Description: In the Depths of southtown, where people whose life had been taken away in a flash gather, so do NESTs forces. Brave heroes and Todoh gather around to stop the forces, lead by Igniz, as hope seems dim.. but will Todoh, and Hope prevail? There will only be one way to find out! Well, at least Todoh prevails. Good old Todoh.
The cities edges were boxed off, held off by the armies of the invaders. The world was boxing in on southtown with greater heroes rising up, throwing themself into the mix between the multiple men and women that fight against Geese Howard in turn.
Igniz had made sure to always have a back up plan. A God could not be easily cornered. Even with the attrocity that occurered when Kyo Kusinagi forced Krizalid to destroy the hospital. A terrible event in anycase, Igniz could not hold Krizalid responsible. The men and women inside the hospital had donated much of their livelyhood and DNA to aid in the NESTS effort.
Now, Igniz sought new places to replace what he had lost. To target a makeshift city built on the edge of the outskirts of town, attempting to hold those that escaped would only be just. To try to run from their salvation... it was unthinkable. Igniz had to go post haste to meet them.
He did not come alone. A dozen NESTS soldiers approach from a distance, a man ahead of them draped in silk robes as he lead their approach. He was not alone. He made sure to bring forces necessary for any suitable resistance.
Igniz had made a choice, to assault such a place. To shake them up even after things had been taken from them. A message? Perhaps more than that, from the way Igniz had made it seem. She does now walk in place with the soldiers, instead, she would simply appear. A blur of brown and blue, as she touches down against the ground nearby, looking on towards that makeshift city-scape.
Why would they want to live in such an area full of squalor? What would it prove? What would they gain from it when they could have something much better, and with much less suffering? Some of them were so blind. Leaning on her right leg, Diana rests her hands over her hips.
Tch. Some of the little places were barely more than a tent or some cloth. How terrible.
They just couldn't let them stay this way. Whatever Igniz has planned would be better than this, and no matter what it may be, there are thousands of things that do not need to end with them living like rats.
If only they hadn't resisted.
With the plans of NESTS going underway, anything abnormal is usually reported to the Stray Dog. How? Well, Jiro actually has a little birdie that lets him know. Nevermind that 'birdie' is a hawk that has been his eyes and ears as to what is going on.
That is to say that Jiro has been on the hunt to deal with NESTS and similar organizations to stop them. However, Jiro /knows/ that he cannot do this alone. That is why he made an effort to call his friends. One of them was Mizuki, who was the first person that Jiro wanted to contact.
It had been a long time. He figured it would had been strange to hear his voice. But he needed help on this, badly. Unfortunately, while Alma was to be the next person to call, his cellphone died out on him before he could send the message for help. Crap.
Nevertheless, Jiro had no time. He had to make it post-haste and pray that some others would be following. That is why Jiro is running towards the path of the outskirts, his hood covering his face as he growls.
~ Shit!... I need to hurry! ~
When the call came, Mizuki was... surprised. But, honestly, how could she refuse? She had considered bringing Yuno--but... when she heard -who- it was... no. He'd already faced the man once; that's more than enough for a kid of his age. So she'd just told Yuno to stay put. Reassured him that she'd be back soon enough. And then she raced out the door.
She'd gotten the location, and she just ran, hoping her phone would ring again--that Jiro would be able to give her more information--but it was not to be. And so she runs, and worries, wondering what's happening. All she knows it... NESTS... and that one word, frankly? Terrifies her. NESTS is not someone anyone sane wants to mess with--but so often 'heroic' work is, at its core, insane.
The outskirts... suddenly, Mizuki realizes. The refugees, the transplants, the downtrodden. Her lips firm into a line and she pours on as much speed as she can. They will NOT harm these people any more...
Zach actually happens to be /in/ the camp when NESTS comes to call. Raiding the news station proved difficult; he had gotten seperated from Drake, and soloing the building proved to be impossible. Too many troops, too many guns. So the Handyman fled to the refuge camp on the make, offering to help where he could with the wounded.
That many people arriving at or around the same time is all but impossible to miss. People start reacting. Wasn't it enough that NESTS took their homes, their businesses, their town from them? Now they come for what meager existance these people have managed to salvage for themselves? Zach growls as he tugs his ballcap on over his messy purple locks. "Not on my watch," the young man snarls.
Ah, the plights of Southtown. In a few decades, budding young writers and shell shocked veterans of the horrors alike will find this whole situation a rife ground for great fiction, detailing one of the greatest street fighting cities of the world and its trials and tribulations against outright war.
There is one man who has chosen not to let these concerns color him, for he is a man with a holy mission. A mission not of an order higher than any moral standpoint or philosophy the warring soldiers carry as their reason to live another day while their enemies become headed for a long sleep (because they can't hack it). No.
Ryuhaku Todoh, absolute highest master(?) of the greatest(?) martial art is in this to harness this sudden boom of rude but interesting people in their fancy weaponized vehicles and their homogenous suits to gain at long last the upper hand against his generations-old rival, the hated Sakazaki family. The sad sacks whom have infuriated him one too many times, whom have gotten one step ahead of him every part of the way, and who have successfully turned even one (relatively) promising student against him no matter how much the traitor waves the banner of his proudest technique... this entire protracted spectacle shall serve as his stepping stone to finally putting the Kyokugen dojo under his heel once and for all.
He's here to get some students out of this massive tourist mess, and come hell or high water he is going to get them!!
There he stands atop a tree, hardly clothed with anything more than a loincloth and his trademark headband. His long hair flutters in the breeze, his eyes shut as he takes in nature. Ah, surely his time will come. Never mind he has not heard of any overwhelming victories from that burly boxer he has converted (...or so /he/ thinks), nor have anybody seen the vandalized flyers he put in places that people have no desire to visit at times like these. No, the revelations are clear. He must be more forthcoming to show them himself!!
His eyes open to the scene below as he sees familiar tops of heads rush by. That blonde-haired kid... yes, an associate of Kyokugen by that damned Hotaru girl! That red-haired girl from some Saturday Night Fight-arranged thing or another whom he forced to clean up after his rocked dojo. And... /Zach/, the lowly traitor who snubbed him for Hotaru! He knows what they are after. They are working for Takuma, to claim these people before he can!
Never more!!
With a loud cry, he jumps from his lofty perch as the sun shines down upon his back. This cinematic moment is interrupted as a bird flies into his face, knocking him ass over teakettle as he falls through numerous branches with a pained yell, accelerating until his body all but bounces against the forest floor, rolling towards the clearing in which opposing forces are to meet.
He lies dazed on his back, groaning as he counts the little pretty birds flying around (and then into) his head.
Man, this really wasn't Angel's kind of scene, following behind a bunch of soldiers in armor and hi-tech stuff. She'd much rather be doing something small by herself, or going around encouraging K9999 to be a jerk.
The latter hasn't really been an option for the past week or so, though, and that's why she's here now, feeling about as out of place as she probably looks. She has no protective gear on of any kind, except for a pair of dark sunglasses, but she's surounded by all these guys who look like they're ready for a war, including Igniz himself in his battlesuit and epic cloak. While the only thing she's got on that possibly seperates her from your average civilian is those chaps she's got on, which she seems to have neglected to wear pants beneath. She was called on short notice, okay?
It might be of note, though, that she's kinda dragging her heels and staying toward the back of the formation.
To question Igniz is not a relatively sound thing. No one in NESTS does without reason, rather aiming to state a small change rather than an ultimate decision. The god of NESTS is the final word for all activies. This means that many do not have a say in what they wish to do.
Diana has been told that this was important. So important that it would reflect the health of all the current clones. This was not a stray from the truth, as DNA is required to patch, mend, and create. The health of the clones and other manufactured depends on Diana's work!
Angel, one who had prefered to work solo, has been at least given a hefty bonus to attend the opperation with extreme gusto. Not that it won't buy her enough tacos for the rest of her life, provided she doesn't die by taco overdose. Or clothes or lack of such. Jewelry. Other such goodies.
The NESTS invaders do not have anything special. They are told to aid and round up any man or woman who attempts to escape. No one should escape. Fire at will if they try to run.
Igniz is the first to make contact, stopping yards away from the many men and women that appear to either stand or shrink before the god of NESTS presence. The trademark grin is always seen beneath the cloak, even as it begins to slowly morph about him.
"Hello," Igniz begins, "This land is holy land as of now. Please follow my assistants and you will be located to a much nicer facility." Igniz exclaims, "I am only here to help all of you. You will not be harmed," Igniz begins.
"I promise you this."
While there is DNA to be had, perhaps Diana wishes there was a better way. Of course, there isn't. Igniz has claimed it would effect her work, and he's told her much before, much on the situation of the world. Much on the situation that will engulf it. Southtown is just the beginning of something larger that may come to pass, if the world were to one day fall in a state like it.
Inevitable, it is. The future depends on the now, and they have to set a steady path, to lay the rocks downstream so that as the water comes, it would not veer off into what they are trying to prevent. Glancing to Igniz as he spoke, Diana lets her right arm hang, left arm still crooked against her dress, many open holes within it, but covering her still well enough.
The afro bobs on her as she takes a few steps forwards, turning to face Angel. She seems to be perky - by which Diana realizes she seems basically bored and lethargic. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come. "No spring in your step?" She quips to Angel, "There'll be a fire lit under those feet soon enough when they come.. unless you're just saving it all for later." She doesn't try to lighten the mood - the words more to cut to the seriousness of it all. They'll be resistance. There'll be much of it.
She knows Igniz has things covered - but Angel was never one of her clones - she can only guess for that woman. Diana begins to move forwards, slower than the many invaders, to scout out some .. choice suspects.
There's always a cream in the crop.
There is the point that Jiro will have to make trying to get into the situation. After all, he knows that he cannot do much by himself. However, he will make lots of explosions on Igniz and his goons if possible. That is why Jiro is making his way into a sprint towards the group of NESTS agents, charging in like a madman.
Here's one of the resistances now. Planning to light the way for his teammate and other allies should they show.
Stepping into the front of a rapid sprint, Jiro finally takes his right foot and springs off of the ground.
Igniz receives this interruption.
"YOUR PROMISE IS AS VALID AS YOUR GODHOOD! BULLSHIT!"
Jiro is already in the sky, extending his right hand out as it appears to be wings along his back. ...Well, not so much, more of that he had been grasped by the hawk who is keeping him suspended in the air long enough for him to charge a ball of scarlet chi in his right palm. As the ball rapidly grows and envelops along his hand, small balls orbit around it.
"Seasons greetings, assholes! METEOR BUSTER!"
He releases the powerful burst of scarlet chi, the exploding ball seeks to blast towards the ground and spread across the NEST agents and envelop them. Meanwhile, the hawk releases Jiro to let him descend while it flies away.
~ Thanks Haman.... ~
COMBATSYS: Jiro has started a fight here on the right meter side.
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|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Igniz has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Angel has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jiro
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Diana has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jiro
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Todoh has joined the fight here in the center.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jiro
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|
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Todoh 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Zach has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Jiro
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Todoh 0|-------|-------
Well, Jiro certainly, uh... starts things off with a bang. (His bang, actually.) But Mizuki can't question his judgement--after all, these people are likely to be harmed if they go with NESTS. Her entrance is somewhat less flashy--as she's wearing a simple t-shirt, jeans, tennis shoes and fighting gloves, and she isn't throwing chi around...
But she is, perhaps, taking down a NESTS grunt or two to get to where Jiro is--with quick, efficient strikes as she runs to his side. Igniz... looks familiar. The reason might be due to what Yuno's told her of him--and he -does- look goddamn unique, that's for sure. "Godhood? I don't know anything about that... about this being holy land. But I do know one thing," she says--well, calls, shouting over the mounting chaos, "You will NOT harm these people any more!!"
She's opened her mouth--now she has to match action to words. She seems to have no compunctions about doing so, though, taking up an aggressive stance, arms forward, leaning into the fight that's sure to come. ~Yuno... this is for you! For the damage he did to you...~
Zach is pondering his plan of attack for a moment, so he is oddly silent when Igniz levels his demands. The last time Glen tried to throw down on the NESTS leader did not go well for the psycho-powered fighter. Zach shakes his hands loose as he starts walking towards the collection, preparing for a moment.
And then Jiro does what Jiro does best: lots of sturm and drang.
Glen grins. Works for him. But he decides not to go after Igniz, or Diana. Iggy's too strong for him, and Diana's too much of an unknown to him. Zach pulls a fist back, channelling violet violence into it for a moment before charging forward. The young man skid to a halt short of Angel's position before driving that glowing fist forward with a loud yell. The energy rushes forth, slashing through the air with alarming speed!
So there's Todoh, on the forest floor. That the man hasn't shattered numerous ribs or even left himself paralyzed for life from such a fall is but the poor sense of humor of the gods that dictate the goings on of the world, if there are even any to do so. Heroes rush to the aid of the downtrodden and helpless. The conquerors deliver but their promises of better than their lot in life.
Dazedly coming up to his feet, the old master(?) spits out a couple of leaves, grumbling with the sobering realization of how painful a fall was. All those cuts, the bruises from his little downward spiral... hell, he even has a blinker from where a bird rammed into his face. Nonetheless, he centers himself. A stiff upper lip and his eyes on the prize. There is a gathering of converts to... convert!
Giggling in a way grown men never should, he goes on his tiptoes as he goes about the forest. He is but a creepy nearly-naked older man who is just waiting for the very perfect time to display his might. Sure. That blonde-haired kid, the DIRTY TRAITOR, and that young lady will put on a fight. He knows better! Even if his assumptions continue to fail have any sort of ground in reality, he has never been deterred by facts. They can be used to prove anything, you know. They're useless!!
COMBATSYS: Todoh takes no action.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Angel blocks Zach's Zero Stance.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
Angel slows to a halt behind Diana, and blinks at her from behind the shades. "Hm?" she asks quizzically. But before the conversation can really continue along that line, Igniz has already incited the rage of some of the opposing combatants with his subtle warning, and it looks like one of them is going... straight for her!?
