Description: It has been some time since last Shihong met with her partner, the enigmatic (but decidedly crazy) French assassin Cherise Bouchard. Receiving a mysterious phone call to visit her at Village Mall in Southtown, she has no choice. But what awaits her is an odd surprise...and a bit of (violent) catching up for the two women.
Somewhere in the bowles of Southtown's business districts, in the villages, in the streets, there lurked a terrible assassin. Her skills were unparalleled, her eyes were almost always wide and sharp. Her smile was almost always twisted in a horrible leer. People didn't often see her coming, but they would know it the moment that she was actually -there-. Though that legendary figure, Cherise Bouchard, claims to be migratory, shifting from place to place as frequentlya s the wind changes, she's often found haunting numerous places around the city of Southtown, in Japan.
Such is this case here, a popular night spot that is often occupied by the teenage and early twenty-somethings from all over the city. Admission isn't all that hard, so long as you have some sort of valid form of identification. It's pretty easy to find this particular place, the entrance wedged between two buildings with a short staircase down to a plain steel door with soft blue illumination that seems to come from nowhere at all. There's no bouncer outside the door, nor an elegant sign, but people know exactly where to find the Velvet Room.
And inside, in this early afternoon hour, the house band is rehearsing-- plus one member they call in when someone is sick, injured, or otherwise unable to attend:
Cherise Bouchard.
Standing up on the stage, the sleek matte black finish of her electric guitar is rocked with the brute fury of someone who may as well have been born with the instrument in her hands-- though the truth behind her learning how to use the instrument is a much more amusing story. She stands next to the lead, even, belting out the song they practice-- even managing to suppress her accent some and sound a little clearer to the linguistically different audience.
Riff after riff, note after note, chord after chord, tempo changes and otherwise... the French girl wasn't lying: She knows how to play.
It was an interesting call.
'Mao! Mao! Come to Village Mall this afternoon.' Apparently there was a surprise for her.
And it's precisely why Shihong Mao finds herself standing outside of Village Mall at five-thirty in the afternoon, staring at a rather nondescript set of stairs leading downwards. For a long moment the Chinese woman purses her lips tightly, observing the blue-lit descent with vague interest. What on earth is this place? And how come she'd never noticed it here before?
Shrugging her thin shoulders, the lithe woman descends the steps with poise and grace, long black locks bouncing off her shoulders as she comes to stand before the unguarded door. Casually she opens in, and instantly is the woman greeted to an aural bouquet.
And a sight she isn't particularly familiar with.
Her colleague is on stage, singing, with a guitar in her hands?
"She wasn't lying," the Chinese woman says aloud.
As the girl onstage plays, the woman weaves quietly through the empty club, gliding around tables and chairs while keeping an eye on the stage. She wouldn't dare interrupt the Frenchwoman, not while she seems to be enjoying herself. So, rather than call out her name, the woman eases herself toward the bar and takes a seat on a stool.
For now she'll be content in just watching. And when Cherise is ready, she'll tell her the news.
What sort of song is it? Well, you know how it is with the young Japanese singers of today-- always going on about their lives or breakin' through to some great thing that's comin' around the bend, and ... generally a more upbeat sort of song than one you'd hear on the streets of Metro City. It gives a chance for Cherise to showcase a bit of her skills, the pick held between her thumb and forefinger deftly navigating the wires while her other hand works the frets for all they're worth. That guitar is her baby, and she spent enough money to make sure it was her own!
And so they go on-- on, and on, though it seems as though Shihong's arrival hasn't slipped beneath her notice, Cherise's grin widening and her tongue sticking out just a little bit. It's a playful, giddy expression that befits the style of the playful, giddy ... assassin.
After a neat solo that puts her playing to the test, Cherise reaches low and slaps hands with the lead singer-slash-guitarist, front and back-- then pointing off to her friend at the bar to indicate she has a prior appointment, the French girl unhooks her guitar from the amps and unshoulders it to set it down on the case. Holding her skirt as she takes a step off the edge and drops to the floor, Cherise beelines the path between chairs, tables, and dance floor and runs up to her teammate and partner to throw her arms around one of Shihong's, expression positively bright and happy.
