Description: Sometimes, it's necessary to look deeper into certain problems before you can outright squash it like a bug. Shihong Mao has been tasked to investigate the prison breakout supposedly started by the Southtown Syndicate. Yet, nothing ever goes quite as planned. Not all the prisoners released from the Southtown Penitentiary are loyal to the Syndicate cause, and in the confusion, Shihong may very well simply become another statistic in the riot... especially when she enters the playground of a certain Ojike no Oni...
Slowly but surely, Southtown is spiraling into madness.
Not only have NESTS and Shadaloo AND "R" forces wormed their way into the city, but now a jailbreak has occurred, the potential for numerous men of ill-repute (and no real use to the Syndicate) to flood the streets with chaos and even MORE mayhem imminent. And who has been tasked to investigate matters?
"I really hate this," a leggy Chinese woman grouses. Her name is Shihong Mao.
Red eyes peer around the library of the penitentiary, looking for...something. Amidst the breakout, she had been forced into the library, locked away and kept out of the heat when shit really started to hit the fan. Outside, the sounds of men yelling and going wild can be heard, things breaking and the occasional gunfire or five. Is she scared?
No.
A phone eases its way out of her black business coat, the small, state-of-the-art gadget pressed casually to her ear. "It's me," she murmurs into the receiver. "Haven't found much yet--I got sidetracked. ...not by my fault, no. The riots are getting out of hand. I'm hiding in the library until things cool over."
Sometimes, she wonders, is this job REALLY worth it?
Oh, it's good.
It's so good.
Kichiga Kyoufumaru, or more properly, OOOOOOJIKE NO OOOONIIIII, is just kind of chilling out there in the horrible chaos of the jail riot. The mayhem parts around him, standing their, both hands on his cane, head bowed. The ugly emotions of the men around him flow through him - hate and anger from most, madness from some, and delicious terror from the weaker ones or those who made too many enemies. He winces when he feels a fountain of emotion dry out with death, but there are so many more!
A large man with a nasty scar over his eye takes offense to the Demon's presence, and reaches out for him with a growl of, "Hey, Fruitcake!" Kichiga reacts quickly, tilting his body back, foot lashing out, landing on his shoulder. He twists up, rotating his entire body around the big criminal, whipping his cane up and threading it under his shoulder. With one pull, he pops the man's arm right out of his socket, and he collapses with a howl. "Haaahahahahahaha!" Fear runs off the big man as he realizes he's just been rendered helpless, and someone he's had Words with before is just around the corner. It's awesome.
Did Kichiga cause the jailbreak? Perhaps. Was it on orders? That is unclear. He does so love to sow chaos. His motives are much simpler than most in Southtown. A new flavor dances across his tongue, only notable in its banality. Calm. Composed. Unafraid. The Demon springs away, one geta landing on a man's head, springing off again, running along the top of the crowd. Down this turn... the library? Interesting...
Kichiga lets loose with another laugh, echoing over the bellows and shouts, feeling almost giddy with the chaos of the place.
While the likes of the Ojike no Oni may get drunk off of emotions like this, Shihong Mao only finds them bothersome at best. A psychic, amidst a riot of socially-inept convicts and killers, is not precisely the best recipe, but she had her orders. Unfortunately, a bit of the rioting has made this too difficult, and the only thing she's gained thus far has been a throbbing headache.
Damn these emotions.
Rubbing at her temple, the woman continues speaking on the phone, regardless of the Demon's shenanigans happening outside the 'security' of the library. Really, what self-respecting career criminal is going to touch the library? It's the safest place here, she imagines. "All right, I'll do what I can." With a muted 'beep,' the phone is closed.
Leaning against a large table, the woman closes her eyes and bows her head, fingertips kneading gently into her eyes now. "This was a mistake," she grouses softly aloud, lamenting her situation. The emotions were really starting to affect the Syndicate enforcer, making the headache worse. For once, she damns her luck--and her talents. But...he's counting on her, isn't he?
She likes to think, anyway.
Pushing off the table, the woman decides if she's stuck here for now, she may as well investigate. Unfortunately, Kichiga's psychic 'scent' is well-masked among the other crazies haunting the chaotic prison. The woman remains entirely unaware of his approach.
"Ow!" "Hey!" "C'mere, whacko!" A chorus of disgruntlement trails in Kichiga's wake as he quite unconcernedly runs over people, nimbly darting away from meaty hands and flicking shivs with reflexes old dudes really aren't supposed to have. The hallway of the library, fortunately, is not particularly occupied. They don't like books much around here, for some reason.
"Ow!" "Hey!" "C'mere, whacko!" A chorus of disgruntlement trails in Kichiga's wake as he quite unconcernedly runs over people, nimbly darting away from meaty hands and flicking shivs with reflexes old dudes really aren't supposed to have. The hallway of the library, fortunately, is not particularly occupied. They don't like books much around here, for some reason. The Demon dives off heads, hits the ground with a roll, and smoothly draws himself up on the other side of the locked door. Yes, the calm one is beside here. Well, why waste a good opportunity to make an entrance. Kichiga's hand comes up to stroke at his beard, hidden by the mask. He taps his cane once on the ground with a loud crack, lets out another mad laugh, and collapses into a cloud of red mist.
Mist that promptly seeps through the door of the library, a bloody cloud that brings discordant whispers and barely-seen shadows with it. Kichiga teleports in within that cloud, but leaves it up, censer swinging out of his sleeve.
