to focus on Arika, free her, then defeat umm er.. JUSTICE!!!" she cries, apparently running out of steam on the dramatic speeches.
She looks around sheepishly,
"So er.. we game?"
COMBATSYS: Naerose has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|
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Eva 0/-------/-------|
Continuing to explore the ship, Katelynn eventually finds herself encountering Naerose and Eva. While she's not exactly all too familiar with the latter, she does recognize Naerose, and yet despite their past history with one another, Katelynn knows that this is not the time for hostilities. Namely because there's something that doesn't seem right about Naerose, but now is not the time. She gives a nod to Naerose and Eva before joining up alongside them.
COMBATSYS: Katelynn has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|
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Eva 0/-------/-------|
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Katelynn 0/-------/-------|
"I suppose it's not worth it to try to be pleasant," the Brit groans as Arika gives him a bit of what is no doubt sass-mouth; would that it had been a /shock/ collar. She could use a little negative reinforcement, he thinks to himself as he turns to face Eva and her assembled... justice-speech-making... friends. He turns to Naerose first, squinting at her in what is likely irritation at her bluster, before turning his attention very briefly to Katelynn, then finally to Eva.
"When it rains, it pours -- and I thought /London/ was rainy," he says, stretching the wrist holding the blade a little. "No matter. You know what to do, I trust?" he adds, turning to Arika to say this even as he steps in and gets ready to strike.
He starts with Katelynn, knowing full well that in a situation like this, the rear-guard is very often the most powerful of the bunch; after all, what is /behind/ is every bit as dangerous as what's ahead. His assault is fairly unceremonious, though, consisting of a simple thrust with the blade, followed by two quick kicks.
COMBATSYS: Kurow has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/-------|
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Katelynn 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Arika has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-------|
Lashes fall closed over weary deep-blue eyes, and the diva exhales a heavy sigh. They would come for her, these people who consider themselves her friends. Those who she has been refusing to trust fully, and now they are putting their lives on the line to save her. She can't even bring herself to look at Eva or Naerose, and so she stares past them at the room beyond.
"I'll live," she replies to Eva. Pointing at the collar she nods at what the witch says. "I'll live," she repeats slowly, quietly. "Provided I fight." A light flashes on the bomb-collar as though to remind her that it's there, just waiting for her to refuse. Turning those sad, weary eyes on Eva she spits out, "The witch is right... but you -know- I ain't much of a match for you. I don't know 'bout this guy, but Eva..." The implication is to take out the unknown first, so that maybe she can work the collar off.
"Yeah, I bloody well know wot to do," she snaps at her 'keeper'. Just like a good little puppy, she too moves in toward the latecomer. If she's going to be forced to fight, she may as well -not- attack her friends.
"'elp," she hisses at Eva as she rushes past. Hand clenching into a tight fist, she swings around opposite of the disguised man and send a quick jab right to the center of Katelynn's face.
It seems that Naerose is the more level-headed among the two, especially. And, perhaps, faster to assume the obvious. Eva's having a hard time understanding anything beyond that point. Just rage. ".... I-I understand," she says, in a small voice. Her hands shake.
Arika's speaking, but the words aren't filtering through. It's just like in Thailand, isn't it, only Arika's fully aware of it, and she still has to fight. Turning now to the British man before her, her face becomes twisted with that previously denied rage, that hot fire in her belly now allowed to surge in full force. Himeko hopefully hasn't had the same treatment if she's here, but if she has, she'll get her vengence here too. To force people to fight each other, to force someone to become a puppet. That.... That...
.... Is dishonorable beyond relief!
"I'LL HURT YOU NOW!" Eva flies at the Brit in a fury completely unlike herself, and yet, considering how guilty she's felt earlier, it may be justifiable. Blue chi streaks down her arms as she attempts a bum rush at the ritzy-dressed man, arms crossed over her body in a sort of afterthought towards forgetting herself from the impact.
Naerose meanwhile was trying to figure something out, just how to save Arika. They would, she decided, kill her anyway. What a gross prospect! Cap blown off, she was sure there was a word for that. Um Desodified? Unscrwered? Well whatever. She wasn't gonna let it happen. Arika had to fight.. So they had to fight Arika.. Right.. Okay.. Naerose has a plan.
"Arika.. er.. sorry about this, but I'm totally gonna hurt you here."
She takes a careful assessment of the Diva, adjusting her shades, paying careful attention to the collar. Yes this could work, she seems to think.
COMBATSYS: Naerose focuses on her next action.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Katelynn blocks Kurow's Medium Kick.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Katelynn blocks Arika's Jab Punch.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-----==|
When you're being double-teamed, it's best to remain on the defensive instead of the offensive. Hence the reason Katelynn resorts to the method of blocking the kick coming at her from Kurow as well as the swift punch that Arika sends her way. It does hurt a little, but compared to how bad it could've been, it's not too bad.
Without wasting a moment Katelynn brings her right fist back and focuses her chi into it, allowing it to glow with a bluish aura for a moment, before thrusting it from her in the form of a sphere, while yelling out, 'Kiai!'
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Eva's Cerulean Bullet.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-------|
Katelynn deflecting those kicks and that blade is a mild surprise, but one that the apparent eldest of the fighters seems to take in stride; this wouldn't be the first time that the initial moments of a bout were rocky and subsequent strikes turned out far better, after all. But the disguised fighter doesn't have much time to think about that, though -- not with the full-speed rush coming at him. Weaving to the side, he takes his body neatly out of the path of the berserker charge. "If you're going to hurt me, there are better ways than that," he chides, waggling a finger at her.
