Description: Aranha was looking for another thief and instead he has the bad luck of finding a ninja. What is the exact motive of Eiji finding the Dancing Spider?All that is known is a challenge is made and the two fight it out on the streets of Southtown's business district. ( Winner: Eiji )
After watching the footage of the SNF that his team mate Rylee participated in, Aranha had thought about the challenge that Ayame laid down for him. If she wants him to come then fine. One hitch though he didn't know where she resided and had no way of contacting her and so he had to think like a thief. Where would Ayame go if she were looking for a few victims?
If she was staying in Southtown, she would be in the Business District. Lawyers and various business men were the type of people who made lots of money and this area was rich with them. Plus there was the fact that in this type of neighborhood people thought themselves safe... Silly them.
And so on this particular block Aranha walks around, casing place after place looking for Ayame. Shame he isn't a ninja... They have all the awesome information networks.
Thieves and hobos aren't the only things that enjoy the night and the darkness it has to offer. Even shadier individuals exist with the masses mostly not knowing of their existence. One of those easily forgotten individuals would be the head of Strolheim's security, Eiji Kisaragi. A name publically known well, but a face that is rarely seen unless he chooses it to be so.
Tonight he is on pleasure instead of business. Sadly things have been rather slow on the market and it just seems no one cares to have assassinations made these days. If business like this keeps up the ninja might just have to do something about it. Perhaps a few key kills here and there to allow for more underhanded fellows to take control of things.
The unfortunant target for this evening just happens to be the former thief, Aranha. It is a name Eiji is only slightly familiar with. The file that Strolheim has of him is a bit thin aside from a few articles about jobs he has pulled along with some minor snippets about him and that waste of an group named Blackjack. What interests him more is the fact that Tessa seems to have decided to take a break from her duties to join up with this fellow and a few other weaklings. Women never do make sense, yet perhaps she knows something he doesn't and that is why he stalks this evening.
It isn't until Aranha finds himself in a much less crowded area when the wind picks up around him. A few more steps carries the thief towards a alleyway in which the ninja finally emerges from the shadow with his gaze fixed on Aranha. "You shall be the first." he plainly states in a rather quiet and raspy voice. "You are in that League run by that idiot Ken Masters. I challenge you to a fight just to see if you have the courage not to run away."
"The first?" Aranha can't help but be surprised that he was being watched. Outside of his general harassment of Blackjack employees and the fact that he did sass Rugal resulting in him sending person after person to shut him up, he didn't think he did anything high profile enough lately to have someone after him except Ayame. And she was more hands on anyway.
The ninja makes himself known and his challenge known but there's a relative look of calm on his face as he attempts to bluff in order to hide the anxiety he's truly feeling. Be you a thief, thug, or an assassin, if you're deep in the underworld you've heard of Eiji Kisaragi. "Let's be realistic here. Even with my skills I don't think I have a choice in the matter. If I run, I'm probably not getting away. So the only option here is to fight."
And with that, Aranha pulls out his cell phone to call the Neo League staff to set up the fight. Fifteen minutes later the crew is already set up and Aranha steps forward to look the ninja in the eye. "I guess it's time to start the dance."
COMBATSYS: Aranha has started a fight here.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Eiji has joined the fight here.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
There is a bit of a chuckle from the ninja and he nods his head at the response. "You are at least a smart man." he responds when Aranha makes it known that running would be the far worse option when dealing with Eiji. Cowards are shown much less remorse than someone willing to accept a challenge the ninja offers. "This way you might live at least."
If Aranha wasn't feeling a bit tense to being with by the time the crew arrives he probably is at that point. The entire time Eiji really makes no movement aside from the slight rise and fall of his chest to indicate that he is breathing while that murderous gaze remains on the thief. If he blinked at all it was so quick it would be hard to catch.
He finally does begin to move once everything is set up and lets his stance shift to one ready for fighting while the mask he wears creases slightly from the smile that forms under it. "You better hope you don't disappoint me. If you don't perhaps I can solve your little problem." He then goes silent while waiting for the thief to make the first move.
COMBATSYS: Eiji focuses on his next action.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
Aranha knows when he's being scrutinized and those eyes are some of the intensely focused eyes he has ever dealt with focused on him, outside of Rugal. And so he knows he's going to need to be especially careful in this fight.