"Well... well... well... you're rather out of place, girl."
Roughly three minutes into prodding into the library, Shihong decides:
"I am not going to find any information regarding a jailbreak HERE."
Papers in hand are cast upon the table in a small huff, the woman's red eyes drawing shut. The capacity to think clearly is becoming more and more troublesome in the middle of a riot, and it doesn't help that...something...is nagging at her. Giving her head a gentle shake, the woman merely exhales slowly, a soft hiss of breath sliding past thin red lips before--
She jumps, a shiver of surprise racing down her spine as she's interrupted. Whipping around, the woman stares with wide-eyes at her newfound company. He's wearing a mask..?
A thin smirk crosses the woman's lips.
"I'd make a remark about Halloween being six or so months away, but I'm sure you've heard that one before," Shihong comments, giving the Ojiki no Oni a thoughtful looking over. "Though, you're not really one to be pointing fingers. You don't exactly fit the prison stereotype."
Pausing briefly, a thin black brow rises over a single red eye.
"Who are you?"
Kichiga begins by sweeping into a low, courtly bow. "I am..."
Abruptly, he's no longer in the mood for pleasantries! Intoxicated by the emotions all around him, this tranqil oasis amidst the madness is infuriating to him. His legs twitch, and he springs through the air, changshan flapping. Bits of mist cling to him, and the censer and cane slide back up his sleeves. "...your fears!"
Kichiga's hands seek Shihong's shoulders, a deceptively light touch as he swings up and over her, geta tapping on the ground behind her. With the motion, chains dispensed from his sleeves wrap around her, and he takes hold of them, trying to drag her up and around /him/ to slam her down onto the table, scattering those papers even further. Red mist starts to flow from the chains, bringing with it a cacophony of terrible shrieks, whispers, a bone-deep, unreasonable fear. Kichiga's hands seek her throat and face, pressing down, eyes alight with a glowing red madness.
COMBATSYS: Kichiga has started a fight here.
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Kichiga 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shihong has joined the fight here.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Kichiga's Die Screaming.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
'I am...' he begins. Shihong seems patient enough to wait.
But the hesitation, as it were, causes the woman to tilt her head lightly to one side, a vaguely bemused expression haunting her pale face. There is something definitely off and 'wrong' about this masked man, but she cannot quite pinpoint it. Certainly, the air around him has a particular 'psychic' charge she's familiar with. A psion, perhaps..?
She blinks suddenly as he moves, lunging at her before he grips lightly at her shoulder. Before she knows it he's around behind her, to which the woman responds to by whipping around to face him. Chains erupt from his billowing sleeves, seeking to bind her; the woman, however, replies by lashing an arm out, intercepting them and letting her arm instead take the proverbial fall. She's whipped around and hits the table with a muted grunted, her blow fortunately cushioned.
The feelings that ooze from the chains, though, alarm her, evident by her wide-eyed stare back up at the masked man. Though his old hand moves to grip her, the woman's opposite arm snaps up, 'kindly' guiding it elsewhere. "Not today--!" she growls as a long, slender leg kicks up from below her, attempting to knee the Oni in the ribs or whatever she can manage to strike.
What kind of self-respecting convict goes to the library?
The kind that doesn't respect themselves.
Which is actually quite a few.
In large part? Convicts trying to escape from getting murdered/raped/robbed of their precious spoon shivs and cigarettes. Nevermind the fact that most of them are murderers/rapists/probably stole the shiv and/or cigarettes from the person they murdered and/or raped. The point remains, though:
Kichiga and Shihong are not alone in this place.
"Hey, freako..." utters a deep voice as a man lifts up. A large man, bald, a jagged scar running down the side of his face (this makes him tough). The bulky man emerges from the back of the library, followed by several others -- a man with aforementioned spoon shiv, a mullet, a five o'clock shadow, another sort-of timid looking man with a slightly larger-than-normal head, sweating profusely. And a buck-toothed man in glasses. The large man stops, squinting and frowning.
"Keep your hands offa that bitch," he supplies helpfully, before surging forward, thrusting one fist forward to pound it directly into Kichiga's face.
"... she's OURS!"
"H-hey, uhm, I don't really mind if he wants her, let's not cause any problems--"
"God, shut up Jared."
COMBATSYS: Thug has joined the fight here.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
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Thug 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Thug has joined the fight here in the center.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
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Thug 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Kichiga blocks Thug's Medium Punch.
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Shihong 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kichiga
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Thug 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Kichiga endures Shihong's Thrust Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kichiga
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|-------
Perhaps the worst part is, when Kichiga gets nice and close, you can hear him breathing. Not just breathing, but sucking in air like a starved animal that... eats... air. The analogy falls apart but you get the point of it. "Such taste..." he hisses, pressing in close. "You are not like the usual flock-"
He suddenly breaks off, the hand that was not diverted snapping up, the back of it thudding into the thug's fist, halting it far more easily than it probably should have. "Wretch..." Kichiga growls, the modulator in his mask drawing the word out like gravel rolling down a hill. Kichiga rises with Shihong's knee, grunting with the impact, but freeing his other hand to shove off of it, sending him up and into the air. The chains slide back into his sleeves.
The old man hangs in the air for a moment, gliding down extremely slowly, and then snaps each foot out, one after the other, for the Thug's oversized face. "Worthless scum! I am not here for morsels!" His eyes stay locked on Shihong, which is weird! WEIRDDDDDD.