He decides to divert his attention to her now, breaking off from Katelynn and moving toward Eva with a grim sort of purpose; she's angry, and regardless of actual skill, anger is a powerful tool. It easily makes her the most threatening of the assembled fighters -- which is never a good thing, of course. Kurow leaps up, whirling his body around in a forward flip; this is perhaps slightly showy, but its effectiveness is undeniable. ... At least, if he plants those thick-soled dress shoes right in her face. "You seem familiar!" he declares, mid-spin.
COMBATSYS: Katelynn successfully hits Arika with Energy Fist.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-----==|
"You know," Arika remarks dryly, staring right at Katelynn with cool, calculating eyes. "You'd do better to -not- call out to an opponent before sendin' an attack their way." Just an observation on her part, even though the ball of blue energy hits her in the chest and sends her backward. "It lacks the element of surprise."
Heart pumping now, the diva spins right back toward Katelynn and shakes her head. "In a way," she says coldly to her chosen opponent, "I'm glad you're 'ere, Molina. Don't want to 'urt my friends and you're a nice'n'easy outlet." Gee, if it weren't for the circumstances, it'd be almost like this was set up entirely perfectly for Arika. A mannequin for whom she can focus all of her attacks on while not facing off against Eva at all.
As she spins around in a graceful pirouette, she calls out to Naerose, "Go for it, though really... I think this bloke is gonna be the bigger problem... remember wot I said 'bout stickin' together? No matter wot 'appens Naerose..."
Whirling out of the pirouette, her foot lashes out at Katelynn, a sharp roundhouse kick to the girl's stomach.
"... you make sure you get Eva to safety..."
COMBATSYS: Eva blocks Kurow's Flying Kick.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/-----==|
Words seem to blur in and out of reality in Eva's mind as she goes after the strange British man. This is a tactic she'd normally avoid, but here, she's too angry and needs to throw a few punches of JUDGEMENT at someone. This someone happens to be the one who seems most at fault: the British stranger.
The dress shoes scuff painfully against Eva's arms as she throws her arms up in a defensive position. ".... I don't... remember your face at all..." However, the exchange of words and that first taste of pain (unfortunately from the side she promised pain *to*) does not deter the savateuse, instead pushing her to keep coming at him. "Nnh!" She responses with a kick of her own, whipping it up to attempt to hit heel-first against the man's cheerful face.
"Right.. " Naerose says to Arika and turns her attention to the man in a disguise.
"I'm totally gonna save my friends, both of them.. And and, you can take that to the bank!" The witch says in an impossibly corny attempt at being cool.
"Sagita Minor!"
She flings then an array of tiny ice darts while hopping into the air, away from Kurow, and peppers the area with them, a broad grin on her face as clearly what she is doing is the right thing and when they got Arika out of this, Eva Arika and Naerose were totally going to go get ice cream or something. She was pretty stoked about that since someone else would be paying for that ice cream. What do you mean does Arika and Eva know about this? Well ahh, no. But who doesn't enjoy ice cream and then there is the new friends. The which was gonna dig this friend thing and all she had to do was help clobber some over powered crazy guy in a mask and then help get Arika's collar off. This was gonna be so sweet.
COMBATSYS: Katelynn endures Arika's Rhythmic Roundhouse.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Arika
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Kurow
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Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
There's no way that Katelynn can avoid a roundhouse kick that's coming so fast at her. It's not that she's not adept at dodging, mind you; Rather, it's the fact that it comes at her with so little warning, especially after recovering from her attack on Arika. And the kick hits her in the stomach, causing her to get knocked backwards a little and get the wind knocked out of her. But as she's being knocked to the side, she finds she pivots a little to the side without intending on it. As a result, this leaves her in an opportune spot to return the favor to Arika.
Dropping down into a crouching position, Katelynn swiftly throws a foot sweep at Arika, only to pause at the last second and then pivot on that foot around, bringing her other foot around to deliver the actual foot sweep. Let's see how well she can handle this one.
COMBATSYS: Himeko has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|
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Katelynn 0/-------/----===|
So where in blazes -is- the missing girl in question anyway? That one is not very simple to answer, since arriving on the Black Noah and losing Tran, the pink-clad heroine has been running around like a nutball evading, getting spotted by, and evading more of the R troopers on board. In fact she just so happened to have been running from a few moments ago, and after losing them, needed a place to hide. "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"
The Parlor looked like a good idea!
The door practically comes flying open, slams against the wall and slams shut again, she dashing forward and spots a few things. 1) Arika 2) Katelynn. Fighting? 3) Naerose 4) Eva ... Fighting 5) A sorta butler guy? Didn't Aranha mention something about a butler and Tran getting kidnapped or something to that similar effect? Without even thinking about it she leaps and flips onto one of the couches, "mmMMMMMM!!!!!" and bounces off of it with the intent of landing the sweetest flying back kick at Not-Kurow the world has ever seen! "MORTALS!!! FOUND YOU!" It is the pink-clad oversized scarf wearing Hurricane Hime!
COMBATSYS: Eva successfully hits Kurow with Medium Kick.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|
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Katelynn 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Kurow with Sagitta Minor.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|
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Katelynn 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Himeko's Medium Strike.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|
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Katelynn 0/-------/----===|
Whirling his body to one side, Kirishima tries to avoid Eva's kick -- but naturally, it hits him square in the face. But more importantly, it knocks him right into the path of those needles; dropping down, he leaves Himeko's path bare. It all happens in an instant, but it's a critical instant -- it starts to change the face of the battle for the agents of Jinchuu.
Far be it from a man like Kurow Kirishima, no matter how many layers of disguise he happens to be under, to give up after one or two shots; he turns his attention toward Katelynn again, the only one who /didn't/ bother to attack him. Clearly, that means she's not paying attention -- and clearly, that means she's putting herself in a dangerous position.
