Description: Falling from the skies, Eagle, Kurenai and Ibuki decide, separately, to come to Taizhou by air. A good plan. But one that Seishirou and his ninja have anticipated. In order to land, the three will have to learn to work together to defeat the team of ninja that seek to cut them out of the sky.
Some people are crazy. Some people have money. Some people are both crazy and have money. Isn't this the theme behind Seishirou's various temper tantrums against established society and his somewhat frequent hijacking of public spectacles?
Eagle, at the very least, has money. This is the beginning and end of all the very bravest helicopter pilot he could find cares about... to a given degree. But even the bravest have their limits. They want to be able to live to make good on that paycheck, after all.
"Sorry, sir, but this is as far as I'm going--" The helicopter pilot, a woman of Arabic descent says over the intercom to her lone passenger, knowing full well she and her passenger are not the only people in the sky of a setting sun.
"Do you know how much I paid you to bring me where I told you?" Grumbles a certain British gentleman. "I'll be late."
"I don't know where you got the idea this is something people are being invited to, this looks like a god damn war zon--"
"His name is synonymous with spectacle." Eagle interrupts once more for impatient, somewhat impolite measure. "It is what he craves, after all. I for one do not intend to let him down."
"Sir, I can't go any further. I'm already risking my license just taking you anywhere near here." The helicopter pilot retorts. "Unless you're ready to jump, that's it!"
"Very well!" Eagle straps on a parachute, no stranger to dramatic air entrances. "When I get back, we will be negotiating a refund, you realize!"
"Have it your way, sir."
The bouncer slash entertainer only has a vague time and place to go on based off of some very cryptically given information. This is not a man approaching this situation for what it is - a grave challenge to the world's best to stand up to Seishirou's latest statement for the state of the world.
Here, there is a show. Eagle cannot be late. It would be very... unbecoming, yes. Without a second word to the helicopter pilot whose company he will never be employing the services of in the future, he pitches himself out of the vehicle without care for logical niceties such as how cold it is this high up... or how he's even supposed to breathe when falling towards the ground at such a speed.
There's a certain sort of zen to this, you see. The world may be watching. It is showtime from the very moment he hurls himself out of the helicopter towards what would be absolute, statistically inevitable doom.
It's a delicate thing. Invading a foreign country, as a Japanese national... but most certainly not doing so with the express permission of said country. In fact, she doesn't even, strictly, have the permission of her direct superior--who might want her here anyways, but most certainly doesn't, can't, know that she -is- here... at least, not yet. And while her family are relatively powerful within their sphere, with access to a great deal more than the average family, they aren't endowed with limited resources. So it was left to her to plan this assault.
FIVE DAYS EARLIER
"Ryouhara is a dangerous man, with dangerous ideas," said her uncle to her, in a very quiet, very private meeting, fixing the young, bubblegum pink-haired girl with a very serious gaze. "This declaration of war... we've seen before what he's capable of. You must get in there--you must find out what's happening. And, if you can... bring it back. We want to see what he is up to, in all respects." Normally quite bubbly and cheery, Kurenai was silent, as she rose to her feet, bowing to her uncle.
As she reached out to slide the door open, her uncle spoke again. "And one more thing, Kurenai. Don't reveal any of this to Kirishima. This is a private matter for the Takayanagi clan only." That made her stiffen, and it was a good ten seconds before she nodded. "Of course, uncle."
NOW
The small plane was little more than a Cessna, really, flown up just about as high as it could go, maybe six miles from the target point--the insertion point. And it was from there she would be making her way in... the leap from the plane door was effortless, Kurenai diving for a scant ten seconds, to clear the plane, before pulling the ripcord that would unfold her glider. No ancient ninja technique this, but the finest modern materials, lightweight and strong, made of almost clear, matte plastics, to improve her visibility index--and Kurenai herself, covered in a sky blue 'ninja outfit', save for the black pack strapped to her back... and the weapon she also carries.
She's riding in with the sun behind her, and she's been gliding down for nearly three miles when she really starts to close in.
The evening sky over Taizou City, could be called quite lovely as it changed to different shades on its cycle into a dimly star filled sky being overpowered by the city lights below. This is the way of cities the world over, however, the large kite like glider cutting its way down from above is not...it is a different way.
Days ago Ibuki had been given a message by one of the couriers of her village, make her way to this new tournement, determine if there was an ulterior purpose, recover any interesting intelligence, and test the limits of her training while doing so. Along with the orders came a small package and a flight schedule, "Couldn't I have just flown in like a normal person? Why is it always the stupidly hard way?" The teenager bemoaned looking over the glider she'd have to assemble.
Now a few days later clad in her ninja garb, she'd stowed away on a cargo plane bound for a nearby city, when the time was right she unhooked herself from her hiding spot beneath the wing of the plane as it neared Taizou City's airspace, then much to her relief the glider popped open correctly and she soared on wind currents towards the city trying to come in from the greatest height possible as the sun's light faded into nothing. Her plan was simple come in fast on her grey glider as twilight fell across the city then fade into the shadows of its buildings and land on one of their rooves.
Despite her own griping about the details of getting here, a small part of the girl had to admit this was a lot more fun than going in like a normal person, not that she'd ever admit it to anyone. Being a ninja was a serious matter after all.
- MISTCLEAR. Set view to no-light mode. - The fog recedes from the visual. On the HUD, a line draws underneath the three targets, delineating their nominal status and distinctiveness as non-aircraft-based entities. They were crouched on a platform. A platform suspended in the clouds, the only sound emitted from it being the vague hiss of jettisoned air. Like gargoyles under the cover of mists, they lurk and wait, viewing the situation from far above.
"Ah, there they are... just like our contact said they'd be," a gravelly voice registers, his voice gaining a synthesized wuality over the radio.
"I can't even see one! Ne~ ne~, do you think they'll be surprised?"
"It doesn't matter," a third interjects. "We're almost out of suspension. Let's go!!"
"Wait--!"
"WAHOO!!"
"Sigh.. It's always like this."
The sound is a peculiar whistle coming from overhead. It's just shy of musical, seeming to come from no source more specific than 'the sky.' It first starts as a pleasant, distant thing. Then, attuned with the sound of rustling fabric, it slowly picks up to a terrifying shriek--almost seeming like jets are diving down straight from the sky. The pop of ejectors is telltale, though--these are no machines, but men.
Two are visibly armed, and the other simply trails a curious jet of mist, twirling to and fro in the sky as he drops straight down. Glad in cloud-white coats, the masked shinobi drop on each target in kind as they start to converge together. Slowly, sets of three bottles, wrapped with paper and seals, slip into each of the rustling ghosts' hands.
[ This is Ukihara, ] one communicates over the com. [ Light 'em up. ]
By the time you see the flash of their lenses set into their masks, it may already be too late. They set loose the bottles tumbling end-over-end in the sky with expert's precision, their own passage registered only as a blinding white streak and the rush of air displacement coming very, very close to the noted targets. They drop only a few hundred feet more, then stop, each in turn engaging some sort of slowed descent means. .... Like they're waiting.
A moment later, thunder shatters the sky in three seperate points, ripping a network into the sky large enough to tear planes to pieces. Let alone the likes of gliders and parachutes.
Seishirou drops Harrier Team.
--------------------------<Paste from Seishirou>---------------------------
GET READY!
GOAL: Defeat the Harrier Team and land safely!
DEFEAT: The Harrier Team is a three-man team of attackers. Every round, each member of the Team (HARRIER Ukihara, HARRIER Miyama and HARRIER Kazuma) will attack once for every member of their unit. At 66%, 33% and finally at 0%, a member of the team will be defeated, removing that member's command ability, special attack, EXCEED attack, and attack as a threat.
Try to determine who uses what attack and ability and eliminate them first!
Good Luck!
--------------------------<Paste to Linhai Town>---------------------------
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team has started a fight here.