"Mao, Mao, Mao, Mao~! Wasn't that -awesome-? It was awesome, right?"
While Cherise Bouchard plays her song, Shihong sits patiently at the bar, legs folded as she observes the silver-haired woman play her guitar with frightening talent. Though it had been mentioned in casual passing, Shihong never truly believed her teammate to be this talented. And a singer to boot? Why, Shihong is very nearly jealous of the talented Frenchwoman!
Fortunately she isn't that petty.
When the song finally dies down and Cherise parts ways with the stage and her bandmates, Shihong looks up and regards the approaching young woman with interest. Politely the Chinese woman rises, tipping her head in a nod before her arm is accosted and held onto. The woman doesn't mind, or really seem to notice. The Frenchwoman is eccentric and weird, after all--and that suits Shihong just fine.
"You were very good, Cherise," the elder woman replies, offering a slight nod before she smirks, eyes half-lidded in amusement. "Who would have known? I thought you were joking, to be honest. So this is where you vanish off to..?"
Eyes wander, peering at the club's surroundings before black depths wander back onto the silver-haired young woman at her side. "You are so lucky. Where'd you learn to sing--and play--like that, anyway?"
Perhaps now people will start listening whens he makes those boasts about the things she does, or the claims she makes about her life, her profession. Playing the guitar has become something she actually enjoys a bit more, something to make her a bit more mellow between fights and other unusual assignments she may take.
"Hahahaha~! Well, I told you."
Cherise's giddy glee seems to be stemming off a bit, the adrenaline rush of playing thinning out from her blood and leaving her a bit more calm and docile. Where did she learn? "I needed to occupy my time somehow when I was stuck out in the hills!! It was one of the few things that I would get to do for myself when I wasn't helping Father tend to the vineyard."
She leans a little closer, eyes narrowing just a little. "It also makes a nice cover story to explain why your fingers look like they were shoved in a garbage disposal machine, you know." The grip on Shihong's arm is loosened a bit while she holds up her hands, fanning out her scarred fingers to display them and the similar markings on her palms. "It was hard learning how to use my equipment, so this happened."
When you associate with someone as...'peculiar' as Cherise, separating fact from fiction is a precarious job. ARE the ramblings of a woman who may very well be psychotic truth, or simply crafted lies to amuse the Frenchwoman? Now that Shihong knows the truth...well. She can start believing the girl a bit more.
"You sure did, Cherise," the woman replies, black eyes drifting toward the stage, watching as the remaining band members set aside their instruments and take a break. "Again, I would've never known, had I not seen it with my eyes. But this is good. I was admittedly a little worried about your hobbies." Shihong thought the girl might skin animals in her spare time.
The woman nods softly, however. "This is a good one, yes."
When the French girl begins to explain herself, black eyes drift back, observing the girl as she excitedly opens up. And when the hand is produced, black depths slowly peer at her calloused and gnarled palms, lips pursing softly in thought. "...you do have a point. Two birds, one stone?"
Pushing her rear off the bar and offering a low, contented sigh, the Chinese woman weaves her arm out of Cherise's grasp politely before she lifts them overhead, stretching them high above. "Ahh, that's right. I had news for you, Cherise." Turning to face the girl, Shihong's thin red lips ease into a Cheshire's smile.
"Howard hired a new woman. Her name is Suzume. Suzume Nakatani."
Shihong pauses, black eyes flickering a shade of red.
"A swordswoman. She uses that weird shit everyone else but us seems to use. I think it's 'chi?'" Pausing, she shakes her head lightly. "Anyway, Howard liked her...and I think you should meet her. I think you, Suzume and myself...would make a very good team. I'd like you to fight her sometime, and let me know what you think."
