Description: At the National Gallery of Art, four female fighters square off in a two versus two battle to the DEATH--only not. Ayame and Zaki face off against Shihong and the mysterious Elfa and, while things start out normal, they take a sudden and particularly unexpected turn... (Winners: Shihong and Elfa)
The lobby of the National Gallery of Art is an impressive sight. Tall, obsidian marble columns in a circle support a domed ceiling far above. The chamber's walls are ornately carved surfaces and nearly every flat surface is occupied by an invaluable exhibit of some painting, statue, or other form of art. The space is wide open for fighting and only the columns provide any form of cover around the edges.
Occupying the center is a round water fountain, however, a small statue on the top. It very well might play host to a ring-around-the-statue game of trying to catch each other if any of the participants is keen on playing hard to get. Not that Ayame is too concerned about that. She has weapons for dealing with hard to reach targets after all.
It is the fountain that has occupied her attention for the most part, her right hand resting lazily at her hip, her left hand gripping a six foot long metal staff. She looks pretty bored. Fine arts are simply lost on the girl, she hasn't the mind nor the patience to appreciate them, and since they don't do anything particularly interesting, like explode, stab, slash, bash, she doesn't really see what the big todo is.
Curators have already shuffled non-fighters out of the central lobby and officials have the cameras ready to roll. Only a couple minutes remain to prepare, but Ayame is as calm as can be, stretching her arms out at her side and yawning. Due to a paper filing error, she has no clue who else is even in the match. It will be with some surprise that she comes to find out who her two opponents will be...
Ah yes, the National Gallery of Art. It's a building that she's read about... on the flight overseas... and learned about all of the usual eyecatching tourist talk that gets crammed down people's throats, told about the area they have cordoned off for the fight, and given only a scrap of information about the person that she'll be teamed with... and about as much or less of their opponents.
As irritated as usual, Aoi Himezaki is shown the way through the non-combatants and the staff, past the security and allowed to enter the grand hall they'll be using as a battlefield. Wearing her own version of the Seijyun uniform with a sense of pride, the sound of her reinforced, high-heeled boots click and clack harshly on the stone floor. The chain clasped with padlock worn around her neck rattles and jingles, the echo of the hall making it sound all the louder and menacing... and it's almost melodic, Aoi notes in the back of her mind.
Coming to a halt a healthy distance in the room, without even regarding the girl who could be opponent or teammate, the masked gang leader takes to looking at the fountain... but more out of admiration, the thought of tactics like Ayame's not entering into her mind.
As for people not being told of who or what they were going to be fighting, Elfa's apparently one up on the competition. She's been told the 'who', as to whom she will be fighting. Her own invitation slightly different than the others, as it came without her actually, well.. signging up. Still, she couldn't hide herself from the world forever, and this sort of 'meeting' was intruiging enough to take the plane ticket and ride. She finds her way in, looking about with her pale grey eyes, fingers worrying against her palms. After all, she's only 'sort of' a fighter, one that's half-hearing techniques and the like, deep in her mind. That voice that spurs her on said that this would be a safe place to test things out - and certainly it would be, after all - it's being recorded, right? Perfectly safe.
So, as she enters, she's still wearing the only thing she feels comfortable in - a red leotard, blue jeans on over them, and a pair of sturdy bracers and shoes. She doesn't look afraid, or worried as she enters - but instead looks slightly shocked. From the fountain, that face - she's seen it before. She half-remembers it, some part of her mind shutting down the actuality behind those memories, to allow her to function in this environment. A defensive measure, to say the least. Her voice, though - it's full of venom as she looks towards Ayame. "You." Apparently, Geese Howard has chosen this to be 'personal'. Or else, well - fate...?
And the last to arrive to this shindig in the prestigious National Gallery of Art?
Shihong Mao.
A leggy woman in a sleek black suit-like affair, the woman glides with poise and posture, sharp three and a half steel heels clicking noisily on marble floor. You can hear the woman coming a mile away from her heels alone. But if that isn't clue enough the last of the four female fighters is approaching...well.
"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!!"
The noisy conversation she carries is.
Entering the center fountain area from one of the four connecting hallways, the woman casually strolls along with a tiny and undoubtedly expensive cellular phone pressed to her ear. The acoustics here are perfect for carrying the woman's voice through the area, even over the murmur of water pouring from the marble fountain. Whether or not anyone cares, Shihong does NOT care.
"So anyway, I tell Bobby that I've got a bone to pick with his girlfriend Claire. And what happens? The dumb bint comes stalking after me in some bar waving her hands like a damn monster, making a scene in public. Ugh, what a bitch, am I right?"
Heels still, the woman's black eyes lifting from the ceiling above to settle on the room itself. Black eyes survey the art on the walls before they drift to the other fighters present. Zaki, unfamiliar but damn if the girl doesn't need a personal fashion coach. Elfa, unfamiliar as well. But when she spies Ayame..?
"Gotta go." Click.
"Oh little Ayame!" the woman calls out, her tone an odd tone of friendliness mixed with a peculiar hint of an almost maternal nature. Arms open as she approaches the three, but she does not draw the girl in; instead she puts her hands on her hips and smiles. "I'm so glad to see--!"
Elfa's words cut her short, however, black eyes drifting to her designated partner for this event. Frowning ever so slightly, the woman is left to wonder the obvious: what did Ayame do to her?
But her thoughts aren't left to linger long, as a SNF official scurries forward and instructs the fighters that the cameras are rolling and, yes, the fight is now scheduled to begin. Glancing from Elfa to Ayame, the woman offers an impish smile to the girl, dark eyes hooded in good humor as she states:
"Do your best."
The sound of clanking chains echoing against the tall walls of the gallery catch Ayame's attention, the long haired, strawberry-blonde glancing in the direction of the Seijyun student with a certain look of appreciation. Everything about the masked girl screams attitude, defiance, authority. Ayame smiles faintly. Hand coming up to rest against one of the chains around her neck, she rubs it lightly between her fingers. Feeling a little bit of chain envy perhaps?! She can definitely respect Zaki's style. She's going to be a deadly fighter she's sure. Clad in her own black and red assortment of modified clothing, the two are definitely a good match for each other!
Another voice snaps Ayame's attention elsewhere, however, brown eyes coming to rest on Elfa as the young woman steps into the lobby. A rare moment of surprise crosses the typically apathetic girl's eyes, her mouth opening slightly as if to say something, memories of dealing with Elfa while she was in Blackjack's 'care' coming to mind instantly. To say there's bad blood there would be putting it mildly. Slowly her look of surprise is replaced with a smirk as the vicious girl stands up a little straighter, hand going back to resting at her hip, "Well, well. Look who's decided to check out the big league-"
Her voice is cut out by the unmistakeable laughter of the fourth fighter to arrive, the girl snapping her attention in the direction from which Shihong arrives. And, like so many other times the two have met, Ayame gets a glimpse into the life of Mao Shihong simply by virtue of hearing half of one of her cell phone conversations.