There's an obvious look of disgust on the Chinese woman's face as Kichiga seeks to bear down upon her, the woman struggling as best she can against his weight. Frowning a thin frown on her pale face, her red eyes narrow sharply as he speaks--not one of his usual 'flock?' Taste? "You know...what?" she grits.
"I don't even want to know--!!"
Her leg moves, just about the same time when a gang of thugs manages to make their way into the library. Frowning sharply, the woman realizes now the odds aren't precisely in her favor. She has not only this devil-mask wearing psychic madman to worry about, but rapist-murder-thieves as well. "I hope Howard is going to give me danger pay," she murmurs quietly to herself.
Either way, when Kichiga leaps and frees her of his psychically-imbued chains, Shihong immediately rolls aside and off the table. He attacks the goons, giving her plenty of time to breath and better access this situation she's stuck in. So, while his eyes are on her, so too are hers on him; not bothering to regard the prison rioters, the woman focuses all of her attention on the biggest threat present.
The Ojike no Oni.
COMBATSYS: Shihong focuses on her next action.
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kichiga
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Thug 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Thug blocks Kichiga's Strong Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Kichiga
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|------=
"Take /THAT/, you shriveled little geek-- whu?"
The big thug finds his fist stopped. Dead in its tracks. He blinks, and squints.
"'Wretch'? Howzabout you start learning the English fuckin' language while you still got teeth, ya stupi--"
And that is when those feet BARREL into the large thug's head. Eyes widened, he barely has enough time to lift up his hands as some sort of barrier to the blow before those feet CRACK against forearms. The sound of bones can be heard snapping as the big man is launched straight off his feet, SMASHING into a nearby book case with a tremendous CRACK of impact. Books go scattering, pages flipping about, as the man holds his arm, screaming in bloody agony.
"My ARM! He broke my FUCKIN' ARM! How did--why did-- AAAAAAAGH MY FUCKIN' ARM!!"
The rest of the gang hesitates. But, Shihong might be making a mistake, focusing just on Kichiga; as her attention turns, the be-mulleted shiv-toting man suddenly leaps forward, screaming something incoherent as he attempts to, well. Stab Shihong. Like some sort of -- some sort of -- /jack-knifing/ motion aimed for the abdomen.
"GYAAAAGH!"
"R-really, we probably shouldn't--"
"GONNA NEED A CAST FOR THIS OH MY GAWWWDDDD--"
Kichiga's geta click onto the ground, and those eyes rake across to the downed thug, hissing at him, a red light glimmering around the ropes of 'hair' on the mask, lifting them up and whirling them around. Nothing like a little bit of quick-applied trauma to invigorate the bones. He starts to turn back toward Shihong.
He tastes the desperation and animal rage of the other thug just before he dives, and he himself lunges to meet him. Kichiga senses something rare in Shihong, the additional strength the emotions of a Psycho Power user hold, and it drives him a little past his cold logic, over into madness. He wants her all to himself, and will not have her feeling any pain that he himself isn't giving her. Emotions are so much more satisfying when directed at him.
He drives into the thug, reaching his left hand directly into his right sleeve to pull out his cane. Focusing his own power through it, a long 'blade' of red springs out from the end, not slicing flesh but burning the soul. "This is my Hell! You are merely the damned! Get out!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong dodges Thug's Medium Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Kichiga
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|------=
Just when the woman believes she has an opening to take advantage of--
A sudden, shrill cry erupts from behind the woman, startling her briefly. She pivots on her heel and about-faces, facing down the Thug directly and noting that shiv in hand. Frowning, she crouches briefly, fingertips gracing the floor before she springs upwards and flips backwards as it lunges forward. The makeshift blade cuts only empty air. Several feet away, the woman lands with a soft click of heels on cheap tile flooring.
"Who ARE you??" the woman calls to Kichiga, even as he again makes his assault on the gathered thugs. Certainly, his is a different feeling than most she encounters, doubly so as the air around him is anything but stable. Even by comparison he seems worse than Cherise--and that's pretty bad.
Frowning a bit, the woman shakes her head, charging forward and, rather than assault Kichiga, she leaps up and twists her body, delivering a midair roundhouse kick to the side of the shiv-toting thug's head.
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Thug with Spin Kick.
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Shihong 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kichiga
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Thug 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Thug endures Kichiga's Foul Punishment.
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Shihong 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kichiga
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Thug 1|-------|=======
"OH GOD MY ARM MY ARM MY--"
"Man up and drop a pair already, I'm tired of listening to your garbage!"
The voice that bellows this out is deep; even deeper than the big man's. Coming into the entrance of the library is a large man -- or, apparently, woman. With long hair, sunglasses, and what appear to be breasts, she might appear to be a woman -- if not for all the bodyhair and, well, RIPPLING MUSCLES AND DEEP, BOOMING VOICE.
"Ugh, I can never find a real man," laments the woman thing as the jack-knifing shiv-thrusting convict is suddenly kicked -- DIRECTLY into Kichiga's blade. The sharp tip pierces the soul, the man's buggy eyes widening even further as he feels horrible energy rending his spirit asunder. He nearly vomits; thankfully it's just 'nearly.' "HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--"
And that's when the manwoman seeks to grip Kichiga by the back of the head IN THE PALM OF HER HAND.
"C'mere, handsome."