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Harrier Team 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kurenai has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
COMBATSYS: Ibuki has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
COMBATSYS: Eagle has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Kurenai 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/-------|
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Eagle 0/-------/------=|
It is not quite yet time to get out the parachute, by Eagle's own estimates. Though, it does prove a little hard to calculate such matters when the frigid cold wind shear threatens to black you out, and it becomes difficult to circulate oxygen through one's lungs... yes, this is a primer for how to not do things unless you are a trained professional! (Unless you are being televised, at which point it's all just about fair game, now isn't it.)
Eagle catches a glimpse of things moving in the sky with that whistling noise - a subtle cue to pick up given the rushing air around himself. Jets go on and fly overhead, earning a scowl. Now he knows he will be seeking a full refund from that helicopter pilot! Look at them, they don't seem to be expressing any such fears of this air space. Pah!
There's the matter of people hang gliding from a ways below. Hmm, everyone's making an entrance, are they. Now he feels almost as though he has come disappointingly empty-handed. Surely he could strive for something far more attention-catching!
Eagle is blinded momentarily by a loud pop from dangerously close by, failing to realize the actual extent of danger he was in - as well as their deadly intentions. His ears ring for a bit as something grazes just past his parachute bag.
His drift comes along in line towards someone creating interesting misty jet trails. He doesn't draw any weapons or anything of the sort - what happened was perhaps a misunderstanding, maybe one of those technicians is new to the job. They are probably recording this live from somewhere, now. Wouldn't do well to scream at someone over the camera.
"Good eve!" Eagle calls out as he drifts closer to the one with the misty trails. "Lovely evening, isn't it?" It's probably hard to hear him over the rushing air around him, but his intentions are disarmingly (and genuinely, in so far as show people are genuine about anything) friendly enough, trying to take said individual's hand and give a shake. A very firm shake. Maybe a little too firm. Polite, but likely too firm. At worst he might accidentally squeeze too hard, especially if they attempt to jerk their hand away much too late.
Ryouhara ninja are noted for their agility, their skill, their... sneakiness. The attack itself is a surprise, to be certain--but the -fact- of the attack is less so. And there's still plenty of time... before chutes have to be pulled. Kurenai hasn't trained -specifically- for aerial combat, so she'll have to learn fast... or die. A goodly amount of pressure, but pressure situations are where people like her learn best.
Even as the thunder and lightning rip into her glider--thank god it's made of nonconductive materials!--shredding plastic cloth, melting tubing... the moment she feels it coming apart, she jettisons. Now she's just got her backpack, her blade, wooden though it is, and herself--the blade lacquered black, not built like a traditional bokken but more like an actual sword, a reinforced, black-bodied, wooden reverse blade. That is drawn once she's clear of the wreckage of her glider, pinwheeling towards the ground, and she spins. She doesn't know Eagle, doesn't know Ibuki (though pegs her as a ninja pretty easily), but she guesses that neither of them were the source of the lightning.
It's just too typically Ryouhara... those ninja, there... right. Her eyes narrow, and she's calculating. Angles, trajectories, speeds, scanning the three. Eagle moves in at the attackers, and Kurenai twists as well. This isn't going to be easy--but she'll have to try. She uses a combination of minor chi manipulation and physics to 'lunge' upwards--really mostly slowing herself to meet their descent. So it takes a few moments, but when they're close enough she thrusts upwards, looking to simply take one of them in the chest.
Soaring through the air is almost relaxing in its own way, Ibuki checks the gauge at her wrist and grins as she picks up a nice thermal and begins circling slwoly upwards into the air. There's a distant musical whine from an engine or some such that she tunes out while looking down towards the city, already trying to pick out the best place to land spotting a mid-sized building in the distance that looks perfect.
Completing one last circle on the thermal she banks left and directs herself towards the city again with her new target in her sights, though that whine was starting to get annoying. Looking around she tries to spot the source of it, left, right, down, and up...Ibuki's head swivels this way and that trying to find that shrieking sound right before a flash of light and a deafening boom later one of her glider's wings is missing and what remains of it is on fire, "Normal travel from now on!" She roars to herself in annoyance as the thunder dies down.
Not abadoning the smoking and quickly burning glider yet, Ibuki's eyes fall upon the other ninja on a glider as she jumps free from it and the guy falling from way higher up than they are before she catches sight of her attackers and grins beneath her mask...well it was going to be a fight. releasing the harness at her waist Ibuki lets herself fall free of the glider only holding onto the handrail that guided it and directing herself back into the thermal she'd ridden ealier with a hard tug to the right she launches herself upwards hoping to land a solid hit with her foot on one of the three ninja that had attacked her!
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Kurenai's Medium Strike.
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Kurenai 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/-------|
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Eagle 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Ibuki's Light Kick.
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Kurenai 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/-------|
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Eagle 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Eagle's Quick Throw.
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Kurenai 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/-------|
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Eagle 0/-------/------=|
For the most part, the team is indistinguishable from one another, wearing white, blue and grey-print camouflage overcoats with massive sleeves, presumably to make them indistinguishable in the clouds--however there is one method of discernment, beyond the fact that two are carrying weapons and one is not. There are silver frog chains laced across their chests, each inlaid with a different color, and an arcane symbol which might as well be meaningless. The two facing the lower Kurenai and Ibuki are scarlet and gold, respectively, while the one which Eagle is firmly handshaking is wearing a cerulean blue chain.
The first thing to note about these guys is that moving like they are, they're not exactly easy to strike without a frame of reference--as Ibuki stabs up with her foot at the gold harrier, whatever mechanism keeps the shinobi from simply dropping right out of the sky releases, causing a sudden drop for the shinobi--you think you can see a glimpse of her form underneath the coat as she drops past Ibuki. Was that a squeal? The scarlet harrier hesitates only a second as Kurenai also rises to meet him, and drops to meet her.
[ Team. Gale Formation, ] Cerulean Harrier echoes over the radio.
As Eagle grips Ukihara's arm, the ninja pauses thoughtfully, then frowns. Eagle can hear him give the order. And then the shinobi flips around with Eagle's grip, twisting--as he attempts to wrap the wires that have been trailing in the colorful streams around Eagle's neck and drag him down forcefully to the same plane of attack as the other two Harriers, parachute or not. Is he using.... an air burst system underneath that coat?
At the same time, the other two attack from below Ibuki and above Kurenai respectively, one with a rising wind kick and the other, the scarlet harrier, simply unbuckling an axe from its back and trying to cut Kurenai open with it, aided by the breakneck speed of his own drop.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Eagle with Deathgrip.
- Power hit! -
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Kurenai 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/-------|
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Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Ibuki with Cutting Gale.
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Kurenai 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
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Eagle 0/-------/---====|
"Oho! I must be in the way." Eagle clears his throat as he vaguely overhears an order. Well, pleasantries can wait for after the landing, he supposes, as Ukihara flips around him in a startling display of agility. "Though I must as--"
His query finds itself rudely interrupted as some wires get around his neck. A trained fighter reflex sees his left hand clasp around the wires. A trained killer's strength and leverage sees Ukihara getting said wires around his palm and neck, digging his knuckles painfully where it is already difficult to breathe. He's had his fair share of awkward moments concerning greetings between people of wildly varying cultures and customs but this is not a sort of handshake he recognizes!!
His eardrums recoil as the hissing mist trail proves loud enough to make it difficult to hear himself think, a grimace and some throaty gagging silencing him from further commentary as he's dragged along downward to the rest. Good lord, is he going to have to have a word with their employer! Doing this in a free-fall situation to the very death... and is that smoke wafting towards his face?
The lack of air he's able to get into his lungs works against him, but he still has a free hand. Said hand grips along the wires, attempting to find where this individual's grasp begins before he outright chokes to death or even lose a hand. The trapped hand is already going numb from lack of circulation along with the usual chill of a free fall.
Assuming he is able to find a hand or arm with his free hand, he goes to try and hurl Ukihara clean off of him - unable to muster a quickly drawn stick and followup thrust for lack of breath, this particularly exotic handshake has already got him nearly blacked out from the get go.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Kurenai with Harrier's Dive.
