Description: Kidnapped against her will (Really, is anyone ever kidnapped by their will?!), Vanessa is led to believe that she'll be let free if she can get past a rather crazy small-chinned man. CAN SHE DO IT?
The time after the fight passed quickly - Vanessa probably would have woken up in a small room with little in the way of amenities. Its door would have been made of steel, designed to hold and hinder martial artists from escaping. Given time, though - most are stronger than steel bars. It's well known that it takes quite a lot to hold back and keep a fighter from walking out of a situation they've been in. This was a problem, one to be dealt with simply enough. When Vanessa regains conciousness, the heavy bars that 'lock' the woman in would snap open, leading to a hallway. Through that hallway, a room designed for training, pads on the floor and a vaguely spartan, militaristic look. No emblems, no symbols - just dark red cloth with the scars of faded blood and sweat.
Inside, on a chair, a man awaits. He's slim, grey hair in a short cut, wavy over the top. Grey eyes watch and wait for any to enter. His hands are folded against his chin, and the dark outfit he wears would probably be better done for a business office than this fighting arena. Without words, he waits - he knows that one of the fighters will awaken soon enough. Then, his true challenges can begin.
Vanessa wakes slowly - emitting a low, pained groan, eyes cracking open to regard a Spartan ceiling.
"Christ," the Boxing Queen mutters, rolling slowly onto her side. She's dressed - not in some kind of hospital gown but in her fighting attire, albeit still mussed, torn, and scorched from the fight against--
"Ugggh," she mutters, shifting her legs around and sitting upright. "God, my /head/. And that--"
She pushes herself upright, legs wobbling just a little from grogginess. "I need a drink," she decides. She moves to leave; she's a fighter in good enough condition to stand, who the hell's going to stop her? But she stops cold when she sees the doors - heavy. Solid. She could plow through one with Gaia Gear, maybe, but...but it'd take time to build up the strength to do that.
"That mother--he didn't!" She runs to the door, slamming it with one fist; it dents inward, just a bit. It's resistant to the fists of even mighty martial artists, but a boxer of Vanessa's skill can do that much damage, at least.
"That.../whore/! He did!"
She pulls her fist back, about to plow into the door at full throttle, her exhaustion and grogginess banished by a sudden burst of adrenaline, when it springs open, revealing to Vanessa a long hallway, and even here the air is thick with the stench of sweat.
She glares at the hallway, as if expecting it to start spewing arrows, or knives, or fire, or perhaps some combination of these things. When it fails to follow through on this, she tentatively pokes her head through.
"OK, Vanessa," she mutters. "You're in the custody of some maniac who has a hospital in his giant castle dojo and killed your husband and apparently did something horrible to that Whip chick."
She begins to walk down the hallway, mumbling to herself. "If they catch me, it's probably a round in the hypnochair. Good times. Nothing I can't punch apart if I time it right, I hope--"
She steps into the main room, and stares blankly at, first, the training grounds and, second, the man in the chair.
She snaps her guard right into defensive posture. "/Damn/ I wasn't thinking someone would be just--who the hell are you!? Why am I here!?"
Slowly, the figure in black stands. Vega has taken the time to bring her here - so the least he can do is to assauge her worries, and perhaps calm that ire. Or actually, in his case - stoke it futher. After all, when one feeds off of negative energy, what better to do than to upset a possible opponent mere seconds before the fight. He's still uncertain enough about his current strength to allow for a hint of doubt to creep in. This challenge, though - Aprile would have selected correctly, he's certain. After all, the Doll does as is requested, well enough - he's never had reason to doubt her before.
"I apologize for the method of .. gathering your attention, and for the lack of proper hospitality." He says this coolly, smoothly - and it's quite easy to tell that he really isn't apologizing, but formalities /must/ be made, after all. His demeanor is cold, chilly - and he continues without really waiting for her to interrupt, or trying to give her the chance to. "The door behind me leads to a vehicle and a trip to a nearby airport, which will easily be able to take you to wherever you choose to go, no questions asked." He allows a slight smile to play across his lips, the glare of a predator as he pushes the chair away with his hand, and moves to interpose himself between where Vanessa and that door stands. "However, there is one request I would humbly make before you choose to leave my presence. You fought admirably in your recent fights - would you please... honor me with a show of that strength?" His own 'fighting posture' is steady, standing almost stock still, neutral pose with a lack of effort shown in all his features - in reality though, he's tense with eager anticipation. "Or.. you can simply stay here, if you wish. The choice.. is always yours."
