Description: Jiro gets a mysterious message from someone to appear at Amsterdam. He tried tracing the number through Interpol, but with no luck. So he goes to meet the individual who delivered him a message...
Elle has arrived.
The tip came as a text message out of the blue to Jiro's phone. No number to call back, no means of tracing it. Merely a place to meet, and a time. Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. A quaint, ancient city with run down, old roads, buildings, and canels parallel to a lot of the roads. The time is one am, at a bridge spanning some of the canals, connecting the cobblestone roads on either side to each other.
This late the area is dead, the only sounds those of the water splashing against the stone walls that keep it in place. The roads are too narrow to arrive on anything other than foot or a bicycle, and considering the condition their in a bicycle might be suicide anyway.
The air is crisp, cool, the sky somewhat hidden by an offshore mist blanketing the port town. The sound of a fog horn bellowing out from the not so distant shore resonates through the night air periodically, leaving silence to reign between its warning tolls.
At first, it was actually rather difficult to make out the sudden text message that he received on the cellphone. It was out of the blue for one. Secondly, when he tried to get the other workers at Interpol to actually trace the source, all had came out rather cold. But nevertheless, Jiro only had a designated place to meet with the source. It was the only thing that Jiro could do.
The Interpol agent, thankfully, doesn't have to do any undercover work. Let's face it, he would suck at it. Nevertheless, Jiro took the nearest airport to arrive in Amsterdam.
The narrow roads provide an annoying walk. Part of him wishes he still had his motorcycle, but Dante bloody destroyed that long ago. That, and Hotaru wouldn't want him to get a new one. Damnit.
Jiro is sporting his usual attire; a blue sleeveless hoodie with a black t-shirt underneath, a pair of white khakis and some red-brown shoes. The travel along the road is easy. But soon, Jiro makes his way towards the bridge.
By the time that he arrives, he extends an arm in front of him to inspect the time on his wristwatch. "Well, I made it." He stretches, "I wonder what the hell this message is about."
There's four obvious routes onto the bridge, one from each direction along the road on both sides. Out of one of the run down, stone buildings along the road on the side nearest the poor steps a tall, well dressed man of German descent. In the darkness recognition may not strike immediately, but as he strides closer, his leather soled dress shoes striking against the ground with distinctive sounds, it might become more clear.
For one thing, that faint glimmer of crimson light where his right eye should be might ring a few bells, if the signiture suit and expensive white shirt and accompanying black neck tie don't. "Jiro Kasagi... or, excuse me, it's Agent Kasagi now, isn't it." A glance is made over the young Interpol agent. He doesn't need the aid of his inhuman eye to make out much of what Jiro is about, what his potential is, where he's come so far. "You were once on the path that Kain offered you, and now you've gone and tried to make something different out of yourself... Hm."
Rugal Bernstein stands up a little bit straighter, his left hand slipping into his pocket. "All things considered it's probably for the best. You never would have survived the training he held out before you. But I'd like to see what you've become anyway. Show me the power you've found on your own, Agent Kasagi."
The man raises his right hand, making a beckoning gesture. "And while you're at it, entertain me with what you know about the Burn case so that I don't have to pry the information out of you in a more forcefull manner." Field work. Normally Rugal hasn't the time. But with his son 'burdened' with running 'R' for a spell, the tyrant has a chance to descend into the trenches, as it were.
COMBATSYS: Rugal has started a fight here.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Rugal takes no action.
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Rugal 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Jiro has joined the fight here.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
Slowly drawing his hand down from the watch, Jiro stretches his arms up in the air and he cracks his neck both ways a few times. Then, he can hear a sound emitting from somewhere not too far. It's like a clacking sound of some sort. Drifting his gaze out towards the further end of the district, he sees a shadow of a tall man approaching his way. An eyebrow is risen once, but then he tenses as he suddenly recognizes the individual.
"Rugal?!" He blinks, "What did you call me here fo---..." He suddenly stops. His eyes narrow at the mention of him being 'Agent Kasagi', "How did you know?" An eyebrow is quirked. There is the mention of Kain, which slowly earns a bit of silence as Jiro shuts his eyes. Yeah, he remembers his path with Kain. He also recalls the gap between Kain and himsef. ... That is a gap Jiro wishes to close. But for now? An important matter: Now.
