Description: In the heroic effort to relocate those displaced by the escalating conflict to the sanctuary of the Futaba Estate, Alma Towazu finds himself, one case of mistaken identity and surely an instance of divine intervention later, pitted against his most, er, formidable foes yet: the Bikini Samurai Squad, eccentric sisters Kaida and Shika Inoue. Frantic battling becomes desperate attempts at reconciliation and comedy collides headlong with drama until, when the dust settles, the psychic finds himself with one sister in tow and the other marking him for death, quite distracted from the war he's supposed to be fighting. The important lesson learned here? When faced with a falling out between bikini-clad twins, there's nothing an Alluring Hit won't solve. ...Okay, so that's not really the lesson.
Tranquility is not always a blessing.
At the beach, one would assume that the benefits of peace are a given. Yet there is also the sort of peace that arises in the aftermath of battle, and it is that desolate silence that has befallen Southtown's once enviable relaxation spot. For this beach has become a beachhead, and though most of the invaders are long gone, it retains remnants of their assault: scattered equipment, abandoned rafts, and other trappings of amphibious attack. The sand shifts in the breeze, yet with the change of circumstances the effect is only eerie.
"You can do it."
But even given the painful disparity from the Sound Beach's normal atmosphere, appearances are not what they seem.
"Can you see the light?"
Even the most hollow peace in war is respite.
A tall, blond youth kneels by an overturned armored raft, his hazel eyes half-shrouded by ruffled red-tinged locks. His clothing, though dusty from wear, is elegant for casual wear and closely tailored; the sunlight reflected off the metal hull highlights the high cheekbones of his burnished-bronze face. He is Alma Towazu, psychic hero, high-profile model, and nominal executive of the once again temporarily defunct YFCC, and he is, as always, focused entirely on the task that his righteous passions have led him to pursue.
'I... I can't... it's...'
A child's voice answers his low tones.
"What's the matter? Your parents are worried."
A few gasping breaths emerge.
'It moved... I'm stuck now...'
Placing his hand against the capsized raft, Alma's mild eyes glint with a hint of the fire that burns beneath his gentle exterior.
"Stay calm. Be brave. I'm going to get you out."
With that, the hand he has placed against the raft ignites with spectacular flame, glittering with the effervescence that accompanies Soul Power, a pure white traced with lines of cherry-blossom pink and royal indigo. It is unmistakably potent, and quite visible-- but right now, Alma has no choice. If it draws the attention of surrounding foes, so be it.
This child must be freed, and returned to the estate.
Slowly, carefully, he begins to cut through the hull, sparks flying past his focused eyes, the raft groaning as he bores to where the victim hides.
Once a battlefield, now a former battle site. A man works to save a child as the winds of spring slowly blow onshore from the sea. A tranquility is in the air, the sound of the surf crashing gently against the beach sands. It's all shattered in an instant.
"Iyaaaaaa!" A piercing scream carries through the area, quickly followed by footsteps. A figure jumps onto the beach, a young girl running as fast as her legs can carry her, "Go away! Leave me alone!" She yells frantically, and moments later two more jump, chasing after and quickly catching up. A pair of teenagers, both with green hair, of different shades, swords, and wearing bikinis.
"I don't think so!" Shouts Kaida, a wooden sword clutched in her hands. She wears a red bikini, the definition of the muscles on her body plainly obvious. A second bokken is held by a small belt around her waist, and bounces against her thigh as she runs. "You thought you could get away from us so easily, didn't you? Well now it's time for you to see what happens to those who run away!"
Disaster. The small girl falls, hitting the sand face first and having trouble standing because she's so frightened. "Please! Please just let me go," she begs in wide eyed horror."
Kaida slows to a walk, her shadow casting over the girl. A hand lifts and flicks a braid out of her face, "Not a chance. No one gets away."
The girl screams wordlessly and manages to get to her feet, starting to run. But it's too late. Kaida lifts her sword and swings it fiercely, cracking her on the back of the head and sending her to the sand once more. Only this time she doesn't scramble, simply letting out a moan. "Ohhh, looks like you can't run away anymore..." Kaida slides a bare foot under the girls shoulder and shoves, flipping her over onto her back. "I'll leave the interrogation to you," she says in an offhand manner while looking to her twin. After a few moments something catches her eyes, and her head turns quickly, eyes narrowing as she notices Alma.
Shika raises her sword over her head. "Eh? No fair, I'm no good at interrogations." She swings it downwards at the side of the girl's head, then tilts the blade so only the flat of the sword hits, with a heavy thunk. "But I know people who are." This quiets the screaming girl down, and her eyes roll up into the back of her head as she goes limp.
Shika has lighter green hair, and is wearing a black bikini. She wipes the blood off her katana onto the unconcious girl's white dress, which already has a few bloodstains here and there from cuts, then frowns at some blood that's gotten splattered across her stomach. She wrinkles her face. "Gah, so annoying." She leans her sword against her shoulder and kneels, taking a handful of sand, and scrubs the blood off. "It might be cooler to fight like this, but the bloodis-...."
Shika blinks, realizing that Kaida's attention is elsewhere, and follows her gaze to Alma. A puzzled expression forms on her face. "What do we have here?"
Trouble abounds in Southtown.
But hasn't it always?
Alma's head turns at the shriek, eyes narrowing-- and then widening slightly, the hand with which he has almost finished searing through the hull of the raft slipping.
'H-Hey, be careful, mister!'
"S-Sorry," the usually eminently composed young man manages as the piece of armor falls away with a clang even more noticable than his own flames. "Uh-- stay put for a moment, please."
'Is... is there trouble?'
The beautiful youth casts a mildly bemused gaze over to the two girls and their hapless prey, running a hand unconsciously through his carefully unkempt hair as he contemplates the answer to that question. Alma is rarely startled. He is not startled by the auras of those worthy of battle; he normally seeks them out, and in these times, he should be used to them seeking /him/ out. And neither is startled by ladies in unexpected states of deshabille, because that comes with the territory in his line of work, and he never noticed that sort of thing anyway (their fighting spirits tend to be lacking). But the combination of the two has always struck him as a rather awkward meeting of the physical and the metaphysical, and coupled with a shocking act of villainy in his immediate presence, well--
~ Are these the uniforms they're wearing, now? ~
"Desist at once."