"Now see what you just did? This one musta heard you!" the Mexican fighter huffs in a mock-pout, within the split second it takes for Zach's charged up fist to reach her. Though she does catch it against a forearm without too much trouble, so it's not like there's as much to complain about as there could be. However, hasn't she seen this kid somewhere before? She won't ask as much out loud, but she does give a long little "hmmmm" and squint at him a bit, before snapping a fist out in a quick hook punch to see how he'll react.
At first glance, Igniz isn't sure that he should be more interested in the nearly naked older man or Jiro. The choice is hard to begin with, as Igniz's hatred for old age is the oldest known rivalry that the god of NESTS can remember. Jiro, however, appears to be the more viable of the targets to begin with. While Todoh stumbles, unable to balance himself due to his mangled thoughts and visions, Jiro is cutting the holy word of Igniz in twain.
This irks Igniz to know end, to stop his holy word is to bardge into the center of his prayer and cry disbelief. The circumstances do not cause the god of NESTS's features to stumble and contract, rather continue their relaxed smile staring out towards Jiro's relatively worked up bullheadedness. The NESTS men falter upon Jiro's sudden appearence, the blast from the exploding scarlet chi knocking many of them back from their attempted manuever to spread about the camp. Whoever can still stand after that will be ordered to continue their work. Igniz has his own priorities at this moment.
"Jiro, I thought you wouldn't show your face again. Especially after that terrible murder. Killing is sinful, Jiro," Igniz looks about Jiro's attire. The NESTS gear is assuredly worn by the boy. "Stealing as well? Your sins are too great. Your chance to repent has long passed," Igniz speaks, his attire changing, morphing around him as the full jet black armor plate is exposed upon his chest, the cape behind him fluttering in tadem with his golden locks as he lifts into the air, inches off of it. "I come to harm no one. It is by your actions that my hand has been moved. Those that resist have brought down judgement upon them."
Jiro appears to be absolutely the first.
The ground seems to accelerate before Jiro can see it coming, Igniz leading into Jiro with a hard right, attempting to knock the wind right out of him by plunging his first deep into the chest of boy.
Turning back to face Angel, Diana tilts her head. "They do have good hearing, don't they... well you seem to be able to handle him well enough." She notes, as she waves off the trouble drawn by Zach, towards one Angel. She's truly sent from above, isn't she?
Oh, and so here comes the party-crashers. First there is Zach, and then there is Jiro.. as well as Todoh. But none of them are truly worth bothering with - Diana sees a target - one that might be worthwhile to, if not bother, extract both data and information form.
The dress swings as she suddenly stops after a period of motion, and leaps into the air, a blur.
Before Mizuki, she lands. Oddly dressed, a butterfly tattoo on her stomach .. and a blade held out, arm extending, pointed straight towards Mizuki. "He isn't." Diana makes clear. "He's doing anything but that. Can't you see?" Diana notes, flashing the blade left and right, twisting it lazily through the air, the tip following her motions.
"Oh, of course you can't see... but .. you aren't going to interrupt him, either." The swinging blade, lazily drawn back and forth, is swung at Mizuki - a bit lazily, truthfully. A test to the girl's reflexes. A lazy swing of the blade occurs, Diana swinging it in a wide arc, to bring it against the girl's body, the blade biting as it passes over, before pulling back and thrusting towards Mizuki.
"Do understand - We're just helping."
COMBATSYS: Jiro blocks Igniz's Fierce Punch.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
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Todoh 0|-------|-------
As Jiro descends towards the ground, Jiro finally tosses the hooded shirt over his shoulder, letting it fly along the air before it hits the ground. As both of his feet land, Jiro -does- appear to be sporting the NESTS attire, yet modified to his tastes. Even though he hasn't worn it as much, he grown attached to the new attire a bit. After all, fighting NESTS with their own equipment had an amusing ring to it.
The body-suit has no sleeves and the gloves remain the same, but with the additional stuff such as the hidden blades attached and what not. The goggles are off as well, due to the fact of it being daylight. But with his eyes focusing on Igniz himself, Jiro glares right at Igniz.
"...I'll make you pay for framing me..." He grits his teeth, "I will prove my innocence!" He sprints towards Igniz, then he launches his right hand upward to have his arm smack against the right arm coming towards his chest. He winces, but he lunges forward to deliver a blow of his own.
His left palm shoots forward alongside of the left leg as he seeks to thrust the palm against Igniz's face.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Diana's Fierce Strike.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
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Angel 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
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Todoh 0|-------|-------
"As if I'd believe -you-," retorts Mizuki, scornfully. "It's too comic book, don't you think? 'Come with me, I'll bring you somewhere better...' As if I didn't know what that entailed... he's destroyed a hospital!" Yes, she heard about that, from Yuno and D!... of course, while she's formulating her retort, Diana is also swinging the blade, and it doesn't look like a fencing foil. In fact, it looks rather horribly dangerous. The miko wants none of that.
The swinging slash is twisted away from; she's still within range for the thrust, but continues her twist, stepping away from it, to her right... and then spinning again, moving forward and then lashing her right hand out in a flat arc, slicing it through the air in a backhanded chopping attack aimed for Diana's neck.
"You people are the worst! Acting as if you're offering salvation, when you're simply attempting to lure them to their deaths!" Okay, so she's kind of fixated on this idea of NESTS lying about their goals here--but can she be blamed?
COMBATSYS: Zach blocks Angel's Bye Bye Rogue.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
Zach turtles up, his momentum halted by the timing and effort needed to get his arms between his face and that incoming punch. He slides back a short distance, eyeing Angel warily as he shakes his arms loose. That stung, more than just a little. "Alright then," Zach mutters. "Wanna trade punches? I can do that."
Zach pulls his right hand back, purple energy lining the contours as it shakes with built-up power. "BURN KNUCKLE!" is the battle-cry as Zach drives forward, aiming that psycho-powered fist at Angel's mid-section!
The old man is not quite as clever as he thinks he is, but yet continues his boyish little game of hide and seek. He is unaware - or simply appears unaware - of Igniz's watchful eye and Diana's discerning glance as he maneuvers to another tree. Yes. He will make this pitch to the masses, these obnoxious tourists and the cowering locales. It will be such a pitch, indeed, that even these Kyokugen cohorts - largely perceived, with only one actual confirmation of such - may see the light.
His eyes narrow at all the mention of such worldly concerns. He is not entirely ignorant! These foreigners messed up the marketplace in which he was to get eggs for some nefarious purpose of his. Ah, murder, intrigue, the destruction of a perfectly fine hospital. Yes, they must be re-educated. He will render them reborn under the way of Todoh, indeed.
Crawling up a tree with no small effort given the open cuts about his person, he perches himself on a sturdy-looking branch as he flashes a wicked little all-knowing smile. Yes. From here, he shall announce his intentions to the world at large. He takes in a proud breath, the battle-worn forest air filling his lugns, the heavens be the messenger of his most sacred overt advert.
"YEH HAH HAH HAAAAH!!" He cackles above the shouts of battle and the cries of those who would be made victims. "So! On a field trip, eh?! Why, you just passed over the greatest stop of your entire life!" Something cracks. "Today, allow /me/, the one and only Ryuhaku Todoh, to--!"
He feels his footing slipping. "Eh?" Crack. Crack. He looks down. His eyes go wide. Tree branch giving out! He thrusts his hands up as he dramatically leaps towards a branch from just above Igniz, panting heavily at the thought of taking another tumble.
"Ahem!! Now, where was I--" Crack. This branch can't handle his weight either. It breaks off with much less warning, sending Todoh - and a branch - tumbling down onto Igniz unless His Divine Holiness has the prescience to relocate.
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Angel with Blast Bash EX.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Zach
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Angel 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
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Todoh 0|-------|-------
Angel cuts her eyes to the side and offers Diana a kind wave as she departs, at about the same time she's drawing her hand back after trying to pop Zach in the nose. She's blocked of course, because well, like she was even really trying all that hard if she was using her other hand to wave! And she's apparently going to pay for that a little.
"Uff!" Yeah that hit her square in the belly and knocked the wind right out. But while she doesn't just shrug off the pain immediately or pretend it didn't hurt the way it ought to, she still kind of ends up laughing in the midst of getting breath back into her lungs.
"So what's that about, anyway? You some kind of fanboy?" There's kind of this look of disgust on her face as she says it, nose all scrunched up. And she still doesn't remember him as one of the boys from the TV station. She probably got plenty drunk since then, is why. "Well, fair's fair, I guess. One more punch from me."
Do combos really count as a single punch in this type of exchange, though? Because that's what the amiable assassin does, is start a long string of punches. A couple more hooks, a rising palmstrike, and finally finishing with a somewhat wild swing that makes it look more like she's trying to clothesline the boy than strike head on.
COMBATSYS: Igniz blocks Todoh's Random Weapon.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Igniz dodges Jiro's Medium Punch.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Zach fails to interrupt Full Moon Evening from Angel with Third Stance.
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Diana 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
Igniz's fist crashes down against Jiro in turn, even as the youth brings up his arms to stop him. It is just enough to repel the stronger fighter, but only by a small margin. The suit was his, and Igniz would claim it soon enough. Even if he must strip the boy right out of it by burning it as he wears it.
"There is no innocence to prove," The god of NESTS declares, "I do not take credit for it, nor do I deny it. I am a god, and that is my divine plan." Igniz barely moves, his eyes presses upon Jiro's figures even as he moves. "You dare mock a god?" Igniz declares towards Mizuki, "I offer my services and instead my generosity is laughed at. I am disappointed."
Igniz's attention is grabbed by something else. Out of everything, Todoh. His wild cries and his foolishness do enough to draw the god of NESTS's attention upon him. In time to find the branch falling towards him with an older man about it. Rising up a hand, four forcefields of chi fall into place to thrust Todoh backwards immediately as it comes, the branch and mad tosses aside as it does little, but visible damage towards Igniz's battlesuit.
"Old man," The God speaks as he disappears, the palm strike from Jiro failing to strike the god of NESTS. "Your humiliating antics will only bring you ruin." Words of advice given to a man wearing a loincloth.
Jiro gets something far more deadly than good advice as Igniz's hand shines brightly with power, swelling in his palm as the god in flowing clothes attention falling upon the boy of chance, and a poor one at that.
"Do not attempt to fight back. To die with your sins is all you may hope for." White light illuminates Igniz's hand as he brings it forward, coaxing a weapon of terrible proportions into existance as it burns towards Jiro, attempting to swallow him whole.
COMBATSYS: Diana fails to counter Strong Punch from Mizuki with Earth Guardian.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
Zach has weathered the fanboy comments for well over a year now. It has become like water off a duck's back at this point. Zach just... really admires the Hungry Wolf, is all. There are times, however, when you have to come up with your own stuff.
Zach throws an open hand forward. Hey, if she's gonna rapid-fire punch, then Zach's going to change his patterns too! A lance of psychic energy tears out of the ground at a sharp diagonal angle, sweeping well clear of Angel. Glen, for his trouble, gets absolutely pummeled by the long combination, driving the youth helper back several steps. The start of a bruise is showing on Zach's jaw as he tries to get his bearings back...
As Mizuki brings her right hand out in a flat arc, slicing it through the air, Diana continues the motion of the blade, flicking it around, bringing it to intercept the flat hand strike that she swings out, towards her. The blade twists, the blade bends.. and the hand land out, slamming against her neck, causing her to stagger backwards - it's far from what she had expected out of the young fighter.
She stumbles backwards, bringing the blade back upwards, swinging it forth and back as she regains her footing. "Yes.... you can keep saying that, can't you?" She stares down to Mizuki, "But you really don't know either. Igniz has something more planned for humanity - something more than anything you could."
She pulls herself back upwards, shaking herself off, the blow still fresh against her. Ah, not a good start at all. Yet, while the tone may be set, it's not yet over. "if we were going to lure them to her deaths.. wouldn't it just be easier to get rid of them here?"
She moves back, taking a few steps about Mizuki.
COMBATSYS: Jiro parries Igniz's Divine Arrow - Ground!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
A growl is given at the man when Igniz disappears from his vicinity of the strike. Jiro immediately shifts his head around, eyes narrowed and his attention fully focused on his surroundings. He can't help but catch a glimpse of the other fighters. Even Todoh is noted in the fight. For once, Jiro is glad to see the old man. Despite his ineffective way for now, Jiro has the feeling that the two will be able to do something good.
"Hey Todoh! Show him what Todoh-ryuu Kobojutsu can do!" He shifts his eyes towards Igniz, giving him a snarl when he extends the hand out to release a powerful blast. Yet, Jiro steps into the path of the blast, at least, it seems so, until his body manifests a glow of scarlet chi with boosts him higher into the air.
"This is what I think of your shit, Igniz!"
Shooting himself over the burst of chi, Jiro immediately tucks himself into a roll. Both palms press forward towards Igniz's path, Jiro immediately descends forth with his right hand outward and the chi manifesting along the arm. The scarlet blaze shapes itself into a blade as he seeks to slash the blade across Igniz's chest. "HAAAAAAARRRGHH!"
Mizuki was just spared what would probably be some nasty cuts--she's used to fighting people with sharp weapons, but the kind of pain that those weapons inflict is not something one gets used to--or ever wants to get used to. Her chop landed, Mizuki withdraws, before Diana gets any funny ideas about sticking her while she's extended, and she regards the woman for just a moment.
"A man who has better plans for humanity doesn't do the things he's done. You can say I wouldn't understand, but you people haven't tried to explain!" She does pause, at the jab about moving the people rather than just killing them... but she shakes her head.
"I don't know how you people think. But these people have been terrorized enough. If you want to play your 'god games', then go play them somewhere else!" She isn't yet attacking, and the reason may be evident momentarily--as chi starts rising up around her in a silvery circle, lashes of energy licking up and fading into the air, a cool aura spreading out from around her.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
"AIE!" Goes the Todoh as he bounces off the four forcefields and bounces like a little old anthropomorphic ball into the ground, his ambitions and sheer ego tested by bodily contact with the lowly dirt and mud that, were it conscious, would largely tolerate the older man's presence and nothing more. Much like those who have been gifted with such.
Coming back up to a stand with hardly a beat missed in spite of what sorts of strides falling from branches would ruin, the elder man - the old fool, perhaps - harrumphs in the company of such a commanding down.