Attempting to /throw/ the Oni towards the ground, the remaining thugs will proceed to group up around the big... thing... and begin to just, well, kick Kichiga, over and over, beating down on him; the glasses-wearing thug beats at him with a cane of some sort, seemingly made from a metal prison bar; Jared, the timid crook, seeks to delicately punch Kichiga in the mask. And the girlmanthing, well -- she just attempts to stomp on him, over and over and over.
COMBATSYS: Kichiga blocks Thug's Savage Beating.
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Shihong 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Kichiga
[ ||||||||||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|-------
The Oni's eyes are the only thing visible within the demon mask - those eyes narrow in irritation as the woman(?) grips the ropes of hair at his mask, and slams him into the ground, though shi fails to break his brittle old man hips.
Then, he has to deal with the beat down. Cane meets prison bar, wood knocking, metal clanging. He can't get enough time to vanish, and can only curl up to deal with the stomping, bringing his legs in the way so vulnerable organs aren't raped brutally. His mask is punched. That's pretty good material there.
Abruptly, the demon makes one final thrash, rolling away from the latest stomp, cane whipping out to knock the prison bar out of the other thug's hand. He vanishes into a pillar of red mist, anyone caught in it stuck hearing those horrible whispers.
Immediately after, he appears behind Shihong, his cane looping around her neck, other arm up to brace it. The voice modulator makes his voice more of a hiss as he whispers, "Ojike no Oni... the Demon of Dread. Perhaps you have heard of me, girl." He pulls the cane up, but can't lift her off her feet - even with his geta, he's actually just a little shorter than her. "Show them to me, girl." He wrenches, trying to fling her into the wall, where he can press the cane into the back of her neck. "Show me your fears!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong fails to interrupt Phobia from Kichiga with Savage Tiger EX.
-* CRITICAL FAIL! *-
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Kichiga
[ ||||||||||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|-------
It would seem Kichiga has his hands full with a new friend.
Stepping away as the kick is delivered to the shiv-toting thug, Shihong seems more content to mind her own business and observe the Ojike no Oni, red eyes glowing a bit as she watches the man move to deal with the shemale tranny thing that isn't Poison trying to get her hands on him.
What's surprising is when the man 'vanishes' into a fine red mist. Is he...gone?
The woman offers a sharp frown.
If only she were right.
A voice appears from behind her, drawing a chill down the woman's spine. Wide-eyed, she attempts to whip around and lash out at the man, his words falling upon semi-deaf ears. Ojike no Oni..? Distantly the name is familiar--she's heard it on the news, but...
A scowl rips across her soft face, red lips cutting jaggedly as teeth bare at the man. Seconds after she's then FLUNG into the nearest wall, where she actually craters a bit into it, a loud gasp escaping her lungs. But before she can pry off of it the can is shoved into the back of her neck, causing her to choke and struggle, eyes pressed shut. Around her, her psychic aura begins to flare a bit, fueled not by fear--but anger.
And Ojike no Oni... disappears. The beating cut short, the thugs and prison inmates are left to blink. The shiv-wielding prisoner gets up, kicking angrily at that crimson mist -- only to suddenly collapse again with a horrified shriek as those terrible whisperings overtake his now far-more sensitive mind, clawing at the sides of his head as if that could cast them aside.
"Stop pussyfooting around!" roars the large woman(?) as she kicks the jittering, whimpering man to the side. Hands planted firmly on her manwomanly hips, she looks towards the would-be demon as he reappears /behind/ Shihong. Shihong, and not them. Heris frown deepens, a little nervously -- but only a little. "... I'm sick of all these magic tricks! And you, you little hussy!" A finger points towards Shihong, ominously, before--
The woman suddenly VAULTS forward, mountainous muscle carrying her forward in a surge as she seeks to JAM one big, hairy knee DIRECTLY into Kichiga's back with all the force of a speeding car.
"-- get your hands off my man!"
Yes, her man.
COMBATSYS: Kichiga dodges Thug's Rushing Knee.
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Kichiga
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Thug 0|-------|-------
Kichiga tastes the anger, hot and sharp, clearer than a regular person's anger. He brought himself to the level of fighters for their stronger, fiercer emotions... to find there are people stronger still is like Christmas. "How does the helplessness feel? I can promise all this and more to you, when--"
Kichiga bends at the knees, launching up and above hir hairy knee, rotating upside-down as he does so, growling. "...when we have some PRIVACY!" The cane floats away from Kichiga's right hand as his left whips around to seize the big hairy ladyman's face. He stiffens his right hand, still hanging upside-down, and drives a powerful palm strike into the top of hir head. Why doesn't he seem too bothered by the amorous advances of the beast?!
He's pretty old.
As amusing as the situation is, the woman finds herself incredibly distracted, the cane bearing down quite painfully into her neck and down upon her spinal cord. Gagging and struggling for a breath while pressed into the wall, her hands curl against busted drywall, nails digging into the material and piercing through. Yes, she's angry. So what if he can taste it.
Helplessness? A sharp spike of fury fills the woman, like hot, roiling magma. She recalls months prior, her encounter with the Syndicate mercenary Yamazaki. That experienced changed her--perhaps for worse. But she's stronger now. She won't--not again--
Whatever luck she has on her side, the man-woman makes her attack on Kichiga, which in turn frees her. Gasping as she pulls from the wall, she ignores his promise and takes a moment to recover before, angrily, glaring at the masked figure. Without hesitating she lunges forward, following behind him. Only after he lands will she suddenly lash out, viciously attempting to drive her heel into Kichiga's side with a turning side kick and a loud "HYAAAAAH!" backed by venomous anger.
