Description: Aprile: Shadaloo assassin Doll. Setsuka: Freelance violenceorizer. The two meet in an unlikely circumstance, but find that neither really plays the protagonist well...
Place: A large villa outside Calcutta, India
Time: 7:55pm Local Time
Setsuka is not a famous figure. But she has worked for famous figures. Famous, and infamous. Her client this day is one of the infamous ones--a politican, as rich as he is corrupt. Unfortunately for him, in his greed, he crossed the wrong people...
...and so he 'went to the books', so to speak. He hired plenty of muscle--large young men with thick muscles and plenty of guns. But, knowing -who- he crossed... he wouldn't be safe with just them. And so he turned to Setsuka. She took the job, mainly out of boredom, but perhaps, knowing who her client was being targeted by, at the chance for some... fun.
The young woman is dressed in a black bodysuit, her hair tied off behind her--and she wears a mask that covers the lower half of her face. It's imposing, and meant to be, as well as to hide her identity. The only thing that might identify her--her blade, a kodachi, somewhat less in length than a katana... hung off a belt at her side, at her left, gripped by the same hand. She waits, silently, as night falls...
Tick tock tick tock tick tock.
Who knows just how long such a man has left to live? It could be forever, with all the money he might have, or it might not be to the end of the day, depending on just what crime he had committed, or people he turned against. Which explains why 'Tonight' is to be the aim of the man's removal. Sometimes you cross, or turn against, those whom have fallen. Shadaloo had 'fallen' in a sense. Master Vega, defeated, destroyed, utterly removed. It was safe to cut and run.
Or so had many thought.
Something lurks outside of the large villa.. an oddly backpacked, yet still lightfooted, woman. Her black outfit keeps her unseen for the most part, but the Shadaloo agent's specialty was anything but staying unknown and unseen. To sneak in wouldn't give her much time. Which is why she completely passes by such a thing!
One of the windows are crashed through a moment later, the doll being scraped up by some falling debris, but not actually bothering her. Wounds seem to heal slowly as she simply bowls into some of the larger muscled men. A burning energy surrounding her as she pushes onwards, pushing away their assaults as she just aims to pass by and stay on target. "Thanks for the greeting! But I've got people to see!"
While Aprile isn't a trained assassin.. she understands the simplicity in the assignment. Only one has to die, so bothering with the others isn't important!
How lucky for them!
Of course, when she goes where he SHOULD be .. she might be noticing something other than the target, but perhaps.. a woman.
Truth be told, the man she is guarding is repugnant. Not only has he made advances on her several times, despite looking rather like a pig--seriously--he's also threatened the families of some of the other hirees, should they fail. It isn't a good thing, not something that inspires morale. But Setsuka... really could care less. She is focused on the job. The advances, well... she's sworn not to harm a client, but that doesn't mean she can't threaten, and soon after that the man retreated to his bed.
Setsuka is waiting out there, actually, when Aprile busts in--the man she crashed into probably lucky, as the impact throws him over the edge of the balcony, sending him plummeting... into the pool. He'll live, probably. Setsuka? Not concerned.
Though her mask covers her mouth, it moves in what looks like a smile, a very predatory one, as she assumes a fighting stance, right shoulder forward, hand at the blade. She doesn't wait for Aprile to introduce herself, nor does she do the same.
That entrance means only one thing--it's time for Setsuka to do what she does best--hurt people. There's a metallic *click* as the blade is released from the scabbard's grip, then a hissing sound, as a slash makes its way outwards, a precise cut meant to open up a shallow wound on Aprile's abdomen.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Setsuka 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Aprile has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Aprile 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
COMBATSYS: Aprile blocks Setsuka's Yamikaze - Zan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Setsuka
CRASH.
What was that, Aprile wonders, as the splash sounds? It couldn't be the man. He was the target! But there's something there alright, as what Aprile spies is a woman with a mask covering her face, at least half of it. She wonders for a brief moment if she is friendly, and if Decapre knows her! But that ends rather quickly when she 'smiles'. She's seen something like it before, and before she knows it .. Setsuka assaults her! And boy, she's not really ready for it. The blade makes a sound, but Aprile's just barely able to bring one of the red guards to deflect it.. even then, the material does not do well to protect her flesh, and the blade draws blood so soon.
