Description: The end of the Kasagi Saga: As Nenzhao collapses around them, the Spider of S.I.N. threatens to pull both Hakuya and Jiro into the flames of Hell with her. Jiro finds strength from within, and from those who have aided him in his journey, in order to brave the encroaching darkness. To save the life of another he lays down his own in an epic final battle!
Welcome to Hell.
The Nanzhao Metalwork Factory was the place that was told to contain some secrets that would be vital to the fighters. As such, Jiro had made it his mission to get through to give the information back to Einherjar, as well as Alma and Frei. After all, a body is needed to confirm the rumors.
But this place is hell now. Metal has melted all over the place, forming to be a smoldering lava. The melting pot of life is known as heat washes above the ground. Since the end of the match, there was a peace... Before explosives made itself known. This discharge of explosives gut the top half of the building. This leaves the three suspended on a gutted wire catwalk.
While the molten iron waits for them from below, the single knot of several struts keep the catwalk suspended.
It took a while of breathing and resting for Jiro to recover. Ullr, who was prevously wearing a helmet, is now without one. The blood on the blond haired man's face had dried, leaving him to look quite beat up. Although the armor looks less than stellar, it is durable.
They had been defeated... if only just. It had been a truly close fight, and even the Korean woman had felt it. After all, why retreat if not to lick the wounds a little? Or that's what Hakuya dearly hoped would happen, anyway. Himself, all he could be bothered for right now was to hold onto the catwalk's railing, panting heavily, trying to regain some semblence of strength. He hurt in a lot of places, and while he could probably stand to fight more, now... it wouldn't be pretty for him. Jiro wasn't in much better of shape, either. So hopefully the woman doing an impression of a trap door spider would let them leave.
Yeah, and maybe Marise would call him up on his cellphone to tell him she repented her evil ways.
Explosions rock Nenzhao as stuff gets well and truly real. The catwalk is just barely hanging on as it is. And truthfully, the building didn't look all that sturdy to begin with. Lava flows, eternally puffing forges, and now explosions likely would weaken the entire thing. It was suicide to stay in this building any longer, no matter the fact that Jiro and he had come in here to find some secrets. They hadn't really found any yet, but the Guardian King didn't think they were really going to get any, now!
"Whoa- whoa- waa! H, hey, Helmet Guy, I don't think we should stay in this building any more! We need to get out of here!" They could still make it, he felt. So long as that woman stayed away. But she wouldn't be crazy enough to attack them while the building was attempting to collapse, would she?
There will be Hell to pay.
At least, that's what Juri tells herself. She was separated from Jiro and Hakuya by an explosion. The catwalk she was standing upon was consumed by a massive geyser of flame, dust, and shrapnel. Her scream of pain was cut off by the deafening roar of the explosions as she narrowly escaped the now descending platform by scrambling up onto another one nearby. The end result was a reprieve for both parties. Which is good for Jiro and Hakuya, as Juri was still standing and still very much lethal after her battle with them.
As for Juri herself, well, the explosion has taken an obvious toll. The flesh on the left side of her body was battered and bloodied by chunks of the building. Fresh burns cover her feet arms and torso. Her outfit was also damaged heavily by the blast leaving the left leg of her pants all but shredded while the right leg has been blackened by soot and char. When she stands from her resting position the iconic image of a spider of her back is partially obscurred by her long black hair. She's now lopsided: one of her horn-like buns having come undone. All in all she looks like two halves of two different people mashed together to form on Frankensteinian amalgamation - her right side, who she was at the beginning of the fight and her left side, who she is now.
Both sides look equally pissed.
Explosions continue to rock the building as it continues its slow demise. Large chunks of material rumble past before tumbling into the molten pool below. Clouds of sulfuric ash and dust rise all around helping obscure the vision of the fighters. This goes too for Juri - at least until Hakuya's reliable mouth opens up and gives her their location.
Just as a large metal beam sheers past her resting spot, sending it careening into the abyss below, Juri launches herself into the air! Briefly she wallsprints along the side of the metalworks before finally the catwalk that Jiro and Hakuya are standing upon comes into view. With that she launches herself away from the side of the building and catches the end of the catwalk with her outstretched arm.