COMBATSYS: Thug endures Kichiga's Strong Punch!
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kichiga
[ ||||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|----===
The womanly... manly... WoManly prison inmate looks somewhat disappointed as her massive knee CRUSHES into the wall with such force that it dents inward, instead of planting into old man back. For hir trouble, she finds the Oni floating upside-down... and suddenly /gripping hir face./ "I love a man who plays it rouumhmphr--"
And then, she gets punched in the head.
More like palm struck. But the force alone is enough to launch the prisoner right off of his/her feet, vaulting backwards as shade-covered eyes notes the advance of Shihong upon Kichiga. Blood streaming down hir nostrils, his/her eyes narrow, lips curling backward to reveal poorly-maintained and bloody teeth in a distasteful sneer. Still in mid-air, she grips onto a nearby guard-chain on the railing of the prison window, RIPS it free, and then HURLS the mass as hard as possible at Shihong, aiming to SMASH it over her head like a ton of bricks.
"Gnhf--!! Can't you see he and I need some alone time together?!"
COMBATSYS: Kichiga just-defends Shihong's Strong Kick!
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kichiga
[ |||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|------=
Kichiga lets himself drop quickly after knocking the crazy muscle ladude out of the way, just in time for Shihong's kick to come driving in. "Ah, so... that was it. Haaahahahaha!" The modulator turns his laugh into a shriek as he bursts into motion, fabric flapping as he spins and crouches, reaching out. It's like he has eyes in the back of his head - he sees exactly where Shihong's kick was, and lifts one hand up, impacting, diverting, chains lashing out again and wrapping around her ankle.
"I grow tired of your persistance, wretch! I am unavailable, and far too old for you besides!" Smoothly, Kichiga twists, reaching back, planting a hand on Shihong's shoulder and shoving out, pulling with the chains. It happens in one smooth, abrupt motion, and suddenly, Shihong is kicking at the thug! Well, kicking at hir big ugly weapon, first. It's a pretty bad situation.
COMBATSYS: Shihong just-defends Thug's Whirling Chain Slam!
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Kichiga
[ |||||||| ]
Thug 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Thug fails to interrupt Random Weapon from Kichiga with Random Weapon.
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Shihong 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kichiga
[ |||| ]
Thug 0|-------|-----==
She moves, hurrying along as swift as she can to get the jump on Kichiga--unfortunately, this 'Ojike no Oni' character suspects her, despite the distraction the shemale inmate provides. She blinks once as he spins around while cackling, his hand reaching up and intercepting the blow. She scowls darkly, red eyes glowing dimly in the poorly-lit library. Before she can whip her leg back, it's gripped.
Seconds after she's suddenly guided forward, into the path of the oncoming man-woman with a vendetta against her. Her eyes flare up, glowing intensely bright as her leg is forced to kick at the woman--but she uses this to her advantage. The other leg shoots upward, giving her height as she slams a foot upwards and kicks THROUGH the mass of window, sending it slamming heavily to the floor. But she doesn't end there.
Instead, Shihong drops her leg shortly after, a nasty axe kick aimed right for the top of the jealous prisoner's skull. "FUCK OFF!!"
COMBATSYS: Thug interrupts Medium Kick from Shihong with Random Weapon.
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Shihong 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Kichiga
[ ||| ]
Thug 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Thug can no longer fight.
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Shihong 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Kichiga
"I'm the type of lady who doesn't take no for an answerhhmphhlh!"
The big, burly guyady is interrupted suddenly as Shihong is used as a massive bludgeoning weapon against him/her. She only has seconds to react, and she certainly does try; reaching out, she attempts to grip at Shihong, only to fail...
... with one meaty hand impacting directly against Kichiga's right arm instead and gripping nice. And. Tight.
CRACK goes the impact of Shihong as her bludgeon-kick strikes the thug-lady instead of Kichiga, her jaw cracking in a most distasteful manner. Still the manwoman manages to maintain that grip on Kichiga throughout the abuse, and as Shihong's leg drops down for an axe-kick--
--with a deep, inarticulate roar, the wo/man whips upward, attempting to just BASH the Oni directly into Shihong so that they may continue their little dance unabated and severely abused /just/ as that shoe /collapses/ against the mangirl's head. Struck, s/he wobbles backwards, blood pouring down her lips. She blinks, blearily...
... and then collapses.
"Honey... don't... leave...!"
And then promptly passes out, leaving the rest of the thugs having retreated, or in similar states of disrepair.
When the thug is finally downed, Kichiga makes a show of drawing his chains back up his sleeves, and brushing off the fabric of his changshan. He tilts his head to the side with a single resounding pop, and slips his hands into his sleeves, standing ramrod-straight. "Excellently done."
When he pulls his hand from his sleeve, he has a small iron censer there, dispensing a red mist. "It changes nothing!" He lashes his arm out, and the censer flies of its own accord, trailing that mist and its payload of psychic fear. Slowly stepping forward, he flicks his wrist, trying to wrap the chain around Shihong's neck, eyes flashing a brighter and brighter red to match her own. "What else is there, girl? What else do you have locked away inside that mind?"
COMBATSYS: Shihong just-defends Kichiga's Dark Censer!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Kichiga
To Shihong's surprise, the man-woman is far swifter than she gave her credit for. Moments after her kick lands painfully atop the inmate's skull she's suddenly gripped and bashed in the Oni's general direction. She hits the floor, however, a loud 'oof' escaping the woman's red lips before she hurriedly scrambles to her feet. When her red eyes survey the library--
Everyone but the Oni is gone. Finally...