Aranha's dance begins and he sways to and fro as he moves in to close with Eiji. Sure, it's probably a trap but he damn well better impress the ninja if he wants his chance at revenge on Ayame. But What he does probably doesn't look like he's being as careful as he actually is as he goes into a cartwheel to close the remaining distance and then brings himself into a handstand as his leg extend outward becoming a human whirlwind of kicks.
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Eiji with Inverted Tornado.
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Eiji 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Aranha
The other major question is if the ninja is telling the truth. It isn't like Eiji or any of his kind are really the type to always keep their word. They are honorable to an extent, but for Eiji honor is outweighed by how much money something might make him. He just 'hehs' lightly when Aranha decides to close the distance and make the first move. One that the ninja seems to be thinking of avoiding, though a miscalculation in actually how quick the thief actually is results in him getting clipped by the first few kicks of that barrage before leaping away.
Through the air he goes backwards while twisting his body about to hit against the wall of a builing with his feet. His small body coils then he pushes off of it to launch himself forward back towards Aranha quickly before the thief can fully recover from his attack. There is a flash of red as a hand snaps about quickly in an arc downwards, a cutting motion that creates crimson colored blade of chi that will very much cut through what it touches.
COMBATSYS: Eiji successfully hits Aranha with Mist Slash.
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Eiji 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Aranha
After the kicks land Aranha watches as Eiji brings his hand up to form the crimson slash with his hand and Aranha planned on lifting an arm up in a sweeping motion to get out of the way however the attack was going to fast for him to avoid completely. His saving grace was the fact that he managed to pull himself out of the way just enough to keep his pants from being split in an awkward place. His shirt on the other hand, torn asunder and a bloody gash formed on his chest as he went to the ground with a loud growl of agony.
Aranha brings himself to his feet and performs a backhand spring to give him a bit more distance until he can actually figure out how to handle this particular ninja. Right now he's just playing for time as he spins around whipping an arm out as he sends a blue spider web of chi for the ninja. "Damn..."
COMBATSYS: Eiji dodges Aranha's Web Shot.
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Eiji 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Aranha
The first bits of blood have been drawn which means the fight has truely started. "The hunt has began and the prey has been marked." he murmurs quietly under his breath while seeming rather pleased with his handiwork. "People fight so much better when they realize things are so much more than just winning and losing, don't you agree?"
Of course he really doesn't leave much time to respond since the moment Aranha starts to sling about that chi made web there is a slight distortion around Eiji before it almost looks like he just fades from sight entirely while the webbing sails harmlessly past where he was. It is another quick flash when the ninja finally makes his presence known once again when he appears almost directly in front of Aranha while swinging his fist forward to slam it right into the would he just created.
COMBATSYS: Eiji successfully hits Aranha with Strong Punch.
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Eiji 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Aranha
Aranha attempts to weave out of the way of the powerful punch but Eiji's speed an experience work completely against him and the capoeirista finds the ninja's fist connecting fully with his body slamming into him and driving him to his back.
Aranha slowly works himself back to his feet.
"For me, it was always about matching wits with your opponent rather than the actual winning or losing." And then he brings himself closer and then suddenly Aranha himself becomes a blur seeming to almost disappear.
COMBATSYS: Eiji fails to interrupt Malicia from Aranha with Bone Cutter.
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Eiji 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Aranha
And then Aranha makes his own appearance right behind Eiji. One thing to note for those who are chi sensitive that the disappearance wasn't done with chi. Aranha had managed to crib Chris' horrifying technique of putting on bursts of speed to give the illusion of teleportation.
When Aranha's right behind him he slaps a blue spider web of chi on him and then quickly follows it with a powerful kick to the spine. After the kick is delivered, he back flips away from the ninja knowing that he's going to receive payback for that risky tactic.
Sometimes the best way to deal with speed is to just try and be faster. It isn't often that Eiji is the one that is outclassed in that area, He himself cannot teleport and uses a tactic much similar to what the thief employs, though the major difference is Eiji has been doing this much longer than Aranha and he knows the subtle outlines to keep an eye out for when someone attempts to use the same tactics that he would.
The ninja is infact more than ready to strike and when Aranha appears he is met face to face with the ninja. Aranha has the luck of being perhaps a second quicker than Eiji at this point though and instead of the back that web is planted on the chest while another crimson blade of chi flares up and narrowly misses the other fighter while kicking himself off and away.