Luckily for her she used her good (right) arm and is quick to flip herself up and onto the catwalk. Landing in a crouching position, she grants both Jiro and Hakuya a chilling glare, "Heh... leaving so soon are we?" Her voice is that familiar menacing purr of hers, "We were just starting to get to know each other." Oh yes... she's crazy alright.
COMBATSYS: Juri has started a fight here on the right meter side.
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Juri 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Jiro has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Juri
This irritates Ullr. They came to get something important. However, at this point, it is pointless to pursue that. The young man looks over towards Hakuya with a shrug. "I suppose so." He shuts his eyes, then he looks below to see the smoldering lava below them. It doesn't look inviting to continue on at this point. They have no choice but to leave.
Looking over towards Hakuya, Jiro says, "Let's get out of....---"
That thought is interrupted as Juri lands along the catwalk. His eyes shift over to see Juri in front of them. He tightens his fists, then he looks over at the young man. He looks down at the situation below them and the killer before them. His mind starts to draw over to the fact that, in a way, he is already dead. If there is something that Jiro liked, it was Hakuya's optimism. He had that youthful behavior that Jiro wished he had.
"...Hakuya. Get out of here."
Black flames ignite along the hand, the blazing aura swirl along the hand before he tightens the fist with it gripped. He swings the right hand up, releasing the black cutter to slice towards Juri. "Down, bitch!"
Surely she wouldn't try and come back for them while the building was falling apart. It'd be crazy! Ha ha...
And then there's Juri. Hakuya may look less than happy with that. This woman is crazy! ...Maybe even crazier than Marise! That takes some doing, man, it's not like Marise is at an easily achievable level of crazed.
Hakuya backs up a little, showing, yes, deliberate concern, if not quite fear. After all, there's a pretty good chance if the three of them get caught in a fight now, they'll ALL die. Like, really die. They may all be insanely tough, but very few people could actually survive a relaxing bath in molten metal. Didn't the Korean woman also realize this? Or-- wait. She WAS rather acrobatic. Moreso than Jiro and himself. And, well, she WAS stronger, and had those strange powers. Perhaps she felt she could get out of her in a shorter time span? If so, that was very bad. Hakuya takes another step backwards, thinking about their options. They were both hurt, but working together they could beat her back... but they wouldn't have enough time to escape. But if they tried to just leave, there's no way she'd let them.
'Get out of here'. Jiro says it without even looking at him, directing him to leave. And then Jiro launches himself off to begin battling Juri. The Guardian King wasn't precisely as smart as his other team mates, but even he understood what Jiro meant. This was a sacrifice. Maybe not 100% something that would end in the armored man's death, but it was pretty damn likely. And Jiro had volunteered himself, just like that, to buy him time to leave. In a reverse situation, Hakuya would've totally done the same, though he was somewhat weaker than Jiro, and he didn't know if he could even buy the man the time needed.
Logically, this WAS the best plan to ensure at least one of them survived... but...
Literally, it takes Hakuya minutes of hesitation to finally accept it. In truth, Juri probably has already begun her counterattack against Jiro by the time the Guardian King takes a step back. Then another. Then another. Then he turns. "Don't die!!" Hakuya says. Totally helpful, there. It's not like he has much of a choice, though. It was literally 'make the armored man's sacrifice mean nothing and both of them die here' in the most likely case, or 'get the hell out and hope for the best'.
So, Hakuya leaves, jumping across a small chasm formed in the catwalks and hurriedly heading towards the nearest exit.
COMBATSYS: Juri blocks Jiro's Balefire.
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Jiro 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Juri
Juri was already down, thank you very much. And as Jiro sends that black wave of chi energy her way she seems to have no intent of getting any further down. Instead she stands and simply... CATCHES the cutter within her outstretched hand. This is not without a price, of course, and the black energy sears her palm and radiates down her lower arm before she closes her fist to snuff out the projectile. A cold chuckle follows, "Now, the only person who will be going down here, I think, is you..." her eyes focus intently on Jiro,"... and your little friend..." her eyes snap to the now-fleeing Hakuya.
What?