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
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Eagle 0/-------/---====|
It happens in a blink of an eye; Kurenai has lesst han a second to react. Or.. try to react. She twists wildly, attempting to bring her weapon into line with that axe, to deflect it, and the result is a near-silent (thanks to the rushing sound of screaming wind) scraping of axeblade against wooden swordblade--and then the not-so-silent sound of a gasped, halfway-swallowed shriek of pain as the axeblade bites deep.
It doesn't quite cut her in half--her manuevering was, at least, enough to ensure that. But the axe blade does cut into her side, a sharp, stinging pain that broadens into more hurt, lasting pain that radiates out.
Immediately, her sky-blue uniform is stained crimson, but the young ninja doesn't seem to pay that much attention, gathering herself, washing pain away with logic as best as she can. Her eyes flick between the Harriers and the ground... and then she's diving again, acting recklessly, it appears, switching her grip on her weapon--lashing out as she once again comes level with the axe-wielding ninja, cutting a wide swath with her blade.
Only, this time her weapon explodes with a glowing, pink aura of chi as she cuts, momentarily almost as bright as the setting sun itself.
As her foot finds nothing but air, Ibuki suddenly finds herself spinning in the air and clinging to the glider's bar for dear life...this wasn't good. Just as she is managing to get control of the burning frame again as she starts scanning for the female...she thinks, ninja that just disappeared with a squeal. Her eyes not immediately finding her opponent she frowns....this was not a good start to things at all.
Then from directly below her the other ninja attacks her and she tries to move the glider frame out of the way only to find that the burning wreck is barely good for anything anymore so she grits her teeth as the wind kick not only slams into her but knocks her upwards through the burning glider completing its destruction as burning embers plumit towards the ground. Dazed and slightly burning, Ibuki begins her own freefall to the earth below...
The world spins around the teen ninja as she shakes her head and the rushing air help to snap her out of it much faster her eyes focus on the ninja that just attacked her and she gets a intense look on her features as she tries to figure out how to strike back while trailing her own stream of smoke due to some smoldering clothes then an idea hits her.
Ibuki spreads her limbs wide and lets her ninja garb catch as much air as possible to slow her fall somewhat and then a burst of chi from her foot later and she's launched herself strait up above her opponent and attempts to come down on the other ninja as hard as possible, if all goes well she'll use the other ninja's head as a springboard and maybe knock her down towards the ground some!
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Ibuki's Tobizaru.
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
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Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Kurenai's Power Strike.
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
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Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Eagle's Medium Throw.
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
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Eagle 0/-------/---====|
A talented observer (read: not Eagle). The team clearly seem to be communicating somehow, with the way their movements are crisp, synchronized, as if modified by the same hand. A stylish observer (read: Eagle) could tell their outfits are coordinated excellently. The cerulean harrier hisses quietly, emitting a chirp that sounds almost mechanical as he breaks away, twisting away from Eagle's attempts to flick him off, and emitting a popping sound as he dives down across Eagle's escape, twining the contrails that go hand-in-hand with the cables around Eagle's line of descent as he cuts away from him slowly. As he does so, he clicks his imager, the HUD lining up the battlefield and estimating a Drop Time.
[ Time to kick it high, boys, we're not on unlimited time here, ] Ukihara mutters ominously. [ I'm acquiring their BP, sending you the scans--hold on-- ]
Suddenly, the cerulean harrier corkscrews, sending an electric flash out from all angles of his coat, an electric flash that follows up the cables he's trailing behind him and clear up the ice contrails he's leaving. Right up into Eagle's path of descent and--through the magic of maneuvering--across his chute.
[ Nrgh--! While you're up there transmitting, we're down here getting beat up! This one's pretty tough! Kazuma, give me a hand, ] the gold harrier transmits, tumbling out of the way of Ibuki's full kick but still wobbling on her flight path a bit, finally cutting up and emitting some form of -- yes, that's a jet of air -- from her coat to send her barrelling up to Ibuki, attempting to latch onto her and hold her in place.
[ Hnf!! ]
The scarlet harrier is in a match of his own. His axe is a wicked crescent shape, in some places more of a sickle or an executioner's axe than a real battleaxe. That weapon resounds with force as it clashes with Kurenai's weapon, jarring the harrier and throwing him away, and there is a distinct pause as the harrier hesitates.... before slowly breaking from Kurenai and careening towards Ibuki as she fights with the gold harrier. THey're trying to pin Ibuki down--one holds her, while another slices into her with the point of a deadly looking axe.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Eagle with Ukihara's Scorched Silver.
- Power hit! -
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
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Eagle 1/------=/=======|
The trio are indeed very well coordinated. It's a shame they had to reveal their true (...truer) colors to be such ugly, clashing hues!
But one digresses from the matter at hand.
Ukihara's timely disengagement sees Eagle's moments-too-slow toss turn his fall into a chaotic tumble under his own inertia. Hardly a graceful way to make a deadly drop into a veritable war zone, only catching glimpses of blurred colors, fires, smoke, and cold mist.
From places unseen, he draws his sticks with a quick snapping noise and stabilizes his form with a thrust, a few odd choking noises as he tries to suck in what air he can while circulation returns to his previously caught hand.
That it manages to expertly place /himself/ within a series of cables along with absolutely frigid air forming icicles upon his moustache is merely a bad draw of the hand. 'Merely' is inappropriate to describe the circumstances of an electrical charge coursing through cables and what moisture is there in the contrails, a comical teeth chattering moment as his skeleton flashes to visibility between his hairs standing on end.
One set of straps for his chute is cut free by one of the wires, leading the other set of straps to whirl about his arm as the bag whips about violently. It clocks the British man a few times in a most humorous manner - maybe the one thing that spurs him to consciousness in the wake of such a deadly trap - before it whirls off his arm and into the sunset.
Smoke rises from his burnt, ruined outfit, thereby guaranteeing he will not be the most fabulously dressed man to set foot into Seishirou's latest big publicity event. That this infuriates him more than his imminent demise probably speaks volumes of his character.
This is, of course, all unrehearsed - something that introduces an element of fear into the proceedings, unaware if this particular spot is supposed to have some sort of safety measure or another for this crazy freefall.
"You... you fool!" He chides, though he has lost sight of the cerulean harrier from his angle of descent. He drifts in but a little closer towards the scarlet one, hastening his approach with a strong forward thrust in his less numb hand to draw him closer - maybe even enough to make initial contact.
"I must say!!" He tries to yell loud enough to be heard, even as his voice is a little weak from the earlier strangulation as he punctuates this with a series of rapid thrusts to the crimson harrier. "You are most definitely not leaving good first impressions of this skydiving routine!"
"Oh no you don't." Okay, so Kurenai isn't -really- planning on teaming up with Ibuki and Eagle. In this moment, though, they are, essentially. But this is not pure altruism on her part, her actions; if she lets Ibuki get killed, that's one less person to distract the ninjas. The same goes for Eagle, in fact--the dispassionate, logical thinking is that he looks strong and he'll be of great help in disposing of these ninja--she certainly can't take them herself.
Maybe one but not two, much less three. As the axe-wielding psycho^h^h^h^h^h^hninja disengages, the sky-blue clad ninja considers diving down, away, leaving the two to their fate. But she can't rule out that they're tracking her somehow--in fact, she's sure they are. Turning in place, relative to the positions of everyone else, she continues her assault upon the red-clad man--but from a distance. Hopefully the wind is working against him enough that he won't be able to avoid her next attack.
She whips her weapon down to her hip, and then carves another glowing slash out of the air--unleashing a wave of that pink energy. Even as she attacks, she's adjusting her aim, accounting for the descent...
COMBATSYS: Ibuki blocks Harrier Team's Harrier's Dive.
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
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Eagle 1/------=/=======|
Ibuki internally grumbles as her attack bounces off the gold clad ninja's blocking her and effectively sending her sailing through the air due to the miss. Correcting herself in the air she gets to see Eagle take a solid hit from his opponent before refocusing and trying to figure out what to do next.