~ Someone's on a power trip. ~
Rising to his feet, Alma calls out to the girls, stepping away from the raft, his cream-colored high-collared sweater -- thin cotton and gold-zippered -- and snug designer jeans shedding small amounts of sand as they ripple in the faint breeze. His expression remains mild, but the effect is more enigmatic than inoffensive, for it contrasts with a straight and elegant posture that speaks of a great and quiet confidence. Perhaps being able to cut through metal with fires that come out of your hand will do that to a boy. Though he's a little too restrained to be Kyo Kusanagi.
Too androgynous, for that matter.
"Step away--"
Normally, Alma takes more time to think before he acts. But this is not the realm of intimacy through combat that he normally exists in; this is war. And while Alma is not a soldier, he, despite appearances, possesses the conviction to be one. He registers that they are pursuing someone who cannot fight back, and that they have the auras of capable fighters-- with an odd twist. There is some internal connection between them that strikes him as unusual, and if he gave it some more thought, it would probably quickly seem less sinister. But, frankly, it's the outfits that do it.
That looks like something a mad dictator would make his minions wear for sure.
"--from the girl!"
They hesitate to look at him, and that is enough for Alma on this battlefield. Perhaps it's just a warning shot; perhaps it's not intended to start a fight if they aren't looking for one. But the spiralling dart of Soul Power that he emits as he quickly sweeps out his right hand, still approaching them at a steady pace across the sand, surges straight for Kaida's poorly armored torso, and it doesn't look like it's just for show.
Somebody's serious today.
COMBATSYS: Alma has started a fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alma 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kaida has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Alma 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kaida
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Kaida with Sacred Wave.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
COMBATSYS: Shika has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Shika
"I'm not sure," Kaida states to Shika, her head giving a light shake. 'Desist at once.' The long haired twin frowns. "Tch. More of them, I guess. I thought this was the last one." She looks down at the girl and frowns, turning to face the... rather attractive man. "No."
She's told to step away from the girl, and she does, stepping towards Alma. But it's a poor choice. Her eyes widen as the dart of power emerges, and she hastens to pull her second sword from her belt. But there's a problem. "Eh?" Somehow, it's gotten caught on her bikini bottom. Good thing she uses wooden blades, unlike her sister. Unable to retrieve the weapon she has only time to make a wince as the energy hits her, a rather loud yell of pain escaping her as the Soul Power rips through her defenses, throwing her backwards a good ten feet.
On the ground she stretches and then curls, fighting pain. Only for a moment, however, because she's quickly rising back to her feet. "He's... he's definitely one of them. And powerful! Very powerful. We must show him all of our power!" Now she takes her second bokken out, carefully removing it without making things a lot more embarrassing for herself. "I'll show you what happens to people who interfere!" She yells, stepping forward and swinging her weapons, one after another. Pure white emerges from them, a pair of energy blasts that streak across the distance. "Twin Moonlit Swords," she cries out!
Shika narrows her eyes. "I'm the only one who's allowed to hit my sister like that." She swings her blade up, and begins to move dash forward, pauses, almost trips, recovers herselfthen shakes her head a little. "But..."
"We haven't even introduced ourselves yet! Can you call this a proper fight?" Her tone is perfectly serious. The lighter haired twin shakes her head, and swings her sword around in a figure eight, stepping behind and to one side of her sister. "Crescent Sword Style, Left Blade. Shika Inoue." She crouches, holding her sword out to one side, which would look very cinematic if her sister did a similar pose at the same time. However, though her appearance would suggest that she's just trying to look dramatic, she's actually positioning herself, getting ready to aid Kaida should another projectile come, or should Alma step a bit closer.
"It seems trash like you is only able to come out under the sun. Today, prepare for an eclipse!"
COMBATSYS: Shika assists Kaida.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Shika
COMBATSYS: Kaida successfully hits Alma with Twin Moonlit Swords.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Shika
Alma only flinches once.
~ Is that uniform really practical at all? ~
But his visage does not register any sympathy for Kaida's pain, even if it notes his mild discomfort at her unsheathing difficulties. Neither is there any sense of triumph as she collapses dramatically. He continues to walk steadily toward the two swimsuit-clad sisters, intent on freeing the now-unconscious girl at their feet.
"Trash?"
His voice is mild and unpreturbed as he neatly sidesteps the first energy slash but, realizing abruptly that the second girl, seemingly clumsy at first, is intuitively moving to support the first, he is grazed by the second. Rather than let this slow him, however, Alma twists with the momentum of the stinging strike and suddenly lunges toward Shika instead, covering the sand between them with a startling bound.
"Do you truly think you can cast a shadow--"
Even as he lands he is attacking, his grace preternatural.
"--that could shroud a light such as mine?"
The power of the flame within him that casts that light has been evidenced; he does not reveal it so overtly now. He blurs instead into a series of hunting jabs that seek to test the range of Shika's sword and control her movement and guard before, always a difficult task to undertake regardless of the opponent, quickly stepping in to lash out with a fierce kick to the black bikini-ed girl's exposed midriff, attempting to wind her before she can supply any aid to her sister.
"Hmph!"
And, all the while, intent on maintaining his alert poise...
Kaida watches her sister, and despite the situation, despite the pain that only slowly begins to subside, she gives a smile. As quickly as she had gotten it out she flourishes her left handed sword and stuffs it onto her right hip, walking up beside Shika. "Crescent Sword Style, Right blade. Kaida Inoue!" As her sister she holds her sword out to the side, crouching down to be level with her sister.
"Apart we may not have the strength, but together your flame will be extinguished!"
Alma goes for Shika as he charges in, bringing a slight smirk to Kaida's face. It's clear to her what he's doing, trying to take away the advantage given. But to her, he's just done the opposite. She whirls away from Shika and dashes in a quick arc, putting her directly behind Alma as he assaults her.
Perfectly she wields her blade, like a samurai of old. Her stance is excellent, her motions well trained. She slashes downward at an angle, pulling with her lower hand for additional strength, her strike aimed just below Alma's shoulders, the impact point intended to be directly on his spine. Painful, should her aim be true. Potentially paralyzing, had she used a blade as her sister does. "Hyah!"
COMBATSYS: Shika blocks Alma's Combo Attack.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Shika
Several of Alma's punches connect, and Shika staggers back, then suddenly brings up the side of her blade, blocking his foot. "Don't get all worked up over words, stupid." She raises an eyebrow. "I just wanted to ensure you'd target me."
She throws her weight against the sword which is still blocking Alma's foot, attempting to knock him down when he's offbalance, then lifts her sword over her head with both hands. She swings her sword down at him.