Both eyes snap open at Rugal. The prediction of Jiro's chances for surviving Kain's planned training earns a grunt, but nevertheless, Jiro offers Rugal a nod. "Very well." He lifts both arms up and he takes a step back with the right leg, pivoting it slightly as it bends.
Then, his eyes narrow further a the mention of the Burn case, "Tsch. I know as much as you do at this point. Scientists are missing and I have not found out a damn thing since then..." He pauses, "...Why are you so interested in them anyway!"
Jiro takes off with a sprint, rushing to meet towards Rugal. His body hunches slightly as his fist winds back, but instead, he skids towards Rugal while he lunges forard with his front fist instead of the winded fist so that he can get out a left jab aimed underneath Rugal's chin.
COMBATSYS: Rugal fails to interrupt Jab Punch from Jiro with Medium Punch.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
"I'm going to give the academy the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't get through without some level of intelligence." comes the response to Jiro's inquiry about why he would be interested to know what he has on the biggest case to ever go stone cold in recent history.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." His mouth pressed tightly, he waits for the young man to come in with the feint. Jiro slips in just in time as Rugal swings back, his right hand, palm open, intent on simply smacking the young man back hard enough to drive him off his feet.
Jiro gets off unstruck though and Rugal's chin takes a light blow. So light, in fact, he barely seems to flinch. "Hm. So that's it," he muses, not even budging from his place on the bridge.
Of course. However, that is actually why Jiro is not willing to give this guy any information. Nevertheless, asking such questions does become habitual when a stranger wants him to give information on a strange case. This Burn case has actually been Jiro's -personal- pet project. And well, the fact that it went stone cold trail-wise, well...
"Tsch!" He hisses in regards of figuring it out. It has been too long. But, his mind traces back to what is at hand, the fight. He cannot take Rugal for granted by far. In fact, Jiro has to step up his game, even when that nice jab comes through.
That jab, case in point, was a nice signal for Jiro to step back and lunge out with that winded fist that was pressed back a moment ago. The strike comes forth with an upward cross, but the main attack is that Jiro steps up and aims to launch his knee right into Rugal's chest to send him back.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Jiro's Medium Kick.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
The rising knee doesn't get through Bernstein's guard as his hand comes up to catch it, well, handily, before brushing his strike aside. "Ah, going to play tight with your information, I see." comes the observation.
The time to prepare himself is blindingly brief though as Rugal strikes back with a kick of his own, attempting to knock the young man back off him a bit to reposition him...
An upward strike with his left followed by a sweeping strike by his right. If Jiro isn't careful he risks getting knocked clean off the bridge over the low retaining wall along the side. "HAH!"
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Jiro with Medium Kick.
- Power hit! -
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Jiro 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Rugal
As that rising knee is caught by Bernstein, Jiro grits his teeth at Rugal, then he attempts to strike Jiro back with his own kick. He is knocked back a bit to be repositioned. Of course, the change of course puts him off balance and perhaps near the point of falling off of the bridge.
"Damn!" He grimaces, then he is turning back in time to get caught by the upward strike with the left, which knocks him over the bridge, then the sweeping right further seals the deal.
Jiro nearly falls off of the bridge...
...Until he's grasping onto the ledge of the bottom part of the bridge. His head is reeling from the blow to the side of the head, but he is tightening that grip on the bridgeway.
"Bastard."
As soon as his head clears up, Jiro musters up the strength to swing himself back up towards the bridge. Although not acrobatic like his girlfriend, Jiro has learned a few things on increasing his bodily reflexes to perform such a maneuver. When he swings back, he finally grips towards the edge of the bridge and pushes off towards Rugal, aiming to launch his feet out to release a double snap-kick at Rugal's head for the distraction.
But then, as his back is turned, his head whips back towards Rugal to keep his eyes on him as the chi finally manifests from his body. It is that split second that he needed for him to draw the fury in him to form the scarlet chi. In a burst, Jiro dashes past Rugal, swinging the scarlet flame that shapes itself into a blade across the man's side.
COMBATSYS: Rugal reflects Firebrand from Jiro with Dark Barrier.
