Description: Now taking bets on how long it will be before Leona snaps and kills one of her team mates.
Gathering people for a plan is harder than Leona had expected. Oddly the rather busy model/fighter that is Benimaru was the easiest to get ahold of. The others that the Ikari woman had targeted had been eluding her rather well. Always at the right place at the wrong time it would seem for her. So it was just best to send out notices asking the fighters to come.
Hopefully this is a tactic that works and at least one or two show up instead of Leona having to end up dealing with Benimaru all by herself once again. Leave it to that one to think she would be setting this up as if it were some sort of date and she is just being coy with him. Oh well, nothing a good explosive or two won't fix in the long run. For the most part she is in civilian clothing this evening with black biker boots, worn out jeans, and a red tank top being worn. She sits at a table that at most can hold five or six in case everyone shows and with a few appetizers set out and a beer in front of her that is already half empty as she waits.
Who should come in, but Dan "The Man" Hibiki. Not in his usual gi'd style of super awesomeness, no way. He's not always wearing that thing like some deadbeat jerks who travel around the world with a duffelbag and no sense of humor. Nope. Today he's decided to pull the old 'Elvis Hibiki' costume out of the closet. The notice was cryptic, the missive unclear, however it was from a good source of information so it was time to dress for success.
He spots Leona pretty easily, and smiles walking over to the ikari woman with all the grace of a Hibiki. That's like two-hundred fifty percent grace. That's a lot of grace. The lighting in the cafe gleams off the golden rhinestone eagle on his back, and sparkles the same golden rhinestones on the cut strips hanging down his arms. Damn, man. If only T. Hawk were here, it would bring a tear to his eye for sure. Big Saikyo style all in it. Are those curly fries?
Benimaru knows what it's like assembling a team; since the fallout of his last, it'd almost be only natural that he wouldn't really be in the mood to form something of his own- And on top of that without Kyo having said a word about the thing, that was just one more reason not to be so competitive. However the problem was he had one weakness that Leona had nailed hook, line, and sinker. He had just been on his way home from grocery shopping rediculously heavy traffic hit, and he had no choice but to have to hit the meeting before heading home. Benimaru doesn't really enjoy looking so casual but little choice in the matter!
So he walks into the PaoPao in a white dress shirt and khaki jeans, with thin-rimmed sunglasses resting atop his head. Leona's easy enough to pick out, saunterng right on over to the table, starts to draw out his seat, and then just stares at Elvis Hibiki. A lock of his own hair just sort of falls from the side of his hair to the front of his face. He doesn't know what to say. He really doesn't. Well, he can think of one actually. ".. What?"
Elvis.....Hibiki. Such a sight is one that even makes someone like Leona raise her brows when seeing it. Does the guy really go out in that sort of outfit? Perhaps she shouldn't have decided to try and invite people for a drink and snack whine discussing things when it is karaoke night. Leona is quite sure the world is not ready to hear Dan Hibiki sing 'Pink Suede Shoes' loudly to express his love for his favorite color.
Finally the Ikari clears her throat and she nods to Dan. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Hibiki." she says and then looks to Benimaru. "I am sure you two have met before at some point in time or do I need to bother with introductions?" she asks while reaching for her beer to polish it off. "If not have a seat and order a drink if you wish. I would like to speak with you."
Dan smiles and says, "Hey well, you held the meeting right in southtown I didn't have to go ALLLLLLLLLLL The way over to Brazil so uh," he looks at Benimaru and raises a skeptical eyebrow, "I know of the guy but I haven't actually met him in person. I read about him in New Challenger and uhh. Yeah..... huh,"
Dan sits down and snags one of the appetizers without even asking, "So anyways, yeah hey what's all this about? I'm a little confused, you me and him? What's the connection here. Is there a connection? Man there's gotta be a connection." Dan hibiki, always on top of the pressing issues.
Benimaru can't even look to Leona, he's still just.. Staring at the Elvis impersonator before him with a slightly slack jaw. It isn't until when 'New Challenger' is mentioned that the model seems to return back to earth, then draws his seat out to seat himself. Not many people in the fighting circuit should be unfamiliar with the name Dan Hibiki, considering how many times he's been confused for Robert in the past, heck it's a mistake even he's made before not that he'd admit it. "Y.. Yes, I do." he replies, giving Leona a concerned, if not worried look. She's clearly seeing something that he doesn't, and it's enough to actually nudge his appetite aside a bit. He does offer a guess of his own, ".. A mascot?"