COMBATSYS: Vega has started a fight here.
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Vega 0/-------/-------|
Vanessa's temper actually cools, slightly, her face screwing up in confusion, as the man begins to speak. "That voice..." she mutters. "You're not Igniz. And I doubt you'd be inviting me to leave, if you worked for him."
She straightens, dropping out of a combat stance. "And you won't let me leave, unless I fight you..."
Her eyes dart to the door. Of course, in a situation like this, escape is basically impossible /and/ pointless unless the guy accidentally blows a hole in the wall. Vanessa lacks that kind of power.
Still...
She shakes her head. "You're complimenting me, but you still just kidnapped me after a /really/ rough day."
Her eyes snap up. "So I'm gonna take as much of it as I can out on your hide, sparky!"
And she moves - his stance is eager and ready, but hers is fluid, and while she's not nearly as searingly furious as she was in fighting Igniz, she's still pretty upset. She wants to go home and empty some poor bartender's stock of everything with a proof higher than five, not more fighting. Which means that Vega has /more/ than enough energy to feed on while Vanessa crosses the distance between her and Vega, and in one swing, aims her fist at his jaw.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has joined the fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vega
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Dash Puncher from Vanessa with Psycho Wave.
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Vega
As he expected, she leapt for the chance to challenge. After all, he'd given her precious few options, and his intelligence had showed her to be .. eager to make with the fightings. He'd prepared for her movement, but getting a handle on a new body was far and away more difficult than he'd prepared for. He's now glad that he /didn't/ challenge Sakura Kasugano - the sudden sloth that overtakes him as he begins to move is far, far too encompassing.
Vega steps forwards as Vanessa lunges for him, bringing both hands up and trying to rake them down, blue and purple energy building between his fingertips. However, he's not as strong as before, not as fast - and the energy winks out in a instant as Vanessa's fist strikes home, catching him on the pointed edge of his chin. It hurts more than he's remembering it should, the crack of knuckles on bone much stronger than when his chin was three quarters of his face. He rocks back on his heels, and takes a half-step, grey eyes wide, amused.
"As much as you want, then - please, continue - show me what you have." He barks out a laugh, rubbing at the sore spot, the bruise already starting to show.
Vanessa allows herself a smirk. It worked! That's...a good start.
This is bad. This is /all kinds/ of bad. Even if he's not as overwhelmingly powerful as Igniz was, she's still probably in a lot of danger. What happens if she loses? Will they cart her back to that room until she can win? It wouldn't be...half-bad, to train until she can take down Igniz, but she has people she'd /much/ rather train against. Ling, or maybe ask Rose or Chizuru...
No time.
She doesn't let him take the time to breathe; she follows right up, instead. "Well..." she grates otu, snapping out with her other hand, a hook punch aimed at the head once again. "How can I refuse, if you ask all nice-like?"
COMBATSYS: Vega blocks Vanessa's Hook Punch.
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Vega
Really, Vanessa has all the time in the world. That's the problem though, isn't it?
Vega isn't about to let her go /quite/ as easily as he suggested, though it's still possible. Enough of a challenge, or not one at all, and she'd be released. But the middle ground lies danger, perhaps a time to gather up more of her skill, to further test himself against the mystery that is punchings not of Bison's fists. He's quite used to /some/ boxers, at least - but Vanessa's speed style is different enough from Bison's own power to warrant a close study. Vega brings his hand up this time, choosing to simply interpose his fist with her own, the heavy *SMACK* of skin on skin echoing hollowly in the training room. His grin grows a bit wider, looking at her past the meeting of hands. "Good, good. Admirable - but I've noticed a technique you seem to be lacking."
With that, Vega whips his leg around in a short arc, aimed at Vanessa's knee. It's a brutal strike, much in the same vein as one of Sagat's mighty strikes, the ones he would use to fell trees during training. At the last second before the attempted contact, his limb seems to gather and gain an aura around it, rolling waves of PsychoPower that race down and coalesce at the intended impact point. He's been content to let her show her power against his defenses - now, however, he needs to see how strong /he/ is.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa fails to counter Medium Kick from Vega with Puncher Vision.
