Description: Bison is sent to straighten out the people that the normal grunts can't handle. Then, Vega himself decides to put his own stamp on the matter which is when Nataya joins in to balance things out. Things get a bit complicated when deals are offered.
His life has been a living hell every since the attacks started. He can't get damn thing to eat, can meet with friends, or take care of his day to day business without being harassed by soldiers from one of the three main factions behind the invasion.
So far, Aranha has been lucky. One on one he has managed to dispose of some of the lower level grunts and when numbers became overwhelming he has also managed to seek refuge on the rooftops or in the trees.
Aranha over all has been trying to keep out of their way and keep himself below their radar, however with all the run ins he has been getting into it was only a matter of time before he drew the wrong type of attention.
Speaking of run-ins... There goes a Shadaloo uniform clad soldier flying out of an alley and into a bombed out, tank treaded, bullet riddled street.
Southtown has been plagued with a real nightmare. One that seems like something out of a movie or novel, except this one is happening in real life. Shadaloo, R, and NESTS are all attacking Southtown, and are holding absolutely nothing back against the whole place. Only such evil organizations like the ones that are attacking could be capable of doing such a thing. It's like the Mad Gear invasion of Metro City, only much much worse than what happened with the Mad Gears.
Having been caught up in the whole situation as it happened, Maki has not taken this sitting down, not in the least bit. Between helping the innocent civilians who were affected by the whole thing and taking out the grunts who have the guts to show themselves, Maki has been one busy woman. But it's something she's perfectly fine with.
Cradling a baby who was injured in one of the attacks, Maki coos softly as the baby cries for its food. "Don't worry, mommy's getting your dinner ready," The blonde haired ninja coos softly while rocking the baby back and forth gently. After a minute or so, a woman comes back holding a bottle full of baby formula, and thanks Maki for the assistance. She then begins to feed her baby, while Maki smiles warmly at the two. But then, her senses tell her something's not right. As she turns around to look at a nearby alleyway, she spots the blur of a grunt from NESTS running into the alley. She's learned to recognize their uniforms now, and knows that they're most likely up to no good. With a more firm tone, Maki looks to the woman and says, "Keep your doors and windows locked, there's activity in the area. And don't open the door for anyone unless you know who it is." She then pauses to tell the baby in a gentle voice, "I have to go now, bye bye!"
The next moment we see Maki, she's running through the alleyway after that grunt, in hopes of catching up to him before he causes more problems.
Things of national import have never been Nataya's fare. She's mostly about improvement of self, or correcting isolated incidents. Tossed stones make ripples in ponds. There's no sense in tossing stones in the ocean.
As a result, whatever invasion force that's covered Southtown has pretty much gone without her interference. Nataya persists. The business of day to day life is only interrupted periodically, simply because despite the unusual nature of the events that have occured, people still need to eat.
Even in wartime, life continues. Conflict is just punctuation in life's narrative.
Military uniforms chasing down the streets, shouts of alarm, frantic actions, all of it seems to have ignored her, rather than her ignoring it. That suits her just fine. Unlike most, she makes no claims to be a hero. Her insterest is in balance, but her view is decidedly limited by nature of her being a human being.
For all she knows, this is simply balance asserting itself.
Therefore, she does not run. She does not chase. She does not fight. She does nothing except walk along the street, ostensibly ignored by the people around her because she makes no motions to be anything but something to be ignored, her robes sweeping the ground, her hands tucked into her sleeves as she simply... exists her way down the street, drifting on the winds of fate towards the alley where the action seems to be gravitating.
Perhaps that's where the pebble is.
That grunt? He rounds the corner... and then he's running into Bison, headlong. Bouncing off, with a loud "OOF!" the big boxer brushes the grunt out of the way. Fortunately for Maki, the alleyway leads out right to where both Nataya and Aranha are--and then there's Bison. Oddly, he's got a headset on, one he's speaking into as the NESTS grunt falls onto his ass.
"Yeah. It's me. I know. We got us some 'heroes'... no, just contain 'em. You guys can't beat 'em. Besides... you really wanna take my fun away from me?"
Suddenly, the three might notice, there's a lot /more/ grunts. Two dozen for each of them, minimum, all with fully automatic weapons and grenades, all the usual accoutrements. The grunts might just be grunts--but there's a -lot- of them. And they've got the three heroes boxed in. They -could- fight their way out, but not without getting seriously injured--even fighters can't just brush off multiple (meaning, potentially in the dozens) gunshot wounds.
And there's Bison. The man sounds almost conversational as he stalks into the impromptu 'arena'. "Aight, kiddies," he says, almost kindly. "You been interruptin' shit. You been' makin' nuisances. But now we got you. You got one chance. Fight me. If ya can beat me, well, my men here, they gots orders to let y'all go. If ya can't... well, then it ain't hardly gonna matter, is it?"
COMBATSYS: M.Bison has started a fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
M.Bison 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Aranha has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
M.Bison 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
COMBATSYS: Maki has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
M.Bison 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Aranha
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Maki
And suddenly, Aranha's already hellish day got worse. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Aranha sighs and shakes his head as as he looks like he's encircled by grunts. With a very audible groan he shakes his head. "Excuse me, I'd like the record to show that I'm not a hero. I'm firmly in the 'likes being left alone' catagory so if you'll excuse me."
Aranha attempts to move past the soldiers and instead finds himself staring down the barrels of multiple rifles. "God fucking dammit. Oh wait you guys are allied with 'R'... And if there's one thing I've learned on Jinchuu is when 'R' is involved neutrality ain't an option..."
The Dancing Spider performs an about face, sighing once more before. "Fuck all y'all... Let's get this over with."
With that, Aranha is suddenly on the move, performing an acrobatic tumbling pass before going high into the air with a front flip before dropping his body low to perform a crouching low front kick at the boxer's knee. Dirty manuever in capoeira but he wasn't someone who was honorable in this type of situation.
Almost immediately, Maki's frown contorts into the most harsh scowl one could probably ever muster. She glares over at Bison and points her tonfa at him. "You scumbags are all the same. You never learn from your mistakes, you're just too stubborn to give up. You're like the Mad Gears, only worse. And unlike those pieces of shit, I'll gladly rip you limb from limb if I have to!" Maki immediately assumes her fighting stance after that remark.
