Description: In order to get a point across, examples must be made. In order to demonstrate the hopelessness of a situation, sometimes domestic points must be struck down -- anything to cause histeria in a civilian setting, to lower morale. When the bizarre 'tanks' Scylla and Charybdis come calling to bring havoc to Southtown's Village Mall, there is only one pair that can stop them -- Robert Garcia of the Kyokugen Dojo... and Daniel "Jack" Little of the Todoh-ryuu Doj?!. An odd couple to be sure, but can they resolve their differences before all is lost...?
The Southtown crisis meant many things to many people. War. Opportunity. Death. And to some, victory. For Daniel Jack, it was fear. The detective of Southtown was once the detective of Metro City, not so long ago. He was a decent detective, though then he was a miserable fighter. It was safe to call him NPC bait. The kind of person slipped in by a real character in order to prove a point. When the Siege of Metro City began, he found himself being rounded up by a few of the personalities he helped get locked up. And from there, he received a proper retribution.
This event was one of the most decisive points in his life, only outmatched by the death of his parents. He thought he was in control of his life. But after being beaten into an inch of his life, he realized that Metro City was too dangerous for him. Just like Omaha. And so, he ran away to Southtown. There, he found Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu. And since then, it was history. He was happy here, controlling the jobs at his own pace. He was hunting down an alleged murderer by the name of Stray Dog. He found some harbor jobs organized by some mysterious organized criminal group. And finally, he was on the trail of an evil psychic clown. All was set and stable... until Shadaloo and NESTS charged into Southtown... and Gedo Street.
The detective spent the last 8 hours fleeing in the shadows, and when the sun rose, in the early morning light. Supplies were low. He took everything valuable he had; stuck it in a backpack stolen off a Gedo student, and was simply running. He was terrified for his life. He knew the airports would be down- just like in Metro City. He knew everyone who had a grudge would be after him. And worse yet, he was in a hell hole again. He needed to reach the safest place he knew of...
Master Todoh's Dojo.
Daniel Jack made it to the mall through the back alleys, weaving and sneaking as well as he could. He knew the mall well. It was fairly close to Master Todoh's Dojo, and if people were too panicked; he might be able to loot a few supplies. Or buy them. Daniel approached the mall slowly, listening carefully. He heard the sound of a great deal of activity inside. Sort of like screaming. Maybe there was rioting, or looting. Or maybe, like him, people were frightened. And desperate. The detective kept up the pace, the Hello Kitty pack swinging with every step.
Hopefully, he would survive this day as well.
Take THAT, Hot Topic. The maelstrom of exploding, highly flammable garments and accessories is caught in glorious high resolution digital, already ready already for the Blu-Ray release. A young woman, or is that an effeminate man, runs out in flames, and the scouteye zooooooms. Whirrrrrrrrrr!
Of course, Charybdis is having all the fun, while Scylla merely looks on : the tankette's pilot has a fine vantage point grappled to the ceiling of the wide concourse leading from shop to shop down the center of the mall, as her more overt sibling basically spreads bloody chaos this way and that. Bodycount is nice, but it's the sheer, unabating terror that they're really going for here. Terror like Daniel's feeling, fear that spreads through Southtown like an acidic venom pumped into its very bloodstream. The civilians aren't enough, however. This is a city of fighters, a metropolis of champions, and you just can't rightly nuke the hell out of THE Mall without expecting some repurcussions - even if the Pao Pao Cafe did already close down so that its employees could fight the good fight somewhere else. Bet those bartending brawlers wish they were on their home turf /now/!
See, Charybdis is having all the fun because Scylla's part in this little engagement is that whole 'Objective B' aspect. The modular, armored beastie crouches tight against the ceiling, but it's almost superfluous considering the advanced field projected all around it, cloaking it to little more than a still, distorting shimmer against the architecture. The torso occasionally rotates to get a better shot of the destruction, the dead and the dying, or Charybdis' shiny metal ass, but otherwise Scylla remains decidedly out of the confrontation... for the moment.
Data, data, beautiful data! The streams of information are decidedly more boring than they get when real resistance is involved, but the mercenary operator, code-named Hunter, is giggling anyway. Cackling, more like. It's lucky for her that the cockpit is soundproofed, so that no one hears the sudden choke and snort as things get just a little /too/ overzealous thanks to a particularly well placed offensive that eradicates more than a few benches, potted plants, and fleeing pedestrians. Oh yea, that's gonna leave a mark.
There was one man who fed off of fear. Feeding off of fear was pretty much his job. Meet Jason Penny, code name 'Ace'. He's your average 32 year old man with spiky, black hair and isn't seen anywhere without his trusty yellow-lensed sunglasses (not that anyone would know this since one can't really -see- the pilot but I digress). He was a punk, never liked the police, his idea of a good time watching football and coming his hair. He has very little hand-to-hand combat skill, but he was excellent, and I mean excellent, with vehicles. He's your average NPC bait. But he has an astounding tank.
Debris flies into the air and water pipes suddenly burst. The cause of this, of course, is the gunmetal-color tank in question that somehow made it's way to the second floor and has crashed back down onto the first, smack dab in the middle of the remains of a recent car-show. It's a pretty impressive piece of machinery really, sure the arms make it looks like some sort of ghetto transformer, but that's just how Charybdis rolls. Screams increase in volume as suddenly a massive blade unsheaths from the left arm, which it plunges into the front of an unlucky vehicle, flips it upside down, twists to the side and then snaps back, slinging the unfortunate car pretty much like one would skip a rock across a lake. Look at it go!!
COMBATSYS: Charybdis has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Scylla has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|
Brown vest, check. Bling, check. Car keys...check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check. Keys for the car he's actually driving? Check.
While some cower and flee form the mayhem of war in Southtown, others prepare for battle. It's been several years, but it looks as if it's time for the Kyokugen clan to take to the streets once again. The brittle armistice between the dojo and Southtown Syndicate isn't enough to keep them off the street when the town is under siege from outside forces. But even so, heart filled with pride for his dojo as it is, one man isn't above using the situation to his advantage. No. This siege is an *opportunity*. An opportunity to prove himself worthy of his love's hand in marriage once and for all! To the mall, he rides. For here, not only can he secure the respect of his peers by protecting the citizens of Southtown, he can *also* defend the one single place that means the most to Yuri Sakazaki. The MALL.
The blue Ferrari F40 rumbles to a halt outside of the ruined food court, after circling around a few times and finding no convenient parking that wasn't littered with annoying tire-puncturing debris. So what if its driver has further to walk, it will be more dramatic this way!
"CITIZENS of SOUTHTOWN.", an annoying voice creens in the distance. "This way to safety. I, a valiant student of KYOKUGEN, shall see to your safety! Please proceed in an orderly--" He doesn't get to finish. One nudge was all it took, and those poor souls still trapped within the building all surge forward at once toward the direction of the idiot who is going to hold back the invading forces while they flee to their homes.
Luckily, fighters are made of pretty tough stuff. The trampled Italian peels himself off the floor of the entryway, not yet aware of the chewed gum stuck to his hair as he brushes himself off, a wistful glance cast behind him towards the fleeing civilians. ...Wait a minute, he knows that guy. "Hey, you! Yeah, YOU!! I'm talking to you! I've got things under control here, there's no need for a Todoh-ryuu SISSY when the professionals are on the scene!" Sticking out his tongue, he makes a shooing gesture with his gloved hands. "You heard me! Go on, scoot!" There, that should score some more points with Takuma. Now on to the crusade itself. Where there is the sound of violence, there must be foes to confront...!