"You will soon enough!" he calls back to Eva as he goes, bringing that sword up once again for a series of lightning-fast slashes at the Shotokan practicioner; they are somewhat telegraphed, in their way, but that does not make any of them any less brutal.
COMBATSYS: Arika fails to counter Feint Sweep from Katelynn with Diva Allegro.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/-----==|
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Katelynn 0/-------/--=====|
The Black Noah's P.A. system loudly crackles to life. A wicked, feminine voice fills the deck and halls, "This is Marise Satsuko. As of this moment, I succeed Elle Belmounte as leader and commander of Blackjack. As my first command to you- Crush the insurgents of the Suiryuu! Drive them into the sea!"
Eyes narrow as the punk princess continues to keep all of her attention on Katelynn. She -knows- Eva can handle herself, and she... okay. She actually knows very little about how Naerose fights, but a woman that insane must be able to handle her own, right? Arika is not sure about Katelynn at all, and the last she saw of -her- was when she was helping Douyoubi on that ship in Thailand.
Teeth grind together tightly and she slams her fist out to knock Katelynn back before the foot can sweep at her. Just as she does that, her attention is drawn to the little Hurricane that she was so desperately trying to find and get back to the Suiryuu safely. She's -further- distracted by the announcement, and twists her head to face Naerose. That -has- to be the Elle she was talking about. It can't just be a coincidence, can it?
Frowning, she looks back to Katelynn and *wham*. There's a foot being slammed into her chest? Well not quite. See, the punk princess has an idea. She drops down just enough to take the kick full on in the neck, and it sends her sprawling backward. It also just so happens to loosen the collar a little. The light upon it blinks once, twice, three times.
Arika glances at her 'keeper'. She glances at Eva. She glances over to Katelynn and then she drops down to the floor and begins to cough. Taking a foot to the throat like that really isn't any fun, and now she's struggling to breathe.
COMBATSYS: Katelynn counters Fierce Punch from Kurow with Palm Blaster.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/-----==|
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Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
The announcement keeps Eva from attacking immediately as the Brit changes targets. "Marise...." That demon lady. She's taken control of that one group? ... That means more enemies. But they can keep coming and coming and she'll beat them all down if she has to. Betrayal, people treated like puppets, personal injustices done upon people who cannot understand the idea of honor. Her fists and feet itch with ready anger, and Eva begins her assault on the young man once more.
"...!" He says he'll let her know how he finds her familiar. Better to beat him first and then make him remember, if it really comes down to her having the time to do so. It really could have just been some broadcast, either from SNF or the Jinchuu battles themselves. No matter. She needs to beat that cocky smile off his face. Coat in hand as she dashes towards his turned back, she tries to snag his neck in an attempt to force him into her next move.
There is an annoucement. . . Naerose's expression is completely unreadable while it is going on. She has a look of intense concentration. . Standing there, her shades covering her eyes completely and her lips pulled into one of thought, almost as if someone flashed a blue screen of death in her brain, she seems momentarily locked in the moment, you could see your reflection in those dark circular shades, but not her eyes. not her heart.
"Marise.." Naerose says, after a few moments and continues to just stand there. She doesn't move, not an inch.
"Black... jack.." She says and gazes at the PA, as if totally unsure what to do. . The witch remains transfixed, frozen in spot, almost like she were under some sort of bizarre trance.
COMBATSYS: Naerose takes no action.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
When will Kurow learn that a true warrior doesn't need a weapon to win in a battle? Well, that's just Katelynn's philosophy. Kurow's free to use whatever weapons he wants to, but Katelynn's mind is her best weapon. And she proves that when she turns the tables on Kurow.
Just as the first slash comes at her, Katelynn dodges in a downward motion, and then thrusts her hand out while charging it with her chi. She delivers a swift palm-strike to Kurow's stomach, which hurts him more than it does her. Yeah, it should be the other way around, but not in this case!
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Eva's Camera Obscura.
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Naerose 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Arika
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Himeko 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Kurow
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Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
Hurricane Hime isn't going to pretend she knows what's going on. She's a girl with an agenda of her own after all. An agenda of action.. An agenda of honor.. An agenda of duty! Managing to miss Kurow she ends up skidding along the floor and quickly turns around, shocked. "Wh- How did he do that??" It does look like Space Butler is about to get bumped around like a pinball though, and she decides this is her chance! Leaping up into the air again, the girl flips in the sky and attempts to land a heel-kick right down on top of his noggin, "Found You! The Dicrector's Cut!!" So who is Blackjack anyway? More of the ships goons? Could be!
COMBATSYS: Himeko successfully hits Kurow with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Arika
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
At the warning that comes over the intercom, the Brit cracks a smile; it won't be long now, he thinks -- just in time to take a quick palm strike in the chest. Eyes on the ball, he reminds himself -- even if the /environment/ favors you, the battle may not. Stepping back, he takes up a slightly different stance with his blade, seamlessly moving from a conventional Western style to something more traditionally Eastern; his feet plant a little harder, as well, bringing him just underneath Eva's swinging jacket -- but right into the path of Himeko's foot.
It doesn't change his stance a bit, though -- he seems to shrug the blow off entirely, and just starts coming forward toward the girl who missed her chance -- /Eva/. "You're a little out of your league, aren't you?" he asks of her, his tone taunting -- if he gets her angry /enough/, it'll stop being a boon and start being a liability. As if to punctuate his sentence, he leaps forward, whirling toward her like some angry cuisinart, sword flailing in the air as white flashes of chi mirror the slash in all directions around him. It may be a faintly familiar technique, from some far-off battle in time immemorial, but surely this is a unique style... /isn't/ it?