"Now, I'm going to make you pay your share for what has happened to Southtown! You were part of this, and you're gonna pay it forward... in spades!" With that, Maki takes a few running steps, and then flies directly at Bison in a flying kick aimed directly at his torso.
COMBATSYS: Maki successfully hits M.Bison with Hassou Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
M.Bison 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Aranha
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts Change-Up Kick from Aranha with Hook Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Aranha
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Maki
Interesting.
Or is the proper phrase: 'Curiouser and curiouser'?
Whatever the correct way to address it, Nataya is definitely Alice in the looking glass for this particular exchange. It's like an action movie, with accusations of evil doing and a worn out 'anti-hero' just trying to make his way out of the mess.
But yet, so far there's no imbalance here. Bison has offered a choice, to meet like force with like force, and Nataya's interference would only tip the scales unfairly.
The fickle hand of fate will decide where she roosts, perhaps. Or maybe something else. But until then, she's only there, a being in the the background awaiting some kind of sign. Or not.
Who can tell? Nataya's never been the most predictable being in the Universe. She hangs at the end of the alleyway, looking as content as ever to let things unfold...
"Lissen, kid. You ain't with none of us. That means you at least a problem. We here t' take care o' problems. 'SPECIALLY PROBLEMS LIKE YOU PUNKS!" That's what he gets out--before Maki charges right at him, flying with a kick. It's a good kick--the impact actually folds Bison a little. He twists, clearing her--and just in time for Aranha. Goody gumdrops, as the Brits say. Actually, Maki's kicking helped him a little; he's bent over a little low and, in the process of flailing, his left fist is already swinging...
So it makes impact with Aranha's temple, a gong-ringing hit for some--but surely Aranha's made of sterner stuff. Bison hopes so. He ain't had no fun in a while. Can't get no satisfaction.
Recovering from the punch, he moves--not far, just enough to keep both of his targets in his sight. Hardly even looks winded.
"Gotta put somethin' into it if you wanna beat me, kids... I didn't even feel a fuckin' thing!! Sheeit... you ain't gonna be no trouble at all..."
Hello fist. Nice to meet you. The capoeirista finds himself flying into a wall. And the force... Well it definitely shook him up. It takes a few moments for the Dancing Spider to clear his head but even still there's a bit of wobble in his movements.
With an odd swaying motion that looks as though he's somewhat punch drunk already he closes with the boxer before swinging a glowing roundhouse using the momentum of the spin to follow up with a blue glowing spinning jump kick coming in from that same side and then uses the downward momentum of his kick to throw him into a blue chi enhanced backflip kick with the intent to drive his foot down on the boxer's head. "Crystal clear."
Rebounding off of her kick, Maki lands in a crouched ready position, looking over at M.Bison as he taunts his challengers. Still scowling with narrowed eyes, Maki says, "I'm just getting warmed up, so don't get too comfortable!" Then again, with an attitude like Bison has, he's gonna try to make a joke or some kind of sarcastic remark out of it. Well, that's his choice.
"Let's see how you handle against this," Maki yells, before twirling her tonfa a couple of times, and then attempting to strike Bison in the kidney. Hey, he's a dirty fighter, so do unto others, right?
COMBATSYS: M.Bison dodges Maki's Deep Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Aranha
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: M.Bison blocks Aranha's Aggressive Dance.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Aranha
> ///////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Maki
Bison's fought capoeristas before; the kicking combination is unique, not ne he's seen before, but with Aranha's somewhat wobbly movements, Bison is more than happy to be able to block, taking the impacts on his forearms, even the one coming from above. The chi stings--it always does--but Bison's got no time to comment; her comes Maki, after all, attempting to bury her tonfa in one of his kidneys. He might not be known as a speed fighter but... hell. He sidesteps easily, and then his right hand comes out, and around...
And he attempts to slap Maki in the back of the head. Contemptuously. "Sheeit! Can't believe you helped take down Mad Gear... well... I can. They a bunch of punk sissy losers. But you--I fuckin' /hate/ ninjas. You gon' die first, y'hear? I am gonna have these men her shoot you 'til you more lead than meat!!" First, of course, he has to knock her out--but he's confident. Shouldn't be a problem, right? It's a girl and a kid. Damned if he'll lose to them.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison successfully hits Maki with Light Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Aranha
> //////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Maki
"Oh yeah, well I hate filthy pieces of shit that call themselves boxers," Maki shouts back, showing no restraint in what she calls Bison. Unfortunately, that may have caused some bad karma on her part, as Bison successfully smacks her in the back of the head. She goes down to the pavement. Hard. When she gets back up, she shows some slight difficulty, and when she stands again, she's got her hand to her nose, coming away with a bit of blood on it.
"Just as I said, I hate your type," Maki snaps, almost as if the blood is stimulating her into action. "And about Metro City, you're right, they were a bunch of wussies. But trust me, that doesn't mean I can't handle myself. Hell, I've defeated samurai wannabes and giant pigs with wrecking balls with little difficulty. So don't think you're gonna get off easy with me!" Maki shouts, before rushing at Bison and attempting to drive the sole of her sneaker into his face with a flying kick.
Aranha didn't expect for his attack to land... He knows exactly where he stands as far where his skill and where Bison's skill lie. He knows his role is to provide harassment and pray that he can get out of this without dying.
Aranha rebounds off of the arms of the boxer and thankfully, he isn't the recipient of any more force from the boxer... For now. The capoeirista immediately drops low planting his hands on the ground before bringing himself into a handstand before marching in and attempting to rain down snap kick after snap kick on the boxer's head from the handstand position.
COMBATSYS: Maki successfully hits M.Bison with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Aranha
> //////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: M.Bison Toughs Out Aranha's Inverted Flurry!!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Aranha
> //////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Maki
They're both going for his head--a good idea, probably. The sneakered foot impacts first, twisting his head to the side, but that... that isn't going to help Aranha at all. Because that kick, that kick to his jaw, that just pissed him off. Those kicks rain in on Bison's head and he just growls, ignoring them. He can feel 'em, sure; they're bouncing impacts off his skin--but they don't seem to affect him hardly at all. Except, well, to fuel that legendary anger of his. The man reaches out during one of those snapping kicks--and he attempts to grab Aranha by the ankle. While he's upside down.
And if he can do that, then he's going to lift the capoerista by the leg, until his head is about at Bison's knee level.