Tilting her head slightly, black eyes closely observe the girl. "Say Cherise...you haven't been slacking off, have you? In your training, that is. It would be a disappointment to me--"
Twisting on her right heel, the woman snaps a leg out rather suddenly, to drive her steel heel right for Cherise's stomach.
"--if you've gotten rusty!!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong has started a fight here.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Cherise has joined the fight here.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Cherise
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Cherise with Medium Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Cherise
"Mm-hmm! Exactly, something like that." Cherise thumbs the tip of her nose with a grin, proudly slamming one fist into her hip and standing a little taller than before. Now Mao knows she isn't just talking out of her ass! But, ah-- it's time to get to business, then, is it?
Shihong's attempts to slip out of the young French woman's grasp are successful and not contested in any way, though her hand lingers to the last possible moment of contact. Cherise's arms shift then, folding and her hands hooking up to catch either elbow.
She settles a bit more, her expression appearing to be interested-- though how interested she really is, well, that's right up in the air. "Ooo, I see! Well, this should make our teamwork a little more interesting."
It would also give her a chance to practice her style against someone else, what with swords and wires not being good bedfellows. Wires can restrain weapons, it's true, but a blade in the hands of a skilled wielder...? Well, even -her- wire has limits to the durability...
Ah yes, chi-- the force of life, and all that fortune cookie bullshit. And they'd make a great team? Cherise rubs her chin a little. "Hmm! I guess I will have to meet this Soo-zoo-meh when the opportunity presents itself."
And another opportunity is presented to Cherise as Shihong suddenly thrusts out a kick, the French girl throwing her arms back and turning a bit, trying to push off and get away. The kick is stiff and fierce-- and bites into her stomach rather hard. "Grrph-!" escapes her as she hops slightly in the air on her way back.
"Ha ha ha, Mao! You sneaky devil!"
Whipping her arm upward at Shihong, Cherise's fingers fan out and form those tell-tale blades of silver energy that scream through the air in swift time, the psychic energy that tries to bite, rip, and slash it's way into Shihong's body with no regard for that expensive suit.
"It's been so long!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Cherise's Argent Claw.
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Cherise
"Well, threats are better when the numbers are greater, right?" the Chinese woman replies, sporting the tiniest of smirks as she regards the silver-haired woman. A moment is spared, eyeing the other woman's reaction carefully. Something seems mildly amiss, but Shihong does not mention; instead, black eyes draw shut, a soft chuckle sliding past her rouge lips.
"I think you will like her. She will hurt you." Black eyes softly open, settling on Cherise. "I'm sure you can find her around Geese Tower. She IS in the employ as the same boss as us now, after all." Her smile broadens ever so gently...
But the time for talk cuts short, as Cherise is sudden accosted by the woman's heel. What was once a friendly smirk is something a touch more sinister, the very gesture earning both woman odd looks from the band mates on stage, as well as a few people hanging around the club. A fight, here?
"Indeed, Cherise. It has. Do not disappoint me!"
Silver swaths of energy that are most familiar to the Chinese woman spring from Cherise's hand a moment later, cutting toward the woman in black. Immediately Shihong shifts her stance, bracing the bulk of her weight on her back foot as a forearm reaches up and absorbs the brunt of the blow, the sleeve of her suit jacket slashed with fine lines.
"Oh bother," the woman mulls, eyeing the damage.
Breaking forward an instant later, Shihong glides toward Cherise and attempts to close in. Should she close the distance between them, her right leg swings up and inwards, the toe of her heel aimed for the girl's temple in a swift but undoubtedly brain-jarring strike. "HI-YAAH!"
COMBATSYS: Cherise blocks Shihong's Short Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Cherise
Don't disappoint? She's trying not to, even though this is one of those rare places that she'd rather not incur a great deal of property damage. Strangely enough, she does seem to care about her reputation, at least in this one place... could the music really be that important to her? Or is it just another crazy hobby she'll toss to the wayside as soon as she gets the chance?
With Cherise Bouchard, not even God has a clue.