But the call comes to an end, Ayame called out with a friendly greeting from Shihong. The young rogue's mouth curls into a faint grin, especially when Shihong takes notice of the pointed glare from Elfa. "Eh, history, you know?" she explains away the bad blood with a relaxed shrug. Though in the back of her mind she remembers well the horrible ability she saw Elfa use against her boss, Elle. An attack that may very well be sent /her/ way over the course of this match.
With the officials explaining the teams, Ayame glances toward the slightly taller Zaki, "Heya. Guess we're supposed to work together, huh? I hope you brought some of that stuff to use instead of just making a crazy fashion statement. It'll make things so much more interesting!" As she speaks, the girl begins fiddling with a spool of wire thin cabling attached to one of her multiple belts. A small pointed weight is removed from the pouch on the other side of her belt and deftly affixed to one end of the cable with a nimbly tied knot.
With the go-ahead to start the match, Ayame hops backward, putting a little distance between her and her opponents, her attention focused on Elfa first and foremost. Quickly she begins to twirl the rope dart at her side. "Long time no see. Try to keep up, hm?" And then as if to help Elfa do just the /opposite/, Ayame swings the rope dart up in front of her then kicks forward to launch the metal projectile out toward poor Elfa's forehead!
COMBATSYS: Ayame has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shihong has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shihong
COMBATSYS: Elfa has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shihong
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|-------\-------\0 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Zaki has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elfa
The gang leader's eyes close almost lazily while the staff quickly explains the usual stuff, and points out the teams. Hard to tell if she's paying attention or not, but Zaki's eyes shift back open when the wire-wielding Ayame speaks to her. Rather than respond vocally, the Seijyun gang leader's hand opens and her fingers claw, cracking her knuckles through sheer brute tension in her hand.
A length of chain descends from Zaki's sleeve-- heavy duty, almost industrial chain-- and the end of the length piles on the floor, somewhere around three and a half feet total. Rolling her wrist and changing her grip just slightly, Zaki gets it looped around her gloved hand once and held in a manner that would be slightly more comfortable... if that's even possible.
"I should beat your ass after this, blondie."
Lightly swinging her chain in a circle, the links go reasonably taut and issue a stiff, low tone whistle of wind with each circular pass. The masked Seijyun student seems to be taking her time as she heads toward Shihong, continuing the slow, practiced swings. Her eyes even narrow some, the mouth hidden behind the buckle-laiden leather mask twisting into a sharp grin.
"Guess it's you and me, grandma."
And then she advances-- faster than one would expect in boots like that, at least-- and Zaki twists her wrist and swings low. The centrifugal force gets shifted and the chain lashes out, the length of metal attempting to snare Shihong around her ankle and then give a vicious -pull-, even taking a few hard steps backward in the process-- harder, angrier, and trying to drop the woman flat on her head before dragging.
That's what you get for Ayame talking smack about her clothes. It makes sense in Zaki's mind, at least.
COMBATSYS: Elfa dodges Ayame's Medium Fling.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elfa
Obvious or not, Elfa isn't saying anything just yet about how she knows Ayame. That she'd spoken to Frei at the YFCC, and he'd known her, regarded her as someone who was 'alright, but hostile'. A kidnapper. Scum. Elfa fumes now, the battle suddenly having much more meaning for her - the concept of teamwork lost on her at this point in time. Instead, she's all about dealing with Ayame, in any way she can. Preferably, a lethal way.
As the chain is chucked towards her, Elfa pulls into a precise spin, one that would do her proud on the ice rink, with Father watching her practice. It's elegant, and makes the metal dart flip past her head, imbedding in some piece of art behind her. Suddenly, she understands why Frei didn't seem to worry about the battle too much. It's not like /she/ has to pay for it. "Try to keep up? I'm not.. I'm not what you thought I was then!" she says with something very close to anger in her voice, grey eyes clouding up as she leaps towards the other girl, trying to catch her legs around Ayame's neck. If she can, well - there will be a quite strong squeeze, a stronger throw - right at the fountain.
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Zaki's Chain Flip.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elfa
"History? Oh my," the Chinese woman replies, eyeing Elfa briefly before she shoots the young weapons prodigy a cautious gaze. "She looks awfully upset, Ayame. I hope you didn't do something BAD." The woman pauses briefly, eyes flickering to the ceiling as she carefully chooses her next words. Sadly, she and the younger fighter aren't on the same sides like numerous times in the past. This time they're against each other.
"Do take care," Shihong ultimately offers to the girl. "And I'll take nothing personal!"
But Elfa is not forgotten. Glancing back at the other woman, she offers a light grin, eyes lidded in muted amusement as she nods to the Russian. "Let's do this, shall we?"
And it would appear Ayame chooses to start the ladies off today. Making her move for the Russian woman, Shihong's gaze drifts elsewhere, particularly onto Zaki. Noting the masked woman, those eyes lid even further, a slow, wolfish smirk edging its way slowly over her red lips. "Grandma?" A laugh follows.
"There's an old proverb, back in China. It says, 'A book holds a house of gold.' Do you know what that means, kid?" When the redheaded Seijyun girl advances, the woman responds only as the chain lashes out for her body, attempting to snare her--and it does. But not for long; the opposing leg lifts swiftly and, with a fierce stomp, pins the chain down just past her ankle.
"It means if you study hard in school, you'll have a good job and a chance at making good money. Think about it. If you did that, well." Shoulders roll easily. "You could buy yourself some socially-acceptable attire, wouldn't you agree? You ARE a girl under that, aren't you?"
Twisting her chained leg sharply, the woman lets the length of metal uncoil and, pushing off her back foot, springs forward, lunging in at Zaki with every intention of delivering a twisting kick aimed right for the center of the trunk of her body.
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Elfa's Frankensteiner.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elfa
"I'd like to see you try, freakshow." Ayame snaps back at Zaki's threat with a quick laugh and roll of her eyes. Oh yeah, those two are going to get along swell. Shihong's concern about Ayame having done something done earns her a broad, teethy grin from the weapons maven. Bad? Her? Naaaw. "Yeah, guess we can't always be on the same time," she remarks with a shake of her head. It never goes good for their opponents when they /are/, that's for sure.
But in comes Elfa, having handily avoided the rope dart intended to clonk her on the head. Drawing back on the weapon with a hard tug, Ayame is free to move as the Russian comes in with the intent to crush and twist her over into the fountain. But the swift fighter will have none of that, twirling out of the way as she coils up her cable and slips it over her shoulder.
