Description: An epic battle inside Big Ben in which Katana ensures that almost all countries will think twice before allowing fights inside national monuments... (Winners: Hokuto/Katana)
TIC. TOC. TIC. TOC. TIC. TOC.
THE TICKING. THE TICKING?! The maddening TICKING. It could drive someone insane! But well, if you think about it, the fighters here are already insane! Fighting inside of a GIANT CLOCK high above the ground, stories up, the Big Ben is not just only scary from height, if people don't like moving parts, they are in the WRONG PLACE.
While there is wooden floor, there is also, unfortunately, many, many spinning gears. They very in size and shape, although most are gear like. Spinning gears are punctured by cylinders of all sizes and shapes, and every so often, the giant Big Ben rings it's hourly chime through the air, and the fighters. It's not exactly a safe place to be.
But that's why they're there. Cameras are set up everywhere, where it is safe, and currently, Katana stands ready, wakizashi's out and ready to be used. And currently, he is spinning, sitting crosslegged on a single gear as he goes around and around and around. It is training for the Japanese in such a colonialist environment.
But it is certainly a rather large one. And dangerous.
AND THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES.
How amusing--how quaint. Hokuto is, unlike her teammate, Japanese through and through. It's visible on her body, from the slightly tilted eyes to the brown of her irises--from the brown of her hari to her slight stature. It's evident in her voice, low and melodic, capable of great ranges of emotion and color.
And it is to be sure that Kurosaki Miu is just as Japanese... Hokuto got a look at a picture and she, too, portrays many of the physical characteristics of a Japanese woman. So how ironic is it that both are teamed up with non-Japanese?
Oh yes, Katana, Hokuto knows your 'secret'. The nom de guerre not withstanding, what public record exists for yon 'samurai' clearly indicates that he is NOT from the land of the rising sun.
That he purports to be--that he wishes to be--leaves something of a dirty taste in Hokuto's mouth. On the one hand she appreciates that he enjoys the culture--on the other hand, he seems to enjoy the rough, gross, base elements of it. And he goes about it in the wrong manner.
So Hokuto is civil, and polite, as she steps up next to the masked sword-wielder, and she turns her head to look at him, briefly, her cool gaze measuring him in an instant.
As she turns back to where their opponents should be, she says just one thing--in perfect, if a bit accented, English.
"I hope you don't slow me down."
As a former member of the upper crust European jetset, Luise Meyrink has seen the outside of Big Ben plenty of times. However, the *inside* of the giant clock tower is something else entirely. Not that the pale blonde is necessarily uncomfortable; after all, she's German, and they know clockwork. Still and all, the light filtering through the massive glass face of the clock gives the interior an unearthly haze, and a haunting beauty all its own.
Currently Luise is standing on one of the catwalks over the various gears, leaning against it with her arms crossed, looking out over the spectacle with distant eyes. Her mind is elsewhere, of course. Two of the competitors here are known quantities: the highly formidable Hokuto and the mysterious young Miu Kurosaki. Katana, on the other hand, she only knows through rumor, none of it good. How is it that fate has placed her near Miu again? Or for that matter, put Kensou in her path the other day...
Seeing everyone gathered, the Dancing Butterfly decides to make a somewhat flashy entrance. Gripping the edge of the catwalk with both hands, she flips over it and into 'space'... but rather than falling like a stone, she floats gently down amidst a pale blue glow, coming to a stop on the gear Hokuto and Katana are occupying, giving them a formal bow. "Good evening."
Indeed, Miu is as Japanese as Japanese can be-- even if her eyes are that decidedly off-color purple, even if her hairstyle was better left in the '80s along with canvas Huffy sneakers and slap-bracelets. And her time since meeting Luise Meyrink has been spent in somewhat of a fog-- the elder of the pair of psions having left Seijyun Girls' Academy's own urban legend full of more questions than answers.
And so Miu enters, wearing her own dark customized colors of the school-- the dark shirt and skirt, those polished black and blue Mary Janes and her turtleneck. Pulling on what seems like an odd pair of archery thimbles used by kyuudo practitioners, she dusts off her overknee-clad legs and tugs on the hair tie keeping her ponytail held aloft.
Luise's entrance is flashy, and the young Kurosaki's is subdued, fixing the velcro straps around her wrists to keep her odd choice of handwear secured firmly.
"Sorry, I'm a little late."
Oh, pfft, Katana is more Japanese than a billion percent of you people! And he's here, and JAPANESE. Much to the disdain of at least Hokuto. But as he stands, watching as Hokuto looks onto him. And then turns away. Hope he does not slow her down?..
Katana, if he would be furious, would be. BUT HE IS NOT. "You believe, simply, that I will fail you?" Katana speaks, his voice growing distant.. because he's still going around the gear. "I believe that I, the Mad Gear Shogun, shall show strength and honor the likes you have never seen, nor enjoyed, since quite a while! I am not one to fall so easily!"
Even if she believes so. And then, a butterfly floats down beside Katana. "Aha... so you have arrived. The honorable duel is almost here, between us Japanese and.." And then Miu arrives. "It seems there will be a Japanese showing today! This fight will be rather interesting... It has been far too long since Mad Gear has shown the world it's power! And I will be able to, best, in a battle with those much like I, Japanese, and with the might of the country flowing through their veins!"