"We must be down to the last dregs, fighting someone of your level. But I'm not someone who particularly wants to fight strong people, so it's just the same to me." She pauses, and glances around, as if to make sure that this isn't just a setup for an ambush.
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Kaida's Power Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Shika
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Shika's Combo Attack.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Shika
Right Blade? Left Blade?
Alma plunged into battle without a thought for his usual motivations, but there's no suppressing his deepest desires. The calm-faced youth can't help but allow himself the faintest of smiles at Kaida's equally dramatic proclamation, even as Shika parries his efforts to penetrate her guard. Perhaps this will be a clash of souls after all, even if they are only minions--
"Heh?"
And then Shika has to spoil the mood.
Eyes widening slightly in an appealingly boyish gesture, the psychic's intuition pays off as much as his peripheral vision, detecting Kaida's potentially stunning strike in the nick of time. Instead of Shika's shove knocking him over, he rocks gracefully onto his heels and twists toward the first sister, as his forearm snaps up to neatly absorb the shock of the blow with the practiced air of one used to facing armed opponents. But as strong as his convictions are, Alma doesn't want to bleed if he doesn't have to. It gets all over his clothes, after all. So he twists fluidly, tilting his neck to let Shika's cutting blade narrowly pass him by.
"Now you're just name-calling," he remarks gently. It's difficult to tell whether he's being faintly blithe or if his feelings are a little hurt. "I wasn't going to make fun of your uniforms."
Come now, Alma, what red-blooded man would mock such attire? Well, Shika may soon see the color of his blood, but our spiritualist hero surely has his mind on more elevated matters-- like slipping his left arm, with which he guarded against Kaida's bokken, in past her guard to grab her by her mostly-bare shoulder.
"Isn't it a little awkward to fight in those?"
The comment is conversational, perhaps implying more than anything how calm he is in this death-defying moment-- even if, strategizing intuitively, he seeks to preclude their dangerous teamwork by abruptly throwing one bikini-clad sister against another, pivoting in an attempt to unbalance and toss Kaida against Shida; with any luck, they'll fall over each other.
Another fighter might mention something along the lines of 'Aren't you self-conscious?'-- but that concept is rather foreign to Alma himself.
COMBATSYS: Kaida fails to interrupt Quick Throw from Alma with Unstoppable Blow - Crescent Slash.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Kaida
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Shika
Kaida grits her teeth at the widening eyes. Damn it, he looks so innocent like that. It makes it hard for her to want to fight him seriously- at least in a situation like this. She wonders how someone as seemingly innocent as him ended up involved. But that's a stupid question to ask- there's so many like him involved. He isn't the only one.
She follows through on the strike even if it's against a forearm. "W-what? Uniforms? You think we have a choice?!" It seems to anger her, and as he reaches for her shoulder she pulls her arms back, "Unstoppable Blowaaaaah!" As she starts swinging forward in an underhanded motion white energy flares around her bokken, and then quickly extinguishes as she's tossed against Shika, crashing into her sister and then ending up on the ground again. She lifts a hand to her mouth as she starts to get up, and then spits out some sand. "I let him get me angry..." she mutters to herself, glaring at Alma in a very feminine fashion.
"Of course I'm name-calling, stupid. You don't seem like someone who's used to it, so I'll particularly insult you, stupid." Shika tilts her head to one side, and keeps up her one-sided barrage of insults "Besides, if you weren't stupid, you wouldn't be working on that side, stupid." She raises an eyebrow. "We're enemies, there's no reason to be friendly, you should've thought about that before you attacked, stupid. And it's hot to fight in normal clothing in this weather, stupid" She frowns, and looks over to her sister. "Ne, Kaida, help me think up some better insults, you're much better at it, st-... sister."
Shika's eyes widen as Kaida's thrown, and she stumbles back as her sister runs into her, then places a hand on her shoulder and vaults up, places a foot on her head and shoves off again, using her sister's body as a stepping stone as it falls towards the ground. "Brazen Lunge:" As she flies over Alma's head, she twists her body to swing her blade down at him as she does so. "Sudden" As she hits the ground, she takes the blade in both hands. "Stroke" She swings the blade upwards viciously towards Alma's body. "Technique!"
COMBATSYS: Alma interrupts Sudden Stroke Technique from Shika with Divine Intervention EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Alma 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Kaida
> /////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shika
It's not a uniform?
Alma reaches up to rub the back of his head, the young psychic regarding Kaida bemusedly as she collides with her sister and collapses to the sand. "Er, well... if it's causing you trouble, would you like to borrow mine?" he asks hesitantly, sounding less gallant than concerned as he reaches up to his sleek sweater's zipper. Lest fan service inhibit the girl's fighting spirit, the blond unzips his top slightly, revealing the unblemished skin about his sternum, as though to show his willingness to make this sacrifice.
But Shika's tirade soon distracts him.
"..."
u_u;
Okay, no-- what /really/ distracts him, this time from making strained-polite faces, is the way the second sister so nonchalantly kicks off the first. Th, that's some teamwork, alright.
Yet her technique, while carefully practiced, is inadequately dynamic-- and he predicts it to the last stroke. The blade swung downward is caught between two palms; a trickle of red blood emerges from the light bronze skin. He twists, but does not or cannot wrench the blade from her hands; this may seem a failure on his part. In fact, he is waiting for the follow-up strike, and controlling her momentum while he blocks and as she descends-- so that in the moment before the upward second slash begins, he pre-empts her.
"Haa!"
Right hand thrusting out, Alma steps in with limb sheathed in pearly luminesence, moving too close for the lighter-haired girl to strike. The palm that presses against her bare abdomen is oddly gentle, little physical force produced; but the piercing beam that emerges, a lance of raw white soulfire, is anything but, tearing through body and psyche with its illusory flame and causing very real pain, likely projecting her back several meters.
"Surrender," he murmurs softly but firmly, regarding the two wounded girls. His eyes are clear, his resolve evident. "Submit to captivity and I promise you will not be harmed. Though I must know... for what reason you troubled this girl."
The plowing into the ground is sped quickly up as Shika jumps up off of Kaida. She would not mind this sacrifice, if only Shika had actually managed to land her blow, instead getting her sword caught between hands and catching a rather nasty blast of white soulfire. Ugh, that really has got to hurt, Kaida realizes. She looks surprised by the offer of his shirt. "D-don't be stupid! I won't accept that from you. It's a trick! And don't think showing your skin is going to tempt me, either."
Even so, the faintest of blushes shows on the fighting girls cheeks. Come on, the guy -is- a professional model.