A resolute fire burns within Juri as she scowls, and turns back to Jiro, "Are you serious? Do you really think you can beat me and escape alive?" She doesn't even wait for the answer. In truth, even without her psycho power abilities she can see that steeled determination in Jiro's eyes. It's enough to make her stumble over words, nearly take a step back and into the abyss, before the burning passion of her anger returns and sustains her.
"So that's it."
Her voice is as cold and hard as tempered steel. She crouches down into a feral looking fighter posture with hands outstretched before her. She continues, "You honestly think that by taking me on, alone, you can save your little friend." Seering anger enters her eyes, "YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" As she screams those words Hakuya leaps from the catwalk, over the chasm, and onto the other catwalk - toward his escape. Meanwhile with a horrifying wrenching sound the catwalk both Juri and Jiro are standing begins to descend abruptly!
But then it stops just as abruptly. Something high above manages to catch it from its free fall, and Juri and Jiro are secure once more. That molten pool below though is now closer and the escape options are becoming fewer. Juri barely even stumbled from the abrupt descent and sudden stop. Instead she stares harshly at Jiro as her left eye glows bright. From the viewpoint of the left eye the Feng Shui engine offers Juri useful information on Jiro's life and chi energy and the strengths and weaknesses of his combat style.
"I'll eat you up, and then I'll tear your friend to pieces. It'll all be for nothing."
"Nothing."
COMBATSYS: Juri focuses on her next action.
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Jiro 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Juri
The eyes shift over towards Hakuya as he flees. After he does turn to run, he bids Jiro luck. A faint smile is drawn on his face, as the mood is drawn with determination. "This is my last mission a Ullr." Pause. "No. Jiro Kasagi." He has a calm look about him, his attention is drawn towards the presence of Juri when she is ready to deal with him now. He can see her hesitation after seeing his resolve.
"...Someone will likely die here." Jiro muses thoughtfully at Juri's comment. "It just won't be him." The fist tightens while Juri prepares herself. "I promise that."
As Jiro is stepping his right side forward and both fists are drawn up, his mind briefly blanks as a flow of memories are swimming through his mind as the molten lava's heat rises. The reflections of everything that he had fought for. All of his adventures. Everything that he had to deal with from the beginning of his fighting career.
******
A man in his mid-twenties, black haired, bespectacled and in a suit.
~ "Just remember... Embrace who you were and who you are. You were never weak... until you doubted yourself. Remember those who fight for you." ~
A blond haired man in a white suite with cold red eyes.
~ "Good, Jiro. But now it's time for a lesson, after which I'm going to leave you to reflect on it. Understand that there is a price for power. And here is a taste of what it is like." ~
******
As the reflection fades, Jiro immediately sprints towards Juri, bringing his fist over towards the ground, "...And I always keep my promise!" As the flames spark to life, the black blaze envelops his hand before it launches towards Juri's chin, "BURN IN HELL!"
COMBATSYS: Juri interrupts Burning Hell from Jiro with Senpusha.
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Jiro 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Juri
As Jiro sprints toward her with his attack, something about his resolve sickens Juri. Something: a memory from the distant tries to twist itself up and out from deep within her psyche. Something from her past that latches onto the expression on Jiro's face, those eyes.
~... remember... strength... not...~
With a low growl she pushes that memory down just in time to see Jiro bearing down upon her with all his strength and all his anger. He demands for her to burn in Hell, and it deserves a response in kind. So when he is close enough to launch his uppercut, aimed ever so painfully at her chin, she screams loudly in response, "KILL KILL KILL!" as she is launching herself upward into a painful spinning kick! Jiro's fist finds purchase on her lower back as it rises upward, but it's not enough to stop her from spinning once ... twice... and three brutal times. Each kick is laced with the lethal trails of purple psycho power.
Landing from her assault, Juri grunts softly and grips at her side. "Heh... I'll give you this, Jiro." Oh, she heard your name, "You're not a total weakling. The two of you actually had me on the ropes for a second, but you choked right at the end." This brings a cruel, mocking laugh from the woman.
Another loud rumble is heard overhead as an explosion rocks the metalworking facility once more. Metal beams and chunks of concrete shower from above and toward the pool below - all just narrowly missing the catwalk the two fighters stand upon. Below they crash into the molten pool and send up massive plumes of molten metal high into the air! Juri watches all of this, and licks her lips shortly afterward...
