Description: Numbered among those who stood up to fight against the Shadaloo directed assault on the YFCC, Vanessa has joined the list of fights targeted for counter attack. With her history with the NESTS cartel, it was only fitting that one of their finest was dispatched to deal with her. Thus enter the elite researcher and deadly swordswoman Diana, with the Cartel's impressive array of surveillance technology at her fingertips. Vanessa /will/ be found. And she will be taught a lesson: Stay out of the affairs of NESTS, unless she wants to end up like her deceased beloved.
Some affairs are simpler to deal with than others; finding one face within a sea of thousands? It's actually not as difficult as one may think, so long as one is familiar with the patterns of people.
The patterns of people isn't exactly the expertise of the NESTS employee whom goes by the name of Diana, she prefers smaller things, but that is another story for another time. THe fruits of Diana's labors, however, brings the rather amazonishly tall woman to a dark and dusty bar within the grittier areas of Southtown. This may or may not normally be a kind of spot that the red-head known as Vanessa may be hanging out during these rough times, but the scientist had planted a false lead here so really all there was for her to do is wait.
The bar is admittadly pretty stereotypical as far as seedy places go, lots of punks grumbling, showing off their tattoos, drinking, playing pool or poker, plenty of smoking. You name it, it's probably going on. And Diana manages not to stand out- How this is, is a secret of course. But she's somewhere in that gathering, biding her time.. And writing up a report by hand. Because in the end, she really is more a worker bee than a fighter. And considering her skills, she must make for an astounding worker bee.
Vanessa's had a bad little while. She failed to defend the YFCC. She hasn't been able to go back to confirm that Alma's alright. No word from Rose or Chizuru. The whole thing's a mess. Everything is wrong. Seth and Ramon can't get in. Vanessa...has to act on her own.
Which is why she follows Diana's bait. She's smart enough to be cautious; this could be a trap, if not for her than maybe even for someone else. But the Boxing Queen knows she has no choice. She has to work. She has to learn. She has to fight. For her husband, and for all the people NESTS is hurting now...
She doesn't know Diana, so when Vanessa walks in the door, the redhead does what every well-traveled barfly does - she wanders right up to the barkeep, says, "the usual," and is answered with an affirmative grunt rather than a hearty laugh.
Of course Vanessa wouldn't know Diana. Diana, on the other hand, knows a thing or two about Vanessa; just barely enough that is as she wasn't exactly responsible for the woman in the end. She doesn't even move once Vanessa makes her entrance because the red-head actually ends up walking right over to /her/-
Diana is sitting to the woman's right, writing on some sort of fancy electronic doodad with a black stylus that has a little butterfly at the top. Lets say it's an iPhone even though it isn't that at all. Nevermind her wild-hairdo, the woman is wearing a trenchcoat over her apparel to make her a touch loss obivious otherwise.
The bartender was just about to raise a fuss until Vanessa makes her request. She's greeted with a grin and a nod, her drink done in a hurry but right after it's set on the counter, the drink is grabbed by Diana's glove-clad left hand, and then raised to scrutinizing eyes. "Oh, hmn, yes that should do fine." she mumbles to herself, "Vanessa, correct? You probably have no idea who I am but I suppose considering the circumstances that really isn't all that important."
The liquid is then poured into a half-filled mug of.. Well, it might be beer, it is gold in color, but once she pours in a touch of Vanessa's drink, it gradualy becomes violet. "Hmm.. Where was I.. Oh, yes, so I suppose I'd better make this short. You've become a 'problem' after that stunt in the Infirmiry. Shall I punish you here or outside?"
Vanessa reaches for her drink...and Diana grabs at it. And pours it into her own drink.
Vanessa looks up at the barkeep, and says, "Sorry, Larry."
Her fist leaps up for Diana's jaw at the word 'problem.'
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has started a fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Diana has joined the fight here.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Diana
COMBATSYS: Diana blocks Vanessa's Parrying Puncher.