"Don't try playing mind games with him, Shika. He's better at it!" She steps forward as her sister is hurt, knowing she needs to hold the line. For a moment she seems hesitant, but the youths eyes narrow as she's asked to surrender. "C-captivity? No way! I, I've heard what you do to people who do! I don't believe you!" Instantly fired up she breaks into a run, rushing past Alma while retrieving her second sword, her right arm making a slash at his neck to disable him, twirling around to try and smack him in the back of the head with her second. "I'll never let your kind get their hands on me or my sister!"
Shika blinks, coloring slightly as Alma just places his palm on her abdomen, "H-hey, this isn't-" And then the actual blast comes, and she stumbles backwards, one hand clutching her stomach as she looks at Alma with wide eyes. "...it... it hurts so much...." Her voice is little more than a whisper, and she collapses to the ground, blood dribbling from her mouth, and her empty hand clutches at the sand. She slowly pushes herself up a little, entire body trembling, freezes, then collapses again. "...sorry... kaida...."
COMBATSYS: Shika focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Alma 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Kaida
> /////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shika
COMBATSYS: Kaida successfully hits Alma with Weapon Jab.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Alma 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Kaida
> /////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shika
Tempt her?
"Tempt you?"
Mind games?
"Mind games?"
Come on, Alma, save it for your internal monologue.
It's a rare moment when the handsome youth is too surprised to be subtle, but this fight seems to be less one for incandescent passion and more one for wide-eyed bemusement. What on earth does she mean, tempt her? With what, the promise of salvation through justice?
But her fear of captivity at his hands reminds him of who he is facing. These are likely the same sort of hollow soldiers that his foes normally employ. They are not to blame for their current nature, but they do not realize that they are already victims. Only by defeating them can they learn the truth. Alma knows this; he has formed deep rapports with others of this type-- although, to be fair, the nature of the connection between Kaida and Shika seems rather different, and he's been ignoring that gnawing instinct this whole battle.
Still--
Even if they are the minions he assumed, sensing Shika's collapse is painful for Alma as well. He cannot but glance toward the fallen second sister. How reckless of Kaida to continue to fight--
"Urgh--!"
How foolish of Alma to look away.
He chokes on the first blow, briefly unable to breathe, his instincts just barely failing him as he turns back and raises his guard too slowly-- thereby opening himself to the follow-up blow, a strike to the back of his head that completes his stun. Not heavily injured but briefly rendered completely immobile, Alma sinks to his knees before the girl in the red bikini, head slumping for a moment toward her belly button as his vision clouds. He sways, and for a moment, he looks as though he might topple.
"...nghh..."
But if Kaida is to celebrate her triumph, it will not be for long-- his fist will blur before the rest of his body reveals any change. Aiming for the belly he is so perilously close to, he seeks to return the favor with a jab to the girl's midsection that, if it connects, may wind her in preparation for the series of quick blurring punches that follow as Alma, eyes again clear and faintly narrow, rises back to his feet, returning to that poised stance if he can.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Kaida with Spring Shower.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Alma 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Kaida
> /////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shika
Kaida's breathing is deep as she recovers from her attack, the knuckles around her swords white, so tightly does she grip them. "Shika, get up!" she shouts, looking over to her sister. Her eyes narrow just a bit, and her voice lowers to a quiet, dangerous tone. "What would father say, if he saw you like that?" She looks down at Alma, taking him for more injured than he is. She starts to take a step forward- and then is promptly hit in the stomach. "-ghk!"
She fumbles about, trying to defend the next series of blows with her pair of swords as best she can, but failing to stop a single one, so fast do they come. She stumbles backwards, dropping to one knee, one bokken stuck into the sand to help her keep from falling the rest of the way. "N-no! I... I said I will never give up to the likes of you, and I meant it!"
She pushes on her sword and brings herself up to her feet, a fierce look setting itself on her face. The brilliance of her fighting spirit flares up, visible to the minds eye before the bodies eye, the teenager centering herself and focusing her anger into something tangible and potent. "No matter what you do, I won't surrender." A wind kicks up around her, blowing her hair to the side, white energy swirling about her body and limbs, spiraling inward until it is absorbed. She takes in the power of the world, balancing herself with it and feeding off of its strength.
COMBATSYS: Kaida gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 1/---====/=======|=======\=====--\1 Kaida
> /////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shika
"This fight is over... we have no chance of beating you... we surrender... is what I'd like to say...." Shika narrows her eyes, and slowly pushes herself up again, letting pained grunts through her teeth. "But my sister isn't just going to listen to logic. And, if I just lay here... she definitely won't forgive me...." She raises her sword unsteadily, stumbling towards Alma. "You may be fighting for evil, but I can tell you're a good person. Please... somehow forgive our stupidity."
She then trips on the sand, and falls flat on her face - but she keeps on stabbing outwards with her sword, right at Alma's feet. A moment after the stab, a burst of chi rushes through the sword, exploding outwards.
COMBATSYS: Alma fails to interrupt Mudslide from Shika with Absolution EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/----===|=======\=====--\1 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
This is most unusual.
This of course is not referring to that Alma Towazu's opponents are bikini-clad samurai sisters wielding deadly weapons on a beach-turned-battleground-- why would that be unusual? No, as bemused as the young psychic hero has been by his eccentric opponents and their spirited teamwork, he has been given little true pause as yet. Fighting resolutely and fluidly, the conviction of the faithful turned to the ruthlessness of a warrior, he determined with unseemly swiftness that these two were his adversaries. To be fair, the situation did not cast them in a very positive light. But his awareness of their auras has been gnawing at him for some time-- they are eeriely similar to each other, yes, even though very distinct in surface colors, but-- they are simply too--
Worlded.
Did these girls emerge from a test tube? Were their memories erased?
To Alma, this feels increasingly unlikely.
As Kaida summons up her spirit, the girl in the red bikini recovering from Alma's series of jabs as best she can, Alma does not allow these questions to come flooding back. It was, after all, only a moment ago that he had been brought to his knees before her; and while there are worse opponents to be on your knees before, now is not really the time. Rather, it is Shika's words -- words that previously had seemed only surreal -- that shake him.
Preparing for what is sure to be an onslaught from Kaida, Alma's instinct is to reach out and finish the injured Shika for good, to put her out of her misery with a final mind-rending and pain-ending blast of rapturous Soul Power, and thereby end their teamwork for the rest of the fight. And perhaps if his heart had been entirely in it, even when Shika so focused on her swift strike, he might have managed an elegant and decisive counter-attack. Yet her words--
"Ah..."