With Cherise's hand in the high pose after throwing the blades of psychic force, it's poised for her to immediately swipe back down, taking the brunt of the blow across the back of her hand. Painful to say the least, but she's at least -stopped- it from pressuring into her too much further.
Trying to take advantage of the recoil involved with Shihong's leg while she's blocking, Cherise reaches out to hook her arm around the offending leg before it can fall back down, to keep the Chinese woman off her balance. Her own leg hooks up in that instant, her heel drawing back and trying to drive an impressive knee into Shihong's stomach with as much force as she can muster in a point-blank exchange.
"Ha ha ha ha~!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong interrupts Heavy Kick from Cherise with Savage Tiger.
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Cherise
Grinning as her kick shoots out, there's little malice or confusion when the silver-haired musician intercepts the strike at the back of her hand. She expects a chore of a fight from her teammate; anything less of the Frenchwoman is a genuine disappointment to Shihong.
"As swift as ever, Cherise," the woman offers as dark eyes slowly hood. Could it be..?
"Excellent. Dare I say you've gotten a little better since last we fought?"
Fortunately for Cherise, Shihong has little interest in collateral damages when in the heat of combat. Her interests are instead fixed on the Frenchwoman as her leg swiftly seeks to recoil back from the blow driven at the girl's face. But, unexpectedly...
She's accosted.
Mildly confused by this turn of events, Shihong's black gaze flickers red as she lifts her eyes and fixes them on the wily silver-haired girl. Beneath Cherise, a leg flickers with movement, a knee jerking right for the woman's abdomen.
At the same time, Shihong twists her body slightly, the blow dampened a bit as she lets it strike more of her side than her stomach outright. At the same time she drops a hand and grabs hold, twisting the Frenchwoman's thumb to wrench it into submission. With a firm grasp, Shihong's thin red lips cut into a sinister smile.
The next is a blur of motion. A flicker and spark of vermillion energy fires beneath her heels as the woman lunges forward and leaps that short distance at Cherise. Digging her heels in, she ascends the girl's front as she holds onto her arm, momentum taking her high above, where her body twists midair. Her legs pull tightly against her body...before she shoots both down, a furious explosion of energy driving her into the ground beneath Shihong's feet. A subsequent burst follows, allow Shihong to leap off her back and rotate midair, landing a few feet away with a light click of heels on marble.
"Oh, I have more information that is of possible benefit to you. Something you'll enjoy hearing, I think."
The woman offers pause, her smile twisting into a Cheshire's grin.
"It pertains to your 'boyfriend.'"
In the moment of her defense, Cherise lets her trademark smile cut across her face, wide and bright.
But then Shihong goes out of the way to break out of the great attack that she had put into motion, the knee to the stomach-- instead striking the woman in the not-as-much-of-an-awesome-target side. From the position she's in, the French girl is taken aback, honestly stunned that her partner could move into a counterattacking position from such an angle. Ultimately, it's a position that Cherise remembers well-- being smashed into the floor and with the familiar zing of her energy blasting through her back.
Peeling her face out of the floor, the silver-haired assassin slides one leg underneath herself while pushing up with both arms, her head listing off to one side with a horrible amount of amusement in her eyes. "Ehhhhh? Mao, do not tell me that you've also been taken in by his smell, too?"
Twisting her wrist and giving it a smooth flick, the wire assassin tries to dash just beyond her partner and teammate. "The leather!" She tugs at the air, the thin wire swirling around Shihong's wrist trying to bite down on her arm and get a good hold. "The fire!"
And then, if she's snared her partner by the wrist, she gives a hard tug to pull the woman's arm up, out of the way. Cherise lunges in and hooks her fist in toward Shihong's ribs, looking to drive her knuckles into the woman's side.
"The rampant physical abuse."
A powerful burst of silver then erupts from her knuckles, looking to drive Shihong away!
"He's mine, you know~!" If only she could actually sneak a heart into speaking out loud.