There is a feeling of boot digging into the toes of Benimaru's right foot and the Ikari doesn't even flinch or smile at doing such when reprimanding the blonde. "There is no connection at all." she says in response to Dan's questions before stopping the waitress moving by the table to get herself a beer and perhaps something strong for Benimaru to drink. He doesn't seem to be handling things quite well at all. "I have already spoke with Benimaru here prior and I had wished to talk to you in private but you are a hard man to get ahold of."
She leans back in her seat while folding her arms, waiting a few moments while her dark eyes scan over the room. "How would you like to earn some money to help go towards expanding your dojo and fixing it up?" she finally asks Dan, her lips quirking into a bit of a smirk. "The Ikari enter tournaments for two reasons. To fight and to investigate, Mr. Hibiki. This team league is no different. This is why I have asked people such as Mr. Nikaido to assist me. I would like to ask your assistance as well since most of the other Ikari are out on other important missions. This leaves me with gathering people willing to help."
Dan mulls this over in his head. The Dojo has been looking a little shabby since Oswald and Blanka fought up in it and messed up the place. Then Himeko and Sakura no doubt did some damage albeit not MANLY MAN DAMAGE like his jungle buddy and the king of cards. "Huh. You want to team up with Saikyo eh? Well..."
He rests his chin in the crook of his thumb and forefinger while scratching his cheek, "I am a pretty powerful teammate, and you did give me the information I needed a while back so I really don't see why I shouldn't team up with you. But eh heh heh, payment? That's not entirely necessary. I don't need your money. I'll take it, but I don't need it. It's not necessary, but I'll still take it so. Yes, payment for the services of a true warrior is what will happen. But I don't need much!"
He smiles at his own keen negotiation skills before continuing, "But how much are we talking because ha, yeah the Dojo is in pretty bad shape. For real. It could use some tatami mats. Maybe a couple rice cookers."
Benimaru's hand suddenly slams down on the table, and the model closes his eyes quickly following the sharp pain in his foot. Yyyyyep, that definatly hurt, he'll have to watch his mouth around this one. Still though, he's not sure if he's more surprised that Dan is here, or that Leona would even want to assosciate with the guy talk about to compltely opposite ends of the spectrum! As the soldier gets down to business, Benimaru finds his drink arriving in record time, which he accepts quickly. Through Dan, suddenly a couple of answers reveal themselves.
It's hard, though, really he has to wonder where Dan's confidence comes from, it's clear that Benimaru doesn't believe that the Saikyo master is a powerful teammate, let alone powerful at all. And on top of that, he'll totally ruin the mood the moment if the model manages to get Leona to warm up. What. A. Drag. The glass is raised to his lips, and only a few seconds after he seems slightly green. This isn't an apple martini at all! "... *koff*."
Perhaps the Ikari should next time ask what Benimaru is comfortable with drinking. There should probably be laws against letting Ikari order drinks for people or at least some sort of warning about it. "It will be a good sum. Do not worry about that." she finally says in response after taking a sip from the beer that was brought back to her. "I have others I wish to ask, but at this time I don't think they will be showing up, but we do have three of us now if you agree. I believe that is a good start."
She then motions to Benimaru. "With Mr. Nikaido that gives us three very different styles which should help keep opponents on their toes when we do fight. Of course I expect you bot to keep your eyes and ears open for anything odd as well." She then probably will regret what she is about to ask instead of just up and doing it herself. "Now, do either of you have questions and perhaps a suggestion for a team name?"
Ooh, boy. Team Name time, "Well, I don't know. I think as the most skilled amongst us and the one with an actual position as a master of saikyo then we should probably go ahead and call ourselves, 'Colonel Dan Hibiki's Saikyo Style Furious Flying Fight Brigade 42nd Airborne'. I think it has a nice ring to it, but it really is your team, I'm not going to go off stealing all the thunder. At least not intentionally."
With that he leans back, puts his hands behind his head and smiles, but only for a second, as he quickly snatches himself a potato skin and funnels it into his Elvis looking mouth. His pompadour bouncing a bit, and then he talks with his mouth ful "If Mr. Nikaido has any ideas within reason, why not let him suggest something. As long as it doesn't have to do with male modelling or tight jeans, because that is out this year. Delicious!"