They stir him to a rare experience.
"That's..."
Self-doubt.
The girl in the black bikini face-plants right in front of him, as the hesitating youth's fingertips pass right above her, as though stopping short. The fountain of energy that bursts up causes him to flinch and stumble back slightly, but he does not seem to feel it much; rather, an air of distraction overtakes his previously calm and untroubled features.
'A good person'?
His body turns toward Kaida, as though anticipating a coming storm, but his gaze stays fixed on the collapsed girl before him. "Miss," he murmurs, "please... please tell me. Who sent you, and why were you attacking that girl?"
Right, that unconscious girl, still in the sand. Better not forget about her. Or that kid in the raft, still hiding, staring wide-eyed at the girls in bikinis.
One thing at a time.
The energy that funnels into Kaida slowly begins to subside as she's taken her fill, the teenager looking to her sister as she manages to slip in and bypass Alma's defenses, hitting him lightly but seeming to cost him much at the same time. Not just the initiative, which is surely no longer his, but something else as well.
And on top of that the model looks somewhat shaken up as well. Hesitation? It seems that way. The red bikini clad swordfighter steps forward stuffing away her left sword yet again while flourishing with the one in her right hand. "It's simple," she comments to his question in a flippant tone of voice. "No one sent us. We didn't attack her. She and her friends attacked us, and bit off more than they could chew. We just wanted to ask her those very questions." Her features grow hard, "And then you stepped in."
She swipes her bokken through the air, stopping when it's tip curves upwards to point at Alma's face. "Don't think you can fool me. You've made your intentions clear, and you use that same... that same power as her and her friends." She breaks into a run, lunging at him. "I won't be dissuaded by your kind demeanor!"
Once she gets close she begins twirling, the grip in her bokken changing constantly from one handed to two handed and back, the teenager spinning and staying in constant fluid motion, feet placing themselves carefully around Alma as she swings her sword at him in hard slashes, aiming for his arms and upper body. The grace of her dance of death is clearly well trained and honed from hours upon hours of practice, her arm lifting above her head only to swoop down to send another powerful stroke at him, a deadly ballerina with a dangerous intent. After spiraling around him nearly half a minute she suddenly reverses her spinning motion, taking a double grip on her sword and turning that motion into a powerful recoil not unlike a golf swing, the sword coming up and around before swooping under, an attempt to slam it into him from beneath and follow through, launching him into the air and away.
And after it, a great flourish of her blade is given, returning her to an offensive stance, facing him.
"...Kaida... relax a little...." Shika slowly raises her head, and meets his gaze with her own directly, her face a mixture of pain, determination, and... just a glimmer of *something* in her eyes.
Something a little off.
But then it's gone, like it had never existed.
"...you... even if you use that sort of power... can tell that you aren't a bad person... you don't enjoy destruction..."
She coughs, expelling some more blood, then rises to her feet, shakily, her sword now held in a backhanded grip. "...even though you can win... surrender..."
She stumbles towards Alma, body tilting slightly from side to side, then suddenly falls to one side trying to catch herself on Alma's far shoulder and pull herself up as she manuevers behind his back, and put an arm under one of his, then snake it back behind head in a half nelson. Which will also have the effect of pressing her scantily clad body against his back should it succeed.
"...think you'd be happier being our prisoner...."
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Kaida's Forbidden Dance - Deadly Blade.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
COMBATSYS: Shika successfully hits Alma with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
So be it.
Alma Towazu can only infer that he was likely mistaken, as are they. It is the unfortunate truth that Shadaloo's minions are often converted through psychic energies, that mind-rending power being particularly suitable for such a task; while it remains possible that his opponents are not fellow champions of justice, it seems less likely by the moment. Still, these girls were eager enough to get into a fight themselves-- and now that he's begun, as he's already admitted to himself, Alma can't deny the urge to confront their fighting spirits intertwined. If they aren't minions of some nefarious power, then how did their particular auras arise? Surely they must be sisters.
Besides, if his demeanor won't dissuade her, then nothing will. As one very familiar with the phenomenon of charisma, Alma has long ago concluded that the art of persuasion in any form is simply encouraging someone to do what they already, in some form or another, want to do. And Kaida, well--
"Hmph!"
Kaida just wants to fight.
"If that's what you think--"
Let the dance begin.
"I'll show you my true spirit."
Does this girl have the eyes to see sincerity?
Even if not, she may be impressed by what she does see. The sword dance is enthralling -- surely all the more so when performed in a bikini -- and Alma is attuned to every move. As with many talented but inexperienced fighters, the girl's aura is vibrant but unsubtle, her actions easily read split-seconds in advance by one skilled in such a reading; he seamlessly takes both physical and spiritual cues to sidestep each and every of her slashes. Still, he does not see any easy escape-- there are /many/ cuts. Fluidly evading the rapid barrage, unwilling to let himself lose ground, it is impressive enough that he does not need to flee, leaning expertly out of the way of each strike, her wooden blade nevertheless hissing dangerously close to his chest several times. Fortunately for his tailored clothing, there is no sharp edge to cause disrepair.
"An impressive technique," the beauty remarks graciously, without a trace of irony.
Shoulders lowering, his guard dropping for an instant, his open hand raises and his lips part as though he is about to share another few words-- but it is not to be. His awareness finally shifting away from just Kaida, his eyes widen as he senses Shika's movements abruptly, and a moment too late before his arm is entrapped, his body pulled back.
"Guhh--!?"
Surrender, even though he can win?
"Wh... wha..."
H, happier being their prisoner?
"What do you... huh?"
Now this is just /confusing/. And here things had been straightforward again just a moment ago. His light bronze cheeks flush with embarrassment; really, more the embarrassment of someone in the midst of an awkward faux pas, or a social situation that is out of their depth-- but that's not very obvious at all. Whatever his reasons, young Alma Towazu seems to be completely at a loss, staring down at the girl pressed against his back with widened and startled eyes, not yet even resisting, trying to get a handle on the conviction that had returned for his face-off with Kaida and now once more abruptly abandoned him.
Come on, Alma, get it together!
COMBATSYS: Alma gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Kaida just used every ounce of her skill. She poured every bit of her talent and ability into that attack, the very height of what she can do as a fighter.
And Alma plays keep away as if it were a childs game, and then simply stares at her with a befuddled expression on her face. The girl with dark green hair and a red bikini, returns that stare, watching him blankly for several moments. And then... then things get decidedly Emo.