Her vermillion-red eyes flicker back onto Kichiga shortly after, watching as his chains slither into the sleeves of his attire. "I don't need your compliments," she replies coldly, glaring at the masked figure before her. "I came here not to deal with you, but to find answers. If you're smart, you'll get the hell out of here--"
The man produces a censer from his sleeve, cutting the woman short. Narrowing her red eyes, she watches it carefully--and suddenly moves to the side as it lashes out, an arm snapping up and striking it with the side of her fist, knocking it away.
"I don't have TIME for this shit," she growls, dashing forward right for the Ojike no Oni. Once she's closed in she'll drop low and plant her palms flat on the cheap floor of the penitentiary library, her legs suddenly flaring up with vermillion hued psychic fire. From there her body moves swiftly, a flaming heel shooting up to slam into the Oni's jaw, followed by the second leg as she swings both up to rise into a handstand while knocking him back. Only after--barring no interruptions--she'll kick her legs back and come to stand properly once more.
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Kichiga with Coiled Serpent.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1 Kichiga
Kichiga's mouth pulls into a thin line when the censer is slapped away, but the mask only has a big leering grin on it, so nobody can ever know. The weapon snaps back into his sleeve, just in time for the old man to get kicked right in the chin! KINGGGGGG
The material of the mask cracks at the chin, slightly, as he staggers back, and his modulator shrieks with static, briefly. The next kick instead catches him in the side of the face, spinning him to a kneel. "Hrrnght." He reaches up and adjust something as he stands, cane sliding out and spinning in his other hand. "Answers, girl? For this? I have your answers."
The Demon of Dread steps forward, casually swatting the cane in a backhanded strike at Shihong's face. "I am your answer! This is my Hell - I have created it, and it will spread!" The cane swings up then, punishing force leveraged at Shihong's throat. "All of Southtown will be locked in a prison of terror when I am through! I can do so much more than I was once capable of!"
To finish it off, Kichiga takes his cane in both hands, steps forward, and smashes it in at Shihong's stomach, pressing in harder. "Hahahahahah!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Kichiga's Phobia.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Kichiga
Rising fully from her former handstand position, Shihong's expression remains stern and distantly angry as she glares at the kneeling Oni. "Hiding behind a mask," she remarks coldly, "...is so cowardly." She'll give him a moment to recuperate--but only momentarily. She needs a moment to catch her breath, after all, and plan her next strike carefully. One false move could be her last. This man has a reputation, after all.
"Do you have answers?" she wonders with a thin smirk as he steps forward. But when his hand snaps out hers rises immediately, intercepting the blow with her outer forearm. "Your Hell--so you're to blame?" The swinging cane is met with a sudden drop of her wrists, one folded atop the other as she catches the cane between them. "I should have figured." The anger around her slowly builds.
Shoving back, she moves aside and out of harm's way, narrowing avoiding the thrust of his cane at her throat. "Southtown has endured enough bullshit, but some crazy like you had to go and take advantage of this?" Exhaling in annoyance, the woman pivots sharply on a stiletto heel, swinging a leg around before she thrusts it outwards, her heel aimed to crush past his defenses and into the Oni's sternum and send him flying.
"I should beat that ugly mask so far into your face it will take surgery to pick those pieces out," she growls. How DARE he do this to her boss' city?
This just became a little more personal. The anger swells.
COMBATSYS: Kichiga dodges Shihong's Heel Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Kichiga
Kichiga flows to the side, the kick aimed for his defenses meeting none of them. The movement seems unnatural, like someone replaced all of his bones with jelly. But then, that red mist is hanging around everywhere, and if he's a Psychic, whose to say how much one's thoughts are being influenced?
"Ohhh... loyalty to this town? Worthless!" He lashes a single chain out, swinging at Shihong, trying to drive her away. "This city was already a hole of corruption. I ceased my preying on the smaller towns of Japan and came here only because of you fighters! Your taste is so much more distinctive... and you... you have that power, yes? Psycho power... you are above even them." He lashes with his other hand, creating another chain. Something moves beneath his tattered changshan, something writhing. "And this madness... it has brought so many of you here! My hobby has never been so fulfilling! Now..."
"...SHOW ME YOUR FEARS! YOUR HATES! YOUR SUFFERING!" Kichiga swings his arms out wide, and chains explode out from beneath his clothes, through rips in his changshan, from his sleeves, from the back of his mask, everywhere, and all of them glowing a bright red. Some snake along the ground to enwrap Shihong's legs - the rest flail madly, beating at her. There is an incredible mental pressure, as well, a screaming from a thousand different dissonant mouths. The inmates in the jail all around begin to wail, their weaker minds seized with an unreasonable terror. To cap it off, Kichiga thrusts both hands out, sleeves blossoming open, and red spikes of pure, unfocused Psycho Power dive out.
COMBATSYS: Kichiga successfully hits Shihong with Madness Manifest.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Shihong 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
Her leg snaps out, but kicks little more than empty air as Kichiga winds aside like some serpentine humanoid. Frowning slightly, her leg swiftly recoils at her hip before it comes down, stilettos planting firmly at her side. That mist--what is with this man, anyway? Why is he different from other psychics she's become acquainted with?