"Feh! Ruin, you say?! Why I--" His frothing at the mouth freezes as the godly power bursts forth in a direction nowhere near his. But he is a man who is a master(?) of harnessing chi into a simple, efficient weapon to bludgeon people upside the head with. His hair blows against the displaced air from its presence. A sure sign of utmost - if not unmatched - power. A power far beyond what so many could ever even dream of grasping. Igniz has ascended far in his ambitions. He has obtained quite a view.
The problem - if it even were to be considered one - is that now there is an aging termite chewing at the pedestal. Yet, its ambitions, direction, and lifespan may never be enough to amount for any sort of lasting threat. Such observations, alas, never quite materialize in the old man's head.
Ryuhaku grins. /This/ one with the flowing blonde hair has potential. Unlike that purple-haired Judas who can't even get his chi right! He will make this foreigner, this visitor, his greatest troph-- student yet. "Well then, mister... whoever you are! I sha--"
That stray dog over there, whom is involved with that hated Hotaru monster cheers him on. He gives a suspicious glance. Show him what Todoh-ryuu Kobujutsu can do, indeed, as Jiro leaps up and prepares to dive down with his palms forward into /his to-be student/.
"Grr! I'm workin' on it!! Shut up, kid!" Todoh's hands raise to the air. "Now watch, young man!" ...He's calling Igniz a young man? "Behold the greatest power you shall ever see, the true treasure of Southtown and beyond! You must feel it to understand its might, yes!!" And when his hands descend, comes a mighty sight of three blocky segments of chi, a yellowish-orangeish color of an unsightly shape that the kids just simply don't dig, what with their emphasis on doing chi Matt Damons or what have you.
Oh, so rather than call Angel a cheater, Zach is the type to just quietly call the bet off as soon as he sees her toss out those extra punches. Okay. She hates gambling anyhow. But what *was* that he tried to do? It looks like it confuses her for a moment, and she even turns around a little to watch the energy that missed her dissipate.
It doesn't distract her for too long, though, and when her eyes fall back to the psychic fighter once more she just gives a quick shrug and pushes her shades back up on her nose before hopping forward with a low sweeping roundhouse, hoping to trip him up a little, and then catch him by the back of the neck where she'll pull herself up and then slingshot herself off of him up into the air, planting both boots in his chest to propel herself however far. It all kind of depends on the impact she makes. Maybe she can get a good view of what's going on with the boss or the scientist chick she came in with if she gets enough ups~
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Igniz with Firebrand EX.
- Power hit! -
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Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Todoh successfully hits Igniz with Kasane Ate.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
The shape of the attack is too quick for the God of NESTS to expect. He had imagined that Jiro would be shot backwards at a speed that would provide Igniz enough time to escape whatever assault that Jiro has brought down upon him. It did not come to his attention that Jiro would be as coy enough to propell himself over Igniz's assault. He had done a sort of it before, but Igniz always thought Jiro as being dull.
Jiro slams into Igniz the same time that the Kasane Ate slams into him, both energies colliding to produce a terrible explosion about the god of NESTS, his forcefields unable to support both strikes at once. While the armor is battered and burned, the battlesuit projects Igniz from the terrible brunt of it. He would not so easily be thwarted. Not now, not ever.
"Hmmm... I am so sorry that you do!" Igniz declares with a smile and a slight laugh, his features as cherry and chipper as ever even on the assault. "A kid? No, you fool, I am a god." Todoh finds, "And you are but an old, withered man that will eventually find it terribly hard to breathe. Walk. Exist and eventually die. Your power is noted... but it is finite. I do not play in that realm." Igniz exclaims, his hand once more glowing powerfully even after Jiro had driven himself so quickly into the gods realm.
The power comes down, crashing forward into the earthern world from over Igniz's head, rumbling beneath Jiro before ripping into the air, attempting to drive the boy back into the resistance camp by dragging him with it. Terrible gouts of white chi attempt to bury Jiro in their wake, curtouesy of a god.
Just being regarded - what a funny thing. Diana seems to be looking far deeper into Mizuki, however, as she withdraws. An assault that could have been continued - stopped. The gentle nature of this fighter will be the end of her, she is sure. Shaking her head, Diana continues to circle. "... And you would know?" She retorts, shaking her head.
Oh, they hadn't tried to explain? Exactly what would change about it? ".. Some things aren't as simple as you would like to believe." The people, terrorized enough? Play somewhere else.. so she only cares about the people in this city? Of course, how short sighted they would be. Chi begins to rise up around Mizuki, and Diana stands back, taking a few steps in reverse, the blade being pulled around and .. held at arms length, waved upwards and down.
"We're trying to help everyone.. not just this city." She shakes her head as she analyzes her mannerisms, her stance, and the chi that begins to flow off her. A cool aura - ice? Much like Kula. It may be simpler than she had hoped.
The blade rises and falls in a careful rhythm, Diana waiting for the initial flow of ice to warm up a bit.
COMBATSYS: Diana calculates her next move.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Zach dodges Angel's Lost Homeland.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Jiro endures Igniz's Ideon Blade.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Angel 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Zach removes himself from Angel's equation by rolling back several feet. A quick handspring brings the small man to his feet, with his eyes on Angel. He consinders for a moment as violet energy pours off of his hands like water. The urge to simply cut it loose is pretty strong at this point. However, there are non-combatants around, and many of Zach's big moves do not lend themselves to precision.
Glen takes a quick step forward, lunging towards Angel with an extended fist towards the face. Hey. All's fair, and all that!
"...I will make you pay...." Jiro sneers as he finds himself behind Igniz, turning around to face him with a snarl. As the fist glows with power, Jiro can feel the chi radiate in his grasp. Tightening his fists, Jiro is sprinting towards Igniz's path. He is moving to close in on the god of NESTS. Why? He seeks to punch him in the face. Really hard.
When Igniz releases gouts of white chi to bury Jiro, the young man springs up into the air, diving straight into the path. "Arrggghh!"
His entire soul is being ripped apart at this very moment. Jiro can feel the crunching pain. The searing power of Igniz's wrath. However, Jiro shows his tenacity to survive. His will to live on. Even as the NESTS outfit that he has is seared apart... left into fragments... Jiro presses on.
His chest is revealed, shirtless and filled with char marks and blood. The gloves remain as is. The pants are tattered. The gadgets had short-circuited from the entire blast sequence. Yet, the young man drives his right fist forward, aiming to shoot -through- the power.
"THIS IS FOR EVERYTHING, MOTHER FUCKER!"
The fist erupts into an inferno, roaring the flames of destruction as Jiro seeks to tear through the entire way of nailing Igniz across the chin.
Momentarily, the chi dies down, as Mizuki draws in what she can. "You're trying to help everyone," she says, echoing Diana. "So am I... within the scope of what I can affect. Maybe you have more resources than I do... maybe I -don't- know what your plans are... but I know what you've -done-... and I can't believe that you're trying to 'help' anyone but yourself!" She's passionate about this, as she gestures around her, behind her. "These people are under -our- protection! They don't need yours!"
It's true, she did not continue the assault when she could have. She took a moment, and Diana took it back. There's no momentum to the fight... and she suspects Diana is trying to set something up. For that, though, Mizuki has to think--she slashes outwards with her right hand, again, though she doesn't move anywhere near Diana. A bright white line of energy forms--and then extends at Diana, a sharp-looking triangular edge of icy chi, aimed to 'spear' Diana right through the chest.
The elder Todoh invests much into this display of power that is surely just a tiny little sample of his AMAZING GOD-LIKE POWERS OF THE COSMOS, with an effort more befitting of the entire worth of four men's hard work and dreams. Hunched over with his arms lowered, he is in no position to resist the powerful explosion that comes between the forces of both the Stray Dog and Lieutenant Japan colliding against Igniz's forcefields. He is forced backwards, stumbling over little branches and uneven mounds of dirt until he comes onto his aging, sore butt.
"Geh!" An audible grunt as he looks up upon His grace and majesty, that silent laughter. An old, withered man that will eventually find it terribly hard to breathe. Walk. Exist and eventually die. His power is merely... noted. Not revered, not feared, simply acknowledged. That this man does not play in that realm.
"Eh?! So you have foun--" From merely the sidelines he so often frequents he comes ever close to personally witnessing the great power that man has to bear as a powerful glowing hand pops up and with it, powerful gouts of white chi that blast mud all over Ryuhaku's face. His eyes widen underneath, reddened with offense far more than any sort of realization that he is lucky to be unharmed in such close proximity to the power. If he even /realizes/ it.
But no! This man has the complete package. Not even Ryuhaku, in his wildest delusions and personal spins on every setback, can so easily brush off that this is a man who knows what he is doing with chi. This has become needlessly complicated to a man whose gameplan is so... narrow. Simplistic.
Springing to his feet again, teeth grind angrily as the old Todoh points an accusing finger. "WHO TRAINED YOOOO--" Even if he gets the majority of the question out, Jiro's shouting and obscenities manage to drown out his angriest, well-trained old man-powered shouts, his long black hair flying about behind him under the clashing of powers - of Igniz's seemingly effortless flexing of his powers, to Jiro looking to give exactly as good as he's taken.
In the clash between powers, Todoh's only contribution is but complaining in the face of a power so bright his sight is nearly forfeit. "QUIT YELLING OVER ME!! YOU DWEEB!"
COMBATSYS: Todoh takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Angel with Aggressive Strike.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
'kay, that's her face, yeah. Not only does she never get to go airborne, she gets punched in the face so hard her sunglasses break. Angel purses her lips, and calmly plucks the shattered remains out of her blinking eyes. "Fuck. I can't work like this. What were you even doing going after me first anyway? These other guys have *guns*, and that chica over there has a sword. But no, you gotta come over here and punch a cute girl in the face and ruin her best shades. I had a feeling tonight wasn't going to be good times for me, but this is some bulllllshit. So you know what, you just... take whatever sick feeling of satisfaction you got out of that and sit on it. I'm not even gonna try and take it away from you. I'll just be... over there, with my boss."
And she ain't kidding. As soon as she finishes the sentence, that is exactly where she is. Like she didn't even have to walk, or run, or jump. There was just a blur of movement, and she was suddenly right next to Igniz, pulling down one of her lower eyelids and making faces at Jiro, like she heard every word he said up until now. Even though, in reality she totally hasn't been paying attention at all!
COMBATSYS: Angel gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Igniz reflects Scarlet Slaughter from Jiro with Nega Genesis.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
The chin and hair of Igniz pristine. The clothes, beautiful. Everything about the god of NESTS is perfect from start to finish, and Jiro moves to change that. He crushes forward through the assault Igniz was sure would drive the boy away. Instead, his resolve pushes through. Igniz's patience weighs heavily as Jiro struggles to get further and further through, coming down towards Igniz with a terrible inferno.
He attempts to destroy a god with his very strength? Igniz finds this... amusing. He really does think it is possible...
A hand is raised up towards Jiro's onslaught. Even the crying of old men cannot intervine with his countermeasures. The armor quickly calculates much in an instant. This is the only right answer.
The palm faces out, towards Jiro's fist. Almost immidiately Igniz's hand stops Jiro's cold, a small orb of chi gathered upon his fist, throbbing in anticipation for the gods work.
"You stand against a god and wish for your existence to be forgotten. Correct me if I am wrong, but have you heard of a vengeful god?" Igniz exclaims, twisting his head towards the side, his hair bouncing as he does.
"I am one. And you have vexxed me so."
The chi that Jiro once drove forward finds purchase of a field of white, quickly expanding across the roaring flames of destruction and curving back. The act of the field sends it right back, flaring upon Jiro in turn to use his own weapons against him.
"Trained?" Igniz speaks up, "I am not trained. I have always been... Todoh. I am surprised one of your age does not know."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/------=|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Diana blocks Mizuki's Hyouryuu no Kiba.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Trying to help everyone? She sure is. Diana keeps watch over Mizuki, as she goes to continue what she has to say. "You seem to realize just what's at stake here - and what you can and can't do." Except when she judges the past for the future. She has enough time to shake her head, as Mizuki slashes outwards with her right hand - the bright line of energy that forms is drawn towards her, the sharp, triangular edge of chi aiming to spear her.
Diana is a blur as it comes towards her - and somewhere in between her and Mizuki, the energy and her collide - giving Mizuki a brief moment to notice where she is coming from. There's a cry, a small grunt as the Amazon takes the assault, the chi dispersed as she pushes onwards.
She appears once more, closer, rapier held rather close to Mizuki. "Even if you are able to do it yourselves.." The rapier swings about, brought upwards before suddenly lancing forwards, spun once, as the assault comes in .. only to finally strike, the blade piercing towards Mizuki - and hopefully through her guard, before it's swing after to scrape against her arms, rather harshly.
Even if she is skilled, and rather fast - she is not durable, she hopes.
Angel tromps off, meaning that she is /not/ punching Zach. The short man does not seem to mind terribly much; it looks like Jiro could use a hand against the freak with the cape and a god complex. Zach frowns under the ballcap. There's more distance than he can cover quickly between the fighting pair and him, and most of his range combat options would cause way too much mess.
Unless... Zach focuses for a moment, holding the image of what he wants firmly in his mind as he drops to one knee. Glen raises a single fist which is covered in psychic energy. The purple light falls off the hand like rain from a cloud. "Power...." Zach slams the fist into the ground hard, driving the energy into the earth. "GEYSER!"
A massive burst of psycho-power smashes out of the ground, perhaps under Igniz's feet, or perhaps not. The NESTS Leader is fast, and Zach knows that energy sent can just as easily be energy returned...
Ugh...
Wait. What?
When Jiro finds his incoming fist not only caught cold, but the return is a orb of chi blasting him viciously. He roars in pain as his own chi is searing against his body. "Fuuuuuuuuuucckkkk!" He is flung back, skidding across the floor.
A hand grips to the ground, and then he places his hands to the ground. "Son... of ..bitch..." He grits his teeth.
"Wrong..." Jiro grits his teeth, glaring over at Igniz and the woman who is making faces at him. His right hand extends outward. His left hand manifests a ball of scarlet chi. The scarlet chi forms into a ball surrounded by a larger ball. "...I stand..."
"BEFORE A WANNA-BE GOD! HERE IS MY 'F U', PAL!"