Eiji kicks up off the ground himself and flips about to land in a low crouch while still facing Aranha, a low chuckle escaping his lips again as he nods. "Do that again. Do worse than that. Fight as if your life depended on it....or the life of your new friends did as well."
When Aranha is told to fight like his life or the life of his new friends depended on it, the Dancing Spider is filled with a stronger resolve. Both Rylee and Tessa both accepted him in spite of who he was and what he had done in the past and they had both earned his loyalty because of it.
But just because the raised doesn't mean you should act like an idiot. In fact, it's times like these that Aranha has to fight smarter. He can't afford to make mistakes. Not here and not now and so he studies Eiji. Perhaps his eyes aren't as experienced as the ninja's but they can gather a lot of detail in a short time as well.
COMBATSYS: Aranha focuses on his next action.
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Eiji 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Aranha
The words seem to have some effect on the other fighter. Hopefully this truely will make him put up a bit more of a fight now that he has time to let such things sink in. Really going along with that threat is a waste of time or money, but then again people consider Eiji more deranged than he actually is. The mindgames are just almost as fun to him as inflicting actual physical pain though so it is hard to stop doing it.
He lets Aranha have a moment to stand back, but soon the ninja moves back on the attack once again now that Aranha has had time to sort those thoughts. It is time to see if he is going to lay down and die or if he has a chance at actually pulling off a miracle against the ninja. There is another blur as he explodes forward, though when he closes in he takes to the air to flip about over Aranha while his hands flare bright with that crimson energy again and then make two cutting motions in a x-style pattern of chi that comes hurtling towards Aranha at a rather quick pace.
COMBATSYS: Eiji successfully hits Aranha with Steel Wave Slasher.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
Aranha decided he was going he was going to take the safest route possible this time around. Other than the 'teleport' trick, risky gambits had not been paying off for him. Unfortunately Aranha's reaction time was just a touch too slow. And when he goes to cover up, the crimson x just breaks through his guard driving him backwards and into a street lamp denting it before peeling himself off.
At this point Aranha has resigned himself to his fate. His defense just wasn't there this fight. Now he can think about is trying to deliver as much pain as he can before he goes out, Aranha will not go quietly into the night.
The Dancing Spider charges in with feet wreathed in blue chi as he delivers spinning kick after spinning kick over and over before finally finishing with those same spinning handstand kicks he delivered to Eiji in the beginning of the fight only this time they're covered in chi as well.
COMBATSYS: Eiji dodges Aranha's Royal Flush.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Aranha
In all honesty Eiji had considered that blow powerful enough to finish off the thief. The fact that Aranha gets up at all actually surprises the ninja. Of course the poor fellow isn't in the best shape at all after that, but he seems to have gathered the strength to keep fighting. "Interesting. Perhaps there is more to you than I had originally thought." It is rather rare that Eiji gives something even close to a compliment so perhaps that means he will just finish off Aranha quickly and in not such a painful manner.
He is already starting to become a blur when Aranha starts to come towards him with the attack and soon the thief is hitting nothing but air with those powerful kicks while ninja moves about to get the high ground. Once Aranha comes out of his attack is when he might feel the presence of Eiji again. This time it happens to be right above the Dancing Spider as Eiji is coming downwards intent on landing on the other fighter's head with both heels before pushing off and flipping away to land.
COMBATSYS: Aranha dodges Eiji's Light Kick.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Aranha
Aranha knows that he's basically at his limit and can't afford to take any more shots and in spite of it all, he still manages to tap into something that pulls the Dancing Spider out of the way by going into a sudden dive roll before he utilizes his own parkour additions in his capoeira to take to the air on the ninja.
Aranha vaults upwards and onto a dumpster before running up the wall and kicking off of it to launch a kick from above at the ninja before dropping into a roll to soften his own impact.
COMBATSYS: Eiji fails to interrupt Sky's the Limit from Aranha with Shadow Attack.
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Eiji 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Aranha
The force of impact on the ground is rather harsh when Eiji lands, his arms folded while he just watches Aranha scramble away and start moving about to try and keep the ninja guessing on where he is going. For someone that is on their last legs the thief seems to be very resourceful. Eiji is patient though and he will strike when he thinks he has an opening.