"Fuck it." She lifts her bokken and stuffs it through the odd belt she's wearing. "I'm not surrendering," she states, aggravation filling her voice. "I quit. You won't pursue me, I can tell that by now." She waves her hand roughly through the air. "I'm not going to stick around here any longer while you make a fool out of me and my sword style." She turns her back to the model and starts walking away with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I'm leaving," she then states as she walks off in the direction she arrived from, now paying no attention to the girl that she was so eager to get information out of before. Whether the comment is meant to be for Shika, Alma, or both she makes no allusion to.
COMBATSYS: Kaida takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Shika smiles a little at Alma's obvious confusion, and moves her mouth a little closer to her ear, her lips parting as she begins to speak. "There's a much wider world than the one your army has shown you. If you let yourself be captured, I can-"
And then Kaida speaks up, and Shika slowly rises up to her full height, her eyes flaring with anger. "...you..."
Her body begins to tremble again. "You're really a coward, aren't you, Kaida? Fighting just because you want to fight, and running away because you're too weak. Leaving me to handle everything." Her grip on her sword and the back of Alma's neck tightens a little, should he still be there. "Let me tell you something. I hate that kind of thinking! I'm embarrassed to have a sister that-!" She coughs midsentance, and her eyes widen, and roll upwards into her head. She stands there for half a moment, then relaxes all at once, and slumps against Alma, or, if that is no longer available, to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Shika focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Alma's flush deepens.
A wider world? What? What??
Tragically, the prodigal spiritualist is not to know of what Shika Inoue is suggesting so... suggestively. And, indeed, what results is one of the only reactions that could have stirred Alma out of his bemused reverie: that of a warrior's pride tarnished. The black bikini sister abruptly seems to slump against his back again, yet though a faint flush remains, the YFCC director's eyes have cleared and softened. Yes, these girls are definitely not products of any villainous agenda.
They are only teenagers.
"Wait."
The passion that emerged within him in this battle, that love of battle's intimacy that even in the most serious conflicts Alma is hard-pressed to deny, rebels against this conclusion.
"Wait!"
He can't let it end this way.
Pausing only to let Shika fall gently to the sand, Alma dashes forward swiftly, a lunge carrying him far across the ground, closing in while Kaida's back is still turned. He may not agree with what the girl is doing; he probably would agree with Shika that, while retreat is not necessarily cowardly, a retreat so motivated is. But that doesn't matter. That pride of hers-- it may be unrefined and vulnerable, but it is direction.
It is an opportunity.
One that Alma is called to reach out to.
And so reach out he does, and as quickly as he can before Kaida can walk away. Still, even at his most serious, what he has endured in Shika's arms continues to confuse and unsettle him; his speed may not be affected, but his aim is not so spectacular, and his thoughts are half-formed. Here, intuition fails him.
"There's been a misunders--"
For as he reaches out toward the first sister's back, his fingertips brush against her shoulders where he had aimed for and instead slide down to grasp the back strap of her red bikini top, snagging there in a hold he had not quite anticipated. Before his mind registers what he's done, he's already pivoting, attempting to throw her into the sand once more-- this time by the slender strand of what little covering she has.
"--andi-- uhh--"
Well, if there wasn't a misunderstanding before, there may be one now.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Kaida with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
As her twin calls after her Kaida frowns more deeply, the lines of her face forming quickly into hot anger. "Oh fuck off, Shika. If I'm embarrassing you then just subtract it from all the times you've made me ashamed to be seen with you." In truth, it was the first time she'd ever talked to her sister in such a way. Both in meaning, and the pure vileness of her language. Actually, it'd probably be the most swearing that'd been heard from her ever.
Right now, she does not want to be trifled with. And that's what she sees from her sister. Some stupid game. That's always what it boils down to, with her, she's thinking at the moment.
Then, she's proven wrong. Alma does follow after her. Her action is simple. She ignores him, completely. There is literally no reaction from her as he reaches out to grab at her, and so his imperfect aim does exactly what fate has intended it to do, his hand slipping to the shoulder strap of the bikini top. Regardless, the material is strong enough take her weight momentarily as he pivots around and throws her face down into the sand.
A face full of sand she gets. She is not slow to get up, but she is not fast either. When she does that bikini is torn, one strap hanging down her back and the top sagging in a manner that suggest friction alone holds it up. "What?" the teenager asks, coldly boiling anger dripping from her voice. "Is that what you're after? Fine. Have it your way, you asshole." She reaches up to the top, grips it, and pulls. It comes free. "You see, Shika? This is the man you were defending." She holds the scrap of cloth in her hand, and then lightly throws it in Alma's face, eyes filled with a unending rage. "You happy now?"
COMBATSYS: Alma endures Kaida's Small Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Well, that's--
Hmmm.
Yes, that's quite--
Hmmmmm.
Alma Towazu stands still and silent, arms by his sides, expressionless.
Before his mind had wavered between resolve and bemusement, alternately encountering Kaida's fiery spirit and Shika's quasi-autistic eccentricity. Now both are blasted from his mind. Forget flushing; forget tip-toeing on the edge of something beyond his understanding. He has been hurled full into a situation far beyond his ken, the realms of spiritual intimacy and physical intimacy now irrevocably tangled.
Blessedly, his vision is obscured.
Unfortunately, it is obscured by a red bikini top, draped over his face.
Yes, this-- this-- this--
~ Smells good. ~
Err!
All at once Alma blinks -- not that anyone can see this -- and straightens slightly, though what is visible of his expression still does not appear to register any particular emotions at all, and his hands, though perfectly -- carefully, even -- relaxed like the rest of his body, do not stray even slightly from his sides. When the circumstances become completely unfamiliar, one has no choice but to behave as one would in the most familiar of circumstances. This Alma believes, because he does not have the imagination or the sense of humor to come up with a legitimately absurd response to this utterly absurd situation.
So he just starts speaking, quite calmly.
"I believe I misunderstood your intentions," he says, tone low and mild as it would be in the most casual of conversations, "and I sincerely apologize. Allow me to introduce myself."
His hand stirs, seeming as though he is about to reach up to run a hand through his hair, before newly acquired inhibitions freeze that limb to the spot.
"I am Alma Towazu, vice-president and director of the Young Fighter's Community Center here in Southtown. We were invaded and forced to abandon the center after securing and relocating the children and volunteers; I have been attempting to rescue those displaced by the conflict. Seeing you hara... fighting with that young lady, I mistook your... similar appearance and attire... for that of what my enemies sometimes share, and believed you were part of the invading forces. I no longer believe that to be the case."