He releases the burst of chi in the form of a massive fireball. The impact will create a large explosion.
"METEOR BUSTER!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki fails to interrupt Crushing Strike from Diana with Kouryuu no Kiba.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
And Diana draws blood; the miko's attempt to return to a more offensive mode of combat and she pays. The stabbing strike--well, the reach on a rapier is in fact quite a bit longer than her arms. That plunges into her midsection, drawing a gasp of pain from the girl, but the blade is quickly withdrawn--and Diana catches her across the arms with the strike, her counterstrike leaving her extended. Ouch. That's real steel...
Mizuki has had an uncomfortably large number of fights against people who use sharp weapons... she draws back, biting her lower lip for a moment. "Maybe we -can't-... but we're not going to stop. That's something you people don't understand, is it? The nature of justice... it is unending! Even if you strike us down, others will rise up! Who in their right minds would -ever- submit to people such as you!!" She's bleeding, the bright red blood dripping onto the dusty soil. But she doesn't seem to notice, not yet. She's a bit more durable than Diana might have expected, after all.
"Always been?!" The dirt-faced Todoh is taken aback, for these words strike against all that is reasonable in the world of martial arts (...for what passes for 'reasonable' whenever the head of the Todoh household gets involved, anyway). The spots in his vision from directly witnessing Igniz's point blank refusal of some of Jiro's best is, largely, of far less concern than this offense.
"That is not the way of martial arts! There is a master! There is a student!" Ryuhaku lectures with one hand on his hip, the other, waggling. Waggle waggle waggle. Some of the mud drips off his face while his gums flap along. "To say otherwise is... is preposterous! Insane! Nonsensical!!" And this, coming from... him.
Most of these words are likely lost in the screams of Zach's favorite impersionations and Jiro's obscenities, a purplish geyser of NOT CHI and a massive carmine/vermillion/crimson/alizarin/brazilin/whatever-Todoh-isn't-paying-attention-to-the-specifics fireball off to the side of the old master(?)'s gaze as a young lady named Angel, for perhaps the first time in her life, is actually wearing more clothes than someone else within a mile or so of here saunters along up closer to Igniz. His eyes narrow.
"YOU!! Young lady!" As though she stands out any more than these armed people with guns as she was just pointing out to Zach, he stomps over with exaggerated steps as he intends to lay hands on her shoulders and - what else - shake her.
"Which martial arts school is this that one represents?! Hm?! Hm?! Speeeeeak!!" The question remains as to whether or not Angel is going to end up allowing - intentionally or otherwise - a nearly naked old man up to three times her age to lay hands on her in such a way.
COMBATSYS: Angel blocks Todoh's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Oh hey, maybe she'll actually get a second to cool off, since Zach ain't bothering to follow. Even though, her boss is probably gonna be kinda mad if she stands there for long, without doing anything more to help than stand next to him and make fun of whoever dares to approach him. Like Jiro there. Angel is already bored of that herself within moments, anyway, though.
"Eh, whatev. I'll just go help Di out with that other chick and--" The Mexican cowgirl gets derailed a bit in the midst of her thinking aloud, by this crazy old guy shouting and trying to grab her by the shoulders. Her reflexes kick in and she sweeps her arms up to keep it from happening of course, but... "Buh? Me? I don't--really have one, I guess? I use a mix of stuff!" And to demonstrate, she tosses out what looks like a hooking kick aimed at hitting behind the knee. Very much a textbook Muay Thai technique, and then follows it with a much more powerful front kick such as a karate student would use.
COMBATSYS: Igniz blocks Jiro's Meteor Buster.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Igniz with Burst Stream.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Eventually Igniz would have to be thwarted. Shield comes up to force Jiro's assault away in turn, the four shields of chi preventing him from getting anywhere close towards the god, a small amount of power snaking its way through to assault Igniz head on. For that moment the god of NESTS is used to multiple opponents. His clarity fails him as a large force of psi sneaks up behind him, slamming into the armor and driving it away.
The armor is rent by the power, but Igniz does not find himself in a bad position. Even with the terrible damage strewn across his frame, he is still better off than any would expect as he turns to face Zach, his body bloody. His face a smile.
Even with the projectiles driving him back, Igniz finds himself moving towards Zach as if he would a stroll, intently heading towards the boy with malice in his eyes coated with a sugar smile.
"Your words and actions speak of failure. Your preservence will not lead you through in success today." Igniz exclaims, lurching forward towards Zach with a momentum to crush the boy into the dirt below.
The Miko's assault - at least, attempt at assault - is brought to a quick end as the blade plunges into her as she moves to strike. She doesn't stop, even if the blade penetrates. That's what a weapon is for. As she comes around, before ending the assault, Diana ends with the blade still pointed towards Mizuki. Her stance has changed, the bladed weapon still held out - but the tip is now red.
Unlike Mizuki, she intends to keep things under control, as she has them.
What a poor girl, thinking that she has a chance in this world alone, without one who can guide them. Without one who can see things like Igniz does, and what she has showed her. Her expression is a gentle one, the butterfly-laden blade, wings off the sides of the handle, still is twisted in the air. "..Dear, you don't know how life is yet, do you? If there was a better way, I'd have taken it." Of all things, she smiles. "Igniz has the power to make things happen.. I help with it."
The blade twists around, "And even if a few terrible things happen.. it's all for the future. What's that silly quote? You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet." She twists it to the right and left, the tip almost vibrating with the motion she's swinging it in - and with that motion, it's thrust forwards, once again, towards her wounded mid-section.
"In a way.. I guess I might even be a bit blessed for helping him." There would be no Kula. And that would be terrible. She's grown attached to the 'clone'.
COMBATSYS: Zach dodges Igniz's Strong Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Zach heaves himself backwards to avoid Igniz's strike. The shorter man tumbles back before landing in a three point stance, his right arm pointing back and away from him as he eyes the white-haired godling.
"I know you're not talking to me," Zach says with a bit of a smirk. Zach could tell that there was /some/ damage done at least. The feedback was significant. A moment later, more of that same violet power surges around Zach's body, casting a purple hue across the battle field. Some of the weaker-willed soldiers around may feel the start of a headache coming on...
COMBATSYS: Zach gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Narrowing his eyes after the burst of energy, Jiro is going to use that blast to his advantage in order to deal with Igniz. The young man grumbles, then he slowly starts to feel the power surge in his grasp.
As the surging energy forms in his grasp, Jiro is growling towards Igniz. He cannot feel too much other than the aching bones. A deep breath is taken. Slowly, but surely, the radiant power of the Ankoku flames surge within his grasp.
When he lifts a hand into the air, Jiro lowers his head while gathering the chi, then he stares at Zach and Igniz as they collide in battle. This gives Jiro the chance to manifest his chi to surround him. Spiralling around him are the scarlet fireflies that flutter as the chi's waves close in on him.
When the chi finally centers on him, the center of the Destructive Zone finally clenches his fist and he snarls. "This is my power...." Then, he flicks out the middle finger towards Igniz.
The ultimate F Bomb....
Jiro tightens his fist again and then he slaps against the ground. As a rush of power presses against the ground, a dome of energy slowly expands into view, tearing against the air. Crackling and surging, the chi slowly spreads, aiming to envelop everything in its path to destroy, rend, and tear.
"THIS IS MY BANG! INDIGNATION!"
~ ...oh. Shit. Did I just say that again? ~
COMBATSYS: Diana successfully hits Mizuki with Random Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|------=
Diana's strike hits true, biting deep into Mizuki's flesh; the girl hisses again, but the wound, the pain, doens't douse the fire in her eyes, her attempt to avoid the strike for naught, body slowed by injuries already taken. "Blessed..." she hisses... blue eyes burning. "Blessed by whom? By your Igniz? Blessed for what? What have you done that's so 'blessed'?" This... woman. So cocksure, so confident... but Mizuki has just as much of that. The miko draws back a half-step, then lowers her arms, tauntingly. "Igniz 'gets things done'... but what is he doing? Do you really believe in that crap?" She considers Diana for a moment, then shakes her head.
"No, I don't believe you are blessed. I believe you're simply blinded. Following this man... how can you possibly see the glory of God?" Mizuki -is- a true believer, which might be odd considering her religious affiliation but.. it's complicated. And after that moment... she lunges again, aiming to grab Diana and spin, to hurl her into some nearby object, and follow up with a hard knee strike.
COMBATSYS: Angel successfully hits Todoh with Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
Does Todoh have a defense or even care to register the young lady as a threat? to demonstrate, he gets an odd hooking kick behind the knee, pulling him forward into the much more powerful front kick as such a would-be visitor to the hospital would take, knocking significant wind out of him with bugged-out eyes as he falls back onto a mess of branches.
Hardly propping himself up with just an elbow that sinks a bit into the ground, he turns his head behind him to see an incredible build-up of chi power that is slowly expanding outward in a dome and, presumably, would be heading his direction. Meh. He turns his head to look to where that crazy floaty man is approaching a far more familiar but, ultimately, less desirable sight of that big ol' gathering of purplish NOT CHI. Also meh. There are a bunch of cowering people out and about who are hoping these nasty NESTS people will go away, having already nearly lost everything they've ever had here, with Mizuki truly giving her all for their sake. Yet another meh.
"Hmph." He finally responds to Angel, coughing twice. A good bruise where the girl kicked him is plainly visible. "No style, eh. That means..." He starts to giggle as he throws himself back up to his feet, going up and out into maniacal old man laughter. "YEH HAH HAH!! That's right, young lady! Consider yourself an official student! As such, the very very basics, like... hm."
He brings a hand to his chin. Where should he begin with her? Should he consider that growing power a ways behind him as something he should worry about, even as the little hairs on the back of his neck look ready to jump out of their home in the wake of Jiro's bang? Eh, nah. But the mind wanders, murky with the delights of imparting knowledge upon this young unskilled lady (who just bowled his ass over with some pretty skilled combination). "Where should I begin..."
COMBATSYS: Todoh focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Igniz blocks Jiro's Indignation.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
Igniz lands without Zach there. The boy had escaped his sentancing for now, but only for a short period of time. Now, Igniz is left to deal with Jiro, another which shouts a phrase that Igniz could not ignore.
This is my bang. Even with a middle finger that comes with it, the god of NESTS can see that Jiro is being as flagrent as possible. As easily read as possible. For this, the god of NESTS takes him as much of a grain of salt.
"Your words mimic those of children barely able to speak," The god of NESTS exclaims, "I offer salvation to the downturned and those struck by war and you attempt to ward me off as their savior." A grim smile curls into existence as Igniz's fair features. "I pity them."
Jro's rush of power striks against a rumbling shield of strength, four chi walls rising up at the last possible moment as they drive into Igniz, forcing him backwards as his features are once more bathed in a soft, hissing glow of the boys chi. It stings, but the strike is much less powerful than first advertisted.
"Your bang is worthless." Igniz replies, "Just as the first time. It will be the same again and again."
Igniz attention turns towards Zach, a sick smile across his face once more. "I was never talking to you. You are even beneath Jiro." Igniz exclaims, leading forward with a terrible fist in an attempt to send Zach out of his stance and against the dirt ground.
COMBATSYS: Diana counters Combo Grapple from Mizuki with Earth Guardian.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\======-\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
Angel starts to look kind of skeptical, after feeling the pair of kicks land so solidly. She doesn't know what to make of Todoh just yet. Unsure of whether or not he just let her have a free hit, or if he just let himself get distracted the way she sometimes does... It could be anything, so she's wary yet.
"Oh yeah? Student of what? Please don't say greco-roman wrestling... I'd hate to have to kill you." she frowns, clearly quite good at the play-acting, if nothing else. At least she's nice enough to stick around and humor the old guy, rather than go rushing off to help one of the other invaders. But that doesn't mean she stays entirely still. She tries to throw a flurry of fast punches at Todoh's head while he's still trying to decide whatever the 'basics' are.
The blade manages to once again bite into Mizuki's flesh - the girl hissing. Hmm. Like a balloon, Diana remarks, as she leaps backwards, blade held upwards, and at length like before - but she's not sweating. She's seemingly unbothered by the quick motions she has had to make. This is because she's taken them in stride, and exploited, mostly, the young girl's weaknesses, in stance and fighting style.
Life isn't fair, but then, the young one must already see that, can't she?
"I've done something I never dreamed." She notes, smiling down to Mizuki, only to have her lower her arms, to mock Igniz and his words. She did not simply fall under him. She had a rather lovely talk with the God claimed man. He had shown light on things she had never thought of - and gave her belief in things that most people would never notice, much less believe in.
He's quite the charismatic one.
".. Blind? I didn't need to work under him." She states, Mizuki lunging towards her, feet hitting the ground, trying to grasp her with those out stretched arms. The rapier comes upwards, right as she is to grasp her. The blade is parallel, bending as Mizuki grasps it, before Diana pulls it through her hands, perhaps cutting open her palms, sweeping the blade as she pushes her back, sweeping it once more in a wide, vertical arc upwards, to send her staggering back - with quite a bit more red marks.
A little blood never hurt anyone. "I've seen it in the beings I've helping bring to life.. and the little girl I'd have never met, had I not met Igniz." If you don't create them, you'd never meet them. "Isn't that proof enough?"
COMBATSYS: Zach blocks Igniz's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|=======\======-\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
Zach sweeps his right arm forward, catching Igniz's punch squarely. The ground around him craters as the force carries through. Zach lets out a slight grunt. "I don't think you're being honest," Zach quips. "After all, if I'm below Jiro, thenwhy turn your back on him to come after me?"
Zach looks at Igniz as if he is concerned. "You okay?" Zach asks as he pulls himself upright. Psycho-power wraps around his left fist, forming a guantlet. "BUSTER WOLF!"
Zach blasts forward, attempting to plant that plated fist deep inside Igniz's battle armor. The fist carries an insane amount of force by itself, only to be backed up by another massive burst of energy fired from the arm!
Worthless, huh...?
After the burst of power had been easily extinguished, both eyes widen with shock. Soon, rage fills his eyes as both fists tighten and he grits his teeth. He wants to make Igniz pay dearly. So, what does Jiro do? He takes a different method.