Apparently he thinks he sees that opening when Aranha comes springing towards him. There is another blur, though there is no vanishing act this time. Instead it almost looks as if Eiji is starting to split apart into multiple copies of himself. A tactic that is ruined when Aranha seems to nail the correct and causes the rest to disappear while the true Eiji staggers back a few steps.
The Business district. It made sense. In fact, he had just left a fairly important business meeting not moments ago. Left it angry, but left it nonetheless. It was nothing out of the ordinary. Some share holders had gotten restless, that's all. With the advent of science comes the necessity for resources, and Urien was one to have his thumb in any number of different pies. From retail to repair, food services to communications devices, there was a small portion of G Project in every facet of every store front the surrounding cities had to offer. The only thing he had left to get a firm hold of was Southtown. Needless to say, that wasn't an easy venture as Geese Howard had his fingers clutched pretty tightly to this berg.
In the back seat of an elegant, if unfortunately colored, dark brown limo, Urien's eyes were focused on a point somewhere off in the distance, watching carefully the city go by as the vehicle moved on. His mind was on what he would have to do next, his next move... whatever that would be. As yet there had been no need to publically announce his return to Southtown. He wanted things to stay that way for at least a few more days, but then... boredom was getting to him. The radio played an easy, smooth jazz station, not all together unpleasant but it wasn't what he was used to. He was used to the thrumming beats blaring out of speakers at expensive parties where he could hobknob with high society and pilfer their pockets clean with a few kind words, a silver-tongued lie or two, and of course, gain a few enductees.
As the limo rounded another corner however, it passed by a side street in the Business District where he couldn't miss the excitement of a camera man with a steady cam moving around to get the best angles. "Hold on... Back up." The driver doesn't need a second confirmation. In fact, the driver seemed somewhat... lax. His face never let his emotions show, if he had any, and his eyes seemed dialated, less focused... less present. No doubt he was probably just another genetic model, a dummy sitting in the seat that served no other purpose than to perform the bidding of Urien and nothing more. --
The limo backs up... it turns the corner and starts down the street, stopping a good distance away as the back seat door swings wide and Urien steps out, dressed in a finely cut Italian suit of a wheat color, his short, blond hair cut and fit for his headshape by likely a uselessly expensive barber. Taking the rest of the distance on foot, he slowly and inexorably moves towards Eiji and Aranha's battle, a slow and defining smirk finding it's way to his lips.
Aranha knows he just won a 3 card monte game with serious consequences the moment his foot lands upon the ninja's head. For some reason Aranha fights harder when he's on his last legs. His last fight with Gabriel in the Neo League showed it and his fights in the Seventh Circle where he found himself alone versus Ayame and Marise in one fight, and Shihong and Rugal in another fight have provided evidence to this effect as well.
Even still Aranha has to force himself to fight harder to keep going if his life or the life of his team mates depend on it. His ginga is slow and somewhat lethargic as he moves in but that doesn't mean everything. As a song in capoeira goes, Not everything that shines is gold and not everything that stumbles falls. Aranha attempts to make Eiji fall by slipping his foot behind the ninja's legs as he presses his elbow against his abdomen before thrusting his hips upwards as he attempts to put the ninja on his back hard.
COMBATSYS: Eiji dodges Aranha's Strong Throw.
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Eiji 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Aranha
At this point Arahna is starting to get rather sloppy despite still managing to get the strength to keep going. It is often hard to keep pace with someone like Eiji for a long period of time to begin with. Even seasoned fighters often have a tough time dealing with the ninja and his tricks. You don't become a renowned assassin or the head of Strolheim's security without having the strength to back it up.
There is a brief glance in the direct of a limo slowing down off on the otherwise empty street. Was perhaps Geese Howard here for a stroll? It doesn't look like any of the cars he has marked as personal favorites of the Southtown crimeboss, but just in case it was it would only be fair to give him a proper greeting to the fight.
Quickly the ninja evades the attempt from the thief and he pivots quickly on a foot and he twirls about while attempting to grab Aranha and fling him into the air before catching him around the waist and tossing him back towards the ground, and in this case right onto the hood of the limo if all goes to plan.
COMBATSYS: Aranha dodges Eiji's Falling Star.