Looking down and seeing the incoming attack from below as the other ninja tries to grab onto her and pull her into a hold, Ibuki curls into a ball and springs off the ninja's hands as soon as they try to grab onto her legs and then springs out into a dive before turning around to face her attacker with a grin underneath her mask.
She pulls out a number of Kunai takes careful aim and focuses her energy into the blade she is about to throw, "Here we go!!!" She yells as she spins in mid air to build up some extra momentum before launching the throwing knife with as much fore as possible at her opponent!
Seishirou drops Ikizukuri-kai.
Seishirou drops Kimon.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Eagle's Oxford Red.
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Kurenai 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
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Eagle 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team endures Kurenai's Hissing Serpent.
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Kurenai 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Harrier Team
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Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Ibuki's Kunai.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/-----==/=======|
[ Oh... oh... is that how they want to play?! ]
[ Ohs--!! Kazuma-san!! ]
[ I've got their BP! Kazuma, I recommend withdrawing.. ]
[ Che!!!! Retreating's for cowards... ]
You can hear the scarlet harrier yell into his mask as he whips around to block Eagle's stick thrusts with the side of his arm painfully, knocking him away twirling past and over Ibuki's head, causing the gold harrier with pirouette away from Ibuki's forceful attack, catching air with her coat. She calls something out into her mask, but it's too late, as a pink wave slams into the scarlet harrier, leaving him spinning in a shredded bloody freefall.
... But you can sense satisfaction from Kazuma.
[ ... I'm gonna be a hero too! OURYAA!! ]
[ Kazuma-san! ]
[ Hmph! I should've known. This is his specialty. Miyama, hang back! ]
With both the gold and cerulean harrier hanging back below and above the dropping party respectively, the scarlet harrier suddenly boosts straight up, going high above the others, before his coat catches -fire-, and he comes screaming back down like a rocket, coming into a broad banking rollercoaster curve at breakneck speeds, diving and kiting high on an arc perfectly aimed to burn all three attackers in a huge nigh-suicidal phoenix blitz attack!
COMBATSYS: Eagle fails to reflect Kazuma's Fire Dive from Harrier Team with EX St. Andrew Green.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/-======/=======|
Eagle makes his feelings on their particular welcoming party known, but even he has to cock his head back with how close Kazuma comes to colliding into him with an upturned foot on the push. A keen eye - quite nifty keen - follows their drifting path as he sizes up a vague estimate of how far away they are from imminent collapse, indeed, this lack of any sort of way to break his fall is... problematic.
He flexes the fingers of the previously strangled hand to try and ensure the further return of his circulation even in such numbing cold (THIS IS WHY YOU DRESS PROPERLY FOR FREE-FALLS). Why, this will be the hand that writes his formal complaints to Seishirou about these... amateurs. If he could only find the breath to dare call them that, especially given their intent and relative success in impeding his chances of making any sort of safe landing.
Then something above catches on fire, coming around to... oh, my, this must be a spectacular sight from the ground, he concedes. But the angle that this human fireball is coming at him at is most unsettling.
A gentle nudge is in order.
Bringing his sticks together as he tries to envision how in heaven one is supposed to assume proper golfing form in mid-air, there is a flash of yellow around him as he comes within proximity of the breakneck blaze, rearing back his arms with such speed that his sticks leave a streak of a drab color, following through with a beautiful textbook swing that would elicit clapping from stunned audiences with the patience these days to watch a gentleman's sport and not some sort of screaming ruffian nonsense.
It's such a good swing that he somehow manages to brave the flames and get his sticks caught within the flaming outfit - to say nothing about himself being roasted alive.
"GOOD LORD!!" Sometimes, the people may be tempted to call Eagle Mister Fahrenheit, for he's moving at the speed of light (within a spiral of fire guaranteed to gloriously burn the human arrow within to cinders). Normally, they would suggest not to try stopping him now, as one Mister Fahrenheit would politely request, for he is having a good time in most circumstances.
This would not be one of them, as Eagle is within the blinding spiral of flame himself - this extra protrusion to this fireball possibly putting the other two fighting for their lives at far greater risk of collision.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Kurenai with Kazuma's Fire Dive.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/--=====/=======|
Oh Jesus. He's... the positioning is all off! <No!> thinks the pink-haired ninja, realizing she's been caught way off balance, still recovering from the wide swing of her projectile attack--a swing made wider by the awkwardness of doing it midair. She tries valiantly to pull back, to reposition, but it's just too late--she's consumed in that blaze of chi, screaming in pain, sent spiraling out of control. Thankfully it isn't -real- fire--the last thing she needs is disfiguring damage on top of all this.
There's nothing she can do for Ibuki--the fiery harrier's impact's thrown her off course, and the ground is still coming up, something else for her to think about as she struggles to reorient ehrself; it takes a bit of doing, but she'll manage, feeling singed, looking both mad and calculating. Calculating time until this all goes past the poitn of no return. Surely those ninja are thinking about it, too--there's no reason for them to let their red friend suddenly go all out like that.
They -had- to know that they were being successful enough to prevent the three from landing safely--Kurenai -has- a chute in her pack, as she'd always intended on parachuting down from her glider, but she doesn't care make herself a sitting duck here, not with targets around. That's even more suicidal... but the question is:
Are these opponents expendable troops? Is Ryouhara willing to let them die doing this? Or does he have something -else- in mind...? The moment spent righting herself is a moment she also spends getting her breath back, not an easy thing to do at near-terminal velocity.
COMBATSYS: Kurenai gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/--=====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Ibuki dodges Harrier Team's Kazuma's Fire Dive.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/--=====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/--=====/=======|
Things have not been going Ibuki's way at all this fight her projectile is harmlessly evaded as the scarlet clad ninja whizzed over her head and she grits her teeth she was going to hit that gold clad ninja hard if it was the last thing she did oh yes!!! She starts to summon the inner fortitude necessary to make that happen when suddenly she notes both the other harriers pulling back away from the general area.
She looks up in enough time to see Eagle burst into a ball of flame as the red one made a straight shot for her and her eyes widen considerably, "So should've flown in!!!!" She howls into the roaring wind as the other ninja girl that was being attacked by the Harriers appeared to try and block the attack for her, Ibuki focuses all her attention on the attack that is coming her away and watches it with insane dedication waiting for the pefect time...and then it comes! Ibuki spreads her arms and hands catching as much air as possible before pulling everything close to her body and using the air like a wave to shoot forward against...and thus by not being there as the ninja dives past where she was she dodges the hit!
Grinning as she pulls herself out of her air slide she realizes she's nowhere near anyone to attack at the moment and she grits her teeth, "Could be worse I guess." So she takes a moment to get her bearings and get ready to fight as much as she possibly can when the next attack comes.
COMBATSYS: Ibuki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/--=====/=======|
[ Heh. As expected. I knew you were too crazy to die... ]
[ Ha! Don't make me laugh. You'll die way before me, Ukihara. ]
[ You guys aren't funny... ]
Having blown through everyone successfully, the scarlet harrier's tattered and bloodied coat is more a cloak now than anything else, revealing shreds of a dark grey uniform and chains underneath the enshrouding barrier. An observant person able to pick it out might notice the harrier is also wearing a belt with a small steel tank slung at the hip. In the calm before the storm, it might not be hard to make the connections. Are they using.. compressed air bursts to control themselves? How is that even possible?
[ Alright. The land point's coming up on us fast. Don't waste your packs. Now that Kazuma's done showing off, let's make this fast. Light em up again, if you've got the bottles. Rook formation. ]
[ Unlike you two, I've got enough bottles to power Nirvana! ]
[ Good to know for when they turn the lights out! ]
Cutting away, the Harriers have slowly locked into a three point formation that surrounds the party. Unfortunately, that's the problem of letting a well organized team alone for a few seconds. But the wounded scarlet harrier is the one that provides the warning. His hand--visible now in the tatters of his sleeve--slips to his belt, taking away one of three curious wrapped bottles, recognizable as the weapons they used earlier. With a lazy twist, he lobs this into the middle of the group. This is a motion mirrored by the other three. Weapons that store energy in the form of lightning tumble slowly into a networked pattern as it was before. Except this time, you can see them discharge, blasts of energy licking from seals painted at all sides of the loosed bottles.