- Power fail! -
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Vanessa 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Vega
"Oh no you don't!" Vanessa snaps. She sees that kick rising, she won't let it hit her so easily. She moves. Indeed, she moves almost too fast - streaking across ground faster than the eye can track, tracing distance up toward Vega, arm cocked down to slide a fist right through his guard and nail him hard enough to send him hurtling away--
--and then the kick catches her in mid-strike, smashing into her midsection, and she emits a choked shriek as the force of the blow - a simple attack, such a simple strike - nearly matches the damage done to her by the force of Igniz' Ideon Blade. She /bounces/ away, literally rebounding off the ground and /rolling/ to a stop, eyes not quite focused, staring stupefied at the ceiling, gasping for breath.
"The..." she pants.
".../HELL/?" she concludes.
Ah, yes. /That/ was power. He looks vaguely pleased with himself, the cat who has caught a particularly delectable canary. Vega folds his arms behind him, starting to walk towards Vanessa again, taking his time, and choosing his words with care. "That... was a kick. As I'd said - I noticed a deficency in your style."
Okay, okay - so that's not what she really meant - and now he lets loose with that 'power' he has, the blue, black and purple energy roiling up behind him, like a storm cloud. It seems to fill the wide room, choking off the florescent lights as he allows his evil aura fair play. He doesn't move to attack though - instead, he focuses that energy, re-internalizes it, lets it settle deep inside him and just remain barely showing as a glimmery halo at the edge of his skin, barely visible by sight - but to a trained fighter's senses, it may be almost .. overpowering. Calmly, he waits - taking a step to the left to place himself directly between her and the door. Again.
"If you would be so kind..."
COMBATSYS: Vega gathers his will.
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Vanessa 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Vega
Vanessa takes about a solid two minutes to stand up again - just...staring, blank, at the ceiling, trying to process what the HELL just hit her. She does rise, eventually - slowly, painfully. "This business where people just...kick my ass casually," Vanessa mutters, "is getting kind of old."
She gets onto her feet, and glares at Vega, trying to process what she's seeing. "I get it," she mutters. "You're..." ...what /is/ he? "...you're something else, is what you are. Alright, fine. I'm not done yet!"
She forces one leg forward, and then sprints across the remaining distance, covering it in a more conventional manner than the near-teleport she achieved previously. She draws up near, "HELLION!" and then swings her fist up, fast, aiming to clobber the emperor of jerks in the jaw - but the fist may just narrowly miss, even as Vanessa's other fist comes down in a streak toward the crown of Vega's skull, and again, maybe misses...
...as instead, even if the fists miss, the air they passed through shines bright gold with streaks of chi force.
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Forbidden Eagle from Vanessa with Psycho Vanish.
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Vanessa 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Vega
Bold, striking moves. Vega's actually quite impressed by Vanessa's skill, and already wondering what it would take to put her in the Doll outfit, to add her power to his own. Admittedly, he should /probably/ be thinking about winning the fight, about finding the limits of his own power, but he's found this 'long range planning' idea far too distracting for normal fights. As she attempts to move in, he starts to fade from view - the aura around him brightening as he attempts to use a similar motion of speed like she did. However, he misjudges the attempt, and as he starts to move, he steps /into/ Vanessa's first hit, the second and resultant golden glow impacting, knocking him back, away - and down to one knee on the ground.
Hands on the floor, he looks up, dangerous glint in his eyes. He's starting to get angry, and the emotions that roil in him do nothing to hide his power - if anything, they amplify his displays of dark colors, the aura around him glowing dully, like the encroaching night. "That.. was a very fancy move, Vanessa. I expect that you have more where that came from... don't you?" He starts to stand again, but it /is/ slower. He's briefly winded, at the very least.
Oh, Vega has the resources at hand to get Vanessa in that Doll outfit - the mind control power might be needed to get her to /wear/ it, but it would be surprisingly easy to at least get her to consider an offer...
At least, right up until Ramon and Seth showed up to pummel her into submission. Or Rose and Chizuru, for that matter.