Looking onto Miu, however, Katana blinks through the mask. "Of course. You may be late.. but now that you have arrived, it is almost time... I cannot wait much longer, for my blood boils to get down to the main event!" With wakizashi out, he's certainly itching for it, and sitting on the spinning gear, Katana nods.
"So then .. I am prepared.. but what of you all!? THE SHOGUN SHALL WAIT!"
And he poses. And waits.
COMBATSYS: Katana has started a fight here.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|
If wishes made things true, Hokuto would be reunited with her brother. Luise would know the location of her missing relative. Wing Xiaoping would have breasts the size of watermelons. And a certain man who chooses to by the name of Katana would be, in fact, Japanese.
Sadly, Hokuto is old enough to know that just wishing doesn't make things happen. And she knows that Katana is about as Japanese as a Carl's Jr. Teriyaki Burger. (Which are pretty tasty, all things considered.) The only person here who probably doesn't know Katana isn't Japanese is maybe that one guy in the corner. Yeah you.
"... whatever," is Hokuto's dismissive reply; it's about time for the fight to start, really, and so she turns towards Luise and Miu.
Her greeting to the other two is actually more cordial--not any less polite, mind you, just... warmer. A touch.
"Greetings to you both, and the best of luck."
COMBATSYS: Hokuto has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Katana
COMBATSYS: Katana has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|
Perhaps it's because she is able to sense the feelings and thoughts of others around her, or because she was brought up as such a high-class lady. Either way, Luise is usually difficult to fluster. She can see the potential for good in everyone, eventually; that's how she came into such a conflict with her 'sister' Selma, after all. But even still, Katana proves to be... a challenge, there. The elegant features don't frown or move unpleasantly...
They just sort of... freeze.
Eventually, however, Luise gives Katana an uneasy smile. "Well, that's... nice. Hopefully these odd surroundings will still let us give a grand performance." And then she's in 'stance': which is to say, floating an inch or two off the ground, per normal (for Luise, anyway; abnormal for everyone else). It might even work to her benefit in this environs.
COMBATSYS: Luise has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Luise
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|
In truth, Miu only casts a glance to Luise-- she'll have to talk to the woman later, try to get a few things straight. That glance serves as her greeting, followed the shortest of nods... and toward her opponents, she gives a little more of a pronounced bow, arms at her sides and hands loose, ready.
As she moves to stand near her teammate for this encounter, the power within Miu once again rises-- rises and flares, up to a level that seems disproportionate to her tiny height and her thin, skinny frame. Her arms curl, her fingers up to her shoulders-- and then snapping downward, the crow girl of Seijyun releases a burst of darkness from either hand... Darkness, in the form of a brief cloud of black and white feathers that flutter and swirl around her before they evaporate into thin air, some hitting the ground and others simply fading away in plain sight.
Staring at Katana, Miu's eyes become half-lidded, her tone still very much flat. "I think you have watched too much TV."
COMBATSYS: Miu has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Katana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Luise
WHATEVER INDEED. Katana likes the sound of that! The best damn sounding thing EVER. But at this time, Katana is already waiting for his opponents to MAKE THEIR MOVES. And that is the important part. And as Luise has .. trouble, Katana does not have any trouble with seeing Luise a normal person, whom he will no doubt end up stabbing at some point during the battle.
Well, it's just what happens, you see. And with Luise smiling, and then floating off the ground, Katana notes one thing.. she may be a nice shish-ke-bob.. but that comes a bit later! FOR LUISE IS A WITCH. And Katana is certain of what one must do .. TO WITCHES. "A performance that you will remember as well!"
It's rather simple. And about that time, it seems that Miu is a DEMON. Darkness bursts forming clouds of black and white about her before they fade away. The Shogun's mask focuses on Miu's sight. So they fight not only a witch, but a demon!? Such a fight! Radioing to someone, something begins to move in. Katana smiles behind the mask. He will deal with both of them, oh yes!
"Hahahha! It seems that it is time now .. And I shall take advantage of the first strike, since no one else has yet to!" Sandals slap against the gears, Katana making his way towards Miu .. but running only as fast as the gear spins .. "Ngh.. MUST... GIVE ALL.. MIGHT..." And then he leaps up into the air, wakizashi aiming down towards Miu! "HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Katana is probably a classic case study in insanity. Hokuto... feels strongly that this may be the case. However, at the very least he's... trying his best. "Perhaps he's not completely useless," mutters Hokuto, to herself, as she glances to Luise. She's had Luise's measure before, but Miu is an unknown quantity.
"My apologies, Meyrink-san, but I truly feel as though I must at least attempt to test your partner, briefly," she says, once Katana's 'wryyyyyyyy' (oh, hyaaah) dopplers past her.
Whether Katana hits or not, Hokuto is pursuing him not a moment later, her movements much smoother and quieter. She, however, stops her forward momentum, or at least redirects it, about five yards out, leaping up and twisting, throwing her hakama-and-tabi clothed right foot out for Miu's forehead in a simple flying kick.