Stepping back a moment, Aprile looks at it with a purpose, blinking and taking a very close eye on this. Hmm.. oh yes that was very bad. That means she's not friendly! The wound begins to close as well, as Aprile's attention focuses upon Setsuka, the odd black suit wearing woman with a blade. Hmm....
It doesn't take long for her to grasp the door, it swinging as she moves with it, launching off it to send a backfist straight towards Setsuka, launching herself both towards the balcony .. and Setsuka.
Hopefully she doesn't fall off! Aprile OR Setsuka. Or maybe the water is cool?
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits Setsuka with Power Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
Hnh. Setsuka wasn't expecting such a swift response; her movement cut short, she's smacked quite solidly by the lunging girl. It makes her stumble back, but she remains quite solid on her feet all the same, putting her right foot out to keep herself from the edge of the balcony. And, of course, to use it as a stepping stone; she pushes off, then leaps upwards, pirouetting gracefully over Aprile's form.
The girl can't turn her back on Setsuka--or at least, she won't, if she's smart--and so distraction is the order of the day. As she reaches a level with the ceiling, she tucks--and pushes off it with both feet, bringing her blade and her body straight down. Once again, the blade is angled very precisely, to cause an injury with the maximum amount of painful, non-lethal damage--her client doesn't want to have to get rid of any bodies if he can help it, and he's not looking to start a revenge war.
COMBATSYS: Aprile dodges Setsuka's Power Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
The backhand, actually striking Setsuka, doesn't stop the doll however as she moves towards the ledge.. and as she moves forwards, Setsuka leaps easily over her form, causing the nurse doll to have to think quickly. It's something that she is still capable of, even if Master Vega does indeed cloud her mind all about. It's a nice cloud, like it was blotting out the sun slightly so she can see.
In this, it is invaluable.
Instead of turning around to deal with Setsuka, Aprile keeps going, heading towards the edge of the balcony.. the angle may be precise, but Setsuka might not anticipate the doll to step off the balcony.. which she does.
Before she falls too far, however, the nurse grasps the edge, swinging back as Setsuka would land.. before swinging upwards, flipping up and around before she comes down, both feet first, towards Setsuka..
Does she function well as a landing zone, she wonders. "You don't really need to be involved in this, miss!" She calls, somewhat sweetly.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka blocks Aprile's Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Setsuka
Her landing kicks up an explosion of dust, dust which Aprile kicks through--and finds herself impacting mostly against Setsuka's sheathed blade and forearm. Her expression is measured, her eyes alight. Truly, since she really began her career, she's found worthy opponents...
"Ah, but you see, I really do," she says. But that's all she says, her voice low, sultry. Once again, she leaps to the attack, perhaps literally; taking a hop upwards, she spins, and the sound of that slashing blade comes again--
--but it's a feint, as Setsuka lashes out with a twisting, aerial roundhouse kick, snapping a booted foot out to try and tag Aprile across the face. It's actually a little awkward, but perhaps there's enough behind it to confuse the girl, what with the dusk...
COMBATSYS: Aprile blocks Setsuka's Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
As her leg comes down, the foot slams against the sheathed blade, and is stopped.. before she ends up kicking off it, the doll followed upwards. She takes care not to hit the ceiling, but it's large enough to not worry about. What she must, however, is the blade that she hears coming around..
Albeit, that is not what finally impacts into her at the end, the boot tagging the doll's arms once more as she flips back from the force, touching down quickly.
A moment later, the doll is off, spinning, legs first towards Setsuka, aiming to drill straight into her, the burst of psycho power before her feet ablaze in a slight white and red color.
"Oh.. Okay! Then you'll enjoy this too!" She says, matter of factly, "Cannon spike!" The drilling ends as she tries to simply launch Setsuka into the air before literately spiking her back to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka counters Cannon Spike from Aprile with Oborozuki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Setsuka
Hnn. An interesting technique. Setsuka, however, will have none of it. As she lands from her strike, she's already preparing her next response--and maybe she can tell what Aprile has in mind... enjoy it? Perhaps... perhaps not. What Aprile will find, though, is that though she feels as though she makes contact, in that moment... at that exact frame of time...