She grins a little. He's trying to mimic her moves - and failing. Puncher Vision isn't so easy to copy! But he's upset, now - she can taste it in the air, a strong disdain...like the air itself is furious at her presumption. Not even Igniz' fury was /palpable/...
"I have a few..." Vanessa allows, glowering. She'll have to be careful. "And it looks like you do, too. That power...it's not like any chi I've ever seen...what is it...?"
She runs at Vega, aiming to keep him from gathering more power into himself. Even as she tries to get him to answer questions, her fist descends in a downward punch aimed to knock Vega's skull right back into the mats.
COMBATSYS: Vega interrupts Medium Punch from Vanessa with Psycho Wave.
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Vanessa 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 Vega
She's asking what he is, what he has held within him. How could Vega do any less than show her? He barks out a laugh as she rushes towards him, and he simply steps forwards, a blurred motion that ends much like her 'dash', a afterimage of his body superimposed where he meant to be, and then suddenly /there/, in the flesh. Face to her face, he grins, intent on catching her off-guard.
"Let me /show/ you."
Around them, the world explodes into blue and purple fury. Psychopower is something different than chi, to be certain - and his, different than the rest. It claws at a person's will, strikes at their confidence, their resolve - it batters at self esteem and skill, to force the opponent to lose focus, heart, hope. This is what the Psycho Wave does, or attempts to do - he knows he cannot /truly/ break a spirit with it, within the confines of combat. But enough to gain and garner breathing room - well, he'll take that much, at least.
It's crushing. Physically, psychically, on every imaginable level. Vanessa manages only to ask, "Wh--Wha--" before the wave seeps into her mind and will, causing her to actually physically back away, eyes wide, clutching at her head. No good, useless - just a housewife with too much time on her hands, a little girl who can't get over the death of one man, barely good enough to dent the armor of the man who killed the man she loved - what good is a person like that? None! None!
She falls to one knee, staring blankly at the floor. Her lips peel back, baring her teeth at the ground, trying to--
--if she's going to suffer--
--if I'm going to--
Chi ignites around her fist, the mat under her beginning to buckle from a sudden change in air pressure.
I've never been--
She shoves herself off the ground, relying on force of will more than anything else. "I have had..." she spits. "MORE than enough--"
Charging - dashing across the distance, hoping, praying it's enough --
"--of people telling me how much I SUCK! So why don't you--gh..." She pulls her arm back, and drives it through the fog and toward Vega's teeth. Even if it misses...
"...SUCK ON THIS!"
...she slashes her arm up, across Vega's body - sending a whirling, snapping tornado of energy spinning into his chest!
COMBATSYS: Vega endures Vanessa's Gaia Gear EX.
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Vanessa 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Vega
She's strong. So very strong. Aprile chose well, the Doll was an amazing asset, well able to choose challenges that Vega could learn from. That skill, that /will/ she shows, to fight through his strange power, the horror and emotional pain it brings - Vanessa is very much something special. He'll have to learn from her, so as to make this more than a simple training session.
He walks into the golden glow, his hand held outstretched. The energy and wind whips at him, raking at his clothes, ripping and tearing them something fierce. Red lines mark his skin, the ferocity of the attack wending it's way against him. His grin is wide, even with the obvious pain in his form. This has been something amazing - and he's loathe to try and end it so quickly. However, time and time again, he'd allowed opponents to recover. This time, no - this time, he would finish it quickly. He continues to reach out, and attempts to just grab her by the face. If he can get his hand on her, well -
COMBATSYS: Vanessa fails to counter Psycho Fall from Vega with Parrying Puncher.
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Vega 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Vanessa can no longer fight.
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Vega 1/-------/=======|
- his hand wraps around her face, and he pulls her inwards. His voice is very hushed, a secret just for her. "You've fought well. Strong, smart - but I think I need to learn more about your style. We'll talk again.. later." And then his hand explodes into that psychic aura again, and he just smashes her down towards the ground, intent on crushing her against the padded mat. Goodnight, sweet princess.
COMBATSYS: Vega takes no action.
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Vega 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Vega has ended the fight here.
Log created on 22:37:10 03/31/2008 by Vega, and last modified on 02:06:15 04/01/2008.