Charging into the mall, eventually Robert comes upon one of the most ghastly, horrible things he's ever seen in his life. "Oh. My. God." His brown eyes widen in absolute horror as he witnesses a mechanical monstrosity lumber towards the poor, defenseless motor vehicles, and brutally slaughter one right before his eyes before skipping it across the courtyard, narrowly missing by ten feet.
A tear run's down the cheek of the olive-skinned fighter, fist clenching at his side and shaking with rage as his head turns to regard the tank. Can its pilot hear him? It doesn't really matter to him. "You...you...INFIDEL. How dare you destroy a collector's item! There can be no forgiveness, the only fitting punishment is death!" Breaking out into a mad dash, the Italian can be seen sprinting directly towards Charybdis, heedless of his own safety, leaping into the air and plunging a single, untargeted foot of raw FURY into the side of the unsuspecting vehicle. "FEEL THE FURY OF ROBERT GARCIA!"
COMBATSYS: Robert has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|
The sound of the tanks reach Daniel Jack well before the crowd does. He remembers the sound of tanks. They were singing in Gedo Street. They sung in Metro City. And now, they were singing here. The crowd swiftly rushes past the student of Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu, stampeding in reaction to two tanks rampaging through the mall. His march to the mall slows suddenly, especially when the car is sent crashing inside the building. The detective is almost ready to break. He had no reason to be here. He could just join the crowd, and be safe there. But then, something happens. Something burns in him. A fire, a powerful flame fueled by the spirit of Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu.
Kyokugen insults him.
Insults the WAY of TODOH.
The detective's nervous daze hardens. Yes, he recognized Robert now. He was not Dan at all. The distinction was very clear. Extremely clear. As clear as crystal, especially since the... incident. Daniel shook the memory from his mind. No. Never again. His fury was already taking hold of his heart. Barging through the crowd, he ducks down, scooping up a single rock. Mind burning with rage, he just focuses, focuses hard on proving himself. Proving that the WAY of TODOH was MORE BRAVE than Kyokugen. Eyes burning, he does not even care that the tank is tearing apart the vehicles. Why would he? Only Italians love cars more than they love women. That's why Yuri torments Robert so much, the detective bets. Staring at Charybdis, he roars at the top of his lungs. "I'll show YOU, KYOKUGEN! Face the FURY of TODOH-RYUU KOBOJUTSU! HIIIIIIIYA!" The detective screams, hurling the rock with all his blazing spirit at the tank.
And then, suddenly, the burning rage wears off.
Daniel's bowels spasms as he just realizes what he's done.
COMBATSYS: Daniel has joined the fight here.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Daniel successfully hits Charybdis with Thrown Object.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Charybdis blocks Robert's Hien Ryuujin Kyaku.
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Charybdis 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
Ohhhh damn. Heroes are so predictable! All you have to do is cause mad property damage, injure or maim or kill a few dozen people, and threaten the one area where Takuma's credit cards have even greater worth than gold, and they will irately throw themselves foot-first into the fray! .... or maybe hurl rocks. The excitement and enthusiasm build as Hunter drools on herself just a little, sweaty hands palming the controls of the armored infiltrator eagerly. Wait for it... wait for it. The secondary eye whirrs inward and out, focusing first on Daniel, and then on Robert, as the internal displays rack up all sorts of data about their muscle mass, fighting power, velocity, impact force. It's like it's ripped straight from a bad anime.
"Keep them busy we've got them now!!!" Crackles the elated voice over the radio, as Charybdis' backup.... simply doesn't come. Electrified tendons tense, coiling the modular tankette tighter still to the ceiling, readjusting its facing towards the entryway fully. A few quick buttons are pressed, the data logged, transmitted, and incorporated into the combat algorithms. .... almost.... almost.... just got to zero in, make this count. If one could see the tense clenching of the wide-eyed, far from panicked and instead manicked mercenary within the twin Scylla unit, well. They would understand why two monsters ready to drag your entire crew into a gaping maw is worse than one. Any which way you go, you are a food.
Yes, yes.... "The greasy one is far stronger!!!" AH DUHHHHH!!! Helpful information for the jarred Charybdis unit, "SET THE HAIR ON FIRE!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Scylla calculates her next move.
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Charybdis 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
Oh what is this, what is THIS?? The vehicle of destruction appears to be looking at Robert as he bellows about with all that gusto and heroics and whatnot. It isn't all that interesting, though what is, is when that sudden Kyokugen Fury in compact energy form comes screaming toward Charybdis with the intent to kill. Hmn, how do these things handle against projectiles? Well, judging by the way it just utterly smashes against it's body.. Unmovingly, nothing at all?? Or are looks deceiving? But more importantly, the three-taloned 'hand' of the tank raise its arm vertically, drawing in its thumb, and then its pinky. This is a moment in history, Robert, you have been flipped off by a tan- TINK
".. The hell?" Ace's unheard voice says as the mighty Todoh-Ryuu Stone creates a most epic scratch upon it's finely painted shoulder. It's value has decreased by thousands for sure! Now, as for his partners suggestion, Ace had little choice but to squint a touch. Set his hair on fire? He was a little underequipped for the task! "Well.. I'll see what I can do."
Steam spews from the tanks sides and it proceeds to drag its way toward the duo... Assuming they're actually that close; if not its sights are clearly on Robert as a deep humm comes from the oversized firearm on its left arm and a steady stream of bullets follow, trailing along the ground and closer and closer to it's target until finally locking on properly and .. Well.. Pretty much keeping up that hail for a good ten seconds. It could hurt!
COMBATSYS: Charybdis successfully hits Robert with Heavy Chain Gun.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
What...what is that blasphemy that falls upon Robert's ears? Todoh-ryuu?! It's just one sin against the natural order of things after another inside of this mall!! "What do you think you're doing?! This place isn't safe, get out of here before..." The arm orients on him. "...you get hurt?..." Uh oh.
%Round after round is spewed from the appendage, and such is his distraction that his attempt to sidestep doesn't quite come in time. The man backpedals as he meets opposing force, arms flailing widly as if trying to swim through a sea of bullets that only he can see.
So that's what it's like to be shot. Luckily, Robert is tough stuff. Because he is a FIGHTER, the bullets immediately begin work on leaving a nasty web of purple bruises down his body, but for now...he's annoyed. Really friggin' annoyed. "That's not what you use a fist for!" Taking one measured step as another through the gunfire, Robert eventually finds himself staring down the offending arm in question. Okay, with one elbow raised to shield his face from it, admittedly. But it's what happens next that counts; he then proceeds to punch the artillery arm. "THIS is how it's done!" ...In the fist. Okay, maybe that wasn't such the brightest idea after all, but this is a matter of principle. Or something.
Daniel Jack grimaces silently as he struggles to keep poop from filling his pants. Only through his intense training with the spirit of Todoh keeps him from breaking a wet one right in his drawers. Robert's advise lands on his ears. This place wasn't safe, but... "No, scuzzy, you just don't dig it. I gotta stop these nasty gearboxes, you dig? So just Jack it solid, you know- oh?!"
Suddenly, BULLETS.
When Charybdis opens fire, the detective bolts for cover. Swinging his right arm widely back and forth, he clamps his other arm hard down on his hat, keeping it on. Attacking a tank. With a ROCK. That was quite possibly the dumbest idea he ever had. Diving behind a flipped Mercedes, he slides on the ground like a baseball star, hitting the wall lightly as he shuffles his back to the vehicle.