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Diana
Ok, that was also unexpected. Diana clearly is not the type of woman who spends a lot of time in bars. If at all. Luckily for her, though, her reflexes are sharp as seen when the fist flying toward the woman's chin instead is intercepted with a loud smack of leather hitting.. Possibly leather though maybe-not clad palm of her right hand. There's a little slow-down rather than a dead stop, but her jaw is safe for the time being. "So be it, though you could have waited until I completed my analysis. Rude."
The fist is released and the woman rather smoothly drops to the floor (the stool making the same action though with a louder clatter), and slips forward with her feet pushing outward as if she were sliding on ice! She's attempting to trip up the woman, (and unintentionally knocks two other customers right out of their stools as she kicks those out from uder them as well), but also give herself a moment to unsheathe her sleek, black sword by the time she's back to her feet.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa just-defends Diana's Tree of Wisdom!
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Diana
"You wanna talk to me about rude, how about not stealing my drink?" Vanessa replies, sneering. She's on her feet - hopped to them in the middle of her punch. The stool remains right where it is. A sign of Vanessa's agility, to be sure. She scoots back a little when Diana does, to give them both plenty of room. "Hunting me down...abusing those kids...Shurui, and Kula...is that Eclipse kid under your thumb, too?"
Diana comes at her, and Vanessa's forearm rises - and in the second it connects, the boxer skirts away, skating across the ground in a nearly-invisible blur, knocking over a table as she does. Room, she needs more room! But the fast reaction gives her time to think. People are moving, now, clearing things out of the way. This is not exactly the kind of place /unused/ to fights breaking out. "So basically, let me tell you what you should /really/ be calling rude: It's the fact that I'm gonna /beat/ you so hard they'll be pulling /teeth/ outta yer /ass/!"
She shoots in, suddenly, too fast to track until her fist is almost to Diana's body. "AND PASS THAT ON TO IGNIZ!"
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Diana with Dash Puncher.
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Vanessa 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Diana
Diana doesn't say anything.. At first. She's forced to take a moment to be impressed by Vanessa's speed and agility. Hmn, is she faster than before? No.. No, it was probably about the same, she thinks. Still, impressive to see it first-hand! Her weapon withdrawn, she bends the sword a touch, eyes shifting from the woman to the glass containing the violet liquid, "There is nothing rude about science," she notes cooly, "You should be thankful you had the opportunity of witnessing a possible breakthrough. You know, the environment in Southtown is surprisingly unus-ULK"
That'd be Vanessa's fist driving into the amazon's gut, her eyes bugging out a bit and she staggers back until her back thumps against a pool table. Of course the spectators scramble as she pushes herself up, "A misunderstanding, of course. But let's take things one step at a time, shall we? As I was saying, I was conducting an experiment," handle in one hand, swords end in the other, she lightly bends her weapon once more, "The environment here isn't very suitable for a variety of species of butterfly that you can find in many other parts of Japan. Of course, it was a longshot to actually use alcohol, but.."
She's likely playing possom here; despite how distracted her eyes may appear to be, her stance isn't very lazy, even though she appears to be doing nothing!
COMBATSYS: Diana calculates her next move.
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Vanessa 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Diana
Vanessa hasn't gotten much better recently...but she's a thirty-year-old fighter who picked up the trade like three years ago. To call her a mere prodigy would be an insult.
She scowls, not quite following up with another series of blows just yet. The hell?
Vanessa's eyes are wide, taking in the whole situation while Diana talks. But as she prattles on, the boxer mutters, "SO...so hold on."
She straightens, falling just that little bit out of her stance. Except her whole body still looks ready to move...she's only lowering her guard a fraction. "You want me to believe...that after an attack on the infirmary at the YFCC by what I'm /pretty sure/ were NESTS and Shadaloo remnants...while Southtown is under siege...you knew exactly where I'd turn up, after following a suspicious lead...and talk to me about 'punishing' me..."
Vanessa sighs, shaking her head. "And you want me to buy that it's because I broke your /butterflies/? How dumb do you think I /am/?" Impetuous ever, impulsive as ever, Vanessa doesn't listen any further - she just charges right the hell in, lobbing a punch toward Diana's chest at high speed.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Diana with Hook Punch.