Apparently, Miu Kurosaki is the focus of *everyone's* interest, including Luise's; the dark blue eyes track the young girl's suddenly display of her power, just like the last time they met. Just as Seijyun's 'crow girl' might have questions for Luise, the Dancing Butterfly has more than a few words she'd like to share with the young psychic herself. However, as Hokuto and Katana both strike out toward her simultaneously, it would appear now isn't the time.
"Then I shall have to return the favor," Luise responds to Hokuto blithely, before turning and attempting to grab Katana by the shoulder even as he dives toward Miu. If she can get a grip, the German woman does a graceful flip up and over to Katana's other side. As she lands, she turns her momentum into *his* momentum, sending the Mad Gear shogun spiralling through the air to the floor, the space around him alive with shining blue tendrils of Psycho Power.
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Miu with Fierce Strike.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Katana 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Luise
COMBATSYS: Miu blocks Hokuto's Light Kick.
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Katana 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Luise
Indeed, Luise is there to assist Miu as she needs to -- but even if her help does manage to succeed, it comes moments too late. The blades of Katana's wakizashi plunge in and cut -hard-, letting a good gout of blood rise up from each strike. "U-kyaah-!!" It escapes her throat in a harsh noise, her knees weak and body becoming unsteady, falling hard to her knees-- pulling back and away from the weapons. Looking awfully pale for the moment, even considering her usual pallor, the purple-eyed student does still have the faculties to defend-- and with her elbow hooking upward, the psychic energy within the small girl rises-- surges, all over again.
Hokuto's foot collides with her elbow with a burst of black feathers, her small body jarring with the injuries sustained already and the strength required to halt the kick's momentum. Twisting around hard, her attention is first paid to Hokuto-- she has to get her back and out of the way first.
Black feathers grow, swirl, and surge along the length of her forearm, knuckles to elbow. And as Miu's fist thrusts ahead, the black feathers expand and surge outward, becoming a massive drilling 'lance' of psi power. Harsh, unforgiving, and direct, the attack will have enough force to slam Hokuto backwards if she succeeds, along with a harsh gust of wind.
COMBATSYS: Katana counters Helix Prelude from Luise with Shiraha Catch.
- Power hit! -
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Luise
The wakizashi draws first blood tonight, the blades ripping into Miu as she pulls backwards, the witch already rather blood. Hahahah! Such comes to Katana already. It is a battle in which he will truly shine, FOR JAPAN. Pulling back, and pulling the blades out, Katana turns to hear Luise heading towards him.
Normally he would use his hands, but in such situations, Katana gets a little creative. "I would think of nothing less! The Mad Gear Shogun .... wishes everything to be given towards him. He will face any challenge!" And that's about as Luise turns, and aims to grab Katana by the shoulder. The wakizashi trap the hand as it moves though, and instead, Luise's momentum STAYS her momentum, her form being slammed into the ground with all of his strength, the flat edges of the blades holding onto Luise and taking her straight to the metal of the gears, before he whips her around, slamming her into a pole and then tossing her up into a metal casing of the catwalk.
"Impressive.. but the Shogun will not be pleased with such simple tricks!"
COMBATSYS: Miu successfully hits Hokuto with Yomosugara.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Luise
And succeed it does; Hokuto has to spend a precious moment on her landing, and by the time she's ready to move, Miu's power is already suffusing her body. Indeed it does blow her back--but perhaps not as far as Miu might wish, as Hokuto reels with the successful attack... only to reverse her momentum and charge towards the young girl again.
Really, Miu reminds Hokuto much of herself... that same mostly-quiet demeanor... but that energy and those black feathers are certainly more than a little unique, as Hokuto, while well-trained in chi, does not tend to use it much, herself...
A tradition that continues as Hokuto sprints forward, closing the distance between Miu and herself, her final step throwing her into a forward lunge towards the black-haired girl. Her left foot comes down, stopping that headlong rush and letting her use it as a fulcrum to snap her left arm--bent at the elbow--forward, her right hand reinforcing the thrusting blow, her elbow strike aimed for Miu's sternum.
Katana's response is somewhat unexpected, which certainly contributes to its increased effectiveness; a loud *CLANG* resounds as the German woman's body impacts on the pole, but even as she flies up toward the catwalk Luise is already working to right herself, aerial moves being a specialty of hers thanks to that unusual floating power, small flashes of midnight blue around her body as she twists, lashing out with a leg to kick off the catwalk and spin upwards and into the air.
Deciding that she should be stepping in to help defend her teammate, the Dancing Butterfly twists up, and then back down toward Hoktuo as she strikes out at Miu. Hopefully the attack will leave her slightly open as Luise almost effectively drops straight down, aiming the sole of one foot at the Mizugami fighter's shoulder, intending to drive her downward. Perhaps it'll even give Miu an opportunity to defend herself.
COMBATSYS: Miu dodges Hokuto's Chuugeki Hou.
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Katana 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Luise
Maybe it does-- maybe it did. Either way, the bloodied Seijyun girl ducks low under the thrown elbow, handspringing herself backwards and staggering a few steps as her hand scoops up to grab her left shoulder. Breathing a little hard and still somewhat unsteadied, Miu looks to Luise and Hokuto, Luise doing her best to run some sort of interference... and that brings her attention to Katana, albeit for the time being.