And they're not aimed at your kites.
COMBATSYS: Eagle blocks Harrier Team's Tenraibin.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/=======/=======|
Eagle's descending joy ride through the skies on a fiery chi comet - if you can even place the term 'joy' to it - is eventually turned into a solo act as his weight tears off a piece of that tattered cloak, throwing him at a sharp angle away from the other two girls and screaming well past the scarlet harrier.
That it was a chi fire prevents him from being turned into an agonizing husk of burn wounds of an advanced degree, but his eyes are shut tight from the blinding lights of being caught within the trail for an extended period of time as puts on a rather impressive impersonation of Mr. Big's flying corkscrew technique.
He has no vantage point to understand he is about to be struck by powerful bottled lightning. The lightning arcs and catches him through his right stick as he swings his arms outward to at least try and stabilize his form so he can have a good look down below even as sharp pain runs up his right arm - a flex of muscle in a somewhat desperate attempt to catch his bearings proving the slight, but critical movement between 'lightning coursing through him and shocking him to unconsciousness plus sure death' and 'lightning coursing through him and not shocking him to unconsciousness plus sure death,' sending that electric charge back through his upper arm and out the stick. How he even manages to hold a grip like this...
He doesn't look up or back, finding the impending landing a far more pressing issue. If a camera was watching, yes, perhaps they would be making light of his... missteps. But, no more. The show must go on, in some form or another. He has no parachute, and by all appearances no means to outright save himself. Ryouhara could safely mark him off as one who failed to even touch down alive.
...Or could he?
Tapping his sticks together in a cross formation in front of him, he closes his eyes and tries to take in as deep a breath as he can when air is rushing up his face and nostrils. Just one moment and he'll have something for the world to watch, indeed!
COMBATSYS: Eagle focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Kurenai parries Harrier Team's Tenraibin!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
Those bottles--! The Ryouhara are masters of mechanical bioenergy manipulation--storage and usage of chi through external methods. Many ninja clan have tried to figure this trick out--few have come close to succeeding. Certainly there have been those in the Takayanagi clan who, underwrittenb y the greater resources of the Kirishimas, have tried. But the process remains almost uniquely Ryouhara. Thus, she is instantly wary of anything that comes from a Ryouhara--words, bottles, Post-It Notes.
The wariness is compounded by the fact that it's a network of bottles--several of them floating into position. Kurenai is no chi master, she's the first to admit it; using it and basic manipulation are what she knows best. But there are moments... moments where she goes beyond what she knows and what she can do. Moments where she reaches past herself into her potential self. It is these moments that led her teacher to believe that she could become not only good, but great.
Perhaps this moment will prove him right--or wrong. What happens, happens in just a bare few moments; just as the bottles are reaching their 'level', she is altering her surface area, floating almost even with it--just a bit above.
And she's also gathering her chi. What she wants to do, what she -needs- to do, she can't quantify in words. But her brain, ruthlessly analytical and logical, makes the leap for her, without any conscious effort on her part. So it is, when that lightning reaches out, a brief flash of pink limns Kurenai's lower legs--two forces finding tension, battling back and forth, the lightning threatening to overwhelm--and then something changes, a metaphysical alteration in direction of force and the redirection of energy... and that pink flares... launching Kurenai straight up, at the three-point formation. Naturally she targets Kazuma--he's injured. As she springs, she shouts at Eagle and Ibuki, "/Take out the red one!!/" That's something she's aiming to do, as well, her blade suddenly blazing bright pink itself, flashing out as she closes within range of him--cutting a gigantic cross out of the air, a pink cross whose color belies the strength contained within the paired slashes.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Ibuki with Tenraibin.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/------=|=======\==-----\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
Ibuki has not had a good trip at all into Taizou City, to be honest since her glider got set on fire she's not had any luck at all and it is frustrating the teenage ninja quite a bit but it seems things are taking a turn for the worst as the harriers attack again with their lightning thing as the sky fills with a number of lights and crashing booms! r
Ibuki has not had a good trip at all into Taizou City, to be honest since her glider got set on fire she's not had any luck at all and it is frustrating the teenage ninja quite a bit but it seems things are taking a turn for the worst as the harriers attack again with their lightning thing as the sky fills with a number of lights and crashing booms!
Ibuki tries to get out of the way of the attack but as she rolls and weaves through the roaring and thundering air there seems to be nowhere to go and she winds up grazing at least one bolt of lightning which causes her to spasm in pain for a second and smoke slightly from it.
Grinning underneath her mask Ibuki decides it's time to try something a little different and she tries the sliding on the air like a wave trick again to bring her close enough to the Harriers that she can at least get in one good shot on the gold one....so she spins around and brings her elbow down in an attempt to truly smack the living daylights out of the gold harrier.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Kurenai's Hades Return EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Ibuki's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
They heard that.
[ Kazuma, look out--! ]
[ I'm not afraid of these guys--AGH!! ]
The gold harrier immediately cuts hard up to reach the scarlet harrier's position, but finds herself blocked by Ibuki's sudden unexpected slide across the spinning vertiginous battlefield, but her elbow is blocked by a thin silver blade, drawn from one of two sheathes at the female's back. Slowly, the gold harrier looks over her shoulder at Ibuki. And you know she's upset. Whipping wide, the harrier draws both of her blades, spinning like a killer top, silver flashing at Ibuki in attempts not to grab, or throw Ibuki as she had before, but to simply draw the kunoichi's blood and give her a very, very good reason to stay away.
But despite the danger, nobody is close enough to save the scarlet harrier from Kurenai's pink cross blade, shredding the harrier open in a curtain of crimson, the shinobi slowly twirling into a tailspin in the air, losing aerial control--
[ Enough. ]
Dropping down to intercept the battle between the two, the cerulean harrier interposes himself inbetween the two, forcing Kurenai to respond to his own attack---a lightning-tinged cutting wave originating at very short range from his hand, sharp enough to cut steel. [ Kazuma... ]
[ Gwoh.. ]
The scarlet harrier seems to shimmer in the light, and then pops into a mist resembling a cloud, quickly receding into the sky with your crazy drop. He's gone from the freefall.
--------------------------<Paste from Seishirou>---------------------------
KAZUMA
"I.. I can't lose!! I'm going to be the strongest in Nirvana!"
[TOUGH] Vanguard Unit
ATTACK: Fire Dive
SUPER: Grip the Blade
ABILITY: Smash
--------------------------<Paste to Linhai Town>---------------------------
Somewhat removed from the drama and the melees thanks to his particular dares mere moments before, Eagle - who would like to remind some people once all is said and done that he is not quite supposed to be named after the bird (and will in fact berate any announcers that make any bird-themed jokes).
He opens up his eyes again, looking away from the ground as to not bring any panic as to just however long he might have before impact. Look lively, look sharp. Regardless of whether or not cameras appear to be rolling, this is a performance! He's a performer above all - something that might separate him from the other two assailed frefallers to a negative degree.
He eyes the cerulean harrier, if only for the fact that they are closer. With a deep breath through ebbing pain, a headache, and shortness of breath, he draws back a stick with a flashy (and risky) juggle in his left hand. If he dropped it right now, after all, he couldn't just stop to pick it back up, it'd likely fly out of reach.
He stabs forward with his left arm moments later, giving him significant thrust somewhere in Kurenai's and the cerulean harrier's direction, following this up with a second from the opposite arm for further thrust. This actually threatens to make his angle more horizontal, adding on the risk that he may accidentally overcompensate and go sailing over the harrier's head.