The young man immediately starts sprinting towards Igniz and Zach's direction. Teeth grits and muscle tensing, the fighter springs off of the ground to make his way towards Igniz.
Both hands reach over towards Igniz's shoulder, and the former Interpol Agent prepares to give Igniz a gift.
A headbutt to the face.
Diana is... getting the best of her; the rapier-wielding woman is rewarded with a sharp yelp of pain as Mizuki's palms are cut open, as she's slashed once again. She stumbles back, bleeding profusely... and for the moment, she stays right there. "So you've done things you never dreamed," she says, her voice rough with pain; she has to force herself to -not- clench her hands together, the lacerated palms dripping more blood on the ground.
"You think that's a reason to threaten millions? I don't know what you've done," she continues, "but one great act does not absolve you of guilt. You freely associate with that man," she says, "who destroyed a hospital... and you claim to want to 'help' mankind? I will never believe it!" she spits. And though it seems like she might go on the attack, instead she puts her palms together, flinching as the wounds are disturbed... and starts building her chi, blue-greenish energy flaring up, gathering above her, building...
Until it spills down over her, a healing wash of power--visibly closing wounds, soothing aches, reviving her spirit. It's something that takes a lot out of her, but... she will not lose to this woman...
COMBATSYS: Todoh dodges Angel's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
"What?! Kill me?! HAH! Why, you'll love me, but fiiiirst, ehhh..." The old man turns his head away at, infuriatingly, the right time for those series of punches to jab at thin air once occupied by a rather thick skull just moments before, finger tapping on his own chin as he gives wary glances to all around him.
"I, ahhh... hm," he starts to trek a couple steps away, back fully turned to Angel. "The way of Todoh needs a volunteer, that's what! I need one of you los-- I mean, valued contributors to society to step up and come be... er, continued valued contributors to the future of martial arts!!"
A pause. Wariness and uncertainty, as always, eventually give way to angry yelling as he shoots a glance towards the runaway Jiro whose approach to Igniz ends up neatly coinciding with his out loud thinking. "DON'T YOU MAKE ME PICK SOMEONE!! JERKS!"
COMBATSYS: Todoh takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
Yeah, it was kind of just a joke, dude. Because that kind of wrestling is all about guys in thongs or singlets grappling each other on the ground in all kind of awkward positions and-- yeah, just forget it. There's no need to even say any of that out loud if the older Japanese man is already walking away!
"Way of Todoh, huh? Never heard of it. But hey, if you want somebody else, that's fine. I'll see if I can't find you another volunteer. That kid with the baseball cap probably can't hear ya from over there, riiiight?" There's this glint in her eye as she says it, and she laces her fingers together to push her palms out and crack her knuckles, and then she's dashing back over toward Zach. She's like the wind, and she doesn't stop until she's standing mere inches from him, with a fist out, and her last step coming as a powerful stomp that calls forth her chi. A ripple of energy flows out along the ground at short-range, with the rest of it getting focused down through that fist and trying to blast Zach off his feet, and hopefully somewhere closer to Ryuhaku. "Lay off my boss, punk!"
COMBATSYS: Igniz blocks Jiro's Aggressive Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Igniz counters Burst Strike from Zach with Void Genocide.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > // ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
Jiro 'This is my Bang' Kasagi says, "And blocked and deflected each one of them. :("
Strike after strike falls down, burning the area of Igniz, making sure that, if anything, the god of NESTS had very little manueverability. Thanks to the efforts of Todoh, Jiro and Zach Igniz was in a position that some of the greatest fighters wouldn't be able to respond to perfectly. They, however, were not gods.
Both fighters make themselves known, leaving Igniz without any sort of thought to what he would do next. Jiro and Zach approach at once, combining their assaults upon the god of NESTS in a an attempt to knock him off of his burnt, cratered pedistol that he hovered above so profoundly.
Jiro's head butt finds nothing but four walls of chi, once more appearing into existence to push Jiro away, small dents adding to the battered frame of Igniz. Repelled, Jiro is thrown away as if he was trash.
"Your lies are effective as your resistance," Igniz exclaims as he turns to face Zach as the boy charges in haphazardly. He had fought Igniz before. He should have known better than that.
A single hand lifts at Igniz's right side, positioning itself firmly infront of Zach's charge, calculating the exact spot it would be most effective. The psi fist isn't even able to errupt, Igniz's own chi bubbling up, forming and orb in his hand before being crushed. A single pillar of chi thrust out to spear Zach directly in the chest and send him rolling backwards the way he came. In a hurry.
"Because you are predictable."
The yelp of pain is not what she aims for. It is just one of the many that has to happen - and yet, even while stumbling back, Diana keeps the blade pointed at her, the front of it dyed with blood. After all, a battle is never won bloodlessly unless it was won from the beginning. Sometimes, more than just a little blood is needed to be drawn. However barbaric it may be.
She's willing to, for the future.
"Threaten them? .. Maybe that's true .. that there's many people who are effected in such a way.." She resents agreeing with it, but there is no real argument against it. No real argument against the things Igniz has done. "I'm sure it is a part of his plan." She states, blade pointed towards Mizuki, her other hand wiping away the words that are spit at her, brushing them off.
"No one freely accepts change.. but for a little suffering now, it can all be avoided in the future. Don't you think that's acceptable?" To have to speak to this child in a way is difficult, "No.. of course you don't." She freely accepts - as the chi built around Mizuki suddenly flares up with her energy, it spilling down, the wash of healing closing wounds and .. continuing the battle. "Quite a fighter, aren't you..." She kicks off the ground, lunging towards Mizuki, the blade being simply thrust towards the Miko, the dress of Diana following, billowing after.
"But the harder you fight.. the more pain I will be forced to inflict upon you!"
COMBATSYS: Zach fails to interrupt Reppun Kamui from Angel with Burst Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Zach
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Angel 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Zach can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Angel 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
'Knowing better' does not always come into account when the energy is going full-tilt. Zach gets speared by Igniz's chi strike. Two shirts tear, followed by the skin on Zach's chest, splattering Igniz in blood. Zach yells out in pain as he is sent flying away from the NESTS Leader. His vision is swimming, and it looks like Zach is about to pass out.
He twists, and barely sees Angel coming in for the finish. His eyes narrow, his pupils blurry and unfocused as he attempts to drive another psychic-armored fist at the girl's head. The strike goes wide, and Glen takes Angel's blast in the already bloodied chest. The crunching of ribs is audible across the battlefield as the YFCC worker bounces across the ground.
Zach skids to a halt in front of Todoh on his face. Crimson seeps into the earth as the young man lays there.
As Jiro's head smashes against one of the four walls, he finds himself caught within the very power of Igniz until the barrier shoots him back. Jiro, in turn, finds himself sprawling back while rolling in motion. A hiss echos forth until he lands on his feet as he nears ground-level. He skids across the ground, spinning around until he expands both arms outward. "...Feh."
He tightens his fists, growling under his breath. And then, Jiro sprints towards Igniz once more. His head shifts over, turning to face Igniz himself. As he lunges himself forward, Jiro finally takes a dive towards the ground.
Then, his right hand moves towards the ground. The chi manifests as a giant blaze of flames as he seeks to move closer to meet with Igniz. A guttal growl escapes, Jiro moves closer towards Igniz.
Then, as he gets closer, Jiro is aiming to thrust his fist forward, putting everything that he can to break -through- the wall and tear into Igniz himself.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Nagare.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Diana's Power Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|----===
"All life is like that! People struggle, and it hurts!" The healing does her a -world- of good; she straightens up, and as Diana comes in, moves with the strike, not against it; it still flays some skin from her body, but she lessens the potential damage considerably. At least something Diana's said makes her smile, though it's a tight one. "You're right. I am not the type of person who thinks that building paradise on the backs of those who suffers make that paradise acceptable. People will be hurt. They will be crushed. These are facts of life. I know that when I dream of a utopia built by everyone, I -am- dreaming."
And then she turns, lunging, despite the rapier's range, lashing out with a high roundhouse kick from her right leg.
"But I prefer that dream to your enlightened reality!" Part of her, in her head, is wondering just when she started talking like Alma...
"What what?! Never... heard of it?!" A vein starts to bulge in the old man's forehead as Angel goes wandering off, oh no you don't, young lady, living under a rock as long as you have...! Just as he turns about to deliver another elderly vocal rampage, there is a loud yell of pain and a terrible crunch as poor Zach Glen skids along to a halt in front of Todoh.
He looks down upon his fallen fallen student (see what I did there), whose blood is to nourish the dirt. A young life cruelly introduced to an element it was not equipped with handling, broken and battered before him. A sight that would touch the hearts of even the hardiest of human beings.
"Ahem." The old man clears his throat, arms crossed. "It would appear whatever this young man did... he was doing it quite wrong! I wasn't paying attention but I just know it! He's that kind of guy, you see." He starts taking casually paced steps in Igniz's direction, only breaking this particularly bizarre aura of apathy to sometimes wince at whatever sharp things on the ground he might be stepping on.
"Very well! You! Person with the long flowing hair. You will be my volunteer!!" A fool dare steps as such before a veritable god. "I am aware that SOME OF US do not know how to use our CHI, and for THEIR sake, not that I'm naming naaaaaames," he casts a sharp glance back over to Zach, whom has continually failed him in showing any sort of growth in that area even after snubbing him for Hotaru who can at least do /that/, "we shall start... simple!!"
Unfazed by Jiro's giant blaze of flames, he steps up somewhere within Igniz's personal space as though an invited guest, like a trusted lieutenant, hell, like someone who is marginally /equal/ in the eyes of... just about anyone who would know otherwise at even the simplest, shortest glance.
"Like... so!!" Even in the rush of Jiro looking to break through and the likely inevitable deployment of that chi forcefield again, old man Ryuhaku tries to find his hands somewhere on the armor of Igniz's person, looking to heft him up over his head and slam him into the dirt in a simple, undramatic bodyslam that, if not running high on emotions and the desire for revenge like Jiro, is running high on ego and delusion.
"Oh yeah, we bad~" Angel quips, dusting her fingerless gloves off and turning to Igniz like she's about to try and give God a hi-five. But she refrains when she sees that he's already quite busy with the old man she just tried to 'help out'. And thusly do her eyes turn toward Jiro, who has been flailing about uselessly at her leader this entire time.
"Well, you don't look like you're having a whole lot of fun! But it could be worse. You could be that guy." the Mexican girl calls out as she saunters on over, with hands placed firmly on her hips. But wait, she remembers earlier, he didn't even pay her any attention to the rude gestures she was making at him. So she's gonna have to do something more to get his attention. Like kick him. Kick him a lot.
First thing, she tries to kick a field goal. Whether that does the job or not, she next tries to kick him right under the chin and knock him up into the air. If she's quick enough, she'll then jump up and try to kick him back down, and then rush back down to the ground before him and catch him with one last sliding kick right as he falls. Juggling is mean, isn't it?
COMBATSYS: Igniz dodges Todoh's Bodyslam.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Igniz dodges Jiro's Burning Hell.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
Zach falters, his body hitting the ground some distance away at Todoh's feet, not moving again as Angel delivers the final blow. Igniz's smile almost grew that day, but that was entirely a different matter.
Jiro still stood, as did Todoh. He would have to use all of his strength left to make sure what had to be done was finished. Jiro approaches, chi manifesting as he moves, attempting to break through Igniz and a wall. Todoh, upon Igniz's opposite side attempts to catch the god's armor as he passes. Neither are able to get a hold upon the overlod of NESTS, the god using moving his chi all at once to mimic teleportation, escaping both of the fighters even as they put their all into it.
The god of NESTS appears, his face still curved into a wry smile as he looks upon Todoh. Jiro is forgotten, purposely not looked upon by the god of NESTS.
"Angel, Diana. Do what you will to the others." Igniz exclaimed, "I will take the task upon looking towards the ugly nature of aging myself." He means Todoh, there is no doubt about it. Todoh is the man that he himself was after.
Igniz appeared besides Todoh, still lifted by the armor about him. "For their sake, and the many about here, you should have simply given the sinners their salvation. Now they are no longer muddled. You have ruined them all." Igniz exclaims, his frame fluid as he floats.
A kick leads the god of NESTS down towards Todoh. Wounded and fatigued, the fight has gone on for a great deal. He slows down somewhat, losing his edge. The god of NESTS, however, triumphs over humanly limitations. And age.
COMBATSYS: Jiro counters Impotent Symptom from Angel with Excessive Force.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/---====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Diana dodges Mizuki's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
The miko manages to take care of herself - Diana is almost surprised by the energies .. had she not been involved in the research for some properties of the same. There are manipulations of chi that she is truly not quite surprised by, any longer. "Of course it hurts. Eventually, maybe we can be rid of that too." She remarks, pulling the blade backwards, after the initial strike. It was a .. rather quick one, but Mizuki manages to stay ahead of the game there.
Of course, the young one doesn't seem to except it. Of course she wouldn't. Why bother to explain how something looks to a blind woman? They don't understand the colors, or the shapes. How can she possibly see this? Or understand it? "You only think that way .. because you aren't accepting what could be."
"I didn't believe myself.. not until he showed me the inevitable future." Mizuki lashes out, the high-roundhouse kick swung about. Diana kicks backwards, off the ground, attempting to out-pace the swung foot. Sliding back, she's able to reach past the leg, past the girl's aim. "You prefer to live in your own dream world... then to see the truth of the world and of humanity?" She swings the blade about, swishing it through the air.
"It's so much easier, that way, isn't it? To ignore the suffering, and simply write it off as life."
She kicks off again, dashing towards Mizuki, blade swinging as before, a quick strike, starting high, going low, aiming to hook through her arms, and move faster than she can react, to draw the blade against her.
"I just can't let it be that way. There won't be any tears, or cries from the hopeless... when we achieve what we're after."
Growl.
How annoying. Igniz is ignoring him now. This greatly angers him to the point where he wants to do something about this. Gritting his teeth, his eyes flare with the scarlet color as the flames ignite in his grasp. But they are quickly snuffed before his head shifts straight towards Angel.
He remembers her making faces. However, he was paying her no mind. However, when she decides to get in his way by coming forth with the fied goal type kick, Jiro steps his right leg back while bringing the left hand out to capture the leg as it shoots at his direction. He has no intentions of letting her proceed.