Much as Arika wishes to stay down and actually catch her breath and work the collar off the rest of the way, she can't. Who knows how they have this thing rigged, or what will happen if she actually stops for a prolonged period of time? Rubbing her hand along the collar, she looks for a latch or a switch that might open it.
"Who the bloody 'ell cares 'bout Blackjack? This ain't 'bout them now, is it?"
Who she's talking to isn't really all that clear. She could just be making a generalized statement, or she could be directing it at the one person who's pretty much stopped moving. Hopefully, Naerose will remember her promise to get Eva to safety. At this point, that's all Arika cares about. Seeing her teammate to safety.
She's honestly quit thinking about her own survival now.
Leaping forward, she looks as though she's going to smack Naerose in the head to clear the cobwebs from it, but instead she lands in a crouch and sends a sweeping kick out toward Hurricane Hime. Yes, this is a very different tactic than the one she was employing previously but she needs to get the proper proximity to whisper something.
"'ime, take Eva and -go-. Get back to the Suiryuu, find someone there and let them know wot's goin' on 'ere..."
COMBATSYS: Eva endures Kurow's Yasha Guruma!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Arika
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 1/-----==/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
That.... style. What is it? What's about it? Something.... familiar...
*SLASH*
She doesn't dodge. She doesn't defend. She couldn't do either. But she does lean into the attack, neon blue eyes blazing as clothing and skin rips and blood flies into the air that's laced with the sword's chi. Out of her league? Maybe. Maybe. "Maybe.... but I have to *try* or I have no right to be here." It's for her brother's sake that she's here, ultimately, not her own. "People come here to show their strength, not to be toyed or puppetted! You and Suiryuu and all the rest should just go away!"
Maybe it wasn't smart to yell before her attack. But as it stands, she has the better hand, having sacrificed an attempt to escape that pain that now burns her body to put herself in a better position to enact her next attempt at making her first promise true. He *will* feel pain, even if she'll feel it just as much or even moreso. "...!" Three precise kicks, like small targeted fields of bullets rocketing out, fly towards the increasingly familiar man's face, torso and shins.
"Aww forget blackjack, I never liked card games anyway, or those japanese comics, but like some can be amusing, the point is. I am here for friends! I will totally not let you win, cause umm.. Take this!" And then the witch tries to hit Kurow with an attack of great fury. I mean, she tries? She makes a full swing and all with her broom and at one point there would appear that he was there.. The problem is, or seems to be, he moves, he moves fast. He moves very fast.
"Aw dang, I can't get a fix on him!" She says as she tries to hit the fast moving blade wielding pereson.
"But I'm not giving up, oooh no."
It seems that both Arika and Kurow are busy being targeted by the others, and while Katelynn would use this as a chance to back off and recover, she doesn't want to miss out on all the fun that's going on. Instead, she decides to join in on the effort. Seeing how Naerose and Eva are taking on Kurow, Katelynn decides to turn her attention to Arika once again. This time, she takes the liberty of demonstrating another kicking technique, except this time she throws a forward right kick, and just as the kick goes all the way forward, she pushes off with her other foot, flying directly at the girl like a missile (hence the title!) If it succeeds, Katelynn will strike Arika in the chest with a fast kick!
COMBATSYS: Himeko endures Arika's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
Well there's one small problem with Arika's tactic. At the moment, she doesn't see Arika as a superior. Time and time again the Punk Rocker has done suspicious things around the heroine, and this is the most suspicious of them all! Why? Well because she has absolutly -no- clue why everyone's fighting in the first place!
The kick connects, and it looks like she hits the floor hard! But in that same instant, she springs back to her feet lifting herself from her shoulders.. And then she grasps out at Arika's sleeves. "-I- don't even know what's going on!!" she hisses. Assuming she gets hold, her foot slips back and she would start to twist sideways.. If Katelynn's kick lands, then it'll make the tomoe nage much easier to pull off! "I won't leave until that man gives me what I want!" And she's perform a very sweet shoulder throw-- Flinging her right back at Katelynn!
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Eva's Carmine Crush.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Naerose's Clean Sweep.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/---====|
In an instant, Kirishima's focus is fully on the bout at hand -- and that focus is surprising. His body is starting to adapt to this style, and when Eva comes in with those kicks, he decides to take a big risk. Leaping up and digging his blade into the ceiling for a second, the disguised man completely avoids Naerose's clumsy-seeming sweep and Eva's first two kicks. Dropping from the ceiling as the third kick comes, the man puts his sword back in a stylish sheath, disengaging his hand from the grip, and reaches out toward said kick.
If he can't get a good hold on it, he at least has the good sense to just step back and get as far out of the way as possible. If he can snag it, though, he'll give it a quick twist, sending Eva down to the ground -- and with that, of course, the real fun can begin. He has a few choice words for the girl, but he has to deliver them properly, after all...
COMBATSYS: Arika blocks Katelynn's Missile Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Arika just-defends Himeko's Quick Throw!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/--=====|
Oh, of course Molina would come after her again instead of seeing the big picture like everyone else.
Er.. well Hurricane Hime can't really be blamed for her reaction, seeing as how she came late to the party.
With the flying kick coming toward her, Arika does something that some would consider incredibly stupid -- she stays still. Just before the foot hits her chest, both arms come up in order to stop any serious damage from occurring. As luck would have it though, Katelynn's foot nicks the wounds that Mature was so gracious to leave upon Arika's arms and it causes the diva to grind her teeth together in order to fight away the pain.
Dancing away from Katelynn, the diva stares at Hurricane Hime and finds her sleeves grasped. "'ime, there is a bleedin' -bomb- 'round me neck. Now get Eva to safety for cryin' out loud!" These words are hissed just before she's sent sideways, but through rolling her body as she goes she manages to avoid Katelynn -and- land with both feet upon the ground which gives her enough time to catch a small breath before she looks at the group again.