Dropping his backpack down to the ground beside him, he immediately slips his hand into his jacket coat. Swiftly, he draws out his small snubnose revolver. Yes, a complete step up from his rock. No, no, not like this. At least he was going to be somewhat effective with it. Going into the city, he wasn't going to play around with less-than-lethal rounds. He had hollow-points now, all about the stopping power. But not meant for tanks. Moving up into a crouch, he shuffles over to the truck of the flipped car, peering over the edge. And from there, he stared at Charybdis and Robert, planning out a plan of attack. He needed to think strategically. Use his brain, instead of his brawn. What could he do against a tank of that level with his level of firepower... and with Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu? He couldn't just pin the tank into a submission hold...
Or COULD he?
COMBATSYS: Daniel focuses on his next action.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Daniel
Getting hurt. It's about the best thing in the world. It's what they're here for. It's what they live for. YEA!
... at least so long as it's happening to someone else. Charybdis, pressured by Robert again, may be left to wonder if she's going to get any backup at all. But not for long, "Heh heh heh." Hunter intones, forgetting entirely to switch off the radio, "HEHEHAHAHHEHAHHE!!!" Bleep. Bloop. Armaments are cycled, the tankette's gaping forward maw opens, and.... little droids that look sort of like the ones used by LUKE SKYWALKER for training against blaster bolts come hovering out merrily, four in all, whirring happily and whizzing downward at an angle towards Robert, then horizontally, then vertically, suddenly flanking him from above, and attacking from behind!!! What matter of new devilry is this?!?
"Gonna be a hot tiiiime.... in the oooold mall toooonight...." Yes, Scylla's pilot is singing. In a nasally, slightly flat tone that really should make one feel nothing but abject pity for the poor, defenseless Charybdis, "... check it and seeeee..." Hum, hummmm.. If only she knew a full song.
"Gar-cia started the fiyah...."
The cloaking field fails utterly as the Scylla unit swaps over into full-on deployment, a massive chaingun hinging out of a compartment near the back, clanking into place at the side, even as the gunports in her hungry orifice snap closed .... for the moment.
The levitating, quick-travelling spheroids should provide a nice distraction as the multi-legged tank flips, and drops with alarming - if mighty forceful - dexterity directly to the floor of the mall with stone-cracking force. At least that's the plan!
COMBATSYS: Charybdis blocks Robert's Strong Punch.
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Charybdis 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/???????/???????|-------\-------\0 Daniel
The Charybdis pilot thought Garcia was annoying before but now... Just.. Man, this guy was cramping his STYLE! Here he was looking very cool and very badass with his amazing tank, and then there's -this- guy talking trash to him and just generally being corny! In his unbiased opinion. And then to add insult to injury, Ace ends up wincing as his partner proceeds to sing. ".... Aw man, no. Nooooo. God." he grumbles to himself, if she continues he will go into a rage, how did she get hired anyway?? WHUNK! That's the sound of Kyokugen fist slamming against the arm of the heavily armored beast. Though to Garcia's credit, he actually makes a nice dent into the metal, and even an annoyed spark follows. Visable damage is a good start!
And where did that other guy go anyway? Behind that car? May be fun to mess with him a bit, deciding for some crazy reason, to trust Scylla to get Robert off his back, the gun-arm redirects itself and gives another hum, the watertank on its back starting to rattle from the boiling. And with a *FOOM* and another and another, bolts of hot water slam against the mercedes, nearly, almost ripping it apart.. However intent wasn't to destroy it, but rather knock the car right into the hapless detective and sandwich him against a wall or something. Yeeeah, that'd be cool.
COMBATSYS: Robert fails to slow Smart Bomb Seekers from Scylla with Ryuugeki Ken.
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Charybdis 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Daniel
FWOOM! FWOOM!!! FWOOOOOM!!! FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
... it's a lot of onamatapoiea in the mall all at once as friendly flying drone after drone suddenly crashes down around Robert. As soon as they are within range (which is to say CLOSE), each erupts in turn, filling the immediate vicinity with what can only be described as molten, incinerating wrath. Fires blow out every which way, a bench is immediately blackened, a potted plant catches fire, and a superheated char erupts outwards in all directions along the floor.
FWOOOOOOOSH~~. It's a chaotic cataclysm of devouring fire the fills the air - at least for the moments before it consumes it, sucking the very oxygen from the immediate vicinity as spatters of sticky, napalmy goo stick to walls, objects, and possibly Robert himself, still merrily smouldering.
Well, it is a nice dent. But an exploding arm would have been better! Far more annoying though is the fact that the tank then proceeds to just ignore him and turn on Daniel. "Damn it! Look at me, I'm not done with you ye--" It's right around this time that his patent-pending Kyokugen Danger Sense registers a rapidly approaching threat on the horizon. Turning, he catches a glimpse of something very fast approaching out of the corner of his eye. "...Hold that thought."
Turning to regard the approaching spheres, Robert lifts a hand to the air. An orange light begins to crackle around it as chi begins to condense into a small sphere of his own within the palm. Clenching his fist, the Italian lets out a howl of defiant challenge and rushes at them, the energy continueing to gather as he charges!! BURN KNUCK--
Garcia gets the explosion he was wanting. Namely, the spheres all go FWOOM in a chain reaction the moment he gets within range, his daring(ly stupid) assault not quite fast enough to carry him through the barrage, the gathered chi imploding upon itself in a defeated fizzle. When the smoke clears, he's lying face down on the ground.
Knocked senseless as he seemingly is, he hasn't quite noticed that his ponytail has caught fire just yet. That's probably for the best.
COMBATSYS: Charybdis successfully hits Daniel with Water Cannon Suppression.
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Charybdis 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Daniel
Daniel Jack observes the exchange between the stupid tank and Charybdis. Okay, Charybdis was going to be trouble. But it wasn't a robot. It was a man in a machine. If he could crack that thing open, he might be able to jack up the operator real solid. Just as Daniel managed to get his act together as he leveled his gun... there was a scatter of explosions.
As Daniel takes cover behind the car again, he a glimpse of someone's cloaking shield going down. Two tanks. Okay, that complicated things a bit. Sneaking around the car a bit, he poked his head around the car for a second, just to make sure that the tank wasn't causing some more trouble. As the water came rushing towards him, he suddenly catches that there WAS trouble.
As Daniel brings his arms up, the water bursts through the car and right into him. That wasn't all the trouble, but the car just happened to get carried around. Pinning Daniel against the wall, the detective gasps. His chest was stuck between the wall and the hunk of metal. Struggling, he caught a glance towards Robert. The frogger. "ROBBIE! Hit it FLAT, SCUZZY!" He snaps, leveling the gun towards the Italian. No, wait. Towards Scylla. The detective fires five rounds in a rapid series, attempting to strike the Toad Man with all five rounds. At that distance, he would be lucky if all managed to hit.
COMBATSYS: Scylla blocks Daniel's Wobbly Wobbly.
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Charybdis 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Daniel
With a resounding series of thuds, Scylla not only lands mostly unmolested, but gets her feet under her in record time! The ultramodern armored infiltrator hikes up fully, its bulk rather understated as mighty tanks go - but don't let appearances decieve you! The late-arriving half of this nefarious duo is fully armed and armored. ... to an extent that it's going to take more than a standard-issue revolver to penetrate. Let's face it, when it comes to all the good features one finds to list about the trustworthy .38: it never jams, it goes anywhere, it's accurate over multiple shots, and so forth... 'penetrates armor well' never really crops up. One by one the shots *PING* tangibly into the tankette, ricocheting wildly off into the far corners of the concourse as the technological terror rotates, its scouter-eye zooming in on Daniel for a moment, reassessing his state - and threat potential.