"Piss off---"
The fists tighten, then he immediately shoots his body forward, driving his fist towards her stomach with a devastating impact. This impact would likely send her flying a few meters. "---YOU THIRD RATE HOOKER!" He roars out.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Diana's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
Mizuki gives Diana a disgusted look, even as the woman is attempting some complex manuevers--however, Mizuki mirrors the woman's avoidance, backstepping in perfect time to maintain enough distance to avoid the rapier. "Are you really that simple-minded?" she asks, planting her back foot to halt her slide, bringing her arms back up.
"To think that I want to live in a dream world... isn't your 'inevitable future' the dream world? I don't accept your 'future'--I reject it. You say there'll be no tears of the hopeless... I think it's because you intend to destroy the hopeless!"
As she speaks, the miko centers herself, taking a f calming breaths. If she's to defeat Diana, she's got to be calm about it... running at her is exactly what the woman wants, she suspects. "But I won't let you. Me, Jiro, Zach... maybe we're nothing more than thorns, but you'll pay dearly if you overlook us!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Todoh endures Igniz's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
The old man's eyes go wide as his arms clasp around and embrace thin air (and bits of residual ANGRY JIRO CHI). Huh? Where'd he go? His head darts around, openly confused by this as Igniz's voice gives out the command for one 'An-hell' and one 'Diana' to do as they will with the others. "What ugly nature of aging, huh?! You got a problem with your elders, boy?!"
Igniz doesn't only appear beside him, he actually gets him from behind. He turns around ever slowly as Igniz narrates his fallacies, peoples' sakes, to have given the whatsits their whatevers and oooooh now he gets it, his angered face the odd paradoxical sign of clarity in this matter as a descending kick marks this termite's fate, about to be smashed under the boots of those who would maintain and polish the wooden pedestal that one of such perfection catches their amazing view of the world beneath them with.
Foot meets face. Blood sprays out of the old man's nose in descending patterns of three droplets each. His head turns with the blow, one eye shut underneath the armored boot while a splash of saliva flies free to join the blood in its escape from this aging body onto the fertile soil that will surely serve as its vacation home.
The diving kick also goes on to smash his right foot pretty hard too. Crunch! It is almost gut-wrenching for the less hardened here (which is to say, pretty much everyone Jiro and his friends are trying to save), jaw hanging open moments before teeth are clenched in a vice grip, blood dribbling down his nose. He doesn't fall over, he doesn't start hooting and hollering about his foot nor how painful it'll be to put any weight on it. Nope.
"Oooh I GET IT NOW!!" An unshaken left hand balls into a fist, producing but a single hero from its barren, rocky landscape - an index finger, which is summarily thrust towards Igniz's chest. It is not a mere finger point. It is a finger point of accusation. A finger point... of destiny.
"You're a rival dojo trying to take MY potential students, are you?! Huh?! HUH?!"
Angel is of course moving too fast to put on the brakes. Her momentum makes the punch in the stomach hurt a lot more than even the Kasagi boy could have expected. She's blown back by the force, hits the ground on her back, and goes skidding through the camp quite a ways. But she rolls right back to her feet after taking a deep breath, and the stern look on her face most certainly goes right along with the words she shouts back. "Oh no you di'n't!"
Jiro just bought himself a true beatdown. If you've ever seen The Rock on Smackdown start laying into someone with righthands after getting royally pissed off, it's almost exactly like that. She rolls up her sleeve, she removes the glove from her right hand, and then she runs in and just starts punching with that same fist, over and over and over, as hard as she can, aiming right as his face. It even finishes with that little flourish, where she holds her fist up and shakes it before spitting on it and ramming it into his jaw one final time. The only difference is that she's a righteously pissed female Latino, and genetically enhanced to move faster than any mere mortal!
COMBATSYS: Igniz just-defends Todoh's Jab Punch EX!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
It is a fateful meeting of minds when Igniz's foot meets Todoh's face. The old man weathers the storm of the gods armor as he moves through it. The meeting is about the same as rock meeting rock, culminating earthquakes and destroying cities.
Blood and saliva spray, a sight that is not uncommon to the god of NESTS, but is most definitely not a wanted sight. Why must humans be so messy? Even he produces the same fluids, yet he hates when he bleeds. It is very unbecoming for a god. Others remind him constantly of this.
Igniz's attention comes down upon Todoh as he stands even after weathering the terrible blows brought against him. Todoh is a man of many things. Igniz's attention is divided. While skilled, his older appearence seems to leave the god of NESTS distraught.
Todoh thrusts and accusing finger towards the Overlord of NESTS's chest. Accusitions fly as Todoh attempts to deliver a monsterous assault of the verbal kinds.
The pointing finger makes it nowhere near the god of NESTS chest, forcefields falling in place as they overlap the finger point, making it akin to Todoh slamming his figner into a wall and then poking further. Like the accusitions, it is rude to point fingers. Very rude.
"Ahh... you had got me. I was indeed trying to take your potential students. These refugees." Igniz exclaims, "You are correct. We are rivals, you and I. Our schools as well."
Backing off, Igniz takes in everything in his vicinity. There is much to see, but it seems he is mostly looking towards Todoh. There is no doubt.
COMBATSYS: Igniz calculates his next move.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
Capable of speed, if nothing else, Mizuki is able to backstep, to maintain the distance to avoid the assault. "Just because you fail to see it, doesn't mean I'm foolish - as a scientist.. I know there are something you can't comprehend until you see it with your own eyes." She remarks, as she brings the blade back upwards to Mizuki, holding it forth, at the girl.
"Hmm.. It's sad... how you'll never see it." She relaxes her stance, for once, glancing over to Igniz and Angel. A bit more run down, and wounded - but that's quite alright, isn't it? She's rather fine, still.. and from what she sees, the girl isn't too bad off, either. "You really believe that.. and I won't ever change it. There's only one way left for us to settle this then."
Calm as all, Diana is ready to fight a long battle. There is nothing truly like them. She is simply going to keep fighting. Igniz has not cleared her to stop - and with such a girl doing all she can against her, Diana is reluctant to simply let up. Not when it would cost the future.
The miko stays on the defensive. Diana lunges - but the blade slides right past her, as Diana aims to grasp the Miko with her other arm, dragging her around, before twisting her, aiming to put her against the ground, roughly where she started.
"To overlook such talent.. of course we wouldn't." The rapier is more than just a weapon.
There is blood on it - such blood, of course, has DNA. When dealing with NESTS, there is a simple conclusion.
COMBATSYS: Jiro dodges Angel's Blue Monday Parade.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
After knocking the woman down, Jiro gits his teeth. "...Think that's going to stop me?!" He snarls forth Angel, then he waits for her to come at him. When she removes the glove and she starts off towards Jiro to go The Rock on him, Jiro is quickly lunging himself forward and ducking underneath her charging hand attack.
After tucking himself to slide past her, he twists around and he aims to bring his right hand towards her shoulder. Why? Well, the hand is aiming to grasp and turn her around to receive a nice foot in the stomach while throwing both middle fingers in front of her face.
Should Jiro become successful, Jiro is going to bring her over to hook his arms around her arms and lift her up for a powerbomb. It is not just any form of a powerbomb. No. The scarlet blaze envelops him and he soon starts to drop her towards the ground with an explosion for her landing.
It's a literal Power Bomb!
COMBATSYS: Diana successfully hits Mizuki with Medium Throw.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
Faked out--Mizuki was prepared for the rapier... and she pays for it. She's crushed into the ground, planted into it with a loud *THUD*... and instinctively she thrashes, breaking Diana's grip, rolling away. Once again she looks like she's in a great deal of pain, but she rolls to her feet, bleeding from her nose and the corner of her lip.
"I agree... we have nothing left to say to each other..." She smiles, just a touch, and despite her pain, surges forward again--snapping her arms in, towards her stomach, then attempting to simply palm-strike Diana in the stomach and upper chest, both hands snapping outwards as she closes.
Admittedly, in -this- dialogue, Diana has the upper hand... but Mizuki's through doubting herself. The results will be what they will be; she'll do everything she can, and that's all she can give.
Angry accusations give way to little wheezy giggles as the pointing finger strikes against the forcefield. It numbs it at the tip, followed by little tickly sensations. This thing is ticklish when you're not hurtling your entire body against it!
What is going on is, of course, not very funny.
"Ahhhh!! I knew it!" No he didn't. "Posing as happy little foreigners with your... your ski clothing and, and those guns and... yoooooooouuuu!" He points accusingly to Jiro. "Yoooooou!" Then to Diana. "Yoooooou!" Then to Angel. "Yooooou!" Then to Zach on the dirt. "Yoooou!" Then to Mizuki. "Yooo-- eh, maybe not you but YOOOOOUU!!" Pointing to Igniz!
"Gave /me/ the runaround, did you!! Well... you wanna know how I feel about it?! Huh?! ...Too bad!"
He turns around and seems to start wanting to limp off, grunting every time he puts any sort of semblance of weight on his right foot, with little incomprehensible mutterings of some kind in between. Surely, a man who should be left alone, harmless in all but the hot air of his words.
At least, moments before he suddenly turns back around, charging forth with all the fury of a really good Jiro impersonation with a loud yell and a right hand looking to grasp Igniz by the throat, left hand balled up so tight his knuckles look about ready to pop free of his skin.
"YOU JELLY-BRAINED DOOR-TO-DOOR TELEMARKETING PISSIANT!!" Such is Ryuhaku Todoh's war cry, to not a strangling move alone, nor a punch to the face. The sum of its parts speak largely - and plainly - of a man whose skill is nowhere near the peak his ego has reached, relying on such a base maneuver against such a skilled, on-the-ball foe.
COMBATSYS: Angel fails to counter Helldrive from Jiro with Survivor's Banquet.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
Normally, this would not happen. Angel knows wrestling, she knows Lucha, she knows it all. Trying to wrestle her isn't usually a good idea, because she will shrug it off and laugh. But she came here with Igniz and the others feeling like something was off. Diana even asked her about it. And whatever it is, it's obviously still messing with her, because she tries to counter with a throw of her own, and doesn't quite make it. Had she done so, man he would have ended up in a crater.
Normally, this would not happen. Angel knows wrestling, she knows Lucha, she knows it all. Trying to wrestle her isn't usually a good idea, because she will shrug it off and laugh. But she came here with Igniz and the others feeling like something was off. Diana even asked her about it. And whatever it is, it's obviously still messing with her, because she tries to counter with a throw of her own, and doesn't quite make it. Had she done so, man he would have ended up in a crater.
Getting punched repeatedly in the same spot every time Jiro gets close isn't helping the matter, either. Also, she's on fire a bit at the end. Not cool. They're just chi flames, so they go out quicker than real fire, but it's still about as painful.
"I'm still gonna kill you, yanno..." she remarks while looking up at him, grinning madly, even through all the injuries.
COMBATSYS: Igniz dodges Todoh's Strangling FACEPUNCH.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-======|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
Todoh is a man of action. An action of a man whos going to destroy Igniz if he gets his shrivelled hands on him. And he might, in fact, if the god of NESTS wasn't too fast for him. Todoh goes for the jugular, almost literally in this case as he attempts to grab a hold of Igniz's neck and strangle him while punching him in the face.
The god of NESTS disappears, his voice able to be heard, but his figure moving too quickly for anyone to see except for those who know the very innerworkings of chi, or have a good eye.
"I do not care how you feel about it. Your feelings to me are inept, unable to truley grasp what you wish and instead falter in an attempt to speak your own words." The god of NESTS exclaims before once more appearing.
This time near Mizuki.
"You have wasted my time for too long, girl." Igniz exclaims, his figure bursting into action as he explodes across the open field, attempting to grasp ahold of Mizuki's neck. From there, nothing good can come of it. As he moves, he is less of a shadow, more of a monster, gleefully travelling the distance.
COMBATSYS: Diana blocks Mizuki's Aggressive Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
COMBATSYS: Igniz successfully hits Mizuki with Brutal God Project+.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Mizuki
[ \\\\ < > //////// ]
Angel 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
Igniz is too quick. From nowhere, the god of NESTS errupts directly towards the schoolgirl. A moment to late. Mizuki would find herself dark, Igniz's hand covering her face as he drives her back into a makeshift wall, slamming her figure against it with a defeaning crack. Time seems to slow down as Igniz glides backwards, yards away as he prepares his assault.
"You dare denounce me?"
The god of NESTS custs out, a chain sword striking out to crack across the girls figure twice, cutting into her figure with each strike. The chainsword disappears after.
"You speak against me, even when I am in ear shot the entire time."
Crossing his arms across his chest, his cape flares to life, exploding forward towards Mizuki's figure, biting and stabbing into her like leather should never do. The multiple assaults upon Mizuki's frame comes as a surprise before it finally ends, Igniz floating closer.
"This is my perfect Utopia I am creating."
Four globules of white chi errupt into existence, molded into balls of power at his knees and shoulders, howevering as they hang from the chi amplifiers, awaiting his beck and call. When he gives it, they errupt, pilliars of white chi searing into Mizuki's body. If Igniz was a forgiving god, it would end there. It doesn't.
"I DO NOT NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN MY WORLD!"
Igniz roars, breaking his calm tone for a more insidious, vicious cry. Raising a hand towards the air, the power that he summons even causes him to shake violently, using his greatest efforts to keep it alive. A soft prayer can almost be heard as Igniz slams the monsterous globule directly into the chest of Mizuki, causing the power to explode on contact, engulfing Mizuki whole in its ever reaching form. The white, formless chi sears the area about, stringing out in attempts to grasp onto others but failing misserably. This continues for what seems like seconds before the white light finally disappears, the terribly thruming gone from existence as Igniz once more takes to the air, his demeanor unchanged from before what had happened.
For all purposes, it might have never happened at all.
Caught by the reach of an angry god. There's no time to breathe, no time to even scream; she had been working on how to effectively assault Diana--and then...
And then.
The savaging is beyond words; what keeps the cord of Mizuki's life unbroken cannot be said. Her body, ravaged, her spirit crushed... pain beyond imagining. She's felt pain before--in small amounts, in large. This goes beyond, utterly beyond anything she has ever known.