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Eiji 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Aranha
Of course, the question still stands... why on earth would anybody purchase a brown limo. Let alone actually -use- it. That aside, the answer was about to come shortly. As the two continued to fight, their zest for the battle growing with every blow landed- every blow missed... So too was Urien's interest. For a brief moment he'd listened in on the AM airwaves-- yes, the AM... a man of classic tastes, he still bothered with it- concerning the fight, but it was a passing interest at best. However, passing so close to it on his way home, he might as well stop and see... Here in Southtown, he had no official 'base' of operation. Instead, he and his cohorts operated in complete concealment, using old shrines or churches, sometimes using hotel rooms, back lots, even the basements of establishments in the city that were under G Project control.
It was the best way to maintain a low profile. He'd purchased a small mansion outside of town to stay close to the action, but for the most part, his business was handled in Greece. He'd fly there on the regular via private jet, no trace of the flight left behind from either airport... granted, he had the Illuminati behind him- no small thing- and they didn't like their business getting out that easily.
Coming to a stop some one and a half blocks away, Urien stands with the few pedestrians who had stopped to watch the fight, a smug little smirk on his face. He wasn't that hard to catch... in this country, a Seven-foot-tall blonde man stuck out like a sore thumb. Especially a wealthy one. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he shuffles his feet shoulder width apart in those dark, paper-thin Italian loafers and watches... waiting... patient.
Not quite everything goes as planned for Strolheim ninja because as soon as the ninja reaches out for him, Aranha drops down into a split bringing both his hips and head right below the grasp. Unfortunately while the evasion was the right type for the situation, it doesn't give him many options as for attacks.
Aranha does have one thing going in his favor for him though. His attack method will be somewhat unorthodox but knowing how experienced and how adaptive the ninja is just from this fight, let alone reputation, the odds are still against him but he tries it anyway. He closes his legs around Eiji's own legs and twists trying to send him down to the ground, or possibly the car. He's not picky. He just wants to make an impact.
COMBATSYS: Eiji interrupts Medium Throw from Aranha with Stallion Kick.
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Eiji 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Aranha
It looks like perhaps the ninja has had enough of this little attempt at a comeback by Aranha. It was a good and brave effort, but in the end he just had too much stacked against him. His movements were getting more predictable by the moment and that could only lead to very bad things when dealing with people that really have no remorse in abusing so many openings.
A glance is cast aside towards Urien only momentarily. Yes, he does stick out like a sore thumb which is saying something when you are in a place like Southtown. Not much more of a look is cast his way though given Arahna looks ready to try and down Eiji one last time. Quickly the ninja raises his right leg and gets his left leg caught. The result is Aranha is soon met with several punishing kicks across the stomach and chest before a final stomp is delivered right down onto the crotch with the heel of his foot all while he is being twisted to be taken down only to catch himself on his hands and pull his other leg free. "Brave, but much work needs to be done."
Aranha gets caught with a a series of kicks in the process of trying to catch Eiji but then the final blow to the groin is what finally what takes him out of the fight. Even still, he just barely has it in him for one more final gasp.
Rising to his feet, he limps as he moves towards the ninja and shoots two fingers towards his eyes that stop just short of an eye gouge. The blue chi that bursts forth from his fingers doesn't stop short of his eyes though. If that initial chi gouge should hit, Aranha plans on following it with a foot ball kick to the groin. After all, turn about is fair play.
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
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Eiji 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Eiji fails to reflect Malicia EX from Aranha with Shadow Slicer.
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Eiji 0/-------/---====|
It was a rather nice performance in the end, but nowhere near good enough to handle Eiji properly. Still, he supposes at least he doesn't have to reprimand Tessa for hanging around with the fellow he supposes. He shall at least keep an eye on Aranha and perhaps have his subordinate keep tabs on at least one of her new friends.
The ninja straightens up while watching Aranha stumble forward. He shakes his head while laughing a bit and his own hand starts to raise to intercept whatever Aranha is planning to do. The flash of red comes up though not near fast enough to stop the chi gouging before there is the pain of getting hit between the legs himself. It really isn't something one should get used to, but apparently people think a ninja's true weakness is between the legs. There is a sharp grunt, but there is very little distortion in the expression Eiji has and he even holds his ground while reaching out to shove the other fighter back down. "Just for that I think I will have fun with one of your little friends. Perhaps the redhead since she seems to deem herself the leader of your little group."
Log created on 21:13:17 05/14/2008 by Eiji, and last modified on 23:12:40 05/18/2008.