In an instant, the bay that had just closed swings back open, the mechanical whine lost to the shrill, high pitched rotor that cries out its siren song as the smaller chaingun within Scylla's hungry maw spins to life, whipping about with blurring aplomb.... in tandem with the heavy arm mounted to its side. The pair of chainguns, heavy and light, deliver a cacophony of earsplitting reports as a myriad of shells from both calibers erupt from the barrels in rapid succession, the monstrosity strafing back, back, back, chipping up bits of mall hither and yon in a decidedly overkill fashion.. .... on its course right back to Robert's resting place, looking to shower the smouldering Italian with hot lead!
... and a tidbit of poor Charybdis' plight: "LET GARCIA HIT THE FLOOR LET GARCIA HIT THE FLOOR LET GARCIA HIT THE FLOOR YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
".......... That girl ain't right. Hmn, I wonder if there is a self dest- No! What am I thinking!" is all Ace can even say to that. His focus was a little more on picking on the little guy; that was considerably less style cramping; it makes him feel cool, makes him feel like a -real- man, and no words of Robert can take that away from him! However he isn't man enough to tell Hunter to shut her trap. :(
On the plus side, though, he gives a "HAW!" to the detective's plight, and while he's a little puzzled by where Daniel is shooting at (and a little weirded out by the guy slang), the only real option here is to lay down a little more punishment, right? RIGHT. The tank drags along the ground, ripping into the concrete as it does so, it's not moving very quickly but with this kind of power you don't really need to. Water dripping harmlessly from the 'hands' nozzle, instead of blasting outward, this time it's sucking air inward, and the power of he vaccuum gets only stronger as it stalks closer to his pray. The idea here isn't to suck up stray bits of trash and gravel like it's currently doing, but rather dragging Daniel over like he was Scorpion into its steel grasp. And if it can do that, continuing to drive forward, he'd then 'shoot' Daniel at... Oh.. That giant glass window of 'Foot Locker' looks pretty nice.
COMBATSYS: Robert blocks Scylla's Suppression Fire.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Robert
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Scylla 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Daniel
Robert hears something. ...Words. Oh, that's right. He was fighting something, then the world exploded. Hauling himself up onto a knee, he turns to the left and right to re-familiarize himself with the layout. "SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER ALL THE RINGING." Deep breath. Focus. Despite the sudden deafness that he currently finds himself in, the line of carnage wrought by the rotating barrels is a solid enough indicator that More Bullets are coming for him. Unfortunately, hunkered down and reeling as he is, evading doesn't seem to be that great of an idea right now. Crossing his forearms together and distributing his weight, Garcia attempts to present the smallest surface possible while simultaneously shielding himself from the rounds that hit their mark. Chunks of floor are unceremoneously shredded all around him as he weathers the storm as best he can. While he seems to be doing a good enough job of holding ground for right now, pure defense won't win the day. And he's sure that even if he forces them to use up their ammo, they've got plenty of leftover tricks.
"HAOH..." Fortunately, Robert can multitask. "...SHOU..."
Clenching his palms into fists while holding out against the onslaught of bullets, the earlier flickers of orange light this time become a full cascade between his opposing palms just before he throws his weight to the side, narrowly clearing the side of the crater wrought around him by Scylla. He comes up on one knee again, this time facing the Original Sin, the monstrosity that disemboweled that poor vintage vehicle, palms meeting two feet in front of him and shoving outward. . "...KOUKEN!!"
A sizable orange fireball that Daniel should be very familiar with closes the distance, the force behind the infamous Kyokugen Cruise Missile blowing debris of various sorts to either side.
Sniff sniff. Odd, he smells something burning. Oh well, it's probably leftover soot from that explosion earlier.
COMBATSYS: Daniel counters Vacuum Crusher from Charybdis with Mad Jack Crack.
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Charybdis 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Daniel
Daniel growls as the rounds fail to penetrate, his gun being utterly impotent. Struggling from behind the car, he wriggles more and more, trying to draw his knees up from behind the car to help shove off. He needed to clear his head. Once he broke free, he needed to get on the different vehicle's flanks. They couldn't move fast, well, sort of. They weren't perfectly mobile. I mean, if he managed to put enough pressure on it- wait a minute. What is that sound. The detective looks up at the sound of concrete being crushed as Charybdis begins to close in on his pinned form.
Remember that scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, where Eddie begins to get approached by Judge Doom with the buzzsaw? That's how Daniel looks right now.
The detective was in trouble, to say the least. Panicking, he struggles faster, finally wriggling free. The suction compounds, rustling the detective clothing loudly. Gripping his hat, he attempts to pull away, but finds himself unable to move, lest he gets drawn in. Opening his stance even more, he releases his hat, letting the fedora fly through the air...
And into the hose.
The detective stops for a moment, and just stares. His eyes quaver for a moment. "You.... JERK! That was..." Daniel Jack dives forward, and then down into a roll. With unusual agility, he simply smashes against the arm. Which doesn't do much to stop it. But now, the detective was inside the arm. "... My favorite hat..." As the blast of energy rockets towards the tank, the detective is right there at the arm, throwing all his weight at the joint as he tried to wrench it from the socket. HARD.
"... You bonedoggling, chip socking, MUDDLED-horn ed... crocking yeast BUCKET!"
See. That's not how it's supposed to work. When you unleash hundreds upon hundreds of rounds at a person (SORT OF) in a matter of seconds, it's not JUST the area around them that is supposed to get churned to rubble! There's supposed to be some serious meat blending going on. That was the intent, at least. The enthusiastic, violent singing and screaming suddenly just... cuts off as Robert just sort of gets up, and fires off that tremendous surge of energy. Well SHIT.
That one spikes the scales riiiight up there, and it leaves even Hunter momentarily speechless - which is likely a happy time for Charybdis, regardless of the outcome of the soon-to-come confrontation with the glimmery mass of Kyokugen killingness. Oh hey, look, the radio was switched on. Click.
Click. "That's a big one Ace!!! STOP DROP AND ROLL!!!"
There's GOT to be a desk to duck and cover under somewhere, right? Hands on the back of the neck, fetal position, best way to survive a NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST. Even if it comes in chi form. Hmm, hmmmm!!!
There's an all-new, all-different sort of click-whrrrring going on as the ammo feeds on the tremendous mounted chaingun swap, and the wider center barrel suddenly thwoops with a release of compressed gas, sending a greyish-silver cannister hurtling end over end straight at Robert's feet. Tink, tink tink... BOOM!!!
The anti-vehicle charge rips asunder still MORE of the mall, sending the freed shrapnel from the earlier barrage blasting outwards in a tremendous shockwave, one which seeks to envelope Robert once more in a (thankfully lesser) momentary firestorm of pain and suffering, "DON'T WORRY I'LL START AMPUTATING!!!"
COMBATSYS: Charybdis blocks Robert's Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
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Charybdis 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Daniel
"Heh heh, lookat'im, sobbing like a little baby. You're allll mine, little man, you can't even PHASE me! I'm in a TANK, my man! Hahah!" That's how Ace starts when he's certain he's about to see the dreaded, deadifying end of Jack! But then the unexpected happens: Jack cracks. Or more accuratly, the arm Jack has cracks, it shakes, there's a bit of struggle.. But once Robert joins in the action with a blazing Haoh Sho Ko Ken and suddenly the meters in the tank were skyrocketing, ".. The hell?" WHAM!!!