A pause, possibly for breath.
"I am, however, very impressed by your teamwork and fighting spirit. Please do not be offended. I was taking you as seriously as possible; only my respect for your style would explain my success."
Overly modest words, to be sure-- but he does seem genuinely concerned for the girl's pride. Or so his tone of voice indicates. His eyes, of course, remain hidden.
"...I apologize also for damaging your outfit."
It was an action born of rage, and in the present tense it seems, even to her, like a stupid idea. But Kaida has her pride, and she will not admit it. Despite this, she will do what she can to remain at least somewhat modest, crossing her finely muscled arms over her chest so that formidable part of herself is no longer glaringly in view, whether or not Alma's eyes remain obscured by that which obscured herself only a moment ago.
She lets him speak his peace, standing there as she is, and brooding. Her eyes are no longer visible to him, but if they were he would surely see that the anger that radiates from them has not subsided in the least. Perhaps Alma, this mysterious reader of auras and souls, can feel that anger exuding from her very spirit, slowly tipping its way towards a more frightening cold hate.
"I don't care who you are," she spits out venomously. "I told you before, you aren't going to deceive me with your words. Your actions speak loudly enough about what you are you." Again it is time for her to turn her back on him and take slow steps in the direction she now faces. "You, like my sister, can go fuck yourself. Save your lies for someone who cares, you disgusting monster." The words are purely malicious, intending to cut to the bone and leave painful wounds in his psyche.
One might argue that such an intention would mean on some level she must believe there is some good in Alma, otherwise such comments could not hurt him. But Kaidas logic is feminine, and the irony of it is completely and irrevocably lost on her.
So much for Plan A.
Alma Towazu does not flinch from her hateful words, but his shoulders do sag-- not from the insults, but from the growing inevitability that he'll have to accept he has no idea what to do in this situation, absent the possibility of passionate battling or any meaningful communication whatsoever. So what other tricks do you know, Alma? Calm and mild-mannered reasoning is useless; attacking her would be pointless by his own standards. The realms of Passion and Duty are his only purview, and neither of their fruits seem relevant. What then is left?
It is not in his nature to respond naturally to absurd situations with equivalent absurdity. He does so /unintentionally/, to be sure, and without realizing he is doing so, mostly whenever Tran is around. But he is not much of a play-actor, even at his least serious; the closest he comes his deadpan and subtle humor.
Hiten-Ryu, however--
It is time to employ that style's most important element, the one that appealed to him in the the most unusual of ways. It doesn't seem likely that he'll be able to persuade these sisters to join him at this rate, even though their goals intersect. All he can do now is to see this through to the end, with the only technique left at his disposal--
"...You're smarter than you look."
Drama.
"But you would have been better off believing me," he continues, in the same mild tone as before, body still unmoving. "For now that you've perceived my true nature, I cannot let you go. I was willing to let such specimens escape so long as I retrieved our ally, but-- sisters? Too worthy an experiment. Not to mention you seem well able to fight in the uniforms we'll have prepared."
You're on a roll, Alma, keep it up!
"Retreat is not an option for you," he continues simply. "Surrender or defend yourself. If you would sacrifice your body rather than have your style besmirched-- that is your prerogative. You will be reprogrammed in any case."
Not bad, Alma, not bad.
Though the bikini top on your face adds an odd twist.
It's a strange choice that no normal man would make, but--
This is exactly the sort of thing Alma Towazu can't walk away from.
Too bad, too. He should really just take the top and run.
COMBATSYS: Alma takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Absurdity. Drama. An admission of guilt, and a declaration of- of what, exactly? War? No, that's already quite out in the open. Intent? Closer to the point.
Kaida, she has no use for these things, now more than ever. "You're a god damn hypocrite, you know that?" She doesn't even stop walking, "To think you'd just told me you were taking me seriously. How can you even look at yourself in the mirror at night?" Her voice is level, even. The rage, it's dying down, slowly being replaced with contempt and scorn as whatever this is continues on. Pure disgust fills her voice. "Whatever you want, take it up with my sister. Jesus, what a pair you two would make. You really deserve each other, pulling shit like this."
Sorry, Alma. Kaida is way, way, way too used to this kind of thing to even have a hope of falling for it. Her sister is confusing at best, and utterly inexplicable at worst, and Kaida has learned to read her twin like a book. The improvisation, sadly, just can't stand up against the real thing.
Shika has been lying on the sand this entire time, motionless. As Kaida rages, she slowly, silently, gets to her feet.
And suddenly, she rushes towards Alma's back, taking two giant steps as she spins around three hundred and sixty degrees, swinging the blade of her sword straight at his neck.
Her face is emotionless as she shifts her gaze to Kaida briefly... and then she smiles a little, a hint of warmth through her focus. "Nice speech, distracted him pretty well. Come on, let's finish this. Now that I know what sort of person he is, I don't have to hold back."
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Shika's Intended Decapitation Technique.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ///////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Alma exhales heavily, the bikini top fluttering around his nose.
First rule of improv, Kaida: Never say no.
Otherwise your partner will be, as Alma is now, out of options. That's it; there's just no dealing with her. She merely tantalized him with that brief glimpse of samurai spirit, that moment of sisterly teamwork that he was only just beginning to appreciate, and then she had to--
"Wha--"
On the other hand, maybe he can sympathize.
Kaida has to /live/ with this girl?
Alma's about-face may have been an A-for-effort acting attempt, but Shika's sudden heel turn seems all too real. Something deep in his gut tells him that the fate that awaits him has little in common with the captivity the black bikini clad sister was suggesting earlier, and so thankfully he turns, the red bikini top /finally/ falling away from his eyes--
"Gahh!"
As it is cut in twain by Shika's sharp blade.
Twisting, partially deflecting the cut with his forearm as it passes by and thereby enduring a slash on his arm, Alma by all appearances just barely evades, whether by skill or instinct or sheer luck, a messy demise. That was a serious ambush-- and the spirit that had abandoned him before now comes rushing back, immediately kicking him into high gear.
"Hraahh!"
Immediately he lashes out with his right hand, seeking to strike Shika in the midsection once more before she can recover, as with a rush of adrenaline and a surge of will he ignites a lance of Soul Power about his fist and seeks to drive it home like a spike into the girl's body, shocking once more her seemingly already skewed senses.