When the debacle is over, she's face down, in a ruined crater... residual energies steaming off the ground, off of her. And yet, after a moment, no, five moments... she stirs. A bloodied hand shakily pushes--her shoulders twist, bones suddenly snapping into realignment, painfully. She just doesn't have the energy to gasp.
And she's on her knees, trembling, red and black creeping at the edges of her vision, hands clenched into fists.
"... sorry.. jiro..." she murmurs, to herself, then raises her head. She can't see--she's just been traumatized, too much, right now--it'll pass. But she spits--not in anger, to get blood out of her mouth.
"... yes..." she croaks, almost whispers. If Igniz is a god, he'll hear it.
"I denounce your... 'utopia'..." Already, her body is shutting down, goodbye, night-night, but part of her--her spirit--remains fierce and bright for just a moment.
Once again, chi rises... hazily... blue-green, not white... building and building... but not over Mizuki. No, it pours out over Jiro instead, wavering as she loses concentration--just when the stream of chi is done, it's as if a string has been cut on the miko and she falls, landing once more to the earth, raising a puff of dust. It's all up to him and Todoh, now...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
The girl isn't ready, planted hard, and as she rolls back to her feet, and Diana looks down at the girl, watching as she rises again. Just never going to let herself stay knocked down, will she? "Nothing at all." A smile from Mizuki is returned by Diana, watching as she surges forwards, snapping arms towards Diana's stomach.
The palm strike is rather quick - but Diana finds it launching quick towards her. The hands are snapped - and she pulls her arms into the way, up, infront of the assault. Mizuki's strikes slam into her, and Diana is forced, staggering backwards, but the assault doesn't manage to break through her guard. There's Todoh, yelling at them. She glances, paying him some notice, before glancing back at Mizuki.
She moves to strike back - but Igniz speaks up. Slides through the air, towards Mizuki. She has spoked against him. Diana lowers the blade momentarily, watching as she grasps Mizuki.. and Diana turns away from Mizuki. She hears quite a few strained words from the Miko. "To fight that hard against something.... and be wrong."
Or is she? No. This is the best life for Kula, a life for her as well. "How terrible.." The rapier drawn, Diana blurs as she moves, drawing towards Jiro. She lands behind him, blade swinging out and around, digging into his back, if he's not fast enough, following an elbow strike afterwards.
Finally, she intends to grapple his arm, bending it backwards, with her other hand, before twisting her to the ground.
"There's been enough violence for today... Why continue?"
"You'll only end up like the girl... She'll need someone to take her to get help."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Jiro with Iki no Nagare.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
COMBATSYS: Diana successfully hits Jiro with Armed Combo.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Jiro
[ \\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ |||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|=======
After slamming her to the ground, Jiro steps back and he looks at the woman while she is looking up at hm with that mad grin. The look on her face is annoying the hell out of him. It is to the point where he tightens his fist and he growls with an annoyed look on his face.
"...Right. Vega has tried to kill me. Kain has tried to kill me. Many people has tried to kill me." The young man Stalks towards Angel. "Denied." Next, he lifts his leg upward and then he swings his foot downward, aiming to slam the heel into her stomach.
"I'll be damned if I die by your hands."
But.... he stops his completion of the attack. Why? His attention focused on what Igniz is doing towards Mizuki.
... "MIZUKI!"
...
The fury wells inside of Jiro. And then, his right hand tightens into a balled fist before the scarlet blaze roars into life. Scorching the air before him, the young man growls a guttal roar.
"...You are no God, Igniz..."
His entire body becomes a furnace for the inferno that comes to life. The flames scorch the air, roaring and crackling as the attention is actually focused away -from- Angel herself. Igniz is now the target that Jiro is moving towards.
"You are a deranged monster... with the insane idea of making some Utopia..."
The Stray Dog feels the rush of power flow in him, and he sprints his broken body towards Igniz. The aches, pains, and the blood that had been produced through the battle is apparent. Fatigue had taken him to the point of exhaustion. Yet, he is pushing his body to its full limit. He is pushing himself.
...He knows he hasn't exactly talked to Mizuki in a long time. But.. it is his fault for bringing her here. And the fact that Jiro -remembers- what that maneuver did to him. The body is engulfed in Hell's Inferno as he runs towards Igniz. Angel is ignored now. Everything else is ignored.
This, unfortunately, puts him at the point of finding the arm snapping over towards his arm. In turn, the blade is digging into his back. Blood splatters along the chest, revealing a puncture wound. While he continues to move, that elbow is driven right towards the neck. The impact of the elbow towards the neck causes forth a sickening crunch as his head is reeled the other way. Yet, like a Juggernaut...
Jiro will not be stopped. It is to the point where Jiro -tears- through the grapple and extracting himself from the sword. Blood loss is not important to him. Nothing else is.
Only Igniz is his target.
That is why Jiro finally closes in on the Mad God, springing up towards his feet. When he is in mid-air, close to Igniz...
Both fists tighten and he lifts his chest upward. He can feel the rush of power flow in him. That is when the blue-green chi manifests around Jiro. It wraps along the scarlet blaze, spiraling around him. Like a snake. Both fists tighten and he lifts his head up as he releases a defiance cry.
"WE OF THE PEOPLE /REJECT/ YOUR INSANE WORLD!"
As Jiro releases the roar of power, the blue-green chi slowly seeps into the body, giving him a rejuvinating feeling. The sores and scorch marks are soothed and the aches disappear. Yet... Jiro exhausts himself as he explodes in raw power.
The chi flares like wildfire, tearing against the air as it seeks to rend against Igniz himself.
This is for Mizuki. This is for all who had fought here. This is for those who wish to stand against NEST. Even those that cannot.
This... is the light that will guide those to fight against the wrong.
"ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!"
Of course... with Diana being in the vicinity, the flames are spreading out to her as well.
If anybody ever says that something rests on the shoulders of one Ryuhaku Todoh, whatever cause it is, it is totally screwed.
The grab coming up short, Todoh finds himself leaping into the forest floor with another violent expulsion of air as he lands on that tender bruise Angel gave him not all that long ago, groaning as he claws at the dirt for lack of anything else in immediate reach to take frustrations upon. Don't care, do you. The old master bites into the dirt as he drags himself forward, loud wheezing providing an obnoxious sort of ambience to the violence that unfolds before him and so many other onlookers.
Adept of chi, he vaguely follows Igniz's movements as well as a crawling man can, his smashed foot not exactly helpful in allowing one to get back to their feet. He is largely a spectator to the great spectacle of Igniz's merciless religious homework of some sort. Yet, not one thought runs in his mind about that poor young lady, or what it would mean for all those people here to have their lives dictated by this madman.
Not even the gift of Mizuki's power imparted upon to Jiro in her beautiful watery colors in which to give Jiro the strength to stand against the assault of zealots - a zealot himself. Shouting matches over subjects the old man cares nothing for, because above all, above everything...
Todoh's in this for some new students, dammit, come hell, high water, or some kids skinning knees he's going to get some out of this mess before Takuma and friends work their nasty propaganda to pull them towards their stupid art!!
He crawls along behind Angel. He could easily crawl around her. He probably should. But no. Most men would be happy to have this sort of view from down here, at that. Instead, the old man continues to be angry over things the world and its people just don't feel like doing for him exactly as he thinks of it. (That, and he is married. Pity that poor woman.)
"Young laaaaady," he hisses from below and behind Angel a ways, "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" One of his hands rise up, cupping itself slightly as he scratches at the air with a kiai, little yellowish-orangeish segments of blocky chi forming briefly in a diagonal pattern that follows his hand before disappearing. "I CAN'T SEE THAT GUY'S PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR FIGHTING! I COULD DO THAT TEN TIMES BETTER!!"
...Which one is he talking about?
COMBATSYS: Angel dodges Todoh's Aogi Kasane Ate.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Jiro
[ \\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ ||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|--=====
Psh whatever, Angel was making a move to kick Jiro right between the legs like she failed to earlier just as he was bringing that foot up, and leaving himself way more open to such a thing than last time. Plus, she wasn't rushing at him, so the only thing that could really go wrong is if he managed to step on her at the exact same time! But no, he changes his mind, and that leaves her boggling, so her leg stops too. Also, Ryuhaku startles her by crawling up like a commando and shouting for her to get out of the way.
"Whoawhathuh!?" She goes scrambling out of the way like she was just informed of an airstrike being launched on her position and just barely avoids the waves of slashing chi. And well, once she's on her feet, what is she supposed to do? She just kind of stands there, and tries to figure out what the heck Todoh is so deadset on watching, while pulling out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes from somewhere on her person and lighting one up. "Man, dude, don't scare me like that." *puff~*
COMBATSYS: Angel gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ ||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|--=====
COMBATSYS: Igniz interrupts Defiance from Jiro with Jab Punch.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Diana 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/------=|
[ ||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|--=====
The message was delivered. Igniz heard loud and clear that Mizuki would not agree with Igniz's devine rule. She would continue to live, exist on this planet to fight it. So would so many others. Jiro included.
The cry of Mizuki's name causes Igniz to turn about slowly to face Jiro, his smile still in place with the damage and destruction he had caused to this little refugee camp. Igniz can feel Jiro losing himself to rage, to that terrible loss of composure that would ultimately be Igniz's greatest boon.
Through Diana Jiro comes, not even stopping to give her the time of day. Jiro rages forward like a Rhinoceros attempting to bowl through a fence. He, like the Rhinoceros, is able to make it towards the other side. What he finds is nothing that he expected.
"You dare reject it?" Igniz exclaims in shock, "After what you have witnessed?" The god repeats, astounded.
The roar of blue green-chi aids Jiro even as he strikes out, the wildfire tearing down towards Igniz in an attack aimed to mark a terrible blows upon the god of NESTS for the people of the world.
The Overlord of NESTS easily raises a single arm, as if to stop the assault all together as the wash falls upon him. As Jiro commits, he may finds himself staring down the assault of the god of NESTS unexpectedly. He has not bothered to exert the energy on Jiro. He was not worth it.
Through the burning flames Igniz flows, his figure burning but barely effected as he dives in. Suddenly through the assault, Jiro finds a powerful hand upon his face. A slap sent to send the younger man directly out of the assault, sending him spinning away.
Igniz shakes his heads, breathing out as his figure still lingers with Jiro's chi.
"You are not allowed to speak for the people." Igniz says pointedly, "Only I am."
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Diana with Defiance.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Diana 1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/------=|
[ ||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|--=====
Flames. The chi kind. It's not as if she hasn't experienced this long before Jiro. She just didn't hope o deal with it.
Unfortunately, that's just what happens. The flames, though not meant for her, lick into her. They tear along her, ripping at her body and toss her aside. Slamming against the ground, Diana finally is struck - and how. Thrown aside, she's not able to truly respond immediately - but with a purse of her lips, she's made a decision - and one that just might cost Jiro the rest of his strength.
"Allow me to be rid of him." Diana notes, to Igniz. "Since he so carelessly ignores his friends and those who stood with him .. only to continue the assault." She stands, not even bothering to brush off the dust and dirt as she blurs, once again, before appearing behind Jiro - perhaps stumbling from the fist.
"What a terrible excuse for a being ... your friend bleeds, perhaps to death, infront of your eyes... and you only want to keep fighting... It would be best to just be rid of you!"
The rapier is swung upwards, Diana leaping into the air with it.. but it doesn't touch Jiro. Infront of him, the earth rumbles, blades of chi erupting from it, slicing, like waves, drawing towards Diana, potentially with Jiro with them, before he's brought before Diana...
Where she would swing finally, before thrusting the blade, driving it straight into him, as deep as she would be capable of.
"To think .. the person we need to protect the future from .. a friend of someone who doubts Igniz."
"How could anyone care for you?"
COMBATSYS: Jiro fails to interrupt Prayer of the Planet from Diana with Scarlet Slaughter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Diana 0/-------/------=|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/------=|
[ ||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|--=====
COMBATSYS: Jiro can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/------=|
[ ||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|--=====
Raw power...
Is interrupted as Jiro's cheek finds turning to a whole new direction when Igniz pretty much /pimpsmacks/ Jiro. THe head recoils from impact, both eyes widen as the chi lingers against his face at the process.
Did... did he just get pimpsmacked?!
A growl is given, and then his eyes shift over towards Diana, who chastizes him, "Both of us... believe in something that you don't... I don't believe in your crap..." He growls, finally lunging up towards her as he plans to wind his fist back, summoning forth the powerful inferno once more.
As he closes in towards Diana, Jiro aims to slam the fist...
Until the blade drives straight into him. A growl is given once more, trying to force himself to strike her once more.
...However, his body goes limp and he collapses in a heap.
Sorry... Mizuki.
"Harrumph!" The Todoh wheezes at Angel as he decides to start crawling off to the right. Man, if that was his decision there was never really any point for him to bother Angel. But, you just can't predict cantankerous old men these days. The level of disinterest he seems to show in the powerful wash of burning chi and that Jiro himself collapses only mere inches away is, by and large, that much more disrespectful despite the powers brought to bear.
He's not making any attempt to hide himself as he finds a nearby tree to crawl up to, using it for support as he tries to steady himself to a stand. Hard to do, with a foot about as good as shattered. "Kids these days!" He swings an arm out at the lot of them without making any eye contact, taking in deep breaths between complaints. "You and your... your salesmanships!! Why... why I'll show ya who's the better one! That's right!"
There is a dangerous glint in his eye. The only witness to this, a tree. Do trees know fear? Probably not. After all, they willingly stay in the path of chainsaws no matter how many of their own fall. "This! Here! The spirit of all that is good about Japan! Yep." The tone of his voice, though tired and broken up with fatigued breaths, does sound a touch desperate as he struggles to find a good footing on his stronger foot. Back turned to all of them, he seems far less likely to be able to put up a fight than any of the other would-be heroes of the night.
"I'll let all 'em know who they should be studying over... that's right! ME! Me me me me MEE!! And... and don't you forget it!!" It trails off into wheezing. Getting that load off his chest sure makes him feel a touch better. Maybe it's time for the three of you to put a lot more of that back on there, lest his boasts are actually true.