And then he's going to start punching. Hard and fast, with his other hand, aiming to pulverize Aranha's midsection with four or five body blows--brick-breaking body-blows--and then he'll spin and literally fling Aranha away.
The Raging Buffalo is starting to see red... and he likes it. Craves it, really. It's like a drug in his system.
COMBATSYS: Aranha interrupts Violent Clinching from M.Bison with Malicia.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
M.Bison 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Aranha
> //////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Maki
Aranha gets gripped by the ankle and he knows he's just in for it... His body hangs limp as Michael Bison winds back with a fist. He knows he can't avoid the first one. And it folds him so much that he can't quite avoid the second one. He knows he has to think of a solution and fast.
He spent the second punch thinking about the boxer's foot work and where he needed to be and then the third one was where he put his plan into action, folding with that third punch he exaggerates the fold of his body so much that that he curls around the fist as he swings a glowing punch right to the groin and finding himself flying out of the grip of the boxer and slamming into a row of soldiers bowling a few in the front row over.
But wait... Capoeiristas don't punch.... usually.
Again, Maki manages to successfully get Bison with her attack, proving that you should never underestimate the ninja, even if her nose is bleeding a bit. Bison should personally realize that Maki's own blood is enough to make her forget about her pain briefly, long enough to take out her rage on her opponent.
"You're one tough one, I'll give you that, but I'm pretty tough also," Maki says, still scowling at Bison, showing all the anger and contempt she has towards one of Shadaloo's goons. "Have a nice trip!" She says as she fluidly drops onto the tip of her tonfa and then starts spinning around wildly like a tornado, with her foot outstretched.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts Bushin Senpuu Kyaku from Maki with Turn Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
M.Bison 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Aranha
> //////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Maki
5r "NGH!" shouts Bison, as Aranha's punch strike true--way too true--forcing him to release the capoerista early. But he still got some punches in... doubled over, Maki come running for him... and she's balancing on the tip of her tonfa... spinning... kicking. A neat move. Flashy, probably useful. But ultimately, a very badly balanced move. Relying on centripetal force to keep her up.
Bison isn't gonna allow that; the first kick cracks him in the jaw and then he's moving, turning with the impact... and then turning back, his big, meaty, rock-hard fist aimed to punch Maki right in the stomach. Well, almost the stomach; it's actually a bit lower than that, due to the upside down nature of her attack... but he punches her, all the same, roaring in pain.
"Punk shits... I'm gonna grind you both into PASTE!!" This is his angry declaration; there's almost a haze of palpable anger around him--even some of the grunts are starting to back away from him, really. He grunts, then smashes his fist into a trash container, one of the big ones, denting it.
"C'MON YOU WHORES!!!!"
Spinning around can cause one to lose their senses briefly, which is why when Maki gets hit in the stomach, not only does she go flying, but she lies on the ground more dazed than usual. Her stomach feels like it just got hit by a truck, and her head is really killing her now. In fact, there's some blood she can feel while running a hand through her hair. Struggling to get up, Maki steps back a few feet, trying to catch her breath. "That was lucky for you, but just you wait!" Maki says in a strained voice, before taking a moment to catch her breath.
COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
M.Bison 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Aranha
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
Aranha slowly brings himself up to his feet, his body rocked from the pain of feeling the impacts of those punches. He takes a deep breathe trying to force air back into his lungs and then he looks at the boxer for just a moment. Then his look returns to Maki who is hanging back.
Quite frankly, Aranha isn't in much of a hurry to close with the boxer instead, Aranha takes advantag of his close proximity with one of the soldiers, and quickly wraps his arm around the gun, guiding its aim towards Bison while squeezing the trigger. Sure it's not going to keep the boxer back for long but at least it's something.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts Thrown Object from Aranha with Gigaton Blow+.
+ Epic Hit! +
*KNOCKED AWAY*
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
Guns. Ya don't bring guns to a fistfight. Bison's so enraged that it's like he senses movmeent, like a raptor. Truth be told, he's already moving by the time the gun fires--the bullets leaving the gun in a quick, uncontrolled stream. And he is a titan. The bullets rip through his clothing, but bounce right off his skin--as if he were armored. And he is--armored in rage. The boxer can't feel a thing right now, and his roaring is loud and deep, enough to shake the buildings as he draws his right fist back.
It's a single punch, driven with such ferocity that the man Aranha's trapped is already trying to struggle free maybe thirty seconds before Bison hits. The impact--well, it takes that man, Aranha, and one other grunt--and it sends them flying away. By flying away, one means, into the nearest wall, where the two grunts, at least, make impressions in the wall.
Bison's fist lands just a moment later, busting the wall completely, and when he comes out... only a certain voice, a specific one, over his radio, is enough to calm his anger enough for him to stop in his rampage. "... fine... HEY TITS!" Did he mean toots? Nope. "You done lucked out. I got orders." Then again, maybe she didn't. "Now you gotta face my /boss/." And he's stomping away, through a line of grunts--who smartly get out of his way.
<<Well done, Bison. You've left enough of a message - allow /me/ to sign the last note.>>
How else would one get through to a blood-mad crazed boxer? Speaking directly into Bison's radio, and duplicating the voice in his mind, Vega offers up the command needed to get the difficult-to-control fighter to break off his vicious attack. That only grants a small reprieve, however - a calm before the storm. In the end, the storm will still come - and its fury is all the stronger, now.
Wrapped in his cape, Vega appears. He's been watching from nearby, and when he chooses to appear, it's as if he just forms himself out of the darkness of his soul. There he stands, a tin-plated, desperate dictator. On the heels of frustration after frustration, and really - there's nothing he'd rather see than the sight of fighters laid out around him. "You've fought.. passably well. If you walk away now, I /might/ not have my guards shoot you in the back. However, if you show spirit, drive - and any semblance of effectiveness, I'll let you live after I've crushed you beneath my heel. Choose wisely." With that, he offers up a slight smirk, white eyes narrowing as he digs his heels into the ground, hand coming up to beckon what's left of Maki and Aranha on.
COMBATSYS: Vega has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
M.Bison 0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: M.Bison has left the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: Vega takes no action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Maki screams as she watches Aranha get pummeled by Bison. At first, tears start to stream down her cheeks, but the tears literally seem to dry up as her anger heats her up like an overheating reactor. She looks at Bison, ready to tear him limb from limb...