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Jiro 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Rugal
Well, that hit wasn't bad, if Rugal might say so himself. Jiro is sent tumbling and it looks like he might have sent his little potential contact agent off for swim before getting anything he wanted out of him. Well, that's no fun for anyone.
"Hm." comes the quiet contemplation of the man who merely stands his ground, becoming aware of the sounds of the struggle going on over the side of it. Chuckling softly at Jiro's determination to hang on, the tyrant merely waits, giving him all the time he needs in order to haul himself up and over to come charging at him again.
"Your energy has changed," comes the remark as he raises his right hand, extending his fingers, his palm facing toward the young man. And then Jiro is introduced to Dad's version of the Dark Barrier he probably loves so well. A sickly, swirling cloud of green, miasmic energy explodes in front of him, denying his energy passage by consuming it whole.
And then Rugal clenches his fist tightly, releasing the energy built up in the barrier to explode back out at Jiro, giving him a blast right back for his trouble. "A valiant effort, Agent Kasagi. Let's see what else you have to show me..."
As the first strikes towards Rugal's direction; Jiro is finally introduced to a familiar move that is perhaps one of the things that Jiro will absolutely hate about the Bernstein family. Both his EVIL TWIN BROTHER and SAID TWIN'S FATHER! As the sickly, swirling cloud of green energy explodes in front of him, the energy is suddenly engulfed and consumed by the field of energy.
His expression widens, already -KNOWING- what to expect from Rugal's manauver.
"...Fuuuuuccc----"
Woooossh! His frame is soon consumed by the scarlet light sent back towards him, blasting him straight into the chest and he is sent flying away from Rugal's direction. Instead, his body is skidding across the ground and he twitches after his skidding session.
"...Friggin hell, add that into the list of techniques that I absolutely hate."
Slowly, Jiro is staggering up, then he growls at Rugal. Shaking his head, Jiro is finally tightening his stance, staring at the adult Bernstein before he pivots his feet.
"... Don't worry, there's..." He coughs, "More." His mind is becoming attuned with the surrounding.
COMBATSYS: Jiro focuses on his next action.
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Jiro 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Rugal
The backlash from the Dark Barrier leaves Jiro with no time to muster any defense other than to swear at his unlucky fate before blasting him backward. Rugal, for his own part, has yet to really move from the square foot of space he claimed as 'his' on the bridge. His stance is unflawed, his expression calm as he inspects Jiro with an analytical eye.
"The Dark Barrier represents power you may never understand, boy." Rugal replies, his tone slightly menacing. "Hate it as you wish, but if you decide to loathe everything more powerful than what you can muster with your own relative inexperience, you will never figure out how to grow."
The man slips his right hand into his suit pocket as the young man takes a moment to concentrate and clear his head. Rugal doesn't seem to be in a hurry. This is a little inspection, after all. "So tell me, are you more powerful now than when you were under Kain's tutelage, or is do you only feel you have come far because you no longer have to stand next to a man who is far more powerful than you will ever be?"
His right eye glimmers, a pin-thin red glow as he studies Jiro even further. What did Kain see in him? Why take him as a student back then? Was it all because of Dante or was there a point to the exercise? "It's unfortunate you have nothing else to provide me with regards to Burn. Our goals with regards to that situation are not mutually exclusive, you realize..."
COMBATSYS: Rugal focuses on his next action.
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Jiro 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Rugal
"Oh, I don't hate it because of that. Just one of those that is as annoying as Alma's healing techniques." He twitches before he channels himself once more. Then, the young man grits his teeth, ooking at the older man. When he asks him a question, Jiro shuts his eyes for a few moments, "...I managed to control an emotion that is more natural to me." His eyes look towards Rugal. "I learned to manipulate an emotion without succumbing to it. I did not under Kain's training. That was something I did on my own." Then, he tightens his fists, feeling the flames slowly gather. His emotions, outwardly, are cool.
His eyes shift towards the older man with a leveled-gaze. His mind, is still clearly focused on Rugal, especially when he feels the scarlet blaze writhe in his hand. An igniton bursts as the inferno roars in his hand.