Nonetheless, there are a series of rapid thrusts that pierce the air, displacing much of it with every movement as he brings his full thrusting strength to bear, hoping to plow into the cerulean harrier (please mind the incoming gent, Kurenai) with a series of these thrusts and strikes, one after the other, perhaps he might be able to knock off something for himself to catch his fall with if his strength fails him in the very near future.
He can't help but try to finish it with a flourish, the last thrust forming a brief spiral of displaced air in its wake.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Kurenai with Cutting Gale.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
Vengeance, as they say, is sweet. Kurenai was... distracted. Because she wasn't -expecting- Kazuma to... disappear like that. She'd defeated him. He felt solid. She was sure he'd... but he disappeared, and that very disappearance may prove to be Kurenai's undoing. Before she can really think about a reaction, that lightning-tinged wave slashing into her, drawing a shriek of pain from the ninja opposing the harriers.
She writhes with the pain, searing her nerve endings in a most unpleasant manner; she almost loses her grip on her weapon, for all that, too, but she manages--the electricity, chi in nature, still making her hand spasm closed. No time for distractions, she thinks, sternly, trying to pull herself back together.
"Get... -away-... from me!!" she grates, possibly not even audible over the whistle of terminal velocity. She simply does not have the room to manuever her weapon properly, so she swaps grips, reversing the weapon in her right hand--and lashing out with her left, seeking to grip Gold by the throat, to crush his windpipe a touch--and use the grip as leverage, to spin around, pull him away from his teammate, and send him on his way with a bashing of the butt of her weapon into his face.
Focusing around the pain, she shouts, as best as she can, to her 'teammates', "GET HIM!!" By him obviously she means -her- target... so she hopes that they can both hear her -and- follow impromptu orders.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Ibuki with Miyama's Dancing Skyblades.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|=======\=====--\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 1/-----==/=======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
Ibuki's focus is quite solidly on her opponent in mid air, though the smoke briefly caught her attention she didn't immediately notice the disappearance of one of the Harriers. The whirling blades of the Gold Harrier were coming right for her and she was trying to judge how best to face this oncoming challenge. Her eyes narrowing she realizes she can't get out of the way of the attack and blocking wasn't the best option not with those blade....
Gritting her teeth she dives whole heartedly into the attack as it comes at her closing the distance between them as much as possible and trying to grip the gold one as tightly as possible, the pain is intense as her arms, legs, and sides are cut into by the flashing blades...and more disappointingly she doesn't find herself any closer to her target.
Calming her mind and focusing on the fight in front of her She stills her breath and allows her movements to match those of the gold one as Kurenai yells out, Ibuki's eyes snap open and she launches herself whole sale at her target this was it, she was going to finish her fight one way or another!!
"Raaah, YOU'RE GOING DOWN!!!" She roars as a massive ball of chi forms in one of her hands and she attempts to drive straight into the gold one's chest. Should it hit home the ball will expand to surround them both as it tries to rip it's way through Ibuki's opponents body and the blow them quite a distance away...if it should miss a speherical ball of energy that will knock anyone back foolish enough to touch it.
COMBATSYS: Eagle successfully hits Harrier Team with Union Jack Platinum.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/----===|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Kurenai's Armed Combo.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/----===|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Ibuki's Yoroi Doushi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/----===|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
"You won't penetrate into Nirvana. Your flight ends here."
He speaks to Kurenai alone as she writhes from the cerulean harrier's electric attack. Unlike all the other transmissions, this one was coded for external reception over the air--and Ukihara's voice, subject to the mechanical distortions of radio amplification, can be heard clear as day. His voice is level, and his face behind that mask, unreadable. His gruff words are the only thing the opposing kunoichi can glean from him.
She moves towards him, her hand switching to try and lock around his throat, but with a twitch, the cerulean harrier bolts away from the schoolgirl kunoichi with a massive airburst, 'hmph'ing quietly into his facemask as he whips around, causing the cables snaking from the bottom of his dive coat to whip straight out in an arcing attack that threatens to cut Kurenai in two--
--A moment before his attack threatens Kurenai, he's interrupted by a most dapper man.
Thrusted into repeatedly with the gentleman's escrima sticks and completely blindsided and unprepared for the attack, the cerulean harrier is battered through his own cables, his coat ripped open by the relentless pummelling he receives, knocking a spare lightning bottle and one of the jet ninkou from his belt. While he attempts to gain leverage, the other jet doesn't have the necessary stabilization anymore, and sends the cerulean harrier spinning wildly into the distance in a half-conscious state.
[ Agh--I've lost a jet--! Miyama, I can't hold up anymore. I've got to land--escape now! ]
Unfortunately, the transmission falls on deaf ears. The gold harrier reacts visibly to the cerulean twirling into an unescapable tailspin, hissing something long and angry at Ibuki as her blades flash, driving Miyama away as surely as it cuts off Ibuki's advance.
[ I--I can't just abandon the mission, ] she reasons to herself and Ukihara.
[ Even if it's just me. I'll face them all. I have to see it through!! ]
[ I'll disable this one first... ] Snapping her twin swords together as a sight, she bursts blindingly fast towards Ibuki with both blades extended, her weapons stabbing straight forward. She intends to deal with Ibuki by pinioning her through the shoulders with her swords, and then slice the doggedly persistent ninja open as her blades flash free of the wound. [ .. And then finish the other two! ]
--------------------------<Paste from Seishirou>---------------------------
UKIHARA
"Agh... I'll write an apology to your ancestors.."
[SKILL] Leader Unit
ATTACK: Scorched Silver
SUPER: Twin Tails of Nibi
ABILITY: Evade
--------------------------<Paste to Linhai Town>---------------------------
The final thrust gives the gravity-inflicted gent yet further momentum forward, giving Kurenai back her personal space as soon as he largely fulfills her request. Momentarily, he laments the most petty thing imaginable on a freefall towards certain death - this is quite poor pacing, really, on his part. Most certainly a decisive strike, yes, but perhaps too soon...? Much too soon, he would believe.
As the cerulean harrier's brand of bothering is brought to an end (with a little bit of cold spray in Eagle's face for his efforts), something pops a bit high out of themselves that looks a whole lot like a bottle. Someone fancying a drink on their flight, perhaps? His curiosity overwhelms his common sense (like virtually everything else has this evening), bringing both sticks to clutch the container like a large pair of tongs. It takes more than a little fine dexterity to take hold of something so fragile with such force without causing the thing to shatter apart.
He brings his sticks up a little and squints to try and read the label. Hmm, no, this does not appear to be any brand of fine liquor he's ever encountered! Assuming, of course, they all land together safely, but...
With no real method to secure it and a glimpse at the impending earth taking off a bit of the spirit of adventurousness, he resigns himself to the possibility that he will just have to find himself another to give it a shot. Fully unaware of what this bottle actually does and/or contains, he tosses it away with a flourish as the bottle flies free of the hold between his sticks.
He manages to throw it in such a way that the damned thing, in blatant defiance of all probability, might crash somewhere on the back of the lone gold harrier. As Eagle is not privileged to what sorts of power such a little bottle holds (let alone the proper procedures to initiate the chi-powered electrical storm), the worst of it - one would hope - would be nothing more than just another average piece of garbage a disapproving spectator might throw.
One would likely hope such, for being on the receiving end of one of those things!
Down to one now. Kurenai glances down at the ground, frowning. This is cutting it a little close... she'll have to pop chute soon, no matter what... thankfully she was able to evade that lightning attack, which might've destroyed her chute. But they, as a group, still need to take down this last warrior. Ninja or not... she's still defeatable!
"Right," she says, half to herself, as she manuevers in midair, facing Miyama--the mysterious third Harrier. This is going to be a difficult shot... but probably worth it. Difficult, because Kurenai's choice of weapon is... unorthodox, to say the least. She reaches into a pocket somewhere, and pulls out... what looks like a razor-edged, metal protractor--the kind of half-circle arc kids use to learn about angles. About the same size, too.