"Would you like for me to describe for you how I intend to kill your friend? Since you won't be around to see it, and all."
The Stray Dog, Jiro Kasagi, is beginning to find himself fading. As he continues to charge her way, he immediately meets with the psychotic girl's strike as she comes upward with a painful spinning kick. That foot strikes him against the face, sending him sprawling and twisting over. But that was not once. It strikes two more times, turning im faster with the impact as the psychopower runs through his mind.
He spins in the air and he drops on his face. Gritting his teeth, Jiro is slamming a fist towards the ground. "Damnit!" He coughs. He lifts his head up towards Juri with a glare.
It comes back in a flash of whiteness. The memories of those who paved his life come forth once more.
*****
A young girl in her late-teens, wearing a white bandana and a schoolgirl outfit. Sakura....~ "Hey, look. Jiro. You're my friend. ... Now, and as long as you want me to be. ~
A young black haired girl, very short. Mimiru..
~"People who can figure out if the gain is worth the cost are generally the ones who are better off in life, you know.."~
A blond-red haired man who looks quite pretty. Alma.
~ "When you come back, we'll both be stronger." ~
*****
Standing back up, Jiro get another breath and he looks down to see the rocks fall. As death looms over the both of them, the fighter keeps himself ready. That chunk narrowly missing the catwalk is glanced over for a moment. He looks up at Juri with a glare, "...Negative. Because you won't get that chance." He stands back up, then he releases a scream as the blazing aura manifests around him. Scorching black flames lick the air as it seeks to tear into Juri should she remain too close.
In the meantime... a silhoutte of a shadow crosses his mind.
COMBATSYS: Juri parries Jiro's Defiance!
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Jiro 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Juri
Most normal people would be impressed by Jiro's gusto. MOST people would find it laudable, perhaps praise-worthy. His bravery in the face of certain death would bring medals and ticker tape parades. However, as is clearly evident, Juri is not most people. Instead it brings even more of that passionate rage bubbling up to the surface from deep within her being. And, with it, that strange persistant memory voice that haunts her dreams.
~Juri ... must remember ... strength is not ...~
And once again it is violently shoved back into a corner of her mind. Why this, why now? She should be feeling giddy at this point! Savoring Jiro's flailing attacks as she moves in to step on his throat and snuff his last breath away. And his calm refusal to be afraid of what she'll do is doing nothing to help her in her situation.
As Jiro screams and fills the air around him with that blazing black aura, Juri stands up as well. The incoming wall of chi is met with her outstretched hand as she beckons it closer, "Come on, if you think you have what it takes to stop me!" Then with a flash of light from her left eye and a blur of motion Juri moves with supernatural speed from in front of Jiro to behind him.
He won't have long to react now as her hand lances out to grab him by the throat. If successful there will be more to describe; If not, well, then this is all.
COMBATSYS: Jiro parries Juri's Strong Throw EX!
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Jiro 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Juri
Juri is strong. She was able to break -through- the defenses of the blazing chi. It is scary to consider how strong she is and what she can likely do. She is about to show that as she aims to grab the throat.
Suddenly, that silhoutte appears again.
~ "You didn't manage to get past the guard ferret." ~
A giggle draws back into his mind as the shadow appears to be.. a young, black haired girl in pigtails in a Chinese outfit.
Hotaru.
Everything seems to stop. In fact, Jiro can actually see the hand moving towards his throat. With both eyes widening, he immediately shoots his right hand towards the incoming hand, shifting his stance over as his left leg leads him towards the other corner. His eyes shift over towards Juri, the eyes narrowing at her. "As far as beating you goes, probably not. However..."
is right leg lifts up, then it extends out to where he is shooting the leg out towards Juri's stomach. The in-step is the one that is seeking to making the impact against her gut.
"I will stop you from going after him."
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Juri with Strong Kick EX.
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Jiro 1/----===/=======|=======\==-----\1 Juri
A moment's overconfidence, that's all it takes to lose in the fighting world. Juri never did learn this lesson very well. And as Jiro's hand deftly deflects her own, she has but a moment to widen her eyes in shock before his leg impacts against her gut!