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Vanessa 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Diana
"Yes?" Diana replies, when asked to hold on. See? What's this nonsensical talk about her being rude, she's quite a polite woman! Though as Vanessa speaks, the woman in turn raises an eyebrow, which is followed up with a sigh. Now scientificly, Vanessa's fury plus Diana's calmness, should equal an advantage for Diana; the moves are simpler to see, easier to deal with. "Oh come on, what do you take me for?" is all she says before her attempt to step calmly to the side is thwarted by an 8-Ball on the floor, Diana's foot slips and ends up getting punched hard enough to crash into the pooltable, but she twists and stands upon the felt-covered table with a pained, slightly annoyed grunt.
".. Anyway no, of course not. I was explaining why the drink was importan- No, -vital- to that bit of work. People often overlook the simplest things just because the question itself is complicated. Your punishment is unrelated, I assure you. So don't take it so personally, calm down, will you?"
Vanessa isn't the only fast one though, in the blink of an eye Diana is off of the table and next to the red-head; unarmed hand attempting to grasp the back of the womans head and slam her face-down into the pool table, "You had to know it was coming, right?" this would be followed by a second slam before backing off. ".. You also no 'No questions'. So I could either prattle on about how bad a girl you are, or we could talk about my experiment. Your choice, seeing as you're the guest of honor."
COMBATSYS: Vanessa fails to counter Medium Throw from Diana with Parrying Puncher.
- Power fail! -
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Vanessa 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Diana
Vanessa is not a dumb person, but she's way, way more action-oriented than Diana seems to be. So while Diana talks, the boxer gets herself ready, preparing to launch into another attack at the first opportunity--*
"Wha!?" Vanessa gasps, almost managing to spin around and plant her fist in Diana's face. But it backfires - Diana's hand is faster than Vanessa's fist, and instead of the back of the head Diana grabs her by the /face/, slamming the back of the Boxer's skull into the table and through it; it shatters around her passing weight, and Vanessa hits the floor hard, with a loud, pained, "WHOOF!"
Diana will accept that. In fact, once Vanessa is drilled through the table and to the floor, the woman looks at her own gloved hand, and seems a might proud of herself, ".. Well. That was rather satisfying. I'll have to try that again sometime," she murmurs to herself and looks to her fallen opponent, attempting to plant a stomp upon her stomach. She then, simply assuming the woman is dazed, reaches down to grip the redhead by her throat and hoists her upward, taking a few steps to slam the woman onto her back atop the counter. "This environment is nearly a deathbed for them, as I was saying before. It's actually puzzling because you would think that butterflies would actually thrive off of 'earths energy'. It doesn't make sense."
Naturally the people sitting around it dive out of the way as she starts sliding the woman along the counter and then shoves her off toward another set of tables at the other side! Diana must be feeling pretty rowdy today! ".. Damn, I forgot I put my glass there."
COMBATSYS: Vanessa blocks Diana's Armed Combo.
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Vanessa 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Diana
Vanessa lands, staring a little dumbly up at the ceiling, hoping she will get to wait for it to stop spinning before Diana gets back to work. "Woog," she mutters...and then Diana's right back on top of her. "Ugh, damn--" she grunts, putting her hands in the way of the stomp. Diana grabs her by the throat, and Vanessa can't resist that - but when Diana plants her on the bar, Vanessa shoves off with all her strength, rolling to the floor, planting her feet in mid-fall, and drilling a punch toward Diana's gut! "BODY!!"
And another "BODY!" and another "BODY!" and another "BODY!" and another "BODY!" and then she swings up, with her free hand, driving her fist at Diana's chin - "UPPER!"
COMBATSYS: Diana fails to counter Machine Gun Puncher from Vanessa with Earth Guardian.
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Vanessa 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Diana
Bar room brawling.. Not exactly Diana's cup of tea, but she can certainly see the appeal in getting a little rowdy now and then. And really, it'd be a shame to have to slice the red-head up too badly. "Oh!" the larger woman staggers back a bit, impressed by her opponents force, but her guard doesn't lower, in fact she raises her weapon clearly with the intent of using it this time.