It's about more than adjusting for wind and distance and speed... as Kurenai throws, she puts a little more into it, trying to increase the distance between Miyama and herself. If she doesn't open her chute in time, winning won't matter, after all.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Ibuki with Judgment of the Skies.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
She'd missed, that one moment and she'd utterly failed to connect with her last attack. Ibuki was staggered by her utter failure as a ninja and it was begining to dawn on her that her opponent was way beyond her ability to even hope to touch the Gold Harrier. Ibuki also begins to note how close to the ground they are getting and sighs deeply to herself all she wanted was to be a normal girl why did this always have to happen to her?
In this state of mind she's in no condition to even attempt to block the attack heading her way and hisses loudly as numerous other cuts open up all over her body due to her failure to stop the attack. Trickles of her own blood flying past her on the wind as she plumits towards the ground...and she apparently does nothing in response.
As she falls her eyes lock onto Miyama and watch her every move as Ibuki's own body reflexively begins to match those movements while consciously is out of the fight the years of training won't let her quit quite yet.
COMBATSYS: Ibuki focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team blocks Kurenai's Thrown Weapon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Eagle successfully hits Harrier Team with Small Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/--=====|
The communications frequency was unnervingly quiet now.
For Miyama, someone used to the reassuring voices of her comrades in their tight-knit unit, the revelation of pure silence and a vertiginous drop to nowhere was crushing. She was only vaguely aware of the ground careening ever closer--she used to rely on Ukihara to make the various projections and warnings as to their time to landfall. Now she has to do all these calculations herself. It's numbing, even if she knows--hopes--her friends are still alive.
But she can't back down now.
She's already decided to go all the way. Even if she has to use--
*bonk*
"Ow!!"
Did the jerk that took out Ukihara just hit her with one of his own lightning bottles?
With the space granted by Ibuki hanging back, the gold harrier has time in her reverie to notice the projectiles careening towards her. Some in ways harder than others. Deflecting the first kunoichi's strange mezzaluna to cut past her shoulder, the harrier seems almost reluctant to leave Ibuki floating there in freefall. Suddenly, the parakunoichi cuts dead forward after Ibuki, in an attempt to snag her about the neck in the crook of one arm and flip her upside-down, pointing the other kunoichi squarely towards the ground in a tangle of limbs.
As angry as she might be with the others, she has to stick to the plan. That's what Ukihara would have said, if he were here right now.
Eagle has himself a few coughs as he sucks in a bit more air while anxiety creeps up in the back of his mind. Perfectionism still nags even when he'd have already flubbed enough risky maneuvers for low-tier fight commentators to make a laughing stock out of him tonight. A quick look about gives him a brief stock of the situation, estimating he's a ways above the one in the beige (Ibuki) and the one dressed in gold in a similar fashion to the cerulean and crimson before them.
He's not really in a position where he wants to accelerate his fall any, thank you very much, which makes figuring out any sorts of further maneuvering a touch difficult! But, he supposes he could make for the old college try in which to assist his fellow free-faller.
In fact he would rather like to if it means he won't be harassed in what would be a death-defying one-shot-only attempt at saving his own life some scant seconds from now at this rate!
Deciding to test the strength in his left hand after that inconvenient strangling that nearly numbed it completely in the open air, he rears his left arm and respective stick back as he usually does when he makes that playful forward leap in most stage performances where there is ground no more than ten feet below him.
Because he is in freefall, one will have to make due without the 'playful forward leap' aspect.
Instead, there is a powerful hoverhead swing whose very strength draws him a little lower in altitude, hoping it brings him low enough that he might actually strike the gold harrier in the overhead swing - he doesn't think he could put that much strength into such a swing twice in a row within such a short span of time.
Mind the gent, Ibuki, even if he would likely be coming out of nowhere in terms of angle and approach!
Damn. Gotta work on her throwing technique. Or maybe the protractors are just too large... they're in that weird spot between the usual three-inch sized shuriken and the big dinner-plate mothers that some 'ninja' like to use. Feh. 'ninja'. Terminal time is coming up for all of them, but it's not quite here yet. Just enough time to maybe finish this one off... And she wants to do it with style, with flair.
And with a lot of pain on Miyama's part. The last harrier is diving in on Ibuki, looking to take the ninja out with what appears to be a rather painful looking throw technique--perhaps involving some breaking of necks. That's something Kurenai can appreciate... even if she does feel somewhat bound to stop it if she can. She's a touch far away, though, so she dives shallowly, drawing her weapon, bringing it overhead--and she's coming in almost exactly the same time as Eagle, just a few fractions of a second behind, bringing a big, sweeping slash around for the lady harrier.
It's a bit of tricky calculation to make sure she hits properly, and doesn't end up taking Eagle or Ibuki out--time for that later, if she must, but right now she isn't interested in betraying them--especially with her blade once again blazing with that pink energy as she cuts it in--coming in, through fortuitousness, planning, and happenstance, on the opposite side from Eagle. Her kiai is swallowed up in the sound of the rushing winds, but the force behind it travels as though the air were still. That is to say, it's highly likely Miyama knows that Kurenai is coming, even if she weren't the only logical target.
COMBATSYS: Ibuki dodges Harrier Team's Deathgrip.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|=======\=======\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
Ibuki's close observation of Miyama allows her to predict the attack as it comes and just as the other ninja's finger graze her skin, Ibuki rolls past the other ninja getting out of the way before she can be harmed and finds herself above and behind Miyama and her reflexs start kicking in as she snaps out of her fugue state.
"What...?" Ibuki blinks in confusion for a moment as her body goes into one of her signature moves she growls, "Come on Ibuki, let's make this a hit!" She then allows her body to parallel Miyama's and begins to spin as chi builds up in her muscles and the air pools around her body. She then launches a series of spin kicks each faster that the last with a burst of powerful air blasts to puncuate the full snap of the kick.
The teenage ninja notes during her rotation the other two people closing in on her opponent and tries to time her rotations and angle of her kicks so she misses both Eagle and Kurenai. This was going to be tricky but in spite of her momentary lapse of confidence she knows she can do this.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Eagle's Liverpool White.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|=======\=======\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team dodges Kurenai's Heaven Splitter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|=======\=======\1 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Ibuki successfully hits Harrier Team with Tsumuji.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Harrier Team
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
Ukihara didn't train them for three on one battles.
This was a problem.
Still, while she wasn't as graceful as the young leader of the team, Miyama was committed. Aware of her surroundings to an almost supernatural extent, the gold harrier twists into a deadly dive spin the moment Ibuki air-rolls past her in an impressive feat of maneuvering even Ryouhara himself might have commented on.
It is like she feels the great pressure building from the skies, Eagle's showy nature and Kurenai's spirit. She doesn't really have much of a choice here. What the golden-plated harrier does is less evade the twin curtains of attacks and more burst straight down past them, evading their timing by sheer seconds, the memories of her teammates burgeoning on her speed. She has to imagine--what would they say to her now?
(You're gonna lose it, Kinori..)
(Yeah! That's the way to be a hero!)
At that point, things fall apart. In some ways, it takes the precision timing of the other three to angle the golden harrier right into the third blow of Ibuki's whipping kicks, a moment of less than full speed causing the harrier to be smash-kicked right in the chest, knocking the breath from her lungs and sending her tumbling into an open freefall, barely conscious and attempting to regain the breath in her chest.
The answer comes to her slowly as she calms, drawing breath in slow through the simulated atmosphere in her mask.
...And she smiles.
[ I know you can't hear me right now. ]
No answer comes.
[ I know I might not be as strong as you guys... but I'll help this team too! ]
Slowly, pointing straight down, Miyama begins to spin slowly, her arms going straight out at her sides. First once, and then a second time, the velocity of each twist becoming hard and violent as she skirts ahead of the others. Used to the spinning dive, she can still make out the ground below. It's close now.
"...disappear." she whispers.
And with that, the gold harrier explodes into a whirl of smoke, disappearing in much the same way as Kazuma did. But as she does, at least seven contrails tumble slowly off of loosed projectiles in her wake. Sealed bottles -- and a lot of them. Familiar ones, tumbling in a meandering pattern mostly up past Kurenai and Eagle, whose downward momentums drew them a lot lower than Ibuki's own blows.