Another explosion rocks the facility as Juri stumbles backward hugging her stomach. The impact seems to have actually hurt her, quite a bit. And as more debris from the metalworking facility rains from the sky around them Juri sinks to her knees. In that moment there is another horrendous wrenching sound from overhead as the catwalk holding the two fighters aloft resumes plummeting toward the pit below!
It stops, gracefully, but now the searing heat from the pool of molten metal below can be felt upon every square centimeter of exposed flesh. Juri, however, is momentarily lost in her own mind as that loathsome memory returns once again.
~A-ppa! A-ppa! Did you see? My opponent in the last round: He didn't even /touch/ me. I'm so strong!
~Juri, my daughter, you must remember that true strength isn't being strong. True strength is being able to protect others when they need you most.
"You're wrong."
Juri screams out tearfully at Jiro as she comes back to her feet.
"YOU'RE WROOOOONG!" She howls in uncontrolled fury as her left eye suddenly glows with garish lavender light. Throwing her left arm backwards momentarily, Juri then instantly spins into an incredible spiral of Psycho Power as it rushes through her entire body. Her body spins in horizontal kicks that will first sweep Jiro off his feet, then juggle him up into the air. From there will proceed the most horrible of all pains that Juri can deliver. Is Jiro ready for it? We shall see.
COMBATSYS: Jiro endures Juri's Kaisen Dankairaku!
[ < > ///////////// ]
Jiro 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0 Juri
All of her pain, all of her agony, all of her fury feeds into this one attack. To that end her psycho power is similarly tinged with that emotion. Jiro may even be able to hear faint voices from the corner of his mind - voices that are not, in fact from his memory but from Juri's. Of a daughter and a father, clearly close to one another, talking. Of an incredible, wrenching feeling of loss. All of this leading perhaps to one potential realization:
The 'monster' was once human, she knows loss, she knows despair, and she knew love.
Not that this matters now. For as Jiro rises in the air with the swirling psycho power storm about him he'll be able to see Juri rising as well out of the corner of his eye. Her entire body is wreathed with swirling purple energy before delivering a mighty downward kick intent on launching him back to the catwalk below! She'll land before him though. Incredibly launching herself downward from mid-air with enough speed that she has to land on all fours or risk sliding off the platform. Once she has recovered she stands and twists herself around for a might back-breaking kick straight upwards - and into Jiro's lower back.
As she stands and continues to hold that vertical split of a kick, she arches her back upward so that she can reach up and gently carress Jiro's face. "You see... it's hopeless, after all." And with that declaration she'll twist her body around so that she can drive Jiro's pain wracked body into the ground directly atop of his head!
It's the Twilight of the Soul... what is written next will decide the fate of us all.
Damn.
*****
Alma's words ring in his head again...
~ "...Maybe we've both lost our identities... Ullr." ~
~ "And neither are you."
It is strange sentence. It was back when Alma mentioned that Seishirou was not dead. But Frei mentioned... neither was he.
*****
It is funny on how true he was. Jiro finds himself facing off against Juri, the one who wants to murder him. A smile is drawn towards his face when she has a fury in her eyes. As she spins towards his direction, the psycho power radiates from her as she spins forth with a hoizontal kick. The foot lands across the leg and he is launched up into the air for the feet.
While in the air within the storm, his eyes woozily notices Juri coming up towards him with the purple energy-engulfed foot as it sends a painful downward kick to shoot him towards the catwalk. Andwhen she appears underneath him, he meets with a back-breaking kick towards the lower back.
A gentle caress.... and then she twists it to have him split into the catwalk. Bones are crushed... the body is broken.
Images fill his mind.
******
In particular, a young woman with messy white hair... Acacia.
~ "For the love of God, don't screw up." ~
...Hotaru's voice speaks out.
~ "...come on, Jiro... ignore the taunts." ~
This was back... when he had his bout against Dante. That was when he was about to die that day.
******
There is a strange will that compells Jiro to stand up to his feet. Gripping to the ground, Jiro says, "...I can hear your pain.." Jiro is uncertain why he can hear her inner pain. In essence? Jiro can recall that it is due to the fact that he had a connection with Alma. Perhaps Alma's psychic ability has lingered to Jiro in some ways.
"...No matter. You used to be human. Part of you still is."