An icy look is shot to Katelynn and she frowns. "And you! Wot're you even doin' 'ere? 'elp them fight this blighter so I can worry 'bout gettin' free'a this thing.... Lord, woman... are you daft?" And presuming that the fighter is going to get back up to her feet, Arika rams her right fist forward against the side of her head. This followed by a left-handed palmstrike rife with violet energy that crackles along her hand before impact. Hopefully, she sends Katelynn toward Kurow so that the idea is gotten.
"I 'ave to fight! I don't -want- to!"
COMBATSYS: Kurow successfully hits Eva with Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\ <
Eva 1/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 0/-------/--=====|
At this point, breaking character a tiny bit -- especially with a character that no one actually knows -- is fine with Kurow, and as the young man sends Eva face-down to the ground, he decides to do just that. Grabbing her other leg and placing them both between his own, the apparent Brit raises the girl's feet to the middle of his chest before doing something elegant, simple, and excruciatingly painful:
Sitting down.
Applied this way, the youth's body weight several times over starts to stretch the girl's back in exactly the wrong direction, getting her body into a severely painful arc. Once he has her in such a position, Kirishima begins to speak. He retains the voice of his disguise, however. "The only right you have to be here," he hisses, "is the right your strength truly earns you. And if you don't have the strength to keep from being a puppet..." He presses down hard now, taking the high-angled technique down as low as he can, pushing the girl to the limits of a human body's flexibility. "Then you're /going/ to become a puppet! /Accept your fate/!"
As the battle rages across the parlour...
...something happens, down below.
Nothing obvious, not a first. A subtle thing, felt rather than seen. Those who have been aboard the Suiryuu might have already experienced it - the strange sense of something being distinctly /wrong/ with the world. A break in the spiritual flow, a change in the ambient chi. But this sensation is greater in intensity - and it increases rapidly, until it's something that /cannot/ be ignored.
And then...
The Black Noah /lurches/. The entire aircraft carrier skews dangerously to starboard. Furniture crashes, light fixtures break free, glasses and bottles tumble from behind the bar, shattering in a catastrophic spray of glass.
A moment of pure madness, before the ship crashes back to the water's surface, righting itself...but still rocking violently.
Pain. Pain. Red flashing chaos everywhere pain oh god it hurts
Eva's face drains pale as her face distorts in pain, her mouth opening and letting out a shriek and a cry of outright distress, wordless, unable to properly move away. Why doesn't she black out? Why can't she? It hurts, it hurts so *much* she wants to just *die* right here and now, but her body's been built to keep going and going and going and oh god the pain
"E-Eli!!"
It's as if the world exploded in response. No vengeful twin ghosts here; just things working in Eva's favor. The hold on her is broken, and she finds herself alright, albeit sliding and rocking around. "....." Like a woman possessed, Eva lurches towards Kurow as the ship tries to steady itself. "..... you are *disgusting*..." That attack is the same as earlier, but apparently Eva's not caring about keeping things fresh. Three kicks rocket out and pain again shoots through her head, but Eva just doesn't want to let go. Not yet.
"Oh man, Hime, seriously, you need to get Eva out of here before she gets hurt, I'll.. I'll hold these two off. . If what they say is true and Blackjack really has broken into two groups.. Who knows how many went with the Devil. She tried to murder me once for taking her picture. I'm serious! Heck, all three of you can run for it.. I'll cover you cause. Cause.. Because I finally understand what Arika was trying to tell me!" The witch cries, she probably has tears streaming behind her shades, but you can't tell, it's impossible to see anything. Meanwhile she hops on her broom and zooms off sort of toward Kurow to attack him or perhaps just distract him from his attacking other people.
"Here I am, come get me!"
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Katelynn with Diva Allegro.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/-------|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 1/-------/=======|
Katelynn attempts to put on a defensive stance once again, but her timing is way off. The attack strikes her, especially hitting her in the side of the head. She's sent backwards a little, but recovers almost immediately. Naerose gives her a reason to run, though, and for some reason, Katelynn doesn't seem to mind retreating...
COMBATSYS: Katelynn takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/-------|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Katelynn 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Katelynn has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/-------|
Don't get Hurricane Hime wrong, she likes Arika! But.. It's come to a point where it's difficult for the heroine to exactly -trust- the Diva without providing some sort of proof these days. And what do you know, she's provided proof that's good enough for the heroine! But there's still a problem- She had deduced this was some sort of very very -very- weird rescue team. And Not-Kurow was her chance to find out where Tran was! Think, Hime, THINK!!
If they could defeat Not-Kurow, everything would work out! If she left now then.. She leaves with only the knowledge that Arika has a bomb around her neck.. Considering how Arika got here in the first place, who would even care besides this group? On the other hand...
Many many thoughts are suddenly zipping out in the heroines head. Running away in battle is something she had never thought about since taking up Saikyo! "Uh.. Uh... Uhhh... But, But I can still win..." Every second wasted is a second less of a chance of beating Not-Ku-- WOAH NELLIE!!
Hurricane Hime just goes flying in the direction of the downward tip, tumbling along the floor for a brief moment. But she's quick to get upright, and she once more stands and bursts toward the other fighting trio.
Naerose speaks up, and oh yeah the heroine hears the witch. Well it's a two to one vote, it's good enough for the heroine! She'll have time to grieve about it later! With a couple of cartwheels, Hurricane crouches next to Eva after her attack; hopefully it hits! "Ishy, sorry, we gotta go, they said so!" She doesn't understand what Naerose was saying in its entirety unfortunatly, she still thinks the witch is a kook but.. Less thinky more do-ey! Her intent is to help Eva escape.. But if she doesn't take it, Hurricane isn't opposed to leaving her behind! .. Uh possibly. (See: Less Thinky) ".. Rrrggh.. Tran, I know you're ok I just wish I could see for myself.." she hisses as she darts out of the Parlor! Hurricane Hime.. GO!
