Description: Not everything that happens in Thailand stays in Thailand. A young boy waging a path of revenge against his father's enemies tracks down Hotaru as the next target of his anger. The Kenpo artist isn't so easily dealt with, however.
Ah, yes, the sanctuary from the rest of bustling Southtown. Hotaru's refuge from the crazy world abroad. A place where she can reflect, relax, garden, train, meditate, and otherwise recover from the stresses of her busy life. And presently she has chosen to do that within the small chapel that occupies the propery in the main hall.
The young fighter has her back against an old podium that used to be utilized for giving sermons, lectures and the sort. Now it sits quiet. Perfect for the meditating girl leaning against it, seated with her feet crossed over her legs, her arms resting against her knees, her hands out in front of her.
As the girl inhales, her right fist begins to glow a subtle orange-red'ish color... opposite of the blue she normally uses in combat. There is something unpleasant about the nature of the aura... it has an evil taint, something out of place when controlled by the peaceful girl.
There is that tainted energy. From the tainted girl. The darkness within her is very apparent. The nature doesn't seem like her, but to the darkness....?
It fits her perfect. She's a human after all. It is then that while she is undergoing her training, there is a low whisper. It is unnoticable at first, but it feels like there is a disturbance within the church.
But it arrives once more.
...M...urr...derr..err...
...Murderer...
Her eyes are closed at the moment. Inhale, focus the aura. Exhale, allow it to vanish, bleeding back into her hand. It's a delicate balance. A practice that has helped her with the problems she was having before. That burning sensation that would wash over her whenever she would call upon her chi. It's still not easy for the girl to draw upon that power she can control, but with this balancing act, it has become less painful at least...
But in the midst of her meditation there is another presence it seems. A voice that just doesn't belong. It doens't make sense. Lost in her thoughts she is slow to react, in too deep of a meditative state to even distinguish reality from the images in her mind.
But finally she blinks, her blue eyes opening to stare at the chapel she thought to be empty. The surfaces are covered with a fine layer of dust. It's been a month since she's had time to clean up, due to being stuck on some sinking ninja boat.
The time is evening. The sun peaking in through the stained glass windows has a rich orange hue to it, leaving long shadows amongst the pews and along the walls. "Who's there?" comes the small scared voice in the darkness, the aura around her fist fading away as the girl starts to look back and forth.
... Murderer...
The voice utters once more.
It is then that a black mist slowly drifts along the church. The whisper finally speaks forth once more.
'....You killed father... He had one dream...'
It is then that the black mist slowly forms in place, revealing to be a figure in black. His attire consists of a black trenchcoat with a hood, which veils his face.
It is the only instant that she gets.
Before a wire extends out to pierce along her shoulder.
Within her mind, a young boy... Merely a child utters, % "Please die, human scum."
COMBATSYS: Jesen has started a fight here.
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Jesen 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jesen
COMBATSYS: Jesen has left the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Jesen has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jesen
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Jesen's Thrown Object.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jesen
She is slow to get to her feet, glancing back and forth, eyes wide with worry. Who is playing games on her now? And why does it not even feel like a game? Who would call her murderer anyway? Her of all people. Who has she wronged in such a terrible way that they would come here and call her that?
"W-what? Father? My father? I haven't seen him for years. I-... I don't know what you're talking about!" And then she notices the mist. The collection of energy on the floor of her chapel. And the figure that occupies it. Her face pales a little at the sight of the spectre. Is it Marise? No, the voice isn't hers, she would know. What IS this...?
She notices the glint of wire passing through the shafts of sunlight at the last moment and leans to the side just enough to allow it to pass her by, colliding with the wooden podium behind her with a thunk instead of the sound of her flesh and cloth being torn. The girl gasps, glancing to her side at the sight of the wire imbeded in place before focusing back on the young form that's attacked her.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?!" He's asked her to die. Very politely at that. But right now she doesn't feel like acquiescing to the request and instead darts forward, both of her hands reaching out to grab hold of the small figure by the front of his trench coat... and if she gets a grip, she'll twist to the side, slipping her leg in behind his, and attempt to literally body slam him down to the ground. Hey, it isn't often she fights someone just as small as she is. It could work!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Jesen with Quick Throw.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Jesen
As the wire tip strikes the podium, the figure twists his arm and recoils the wire back, the silhoutted face releasing a hiss. The figure drifts his attention towards Hotaru as she approaches him. THis is perhaps where the mysterious figure himself in a bad position. As Hotaru immediately grabs a hold by the front of his trenchcoat, he's literally bodyslammed onto the ground as her leg slips behind his.