He grits histeeth, staggering up to his feet. He takes one step forward, moving about. With each step taken, Jiro can see the memories flood his mind. Alma, Mimiru, Frei, Dante, Kain, Kurow, Sakura. All of the people that he met; all of the people that he loved.
As more of the building collapses, rocks fall once more towards the catwalk. While it knicks the catwalk, it does shift the balance a bit. Jiro, in spite of that, continues moving. With tighten fists, he growls and he launches himself towards the woman. His fist moves upward towards her stomach with an upward strike. That fist, along the way laces itself with the crimson blaze. The blackness of the flames fade away now.
he left hand winds back, channeling its power before he launches that left hand towards her face. Upon impact, a thunderous explosion will detonate.
COMBATSYS: Jiro prepares to take his last stand against Juri!
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Juri
COMBATSYS: Juri blocks Jiro's Scarlet Slaughter.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Juri
More and more explosions begin to rock the metalworking facility. It is clear that whatever Juri set off in the last fight, they have now begun to work their final bit of magic. Clouds of dust and debris from the explosions threaten to choke out the night sky overheard, and almost certainly obscure the remainder of what happens from prying eyes. Lest those prying eyes just happen to be about to die in a fiery blaze of glory themselves.
For now it is just Juri and Jiro in their own personal Hell. After her last attack Juri was sure it was finished. She felt, she HEARD bones crack and tendons snap. She knows that after something like that no one can stand. No one could defy her. It was over. Which explains the outright shock in her eyes when she hears Jiro's voice behind her. She quickly turns to face him and mouths the words silently:
Impossible.
He moves so fast, and Juri so slow. She tries to get a reading of his life and chi energy, but it seems the the heat surrounding her gets to the best of the Feng Shui engine. The light in her left eyes shuts off and her left vision field fills with static. He's still coming for her though and she braces for impact! When his left fist meets with her arms there is a thunderous explosion!
And this time, not from the facility.
Once the explosion and its resulting cloud die away it reveals Juri still standing there holding her block. Her shrapnel wounds have re-opened and are now bleeding profusely. It is clear, now, that she is on the end of her rope. Her voice speaks disbelievingly, "Impossible... why? Why won't you just give up already?! WHY ARE YOU HERE?! To be a hero? You sad sack of shit. You're nothing. When history is written you'll be a smudge on a page. So tell me why, why is it so important that you throw everything away for someone else? WHY?!"
Not that she waits for an answer. When she is done trying to dress Jiro down for his heroic antics her right foot suddenly comes up in a psycho power kick aimed directly at Jiro's jaw. If it connects it'll send him up into the air and, hopefully, away from her.
COMBATSYS: Juri successfully hits Jiro with Fuhajin.
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Jiro 1/----===/=======|=====--\-------\0 Juri
The fist strikes against her arms. There is that explosive power. Jiro knows that he has no chance in this fight against her. Yet he continues. She finds herself confused as to why he continues to fight. Why does he fight? What is it important for him? Jiro looks over towards Juri, "...I am already dead to the world." Jiro lifts his shoulders up with a shrug, "Does it matter that I will I won't be known within the pages of history?"
He attempts to move away from the right foot, but he is taken a nice snap towards the jar. His head is twisted as his body is launched into the air. As he is flung along the air, away from Juri as she wanted. Then he lands flatly along the ground. He lifts his head up, then he slowly draws himself back up to his feet.
"...I've learned something... I started off as a kid who knew nothing. Just a simple brawler." He lifts his head up, the eyes narrowing, "I've grown up since then." He staggers forth, "I may be dead to the public, but... it doesn't matter. It is done because it has to be done." He smiles faintly, looking back, "... The kid has a good future ahead of him." Then, his eyes drift towars Juri, "...You are redeemable, even if you don't see it." He smiles faintly, "...I knew of someone like you."
~ Kula... ~
The reflection of the young girl.
~ "I don't have time to stay for lunch, so I'll just stand. Can I see your badge? It's really neat that you've become an officer after all this time." ~
The person who he put his life on the line for. Not sure if she'll appreciate that. But at this point, it doesn't matter.
Jiro lifts his body up, struggling to move.