Kaida may be angsty and angry-- but enough to abandon a sister under attack?
"Oh, don't you dare try to reinvolve me in this, Shika," Kaida coldly replies to her sister. "I want to fight him seriously, you want to surrender. I want to leave, you call me a coward. I want nothing more than to be out of his filthy sight and you say that now's our time to strike." She seems calm for a moment, but then whips back around. "NO! No more! I'm not putting up with your self-centered bullshit anymore! You've cost me too much already. I can't even have other friends because of you, did you know that? You've scared every last one of them away! I don't know if you're doing it on purpose to try and keep me for yourself or of you're just that stupid, but I won't take it any longer! You, you just stay the hell away from me now on unless we're sparing, alright?!"
That slowly building disgust and hatred, mixing with a flare of anger, spills over from one topic to the next as everything she's put up with in the last few weeks reaches a boiling point, getting Kaida really and truly angry with her sister. The teenager appears ready to strike out at just about anything that presents itself right now. Just not... with her bokken.
COMBATSYS: Kaida takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ///////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
COMBATSYS: Shika dodges Alma's Self Expression.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ///////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Shika
Shika's eyes widen, and she turns to stare at Kaida. She falls backwards as Alma's ignited fist flies towards her, and it barely misses her, but that's not what her attention is on. She stares up at the sky, a bewildered expression on her face.
She closes her eyes for a moment, her expression smoothing out.
"...Oh. I thought that was acting. Well, maybe hoped. But if that's the way you feel, leave. Hearing those words hurts so much it's a little distracting." Her face is an emotionless mask, and she winks, but there's no humor in it.
Shika closes her eyes and sinks her sword into the sand, and a burst of energy erupts from the ground, throwing sand into the air, and making a huge cloud around her and Alma. She springs up to her feet, rushing towards him.
There's only a glint of steel visible through the cloud of sand, as her weapon swings through the air.
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Shika's Fierce Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Kaida
> ///////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Shika
Well, this is--
Alma swallows quietly, gaze shifting to the furious Kaida-- before remembering himself, and quickly glancing away. He would be hard-pressed to explain his hesitancy; again, encountering this sort of thing is in his line of work. But the combination of fighting spirit and partial nudity, well-- it's only made even worse by the fact that this is all very--
Awkward.
Is he responsible for this?
Alma, looking back at Shika's desperate efforts in spite of her own pain, feeling a surge of respect for the otherwise eccentric girl's resolve, decisively concludes that's not the case. In some sense, this fight is already over; the conflict between them is revealed as a sham. That Alma breezily twists out of the way of the sand-obscured attack, the lithe rippling of his movements a glimpse into the essence of natural style, is simply a formality. At this point, he could walk away.
But then, he could have walked away a while ago, like, before making a fool of himself. Ignoring Kaida for the moment, her rage turned inward and seemingly impotent -- and, if he examined his feelings more closely, perhaps embarrassed by the collapse of her previous spirit into a more self-indulgent form of fury -- Alma turns all his attentions toward the girl in the black and more complete bikini, dancing expertly out of the way as fire kindles about his fingertips.
"Enough!"
Simple, decisive, certain: Kaida got one more offer for surrender, albeit a ridiculous one, and Shika will have one too-- this one, however, accompanied by a burst of flame that darts out at her back as she passes by, aiming to send her sprawling once more and, perhaps, crush her remaining will in more ways than one.
"Yeah, I will. I've been planning on it, if you hadn't noticed, sister." Kaida walks away, her mind not calming as she leaves her sister to whatever her fate may be. At this point she's honestly very confused as to exactly who or what Alma is, and what his purpose has been. From the start it was obvious, he wanted to help the girl she had chased and beaned in the back of the head with her bokken. But when she'd decided to go, what was it that made him try to keep her?
She can't understand it. She can only understand her reaction to it, guttural and emotional: rage. And from there the rage had fermented into something worse, something even more horrible than a blinding anger keeping her from thinking straight. And she'd let it lash out at not just the creator of these feelings in her, as she sees him now, but her sister as well. But for that, there is a strange sensation- a lack of remorse. She should feel bad for hurting her sister. But now? Now she doesn't. Whatever may happen between Alma and Shika in the next few moments, Kaida will not be there to bear witness.
COMBATSYS: Kaida has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Shika
COMBATSYS: Shika fails to reflect Sacred Wave from Alma with Moon's Protection Technique.
~~ Alluring Hit! ~~
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1 Shika
Shika holds out her blade, and a glowing shell of energy surrounds her as Alma's flame bursts towards her. For a moment, the shield manages to keep it away, and it slowly starts to crack under the pressure of the flame.
And then Kaida turns her back on Shika, both figuratively and literally, and starts to walk away. The shield shatters, shards of energy flying around like dust.
The flames, or perhaps their force combined with the shield's shattering, and she's sent flying through the air. She lands in painful-looking sprawl on the ground.
Shika slowly struggles into a kneeling position, and then switches her hands on the sword, so she's holding it by the blade instead of the handle, and proffers the handle towards Alma. "...I... I can't defeat you...."
And that, as they say, is that.
Alma squints one eye thoughtfully as he steps forward, reaching up to rub the back of his head as he contemplates the bizarre fate that has befallen him. Child rescued; enemy soldier defeated and abandoned; second sister surrendered.
What is he to do with these people?
Well-- this is a matter of honor.
Taking a deep breath, accepting that no level of psychic intuition is going to help him foresee what his involvement with /these/ sisters will result in, Alma Towazu accepts the proferred sword from Shika's hands, taking it and hefting it so that it unsharpened side of the blade rests against his shoulder. "I accept your surrender," he murmurs judiciously.
First, he tilts his gaze to the fallen enemy that Kaida and Shika first struck down. "Take that girl," he says to Shika, "back to headquarters with me, if you can carry her. I have someone else I need to take care of." That poor boy, forced to watch all these shenanigans. "For now, you're working for me."
Who knows? Maybe he can convince her eventually that they're on the same side. Maybe she knows some things he doesn't know. Hey, speaking of which...
"Just one question."
His gaze returns to the girl in the black bikini-- and his shoulders slump in sheer puzzlement, brow furrowing faintly.
"What was that 'much wider world' you were talking about, anyway?"
Beauty is wasted on priests.
COMBATSYS: Alma has left the fight here.
> ///////// ]
|=======\===----\1 Shika
Log created on 03:50:31 03/24/2009 by Alma, and last modified on 20:16:10 03/26/2009.