Twisting hard at the waist, Miu manages to pull off a rather graceful pirouette on the balls of her foot, her right arm sweeping up to lash a black feather from her hand-- and then stepping back the opposite direction to cast a second one toward the tall, bulky man in armor, looking to jolt him with those concentrated darts of psi-power. "Ungh!"
Done with a bit of effort, though the power is none the less there... witch, demon, or otherwise.
COMBATSYS: Miu successfully hits Katana with Kakure Amagakeri.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Katana 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Luise
The feathers slam into Katana, dragging him backwards, slamming him against the wall, and them piercing him. He strains, but it is too late. He cannot move out of the way. His gasp is one of surprise as he is DRAGGED into the rather painful assault.
And against the wall, Katana seethes. "I .. Will not .. be bested by a witch and a demon .. If I must sacrifice everything, then I am willing!" Pulling himself off, blood seeping out of wounds, Katana does not even slow down. He rushes forwards, through the assault, in an attempt, while bleeding, to spear Miu once again.
"MEDIUM STRIKE OF THE SHOGUN. KOBUNOO STRAIKEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
SLASHES through the air, SLASH SLASH.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto blocks Luise's Light Kick.
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Katana 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Luise
Her shoulder? Hokuto frowns as Miu ducks under the thrusting elbow--but seems slightly relieved, if one can say that, to see Katana take the brunt of that attack. However, she has her own psion to deal with at this precise moment, though Luise isn't using a psi-infused attack. Thankfully. Hokuto brings crossed forearms up, repelling the kick before it makes contact with the more vulnerable junction of torso and arm.
"Your young companion is quite skilled," she comments, as she pushes Luise's leg back from her, her arms lowering. Katana... well, she's still reserving judgement on him. Hokuto beats a semi-retreat, backing up about ten yards, her movements surprisingly swift... and she waits there, those brown eyes of hers carefully and analytically taking in everything...
COMBATSYS: Hokuto focuses on her next action.
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Katana 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Luise
Jumping up and backwards from her attack on Hokuto, the Dancing Butterfly lives up to her name, arching her back and turning her opponent's deflection into the springboard for a reverse somersault away from her. Of course, the art of attacking at a distance is something that a great many fighters have mastered, Luise among them. Even as she twirls out of her flip, the German woman swings out her arm in a vertical arc, blue light trailing from her fingers and coalescing into a butterfly-shaped concentration of Psycho Power that sails through the air toward Hokuto. "She certainly has great potential," Luise says, somewhat mysteriously. After all, she could be referring to many things.
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Miu with Medium Strike.
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Katana 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Luise
A harsh, high-speed rush... and one that cuts to the bone, perhaps almost literally.
Miu doesn't get a whole lot out this time, not with the first hefty slash and the corresponding ones following behind it. And somewhere in it, her hand manages to get up and catch against his fist, pushing herself as hard as she can muster to throw herself to the ground and tumble away from the blade-slinging man, cuts and gashes littering her arms and chest-- even a gash across her cheek, indicating how close the man's gotten to causing her some serious harm.
Breathing hard as she gets up to her hands and knees, she sits on her heels and looks up at the helmeted man through squinted eyes, shoulders rising and falling. Weapons and attacks like this... aren't they illegal? Shouldn't there be some kind of penalty put upon their team for this? This was just for TV, after all!
And the small, resiliant Kurosaki pushes up to stand tall, swallowing back a whole lot of doubt and pain and standing her ground. Her eyes become that much more defiant and angry-- and she's going to deal a whole lot of hurt to Katana before she falls, she so solemnly swears.
And that's when she becomes a blur of movements, dashing left and right as she zig-zags toward the tall man before springing to the air, her hand extended to get a grip of his shoulder. Knees together and legs coiled underneath her, Miu twists around in the air and 'rides' the Mad Gear Shogun's shoulder off only the palm of her hand, slick with blood, and brings her feet around to 'land' on his back, her fingers going tight to hold on. If she gets this far, her hand balls up into a fist, a solid white feather emerging from her knuckles, from the overlap of her sleeve like it were the blade of some sort of psychic katar-- and she -drives- it into the back of his head, looking to blast the man with a harsh jolt of energy, through his helmet and directly to his brain. Should she succeed, the punching action and the discharged energy has enough force to shoot her back into the air, to fly toward safer grounds...
COMBATSYS: Katana counters Psi-Launcher from Miu with Shiraha Catch.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Luise
As Miu is slashed, one strike after another, Katana refuses to back down, REFUSES to GO down. As she throws herself away from him, Katana continues forwards. "You are still learning.. even though your last strike was rather impressive, I will not give you another chance... for a demon as yourself, you will plague my family to no end if you are left to live! So I shall deal with you first!"
The wakizashi still are held upwards, and regardless to what Miu things, Katana is still going to aim to make the small child bleed. Katana, after all, is a Gang Leader. Such things.. like little children.. are just as able to be stabbed as the rest. And that's when Miu rushes towards him, dashing left and right, comes towards him, attempting to land on his back. She does this. But what happens is that she does not get to slam the katar of psychicness into the back of his head.. and helmet.
"No."