As Vanessa gets in close, Diana spots the 'perfect' opportunity to strike. The bad news is, Vanessa moves a lot faster all of a sudden, and she once more doubles over from the first blow, and the rest of the assault lands cleanly, the final knocking the woman upward and sends her crashing atop a poker table; the occupants practically diving out of the seats to avoid the disaster. ".. Hell." she grumbles under her breath, the entire room seeming to be spinning from her dizzy spell.
Vanessa's savage series of blows does its work, hammering right through Diana's guard and sending her crashing through a poker table. "Sorry about that!" Vanessa says, getting flippant now that she's back in control. "You know how it is, I hear someone blabbering about nonsense and I just kind of have to drill them in the kidneys. Nothing personal." She smiles, but it's not the kind of smile that isn't really that impersonal at all!
She's also still coming, walking over, step, step, step - holding out one hand, clenched in a fist. "OK, that's a lie," she says. "It's real personal!" she shouts! And then she just drops to one knee, slamming her fist into where Diana's belly ought to be!
COMBATSYS: Diana dodges Vanessa's Body Blow.
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Vanessa 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Diana
Diana sees a few Vanessi; this obviously is not a good thing, she couldn't handle more than 1, after all! Luckily for the scientist, however, her vision starts to clear up rather quickly, the closer the fast woman gets to her. And thank heavens for that! When Vanessa's fist intends to turn Diana's intestines into an even more jelly-like state, the woman is the fast one this time, sliding herself under the woman and of course evading the attack, while she's set up to be standing behind her opponent. Her hand settles on her red-spotted stomach a moment and she takes another step or two back!
She's looking worse for wear here, that hook to the face got her good, her cheek swelling a touch and a bit of blood dripping from her lip. "Funny.. Very funny." she mutters. In a swift motion, Diana reaches into her coat and then lobs four test tubes toward the redhead. Two are violet, one blue and one red, stopping just short of her feet. but once they shatter a massive explosion follows, sending chairs, tables, glasses, you name it, flying all over the place!
COMBATSYS: Diana successfully hits Vanessa with Blade of the Amazon.
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Vanessa 1/---====/=======|=======\====---\1 Diana
Vanessa rises back up to her feet, shaking her head out and running a free hand through her by-now sweaty hair. "I'm not kidding," she says with a grin...but the smile fades to a more serious look, frowning. "It's personal. It's damn personal. Even if you're not NESTS, you're with one of the groups that attacked the YFCC. And that means I owe you and everyone up your chain of command a beating!"
Diana then posits forcefully that Vanessa is also owed a beating, by means of blowing her up.
She comes to sprawled out halfway across the bar, in the remains of someone's sixth round, glass and beer strewn all over her. "Ugh," she mutters, dragging herself to her feet. OK, that kind of sucked. She squints. Only got one shot at this...got to make it count. She doesn't respond, doesn't talk - just rises up to her feet, weaving back and forth - and watching Diana's ever twitch.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa focuses on her next action.
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Vanessa 1/---====/=======|=======\====---\1 Diana
"Well of course it's personal, dear, that's why I'm here in the first place. Your acts went way beyond the line our superior tolerates, and so I was sent. However for me, it is more just following orders.." Diana replies with a tired-looking smile of her own. "Really, I'd much rather be back to my studies but.. First thing's first."
She smiles as she makes a relaxed pace forward, swaying her sword almost menacingly, but there's a touch of rhythm behind it. "The only thing you'll be owing is payment for your hospital stay. But on the bright side, it will give you plenty of time to think about what you've done.." Still she was a little disappointed, so Vanessa didn't really know whom she was, but oh well.
Her slow step then becomes a flash of speed, the spectators may see the afterimages rather than Diana herself as she thrusts her weapon at Vanessa's shoulder, withdraws and then slashes horizontally to knock her back. Following the slash comes a short burst of energy, exploding behind Vanessa to send her back again, in which the scientist then finishes the combination with slashes in an 'X' motion and finalizes with a high kick!
COMBATSYS: Vanessa counters Prayer of the Planet from Diana with Parrying Puncher EX.
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Vanessa 1/-======/=======|======-\-------\0 Diana
"Following orders again," Vanessa breathes, to herself. "Eclipse...he said the same thing. It's nothing personal, just following orders. Do you know him? Do you work with him? I wonder..."