"As for being far more powerful than I'll ever be. I'll reach him eventually. That... is a promise." That is when Jiro begins to grin, then he narrows his eyes once more. "As for the Burn, everything disappeared cold turkey, as much as I hate to say." Sadly, it's true. What -ARE- the Hellraiser doing? Argh! That's distracting. Rugal is the current target.
Feeling the flames writhe in his body, Jiro tightens his fists, extinguishing the flames. "Now. Time to get more serious." He sprints towards Rugal, lunging ahead to greet the man with a sweep of the right leg while he is still standing, then he presses forward by using that leg after the sweep to launch himself onward to release two front-snap kicks.
As he takes a landing, Jiro lunges closer to drive his elbow out towards Rugal; only, he isn't actually striking it out. Mid-way, the forearm is winding out so that the palm can shove Rugal back into a maneuvering position.
The left arm is slowly drawing upward towards the tyrant as his hips tork towards the right for further reach of the arm. As that arm is rising up, the erosion of flames suddenly ignite once more, the inferno reaching out to catch Rugal across the chin to launch him off-ground for the next maneuver as his right hand winds back.
COMBATSYS: Rugal counters Scarlet Slaughter from Jiro with Scorpion Blow EX.
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Jiro 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Rugal
"An interesting perspective," Rugal replies, deigning to give Jiro a slight nod of his head in acknowledgement. Broadcast fights show Jiro to be a real contender, contrary to all expectations. His background suggests he should be a nobody, yet he enters the ring with some of the elite fighters around the world and does all right for himself. Not giving in seems to have brought the Kasagi boy further than Rugal's analysis of him in the past would have suggested.
"A promise, is it... Well, that remains to be seen. There are others out there, younger than you, more powerful than you after all... In twenty years they may hope to stand in the same spotlight as the likes of Heinlein. You... have a long way to go." He chuckles, shifting his stance a little, his shoulders relaxing, one arm bent at the elbow at his side, fist forward, his other raised almost straight out in front of him, fingers spread apart as he waits.
The young man comes charging back in to give it his all but Bernstein is ready for him. Capable of seeing through his remarkable burst of speed thanks to the aid of that small inhuman eye of his, the man reacts with flawless precision. The fight leg sweep is intersected by the bottom of Bernstein's shoe as the man lifts his foot off the ground just enough to stop it. The left leg's snap kicks are pushed back down as Rugal leans back. The elbow is caught in the palm of his hand as Rugal turns his body to the side...
And then finally does Rugal move from the spot he has yet to budge from the whole fight, taking a step forward in on Jiro, his left hand snapping out to heft the boy just as his hand explodes with those crimson flames of his. Jiro is held up in front of him for a moment, the strength of Rugal's arm keeping him up by his neck with seemingly minimal effort. "Hm..." He has come along a ways and he swings without fear. Sometimes that lets one defy expectations. Sometimes it gets one killed. But slaughter isn't on Rugal's mind this cold night.
The contemplation ends as his right hand slams forward into Jiro's stomach at the same time he releases his grip on him to send him hurtling backward. "Your attempts are not shameful. But the gulf between us is incomprehensible." So Interpol's trail really is cold. Jiro wasn't bluffing. Not then. The crimelord begins to consider Burn a dead issue. At least this trip helped move one item out of his mind for the time being. "Your ability to keep going is remarkable though. Do not give up yet," chuckles the monster.
The reaction to the initial strikes that Jiro had in mind where slightly expected. As the sweep was interesected by the show, Jiro hisses once before he presses on with the next strike. Yet, that one too proved to be fruitless as the kicks were pushed back. This puts him in a bad position as his strikes, over-all, are actually being redirected with no problem.
This is the course that puts him off-balance, especially for the uppercut. Jiro is immediately hefted up by Rugal, gritting his teeth as he is held along the neck. "Eggh...." He grits his teeth once, then he struggles to break out.
The timing of the release does not let Jiro get a reprive of relief as he is dealted with a blow towards the stomach. His eyes widen as he can feel the wind knocked out of him. Then he is sent towards the ground harshly. "Eggghh.." He gasps for air, pressing his hands onto the ground. "...Damn..."
The gap between himself and Rugal is phenomenal. But still, Jiro feels that he should had been doing better. Yet. He recalls seeing how he and Kain faught so long ago. The eyes shut as the young man is tracing back to the time the two had sparred against one another.