Katana is serious about certain things. "You, a demon, shall not touch the sacred mask... you shall instead, pay for your trespasses!" Grabbing Miu, she's whipped around like a rag doll, slammed once into the gear, and then Katana rides one of the gears upwards.. why though? HE HAS.. A PLAN.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto dodges Luise's Sharp Quartet.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Luise
That glowing butterfly--almost certainly where Luise earned her sobriquet 'Dancing Butterfly'--is something that Hokuto is passingly familiar with. In this case, almost literally passing, as she performs a trick somewhat similar to Miu's--she ducks low, dipping her shoulder and lunging forward underneath the collection of Psycho Power.
"It seems my companion has things well-in-hand over there," she comments, as she comes up out of her lunge... attacking.
Using her momentum she thrusts her hands forward in a dual palm strike, planting her right foot, a rainbow-colored aura flaring around her feet and arms as she fires the attack off.
COMBATSYS: Luise fails to reflect Shourin Geki from Hokuto with Treacherous Ballad.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Luise
There's a degree of chagrin as Luise watches her attack be dismissed almost casually, but it doesn't get to her quite so much. She does sense Miu's situation isn't as good as it could be, but Luise has her own problems. Deciding to try a slightly more affirmative defense, she brings her hands up, fingers again trailing blue light, hoping to stop Hokuto's chi-enhanced attack dead. Sadly, the Mizugami fighter is infinitely more skilled than a rank amateur like Luise, and the the strike catches the German woman under the chest, sending her stumbling back and causing her response to be somewhat tight-sounding as she tries to get air back in her lungs. "For all his... insanity..." she murmurs. Demon? Really now.
She's small-- ridicilously small, and perhaps to Katana's surprise, she's also -very- light. And shaking her around is much like shaking an oversized stuffed animal, her arms and legs whipping around as her eyes clench up and she waits for the inevitable. And-- *WHAM*
The metallic ring of bone and muscle against grand gearwork is painful to the ears of others almost as much as it is to the girl dropping like a pile to the ground. Landing not too far from Luise, the small girl grits her teeth as she struggles up to her hands and knees, panting hard while Katana makes his ascent in grand fashion by gripping onto the gearworks and ascending.
And for once in her life, Miu Kurosaki is -furious-.
The ambient psychic energy -spikes- in a manner so violent that even a minor user of the power would feel it like a spike through the skull, the mess of black and white feathers literally bleeding and tumbling out of Miu's left arm in waves-- feathers scattering on the ground, tumbling off her back. These stay longer than the other ones, longer and stronger. It takes a little time for them to vanish, and when they do, it's in small bursts of purple light, littering the floor of Big Ben all around. Her right arm bounces and twitches as her fingers shift toward open palms to balled-up fists, and Miu -forces- herself to her footing, some of the cuts and gashes on her body starting to heal.
Starting to heal, and ... that spike of power has yet to go away.
Running hard toward one of the inner platforms for observation, one of the camera riggings, Miu starts to sprint up the vertical post before springing off in the air, feathers trailing off her arm and back and following her in a rather asthetically pleasing sight-- but dangerous as she homes in on Mad Gear's own.
Miu's right arm rears back high and hard, a thick white feather again bleeding out of her knuckles-- while her left arm is still engulfed in blackness. One massive slash is aimed to carve through his armor with psychic force... and that's not all.
COMBATSYS: Katana dodges Miu's Psychic Secrets.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Luise
There are few things that can explain when Katana is on a roll. For what may be the most unassuming Shogun ever, Katana, during some times, comes out to being something that almost becomes some sort of force of nature. And as Katana runs up the gear, Miu, getting up, is rather unhappy. And Katana can feel the energy. He hates energy, he does, and as Miu begins to create feathers all about, them tumbling off her back, growing longer, stronger, and feathers are all over.. well. Katana is not going to simply let her heal. For the moment, Katana is a bit busy. He's ascending after all.
And that's when she sprints up the vertical post, springing into the air with feathers trailing her. The right arm rears back, the hand engulfed in blackness, aiming to cut through the Shogun.
And as the slash rips through the metal, and part of the wood, Katana is .. gone!? He must have been vaporized by the awesome strength of the strike.. or perhaps, instead, he is ascending.. only to descend, much faster. "You .. are an amazing child, you see..." Katana speaks from up above. "BUT YET, YOU ARE BUT THAT. A CHILD! Why should they send a child to fight a Shogun!? Do not worry.. I shall make your defeat honorable! JIGOKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Katana kicks off, diving down, wakizashi aiming towards Miu. If he connects, he's going to drive her straight against the ground at the base of where they were fighting in Big Ben. The metal.. it may hurt more than his blades. But not as hard as how deep the blades might slide in. Who knows!
It's up to Miu now! To save herself!
Truckatana says, "SCRAPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"My apologies," is all Hokuto says. She knows that Shourin Geki hurt, for certain... but she can't not press the attack. This is, after all, a battle. "Perhaps we can chat after this battle," she suggests, as she moves in again, snapping her hands out for Luise's shoulders. The goal, here, is to use that grip, should she get it, to pull Luise in...