"Oof, temper temper. Can't let bygones be bygones, hm? Too bad!" Stepping forward, the girl makes a simple sweep with her foot, aiming to take Elfa clean off her feet before she can recover from that crazy throw attempt. If her kick misses, the follow up spin with her staff might end up doing the job all the same!
COMBATSYS: Zaki dodges Shihong's Short Kick.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elfa
The metal chain rings loudly, wrapping around Shihong's leg and preparing to send the woman to her doom on the floor of the grand building. But before the pull can come, the chain is stepped on and Zaki has little in the way of recourse except wait for the first chance she gets to unfurl the snagged weapon from her quarry's leg and come up with a new plan of attack. It comes when the Chinese martial artist moves in to kick at her-- and suddenly she turns aside, taking a step back and allowing the strike to hit only the air.
"Tch...""
Whipping her fist around in the air, her chain snakes away from Shihong and arcs around at high speed, wrapping around her fist a couple of times. Before it can fully come around, her arm is already moving, the weight and excess slack moving around her arm instead-- around her arm, all while her fist is aimed to deliver a rather nasty chain-laiden punch right across Shihong's jaw.
"Like I could give two shits about your opinion!!"
COMBATSYS: Elfa blocks Ayame's Light Kick.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Elfa
"Let..?!" Oooh, Ayame's playing her like a sap, and it's making Elfa's blood boil. It's a good thing she can still get mad - but if she can, is it possible that she can't get even? She's got to learn to let things go - most of all, the emotions that she's wearing on her sleeves. She does a simple hop up and over Ayame's foot, but the staff's swing catches her in the side with a fairly heavy 'THWACK'. She staggers towards the fountain, rubbing her ribcage.
"Fine.. Let it go, you say?" She can do that - not /willingly/, but it's possible. She hasn't learned how to tap what she has raging inside her, all the more lucky for Ayame. Instead, she just has her feet, her fists, and the whispering voice that guides her through motions and movements she doesn't quite understand. She twists on her feet, dropping low, then comes back up with a series of rapid jabs, left, right left - all aimed at Ayame's face. "Father would be upset, if I walked away from someone like you without a fight!"
COMBATSYS: Zaki successfully hits Shihong with Medium Strike.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Elfa
"A pitty, miss Ayame!" the elder woman calls out, despite the fact that...well, they're on opposing sides today. A shame, that; Shihong particularly enjoys participating in Saturday Night Fights with the weapons prodigy. She's entertaining AND they seem to work well together. "Ah well," she sighs shortly after. "Perhaps next time."
Stepping in to kick the Seijyun girl as business demands, the woman is hardly ruffled with the redhead weaves aside, out of her kick's way, offering little more than a soft, barely-audible scoff in response. But the arm that whips out and swings for her face--and laid with chain--strikes home rather harsh, sending the woman reeling to one side as she grunts.
"You should," the woman replies, looking back to the girl as she rubs her jaw. "It'd do you some good. You're certainly not dressed to impress young lady. I could give you a few pointers. First--reveal more skin." Uh oh.
But regardless of Zaki's reaction, Shihong plants a foot hard and pivots harshly, the opposite leg swinging up as she attempts to drive the back of her Prada straight into the Seijyun student's temple.
"How ELSE are we supposed to know you're a girl?"
COMBATSYS: Elfa successfully hits Ayame with Quick Punch.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Elfa
Getting her opponents riled up is... well, frankly one of Ayame's most tried and true tactics in a fight. It's a great way to make up for a skill disparity if she can have them stumbling around in a blinding rage trying to get to her. Of course, that means when they DO get to her she tends to be way worse off for it. But one thing at a time, right?
"Haha, I think it's really funny how we had such a misfortunate first encounter. I mean, it's not my fault you went and got yourself all locked up by my boss." The girl laughs lightly, "Nor is your problem any of my concern. I admit I am a bit surprised to see you here. Didn't you have an appoinment with an aircraft carrier?"
Too much chatter means she eats a couple punches to the face, though, Elfa slipping in faster than Ayame can back peddle away. The strikes are light enough that they hardly knock her off her feet or anything, but she is stumbling back a little. "Don't think I've forgotten about how you fight," the girl growls, her demeanor becoming angry now that she's actually been struck.
"All right, let's get back to playing rough, shall we?" Her left hand tightens her grip on her staff just before she spins inward, aiming to jam one end of it into Elfa's stomach. But it's just a setup for the attempted stabbing that comes next, her right hand occupied by a glinting butterfly knife. Elfa probably remembers that blade well enough. If she gets her strikes in, she'll finish by hopping back, withdrawing the knife and trying to put distance between her and Elfa, using the advantage fo the range on her staff as a means of trying to keep her at bay.
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Zaki with Medium Kick.
- Power hit! -
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Ayame 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Elfa
'Reveal more skin.'
'Reveal more skin...'
'Reveal more--'
Words spoken like that are words that bring the young Aoi Himezaki to a complete stop, even in the follow-through of such a savage punch. It's like Shihong had betrayed her trust like she were a lifelong friend-turned-traitorous fiend. At first she just stands there, but then the savage heel slams into the side of the redheaded student's skull, sending her head whipping hard to one side. Her shock and horror are strong, so much that the kick from Shihong sends her staggering and turning away to land on one knee, a bit of blood running down the side of her face and dribbling up onto the mask she wears. It brings Zaki to hiss through her teeth:
"I'll bust your friggin' teeth in before I start dressin' like some stupid slut!!"
Apparently with some kind of nerve struck, Aoi twists around on her knee and on the toe of her reinforced boots, moving from the forced crouch to a squat. Her posture is hard to read-- suggesting one thing, but then three others. Though only seconds pass, it seems like minutes later that she -springs-, whipping around in a hard circle to throw a hard kick at Shihong's chest, trying her damndest to knock the woman back a good length and give her a bit of hurtin'.
COMBATSYS: Elfa dodges Ayame's Assault and Battery.
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Ayame 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Elfa
"You don't know /anything/ about me, /Ayame/." At the least, Elfa knows the other girl's name now - and that, in and of itself, is enough to make her feel a little more confident. It's much more different than being trapped in a box with her and two of her cronies, yes. The curbstomping Elfa'd received from Ayame's boss is filtering back into her memory now, the pain slowly sinking in as that whispered voice in her head takes great pains to remind her of it. She eels to the side again, letting the kiss of the knife slide along the leotard's back, splitting spandex and causing it to fray just a bit, but leaving her skin untouched. She stays in close, trying to ease in against that staff and keep it from being a factor. "Father would be upset if I did not ... do my best to keep the score even." He was a hockey player, after all.