This time the force is enough to make it rock a bit to the side, plates of metal blast off of the upper frame, more steam blasts from the sides, and the arm Jack was handling rips right out of the socket with a series of sparks following; but it's still held in place by about four particularly thick wires. "JESUS!!!"
And on top of that her 'partner' is yelling like a maniac! Ace feels it. He feels at any moment he's about to lose it, but he does his best to just keep his sanity. This was bad, though, most of his arsenal was taken out in that combination. The focus then was back on Robert; looks like he'll have to kill the guy after all! .. is his hair on fire? The heavy machinery takes its sweet time turning with it's wheels, but the upper half turns faster, the gun-arm taking aim at the Italian Stallion and proceeds to lay down another hail of bullets on 'em. It's not chaingun style though, this one is a steady stream of shotgun-style slugs, seven or eight in total, one after the other. An act of desperacy?? N- No, of course not.
COMBATSYS: Robert dodges Charybdis' Strong Shot.
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Charybdis 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Robert dodges Scylla's Strong Shot.
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Charybdis 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Daniel
W-What was that? Teamwork? With...what's his face, that Todoh-ryuu guy? Unthinkable! But the results...dammit. This was supposed to be his place in the spotlight. This is all...that guy's...nngh. Blind antagonizing can only go so far. But, well. No one is here to see other than them, right? "HEY, JACKIE, WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS. I WON'T TELL TAKUMA IF YOU WON'T TELL TODOH. THE CITY IS MORE IMPOR--"
Wait, there's a tingling sensation on the back of his neck. That can only mean...danger! Reacting more on instinct than strategy, the flaming Italian (quite literally at this point, as the fire has now creeped all the way up to the base of his ponytail at this point) lunges into a backflip that miraculously clears him of the intersecting fire. Hunter gets the crater where Robert was standing that she was denied earlier, as the exploding shell and slug fire reduce the ground to a blackened, perforated pit complete with water geysers of sundered plumbing.
Unfortunately, not one that the target was occupying.
"FOR SOUTHTOOOOOOWN~.", the deaf man roars as he charges past the side of the tank, leaping up and grasping onto the side of the turret with both arms. He then proceeds to deliver a few solid kicks to something that looks particularly vulnerable. That water container will do nicely!
Daniel Jack finally managed to get the close on Charybdis, and start to show him the Jack. With one arm torn loose (but not 'torn loose'), the detective figured out was making some progress. He would tear apart this tank... with his BARE HANDS! Completely and utterly alone.
Oh, and Robert.
As the Italian snaps at him, the detective snarls deadpan, flipping around to the tank's flank. "Scuzzy, quite living tight with your man, man. We gotta jack these guys real solid." Peering over, he raises an eyebrow as he started to leap around the back of the giant metallic beast. That was a lot of concentrated firepower. Also, about Robert... "Uh, Robbie, your hair has gone real hot, just like fire."
he detective looks for something he thinks looks a lot like a turret... or a hatch. A turret hatch? In any case, he was about to unleash a whole lot of power of the scuzzy. Winding his arm high up, he adjusts his form. If Scylla is paying attention, she might notice how flawless Daniel's form was. Apparently, this was something he practiced often. Flatten his hand out into a knife strike, he drives it towards the track line of the entire vessel, attempting to cleave it in twain with the unlimited power....
Of TODOH-RYUU KOBOJUTSU!
"HIIIIIIIIIII-"
COMBATSYS: Charybdis blocks Robert's Heavy Kick.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Charybdis fails to interrupt World's Greatest Hand Chop from Daniel with Steel Snare.
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Charybdis 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Daniel
OVER 9000!!!!.
It's quite possibly the ULTIMATE handchop EVER that's levelled on Scylla's unlucky, much-loved compatriot. That just can't be good! .... of course, the mighty force behind Garcia's assault is something that the scanner-intensive tankette is hardly oblivious to, either! All of this adds up to one thing, "They're coming right for you!!!" The helpful radio message advises, even as the mighty legs of the second, stealthier armored assailant pump suddenly, pistons flaring with a hiss as the nefarious Hunter guides her tank forward - at full throttle. It's more of a sprint than a jog, these things clearly possessing quite the top speed indeed - at least, on an open field. Here, the maximum velocity is going to be limited by the target - in this case, Robert, who is suddenly placed between the walking arsenal and her compatriot.
"Pin him down, take him out!!!" It's some good advice, considering that the basic approach under advisement right now, within Scylla's cockpit, seems to be to RAM Garcia full-on, smooshing the Italian harshly against Charybdis - or just dashing him right into the heavy concrete pillar that forms the base of the adjacent 'Bed Bath and Beyond'. Some lavendar bath oil will put his hair out! Really, Scylla is just trying to help him. Or crush him to jelly.
"Let's make a MANGREASE SANDWICH OUT OF THIS ITALIAN MEATLOAF!!!!"
.......... wait..... no... no... uhhhh... something else.
.. Wait a minute, was that actually a rather informative (if not obvious) warning coming from her partner? Ace's urge to kill fading... Fading... But that didn't make the current situation any less panicy, these two were beating the hell out of his precious ride!! What would all of his friends think?? "I'm trying, I'm trying!! I need to regain some control here!"
The screens were fritzing out on ocassion, but it wasn't too bad, the AI portion of the controls were holding up damn well, and thank goodness because he can barely see Robert leaping upon the frame and intend to do some serious damage to the container. WHAM. WHAM! THUD! It seems like astonishing resiliant stuff, that metal, the caseing cracks horribly, and it dents even worse, water shooting out of the tank like someone poked holes in a hose. Now as for Jack's chop? Oh this was going to be interesting to deal with, "Get the hell offa me!!" the unheard voice yells, the side of the gun arm starting to shift... Shift.. The controls are stuck! WHUNK!
Well.. Something cracked. Screws definatly shot off and flew in random directions, and smoke started to spew from the machine, but it look like it's going to take two of those amazing chops to cleave that bad-boy. Charybdis starts to pull into reverse; not that it may do it much good in it's current position, but it -looks- like it's panicing. And for a machine to properly convey that is pretty impressive technology, seriously.
COMBATSYS: Robert just-defends Scylla's Fierce Punch!
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Charybdis 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Daniel
With a loud crash, the extremities of the two tanks grind together in a horrible cacophony of sensual love. Somewhere between it all is Robert. Oh, poor Robert. It wasn't your time yet. And what a way to leave this mortal-- "Nnnngh!! Damn you're heavy." Oh my. That sounded vaguely scandelous!
Before the meeting of tank on tank, Bobby was clinging valiantly to the side of the turret, doing his damnest to do some damage to those water tanks. Despite the lesser bulk of the tank's compatriot, the calling card of benches and potted plants being smashed more than enough to alert him to the sound of the approaching tank. But what is there for him to *do*? Not wanting to risk being caught underfoot, the Italian does something quite batty - digging his heels into a crevice in the side of the bulkier tank, he swings his torso around to face the oncoming vehicle. And then he...extends his arms openly? Look out, Scylla! You're driving straight into a hug with a greaseball, don't do it! Nooooo!! Too late.
And now we're back to where we were a moment ago. Pushing out against Scylla with the full strength of his arm muscles, digging back into the weight of his heels set into the side of Charybdis, it would seem that Robert has decided that the relationship between these two tanks is something precious that he doesn't wish to interject himself between. "TOO...FRIGGIN...HEAVY...!""
Not a whole lot of options here. Given his position and the fact that he'll likely lack the sheer advantage of leverage it provides for the rest of the fight, he attempts to do something that is more fitting of a larger fighter; he wraps his arms around the 'nostril' barrels and strains to heave upward, trying to force *something* to give in the other tank.