And then abruptly pauses as Bison starts to pull back, staring in confusion as to what's happening here. And then she sees him.
Vega. Arriving in his standard manner utilizing his Psycho Power. That man has evil radiating off of him even in his pictures. It's uncanny, how Maki sensed his presence just as he arrived without even having to look over towards the evil dictator. Still, the anger in her body has not subsided in the least bit.
"You psychotic bastard!" Maki shouts furiously. "You send your stooges here to wreak havoc on innocent people. Only a true psychotic would do something like that!" There's a lot of rage boiling inside Maki that she wants to get out of her, but she's not foolish enough to blindly go after someone like Vega. Instead, she pulls back and keeps a stern eye on the dictator, waiting to see what he's got up his filthy sleeves.
COMBATSYS: Maki focuses on her next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
And then the balance shifts suddenly.
Bison retreats, having done his damage only to usher in a new force. Where there was a potential for even forces to decide fate, one side has been shored up, meaning that Nataya is required, not forced, to take up the slack as best she can.
She almost seems to materialize, even though teleportation isn't something she seems to ever engage in, her feet moving across the concrete quickly. She can sense Vega even though her selm imposed mental sheilding. If that concerns her, it doesn't appear on her face in the slightest. All she presents is an even keel.
Maki's screams only get a short amount of pause, although she makes no action to halt, shush, or interfere with the other woman's exhortions, and she hurries by Aranha, uninterested in their fates for the most part. They've done what they can, and while Nataya holds no delusions that she can do better, or even manage to stop the tide here, there is that tenuous balance to uphold, even though it may be hopeless.
Feet scuff to a halt, though she takes no combat position. Instead, she speaks up, her voice clear and concise as she speaks at Vega, if not to him as she positions herself between the madman and his would be victims, not to protect them, but to offer a dividing line between decision and action.
"Hold! What you are doing to us is wrong! Why do you do this thing?"
COMBATSYS: Nataya has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Aranha
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
tTo be fair, Aranha didn't 'bring' the guns to the fist fight. The grunts brought them and Aranha just took advantage of them... If anything, he just wanted to use it as a distraction... Well... That didn't work out so well.
Aranha takes that heavy... Agonizing blow and gets him smashed into the two soldiers which cushion his own impact with the wall. He'd rather have something cushioning him from that powerful punch he received at the hands of Bison though. All things considered those soldiers got off easy. And so he gets up slowly...
While his body wants to hit the ground he knows he has to get out of here and fast... And while before he couldn't do so, he has enough adrenaline coursing through his body to provide the speed he needs to make his own escape... He's fought with both Nataya and Maki... They can take care of themselves. As it stands, the capoeirista even if he wanted to stand with them, would be of no use.
All Aranha has to offer is a final figurative F-U before he makes his escape from this ring and from the boondocks.Aranha darts at Vega glowing blue as he jumps in with a glowing jump kick before springing back and forth between the soldiers and Vega bouncing back and forth a ball of flubber gone amuck and then he attempts to make his escape bouncing from one soldier to another as he clears his own path to escape.
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Maki
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega dodges Aranha's Joker's Wild.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Maki
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
"I've done what I needed to do, to stake my will on the city. Whatever is left of it after this, well - that is not really your concern, I think." Towards Maki, Vega's words are snide, imposing - certain that he won't shake her righteous rage, and instead just trying to inflame it. Power upon power, after all. He grows stronger for their hate - negative emotions his bread and butter, much like good energy for Rose. The stronger the hate, the better...!
Braced as he is, he's more than prepared for Aranha's jump, expecting an attack - but not the bounced-ball effect that cuts through his guards after, men spraying bullets here, there and everywhere. Vega himself moves smoothly to the side, letting the initial kick bypass him, and as Aranha moves between guard to guard, they cut themselves down, bad aim and shooting into each other. Imbiciles. Ire, irritation show on his face as he turns, preparing to deal with Maki Genryuusai...
There's someone in the way. Vega stops short, looking - bemused. As he pokes at the girl emotionally, he tries to get a read for her emotional state - taking his time as Maki psyches herself up. There's a growing look of interest and annoyance intertwined - Nataya herself is a fast-growing puzzle, a hole where there shouldn't be one - and this is making the Dictator of Shadaloo curious.
"I do this because I can, girl. I do this because I wish to. Step aside, or I crush you." With that, he lazily throws a backhand her way, uncaring. After all, Maki's the threat, here.
Another fighter here? It looks like Nataya's on Maki's side, despite the fact she doesn't know this woman. But right now, the intent is to take out Vega using whatever means necessary. And any ally Maki can get right now is a good one. Knowing how powerful Vega is, Maki isn't gonna be able to take this guy down by herself.
For now, Maki watches as Vega goes for Nataya with his fists, and Maki decides that there's no time like the present to attempt to even things up a little with a tonfa strike. Especially one from the air, which is what Maki is intending on doing as she jumps at Vega, intent on landing her tonfa in the dictator's face... or at least some part of his body. As long as it causes damage.
COMBATSYS: Vega successfully hits Nataya with Jab Punch.
- Power hit! -
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Maki
> ////////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Nataya
It would seem that even the most casual demonstrations of power from Vega is enough to break a fighter of Nataya's caliber. The fist whips out faster that she expects and she pays for it in spades.
The energy is just overwhelming. The power tears through whatever mental sheilding she's managed to bolster herself with and shakes her to the very core.
She crashes to the wall, her spine crashing into unyeilding brickwork as she snaps forward on the bounce.
And then what? What's the usual response? A burst of anger? Terror? Fear? Those emotions that feed Vega's black heart usually shout like the burst of a trumpet, heralding a person's impending doom. But none of that issues forth from Nataya.
Make no mistake: she's hurt. It shows, as she staggers up, her hand touching the back of her head only to draw away dark red with blood. A ragged breath is drawn as her lungs fight to work again. But the rage or determination that usually burns in the hearts of so many fighters facing Vega doesn't come.
Maki's efforts, for what they're worth, are impressive, but Nataya's not interested in facing Vega on any physical level, though she will if that's the only way she can manage to get the man's attention. However, she knows that a being so polarized has difficulty at the very least comprehending anything opposing them, much less the middle road.
Rather than wasting time talking, she concentrates. Silvery clouds seep forth from her sleeves as the prayer beads hesitantly dart outward like cautious minnows in a sea of silver and gray.