Elfa just reaches for the hem of Ayame's blouse, and performs a momve she'd seen her Father do many a time on the ice. With a tug and a rip, she tries to yank the blouse up and over Ayame's head to blind her and bind her biceps. If she can, well - Ayame's going to get footswept herself, to the marble floor, and eat punch after punch to the midsection with all the power the ex-Doll can offer.
COMBATSYS: Shihong interrupts Kokou no Pride from Zaki with Savage Tiger EX.
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Ayame 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Elfa
The fight between Ayame and Elfa has been put to the wayside for the moment. Focused on Aoi Himezaki, the Chinese woman sports a ghost of a smirk as she watches the oddly-dressed girl. Her response is very much anticipated from the woman, as she stands there. It affords her a chance to drive in and slam her heel fiercely into the girl's skull, sending her staggering and supporting herself on her knee.
"Ahhh," the woman replies, shaking her head as she shrugs helplessly. "Lady Lesson number two:
"Talk like a proper young woman."
Perhaps driven and blinded by rage, Zaki coils herself before she springs at the woman in black. A savage smirk cuts over her pale face, as the girl's kick swings out and strikes her in the chest. As soon as it bites into her chest, however--
--The woman's hands lift and elbow her shin, driving it downwards.
Capitalizing on this moment, a hand whips out, wrenching the girl's arm fiercely into place. With a burst of speed the woman plants her feet into Zaki's chest, scaling the front of her body while holding onto her arm. When she reaches her shoulders the woman's legs rise, coiling tightly...before she drives them down HARD, legs aflame with vermillion Psycho Power to introduce Himezaki to the marble floor of the Gallery.
Oh, and explode her backside with another burst of energy, launching the woman gracefully from off of her body.
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Elfa's Combo Throw.
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Ayame 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Elfa
Much like how Shihong and Zaki are completely focused on their own match, it seems Ayame and Elfa are too busy trying to clobber each other to notice what's going on outside of their own individual exchange of attacks. The long haired fighter recognizes the irritation she's managed to bring to the surface in the other girl fairly readily, and considers that a good thing. Elfa will make a mistake from it, assuredly. It's just a matter of keeping her riled up!
Her staff swing and attempted stab get dodged, her blade slashing cloth but missing skin entirely. And with Elfa slipping in close, Ayame's longer ranged weapon becomes a liability, the girl unable to swipe her aside as she would prefer, or just use it to keep her at bay. At first glance, Ayame is inclined to try and work with that. She's still a capable close quarters fighter, even if she has to rely on the short blade in her right hand instead of her preferred staff...
But as Elfa reaches in and takes a hold of the hem of her blouse, the girl changes her tune rather quickly, suddenly lunging back, slapping the Russian's hand away from her, "Hey, what do you think you're doing!?" she snaps back. The knife gets flicked closed the instance she has room to move, and her hands tighten on her staff, the girl bunkering down behind it. If Elfa intends to get at her now, she's going to have to contend with that weapon of hers. "At least I know how you like to play. Things are about to get a lot rougher for you. I'm getting the sense my boss knew how to handle you best."
COMBATSYS: Ayame focuses on her next action.
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Ayame 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Shihong
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Zaki 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Elfa
It all happens in a bit of a blur-- her leg gets knocked down, her arm gets pulled into the position that Shihong wants it to be. Grunts follow each painful 'step' on the way up the living 'springboard,' right up to the impressive crushing blow that sends the redheaded girl piling down to the floor with a surprised gasp-- and the worst part, that searingly painful energy that she's none too familiar with.
The chain in her grasp rattles, drags across the floor and does god knows what to the polished floors of the gallery. The one around her neck dangles, rattles, and scrapes in an unhappy song that seems to reflect the owner's own displeasure, from the fiery look in her eyes to the visible tension in her arms and shoulders while she looks up at Shihong.
"You're wearin' last year's shoes."
Her left leg shifts upward in a blaze of speed, her right arm lashes forward at that point-blank range. Her chain extends ahead in the most angry way it possibly can at the moment, the excess length of metal set to slam into Shihong's chest like an incredible, mobile cudgel and shove her backward as savagely as possible-- if not throw her completely onto her back!
"URRAGH!"
Completely focused on each other. That's right, Ayame - keep thinking that. Elfa's thinking it to, at least for the second where she throws her attack. The grab is unsuccesful, though - and there's a reason. Elfa's attention is literally jerked away from her as she feels the explosion of power behind her, Shihong's attack causing the woman to bodily move, and reach out as if trying to interfere with the impact. She's far too far away though, and confused as she feels her body react that way. Around her fingers, a few wisps of Shihong's attack gathers, psychopower drawn in by the never-was Doll. She trembles, turning to face Ayame as it fades.
"If that's the way you're going to deal with it - I'll take my chances with what you can do.. and live with the consequences later." She says it with a bit of finality - and then tries to get back, away from that glinting knife. Away to a wall, to grab one of the works of art, chucking the marble bust of a long-ago dictator at Ayame's noggin. over her shoulder, to Shihong, she calls out. "Whatever you just did.. do it again! At me!" She hopes the other fighter will do it - but she's ready to move again just in case it's denied.
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Zaki's Hakai no Tessa.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Shihong
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Elfa
"How cute. But really, those chains aren't much of a fashion statement dear," Shihong replies, as Zaki pulls herself up off the floor, chains rattling noisily against concrete. The Chinese woman softly shakes her head, thin red lips pulled tightly across her pale face before hands make purchase on her hips. A sigh escapes her, nostrils flaring lightly.
But, from the corner of her eye, the woman keeps a vague eye on her teammate, as Ayame pulls the defensive. What a strange young woman, she muses to herself. Gnawing lightly on her bottom lip, the woman's eyes wander back onto Zaki, as she comments on her shoes.
A frown swiftly follows.
"I think not. And what would you know about style? Or shoes? By the way? Leather is--"
The woman's words are cut short, as Elfa regards her teammate with a curious request. Do it again? At HER? Blinking slowly, the woman looks to the Russian woman as if she had suddenly spoken in strange tongues, distracted by her request. Fortunately, the rattle of chains breaks her from her reverie, and eyes dart back onto the chain swinging her way.
"Goddamnit, stop using these dumb things," Shihong growls, letting the length of chain slam into her forearms, drawing a hiss from the woman. "Petulant little child. ExCUSE me."
Breaking away from the girl, she figures her teammate has a plan...so she seeks to capitalize on the moment without an ounce of hesitation. Rushing toward Elfa, the woman closes in and swings her right arm up, folding her forearm across her forehead as the left arm slams out, a furious burst of Psycho Power erupting, bursting right into the woman.
"I HOPE you know what you're doing!"