"...You... killed my father."
The figure leans up enough to position himself back and springs away from her enough for him to release a wire. As the wire extends forth, the coiling blade aims to wrap around her neck.
Should it make a successful coil, he'll roughly yank it back, the thin wire blade will slice her neck as well.
COMBATSYS: Jesen successfully hits Hotaru with Autumn Dusk.
- Power hit! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Jesen
The moment she has him down on his back the girl stares at the hooded figure as he pronounces her crime. A crime she couldn't possibly have committed. It's impossible. No one she has ever fought has ended up dead, have they? She would know, right? "W-who are you?" she asks again, "I didn't kill anyone!" she protests as he wrests himself away, leaping back from her and lashing out with a bladed wire that she dosn't see in time this shot.
It wraps around her neck before the girl can get out of the way, cutting off her breath as it constricts sharply, stopping her short, eyes widened with a silent gasp as her mouth hangs open. Both hands come up to grip at the wire at her neck as the startled girl tries to pry it free. But he doens't wait that long before retracting it, slicing a thin red line around her throat. Stumbling forward, her hand comes up to the side of her neck as she wipes traces of blood away, coughing twice as she finally takes her breath back in.
"Who is your father," the girl demands, her voice still soft, but more insistant now, and definitely more coarse. But she doesn't hang back. He's attacking with lethal intend and she intends to defend herself even as her own blood drops down around her coller. Charging forward, the girl spins to the side, aiming a solid kick for his chest, possibly driving him back into the pews along the side. "Ya!"
COMBATSYS: Jesen endures Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Jesen
There was a bit of satisfaction in the sharp wire wrapping around her neck and nearly choking the life out of her. In fact, there was a deep, rooted satisfaction at the suffering. It is why he lunges forward witht he next attack.
While she launches her foot towards his chest, the boy leaps forward and actually takes the blow. It is all, however, used to get him a good advance on her and press forward with his body covered in pure energy. The black aura consume him as whispers.
"Lord Vega...."
He gains on her faster.
"...is my father."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Jesen's Raging Soul.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Jesen
Her foot strikes home in his chest, but the girl saw that he took it deliberately, moving on her to accept the attack in order to close distance before she can recover. But the girl is used to those tactics - she isn't a professional fighter for nothing! Jumping backward all together, the girl lands closer to the entryway of the chapel, her hands raised, putting her out of range of his violent aura that was meant to consume her and add to her suffering...
"Vega..." the girl gasps. She speaks the name as if she knows it. She isn't oblivious. She knows who ran the war in Thailand. "I... I never fought him." she retorts, not so much out of fear but out of worrying about how this boy thinks she killed him. Thinks she's a murderer. This boy. Vega's... son? "I-... I've never seen him!" she protests. Fought against his people? Oh definitely yes. Played a role in his war collapsing? Sadly, yes.
Her arm glows a vibrant blue then as she rolls it out to her side. "I'm sorry, but leave me alone!" she shouts, her voice echoing off the chapel's walls as she swings her arm forward and sends a shimmering sphere of pure chi blasting his way, empowered by the aura this old building bestows upon her.
COMBATSYS: Jesen slows Hakki Shou from Hotaru with Soul Shards.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Jesen
It is then that the energy engulfed boy attempts to close the distance by literally mowing the woman down. However, his attempt does not strike true, as she manages to avoid the attack all together. It earns resentment and disappointment as he kneels on the ground. The silhoutted hood faces Hotaru's direction as she manifests the sphere of pure chi fluttering towards his direction.
His hand reaches out, drawing forth to crackle the energy. The hand flicks out a trio of psycho power engulfed knives. As he flicks the hand out, the blades pierce forth, aiming to cut through her energy. Unfortunately, it merely eats his blades and strikes him true. "rrggggh!"
He lifts a hand up towards Hotaru, "...All of those part of the war are responsible... They all are... The people of Thailand, those who fought... all of you humans."
...Wait. It's looks like his hand is becoming translucent. The psycho power becomes weaker from the looks of it. Staring at the fading arm, the whisper ends, revealing the child-like voice more and more.
% "Hahaha... I guess I am soon to follow..." He grits, "...But not before... all humans."