COMBATSYS: Cherise successfully hits Shihong with Argent Striker.
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Shihong 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Cherise
Eyeing Cherise closely as the girl pulls herself off the marble floor, Shihong's expression remains neutral as her arms fold gently across her chest. But when she's accused of falling for the NESTS experiment as well her face falters, black eyes widening with what could be read as 'disbelief.' How can she presume such a thing! She wouldn't do that to her comrade. Besides, her interests lie elsewhere.
But before she can actually argue otherwise, the wire shoots forward, and try as she may to swat it out of the air she's instead snared. Black eyes flicker red, her features flushing slightly. The next moment she's charged by the girl, a punch delivered to her ribs, followed by a burst of silvery psychic energy.
It launches her back, straight into a table, her body rolling over its top before crashing noisily into the chairs at its edge. For a brief moment the woman vanishes from sight.
A moment later, however, the Chinese Southsynd enforcer rises, chairs noisily groaning against the marble floors of the bar. Lifting an arm out, the opposite casually brushes her sleeve off, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.
"You assume I'd do such a thing to you, Cher," the woman offers with a distantly annoyed look. How could she have been careless? The French assassin slipped past her defenses there. "Worry not, however; you've laid claim to the man, and I have no intention of 'stealing' him from you."
Lifting her head, the woman's now-red eyes hood with delight as she eyes the Frenchwoman.
"I wouldn't dream of breaking such a beautiful romance. In any case, rumor has it..."
Weaving around the table's edge, Shihong dashes forward swiftly, closing in on Cherise. A few feet from Cherise the woman lifts her body from the ground, her body spinning gracefully through the air as she swings a leg out, attempting to catch her with a fierce downward kick to the shoulder.
"...he's been 'hanging around' our employer Howard as of late..!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Cherise with Strong Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Cherise
The table bucks with Shihong's impact, wobbling a few times before falling into place again. The chairs are another story-- and the guitarist on the stage takes on a look of worry, putting his bottle to the side. There's no telling what the manager of the establishment is thinking, even if one could see him lingering around the edges of the room or hiding away in whatever godforsaken office or chamber he hangs out in.
Cherise even winces while she recalls her wire with a quick flick of her wrist now that Shihong's brushing off her sleeve.
'hanging around our employer Howard'
'hanging around our employer'
'hanging around our'
'hanging around'
*WHAM*
There's a brief, lofty stare as her hands come up in the path of Shihong's kick, but about three inches off in either direction. The result is the Chinese woman's leg driving her down to one knee, grunting as it impacts with the floor. Cherise pushes off with a hop, landing sitting on one of the barstools. The heels of her boots come down on the steel piping footrest at the bottom, pushing her off a little more and getting a bit of space between herself and Shihong--
And then her hand launches forward, sending a wire screaming toward the woman's--
Foot?
As if putting forward all the implications of one of her more potent techniques, the silver-haired fighter suddenly throws herself into the air, twisting on the horizontal to come down at Shihong with a powerful axe kick, pulling on the wire tethered to the floor to give herself a little bit more speed and power.
"Magnificent news!"
COMBATSYS: Cherise successfully hits Shihong with Stiletto Axe.
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Shihong 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Cherise
The moment her foot connects with Cherise's shoulder Shihong grins to herself.
She can't lie. That felt good.
Pushing off of the kneeling Frenchwoman, Shihong lets her body spin through the air, rotating gracefully before she daintily lands a few short feet away from the other woman. Lifting her black eyes, she regards her teammate with a Cheshire's smile once more. Clearly it was better news than Cherise anticipated--or so it would seem. To be caught off her guard like that...
When the girl moves swiftly and lands on a barstool, the Chinese woman's expression hardens a bit. Squaring her shoulders, she braces herself for come what may. What will she do now..?