COMBATSYS: Elfa successfully hits Ayame with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Shihong
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Elfa
"Oof," Ayame grunts, tagged in the shoulder by the flung marble figure before it completes its trip by shattering against the piller right behind her. It seems that in falling back she's simply gotten Elfa to fall back as well and take to flinging art work her way!
Ready to charge her again in an instant, Elfa's exchange with Shihong forces her to give pause. What the hell? The energy trailing over the Shadaloo captive's fingers isn't missed, Ayame's eyes narrowing as she tries to put together the odd request with the behavior Elfa exhibited during her fight with the girl months ago.
"Hn." Tightening her hold on her staff, in the end she opts for going on the offense, darting forward, leaning low as she comes in, only to heft the weapon up and over her head, spinning it back down with a crushing blow toward the top of Elfa's head, intending to drive the Russian into the smooth floor of the lobby with enough force to make whatever she originally had in mind rather difficult to do. If she wants to get nuked by Shihong's energy... more power to her!
What would she know...?
A lot more than she lets on, as much as she holds to her guns and rebels against her own family. Only in vague glimpses does she ever bring that forward, suggest that she's more than just the punk that somehow managed to get into a school meant usually for the rich and the elite. Her uniform seems to certainly be made of stronger stuff than the usual, weathering that prior assault and the burst of energy spectacularly.
And SCREW YOU, IT LOOKS NICE.
So now her opponent is being requested to attack her own teammate? The one that Zaki's virtually completely ignored since the start of this, the one that hasn't gone out of their way to piss her off enough to pay more than passing attention. There's likewise a moment of confusion written on what's exposed of her face when Shihong actually -complies- with that insane request.
"What the hell is wrong with you people--"
Her wrist twists twice after falling away from the Chinese gangster, getting control of her chains after the sudden and well-timed defense from Shihong. But she's not going to be the the only one sitting back and doing nothing during this most unusual exchange. Hurrying across the marble floor with a rhythmic clapping and tapping of metal-reinforced ankleboots, Zaki positions herself to move to another side of Elfa, to move in low where Ayame takes high and Shihong takes the middle. Half-turning herself around, her chain-wielding arm lashes out low, sending the length of metal links screaming across the ground in a rattling, low-pitched hiss. Bursts of light and energy take form in a manner much like sparks, boosting the sound-- and throwing in one last explosive shot at the Russian's feet.
"Of course, it's called 'gettin' her dumb ass beat!'"
COMBATSYS: Elfa endures Shihong's Swallow's Wings.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Shihong
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Elfa endures Zaki's Dokuhebi no Tessa!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Shihong
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Elfa interrupts Medium Strike from Ayame with Your Worst Nightmare'.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Ayame 1/=======/=======|=======\==-----\1 Shihong
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Elfa
Next time, if there /is/ a next time, Elfa will learn to give out some sort of secret code to her teammate - though really, she's not thinking this through tactically. Instead, she's just thinking about one thing and one thing only - take down Ayame before she gets hurt again. Elfa's not going to risk this ending up as fatally as it could have the last time, with what Ayame's 'boss' did to her at the conclusion of her aborted escape attempt. She's hopeful she can ride out whatever the energy does to her - whatever Shihong's power can give her, she'll take. She'll deal with the consequences later - again.. /if/ there is a later.
As the swell of Shihong's psycho power washes towards Elfa, she steps /into/ the blast, letting the dark energy wash over her. Normally, attacks like this fade after time, but as it hits Elfa, the power just starts to spin around her, warping and twisting as she tries to assimilate it. Her eyes are more pale, her voice trembling as she talks in a low tone, only that she can hear. ".. I've got this.. I can hold it.. I can hold it." She can feel the inner edges of her mind scrabble for release and escape, something dark inside her trying to soak up that power and make it hers. Her plan - to throw it in Ayame's face. It's a good plan.
But for Zaki, she never gets the chance. Holding on the edge of control, Elfa's ability to ride this wave is lost as the sparks and flashes of Zaki's attack catches in that 'field' around her. She screams out once, and then lashes forwards, blindingly fast.
Elfa's hand is up as Ayame comes in, catching the staff on her forarm with a resounding /crack/, bone breaking as she is hit. The look on her face is nothing more than blank, though - where her mind is, pain isn't anything that can be felt. Her good hand catches Ayame by the side of the head, but doesn't move to throw or attack the other woman - instead, she just juts her face directly in front of Ayame's and now pure-white eyes meet Ayame's own. The whirling power around Elfa internalizes, and well... the rest is for Ayame's mind and her mind alone.
It's a good plan.
It's a CRAZY plan.
Whatever goes on in the curious mind of Elfa, Shihong does not know. Part of the Chinese woman thinks and suspects she likely does not WANT to know. Regardless of her intentions, Shihong moves, driving her palm's heel toward the Russian woman, resulting in a burst of Psycho Power to erupt at point blank between her hand and her gut. But something weird (well, weirder than the woman in general) happens.
The energy doesn't go away.
Frowning lightly in response, the initial response of Shihong's is to get away--and she does precisely that. Leaping back, the woman flips and lands in a handstand before she pushes off, leaping into the air once more before she lands in a low crouch, giving herself time to breathe and catch her breath. Every attack is slung her way, and yet...
Suddenly and rather frighteningly, Elfa's plan comes into fruition. She stares the girl in the eyes. Energy that seems awful strange seems to fill the area, despite there being...well, nothing there. It draws a blank look across the woman's otherwise pale features, eyes hooding sharply as she stares at the Russian woman. Who IS she, anyway? And is the weapons girl okay..?
COMBATSYS: Shihong gains composure.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Ayame 1/=======/=======|=======\-------\1 Shihong
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Elfa
In an instant, all three fighters come in to strike the Russian. Out of trio, only Ayame has seen Elfa in action before. She knows what the girl can do. She saw her do it to her boss in a Blackjack warehouse over in Southtown's harbor. With a touch she nearly took Elle to her knees. With a moment of contact she drove the normally cold, callus woman into a frenzy, causing Elle to act out in one of the most violent rages she had ever seen from the mercenary boss. It was a sight Ayame would never forget. And one she had been mulling in the back of her mind from the moment she saw Elfa enter the lobby.
She had later asked Elle what happened. Back then she barely understood the concept of 'other energy' used by fighters. The entire premise was a strange one to the girl that had grown up bending and twisting chi to her whims with remarkable precision. Elle told her everything she knew. What Elfa's touch had done. How it would have devestated her had she not mentally braced for it just in time. Introduced Ayame to the concept of psycho power. And the young prodigy began to understand. Since then she had come to be able to sense that power, and her skill against weilders of it lead her to success against all but Elfa's very partner in this match, Shihong Mao.