Assuming his own back doesn't snap first. That's a realistic possibility too.
A strange new force was coming over Daniel Jack as he unleashed the powerful hand-chop upon the poor framework of the massive machine. The detective was successfully holding his own with one of the best warriors in the world. Yes, Daniel Jack just admitted that Robert was a great fighter. The student of Todoh was getting some glimmer of wisdom overcoming him. Kyokugen wasn't terrible. Robert's words echoed through his head. Won't tell Takuma. Won't tell Todoh. In the light of giant robots attacking a mall, it just seemed so...
Petty.
As the tank draws away, Daniel keeps following after him. Unlike Robert, Daniel wasn't even breaking a sweat it seemed like. The burning energy of Todoh was playing off well here, allowing Daniel to move much further than he normally could. Leaving Robert to be tackled by the bigger, badder Scylla (not big or bad at all, really), the detective shot after the tank, keeping with rhythm.
"Come on, you metallic mutton munching socket plug, lets jack this up a notch." Daniel Jack seethes as he swings a hand chop right at the front of the vehicle. Followed by a palm strike. If he managed to get the momentium going, he would swing his back leg around and smash it as a roundhouse kick, followed by another roundhouse kick. Individually, weak attacks from the Student of Todoh. But together, would be the needed pinpricks to help down the massive beast.
COMBATSYS: Scylla interrupts Strong Throw from Robert with Power Drive.
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Charybdis 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Daniel
Mm. There's nothing quite like a Charybdis chassis properly rubbed with 11 different Italian herbs and spices (give or take, depending on exactly what's in Garcia's hair, and how long it's been since he showered). Scylla seems to really enjoy the encounter - or maybe just smashing Robert against unforgiving metal. Try to break it now, yea!!! Naturally, however... that's exactly what Robert decides to do. The questionable intermingling of robot parts and Kyokugen limbs may confuse and frighten onlookers and become a tabloid sensation in under a week, but tight in the bosom of the man on machine hurricane it is anything but gentle. The hug-happy hero strains, liiiifts, and manages to flip Scylla up into the air... but while the agile tankette may not be super-heavy, it sure is awkward to pick up. The gun barrels threaten to come off, and with a metal-straining heave Scylla kicks back to the floor.
"Get your slimy hands off my protrusions!!!" Crackles over the intercom, for everyone's benefit EXCEPT the violating heroes. Scylla's intent is clear enough, however, as the pilot drives the unit forward full-bore, deciding the man vs. machine wrestling match by ramming into Robert rather abruptly indeed, doing her best to squish the Kyokugen dragon with a hard, fast ram against Charybdis. Thick metal plating, high-technology resilient alloy. Rock solid, heart touching.
COMBATSYS: Daniel successfully hits Charybdis with Zoot Suit Riot.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Daniel
".... God." is about all Ace can say, he was going from cooler to annoyed again.. But he didn't have time to facepalm, right now this beast of a vehicle was going through some serious malfunctions. Of all the neat gadgets and firepower this thing had, it didn't have any sort of auto-repair?? Damn! The images of both the fighters were growing increasingly difficult to view with the increasing interferance and static, and thanks to Daniel combination,
Said combination again hammering through the beasts defenses with (what can only be described as) Todoh Might, yet even more metal plating ends up coming loose and crashing to the ground, exposing the rather complex-looking assembly of bright lights, gears, wires, and pipes within. This is clearly no pocket calculator these people are dealing with!
"All right, I've had about enough of this guy, taking way too much damage," Ace mutters to himself, flips are switched, buttons are pushed, and in an attempt to give Daniel a free ride across the mall, it's only working arm, (which isn't sparking quite as badly as the other completely futzed appendage), just bursts forward a short distance in a rather clumsy straight punch with the gun-arm.. Oh but that isn't all! Hit or miss, this is followed by another series of bullet rounds, arm jerking back a touch with each shot.. Though after the seventh one of the barrels explodes! Ouch.
Oh crap. Once Scylla slips out of the Kyokugen fighter's hands, the tenious grip he had on balance is just plain gone. It's as he's tumbling forward to the ground face first that the slighter tank comes crashing back into its larger counterpart - and this time without a hug-happy defender waiting for it. That doesn't nearly go over as well, what with his pelvis being smashed into Charybdis, with Scylla continuing to grind into his ass from behind!! "Not...really...into that...sort of thing...", the weakening man grumbles as he opts this time to grip onto the treads below and use them to wrest his way out of the tank sandwich.
It takes some effort and yet more arm strength, but Robert succeeds. Flopping roughly to the ground below Scylla, it's very clear that the fighter can't last too much of this kind of treatment. Unfortunately, Robert knows that too. The fact that he's given up treating this as a 'game' where he can win the approval of Yuri and Takuma is sign enough. The fact that he's willing to turn his head to Kyokugen's heated rivalry is even moreso. Staring up at the underbelly of the tank dead set on smashing him to a fine greasy paste of...grease...Robert is filled with no small amount of anger. "You like explosives, eh?" About the only thing he can do his hurl both palms forward with another blast of orange chi, one that will hopefully do a better job of flipping the tank out of his personal space than the ill-fated hug.
COMBATSYS: Daniel slows Power Shot from Charybdis with Kasane Ate.
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Charybdis 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Daniel
The fact that the machine was falling apart was telling to Daniel Jack. The tank, likely weaken from the tandem strikes from Robert and him, was beginning to break down completely. Daniel Jack wasn't a man of exceptional power. Or speed. But his training with Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu did reveal a very important aspect of the martial art: Indominable spirit and technical competence. The detective had some momentum, and he was exploiting it for all it was worth.
As the final kick is unleashed, Daniel Jack pulls back, observing the tank carefully for a counter attack. The gun arm presents itself fruitfully, and jams it right forward. The detective springs back, evading it carefully as brought an arm back. And with that, the gun arm opens fire.
Kasane Ate can do many things. It can tear through projectiles. It can act as an effective barrier. It can cleave through metal. But as the bullets launch forward, the detective just swings his up. "KASANE!" He begins as a wave of chi begins to manifest. With a desperate swipe, he drops his arm towards the arm, countering the shots with a large wave of orange energy. Initially, it explodes upwards and forwards, catching the first several shots. But as it dies back down to the earth, the rest of the rounds penetrate through the chi and right into Daniel Jack. Body still burning from the fresh new wave of energy, he just sucks it up. "Come on, scuzzy, WHERE'S THE FIRE?!" The detective snarls, marching right back towards the tank like nobody's business.
COMBATSYS: Scylla blocks Robert's Ryuugeki Ken.
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Charybdis 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Daniel
What!?!? The slippery Italian not only is not crushed to jelly, his sudden escape puts Scylla in a precarious place indeed. Namely, right beside Charybdis. After an escapade like that one, the last thing one wants is to look the other tank in the eye. It's so warm, almost like firelight. A glowing, happy thing, like....
Oh shit. A flip of a lever, and Hunter drops the tankette back, crouching in as if folding down around itself, tightly compressed to the ground. The light-refraction system crackles and misfires, the colorscheme of the craft bending and fading and brightening and wavering as it slides back across the hard ground, robotic talons suddenly clamping down all around its 'feet' for traction. The explosive chi rocks the craft right to the pilot, despite the preparation, but the Shadaloo merc is far too satisfied with the exchange to complain about the sudden burning sensation in the back of her neck.
"Yes!" Support the team, "Keep shooting him!! Don't let him get up! Kill him till he DIES from it!!"