Before she can properly react, a hand is suddenly whipping toward her. A wire? Again? The woman frowns, lifting her arms to shield herself. She's ready this time! ...only, Cherise goes for her leg, a foot snared. Black eyes swivel back onto the silver-haired woman, just in time to see her coming down at her with an axe kick. It strikes true, causing the woman to buckle to the ground with a loud 'oof.'
"Y-yes, I can tell," the woman eventually replies, pulling herself back onto her feet, slowly but surely. Hands drift to the breast of her blazer, giving it a tidying dust across its front. She decides, then and there, she really should have taken her blazer off before doing something like this.
"In any case, from what I've heard mister Howard has taken that 'K' guy under his tutelage or something. They say he trains the young man pretty regularly somewhere in town." Pausing, the woman's shoulders casually roll in an almost absent shrug. Is she jealous? No way. ...well, maybe a LITTLE.
"I don't know where, but I'm sure you could find out. Maybe..."
Tipping her head to one side, the woman brushes a hand over her cheek before nestling it almost playfully on her face. The smile on her rouge red lips broadens.
"You should...look into it? I guess this TECHNICALLY makes him a part of the Syndicate...which TECHNICALLY makes you two coworkers..? Which means you can see him more, if you like..."
Without a word more the woman suddenly lunges herself at Cherise, covering the distance between them swiftly. Halfway she leaps, both legs flaring with vermillion red energy. Should those feet connect the energy flares considerably, a large spike of psychic energy lancing through the girl as Shihong pushes off and flips her body. A leg coils, energy surging from her feet once again as she attempts to drive her foot down and deliver a kick that is relatively harmless; instead, the pain comes from the sudden swell of energy that erupts, a massive, concussive burst that's meant to drive poor Cherise into the ground face-first as Shihong daintily lands.
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Cherise with Bird of Paradise.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|=======\=====--\1 Cherise
Personal training? -Her- man? And personal training... with Geese Howard? The entire situation leaves Cherise a little distracted, perhaps moreso than she should be, what with all the thoughts of shoving the young flame-wielder up against a wall, or vice-versa in a moment such as their encounter in the YFCC-- or maybe he could slam her against the outer wall with that attack that one time--
A lot of this involves walls, and either one of them pinned against one.
In the moment that Shihong prepares to kick, there's almost an audible hiss as the energy in the girl seems to swell in a subtle-but-easily noticed way, a slow rising that culminates with her eyes squinting hard. Her eyes hurt for a second, a tension in her face apparent as her pupils wildly distort in size.
She twists, turning in a way that would've been a perfect dodge. It would have been, truly-- if she were about three inches further to the left. With the impressive burst of power, Cherise's body goes momentarily rigid before being sent plowing into the floor with a grunt.
"Ha ha hee... heh heh..."
With one hand pressing down on the floor, she drags her legs up underneath herself in a swift motion, squatting down into a ball and -lunging-.
She drives a palm downward at Shihong's thigh first, a stiff, fierce shot that would hurt all on it's own... and then a burst of silver to put some emphasis on it. Her elbow thrusts out next for a direct strike to the belly, a shot of silver following that, as well. The motions continue, if she can hit Shihong, with attack after attack-- strikes to the kidneys, the ribs, a direct jab to the shoulders-- and then ending as her whole body twists hard to the left, thrusting one leg ahead to steady herself as a fist launches upward to try to catch Shihong under the jaw and send one last angry burst through the head itself.
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Cherise's Argent Rebellion.
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Shihong 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Cherise
Thankfully, Shihong has no idea the extents to which Cherise goes with 'her man,' and part of her doesn't really want to know what Cherise's idea of 'a good time' with a man she has a thing for consists of. She privately wonders if it involves blindfolds and various archaic torture devices. Or maybe just aroma candles.
Landing as Cherise recovers from the attack, Shihong's lips curl into a truly amused smile. "My apologies there, Cherise. Clearly I didn't hit you hard enough," the woman observes as the silver-haired woman chuckles darkly, slowly pulling herself to her feet. "Was it good, at least? It was good for me."