COMBATSYS: Todoh gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/------=|
[ |||||||||||||||||||| ]
Todoh 0|-------|---====
The god of NESTS rises even as Jiro hits the ground. The clearing had become a monstrous sight with kids strewn about, having fallen in their attempts to quell Igniz and NESTS as a whole. Now only Todoh was left standing, and the older man is entirely steadfast on holding his ground.
Igniz's smile held still as he approached slowly, Todoh's stand being witnessed by a tree. The tree will tell to its sprouts this tale many times over.
"You may have the children as your apprentices yet," Igniz exclaims with a soft tone in his voice, "I am not interested in any of them. None of them at all. Their only purpose here was to irk me greatly. They are not worthy enough to study under a god."
The mighty head of NESTS rises up, even as Todoh shouts his lungs out, getting it all off of his chest. He boasts his truth. A truth Igniz will let the man have.
"You may keep your spirit, old man," Igniz announces, "But you will for a price. Diana, Angel. Aid me in showing this man not the power of wisdom of age, but the power of our own conviction."
The god of NESTS begins, spinning forward as his cape is lifted up, the edges searing as they slowly approach Todoh, as if waiting for the right time. Its barbed chi edges never a good sign. This, however, was only the beginning.
Angel shrugs a little after she's calmed herself back to nominal levels with the brief smoke break, not seeming to be too interested in whatever happens next. She doesn't get this guy at all. He doesn't really seem interested in attacking her, or stopping her from attacking anyone, and he doesn't even seem the slightest bit disturbed when one of the defenders ends up eating dirt. Also, didn't he call one of them stupid or something after the fact?
"Oookay." But even still, it's clear that he's not here to support NESTS, or join them, so he's going to have to be dealt with eventually. And as she looks out and sees that everybody else that could've mounted any kind of real resistance is already in a heap, well, it looks like now is the time. Igniz even gives her and Diana the official cue!
"Yessiree~" the Mexican cowgirl chirps back with an authentic Texan drawl, and then steps in to start winding up to throw a punch right at Todoh's solar plexus, intent on knocking him straight into her leader's assault.
Pulling the blade from Jiro, and flicking some of the blood off of it, Diana gives the body a bit of a kick before she faces about, to Todoh and Igniz, as well as Angel. Todoh goes on. The spirit of all that is good about Japan. Who they should be studying under. Who those kids should be following. It's all so hard to follow.
Is the older man ranting? Surely Igniz would be satisfied leaving this man here.
He is, of course, not. Diana doesn't seem to be truly surprised, Igniz asking for a display of force for the elder. Of all the things they say about the old, generally they say that with age begets wisdom.
Maybe it just misses a few?
"Of course.." She leaps, almost like a ballerina, the rapier being pulled backwards as she pulls towards Todoh's side. Igniz turns, twisting about with his cape. Upon landing, Diana spins around as well, a wide, sweeping motion made with the rapier, drawing at the precise moment with Igniz's.
A heavy strike to draw blood, than to simply wear one down.
COMBATSYS: Todoh fails to interrupt Cape Sweep from Igniz with Fierce Kick EX and is struck by Luminous Moon Sweep from Igniz, Angel and Diana.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ ||||||| ]
Todoh 1|-======|=======
All three assaults meet each other, both Diana and Igniz getting so close to each other that cape and blade almost touch. The speed at which they move is entirely unexpected, moving akin to rotors as they spin, gears in the machine of NESTS that would take over the world.
Todoh would not experience it yet, not until Angel quite literally pushes Todoh in the worst way possible, with a monstrous forward lean punch, shoving Todoh between both spinning combatants. Its just like being thrown into power tools.
The difference is it may very well hurt more, with the blades and chi cutting into Todoh as soon as he is caught, chi infused in each as he's juggled in mid air until his body could no longer be supported by the strike, could no longer catch upon the terrible blades.
Todoh would find himself fired backwards as Igniz would finish his rotation, a smile about his face the entire time. Then again, when does that smile ever leave?
"Them? Bah!! Don't make me la... too late!" He breaks off into giggling. Angry giggling, that floaty punk with that not at all bad mastery over chi is going to pay for making the MASTER(?) OF THE GREATEST(?) OF MARTIAL ARTS laugh. Pushing off the tree when he thinks he has good footing, he stumbles about like a drunkard as he finally turns to face the remaining three proper, still giggling as Igniz lays out the point about the price he will pay for his spirit. He is pretty much laughing in the face of a superior opponent and his helpful assistants.
Angel walks up and winds up a punch to the old man's solar plexus, striking solidly as such she risks being showered by spit as he looks to fall right into the cape and waiting fencer. The laughter is not stopped, merely slowed for a beat. An all-knowing laugh, or just healthy appreciation for Igniz suggesting that he take an associate of KYOKUGEN LOVING SCUM or that kid who can't do chi right that betrayed him for that pigtailed pig demon, but one supposes he wouldn't complain about the young lady who truly gave her all for the sake of people as opposed to yelling and hoping their flashy color powers would win the day. Not that he appears terribly aware of much of the underlying emotion and resolve - if any - between the three.
His teeth clench as he casts a glance back towards what he's about to stumble into, suddenly leaping backwards with a push of his far stronger foot with a certain youthful vigor a man his age should never, ever be allowed to have. Despite the mounting injuries of battle and those sustained from falling from a somewhat high place (twice), he still intends to go at it like he has the invincibility of youth and numerous decades ahead of him despite being... um, how old is he anyway? 50? 60?
In this backward hop, he sticks out his stronger foot eventually, turning his body in mid-air into the platonic ideal of a leaping jump kick. Its form is flawless. Its speed is incredible. Its power, feared. All this, delivered with a single, loud kiai of a throat well practiced in yelling loudly to get people and inanimate objects to do what he wants with varying levels of success.
"DAH!"
It is promptly caught in a whirlwind of pain. At this point, the perfect leaping kick becomes a peerless rag doll as Todoh is sliced along up by the series of chi-infused strikes with a little spray of blood in every hit, and an indecipherable curse in each and every one as he is hurled squarely into another tree, cut open in just about all the wrong places as he dazedly slides down the bark - a few new laserations in the ideal - falling into a sitting position where his head starts to turn as little birdies with the faces of Jiro, Zach, and Mizuki start spinning around him.
Moments later he becomes occupied with strangling the bit of his imagination that looks a lot like that Zach kid, a fist clenched in thin air as he mutters something or another in a low breath.
Angel gets showered in spittle for her trouble, and she really doesn't like it. Maybe even less than getting punched in the stomach! ...nah, that's still worse. But this sho'nuff doesn't make her want this cigarette no mores. So she throws it down, and steps on it after shaking her ungloved hand out in digust. "GROSS!"
But when she's finally over it, and has thoroughly wiped her knuckles off on her chaps, she looks back up to see the result of their tandem strike. "Are we -done- yet?" she asks. "I wanna go home." *eyeroll*
COMBATSYS: Angel takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ ||||||| ]
Todoh 1|---====|=======
The god of NESTS looks down upon Todoh as the man is thrust against the tree, sliding down it like no one should ever have to experience. The refugee camp was taken, or whoever had yet still stayed. If they had went back into Southtown, they may very well be caught once more.
If they stayed, they may also have been caught.
Igniz is finished here, as there is nothing else that he would be capable of caring for.
"Yes, Angel." Igniz exclaims as he looks down upon Todoh, "We are finished here. Old age is silenced along with the youth. The operation is finished." Igniz exclaims as he turns to leave, his own cape transforming into a cape again, hugging the god of NESTS tightly.
"The rest of our soldiers will do as they will with those who still remain at the camp. Our aggressors will be left where their 'friends' could find them."
Where?
Why, the steps of Taiyo High, of course. That'll teach them.
As Todoh falters, Diana, winded, looks to Igniz. She's done here - blade covered in the blood of multiple. The DNA collection, if nothing, was a complete success. She nods to Igniz, as Angel asks if they are done yet. She was always the more crude one. "When he is finished.. he will declare..." And then, it's simply over.
She holds her tongue, and the blade slips back into her dress, holstered simply, as she begins to turn and walk away. It was quite a situation they had here. It was solved well enough, she might add, with Todoh strangling an imitation air doll - and the others beginning to leave. Diana followed them, slowly.
There was nothing she had else to add - though Todoh was quite brave, he at least didn't pay for it - perhaps not foolish like the others.
At least he didn't oppose them .. he just had a misunderstanding.
There is no misunderstanding in the mind of Ryuhaku Todoh, however... say, to be tasteful, different his thought processes might be from the rest. They are an enemy dojo! Here to steal away all the students in Southtown in place of his noble (...pffthahahaha) establishment!! They are enemies of the highest order! Just like everyone else who has ever shown even the slightest difference of opinion from himself, they must all be stomped thoroughly under his heel!
"GAAAAAH!" He yells, all but leaping up to his feet - if favoring the one not broken - huffing and puffing as he is hunched over from trying to stomach all the pain inflicted upon him. "You think you've won, eh? You and your... and your little McDojo dollar menu katas, and your... yeh hah hah! Watch! Watch clooooosely, and heed your demise!! The miracle of the way of Todoh!"
He raises his hands up. "Seeecret techniiiiiique!" There is nothing in the air above him, as one would expect. Straightening out his back, he holds this pose for as long as he needs to. He may look straight ahead, but yet his eyes dart around to either side... followed by a grin too confident for a man so thoroughly beaten. Oh, he has their number, all right, he knows the score.
"HEEEYAAAAAAAH!" His hands go down, and with it, bluish-white blades of chi thrust up from the ground, spreading out in height and width in an increasingly conical shape that devastates the forest floor. Blades of grass, small plants, and branches go flying under its might as it collides into a number of trees.
The actual wave of chi stops short of the three of them, the old master(?) coming straight back up with hands on his hips. "You know the old saying... like... how if a tree falls on a moron in the forest, that I'd care?" Trees suddenly creak. "The answer is... is NO!! I do not! Because it is a morn, like... like you all! Yep! You're all screwed!!"
Trees tilt and turn, unearthed from the soil that has housed them for many years. Birds fly away screaming their songs. Little furry rodents leap from branch to branch nimbly as the old master chooses to bring the house down.
"Sayonara, suckeeeeers!" Ryuhaku breaks out into mocking laughter as the trees start to fall. What light of day remains on him slowly becomes overcome by shade, the light of his ego quickly being dwarfed by the tumbling of lumber slowly and surely toppling his way. Four different trees, for whatever reason, tip towards his own person.
His laughter stops a few minutes later. One eye opens up, his head tilting upward. His jaw hangs open in a silent scream. He gives helpful pointing suggestions to the trees that they should go fall over that-a-way.
This may be worth watching.
Igniz's leave is stifled by Todoh's loud cries. Have they really won? Have they really thought they could outsmart Todoh? Obviously not. Todoh had been playing dumb this entire time. And now, faced with Todoh's secret technique, Igniz can only watch in horror as the bluish white blades of chi devastate the forest.
Igniz stops in his tracks as the trees begin to fall from the terrible damage done to their trunks. There is nothing to be said. Todoh has the god of NESTS attention as they tip.
It is quite comical and almost ironic. Can Igniz control the very force of nature to crush Todoh? Not very, but is he truly a god? He will think now, more than ever, that he is.
It's kinda too late for Angel to change her mind. She hears the boss tell them they're dismissed, and she throws the deuces and is like "Peace." and then she's just gone, with only leaves left behind, blowing in the breeze that was kicked up by her sudden departure. She'll have to find out about this last bit through idle chit-chat with one of the regular troops, most likely.
As the others begin to walk away, Diana stops, hands on her hips, as the trees begin to collapse towards Todoh. She does not, however, get involved. "Such an interesting technique.." She notes, watching the blades of chi slide up from the ground. They head towards them, but she can see it won't reach.
And then the trees begin to tilt.
And then they begin to break down, towards Todoh. While she has watched many a thing, a scientist.. sometimes has to draw a line somewhere. "Idiot.." She mutters under her breath, raising a hand to cover her eyes.
COMBATSYS: Todoh successfully hits Todoh with Huge Random Weapon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
[ | ]
Todoh 1|------=|=======
The trees are not taking to Todoh's suggestion, as gravity's voice proves far sweeter. He takes a couple steps back as the four trees look to meet moments before...
SPLAT!
A veritable leafy earthquake shakes the nearby area as the old man gets smothered underneath the combined strength of not one, not two, not three, but four felled trees in a deadly pile-up, obscuring the old man underneath a cloud of dirt and grime that takes almost an entire minute to lift from the scene. There might be coughing amongst those with, say, lungs.
Underneath one tree, facing away from the NESTS crowd on the other end, old man Ryuhaku strains to pull himself out from underneath. He only gets about as far as it takes for him to rest his tired, battered arms on the ground. One props his head up a little, face sour, tired, and wounded as he starts drumming his fingers against the mud.
Harrumph. Rather than succumb to his wounds like an ordinary person, he waits, waits as he thinks of gloriously sophomoric plans of revenge against this mysterious school of martial arts that made a fool of him today. And those Kyokugen interlopers! Ooooh, just you wait... just you wait...
COMBATSYS: Todoh takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Todoh can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Igniz 0/-------/-------|
The trees fall upon Todoh, one after another piling down upon the old man and obscuring him in a cloud of dirt. There, he tries to get out, only to find himself stuck beneath. He makes no attempt to escape, but only wait there as Igniz is able to watch.
"Now... now we may go." Igniz exclaims, giving the signal now that Todoh has shown off his masterful martial arts.
There is no doubt that Todoh will be known for his ferocity in battle and his unpredictable nature that goes along with it. He will always be known for one thing or another.
COMBATSYS: Igniz has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Diana 0/-------/------=|
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
Interesting. As the trees fall upon him, he is only faltered, and not defeated. What would crush and perhaps destroy a lesser man, a lesser man is not Todoh. She nods, taking note of it, before turning to gradually walk off with the rest. She needs watch no more - the show is over, and she will be sure to put the DNA of Todoh to use in many a clone.
Perhaps.
It will be a toss up.
COMBATSYS: Diana has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\ <
Angel 0/-------/------=|
Log created on 17:50:04 04/26/2009 by Diana, and last modified on 13:11:22 05/04/2009.