The resulting thunderblast is enough to light up the dusk as if it were noon.
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
--------------------------<Paste from Seishirou>---------------------------
MIYAMA
"If we can't have peace, then we should definitely have war.."
[HEART] Graceful Unit
ATTACK: Dancing Skyblades
MAX: From Nirvana, with Love
ABILITY: Rush
--------------------------<Paste to Linhai Town>---------------------------
Eagle's swing comes up short, unless it is his intention to punish all this thin air rushing into his face and making it hard to breathe. In which case, it is very difficult to miss that thin air - but the closer and closer proximity of the ground yet handily overrides the disappointment of a seemingly foiled (and entirely unplanned - whoever that young lady is over there that dove with him knows how to improvise, something he found Maki sorely lacking) assault. He can't hear the sound of a well-timed kick to their remaining foe's chest, and can only assume they are still in play.
It does bring the three of them relatively close together though, which could be considered a boon even as he struggles to reassert his falling form and not go into a rapid dizzying spiral or tumble again like he already has before. His head feels faint enough as it is, thank you very much.
That is when he finds the golden harrier rocketing past him with such a dangerous velocity that being even within the wake of it is no laughing matter, catching a glimpse of more and more of those bottles as he fans his arms out some. Hmm, how much alcohol do any of them need to bring with them on a skydive? A local custom, of so--
Then the blinding flash! Eagle does love him the limelight but this is absolutely ridiculous!! He finds his sight and hearing overwhelmed by the final great bright crack of chi-powered thunder, unable to be in a position to help either of those alongside himself.
COMBATSYS: Eagle takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
It's unfortunate for Ibuki, but this is as far as Kurenai's comradely feelings extend, at least in this moment. Miyama's going down and she wants to take Ibuki with her? That's fine by Kurenai. Better her than me, is the thought. But with that... she's going to have to do some quick recalculations in order to make her landing safe. She isn't sure -where- those three went... but she's sure they're not dead.
Unfortunately, Ibuki is above her, and so is Miyama, and more importantly--so is Miyama's burst of energy. It's... the risk is considerable, but she doesn't have much choice; if she attempts to slow her velocity -now-, she'll be caught by the lightning. So, with that in mind... she goes into a shallow dive.
The goal is not to increase her rate of descent, relative to Ibuki, although that happens a touch--the goal is to increase her horizontal movement. Both to get her out of the area of effect and... to provide some momentum should she need it...
Right now, it's all she can do to -not- pull her chute. She has to wait--has to get out of the way... and trust in herself. Her training, her instincts... her chute.
This is going to be, by far, the closest cut she's ever had to make--with that in mind, she slides her weapon back into place, leaving both hands free. She suspects she's going to need them.
COMBATSYS: Kurenai takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Ibuki 0/-------/=======|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Harrier Team successfully hit Ibuki with Miyama - From Nirvana with Love.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ <
Ibuki 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
Twirling still from the last of her kick, Ibuki is mentally cheering her victory over the gold Harrier as Miyama drops like a stone. Ibuki quickly realizes that she's going to be hitting the ground very soon, she decides it's time to deploy her backup. Reaching behind herself she pulls a strip of cloth and deploys another smaller glider, while she tries to ride the air currents to the closest tree, building, or other high up spot to help break her fall as this glider wasn't designed for extended use.
Unfortunately for Ibuki things don't go as she plans, because while she was busy setting herself up to glide to safety Miyama's final attack is launched and the teen ninja isn't ready for it at all. Weaving through the air as the first of the lightning bursts around her, Ibuki goes into a steep but controlled dive trying to out run lighting itself, of course this was doomed to failure and as the energy courses through her Ibuki grits her teeth locks her arms and legs as she feels consciousness leave her and aims for the a grove of trees to break her fall.
As her last defiant act she smirks, "Ibuki wins!" She yells towards the distant and falling Miyama and then she passes out from the pain and electrical burns her glider already smoking and burning.
COMBATSYS: Ibuki takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Ibuki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 0/-------/---====|
The spectacle clears. What doesn't clear is that building feeling in the man's gut when the planet he so gleefully prances along on any number of overblown glitz and glamour journeys and the thought that yeeeeeeeees maybe he's going beyond that point of entirely safe landing at this altitude oh my goodness if I am to survive this I am going to be having a chat yes a very pleasant gentlemanly chat indeed.
He raises his right stick for a moment behind himself as if attempting some sort of flailing that would get nowhere, only to find that the larger half of the parachute bag he has is still there. Reaching behind him with the stick to pull the string proper, there is the usual 'floomph' noise to be expected. But, to simply pray that this will merely slow down impact enough is foolish and... dare we say, not a good show for anyone who might be watching!!
He clicks the sticks together one last time, having no time to focus other than just having the assurance he still has them in hand as he suddenly swings his arms outward in a rapid spin - his arms and sticks a blur, emitting an inexplicable yellow color streak around the edges.
If he can hold the posture long enough for the time-tested Manchester Gold, perhaps that might take a little edge off the velocity when he lands gracefully and beautifully with a showy bow.
The reality does not... entirely mirror this.
The rapidly spinning Eagle finally hits the earth leading with his right leg. He grunts loudly as this 'bow' is instead replaced with a 'pained kneel' as his knee impacts painfully against a hard surface, the bottom of his other leg to follow while a sting shoots through his back as he bends himself over in a nearly lost fight with gravity itself, the collective sensation making him drop the sticks across the battlefield.
There is a wheezing wreck of a man who is soon smothered by the parachute. This was not what one would consider perfect landing form!! (But he should stop whining about what ultimately ensures he's still drawing breath, that ponce.)
COMBATSYS: Eagle takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Kurenai 0/-------/---====|
[ \\\\\\ <
Eagle 1/------=/=======|
The instant the lightning storm clears, Kurenai's pulled her chute. It is... going to be tricky... but a thousand should be -just- enough time... to keep her from pancaking immediately on touchdown. The sudden jerk of the chute filling, at speed, leaves her stomach somewhere about a hundred feet below where she was--she fights nausea, as well as everything else, steering her chute as best as she can. She considers whether to drop into the trees, to get away from Eagle and Ibuki.. but decides that a safe landing outweighs secrecy. Were she higher up... bygones are bygones.
She's looking for the flattest, safest landing she can find. Not manly enough to tank the landing, the way Eagle did, Kurenai finds the softest-looking patch of ground she can find, amongst the trees--a shortish, if relatively tree-free lane... and when she's got enough horizontal momentum, and she's low enough, maybe 15 feet above the treeline, she kills her chute, quick-releasing it... and throws herself into a forward tumble, curled up to protect all the most necessary parts of her.
Which is everything. If she's aimed herself right, the softer ground should bleed off enough momentum that she can take care of the rest with some fancy footwork... such as popping up out of her tumble and kicking out against the big tree she's rolling at, her legs compressing as she absorbs excess kinetic force.. and then flips twice as she lands to the ground.
The impact is enough to cause major bruises, but bruises heal... and she turns around twice, getting her bearings. "Right. I'm in. Better make this trip worth it."
Trees are wonderful things, they provide shade on sunny days, they make lots of oxygen, they give kids places to climb when they're bored, they sometimes even eat kites, and finally and most invaluable of all they provide unconscious ninja perfect speed breaks as they fall from the sky on burning gliders. As the unconscious Ibuki glides into the treetops their is a rather loud snapping and crunching sound as the trees do this final service beautifully. If anyone should go looking for the teen ninja they will find her hanging upside down from one leg wrapped in the smoldering wreckage of her secondary glider looking like some type of freakishly gigantic bat.
When Ibuki eventually comes too, she's going to have to deal with three things getting herself unstuck, really really sore leg muscles, and the mother of all head aches but for now she is a blissfully unaware fire bat hanging in a tree.
Log created on 22:14:36 04/04/2010 by Kurenai, and last modified on 01:50:31 04/13/2010.