COMBATSYS: Himeko takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Himeko 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Kurow
[ \\\\\\ <
Eva 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Himeko has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Eva's Carmine Crush.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Naerose's Delphine Charge.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Kurow
Just because the ship rocks doesn't mean the disguised youth is any less on his feet -- though Eva certainly gets out of the hold, Kurow is now quite ready for her tactics. This time, he uses the rocking of the ship to his advantage, letting the momentum carry him just past her kicks and to one side on a lucky rock of the boat; the crying witch presents another problem, but he rolls underneath her broom charge and spends a few seconds trying to find his footing and discern just how to handle Eva... but considering he's just placed himself right behind her...
It would seem that it might be best to, like Eva, try the same trick twice. This time it requires a little more finesse, since he doesn't have an outstretched leg to grab... but pulling on them from behind before taking up that elevated sitting position is just as good. It actually probably gets her on her stomach a little /faster/, if anything.
COMBATSYS: Eva dodges Kurow's Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Kurow
So I'd like to know where, you got the notion...
Said I'd like to know where, you got the notion...
To rock the boat (don't rock the boat baby)
Rock the boat! (don't tip the boat over)
Rock the boat! (don't rock the boat baby)
Rock the boat...
As the aircraft carrier skews tot he starboard side, the punk princess shrieks in surprise. Forget about the fact Katelynn is running off without so much as a word. Hurricane Hime gets the message to Eva, and maybe her friends will manage to get to safety before she's forced to actually have to seriously injure any of them.
Naerose's words literally -hit- Arika, and the weary eyes are squeezed shut to hide the fact that there's tears welling up in them. These are her -friends-. REAL friends. People who want to get her out of here, but who're going to wind up getting hurt. There's no way she can let herself wind up like that cold-hearted bitch, Mature. If she's got to sacrifice herself to get them to safety she will...
... Which is all very good in theory.
Spotting Kurow moving in toward Eva again, the punk princess attempts to lunge forward and get in the way. This doesn't happen, as a couch slides right in toward her trapping her between it and the wall. "EVA!" Slamming her hands against the couch with as much strength as she can muster, she decides this is her 'attack' for this round -- fighting with the furniture. Hopefully this will be sufficient so whomever is controlling the pretty little trinket she's wearing around her neck doesn't decide to press the button and make her head go boom.
COMBATSYS: Arika takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Kurow
It may take Eva two tries, but she manages to at least escape certain doom at unKurow's hands (or legs aughpain) as she throws herself in that spilt second between the end of her failed attack and that moment where she would place her foot down if she wasn't about to be grabbed by that Brit.
"Grt!" She lands and holds for support an upturned table, nostrils flaring. Himeko may be right; escape would be a good idea, but she can't leave Arika. Or Naerose, for that matter, now that her identity has been revealed through her unknown betrayal to her previous organization. ".... I can't tell him..." Blue eyes dart towards Arika's own. ".... I can't bare to tell him... you gotta tell him that things went bad but they... went right. That's why I'm not leaving you. You're my friend, Arika."
And that's why she needs to keep fighting. Her body hurts, but she needs to keep going, falling low to attempt a simple but quick (at least as quick as she can manage) sweep, swiping her foot around to try to hook against notKurow's legs, making him fall.
"Oh for crying out loud." The witch mutters as Eva totally charges in, this was only after Naerose also tried to get Eva out of the way of the attack. The rocking boat doesn't bother her, not initially anyway, cause she's on her broom, but now she's on the ground and she's like. Okay, find.
"Wwoah, this is a seriously shifting boat. I am gonna be totally sea sick." She comments and then heads toward Kurow to throw up on him.
She has no idea what Eva is so upset about either but she just doesn't care and aims a kick at Kurow, plain and simple.
"You know Evee, I'm just gonna drag you out of here soon as you are too out of it to stop me."
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Kurow with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow interrupts Quick Throw from Eva with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
Kirishima turns to see Arika being completely useless to the 'cause,' punching the furniture; it's enough to take him completely off-guard. When Naerose comes at him, he takes a step back to avoid her possible lurching and vomiting, but leaves himself open for the real strike; that quick kick to the gut staggers him and almost sends him down directly into Eva's sweep.
What it looks like at first is a trip, quite literally. She doesn't quite snag him, but she does cause the seemingly unflappable gentleman in the butler's outfit to stumble around her, falling backward once he's behind her --
-- only to snag her head with one of his legs as he falls, then lock it in with the other in a vicious triangle choke. Going low around someone who knows how to fight low is dangerous, as Manzetti has just found out -- and worse for one's compatriots. As he falls to his back, he leans his head back, facing Arika; reaching into his jacket, he pulls out something that might give her a little incentive to attack more than the furniture. Namely, a remote. It's only out for a moment, quickly pushed back into his jacket as he keeps the triangle choke locked in, but the message is clear: deal with them, or you will not be dealing with /anything/.
Can't bear to tell him...
Arika has to tell him...
Drake.
All of Mature's words swim around in her head. Love. Friendship. Hatred. Betrayal. In the four little words that broke her earlier this evening, the diva is beginning to find strength. The lost girl, the girl who she -was- can be seen again in her eyes and she glances around the parlor.
These are her -friends-. They mean it. They aren't just hollow words. Eva trusts her, and relies on her as a teammate. Naerose...