She stays there, just...weaving, making it hard to tell exactly where her hands will be. Diana's gonna move. She'll strike. Any second now---
Diana moves, surging forward, but unexpectedly /Vanessa/ does that too, surging across the distance with fist balled, and then jabbing it at full force into Diana's chest, flooring her before she can get that attack even started! "Shut up and answer the question! Are you NESTS!?"
WHUMP! In the blink of an eye and a flash of pain, the larger woman once again is floored by a blazing punch! Diana's back hits the floor and she slides a touch along the messy surface, clutching at her chest and giving a pained gasp as she sits up. 'What just happened?' she wonders, her brows furrowing and suddenly looks a lot more cautious as she stands, gripping her weapon even tighter. Looking at the situation, she's suddenly not so certain she'll be able to defeat this woman.
"Hmph," she then says with a smirk, brushing at her lips with her glove. "Well I suppose I'll answer, since one day I may be returned the favor..."
Diana rushes forward, her blade low and slashes upward in a wide arc. Spinning in a full circle, this is followed by a second slash, and then the final, as the blade is pointed in the air, slices downward, "Of course I know him! You two have a couple of things in common: One, neither of you were my project, so two, I don't know either of you very well! Note, perhaps I'd be more cooperative if you surrendered?" Just.. Throwing that out there as a nice possibility. Diana is well aware she's in trouble, after all.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa counters Soluminous from Diana with Puncher Vision EX.
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Vanessa 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\1 Diana
Vanessa smiles. It is the kind of smile you usually see on sharks.
"I'm not a NESTS project," she says, dangerously. "I'm just a woman you were stupid enough to piss off. So go ahead and tell Igniz. I'm coming. I'll get stronger...I'll find allies. I'll find every single damn child he's ever hurt. I'll undo everything he's ever done, and then I'll come to his little castle and I --!"
And as she screams, Vanessa blurs again - moving, too fast to see, too fast to follow, Diana's halfway into an attack before Vanessa's simply...there. Standing, inside Diana's guard, too close to strike, with her fist lodged deep in Diana's solar plexus.
"And I'll kill him," Vanessa hisses. "Like he killed my husband. You tell him that."
".. Right, of course not.." Diana murmurs with vague amusement in her tone. Not to say that she had disregard for ones life or any of that jazz, but she knows a project when she sees one! However that amusement fades once Vanessa gives her the warning to deliver. "Who do you think y-"
Her astonished look then is rather comical, her swordarm preparing its strike and suddenly Vanessa is just /there/. Again!! This time when she's slugged, she can't really hold it in, blood and saliva flying from her mouth as she doubles over the devestating fist, and lets out a gargled groan. She slumps into the woman, arms going limp for a moment and she collapses to her knees with a short series of coughs.
"Heretic.. You have no right.. To threaten.. Oogh.." Diana spits out. It looks like she'll have to make her exit with the shame of defeat though, there's little else she can do at this point- And so she turns and retreats, "You'll regret your words!" the spectators wisely getting out of the way as the large woman again becomes a large blurr to exit, stage left!
COMBATSYS: Diana takes no action.
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Vanessa 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Diana can no longer fight.
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Vanessa 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
"He killed my husband. He told me so himself," Vanessa says. Murderous intent rolls off of every inch of her body. She does not use her chi much - didn't at all, this fight - but she's in tune with it enough that it's not hard to detect what she wants to do to Diana /right now/. "I have every right. He gave that to me when he took away everything else I ever had."
Diana blurs away. Sparks of chi gather around Vanessa's fist, about to hurl a blast of hurricane-force wind after the woman...but she growls, dissipating the blast and instead punching a nearby table to flinders, snarling in frustration. "NESTS!" she screams, knowing it doesn't do her any good.
After a few seconds of sitting there, quivering, she stalks back over to the bar, straddles the only surviving stool, and mutters, "The usual. ...Make it a double."
COMBATSYS: Vanessa takes no action.
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Vanessa 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has ended the fight here.
Log created on 23:17:50 03/26/2009 by Vanessa, and last modified on 12:06:34 03/28/2009.