... and then she'll lift her right leg, pressing her knee into Luise's side, and Hokuto will twist, throwing Luise towards Hokuto's right and into the ground, the added twist of her body helping guide Luise's body. If, that is, she gets her grip.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto successfully hits Luise with Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Katana 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Luise
Although too polite to say so, Luise doesn't have the time or inclination to talk to Hokuto after the fight. If she wasn't before, Miu is now occupying all of her attention, the girl's outburst hitting her on two planes of sensation at the same time. Thus when her opponent comes in to throw her, she is highly distracted and her attempt to twist out of the way is about as successful as any such attempt this fight for the two psychic women; that is to say, it fails utterly. However, the pain and shock are ignored in favor of the Dancing Butterfly turning her attention to her teammate, trying to speak in a soothing tone. "Relax, focus. His words are the meaningless babble of the confused... don't let them shatter your control." She might be talking about the fight... or about something else entirely.
COMBATSYS: Luise gains composure.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Luise
COMBATSYS: Miu blocks Katana's Jigoku Scrape.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Katana 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Luise
As the saying goes, there's definately some egg on Miu's face-- that powerful attack, the surge of psychic power-- all for naught, as Katana manages to avoid, the feathery 'blade' carving nigh-harmlessly across the spokes. She can't help but grab onto that gear to catch herself from falling, though that strange power she wields still seems to be at it's peak.
Until she's tackled from above.
Catching Katana's wakizashi on his hands, her thumbs sit over the guards and hold steady, the feathers trailing and swirling around from her arm as they descend-- and the jarringly powerful collision to the ground, complete with his blades poking into her midsection the smallest of amounts. Truly, if she was a moment off in her timing... it wouldn't be just a KO she would've suffered, perhaps a whole lot worse.
Hooking her legs upward, the tiny girl squirms and rolls backwards, scooting out from under Katana and sliding a little on her hands and knees. Miu's body makes an awkward attempt to stand before falling back, scrambling in a sort of crabwalk to get herself a little distance and a little breathing room-- Luise and Hokuto are completely tuned out for now, trying to reorient herself and keep her loss of blood from affecting her judgment.
The powers within Miu begin to thin then, the feathers trailing to the girl lingering before vanishing, and those feathers bleeding out of her arm and back trickling to a slow stop.
COMBATSYS: Miu focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Katana 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Luise
As Miu and Katana slams down towards the ground, she, fortunately, is able to scoot out from Katana, and as she scrambles backwards in a crab walk, preparing, Katana meanwhile points a blade towards Miu. "You do not know when to realize you cannot win, child." The wakizashi stays leveled towards the little one's form.
"I have tried to give you an honorable defeat. But you refuse to take such. Instead, I will give you just a defeat... A DEFEAT, QUITE UNHONORABLE! But you have earned such!"
Sandals slap against the METAL GEAR!? As he continues his path towards Miu, before bounding onto the ground and then leaping high into the air. "This .. IS WHERE IT ENDS! And not by my blades!" What instead comes towards Miu.
The Sandal. With Katana attached.
It may sting a tinnny bit.
Rebuffed--silently. Hokuto takes it in stride. This is, after all, a battle. Perhaps such concerns have no place within it. But if it is a battle, it is one that Hokuto intends to win. As it goes, Katana has been out to handle Miu and he has surpassed Hokuto's admittedly low expectations--in fact, he's been something of a fierce, blazing star, outshining nearly all the other participants. She will have to revise her thoughts on the man.
However, Luise is her focus now. The Mizugami scion presses forward once more, smoothly rotating to face Luise again, taking a step forward and spinning around towards her left, bringing her right elbow over and down in a dropping strike for Luise's shoulder.
COMBATSYS: Luise endures Hokuto's Chuuhou.
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Katana 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Luise
It's not as if getting out of the way is helping her any; in fact, as Luise looks back on her last few fights, she finds with some irritation that her best method of defense -- not being there when the attack hits -- very frequently doesn't work at all. If she were the type to be frustrated, it would certainly be showing right now. However, taking it in stride, the Dancing Butterfly judges the angle of Hokuto's attack and, very quickly, makes a decision.
It's Katana that is the source of Miu's frustration... and perhaps if Luise can do something about him, then the Kurosaki girl might snap back to her senses and remember herself. Thinking quickly, before Hokuto can strike, the German woman tries to spin herself just so, that the Mad Gear shogun is one end of a line with Hokuto, and Luise as the midpoint. The elbow strike drops her down to the ground, mostly on her back... but with a 'push' of Psycho Power Luise starts 'sliding' across the floor on her way down, right at Katana. Reaching out, she tries to make a desperate grab for the faux-Japanese man's feet...
COMBATSYS: Katana endures Luise's Minuet of Damnation.
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Katana 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=------\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Luise
...once her grip is secure, the fun really begins. Twirling standing, lifting Katana's quite muscular body as if it were made of gossamer, Luise effectively tosses him into the sky. With a wave of the hand, bright blue orbs of light, each containing an energy form shaped like a butterfly, pound Katana at regular intervals, sending him higher and higher until, at the apex of the technique, Luise simply says, "Farewell," before raising her hand straight up. On cue, eight swirling beams of pure white light lance out at the Mad Gear shogun's body in a swirling spiral of psychic power. Not as overbearing as Miu's sheer energy, perhaps, but controlled with the finesse of a master.
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Miu with Light Kick.