Taking her own advice, Scylla rises up to her full height and twists about, and the twin barrels Robert had been gripping fervently earlier begin spitting out .44 magnum rounds in quick succession.
While his partner was getting annoying (actually, she had been for -quite- some time now, how did her get partnered with her again??), Ace had to agree on one point; one of these two had to be taken down post-haste, and the tougher-than-he-looks detective was just the right target.. Well, at the moment. The pilot still can't help but look a bit perplexed in the end though; he managed to break through the chi but look at Daniel! He's standing there like some sort of superman! "... Jesus." I mean sure, Robert survived a mowdown of bullets but that was different, he -looked- tougher! In an italian sort of way. ANYWAY.
Right now they were working togeather on one opponent again, and the much-more-broken down tank assists in its own manner. One of the tubes connecting the gun to the shoulder starts to turn red as it heats up, and just as Scylla is shooting at the detective, a burst of steam follows, a burst so great it may surround Daniel as well as itself and what follows; can Daniel even see it? It's like the beast is ripping a move from Zangief, the upper-half twisting back 180 degrees, then snaps back and twirls in a 720 at an alarming rate of speed, damage and undamaged arm hoping to continue to beat the heck out of whatever gets in its way!
...H-Hey! Don't ignore him!! It hurts almost as bad as one of Takuma's training regiments after being caught within ten feet of Yuri's bedroom door, but Robert still manages to drag his weight up off the ground and obtain his footing once more. His stance is unsteady, clothing ripped and shredded from being ground between metal monstrosities twice in a row, but he's certainly not down yet. Shaking his head rapidly to clear his head, his gaze quickly takes in the situation, and...man, Todoh-ryuu guy or not, that kind of ganging up is just uncool, man! Once Charybdis is set in motion, there's little chance of getting it to change targets in short order, but Scylla? That annoying-ass tank that is largely responsible for why his innards feel like ground hamburger? It's attacking from a distance, *and* he has a score to settle. "Hey. HEY! I'm over here, you Taiwanese piece of shit! I'm going to show you why you shouldn't take the offer from the lowest bidder!" ...Big words coming from you in your current state, Bobby. But it doesn't matter, sometimes you've just got to talk the talk and have the guts to back it up!!
Just to make sure he has the smaller tank's attention, Robert breaks out into a running charge from behind, forcing his aching legs to launch him skyward so that he can deliver powerful series of kicks to it's shiny metal ass, all the while unwittingly roaring a screeching battlecry into the auditory sensors of the poor undeserving vehicle. "Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"
COMBATSYS: Scylla successfully hits Daniel with Medium Shot.
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Charybdis 0/???????/???????|===----\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Daniel fails to counter Whirling Flail from Charybdis with Mad Jack Crack.
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Charybdis 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/-======|=======\=====--\1 Daniel
Well, crap.
Daniel Jack staggered back at the arrival of the steam and smoke, not quite sure of what to make of the strange evolution. From his flank, came a small froggie creature. From his front, a beast of burdarn. Daniel could have just blocked the frenzy. That would have been the rational thing to do. Instead, the spirit of Todoh told him elsewise. It told him;
"Daniel! You must ignore the bullets, and charge right into that smoke. You will find the arms, and with your mighty Todoh powers, you will RIP the tank's arms right off. Robert will suddenly begin to weep in awe at your fantastic todoh powers. And then, he will immediately abandon Kyokugen in order to join Todoh-Ryuu Kobojutsu. And with him, he will bring all that MONEY! Do it, Daniel! Do it for Master Todoh!"
Ten seconds later, Daniel was in a cringing, moaning pile of blood and bright orange fabric. Apparently, charging through a hail of bullets was a terrible idea. After slowing Daniel down sufficiantly, the detective lept through the air, attempting to grab the whirling arms. He misses completely. Except his face. His face catches the weapon. With a subtle gesture, Daniel is sent reeling all the way across the mall... into a nearby fountain.
And there he was now, wondering about that nice thought about how petty that reckless competition was.
COMBATSYS: Scylla interrupts Flying Whirlwind Kick from Robert with Rushing Drive.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Charybdis 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 Daniel
Step 1: Apply Bullets. This step gets marked with a mental 'check' (there are multiple, multiple checks by this step at this point). Daniel? Daniel gets to deal with the pain of being riddled with high-calibre ammunition. The much faster cycling minigun whirrrrrs to life as the targetting displays light up with the joy of a million Christmases, Scylla's pilot grinning gleefully as the weapons cycle up and */WHAM/*.
The agile walker lurches forward as Robert crashes into it, raw intuition kicking in as the pilot whips the powered armor around, one leg snapping up and around much like a bird's to snatch Robert right out of the air, those vice talons snapping around his chest for the moment it takes Scylla to leeeaaaap through the air, much like her animal totem, and /slam/ the Italian down into the wrecked former glory of the 'Win This Car!' low low financing marketing engine that was wrecked, inspiring his all-out offensive.
Now the question is: ironic resting place, or one straw too many on the Kyokugen dragon's back.
".... gonna fuckin' /filet/ this chump!!" Yes, Charybdis' attacks may be calculated, carefully targetted, making the best of a bad circumstance in the rather savaged mobile tank... but put a little heat on the fire and Scylla resorts to a fairly primal strategy: in this case focusing on grinding Robert underfoot, to finish the whole crushing process that was so rudely interrupted before.
Ace raises an eyebrow. What do you say in response to something like that? ".. Ok." Well he can't say Scylla's method of combat isn't effective; it's proven alarmingly so, but he won't confess to that so easily; after all in the end he is the one with all the battle scars, which automatically makes him pretty much the war hero here! His moment of feeling good is interrupted by the sudden warning bells and whistles going off in the cockpit, a constant 'warning! warning! warning!' ringing in his ears, "Cliche'-tastic.." And what just happened to Daniel anyway? Looked like he was up to -something-, but the important thing is that he's off like a bullet and the end result being a bloody mess of man. A quick vital signs check, and according to his calculations... Looks like he's still a threat, "Time to finish the job, then, heh heh."
So how does he plan to finish this? The beast of a machine drags forward, gradually picking up in speed and with each yard follows the crunch and cracking of cement below it. And.. It doesn't stop. And if that wasn't bad enouch, suddenly the tracks split upward at the center which launches Charybdis right up into the air! See that shadow below you, Dannyboy? If aren't quick, Charybdis is going to land right on top of you! And trust me, that isn't going to be pleasent in the least. When it lands, even more plates of metal burst from the sides, as the tank sinks a touch into the ground!
The latter, perhaps. But not in the way one would expect.
He...wasn't expecting the tank to be capable of comparable agility feats. As always, understimating your opponent leads to one thing: lots and lots of pain. Flung so roughly into the hood of the torn apart vehicle, each callous twist of alloyed metal causing flashes of white and red to lance through the edges of Robert's vision. Yes...what he was fighting for. The love of Yuri. The approval of Takuma. The honor of a maligned vehicle. ...The safety of a city. The safety of the city comes before all else. Even if he fails to defeat these tanks, the helpless shoppers will have gotten away, but that's only thinking about the short term. What about the next building that these tanks move on to? Will someone be there to stop them then? No, Robert can't give in to the lights out call just yet. Even if he can't render them immobile, he at least has to force them into retreating for repairs. Eyes bulge, seething with will. "Think this is funny, don't ya, bitch?" He doesn't know that the pilot is female. He doesn't even know if the pilot can hear him at all. That's never stopped him from running his mouth before, though. Just like being in this bad of a shape has rarely extinguished his will to rise up and bring a bigger opponent down with him. "LAUGH THIS OFF."