And as Elfa begins to collect the other fighter's energy around them, Ayame realizes just what exactly is coming. She can sense it easily, the build up is unlike anything she has had to contend with. Elfa's hand snaps out, touching the side of her head before she can pull back, and the strawberry-blonde knows exactly what's coming. Months of pondering what to do were she caught in the same spot Elle would come into play this instant.
Drawing her staff back from the cracked arm of the Russian girl, Ayame's expression shifts into a malevolent smirk. Where there should be pain, only confidence can be found. She has the smallest window in which to act, her mind holding the unspeakable assult at bay just... long... enough. "Nice. Try." comes the soft words as she draws her staff back further, holding it over her left shoulder more like a spear pointed toward Elfa.
From the end of her staff three blades extend with a hydraulic hiss, positioned at right angles to each other like a small bladed cross. In the same instant the entire polearm flares to life with a violent, churning red aura that swirls around the shaft of the weapon, spiraling out into a point out in front of it like a drill bit made of pure, murderous chi.
"See you in hell, bitch."
And then the weapon plunges, aiming to spear Elfa dead through the heart, Ayame's mind shutting off like a light switch triggered. A saftey fuse tripped, her eyes close, the girl collapses to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Ayame can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Shihong
> ///////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Elfa
She slides into place, the chain screaming across the ground and kicking up sparks in it's wake. The movements she makes are calculated, prepared... she looked for the right opening, and then she -went- for it. The energy crafted through the metal rubbing the ground and the energy the wielder shoved through it seemed to be a little bit of a detonator, though-- and what a detonator it ended up being.
As Elfa catches her teammate's attack, the half-turned Zaki only catches a glimpse of what's going on... but those eyes-- that girl's eyes are... completely white? This is when she chooses to get some clearance, not only from Elfa, but from Shihong. She pivots on her heel to turn back to face the other three before pushing off on one foot, the sturdy high heeled boots sending the redheaded Himezaki back a healthy distance before landing on the balls of her feet, sliding a little to a balanced stop.
Looking on in silence and in awe, stuck in the aura that hangs in the air-- that terrible feeling-- and completely confused, Zaki's knit brows and sharply-narrowed eyes are the only things that give away frustration and worry. Looking between them, her focus seems to be on catching her breath in the wake of all of this insanity and figure out what to do next...
But then Ayame moves, and does something she entirely doesn't expect.
From her restful pose, her legs surge to run toward the pair now that she's caught her breath, and her left hand extends. "Blondie, the hell are you doin'-!!"
COMBATSYS: Zaki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Shihong
> ///////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Elfa dodges Ayame's Final Solstice.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Shihong
> ///////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Elfa
Elfa's not home right now. Please leave a message at the sound of the words 'Father has so much to share...'. That is, after all, what she says as she grabs Ayame's head and tries to invade the other girl's mind with all of Vega's stolen energy. It howls impotently as it tries to find surface, purchase inside that self-confidence - and draws back at the sudden surge of intent. Elfa's body moves in a herky-jerky motion, almost as if drawn on puppet's strings, jerked out of the way of that 'final attack' of Ayame's. The pieces of the staff slice along her skin, the red aura swept up and around Elfa's body as she eases away, drawing it deep into herself, trying to hold and absorb it.
"Father has greater plans for me.."
With that, she lets Ayame fall. Unconcious, there's no way for getting revenge - and really, Elfa's not looking for that now. Not anymore. What's left of her turns on the other two warrior women, that red crackle of Ayame's power slowly wrapping around Elfa's hands. She starts towards Zaki, slow and methodical. She can't expend the effort to try and crush the other woman with the same way - instead, she just tries to close - and when she does, she violently rejects the power that Ayame gave her. Twisted and melded with her own no-longer locked away psychic power, it literally explodes in a ball from her hands, aimed right at Zaki's standing form.
"Father has so much to share with you /all/."
Standing by, Shihong Mao watches as Zaki runs to her teammate's aid, offering a hand to the girl who has otherwise gone unconscious. The woman DOES feel badly for the girl; after all, in one fell swoop she was dropped to her proverbial knees. It was vicious and cruel of Elfa...but then, it IS a fight.
And Zaki is still standing.
Pursing her lips, Shihong draws her attentions onto Elfa, as she rambles rather incoherently about her father, his plans, yadda yadda. Really, as far as she can tell, it's something that means nothing to her and does not necessarily concern the woman. But what DOES concern her is when Elfa keeps the fight going, launching a massive burst of Psycho Power--power Shihong is familiar with--at the student.
So Shihong grins.
Without a word the woman rushes in behind the burst, leaping up before she lands close. With her legs aflame she thrusts both sharp heels out, intent on driving them into Zaki's shins. It doesn't end there; swinging her legs up in a staggered motion, she intends to slam the girl with her psychically-imbued legs, clipping her harshly with both feet as she comes to rise in a handstand before moving to lower her legs and stand upright properly once more.
Besides, Zaki deserves it.
COMBATSYS: Zaki blocks Elfa's Overcharge.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Zaki 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Shihong
> //////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Zaki with Coiled Serpent.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Zaki 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Shihong
> //////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
In so many ways, this simple televised bout that would be part of her grand plan to annoy the piss out of the Himezaki Family has gone horribly awry. There's Ayame, getting hit in the face with nothing, there's that energy hanging out in the air, and there's some godforsaken hag that needs to keep her mouth shut-- and her partner just rying to honestly, legitimately kill someone on national television.
Aoi Himezaki has clearly drawn the short end of the stick, courtesy Howard Enterprises.
Tightening her legs and lowering her center of gravity the slightest of amounts, Zaki slows herself to a half-sliding stop while Elfa makes her narrow escape and drops her partner to the ground. Expression agape with pure shock, the sudden burst of energy that comes flying her way is met with a hefty amount of resistance-- the chain she wields whipped back around her forearm with a deft gesture and crossing limbs to soak it like a seasoned veteran. Staggering hard, the gang leader's footing becomes questionable when Shihong decides to chase after the attack with a kick of her own-- and before she can get her footing to attempt evasive manuvers, the kicks strike her in the chest and finally pitch her off her feet. "Hnngh-!!"
Landing with one hand down, she twists her palm against the marble floor to try to redistribute the impact, get into a position to let her start her own assault. Though winded, her resolve steels and her eyes become hardened and battle ready one more time.
"That-- fucking. Does it!!"
Suddenly -surging- forward, her arm reels back-- and with a launch of her fist, again attempting to slam leather-clad knuckles into Shihong's face. The chains pile after the strike, not only adding insult to injury, but trying to give the Chinese woman a steel-oriented makeover!
In the end, Zaki still stands. Elfa's batteries are almost spent, her stolen charge that she took from the other fighters no longer surrounding her hands or body. Her mouth hangs slack, jaw half-open at best. Shut down, inert, she stands there and then just drops to her knees with a thud, puppet's strings broken.