The girl focuses on the boy as he continues to explain how it is she is responsible for the death of his father. The accusation stings, cutting her in a different way than that wire he caught her with earlier did. "No... NO!" the girl protests. "I didn't... I mean... I just helped save the people he was hurting. I didn't have anything to do with his death. But..."
She hangs back, allowing him to recover from the blast of her potent chi. "...I don't regret what I did. Those people I saved... the lives he ruined... I'm sorry, but whoever you are... your father was an evil man. That he was felled by those who refused to accept his domination... It was just. In the end."
But then she advances. She saw his hand fade and her brow furrows, unsure as to what it is she's even fighting. Why does he keep calling everyone humans? What about him? When the girl attacks this time it's by planting her hands against his shoulders and flipping up and over him to come down behind the boy, driving both of her feet into his upper back to send him falling if possible. "What are you!?"
COMBATSYS: Jesen fails to interrupt Ten Ranku-Tou from Hotaru with Inescapeable Fate.
- Power fail! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Jesen
The boy merely laughs as he can see his own existance will be fading soon. Time is running out and there is no way that he'll surrvive another month. If he is going to die, he will take everything with him.
But now is not the time to worry about that. There is anymore pressing matter matter that is more immediate: The human.
It is then that the girl proposes the question to him. The boy is starting to channel forth the Psycho Power. As it manifests around him, it becomes a swirling mist that glimmers and sparks around him. It levitates and the energy explodes from the ground as he utters.
"I... am... /NOTHING/!"
"Join me in OBLIVION!"
The boy spreads his arms, "Inescapab---" He is interrupted by the woman reaching for his shoulders and actually flipping over him, before she presses her feet to his upper back. It sends him flying on the ground and landing on both knees. "Erghn..."
And down he goes to his knees, giving Hotaru time to land on her feet and recover. The boy seems beaten from what she can tell. And now's her chance to get some real answers. "You aren't nothing," she states firmly. "You can't say that. I can see you. You have a name. You exist."
She takes a step forward then, hands coming down to clamp him by the shoulders and try and shove him down to the floor so that she can drive her knee into his chest and pin him down. "You're tangible. You're real. You feel emotions and hurt just like anyone else... You feel anger."
Clearly trying to hold him still, maybe then she can get some answers out of him!
COMBATSYS: Jesen dodges Hotaru's Quick Throw.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Jesen
"What do you humans know?"
He has a name. The young boy actually lifts his head up, the light making the face visible. It's a streak of blue hair and a faint bit of yellow eyes. But it only shows the one side. His eyes narrow, filled with distaste.
"...I have no name."
'Sanel.'
"...I am a shadow that'll die away, just like he probably wants it." He hisses vehemently. When Hotaru attempts to clamp him by the shoulders, she is unsuccessful enough to only grab air, or at least, fragments of the mist.
...Slowly, the mist reforms, turning to face Hotaru. The little boy narrows his eyes, "This isn't over." His fists tightens, "...Before I fade away... everyone's going to die." He hisses, "Everyone."
Slowly, the young boy manifests into the black mist, slowly forming away whence he came.
COMBATSYS: Jesen has left the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|
Her fingers clamp down only to pass through swirling mist, not connecting with Jesen at all. She recovers quickly, however, standing up straight, not leaving herself exposed to another attack. She already got a wire to the neck, after all, the girl isn't interested in seeing what that sickening aura that sems to resonate around him can do...
But he is fading fast. Apparently in more ways than one. "No," she gasps, extending her hand, taking a step forward, "Wait! Don't go! Tell me what this is about! I-" But he is gone and the girl is left alone in the chapel, the sunsetting outside, causing the little light pouring into the room to diminish and fade away entirely.
Left alone, her hand comes up to rub at her throat again, before resting at the back of her neck. "A vendetta..." the girl murmurs thoughtfully. Everyone is going to die, he said. Who else? All those who fought in Thailand? He seemed to be going through a process of weakening, whoever he was. Still, there are more ways of seeing his revenge come to fruition than pure fighting prowess.
Hotaru exhales softly, shaking her head as she walks toward the door of the chapel. She thinks she's alone now, but... who knows? Right now she'd rather be with someone than alone.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has ended the fight here.
Log created on 00:46:22 11/11/2007 by Hotaru, and last modified on 15:46:17 12/11/2007.