From the corner of her eye the remote is seen. Face draining of all color, the diva looks at the two that are left. The moment of strength is replaced by a very defeated look, and she sets both hands to the collar in an attempt to wrench it free. It's a frantic attempt really, but she knows what she has to do.
"Someone 'as to tell 'im, Eva," she says, forcing that damnable Cockney accent again. "Just tell 'im I'm sorry... that I... that I..." Sighing, she looks away. That's just going to have to do. She's not about to bare her soul again. Not now.
"Naerose... forgive me for this..." And suddenly she springs free from behind the couch, swinging in a precise jab toward the witch's jaw. As she gets close enough, she whispers, "Drag 'er out'a 'ere. Don't let them do this to'er..."
The land *hurts* Eva's already aching bleeding body. Nothing seems to touch this man, but.... but she *can't* give up! She has one or more shots at this, and then it's over. Whatever she came for.... she'll have to deal with the consequences. She shakily gets up, eyeing the shiny object through bleary eyes that notKurow pulls o-
The controller. That's the key to Arika's freedom. That controller. "Hah..... hah...." Her breath rags on as she throws herself into possibly her final attack, throwing her coat at Kurow's head in a familiar move, flicking her coat at Kurow's face and then, if it works, looping that arm around to hit him in the face, her other hand making a mad grab inside that pocket. Can't.... press any buttons....
COMBATSYS: Eva has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Arika successfully hits Naerose with Jab Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
Naerose gets hit by the punch, but it isn't terribly hard. It's enough to make her lose her balance a moment, plus the ship, but whatever. She's like.
"Geeze, I totally already know that. Hey freak, leter go!" cries the witch and charges at Kurow, but the ship lurches and sends her stumbling. She tries to grab him to help hold him for Eva, maybe to help get that damned remote. Yeah, she saw it too.
"Gimme that remote, I'm so going to stop you from ruining Arika's nice clothes! She probably has monies in there too!"
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Eva's Sfumato Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Naerose's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
The remote is more important than taking Eva out -- the disguised man knows that, and as such he almost immediately disengages his legs from Eva's neck, rolling back away from her as her jacket lashes out at him. "Well, well. More tenacious than I thought," he says, taking his sword up once more with one hand and tugging his jacket with the other. "I was quite sure that'd finish you... no matter, though. You can't keep going like that terribly long anyway, I'm sure."
The young man decides that, if raw pain isn't going to work, his only option is blunt trauma. Maybe her body will give out when her mind refuses to. From there, he can handle Naerose at last -- and Arika, if she's gutsy enough to challenge him, or sees his threat for what it is: a bluff. (After all, competent help is so hard to find.)
Once again putting those seemingly powerful legs to good use, the apparent Brit, now clearly feeling the fatigue of battle more than he was before, steps in toward Eva for a swift kick. It's nothing more than a bloody-minded attempt to crack her skull and send her down... but then, it seems like that might be the only way to /keep/ her down.
COMBATSYS: Arika just-defends Kurow's Medium Kick!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
"Eva!"
Spying what her disguised keeper is about to do, the diva lunges in front of Eva, readying herself to take the intended kick. The foot cracks forward and Arika moves with it, trying to keep her teammate safe by bending her body over Eva's for a moment. Pulling herself upright again, she glares at the disguised keeper and then launches herself toward him.
Oh, she's not about to attack.
She's going for the damned remote herself.
One attempt. Just a quick reach in the pocket, though whether successful or not she's still got no idea which buttons do what or if there's even a way it can unlock her pretty puppy collar.
On the off chance she misses that on her pass by, she swings back toward Naerose and sends off another quick jab. Light. Trying to keep herself out of the 'kersplodey head' state but still trying her best not to injure her friends.
COMBATSYS: Naerose dodges Arika's Jab Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kurow
It misses. Eva can't hit him. Why can't she hit him? She has to.... try.... harder! 'Ngh!" She recovers from that setback, that failed attack, ready to keep playing, to keep attempting to win. She has to save Arika! "Ngh!" Gritting her teeth, Eva makes another pass at notKurow with her coat in hand, rushing at him and attempting to loop the coat around the young man's head.
The fact was this was way out of hand, Eva needed to get the hell out of there so far as Naerose saw it.
"Look Evees. If you keep fighting like this, all you're gonna do is end up captured again, I'm sorry, I'm really really sorry, but.. This has to end here and now, we can't win, we can't win, we can't win!" The witch tries to get reason into the other girl, but in the end she just resolves.
"Screw it." And tries to knock Eva out herself and possibly drag her onto the back of the room.
"Er Arika, I hope you totally get what I'm trying to do here. We will rescue you, mark my words."
COMBATSYS: Eva successfully hits Kurow with Black Hook.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1 Kurow
It hits. It *hits*. Like clockwork, Eva nets Kurow with her attack, which allows her to lock him in place.... and take the offending controller from his pocket in that spilt second she is allowed by this miraculous chance. The customary punch is replaced by her kneecap, and she pulls away, controller in hand. "...."
Turning to Arika, Kurow glares at the woman, furious, as he whips his body away from her. It's a close call, but the remote ends up just out of her grasp. "How /dare/ you?" he asks of her, reaching into his pocket... but thinking better of it. After all, she can't very well pose /too/ much of a threat as long as he's got his little bargaining chip. Be a nuisance, certainly. Be a threat, no.
Seeing the rescue team start to turn in on itself in the hopelessness of the situation brings a smile to Kurow's face. Their bonds are weak -- good to know, to say the least... but that young girl catches the remote when she snags his head. These two things, together, make the youth's path more obvious -- he is now on the losing side by a large margin, now that Arika isn't on his leash.