Three spheres form from the clouds coalescing around the glowing beads. They're held steady as she concentrates, and then she delivers three short snap kicks to send the energy on it's way.
If it connects, the power that it delivers is rather unique. It's not charged with positive or negative energy at all. Instead, it washes the mind with nothingness, a sort of blank peace which saps the very will to fight. Or will to do anything else, for that matter.
COMBATSYS: Vega endures Nataya's Three Gems.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Maki
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega blocks Maki's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Maki
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
as long as it causes damage...
Vega sees the fighter launch herself in. He looks up, a predator's grin widening on his features - the look of a man who's been given exactly what he was hoping for. His body wreathes itself with blue and purple psycho energy, the evil stuff gathering at his fists. He draws back his hand and prepares to grab the leaping girl and crush her...
*paf paf paf*
Energy, nothingness - unique to this fighter, an impact that he hasn't seen before. It throws off his impending attack, the brief flurry of 'nothingness' distracting enough that he turns his attack into a simple block, throwing one of those glowing hands up against the tonfa, a heavy smack of wood on flesh echoing out. He staggers backwards, then - and changes his mind.
"Interesting. You both fight.. interestingly. However - I've decided what needs to be done - and you, my dear woman - are first." Maki. He turns on the tonfa-wielding woman, and takes a breath. Then, he lets it out, a wave and wasah of his Psycho Power coming through as he claws his hands through the air, the explosion of power point-blank, intent on catching her as she tries to recover from her mid-air leap.
COMBATSYS: Maki blocks Vega's Psycho Wave.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1 Maki
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
As Maki rebounds from her strike, she finds herself caught by Vega. She grits her teeth as the evil energy flows into her, and tenses herself up, trying to endure the pain as best as she can. Her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth gritted harder than she ever imagined she could, Maki struggles as best as she can not to let the energy overtake her.
When she finally gets free and lands on the ground, Maki is crouched down, trying to catch her breath as the evil power seems to fade from her body. She looks up at Vega and says, "Do your worst, I'm ready for it!" She makes a taunting gesture with her tonfa. But she doesn't strike this time. Instead, she takes a moment to catch her breath, apparently very weak after that experience.
COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Maki
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
The monk-trained woman doesn't seem to be losing any of her resolve. Maki's taking a beating, and for what? This is off kilter. Both her and Aranha are clearly fighting a losing battle, and that means Nataya must maintain equilibrium.
What stops a madman?
There's really only one thing that halts a man obsessed with the accumulation of power. Nataya has seen both sides of the coin, and has seen the reverse. Good done for evil, evil done for good. It all blurs in her eyes into a morass of concepts. Evil can be used to acheive better things, and the road to hell, as they say, is paved with good intentions.
But Nataya treads the middle path as best as she's able. Though in some ways it allows her to ignore many hardships in life, the price to pay is that many times, that path leads her straight into trouble.
She paces forward, her steps even although it's clear that she's suffering from a concussion by the slight sway in her walk. The blood from the back of her head stains her blue robe to black as it seeps along her collar.
Her lips spread wide, to the point where it's impossible to tell if it's a smile or a frown, and she speaks quietly but not meekly, the words echoing not just in the alleyway, but into Vega and Maki's minds. "I know," she says simply, "something you don't know."
She steps back, spreading her arms. "If you'd like, I'd gladly tell you. But every second you waste on her is one second you're not listening to me. So let her go. If your power is really that great, all the good she could ever do will never match whatever deeds you see fit to commit."
"In the end, I won't argue to you that I'm not nothing," she says, spreading her arms, the smoke rising from her body as if somewhere on her was a flame. "But sometimes it just takes a pebble."
The beads swirl about, forming concentric circles in front of her as the clouds funnel within the formation, boiling and rolling about until the charge into a fantastic display of energy... at least, for her.
Then it bursts forward in a bright flash of power. She seems to know full well that it won't stop Vega... but it's clearly got him thinking. Maybe thinking enough to give people purchase for escape.
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Six Seals EX from Nataya with Psycho Crusher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Maki
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Nataya
Ignoring, for a moment, Maki's defiant stance, Vega turns towards the newcomer. The absence of emotion is irritating, and throws Vega off slightly. The fact that he cannot 'read' any sort of emotional state is distracting him all the more. When she speaks in his mind, well.. Then, the gloves come off. His ire shows, and as Nataya speaks, his hackles raise, and his growl grows deep. Narrowed eyes, harsh looks.. And then he rants.
"Neither of you are worth my time! This fight is pointless, and in the end, it will /kill/ you!" Blazing energy swirls about him, and he throws himself recklessly at Nataya, intent on showing her just how stupid she is. How very crazed it is, to simply 'attack' him.
Yet sometimes, a storm has two eyes. Two periods of calm, two places where the fury and rage.. mean nothing. He's reflected off and away, bounced back in shock and surprise by the attack, the Dictator of Shadaloo simply stunned, awestruck and swept dumb. For a moment, a /brief/ moment, he just stares... But that stare is slowly growing more angry. More wretched.. more evil.
"Now you're feeling what I'm feeling," Maki says through gritted teeth. It's obvious that Vega's really angry now, and that's a good thing for Maki, since he knows now what it's like to have a hatred towards someone. Unfortunately, it also means that Maki could end up being hurt harder than when Vega isn't angry. Then again, he's pretty powerful regardless of how you look at him. Still, Maki's not just gonna stand there and let Vega seethe. She's gonna take advantage of this whole thing.
"Incoming!" Maki shouts, slightly sarcastically, as she takes a few running steps, and then starts flying directly at the dictator, her foot extended like she's doing a jump kick... albeit aimed directly at the dictator's chest!
Maki fails to take the hint, and Nataya gives the ninja girl a wide berth.
She turns her head and concentrates. Telepathy isn't her best skill. In fact, it's one of her worst, having been taught to close her mind to the inquiries of others. It's like shouting from inside of a concrete bunker for her, and it's not made easier by her injuries.
<<You can do more to keep people safe than I can. I have his attention. If you escape now, there's a chance that someone will walk away. One person gone is favorable to two.>>
But that's the last mental message she's going to give, because Vega, as much as she finds him slightly unnerving, demands attention. She turns to him fully, her steps careful, although her concentration is flagging due to the head trauma. "It's nothingness." She says, her mouth still stretched into that not-smile. "I bet it's new. Looks like you know the way of the closed fist better than I ever will and have raged against the open palm enough to know what it is... but you've never..." She pauses, and then her eyes widen. "You've never dealt with nothing, have you?"