No way out but through. Since the tank won't let go, he'll make it let go - one way or another. Taking a deep breath, the Italian concentrates, then delivers a single upward kick into the pinning leg. ...At least, it seems like only a single kick at first, but then that leg begins to blur in place like a stationary jackhammer, the cornered Kyokugen fighter seemingly intent on being the one to grind his *opponent* to a pulp against his foot...despite being the one with his back to the wall as it were.
Of course, all the tank has to do is step off of him and no doubt the threat to its longterm well-being will be greatly lessened. Robert knows that too. But hey, stranger things have been known to happen, and he's gotta work with what's in front of him.
COMBATSYS: Robert keeps on fighting!
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Scylla 0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Daniel fails to counter Algorithm 178B from Charybdis with Jumping Jack Flash.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Charybdis 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Scylla 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Daniel
COMBATSYS: Daniel can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Charybdis 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Scylla 0/-------/=======|
Daniel Jack gazed helplessly up at the oncoming tank. He was getting weak. Tired. But not too tired. The spirit of Todoh still burned in him, despite being tossed around like a rag doll. The accursed spirit of Todoh. On one hand, it was probably the only thing keeping him alive right now. On the other hand, running away would have kept him alive in a much more efficient manner. Yes.. running away. As Daniel thought of these things, another voice entered his mind... and a vision.
Todoh stood there, arms crossed, gazing fiercely at Daniel Jack from the depths of his mind. With intense grimness, his furious start locks hard on the detective. "So." He begins, mustache glowing with the light of Todoh. "You want to run away? Ridiculous. RIDICULOUS! You must show them the way. No need for such ridiculous things like guns. You must use your hands, use the ultimate technique. Leap up into the air. Grab the tank. And turn it... use it for your Kasane Ate. You can do it. I believe in you, my student, I believe i-"
The vision cuts out short as Daniel promptly gets crushed under the tank.
Whoops.
COMBATSYS: Scylla dodges Robert's Gen'ei Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Charybdis 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Scylla 0/-------/=======|
Charybdis: 1. Daniel: .... okay, realistically, probably several, at least. Still, Charybdis' landing spot is decidedly NOT where one wants to be, and that may assess a negative adjustment, right there. Sort of like the adjustments to the spines of the two protectors of the Mall. It's a bad moment for the good guys, however, as the illustrious Detective Jack doesn't seem to be getting right back up... but let's face it, Kyokugen (and todoh-ryuu for that matter) does have a reputation for some odd and improbable destruction. ... even if it's not always of their target.
Garcia may be on his feet through sheer tenacity and stubborn will, but he's still a formidable threat. Tank-rending feet threaten to smash Scylla like a used soda can, but the paranoid pilot is quick enough on the draw, this time: the tankette leaps nearly straight up, clearing most of the height from floor to ceiling before dropping, hard, a short span back. Pistons hiss as the powerful legs absorb the machine's mighty leap, and all scanners attune themselves to the Italian's formidable signature.
Ignore the fact that the riled Kyoukgen disciple is setting the meters to blaring klaxons, or that Charybdis looks about to fall apart around himself. Forget the heat from the previous blasts of fire, and just how irate Garcia looks. This requires a solution, and like the solution before it...
Scylla shoots at it. A lot. The central gun-bay slides open and twin, small miniguns whizz to life, filling the air around Robert with live fire in excessively rapid succession, the reports running together in one fierce staccato.
COMBATSYS: Scylla successfully hits Robert with Light Chain Gun.
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Charybdis 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Scylla 1/-------/=======|
Ace is pretty sure he doesn't want a teacher like Todoh if he's going to babble insane things such as that. Now since the pilot doesn't really have a feel of just how down Daniel is at the moment; reallly he can have no choice but to assume that he's down for the count because, lets face it, who -would- get up from that? The engine of the machine emits a heavy hum as it starts up again, and slowly drags its way out of its mini-crater, only getting a few yards distance before coming to a halt once more. ".. Hey, I've only get about ten minutes of juice left in this thing, you've got enough date now, right? I need to get out of here." Ace mutters over the intercom, the bells and whistles of warning bringing him closer and closer to the point of insanity. Stalling every fifteen seconds or so, Charybdis proceeds to drag itself off, looking like it'll explode and fall apart at any moment the way it keeps firing off bursts of steam and smoke!
COMBATSYS: Charybdis takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Charybdis 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Robert
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Scylla 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Charybdis has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Scylla 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Robert
There's another problem with this strategy that Robert hadn't counted on. Which is to say, his ass is so firmly imbedded in the hood of the car that once Scylla leaps away and begins to reorient. This leaves Robert with very much a deer in headlights moment those doors open like the pearly gates of the afterlife, chaingun barrels spinning to life.
"Fuck."
There's really no defense to put up at this point, there's too much of him exposed in this position - too much to cover with too little room for maneuvering. The fighter's entire form is littered with another series of impacts that leave little doubt to the fate of the man - fighter he may be, live to see another day quite possibly, but certainly not much *of* a life for the next few days as the entire front of his body is just one, gigantic mass of swelling purple flesh. Kids will walk by, point at the hospital bed, and ask if Grimace is in the hospital with a tummyache.
Robert will deal with tomorrow when it gets here.
The one, and only, upside to having his entire body riddled with bullets is that the ones that missed have conveniently torn away at the hood of the car keeping him pinioned so. No such problem anymore. With one final groan of misery, Robert drags himself up again. His vision is practically black already, everything around him a haze. His ears ring with the sound of gunfire and metal tearing away at metal. His entire body radiates pain from every direction, ironically except for his front, which is replaced with an uncomfortable numbness as his body begins preparations for the bruises of tomorrow. That leaves taste. Yeah, taste is still working since it's definitely detecting hints of blood seeping in, but that's not particularly useful right now. With all of the physical senses next to useless, Robert is simply left with instinct.
And whichever direction instinct says Robert should be charging in the direction of, he's just going to run over there with one hammer fist swinging, followed by an uppercut that may or may not hit open air. Doesn't matter, his body is basically on autopilot the moment he takes that first step, the rest merely a series of queued up actions that eventually leave him crumpling to the ground with no motor control.
A pity swelling bruises don't make a great pillow to rest on.
COMBATSYS: Robert can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Scylla 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Robert successfully hits Scylla with Haiga Ryuu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Scylla 1/---====/=======|
Gun 'em down, gun 'em dooown. It's probably much more gratifying to the crazy lady in the fresh(er) mecha, as the maelstrom of battle obliterates not only Daniel, but Robert as well. That will show these goody two-shoes to try to oppose their terrorizing! Or something like that. Of course, not having to limp away is the big bonus... it looks like Charybdis is leaking fluid, and not in a healthy manner at all. The scan-happy Scylla sweeps the area after riddling Robert with shots - but really, she shouldn't have stopped firing. The Italian crashes home with trainwreck force, nearly upending the tankette as the initial flurry sends her reeling to the side.
The pilot strains at the controls, adjusts the power settings, and bashes her head off the (thankfully cushioned, sort of) side of the cockpit, the armor stripped bear and ripping away from circuitry and projectors / receptors of various sorts as Scylla staggers to the side. Crashing into the fountain as Robert falls, water pours down over the newly battered stealth-tank, proving little salve to her wounds, "We... ah... coast is clear. Evac. Let's get evac. Maybe an air strike."
Log created on 21:11:47 02/18/2009 by Robert, and last modified on 22:53:41 04/10/2009.