...Nearly three years ago. Had it been that long? The eyes flash open once more to look at the man that stands before him. The older man hardly broke a sweat. The young man coughs up a bit of saliva mixed with a bit of his blood, then he merely spits it to the side. "Tsch... Let's see if I can dive closer into the gulf." The young man tightens his fists once, then he swings his right arm out.
As he drives the right arm off, the chi manifests as a wave of scarlet that weaves and shoots out towards Rugal. The size of a full arm, the cutter-blade made of the fury soars at Rugal.
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Rugal with Balefire.
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Jiro 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Rugal
"Hm." Well, the boy has guts. Rugal can't deny that. The man has already calculated Jiro's health and energy. He knows how long the young man can go before he collapses. Or... so he thought. That Jiro has enough within him to pull chi to serve him once again isn't expected. The cutter blade hurlting toward him shouldn't even be able to span the distance...
And perhaps it is those expectations that leave him struck by it, the crimson energy splashing against his chest, driving his feet back just a little. The man grunts, his head nodding slightly. It looks like Jiro has some left in him after all. "Well, if you have no more information to provide, then this inspection is finished!"
The rise in voice comes as the man lunges back toward Kasagi, his arms out at his sides, until he comes to a stop just shy of Jiro before both hands slam forward. His right comes in as a clenched fist at head level, a brutal hook punch. His left slams forward as an open palm press, aiming to slam the agent clean off his feet and back toward the street.
COMBATSYS: Jiro fails to counter Fierce Punch from Rugal with Excessive Force.
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Rugal 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Jiro can no longer fight.
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Rugal 0/-------/---====|
If there is one thing that the fighters have been able to give Jiro credit for in the past, even now, is that even when things get tough for the young man, he proves to be very tenacious when it calls for it. Although he generally doesn't win the fight, he has shown more determination than most to rise above the challenges and push himself even further.
It is that very moment that Jiro witnesses the strike on Rugal does he shift stance to a more defensive. His right leg winds back and his fist is casted in position as well. As Rugal finally rushes towards his way, Jiro aims to extend his left hand out to swing the incoming right hook away for the incoming strike.
But, the right fist strikes him with a brutal hook punch. The impact sends him sprawling, then the open palm sends him off of his feet and back down towards the street. The result has his body spinning and skidding across the floor for the final time.
"Da...damn.... still so far..." He laughs a bit. He refuses to fall unconscious at this point, but he knows his body won't allow him to move.
Rugal lowers his hands to his sides after his strikes land. That'll be enough for this inspection. He's seen what he needs to. A boy growing into a man, struggling against his place in life. Rugal isn't one of those fools who believes one's potential is defined entirely by one's birth circumstances. After all, many of the world's greats have clawed their way out of obscurity. But to make that last leap? To become a true titan above and beyond the rest? That... that tends to require just the right combination of birthright, determined, never relenting training, and genius level aptitude. Jiro has one of those at least.
"Thank you for your time, Agent Kasagi. It's important for you to know the force that I can bring to bear against those who get in my way. Now that you are with 'them', the time might come when your orders will bring you in opposition to me and my organization. Consider this... when that time comes, our business will not be concluded as amiably as this exchange was."
His hands reach up to adjust his tie, shift his coat sleeves a little, then slide into his pockets.
There is only labored breathing as Jiro is trying his hardest to pull himself back up. It has been quite a beat down that the young agent had been given. But, he has made some progress enough to score a few hits on Rugal. As Rugal does explain to him that he is to know the force that Rugal himself has, the young man grunts. "...Friggin hell."
Yeah. It hurts a lot. But it goes to show that Jiro may end up needing more help. That, and to brush up more within the Interpol's files to know every organization in an out that he hasn't been looked into thus far. He will have to become a better agent to get the job done.
"...I'll keep that in mind..." Jiro states, as he turns over. Then, he -forces- himself up to his knees. And never the one to be on his knees, Jiro is staggering himself back up to his feet, wobbling along the way, but he does force himself to stand.
COMBATSYS: Rugal gains composure.
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Rugal 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Rugal has ended the fight here.
Log created on 00:09:07 01/20/2008 by Jiro, and last modified on 03:37:45 01/24/2008.