The beads raise up around her again, quickly forming what look like four sticks or bats. She grabs two in her hands, falling into a sub-element of Muay Boran as two other sticks float behind her. "I can't stop you. I'm not dumb enough to beleive it. But I will show you that there's a middle ground. There's /always/ a middle ground."
And she takes off like a shot, hurling herself at the master of Shadaloo like a rock tossing itself against the hull of a battleship. Her hands swing the weapons around like swords as she hurls them at the man like spears: two aimed at his shoulders and then snatching the hovering ones out of the air to pin down his legs.
COMBATSYS: Vega endures Nataya's Four Stages of Enlightenment.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega blocks Maki's Hassou Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
"I tire of this."
Yes, yes, Vega is standing again - he's regathered himself, composure be damned. No, now he's very, very intent on what is going on - and that focus is channeled into an intent bit of power, one that he's growing angry about, and more intent on showing just /how/ he's going to crush the pair, once he's ready.
He does not move from his spot, allowing the psychic 'sticks' to hit and impact. It's a chance to study the effect up close, the brief moment that it hits him with pain and the tension of oblivion - interesting indeed.
Maki, however - is less interesting. More an annoyance, now - the warrior girl managing to beat at his defenses when he's trying to discover a new-found interest. Darn it! Power forms around him, and overwhelms the impaling items, and he uses that to gauge his next move. "I've created nothing before. Plenty of idiots in this world have - what you offer is little enough, an amusement that I allow to exist for now. If you really have power to show me, I'd be interested - thus far, you've shown me a mind that does not understand the true power inherit in our being."
COMBATSYS: Vega gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Vega 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
Maki lands on the ground again, still showing some signs of injury, but her nose has long since stopped bleeding. Nonetheless, the fact that Vega is still standing there arrogantly, and now summoning all of his power, puts Maki on extra high alert. She knows what Vega is capable of, and when he's at full power, he's definitely not one to be taken lightly in the least bit.
For now, Maki decides to take this opportunity to catch her breath again. This is one fight she intends to fight to the end of, and that means conserving her strength as much as possible. Whether she can stand up to Vega, even with Nataya's help, remains to be seen.
COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Vega 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Nataya
It looks like Maki isn't going to leave. The girl is tenacious at the very least. "The destruction of something isn't nothing. It's action that causes absence," she says to Vega's exhortation.
It's very, very hard to keep from folding in on herself. Even without the head injury, Vega's evil is almost palpable and threatens to pressure her carefully maintained emotional equilibrium out of balance. It causes her head to swim, ruining her focus and concentration.
As a result, it's hard for her to form a counterargument. The best she can do is continue to attack Vega, hoping that it's not completely for nothing, even though it's starting to look like a hopeless proposition at best.
She steps back, planting her feet firmly before stepping forward with a turn, using the torque from her foot plant to whip a leg against Vega's motionless form as he charges up with power. It's a graceless assault, meant primarily to do damage as opposed to finessing her opponent, but she's rapidly running out of options.
"Hrn!" He short grunt swallows up any philosophical musings as her foot crashes towards the would be ruler of the world.
COMBATSYS: Vega endures Nataya's Strong Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Vega 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Nataya
"We'll talk about this when you're rested. After I've dealt with... her."
This is said to Nataya as she launches herself in, the impact of her foot slamming into his chest. It pushes him back briefly, but it seems like he was planning on it. The words are for her alone, hushed - but his next statement is full of anger, rage - and eager anticipation.
"STANDING STILL AND CATCHING YORU BREATH LOSES THE WAR, GIRL!" From the half-turn impact, Vega bursts into full power, dark energy swept around his form. He launches himself towards Maki, body wreathed in Psycho Power, fists outstretched. Many have seen this attack, and many more have fallen under it. He's intent on crushing Maki, to bury her into the rubble drawn out from the fight. This is growing further annoying - and that means Vega is less likely to live up to his promises. "FINAL... PSYCHO... CRUSHAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Vega knocks away Maki with Final Psycho Crusher+!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > / ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Nataya
The ultimate attack from Vega is coming right at Maki. Her eyes are wide and her heart is racing faster than an express train going nonstop down the track at world record speeds. In the blink of an eye, Maki's attempting to get out of the way, but it's no use. The evil dictator literally crashes into her and sends her flying across the area, causing her to whack her head on a nearby lamp post. Hard.
"Unnngh!" Maki yells out as she flies across the area, and when she finally lands, it looks like the poor girl may be dead. Could this be another one of Vega's victims? Well, apparently not, since something inside Maki has kept her alive as she struggles get back onto her feet. It's obvious, though, that she's gonna fall back down once she stands up again... or is she?
"This isn't over..." Maki weakly mutters, looking like she could fall over at any moment. "This isn't over..."
"By a longshot!" Suddenly, Maki's eyes light up, and then she suddenly rushes at Vega, the energy inside of her having built up enough to launch her at the dictator, attempting to deliver a flurry of attacks. Whether or not they connect is irrelevant, since Maki's going to be down and out afterward.
COMBATSYS: Maki has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Maki
> //////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Nataya
The sight of the ninja girl nearly exploding under the force of Vega's powerful strike is enough to give Nataya significant pause. There's power, and then there's sheer, unadultered destruction. She's capable of doing a lot of damage for her weight class, but Vega's in a class all his own.
5ryet, somehow Maki is able to recover from all of that. With Maki going on the offensive and Nataya running out of steam with her ploy to give the ninja some time to do her ninja vanish, she takes the moment to close her eyes and attempt to deal with the egregious amount of damage Vega's casual strike saddled her with.
The woman begins to channel the power inher body to numb the pain, salving the horrific damage that the man has wrought. Still, her mind is still on the fact that he's a towering inferno of... evil. That's really the only way to describe it. No creative spin could do it justice.
COMBATSYS: Nataya enters a meditative state.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Maki
> ////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega interrupts Bushin Gou Rai Ha from Maki with Psycho Vanish.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > // ]
Vega 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Maki
> ////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Nataya
"It's over, Genryuusai. I am giving you one, final chance. Leave standing, or leave on your back, carried out by my men." How does he manage to say this, in the middle of enduring the flurry of kicks? Even more, how does he manage to catch a leg, bring it up and back down, slapping her to the ground in a Psycho-Powered throw. There's a hint of rage still, but it's winded-distracted, all due to the other fighter, who stands away from the battle.