Shihong shakes her head, immediately casting her thoughts aside. "My loyalties are to the Syndicate," she states with surprising calm, despite the anger than rolls off of her aura. His lashing attack does well to drive the woman back, her feet stumbling a bit as she's forced back a few steps; she seems far from fussed by this.
Instead, his words make her a touch surprised.
"My power isn't enough!" she snaps, the anger around her growing, swelling. "I don't care about your intentions, or your beliefs or reasons. My loyalty is to my boss--whatever your hobbies are, they don't matter! You're sullying his name--that is all I care about." Her red eyes glow dimly in the light, eyes half-lidded as she glares at the Oni.
Show him her fears? Her feet slide just a bit outwards, bracing her body...
But what comes next catches her off guard.
Seized by chains exploding from the man's sleeves, she's helpless as she's gripped by the glowing steel bindings, arms and legs held tightly. The mental pressure builds, growing to incredibly uncomfortable amounts, causing the woman to grit her teeth in pain, the wailing voices deafening. It hurts, but...damned if she's going to give up. The anger around her swells--it fuels her a bit, giving her the will to withstand the mental assault as best she can, weathering it.
The spikes of pure Psycho Power, however, cause her to scream, pain lancing through her body. Only after she's released will she stagger, a hand pressed flat atop the nearby table, supporting her weight as she gasps for breath. Is he human? Or something else..? She can't tell, but she knows one thing is certain: he needs to suffer.
Stumbling forward, the woman pursues the Oni once more with newfound anger, teeth clenched painfully behind thin red lips. She tries to close in, getting dangerously close before she snaps a leg up, attempting to deliver a kick straight upwards--right into his jaw.
"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO GET INTO MY HEAD!!"
COMBATSYS: Kichiga auto-guards Shihong's Medium Kick!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Shihong 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
Kichiga sags after unleashing the Madness Manifest, taking in one deep breath of air as Shihong recovers - oh, and look, she's even angrier. That suits Kichiga just fine. The chains are slowly seeping back up into whereever the hell Kichiga even keeps them, but he lazily swings his left hand at Shihong's oncoming kick - three chains lash against the foot on their way up the sleeve, fouling the kick and knocking it away. Red light is actually bubbling from Kichiga's eyes now, running down past the mask's eyeholes like tears of blood... though the laughter probably means he isn't actually crying.
"Don't be so offended, girl! You are hardly the first." He lunges forward, hand grasping for her face. "...and you will hardly be the last." The grasp proves to be a sudden feint, as he continues to charge through, one of his feet swirling up to deliver an axe kick to Shihong's shoulder, stepping up with the kick and twisting to make a series of shorter kicks at her collarbone as he glides back down like a crazy wuxia man. "So, the Syndicate. Excellent. Perfect! Hahahaha! Imagine the chaos that would erupt through Southtown if its dark robber baron was toppled?"
COMBATSYS: Shihong blocks Kichiga's Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Shihong 1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0 Kichiga
The sudden change in the masked man's demeanor momentarily unsettles the woman, thin red lips edging into a sharp line across her pale face. The air around her is alive with her anger and disgust, however well her otherwise expressionless face may hide it. Even as the kick is merely knocked aside, the woman just rolls with the proverbial punches, teeth gritting behind her lips.
"I take no pride in that," she all but growls. "And so what? Leave me out of your perverted little fear games!" He charges in, then, and she too moves; weight shifting, she swings her arms up, intercepting the axe kick before she backs up, catching the short kicks at her collar with her palms before gently shoving back. Syndicate, toppled?
The woman barks a biting laugh.
"You think he could be taken out so easily??" she asks, red eyes wide--and glowing. "You're a fool! What does not kill him only makes him stronger...more powerful...that is the law of nature! Of survival!"
She moves suddenly, bolting forward as her body ignites with vermillion red psychic flame. Leaping, she attempts to deliver an aerial side kick at Kichiga and, should it land, she bounces off. Crouching briefly, she'll uncoil like a bound wire, lashing out with a fiery flip-kick to launch him into the air while she lands once more in another crouch. The fires roar around her then, and with a loud cry she leaps up and angular, to delivering a fierce aerial flying side kick into the masked Oni, contact resulting in a bone-jarring burst of Psycho Power to seal the deal.
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Kichiga with Kirin.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kichiga
Kichiga's gloved hand rises, casually - he feels the tide turning his way, and is getting a little cocky. Old men are supposed to know better than that! Well, most old men aren't also crazy sumbitches. Chains glowing blood red snake around his hand as he tries to intercept the kick - on the unexpectedly powerful impact, the chains shatter, mist blooming out in all directions. His eyes grow wide for a single satisfying instant.
He sails upward with the next kick, changshan flapping wildly, and with a shout, he flings his arms and legs out, suddenly halting in the air - doing nothing more than dramatically floating there for the instant necessary to be kicked again, mask cracking more as he smashes into the ground side-first. A few chips of plastic fall away, revealing black fabric mesh beneath and pale, wrinkled flesh beneath.
The modulator emits a few bursts of static as Kichiga produces his cane, using it to help him regain his feet. Eventually, it settles, revealing that he is in fact laughing. "In ancient times, man could overwhelm even the mightiest of beasts with their flimsy spears of stone and wood... they only needed /enough/. Is that what you fear, girl? You have attached yourself to the mighty... where will you be when he falls?!" The Oni's neck cracks as he rolls it, a sharp, rapid movement, and he levers himself up on his cane to plant his feet on the wall, leaving a few spots of blood where he stood. He kicks off with both feet, red light spiraling around the cane as he glides forward inhumanly, the Psycho Power springing into another blade that he tries to plunge into Shihong's heart, not cutting, but infinitely more painful.