"Fa.. ther."
She can't say more, and in the situation she's in, she can't actually aid her compatriot. Instead, her body internalizes, eating attention and awareness for fuel, trying to draw herself back into some semblance of fighting trim, so she can continue with her whispered instructions. As she is, though - she's an open target, with seemingly no way to defend herself.
COMBATSYS: Elfa drops her guard to recover.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Zaki 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Shihong
> ////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Zaki's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Zaki 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Shihong
> ////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
Sending the Seijyun girl off her feet and ultimately into a crouch, the Chinese woman elects then thereafter to simply rise in one smooth motion to her feet once more with the tiniest of laughs. Only then does Shihong turn on her sharp Prada heels and face the redheaded girl, sporting an impish smile as she regards Zaki. Calm as ever, her declaration hardly ruffles the pale-faced woman; instead, she laughs again, shaking her head.
"What did I tell you about that mouth, young lady..?"
The girl closes in on Shihong, but she holds her ground. Only when her fist comes sailing forward does the woman jerk to life, intercepting her chain and leather punch with the palm of her hand. It earns the girl a grunt, followed by a soft 'tsk' and shake of her head.
"Why are you taking this so personally?" the Chinese woman asks. "It's just a fight."
Whipping Zaki's arm aside, Shihong pivots sharply on her heel, swinging the other leg up in tandem to clock her upside the head again before she draws her leg inward and chambers it. A beat, and her leg shoots out, to drive into the girl's abdomen with a sharp kiai.
COMBATSYS: Zaki dodges Shihong's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Zaki 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Shihong
> ////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
The punch is halted with the palm of Shihong's hand, the chain handled similarly. There's no look of shock or surprise in her eyes that Shihong's halted the punch so calmly... Zaki's been in more fights than most know or care to know, and she's used that move herself plenty of times.
"Your eyes need fixin' if you didn't see the shit that just happened, grandma!"
As Shihong steps back and prepares, so does Zaki. The leg meant to strike her upside the head only blasts through her thick red hair, narrowly avoiding the kick. When the second one comes, the kick at her stomach, the Seijyun student lunges hard to her right. The motion is far too smooth and well-practiced, the marble floors of the building aiding her while she glides behind Shihong and hooks her arm out. The chain rattles over Shihong's right shoulder, lashing around in a tight arc at about neck level. If the elder fighter isn't careful, the other end of that chain will get grabbed onto by Zaki-- and then with her arms crossing in one sharp motion, cutting off the black haired woman's air supply-- including young Aoi being so gracious as to drag the well-dressed Shihong to the floor in the process!
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Zaki's Chain Strangler.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Zaki 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Shihong
> ////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
<Alpha. Your duty is not yet done. Report Mission Status.>
Inside her head, an insistent voice keeps repeating Elfa's 'name', urging her bck into activity. The slumped form eventually begins to stir, dormant muscles firing into life, arching and burning from exertion. She pushes past it, forced and goaded on, her voice a mumble of words. ".. con.. continue. Fight.. Escape. Find Father.." She staggers to her feet, watching the two women continue to battle.
Engage. It's her duty - to find those that match the power she contains, to finish accepting it, and then to coalesce it. This time, however, she's found two that are /not/ correct, and her body sends her lurching forwards, a staggering, slow attack that brings one heavy-as-lead arm up and around in a sideways hook at Zaki's head. It's a brutal punch, but slow - far too slow for the Doll to have any proper chance to hit. But perhaps it'll prove to be a distraction which will allow Shihong the ability to continue on.
"What?" the woman replies, eyeing the girl with matching calm as she levels her eyes on Zaki. "I saw a fight. All's fair. Besides, I'm sure miss Ayame is quite alright." Pausing, she offers a lopsided smirk, eyes hooding in amusement. "You're not giving your partner any credit, and that's a shame. Then again, didn't you say you were going to beat her up after this anyway?"
The woman pauses, a venomous look crossing her face.
"So what do you care, anyway? And for the record--"
When the girl lunges at Shihong the woman reacts in kind, lifting her arm up and blocking the chain that dares to constrict around her throat with her forearm. It hurts, but damned if the woman is about to give the Seijyun girl a chance to make her suffer. She braces herself, holding her ground and being damned reluctant to hit the floor--so reluctant that she eventually weaves out of the chain and slips past, spinning swiftly on her feet to face the girl.
"--my vision is excellent."
Just then, the woman on her 'team' lunges forward, driving a hook right for Zaki after a moment of rest. Good; she bought the woman time. That means it gives Shihong a chance to watch Zaki and prepare a suitably painful offensive strike to make the redhead pay for her sass mouth.
With that in mind, those black eyes narrow, flaring red as she just watches Zaki. How will she react to Elfa, she wonders..?
COMBATSYS: Shihong focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Zaki 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Shihong
> ////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Zaki endures Elfa's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Zaki 1/------=/=======|=======\====---\1 Shihong
> ////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Elfa
"Tch--"
Now she's getting pissed off again. There's something to this woman in the suit, something that is really driving Zaki up the wall-- it's something beyond the taunts and the obvious fact that she's An Adult and therefore domaneering know-it-all that has little clue about the passions of youth. The only problem is, she can't quite put her finger on it...
When Shihong clears her range and leaves Elfa to handle business, the chain-slinging fighter recovers her position and her weapon-- and gets punched in the face. From the hard strike of the psycho-wielding soldier, her head cocks off hard to the side, one eye closed and glaring with all the cold fury she can compress into her stare.
Zaki twists to the left, bringing her foot back to steady herself while lashing out her chain like a whip-- a whip that tries to snag around Elfa's ankle uncomfortably tight. If she can get that chain in place, the Seijyun student pulls back -hard- and likewise turns her right side away, putting more force than before into the pull and trying to pull-- and drag-- the woman across the floor in an arc like she were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. "Get outta my WAY!!"
COMBATSYS: Zaki successfully hits Elfa with Chain Flip.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Zaki 1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1 Shihong
> /////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
Potatoes can be used to make vodka! It's a russian pasttime to play 'get hauled around like a sack of potatoes'! Elfa and her father played this game much when she was just a young child! She's easily caught, tossed over and away from Zaki, landing in the fountain itself with a crash and crumble. She doesn't get up, doesn't move for a long moment, water pouring down on her still frame.
Much like a Russian Energizer Bunny though, she does eventually stil, starting to get back to her feet. Her movements each time grow more purposeful, her speed starting to return with each swing she makes. ".. Target designated. Primary objective achieved, secondary status compromised, but attainable." With that, she attempts to catch Zaki in the back with a knee, swinging her leg in and around with a fair chunk of force. She's still slow, still recuperating from the expenditure of energy..