Setsuna glows purplish, as if turned into energy. Which she is. She turns into a ghostly image of her that drops as if made of water...
... and then comes up behind the flying girl, out of the ground, reforming her body behind Aprile... her left hand up, bearing a purple-white blade of that energy that is slashed across Aprile's back, before Setsuka takes a slow step back.
"'Enjoy' it? My dear, I don't know what you take me for..." There's certainly a teasing note to her voice, that mask hiding an enigmatic smile. Truly, she only has to stall--once her client's transportation gets here, it's up to him to get away...
Ooh. Glowly.
That's about what Aprile thinks as Setsuna begins to glow, the moment she contacts. Oh my that must be something odd! And it ism, because a moment later she appears behind her, reforming, and that purple white blade of energy slashes across the dolls back! Having her momentum broken, the doll falls to the ground, dragging herself upwards in a heap. "I'd hate to think you were just toying around." She answers, arms hanging, weak, and her body pulling herself up once again, slowly. That is .. before she lashes out again.
It was never enjoyable to be cut, especially by a blade of energy! Yet as Setsuka did achieve such a thing, Aprile was already planning what to do to her, the doll taking that medkit, beginning to swing it, faster and faster. Setsuka might be already tipped off, but how much that will help will be a mystery.
Kicking off the ground, Aprile takes to the air, flipping around once before spiralling towards Setsuka, aiming two heavy, psycho imbued strikes of the swinging weapon to stop her spin, putting all her effort behind it.
Strike or not, the doll was happy in a way. She's always happy when she is used in a way. That is her purpose, and it was good to feel happy for it. Otherwise, Master Vega might not be happy. And this was important.
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits Setsuka with Peleative Care.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Setsuka
Her head is ringing now. Ringing badly. The twin strikes impact full-on, throwing Setsuka into the wall; a wound opened on her temple, spilling blood down her suit... and still she smiles. Yes, she is doing badly... but she's not out of the fight yet...
Pushing off the wall, she reaches up, with her right hand, touching it to the wound... getting her own blood. Smearing it over her lips, where she would have licked the blood off, she takes up another stance... then steps forward, that one step seeming to accelerate her forward, letting her get back within range in a split-second... then she lashes out with the blade. Two cuts, nearly simultaneously, one aiming for the abdomen, the other aimed for the thighs, both meant to cut as deep as possible without disabling.
It is notable that she has yet to actually attack to do any serious injury...
COMBATSYS: Aprile fails to interrupt Power Strike from Setsuka with Random Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Setsuka
Oh, and Aprile is smiling bright still, especially when she notices Setsuka slam into the wall. Oh yes, that's very nice! .. But it's when Setsuka smears her blood on her lips that draws Aprile's apt attention. "Oh why would you do that?" She asks, before coming to a conclusion. It must be tasty. MMM MMM!
"So you have candy blood?" She asks, clearly misunderstanding the situation before Setsuka accelerates forwards. The strike is rather simply to see coming, and while Aprile sees it's trajectory .. she blissfully ignores it all, grasping the bag on her back and swinging it around, before the blade slices twice against Aprile, causing her to stagger backwards. Oh bother!
Somewhat bloody, she doesn't seem to mind however. It's only going to bother her for a little longer. That's for sure!
Well, if the blade hadn't gone into her a bit, she wouldn't have cared at all, but the blade is somewhat bloody, and that's a very bad bloody blade. But it didn't hurt as much as she had expected.
The satisfaction of a cut well-made--even if Aprile is tougher than she looks--and the pain it inflicts brings a smile to Setsuka's lips. "So, she -can- be hurt," murmurs the woman, tossing her head, her hair fluttering behind her. "Perhaps this is for the best..." Soon now, soon her quarry will escape... and Aprile will have no reason to fight.
Her blue eyes fix on Aprile. "I wonder if you realize what is happening..." she muses, to herself, but there's no time for somber reflection. Not that Setsuka would be all that somber anyways. Her blade has returned to the scabbard already, practically of its own free will; once again she assumes her battoujutsu stance, tapping her forward foot as if to a beat.. and then she's off again, utilizing her speed, seeking to manuever -past- Aprile in order to hook her hand around the girl's throat and just thrust her into the ground.