Hoping to keep at least /one/ of them from getting out, the youth tries to wrench Naerose off of the artist. If he can get that far, he begins to attack her full-bore, slashing with that sword over and over again, harder and harder, muttering, "Damn, damn, damn," with every progressive slice, trying to keep her from supporting the more injured girls on the way out. The young man in the disguise may not come away with this with much... but he certainly intends to at least get his proverbial licks in.
Nodding to Naerose, the punk princess does indeed 'totally get' what the witch is trying to do -- get her teammate to safety. It's all Arika can ask for, really and so she just gives that nod and then starts to move forward with another jab at Naerose's face.
Her 'keeper' holds her back though. He's asked a question, and she's going to give him a response. "'ow -dare- I? Funny thing," she says while trying to make a 'nuisance' of herself and trip him up. "I got this whole survival instinct. That's 'ow I bloody well dare. Might'a been better 'ad you not flashed your lil' toy 'round..."
She's quite possibly insane at this point, but when she catches that Eva actually has the remote she grins. Wide. Broad. To the point that it might even be cheerful.
And then her body swivels around, head swinging inward toward unKurow and the grin broadens. Slamming said head forward as quickly as possible, she calls out, "Naerose, Eva, let's start findin' a way back to the Suiryuu... and would someone -please- find 'ime again?"
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Eva with Weapon Jab.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\ < > //////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Kurow
Yay! She did it! She did it! Eva freed-
*bonk*
*collapse*
And so, the witch accomplished what Kurow could not, oddly enough. And yet, perhaps, even Eva in her weird frame of mind would be able to understand, once she woke up and found out that she hurts. A lot. Pushing her body further would have only added fuel to the fire, so to speak. The controller clatters as well to the ground from her lax hand, falling towards Arika's feet.
COMBATSYS: Eva takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
[ \\\\ < > //////////// ]
Eva 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Eva has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
> //////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Naerose endures Kurow's Ankoku Yami Kagura.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\0 Arika
> //////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Kurow
Okay, pulled off the broom, that's fine, Naerose didn't wanna be on it anyway. The thing is, right now she looks totally aggravated about something. Like, something she had worked hard for, and here Kurow was grabbing her off her broom and swinging a sword at her? Every single one of the licks causes her to look more annoyed. A wince yes, but she's seeming so angry, you can see the red practically glowing from her outfit, er is that blood? Or gathering chi. Slice slice slice. More and more pissed off.
Slice slice slippity slice slice slit slick slice.
More and more annoyed. Though lets face it, even an annoyed Naerose looks pretty comical. I mean, it's not like.. she's doing much for her image of a serious thing to reckon with.
"Oh screw this." The witch entones
"STAR FALL!"
And then the area literally rains waves of tiny flares like falling stars. Mostly they seem to wanna hit Kurow though. Other people should probably take cover just in case. Naerose meanwhile just stands there as various falling stars illuminate her in perhaps the coolest she ever looks. Occasionally she points dramatically at Kurow incase they didn't know where she wanted them to go.
COMBATSYS: Kurow dodges Arika's Harmonic Headbang.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
> //////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Kurow with Star Fall.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Arika
> /////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Kurow
While the youth weaves out of the way of Arika's forceful headbutt (not wanting to take it, considering how pleased she seems to be free), he finds himself in the way of something else. And honestly, between the two, he probably would've been better served by taking the headbutt. Flare after flare rains down on the man, burning him, pelting him with wave after wave of energy -- he starts to crumple under it after a few, falling neatly to the ground.
Oh, to be certain, he's still going -- his hand hasn't left the hilt of his sword, and he's already starting to get back up off the ground... but any further, and they could take him over to the Suiryuu, or worse, expose his disguise here. Needless to say, neither of those are acceptable, and as such, he takes the smart option.
He starts to scramble away, deep into the recesses of the Black Noah. It'd be possible to give chase... but are these two really in a position to do so, with their friends either gone or defeated and their own bodies aching?
Now she's torn. Does she go after the man that was granted the power to 'keep her in line' or does she grab Eva, toss the other girl over her already aching shoulders and drag her away?
Well, first things first!
Arika crouches low and picks up the remote.
She'll figure out how to get the collar open in a bit, at the moment all that matters is that she apparently has freedom once more. It never dawns on her that there might be another remote out there that can override this one. Nope. Not at'all. She's just happy and free and...
"'ey! You tell papa bear Bernstein that I'm sorry I couldn't stay for tea. I got meself a more pressin' engagement..."
Who cares if he hears her, or if the message gets sent back to her newfound 'enemy'? Arika very carefully pockets the remote and leans down to hoist Eva up, situating her like a big sack of potatoes over her shoulder and then turns to Naerose. "Thanks," she says with a nod. "Let's get back though... I really need to rest..." Hopefully they make it back to the Suiryuu before the adrenaline runs out and she keels over in pain.
COMBATSYS: Arika has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Kurow
For her part the witch just stands there like a statue after the last star makes its decent and illuminates her with light and color. Well yellows and oranges anyway, then it dies in the ground with a fizzle. She remains still a moment, Arika talks to her. She doesn't hear and then... and then.
"Owowowowowowowwowowowowowowo!" the witch starts to cry and hops from one foot to the other and then back again,
"You gotta be totally kidding me! That sword was for real? That hurt!" She cries some more and starts to inventory her cuts.
"That guy.. He's totally out of his mind! Someone sould like call the police or something. " She looks at Arika.
"Seriosuly, we need to get off this ship, I dunno what you're waiting for." The witch starts off.
"And thatcollar? I dunno if that's like so punk rock but it's kind of macabre."
COMBATSYS: Naerose has left the fight here.
> /////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:32:24 10/18/2007 by Acacia, and last modified on 08:41:43 10/21/2007.