The glass settled down Benimaru realizes that is a point he certainly cannot deny. Style-wise there definatly is an interesting mix, though how effective it will be remains to be seen. But, Leona's obviously experienced with what she does, he doesn't have much choice than to believe in her tactics. "The three of us should be more than enough, in my opinion," he quickly interjects; it's almost as if he's afraid of his own health there. "That said, I'll do my best in keeping a watchful eye, though I confess I'm not not the best detective around. But I have a good set of eyes."
Benimaru's apparently on good behavior.. For now. He just stares at Elvis Hibiki after that, not seeming suprised in the least by the name suggestion. Man that pompadour is distracting, too! "No ideas come immedietly to mind. On the other hand, we do have some time left if I remember correctly. Why don't we just take an evening or two to think on it and see what we come up with. As much as I hate to say it.. Maybe it'd be best if it isn't too flashy."
Potato skins, hmn? He takes one for himself, but he'll be taking a second shot at that drink, too. "Mister .. Hibiki. Are you certain you want to do this? It's entirely possible you may not make it out of this alive."
Well on the plus side for Dan it looks like the name suggested didn't seem to anger Leona at all. Then again the woman has dealt with the pink clad warrior a few times over the years so she knows what to expect from him at this point. A bit insane, but still a reliable person. "Not asking you to be a detective, Mr. Nikaido. I will deal with that part. just report to me if anything seems out of the ordinary and I am not around to see it myself."
She then falls silent while seeming to consider what Benimaru says in respect to the name. She didn't expect such an answer in the long run. She was expecting Beni and the Jets or something equally bad. "Well, we are three different styles with a great difference in personality. How about Wild Card?" she finally asks after some consideration.
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," the sound of an elvis deep in thought is sonorous indeed. After a few long seconds, he points at Leona with the sound of his little arm confetti's whipping through the air, and then that point becomes a thumbs up. That thumbs up comes with a smile. That smile comes with a teethshine, "Lady. YOU GOT YOURSELF A DEAL!"
Fortunately for Leona and Benimaru, this Hibiki guy is so easy to get along with. Of course the fact that he's still there with his thumb up, grinning like an idiot, well I guess that's just part and parcel of what happens when you team up with Saikyo Ryuu. At least he dresses so fresh and so clean, right?
It's no surprise that Leona would think that. There's a side of the model that not a lot of people see, and while this isn't exactly the full extent of that side, it's.. Getting there. The situation's just so.. Odd, he can't really help it, in a way. He sits up suddenly and nearly jerks back in his seat from the sudden outburst and thumbs up.
This.. Was really going to take some getting used to. There's definatly no talking Dan out of this one, is there?
Maybe he'd be easier to deal with than Alma at least. Maybe. "'Wild Card', that's interesting, I like that.." the blonde then says with a smile. "Wouldn't have expected anything else from the team leader. But as you said, I'll keep you informed. There's likely going to be a lot of activity, if a flood of new faces are to be expected." Munch. "'Wild Card'.. Kind of reminds me of myself."
There is something the Ikari woman is doing at this point that she very rarely does, show some emotion. Her lips are quirked into a smirk as she just nods when Dan and Benimaru both give their approval of the team name. "Simple and efficient. Let us just try not to draw too much attention to ourselves. We do have a job to do afterall." she says. If anyone sane were at this table they would probably wonder how the hell this team could do such a thing such as not attract attention. HOW CAN YOU NOT DRAW ATTENTION WHEN YOU HAVE A PINK ELVIS?
Still it seems that Leona is dead serious when she says it and that smirk is already gone by this point. "I might have one more stop to make for recruitment soon, but for now let us not count on that going through." she says as she rises from her table. "Now that this is out of the way I will be sure to file the paperwork and such needed. I will be in contact with you both. As for tonight, enjoy yourselves here, the tab is being taken care of." With that being said the Ikari snaps a crisp salute to her new partners and she moves off towards the exit. Hey, when you deal with Ralf and Clark on a daily basis dealing with these two should be a walk in the park.
Log created on 19:53:29 05/03/2008 by Leona, and last modified on 22:00:19 05/03/2008.