Rather sudden and unexpected is the girl's swift recovery. Like a human ball she makes her move for the woman, to which Shihong initially responds by way of a stunned expression. A beat and the woman recovers, twisting her leg to let the blow strike her outer thigh. The elbow comes next, intercepted with her palm, the series of jabs taken in her hands. Each burst of psychic energy draws a hiss from the woman.
She really has gotten stronger. Maybe her make out sessions with K' have paid off after all...
The final strike is avoided, however; leaning far backwards, Shihong smirks as the fist sails past her into the air. But the woman keeps leaning--far back enough to enter a handstand before she moves her legs, coming out of the hand stand. And once she's on her feet again, she leaps backwards, into a second before she recovers once more. She then has sufficient distance.
A weak laugh follows, Shihong's shoulders jerking softly with amusement. "I think you two make a darling couple, Cherise. It's a symbiotic relationship, as far as I can tell. He provides the pain you enjoy, and in turn he delights in hurting you." She pauses, exhaling a light, dreamy sigh.
"It's so darling. ...alley oop!"
Leaping forward, Shihong's body move swiftly once more, hands planting on the ground before she springs off, feet first at Cherise. If she should connect, a subsequent attack follows; landing briefly, she flips forward once more, one leg staggering after the other with two strikes to slam into the girl's body, to finish the fight..!
COMBATSYS: Cherise parries Shihong's Raiding Falcon!
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Cherise
If only she knew. If only Mao Shihong knew of what Cherise really does after all of her intense 'training sessions' with the likes of K', the various Saturday Night events she's taken part of, after she returns to whatever hotel or apartment she lives in somewhere in Southtown, and spends the time showering and cleaning up, sometimes standing over the bathroom sink clutching her stomach and spitting blood or coughing until she feels better. Being a masochist is fine and dandy, but to maintain an appearance like she prefers to, it takes a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice. And then to relax, she reaches for...
... usually, her DVD of Die Hard, and a slice of reheated pizza.
Cherise's immediate attack meets with more resistance than she would prefer, ultimately ending with the swinging uppercut screaming past Mao's face just bare inches from contact. And then she moves, and moves again. There, the French girl takes stock of her situation. Mao's attacks, repeatedly being slammed into a floor this hard... while the pain is good, it doesn't mean she'll be able to rightly take too much more -and- still manage to play for the show in one piece.
Mao speaks of their relationship. Cherise's smile becomes a leering smile.
Mao lunges in for the strike, the dramatic feet-first strike meeting... air? Cherise moves to the side, striking the side of Shihong's feet and sending the woman clear off course. The other strikes, they only meet her outstretched left palm as she catches one, releases, and then the next-- and then she inhales, as if suddenly catching her breath.
Cherise steps forward, moving into that 'point blank range' with Shihong, and forms her fingers straight and rigid, her palm turning upward and looking to drive them right into the soft spot just below the ribs in a terrible way, another burst of psychic energy being released on contact. If she can land that hit, she throws a second strike, a hard hammerblow with one fist, to the middle of her chest. She steps in a little closer, looking to drive her fist into Shihong's gut, just barely above the hips, and release one more violent burst of energy.
Finally, bending backwards to compensate for the reach, her leg whips up -high-, looking to slam the top of her foot across the side of the woman's head and drive in one last, painful burst.
COMBATSYS: Cherise successfully hits Shihong with Vital Striker EX.
[ \\\\\ < > //// ]
Shihong 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Cherise
How...did she miss?
The initial, opening strike fails to make contact, drawing a mildly puzzled look over the Chinese woman's face. The following interceptions of each heel in the Frenchwoman's palms draws the look further across her features, black eyes going red as she narrows them. And just as she lands...
Cherise is suddenly there and striking her in the ribs. Hard. A burst follows, jarring the woman and causing her to exhale loudly, the second, fearsome hammerblow striking true, followed by the third attack and, finally, the kick to her head, a burst of energy that sends her crashing into the ground.
And then there was silence.