<<You - if you /really/ wish to talk, to 'show me this path', to speak of power in a way that will make a difference, and stop this closed path - talk or take her down, /I do not care how/. If she stands any longer, I will kill her, /then you/. Do you understand? You're far more rational than I am - you'd best see that rationality /now/.>> 'Spoken', mind-to-mind, he offers Nataya a choice. Even as he says this into her head and her head alone, he begins to step towards Maki, fingers clutched and clenched like a professional wrestler about to get a grip on another person. Intent on breaking this and that, until such time as things stop moving. Breathing. Beating. "This ends. This ends now, Genryuusai."
Maki's caught by Vega and thrown to the ground. She goes rolling across the street and lands hard on her side. And with that, you'd think she's down and out. But you're actually wrong. Somehow, Maki's found the ability to keep herself going just a little longer. Although, after that hit from Vega, it's kind of hard to do that now.
"You can say what you will, Vega," Maki sputters in a week voice, her eyes half open with blood coming from her nose again, her arms and legs bruised. She reaches for a nearby stationary object to help her get back onto her feet. Barely even able to keep her eyes open, all Maki can do is focus on breathing steadily while attempting to get back into this.
COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Vega 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Maki
> ////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Nataya
A choice.
Nataya is about the thing that brings balance. She's the errant hand of fate, the thing that arrives to even the score. Tides shift and move without warning, though. Sometimes decisions have to be made. Those decisions may be unpopular. They may hurt feelings, confuse.
But in the end, Nataya can shoulder that. She cares about neutrality. When faced with a choice that boils down stopping someone or watching them die, then the choice is abundantly clear.
Some decisions don't make any friends. But they keep people alive.
She steps forward, the healing having taken effect so that she can think clearly now. Her feet beat out an even measure, standing as a dividing line between Maki and Vega. Again, it's not for means of impediment. Yt only serves to draw a line in the sand.
She smiles. It's a honest one, although it doesn't really radiate warmth. It just exists on her face, plain as day. And then she speaks. "Look. I don't know you. You don't know me. I do know this. I can't stop him, and neither can you. So here's how this will play out. Run. Save more people. Save everyone you can. Take them and run as far away from here as possible. Let them live their lives however they choose, but make sure that they're away from here until the balance is restored. This is nothing short of chaos, and you're not helping. Angering this man will only lead to more slaughter."
She glances at Vega, attempting to keep him at bay with a look, as if to say she's working on things, before turning back to Maki. "Please. I beg you. Walk away. My life was forfeit the minute I started following my path. Part of accepting that path is the understanding that it could end at any moment. You didn't choose to walk in, and I will not allow you to do so now, not before you understand it fully. You'll go and live your life of virtue. It will be long and healthy..."
She then falls into a combat stance, the smile still present on her face, her eyes conveying the still calmness of a lake. "...or I will break you myself."
COMBATSYS: Nataya takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Vega 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Maki
> ////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Nataya
... Very interesting, indeed.
Vega didn't expect those words to move Nataya to action - but the fact that it does brings a perplexed look to the Dictator's face. His guards, (those that are still alive, idiots that they are) draw their weapons and retrain them on the fighters. However, Vega dismisses them with a wave, sending them scuttling back and away from the fight. They have better things to do than die by attacking a stronger fighter such as Maki. Besides - this has ... potential.
His arms fold against his chest, and he takes the moment to re-gather his own composure, stealing Maki's trick for his own as Nataya talks, pleads, and places herself directly in harms' way. There's nothing /he/ can say to stop Maki - but perhaps his silence will be words enough. That time he's giving Nataya to say her piece.. fascinating indeed.
COMBATSYS: Vega gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Maki
> ////////////////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Nataya
Despite the fact that Maki is a good fighter, and that she always likes to stay in the fight to the end, there's something about Nataya's words that makes her stop and reconsider. Or it could be the fact that she's also barely got anything left in her, and that another hit from Vega would probably kill her. The words make Maki stop and think.
But then Maki shakes her head and looks at the two fighters. "No, I came into this fight with the intent of finishing it! And that's what I'm going to do!" And then, Maki takes a few steps, albeit hobbling, towards Vega, and then somehow she drops onto her side, except balancing on the tip of her tonfa. All the while, she's spinning around like a whirlwind!
COMBATSYS: Nataya has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: Vega has left the fight here.
> //// ]
|=======\-------\0 Maki
COMBATSYS: Maki has ended the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Maki successfully hits Nataya with Bushin Senpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Maki
> //////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
Fate moves in myterious ways, or so they say. Nataya's moves are pretty blatant, but her intentions tend to be fairly mysterious, so maybe that's just as well. But the fact that Nataya, despite knowing full well what Vega is, steps in front of attack meant for him is about as mysterious as it gets.
Then again, nobody's ever made the claim that Nataya is anywhere approaching normal. Maki's spinning attack whirls towards Vega, but before it can connect, Nataya steps in front of the spinning assault without a second's hesitation. She knows what she has to do, even if nobody else would agree with her actions.
The spinning blows crash into her over and over again, like blender blades on an apple, buffeting her about and crushing her defenses like they weren't even there. It's an incredibly blow for the young Muay Boran practitioner. She's taken worse, but she doesn't necessarily like it. Eventually she staggers back, refocusing as she peers at Maki.
The ninja woman won't listen. Nataya's done talking. She takes a deep breath, then concentrates. With a quick hop forward, the woman engages the ninja without another word, using the torque from her leap to go into a standoff attack, simply trying to give Maki a second chance to escape. As far as lenient actions go? That's the first and last Maki's getting out of her. Her leg snaps out in a very short kick to Maki's chest, attempting to drive the girl back and away from the psionic menace behind her, a dead set, focused look in her eyes.
Ah, yes - the joy of gathering others to do your bidding, Vega knows it well. There's an amusement there, one that other psions could easily feel - and Maki can certainly see in the devious, pleased grin on Vega's face. There's deeper currents beneath, the simple joy at taunting and twisting people against each other, when once they were working side-by-side. Ah, a good day indeed.