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Katana 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0 Miu
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Hokuto 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Luise
Luise makes her best efforts to psi-slip'n'slide across the famous London landmark, but her timing is a little off. Miu brings her arms up to defend herself, but the kick's impact is greater than she had expected-- her arms reeling out to her sides and staggering backwards until she loses her balance. She rolls on her heels and pitches backwards...
And she doesn't get up.
Breathing slowly and heavily, it seems like her wounds have finally come back to haunt her...
And then she gets back up.
For one last attempt, one last ditch effort, the small girl gathers her courage and runs at Katana one more time, reaching out with one small hand to thump the heel of her hand against his stomach. With half-lidded eyes and a body wracked with exhaustion and injury, the psychic energies within her seem to, briefly, remain dormant.
"Tch-!!"
And then -flare-, one last ditch effort, one last attack thrown out at the tall man. That drill of feathers, that psi-lance comprised of feathers explodes from her palm at point-blank distance, the sudden forming and discharge of power enough to knock her right off her feet... if Katana doesn't do it first.
COMBATSYS: Katana blocks Miu's Yomosugara.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Katana 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Luise
As Katana heads down, towards Miu, Katana's then watches as Luise slides over to him, reaching out, grabbing for his feet.. well. Katana STILL extends a foot towards Miu. It's aiming to strike. But as he's grabbed, Katana goes with it, and the foot connects. Unfortunately for Miu, that is.
The little 'radio' conversation is given as Katana is lifted up, and then the PAIN begins.
Katana is tossed into the sky, and with a wave, blue orbs of light begin to slam Katana ever higher. Blasts, such as that, never did help Katana. Especially with the fact that all types of blasts are bad for the Metro City Gang lord. Slamming up and up, he reaches the top.. and then eight beams of pure light lance into him. Crying out, Katana grits, looking down towards Luise, and then holding onto the beam.. why does Katana hold onto the beam at the top of the Big Ben?
BECAUSE.
Katana lets go. And then falls. And then is launched back up there, bleeding. Blood. AND HOLDING AGAIN AT THE TOP OF THE BIG BEN. The feather drill is far from enjoyable. Far, far, from enjoyable. And then it happens.
On the streets below, Mad Gear has been setting things up. It has taken all night, but Katana had urged it was important. And on the streets below, there is ... A TRUCK. Barnacles adorn the sides. There is the smell of rotten fish. There is an eel living in the transmission. But the /soul still burns/.
There is also now a KICKING TURBO attached to the back of the truck. And it's been given the signal to go FULL OUT. And with Luise standing right there while Katana takes all of the pain?..
There is the sound of a honk. How could that be!? Luise may turn, a bit late, to see A FREAKING TRUCK CRASHING THROUGH BIG BEN AND AIMING TO RUN HER OVER.
And then, of course, out he other side.
Look, it may have a FREAKING PARACHUTE or something. It doesn't matter what happens to the truck after it goes through Big Ben. ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT IT'S A MISSILE OF METAL LAUNCHING THROUGH BIG BEN - and potentially taking Luise with it.
"..."
Oh, Katana. Oh, Katana, you IMBECILE. Hokuto immediately--and we do mean -immediately- divorces herself from the situation. She turns and she -walks off-... to the side, to where one of the SNF officials is. Her expression is dead serious as she points backwards, where the truck is currently -smashing- through BIG BEN.
"I," she says, calmly, but very loudly (trucks are loud things) "am NOT responsible for this, and if there is any attempt to charge me for any damages then -you-," she says, pointing directly at the official, "will answer to me about this. Am I understood?"
The official pales slightly, but nods. "Uh, y-yes, Ms. Mizugami. We uh--we understand." The other officials and administrators are just... in shock, that they'll have to pay damages or just that a BIG TRUCK JUST CAME THROUGH.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Katana 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Luise
Truckatana says, "I refuse to let one ever go through correct"
Truckatana says, "life"
COMBATSYS: Luise counters Run Your Ass Over from Katana with New Moon Nocturne.
[ \\\ < > //// ]
Katana 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Luise
What goes up... must come down.
Oh yes it must. And while a truck is seriously going to put the hurt on anyone it happens to smack in the mush, the issue is that 'kickin' turbo' makes a hell of a lot of noise. Plus Luise is psychic; when Katana walks right into her attack, she knows something is up. She's tense. She's prepared.
Mind, she's not 100% prepared for THIS.
Not having to worry about Hokuto is nice, because it does let Luise focus... and in a flash she truly displays why she is called the 'Dancing Butterfly'. As the truck's grille heads toward her, time slows to a molasses crawl as the blonde leaps onto the hood, then up the cab, and onto the trailer, nimble as a gazelle... effectively running along the moving truck toward where Katana is hanging. And when she gets there...
...boy does she look angry. "Your manners, your bearing, your way of fighting... all atrocious! The proud samurai of Japan would be ashamed of such stupidity!" And with that she lashes out with one hand at snakebite speed, snagging the man's arm with the entire momentum of the truck behind her to help and quite effectively hurling out through the very hole in the national monument that his truck just made. "BEGONE!"
Thank the good lord that she won't be held personally responsible for this. She can't be-- there's no way! There's no way they'd be able to legally throw it at her, especially since it goes against all the rules of this event, since it likely breaks a few dozen laws. A semi smashes into Big Ben.