The blade? It never leaves its scabbard, though it's still firmly held in her left hand, at the base of the scabbard, just where the blade enters...
COMBATSYS: Aprile interrupts Quick Throw from Setsuka with 10th Floor Transfer.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Setsuka
Oh, but there is always reason to fight. Setsuka has proven to not fall for the old weight filled bag, and in the end, that has even dealt trisky witch Naerose a hand she could not stop! Or could she?! But as the blue eyes look to her, Aprile tilts her head. Whaaa? What is happening? Oh she doesn't know. Her mission involves to get to the man, and remove any resistance!
But it seems the resistance was truly resisting! Tarnation!
"Oh I understand!" Aprile explains, a wide smile from her. "I was stabbed!" She says it so simply. Like it didn't matter at all! But when Setsuka resumes her stance, tapping her foot forwards and dashing off, aiming to have her throat hooked and then thrust into the ground.. but Aprile is a firm believer that if it doesn't work the first time .. TRY TRY AGAIN!
That's just what she does, spinning rapidly, a red path of psycho energy with a white glow surrounding her.
The doll spirals upwards, Setsuka following her before she's spiked down, at the edge of the balcony.
And then woah! .. Wait who's that man running away? ... Uh oooooh.
Setsuka's world is made into pain. It isn't entirely bad--on some level she's a masochistic type, but really, she's more of a sadist. Still, it's not pain she can ignore entirely, at all... and so when she's finally released from the technique, she finds it hard to stand. But, see... even those who are evil can be persistent. Cowardice is not a word in Setsuka's vocabulary.
At least, not applied to herself. She starts laughing. It isn't wild laughter, but there is a silvery, maniacal edge to it. "I don't believe you -do-..." The man who's running away? He just got into an armored car. Of course, he can still be caught. But Setsuka just got paid.
"So will you fight... or will you pursue?" That is, indeed, the question... Setsuka won't, however, give her the chance to answer it, as she suddenly blurs forward again, blade held in her left hand again, by the scabbard... her right snapping out for Aprile's throat.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka successfully hits Aprile with Yamikaze - Kama.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Aprile 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Setsuka
... contact. Aprile is grabbed by the throat--and that grip is used to toss the girl backwards, through the air. But quick as a flash, Setsuka is there in front of Aprile, lashing out with her blade, cutting a thin bloody line across her abdomen. She sheathes the blade, and speeds up--grabbing Aprile by the throat again, and hurling her back the other way.
Another quick speed move and Setsuka is slashing Aprile in the back, opening her clothing and a long wound... and then she's doing yet another speed move, grabbing Aprile and tossing her back the other way -again-, finishing with another slash across the abdomen.
HURK.
As Aprile looks at the man, he's escaping into an armored car. That's .. bad! Aprile knows when things have gone bad, and the fact that she has let go the man is rather bad, yes. That means he lives another day, and still exists despite his treatment, and actions. That will just NEVER do. But that doesn't matter.
Grasped by the throat, Aprile's attention is elsewhere, especially when she's tossed backwards, and Setsuka appears suddenly, cutting a line across Aprile. It happens a few times, throwing and slashing until the doll topples to the ground, breathing somewhat heavily as she stays, motionless, on the ground.
"I'll ... do what I can now.." Because she cannot run really fast. It just doesn't work that way.
On her way up to her feet, her legs lash out, aiming to trip Setsuka up, kicking off the ground as she does this. "You still have a little bit to go before you take care of me though .. so maybe you should leave. Something terrible might happen!" She adds, bouncing back.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka counters Light Kick from Aprile with Oborozuki.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Aprile 1/----===/=======|===----\-------\0 Setsuka
She's seen it before--not too long ago. It seems that Setsuka has no qualms about using her techniques repeatedly, when she can. Her legs are quite open, after all... and such a tempting target. This time, for sure, Aprile can feel like she got a solid hit. Until Setsuka turns into that blue-purple form and splashes to the ground, only to come up behind the girl again.