For half a minute, Shihong doesn't move; instead she lay there, face-first against the floor. Inwardly she curses herself, for being so careless. Hasn't her hard work paid off? Those times she'd been otherwise 'forced' to fight with her employer? All the pain she's endured..? How can she reach the top if she's so far below the mountain?
Shoulders shudder after a minute, and from the depths of Shihong's stomach emerges a laugh...
That gets louder as she pulls herself from the ground. Laughing loudly, the woman's eyes are wide with morbid delight as she whips her head back and eyes Cherise. It's all just practice. Someday she'll get there. She swears it. Someday all her suffering and grief will mean SOMETHING. But she can't be the only one to suffer. Those who choose to go toe to toe with her...they must suffer too.
With one sudden lunge forward the woman swings an arm up, the opposite arm crossing at the forearm over her forehead. Her palm drives a hard line right for Cherise's stomach, a flicker of vermillion flame growing in the center of her palm. And should her palm draw into the Frenchwoman's stomach, the energy swells considerably, a violent burst of Psycho Power to jar the assassin where she stands.
"I am not disappointed!!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong can no longer fight.
[ \\\\ <
Cherise 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Cherise with Swallow's Wings.
[ \ <
Cherise 1/-------/=======|
She makes no noise after she strikes-- on each blow, each moment that passes, and even the final kick to the floor. Cherise's leg lingers in the air in the afterswing for just a moment before lowering to the ground, the tall heel of her tall boot striking the hard floor with a dull *thunk*. Her shoulders sag and her head tilts just a little bit, even, her shoulders shaking once, twice-- all of it in a short chuckle with her broad, leering smile. With the bit of blood at the corner of her mouth, it looks all the more demented.
But then Shihong's standing up and laughing, too.
Cherise brings back her hands, shifts her footing, but all of it is too late-- the surging motion and the fierce strike plow into the younger girl's stomach. The burst of psychic energy doesn't help her situation any either, the sudden shot more than enough to send her staggering backwards with one more "Ugh!!"
But then she stumbles forwards, listing to and fro before dropping to one knee at Shihong's feet, hands on the floor while she tries to compose herself.
Her back moves, her shoulders shift with not laughter this time, but heavy breathing.
"... Hehe..."
Okay, maybe a -little- laughter.
COMBATSYS: Cherise takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Cherise can no longer fight.
There's an almost eerie grin on Shihong's rouge red lips as her burst finds its target, the concussive blast of red psychic energy enough to jar the other woman and send her staggering back. She can't possibly fare any better than Shihong at this point she observes, as the girl's feet bring her staggering forward. But will it finally bring HER to her knees?
And soon enough the girl drops to her knees, hands out to support her body as she hits the ground. The sight causes the grin on her lips to widen just a touch. It's not the sort of victory she likes, but she'll take it.
Breathing raggedly, Shihong staggers back herself, barely able to maintain her balance. Ultimately, however, the elder woman falls herself, hitting the ground on her rear with her hands out and back to support her. A loud sigh slips past her lips, as her eyes draw shut. Damn, she inwardly curses.
A whisper of a laugh escapes the woman as well, as Cherise breathes heavily and lay there. Shaking her head lightly, Shihong slowly begins to move and pull herself off the floor. Despite her losses, she still has some business to attend to elsewhere...even if her condition is a bit less presentable than she'd like.
"A-anyway, see about miss N-nakatani, if you would? I think...she will be a good asset," Shihong explains, cautiously attempting to stand without her feet giving way beneath her. "I think you'd like her."
Pausing, the woman's red lips broaden a bit.
"And maybe p-pay your boyfriend K' a visit?"
With that the woman carefully about-faces, making her way to the club's door.
"If I can, I'll do my best to make it back for your performance tonight, Cherise. I'll b-be interested to see just what you can do with that guitar and those vocal chords..."
Log created on 00:51:13 03/21/2008 by Shihong, and last modified on 12:24:59 05/22/2008.