Now, perhaps, she's seen everything.
Then using her great powers, she manages to completely -avoid- being -demolished- by it.
Okay, now she's seen everything.
Miu stays back, stays her hand for just a moment, her eyes wide and jaw hanging. The 'demon' is left in a state of total shock, and also turns to look at the officials. They had nothing to say about her being stabbed multiple times, but what would they say about ... well... -this-?!
COMBATSYS: Miu takes no action.
[ \\\ < > //// ]
Katana 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Luise
As Luise simply runs over the truck, the truck falls. It hits the ground, and like all metal, it breaks open and cracks to pieces splattering across the city. There is no more truck. It had been salvaged, and now it is gone. It may be a reason to mourn. But all the same.. no.
And as Katana is thrown out, he hardly does. "You .. SHALL NOT INSULT ME LIKE SUCH!" Slamming wakizashi into the side of the building, Katana pulls himself up, and for the only time ever, thrusts forwards them in a dicing assault, aiming to cut into Luise, slashing over and over, aiming to simply take her out.
And then he collapses afterwards.
There is no yelling. There is only blades and slumping.
Like Katana would ever give up. HE FIGHTS TO THE END.
COMBATSYS: Katana can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
> //////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Luise
And that was the end!
COMBATSYS: Katana successfully hits Luise with Meido no Miyage.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
> / ]
|=======\-------\0 Luise
Luise's moment of righteous fury also appears to be her last act. Without anywhere to go thanks to gravity, she can only follow Katana down... and while it might be possible to twist in midair to avoid some of those strikes, it's too difficult for someone at the limits of her physical ability to handle. The cuts take a toll on flesh and clothing, and by the time she lands the Dancing Butterfly is thoroughly unconscious. But on the bright side, she might be welcome in Britain again in the near future...
COMBATSYS: Luise takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
COMBATSYS: Luise can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Hokuto 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Miu
He slumps-- Luise slumps.
Eyes wide at the last exchange of blows, the small Kurosaki's mouth hangs partway open, eyes widened and filled with no small amount of utter wonder. How did they pull that off? How could he coordinate for a semi to crash into Big Ben? How could those huge guards with the funny hats let that stand to pass?!
Miu turns her attention slowly to Hokuto, that large amount of stunned wonder bringing her to a sudden realization.
They have to finish.
Turning around, to face her all the better, Miu sucks in a deep breath, the psychic energies within her waxing and waning-- but ultimately building back for that level she normally pushes forth, the little psi-dynamo shifting her stance. She runs hard at Hokuto, her right arm snapping out to the side as a white feather bursts out from the back of her knuckles, the psychic blade looking to slash the Mizugami heiress and channel a good dose of her powers in the process. "Nnnyah-!!"
COMBATSYS: Hokuto interrupts Shubatsu from Miu with Chuugeki Hou EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Hokuto 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Miu
... Speechless. Hokuto is literally speechless, as the truck comes ramming through, Luise -deals with it-... then Katana deals with Luise. It's quite the spectacle. She's already walking back to the 'arena', however, as the show must go on... but it seems Miu wants to have the drop on her.
And young Kurosaki-san certainly has displayed an aptitude for utilizing her powers... these 'feather' blades are unique, and yet so effective. To see Miu charging at her headlong is perhaps a bit daunting. And yet, even with Miu's psychic blades at the ready, Hokuto is possessed of her own resolve.
She decides to meet Miu's charge headlong, and although she can't bring her own energies to bear as easily, she can bring her elbow to bear. The clash is epic--
--Miu's blade slashing down Hokuto's body even as Hokuto drives her elbow into Miu's sternum, a repeat of the technique that Miu ducked earlier...
The feather cannot grip and bite as it would like to, the swing of her small arms mitigated by the reach of the taller, sturdier Hokuto-- and with that elbow driven into the middle of her chest, the sudden impact and the harsh nature cause her eyes to widen. ... That, and all of the cuts she's sustained thusfar, the Mizugami heiress likely drove her elbow into one of them.
Staggering and falling back a few steps, Miu drops to the fighting 'arena' floor, slumped halfway on her side and clutching her chest, breathing in short, jagged breaths. Perhaps still conscious, but there's not a chance in hell she's going to get back up... not after all of this chaos.
Does anyone have a band-aid?
COMBATSYS: Miu takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hokuto 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Miu can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hokuto 1/------=/=======|
... finally, the battle is over. A hard-fought, hard-won battle, in the end, full of spectacular hits and spectacular misses, on both sides. While Luise seemed disinclined to speak after the battle, Hokuto will likely want to find a way to contact the Dancing Butterfly sometime... likewise Miss Kurosaki.
As for Katana... well, he proved to be far more spectacular than Hokuto might have ever expected. But he's still not Japanese. As the medics rush in, and while the announcer is calling the fight, Hokuto merely gestures towards the fallen Kurosaki and Meyrink.
"Tend to them first, I shall be fine." If she learned anything from this battle, reflects Hokuto, sinking into a folding chair, it's that battle... is unpredictable.
Log created on 21:14:29 11/16/2007 by Hokuto, and last modified on 10:00:27 11/18/2007.