COMBATSYS: Shihong fails to interrupt Foul Punishment from Kichiga with Raiding Falcon.
[ \\\\\ < > //////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Kichiga
The final kick makes its mark, and with it the woman gracefully--albeit tiredly--descends, half-crumpling into a low crouch on the cheap tile floor. Breathing heavily, she watches as the Oni hit the ground, flinching only slightly. Still that air of anger lingers around her...more so when he manages to get back onto his feet. She doesn't have time for this.
"That was then," the woman mutters, still crouched. "This is now. And where will I be?"
When he moves the woman suddenly spins around on the ground, nails digging at the floor. Holding there briefly, her legs tense before she springs toward him, attempting to intersect the masked man with the heels of her shoes. Unfortunately, his psi-laced cane strikes first, sending the woman flying backwards, tumbling head over heels before she stops--only because she'd slammed into a cheap bookcase.
"I will ..." Gritting her teeth, she somehow manages to get on her feet, though not without the support of the shelving, on which she lays her arms and half of her weight.
"Be right there at his side."
Kichiga vanishes into mist once again, soon after Shihong hits the wall. His voice comes from everywhere at once: "Tchhh." A dismissive, almost disappointed sound. This woman is proving damnably /resilient,/ and with such delectable potential lurking just behind that hard shell. The demon decides to put it on the 'long-term' table. Which means it's time to leave a lasting impression.
The advantage of the full-body outfit is an implacable outer appearance. As long as he keeps himself straight, Shihong has no idea of the blood dripping from his left side, the bruises spreading from a cracked rib, the pain in his legs. His teeth grit as he steps back into reality next to Shihong, cane gripped in both hands, the heavy leering ogre's head at the top inverted, already swinging around and down.
"Let us learn, girl, if your Boss has the loyalty to you... that you show to him."
He attempts to plow the cane directly into the front of Shihong's kneecap, gripping it with both hands, utterly mercilessly.
COMBATSYS: Kichiga successfully hits Shihong with Phobia.
[ \\ < > /////// ]
Shihong 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Kichiga
On the other hand, Shihong looks like a wreck. With no mask to hide her face behind, there lingers an expression of pain, eyes pinching shut from time to time as she gasps for breath. Hanging still off of the shelving, she seems to, if anything, bide her time and just try to pull on what reserves she can. Unfortunately, there don't really seem to be many left. Her will to do much of anything is fading--passing out sounds like the better option.
Even when Kichiga appears, the woman doesn't seem to move much. Her attempts are half-hearted at best to acknowledge him. Instead, she merely rolls her head to one side, letting her eyes shut--at least until the cane plows into her leg. Then? She screams. Loudly.
Her knee busted, it's certainly painful. Screaming still, the woman flails, shoving fiercely off the shelving with enough force to send it tumbling into the ground with a loud bang. Reeling back, she just grips at her thigh in agony, biting as best she can off the pain. She's revitalized briefly, fueled by adrenaline. "Leave..." she offers hoarsely between raspy breaths and groans of pain. Slowly, her good leg slides backwards--
Then suddenly, with a strangled cry of pain, the woman leaps off the ground, her body spiraling forward, heels first, right at Kichiga, psycho power roaring from her body. Should she and her half-good legs strike the burst will erupt with enough force to send Kichiga flying into the furthest wall and distance him from the woman. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"
COMBATSYS: Shihong can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Kichiga 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Shihong successfully hits Kichiga with Strutting Crow.
[ \\\ <
Kichiga 1/------=/=======|
Kichiga attemtps to slip away from the oncoming spike kick, dragging his off-balance cane back to him as he drifts back and down, hoping to let Shihong fly shamefully above him.
It doesn't work that way. A hole blasts open in his changshan on impact, fabric dissolving, revealing old man chest, which is always weird to see when coupled with athletic muscle. There's even a little fogey nipple, hello fogey nipple! If nothing else, it and the trails of blood running down reveal that, if nothing else, the Demon is human. But does that make him more or less terrifying?
The old man's arms and legs splay out as he flies for the wall. More ribs are cracked - he can already tell that moving is going to send horrible spikes of pain through his body. But, as far as he's concerned, this fight is just one step in the plan. Kichiga laughs one last time, the sound lingering as he hits the wall - and bursts into mist one last time.
---
Kichiga reappears several inches above the roof of the prison, limbs flailing as he takes the small fall, landing on his back with a grunt and a crackle of gravel. A few moments later, he groans.
Striking its mark, the spiraling spike of a kick sends Kichiga flying away and leaves Shihong to deal with the hard part of the maneuver: landing with a blown knee. It doesn't quite go as she'd like: landing, she more or less collapses into a messy, bloodied heap, long black hair spilling out around on the floor as she lays out face-down. Struggling a bit, she pries her chest off the ground, slowly turning to look over a shoulder.
When she looks, he's there one second, laughing. Then the next he's gone, dissolved into mist.
The woman doesn't care. Instead, Shihong collapses onto the floor again and rolls over onto her back, pulling her cell out of her blazer, hitting speed-dial. Waiting a moment, she acknowledges herself to the receiver.
"I need...a ride," she mutters, clicking the phone off before she just passes out. Her work is done.
Log created on 19:21:23 04/19/2009 by Shihong, and last modified on 22:15:51 04/23/2009.