This time, that blade of Psycho Power is plunged downwards, stabbing through Aprile, from shoulder straight in--it won't do physical damage, as Aprile well knows, but it will -hurt-... Aprile.
The bodyguard--and sometime assassin--smiles, cruelly; she knows well the pain of that blade, and even having it touch internal organs cannot be much fun... she leans down and murmurs, just as the blade fades out, "Your quarry is escaping..." And then she's backing off, because she's crazy but not STUPID.
TINK.
AHHHH HERE IT GOES. As the glowing color of psycho energy rips into her, Aprile is burn through a bit once more, the energy stabbing through her. But as the blade is plunged down towards her, it does indeed hurt. But collapsing to the ground again, what with her leg interrupted, Aprile can feel her energy slowly slipping away. Especially when energy like that plunges through you. But the doll is a being of that energy, the much .. darker psycho energy, one of a monster of the such, is within her. She still collapses.
That is, until the words are spoken. "No." She exclaims, looking up, nodding.
"My quarry is right here miss." Kicking off the ground, the medkit is thrust before her, before a brilliant glow of silver erupts in front of her, the doll thrusting herself straight towards the assassin, a red glow about it as she runs straight at her.
It might be less than enjoyable.
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits Setsuka with Cross Of Red.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Aprile 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Setsuka
Impact. Setsuka's body can't take any more; she's well-acquainted with her own body, after all, and she knows exactly what it is capable of. What she can withstand and what she can't. This girl... has bested her? Perhaps. But she's not quite done yet... no... Setsuka lands, her fires still burning bright, for the moment. Once again, that blade is held by the scabbard, in her left hand... as she lunges forward.
Only, her right hand is glowing now, blue-purple, Psycho Power collecting around her hand and intensifying, building... as she does her best to slam past Aprile at full speed, reaching out with that right hand...
She doesn't speak. She's been paid--she was paid the moment the man got into that car. This final effort is only because it's the way Setsuka is. She never gives up, a trait often attributed to 'heroes'. But heroes aren't like her...
COMBATSYS: Setsuka can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Aprile 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Aprile endures Setsuka's Yamikaze - Kuu.
[ \\ <
Aprile 0/-------/---====|
It's pure stubbornness keeping Setsuka up long enough to do this. The impact doesn't really hurt--but Aprile now has a glowing sphere of Psycho Power 'stuck' to her. By the time she notices that, Setsuka's passed by again, planting one in her lower back. And a third time--this one right into Aprile's head.
Setsuka's voice comes, suddenly, low and hard. "Shi-ne... (Die...)" And then the Psycho Power explodes, like three bombs, one after another, flaring outwards to engulf Aprile's body three times. In the aftermath, Setsuka has already leapt over the edge of the balcony; she turns back, to say to her foe, in a not-unkind manner, "Perhaps you will be able to catch him," before she leaps off the edge. She has a plane to catch...
... and knowing who Aprile ostensibly works for, she knows that Shadaloo doesn't tolerate failure well. It isn't a position Setsuka would like to be in. But... that's Aprile's life. A worthy foe, she thinks, and that earns her some of Setsuka's respect...
As Setsuka lunges forwards, Aprile attempts to withstand the assault as she begins to pool her energy together, to push through it! But .. it does not work. She's slammed past, a hand reaching out as the woman goes by. Uh oh.. th-that could be bad!
And then there are glowing spheres of Psycho energy all about her. They stick nicely, and as it explodes, the doll is blasted, exploding through a window and into the foliage nearby to the villa. She'll have her wounds heal. She is near unconciousness, but far from horrible paralysis or crushing defeat.. like she has faced before.
It was troubling to begin with, but Aprile could not waste time.. something which drew her to her foolish acts at times. Yet Setsuka was difficult, even if she had pulled her other tricks in .. would it really have done as much as she had hoped for?
Unfortunately, she will be unable to catch the man in this condition .. and while failure is dealt with poorly, the doll had tried her 'best'. Another will simply be assigned... but being replaced in this doesn't bother her. She is only to serve, as she realizes.
COMBATSYS: Aprile takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Aprile can no longer fight.
Log created on 21:06:39 06/06/2008 by Setsuka, and last modified on 22:10:01 06/13/2008.