Having gathered his strength, Vega stands back from the 'new' battle - though only far enough to keep himself mostly out of the range of the ninja woman. He watches eagerly, intently - and as Nataya throws a kick at Maki, Vega brings his hands up and around, a ball of Psycho Energy held between. "She's not going to stand down unless she falls down, woman! You're just delaying the inevitable!" He hurls the ball towards Maki, uncaring if Nataya is also in the way or not. After all, he promised to listen - but not to make certain she was able to speak.
COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Nataya's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Vega 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Maki
> ///////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega successfully hits Maki with Psycho Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Vega 0/-------/---====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Maki
> ///////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Nataya
This is not how Maki wanted things to turn out. She wanted to strike Vega using what energy remained in her body. But instead, Nataya wanted a piece of her, and Maki ended up knocking Nataya out. But not for long, since Nataya apparently wants a piece of Maki also. Fortunately, the ninja has quite a bit of adrenaline still flowing through her body at this time, meaning that the incoming kick hits nothing but air, or whatever Nataya lands on, since Maki manages to jump out of the way.
Unfortunately, she lands right in the path of Vega's Psycho Shot. Going wide eyed and nearly muttering, "Oh shit!" Maki attempts to get into a defensive stance once again, but it is of no use to the ninja. The blast hits her right in the torso, and knocks her back a little, the energy filling her veins and draining her strength by the minute. Maki's body begins to shut down and her eyes grow heavy as the ground starts to look like Maki's spot now. It looks like Vega's beaten Maki once and for all...
Or has he?
All of a sudden, like before, Maki's eyes suddenly light up once again, and she suddenly rushes at Vega with another flurry of attacks aimed at the dictator. What happens next, though, is most likely Maki will be laying on the ground for real this time.
COMBATSYS: Maki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega successfully hits Nataya with Psycho Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Nataya
The psionic blast that hits Nataya in the back isn't exactly unexpected, but she's focusing primarily on pushing Maki back so that the ninja girl isn't altogether murdered by Vega. As a result, all she can do is steel herself against the impact rather than properly defend against it.
But for her size, Nataya can put up a fairly strong defense, even against a monster like Vega as long as she's properly prepared mentally. This would happen to be one of those times.
Again, the roaring power seems to sear through her heaviest mental defenses, ripping at her brain and causing an imbalance in her psyche that leaves her with an almost overwhelming sense over vertigo. The pain isn't the real problem, although it doesn't help. It's the marked upsetting of the careful psionic balance she maintains within herself. It drives her to the ground, and she slams to her knees, the wind practically knocked out of her as she lets out a wheezing gasp.
But even with that horrible impact, she's capable of keeping her wits about her. Nataya carefully draws her breaths, and uses her training to center herself. No matter how she's tipped, her soul is like a weeble. it wobbles, but refuses to tip one way or another for very long. The energy flows back into her, salving her wounds and her mind as she hears Maki hit the ground. It's done. All that's really left is to see if Vega's going to keep his bargain.
COMBATSYS: Nataya enters a meditative state.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Vega dodges Maki's Bushin Gou Rai Ha.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Vega 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Nataya
Much like the vaunted Weeble, Maki Genryuusai shows tenacity far beyond and above her stature and what Vega belives to be her skill. He'll have to update Shadaloo's files afterwards, all the better to be next prepared. When she ramps down her fighting, he allows himself an instant of relaxation - and almost pays for it as she leaps towards him in a flurry.
Almost.
With no small effort, Vega dodges, dips, ducks, dives and dodges around the impetuous, intent assault - each motion landing with a slap of boot and fist on hand or shin. He bears through and avoids the majority of impacts, until she falls - and when she does, he steps away, to stare down impassively. Towards his remaining troops, he makes a subtle motion, then speaks - for Nataya's benefit.
"Three of you take her to the hospital. Make certain she is admitted, then return to base. I did make a promise, after all - those that stood before me would not be harmed by any hand but my own."
There's a longer pause, and then Vega turns to Nataya. "Now.. you demanded an audience. You'll have one, shortly. But not here - I'm in no mood to throw you at another white knight today."
After all is said and done, Maki finds herself a ways from Vega, having missed completely. And with her energy completely drained, the blonde haired ninja goes limp and falls to the ground face first. A valiant battle, but Maki has lost today.
The woman slowly stands. She's careful, taking a deep breath. There's mental balance to be maintained. Everything is quickly set into place again, packed back into where it needs to be like neat rows of Tetris blocks.
"I didn't demand anything. I offered to show you something in exchange for a promise. You rebuked that, but then offered to hear me out in exchange for that woman's life. I had a choice in the matter by rote, but not by balance. She's not dead, and that's the bargain that I agreed to by action, though I suspect I should have been more specific."
Her hands fold back into her sleeves, and she turns to face Vega without fear of retaliation despite the obvious damage that she's suffered, the dried blood on her collar and scrapes and bruises along her face and neck already turning blue. "If you still want to talk, have no issues with that. I don't really care who you are."
She turns around. "I accept /what/ you are. You're barely even human. You're a force. Anyone can see that. Any bargaining or reasoning with a force is pretty much doomed from the get go. You can't change, any more than water can stop being wet or the sun being hot. The fact that you've agreed to let that woman live is more or less due to your whim; somehow, I amuse or interest you in some small way, shape or form. And that's a purchase I'll galdly take."
Her head turns, looking over her shoulder. "A force doesn't /need/ to understand. But someone affected by a force can understand the force. And you, sir, are a force /I/ want to understand," she says, her voice even as she looks the evil dictator over not as a cowed beleiver looks at a God, or as a person looks over a person, but as a person looks upon a moutain or an ocean.
"You are, and always will be as you are. I am and will be, but will be what I become." Her head turns back as she begins to walk away to follow the soldiers taking Maki to whatever hospice they deliver her to. "As long as there's an understanding that I /know/ what you are, and all pretenses are dropped otherwise, I suspect there'll be a lot to talk about." She sounds almost honestly happy, far from the haughtily amused that so many foolish people that have died at Vega's hands have projected.
A strange person indeed, Nataya.
COMBATSYS: Vega has left the fight here.
> ///////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Nataya
COMBATSYS: Nataya has ended the fight here.
Log created on 18:29:19 04/10/2009 by Aranha, and last modified on 10:28:20 04/17/2009.