But each time, she's a little faster.
Giving her 'teammate' in this soiree a chance to make her move, Shihong stands by, biding her time while observing the curious gangster girl carefully. She's tenacious and easily upset, which makes this fight all the more enjoyable for Shihong. It doesn't take much, if any effort, to push Zaki's buttons...
It becomes crystal-clear when Elfa strikes the girl, sending her head pitching to one side. Smirking sharply, Shihong's pale face is lit up with morbid amusement as the girl retaliates in kind, lashing out at the Russian woman and snaring her like some fish before dragging her callously before chunking her into that nice, and likely very expensive, fountain.
"I doubt they'll appreciate that," Shihong remarks to no one in particular.
Waiting patiently still, the Chinese woman observe, seeing how Zaki will react to Elfa before SHE makes her move. Charging forward in a blur of black and white, her form ignites halfway, a blur of brilliant red. Only as she draws in does the woman leap and ultimately skid across the ground, with every intention of striking Zaki with her psychically-imbued Pradas...
Last season her ass!
COMBATSYS: Zaki dodges Elfa's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Zaki 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Shihong
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Zaki endures Shihong's Guardian of the Gods EX.
[ \ < > ////////////// ]
Zaki 1/-======/=======|=------\-------\0 Shihong
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
Driving her heels- -hard- -into Zaki's shins, Shihong wastes no time in whipping her legs out in a wide circle shortly thereafter, to drop her ankles out from under her. But the moment she'd possibly fall, Shihong is STILL moving; driving her entire body upwards, propelled by Psycho Power, the woman meets Zaki's body with her sharp heels, driving the girl, as well as her own body, into the air. But Shihong's momentum is faster. As result..?
The woman sails a few inches above Zaki...before she drives those flaming heels down HARD into the girl's abdomen, right to the marble floor of the Gallery, where a massive explosion of Psycho Power erupts, launching Shihong off of Zaki and away, leaving the girl to do...well, whatever.
The throw into the fountain is of little consequence to the likes of Aoi Himezaki, barely watching on as the Russian is cast into the water-- her attention immediately returns to Shihong, eyes narrowed until-- she bursts from the water for one more strike. She leans back hard, twisting to the left at the waist and adjusting her footing accordingly.
It doesn't prepare her for Shihong, however.
Her legs are virtually taken out from under her, the kicks pushing her furiously higher and higher into the air and bringing her nothing more than pain, pain, and ... pain. Though there's gasps of pain and tension in her, though she's juggled about and then so violently -spiked- to the floor, with one last explosive blast of psychic energy as a farewell present. The marble floor looks the worse for wear from the excess of power and the downward-directed forces invovled, the redhead laying splayed out on the floor.
"Tch."
Hissed and raspy, Aoi Himezaki is already back up on her feet, her hand tensing around the length of chain she wields. Stretching it between her hands, the Seijyun student pulls the weapon taut and squints, the tension apparent in her ragged, injured form. The tension is apparent, the way she stares and the way her eyes try their damndest to hold focus.
"T'hell with you."
Taking two hard steps forward, the object of her hatred, rage, and anger for the entirety of this fight-- Shihong-- gets to see the other half of the energy wielding she's capable of, this time actually aimed at her. She twists with the smoothness and grace of a ballerina, but strikes with the fury of a sledgehammer: A heavy-duty axe kick, followed by a second, a third, and fourth... and if she's successful in raining those blows down, each with a burst of power on impact, she whips around hard and leaps through the air, executing a perfectly formed jump-kick meant to slam into the woman's stomach. Zaki doesn't stay in place for this, either, the force of the blow and a yellow-white burst of power carrying the girl along to make sure she feels the knifing force right through her stomach.
And after that, she sinks to one knee with her hand pressed to the floor, breathing hard and with one eye closed...
COMBATSYS: Zaki can no longer fight.
> ////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Shihong
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
Elfa's nothing if not tenacious. She is, however, still rather slow. Unconcerned by her near miss of Zaki's form with her knee, she lands in another heap, and slowly returns to her feet. She's still moving, still functional - and as such, she has to continue her duty. Escape, after eliminating those that could follow. White eyes stare down the two remaining fighters as they clash and battle, Zaki's eventual fall watched with dispassionate unconcern. with it, she's left with a simple duty, and now, her job is even easier.
As such, she waits and recovers what little stamina she has, holding one hand out towards the explosion and yellow-white burst of power that Zaki extends, drawing it off, siphoning it into her body once more, trying to push her up and over the edge to combat effectiveness. "Not over.. Father will want to test you." With that, she turns on her partner, holding back the glowing limb as she lashes out with her other hand, trying to catch Shihong upside the temple. Elfa'll be sorry about it later, quite likely - if she survives.
COMBATSYS: Elfa successfully hits Shihong with Quick Punch.
> //////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Shihong
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Shihong fails to interrupt Hissatsu Inazuma Gankou Geri from Zaki with Raiding Falcon.
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
COMBATSYS: Shihong can no longer fight.
> //////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Elfa
Post-assault, the woman looks on as Zaki tenaciously pulls herself to her feet, black eyes flickering a brief shade of red in response. "Oh, why do you bother?" the woman nearly hisses in response, red lips pulling back over pearly whites as she glares upon the Seijyun girl. She wasn't supposed to get up. She was supposed to stay DOWN.
And her partner wasn't supposed to attack her.
It's all a bloody damn mess for Shihong. Zaki comes ballerina-ing forward, whipping the woman repeatedly as Elfa approaches from the other side. It's like some twisted pincer attack, only more treacherous. So as Shihong endures assault after assault, despite her attempts to kick Zaki before she kicks HER, the woman is thinking one thing:
Oh, how she hates her luck.
In the end, however, the woman goes flying a few feet, ultimately crashing into the partially-destroyed fountain. Try as she might to move, the woman staggers, her body shaking as she tries to peel herself from the cold water and stone...to no avail. The Chinese woman curses, black eyes narrowed sharply at her odd teammate. Her father? Who the hell..?
The woman scoffs slightly...before she just lulls her head to one side and goes unconscious.
"Mission.. complete." With a sigh and a slump, the energy that surrounds Elfa's off-hand fades out, the stolen energy far too difficult to hold for more than a moment. After all, it is not Father's touch - it's close, but still far too different for her to absorb, to take. As she surveys the damage, she shakes her head briefly, as if trying to shake free from something. her voice stills, and instead of saying more, she just leaps prodigiously upwards. To the windows and through, arms braced to protect her head. Crashing outside, she dissapears quickly, in much the way that only a trained operative can do. All that's left is the other three warriors.
COMBATSYS: Elfa has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:14:10 03/09/2008 by Shihong, and last modified on 19:07:09 03/12/2008.