More of the building collapses. This time... Another explosion is set off from the other side of the building. Within the lava factory, the jaws of death awaits those above it to fall into its clutches.
The chi radiates from Jiro as he lifts a hand into the air. Scarlet fireflies flutter along the air as he tightens his fist. "...For now..." Jiro slams his fist owards the catwalk. This causes parts of what keeps it propped up to start snapping. The explosion of chi comes forth and spreads a dome of blazing energy that seeks to consume Juri.
"INDIGNATION!"
COMBATSYS: Jiro can no longer fight. Is this the end of lovable Jiro?
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Juri 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Juri endures Jiro's Indignation.
[ \\\\\ <
Juri 0/-------/=======|
And so, it ends.
As Jiro stands before Juri, and speaks his final words to her the result is ... needless to say, intense. Her irises and pupils both seem to contract tightly as she grits her teeth in anger. Who the hell does he think he's talking to? WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK NEEDS SAVING?! Regardless of the potency of her last attack Jiro stands once more, and this infuriates her even more.
IF her Feng Shui engine was functioning she'd be able to tell he was on his very last legs.
But for now half of her vision field is treated to static, while the other half is treated to Jiro's platitudes. She coldly in response, "No. You don't know me, you don't know who I am, you don't know what I want."
Her voice resounds very clearly within his mind: ~YOU KNOW NOTHING.~
He seems unphased, as always, by her anger though. It seems that she is fighting someone finally beyond the reach of fear, of anger, of despair: the very same emotions that governs her life so utterly. This is no more evident than when he produces a massive blast of blazing chi energy that threatens to consume the entire platform both he and Juri are standing upon! She grunts in pain, narrows her eyes, and then runs straight through the billowing wall of chi!
Toward the epicenter she runs as the potent energy tears at the remains of her clothing and her frame. Once she reaches the center, once she reaches Jiro she will grab ahold of him and whisper into his ear.
"Rest in peace."
Her lips brush against his cheek, granting him a gentle peck, before she leaps up and onto his shoulders. She uses his body as a springboard to leap up and out of the epicenter of the chi dome! Trailing behind her are lines of Jiro's final attack as she struggles, fluttering through the air, to reach one of the remaining pieces of catwalk that are holding nearby. WILL SHE MAKE IT?!
With a scream of pain the very ends of her fingers grip the jagged end of the grating. The sharpened metal cuts deeply into her flesh as she grunts, then screams loudly as she pulls herself up very very slowly. When she finally climbs up and onto the grating she flops loosely atop its surface, breathing heavily. Her entire body is covered in a mixture of chi and heat burns, her clothing is in tatters, and her long black hair now hangs loosely from her head: she apparently lost the last of her hair bands.
Slowly, painfully she works her way over to peer over the edge of the catwalk and confirm what she already knows. The catwalk she and Jiro was fighting upon is gone. If Jiro survived at all, she does not know. However one thing of his did manage to escape: his PDA. Juri chuckles to herself as she holds it up to her face to examine it and its badly cracked screen. "I went through Hell and back to get you..." she whispers, chuckling, "... but now things will be getting a lot more interesting."
The explosion is made...
Jiro looks over towards Juri when she passesby him. As her lips brush along his cheek for a peck, he shuts his eyes. "...Goodbye." When she leaps over towards his shoulders, he is used as a springboard as she leaps out of the path of the dome. Unfortunately, the explosion is bigger than she thought, granting her the blazing flames. As she had polevaulted off of Jiro, he is slammed gainst the catwalk.
The final strips and pieces holding the catwalk finally snap, giving purchase to collapse into the ground.
Jiro.... lands within a section of the ground that has surprisingly still keeping the catwalk from falling into the melting pot of the lava. However, that is only part of the concern. While Juri had likely escaped, the important part is that Hakuya escaped. He looks over towards his radio, laughing a bit. It is separate from his PDA. With the radio turned on, Jiro states.
"To Einherjar. This is my last go around. I send my apologies towards Adelheid. He had plans, I know. However... I am afraid that I will not be part of that." He laughs, leaning against the catwalk as more of the building starts collapsing. "Ullr... No. Jiro Kasagi, signing off."
The factory is breaking apart from the top, collapsing upon itself while melting.
Rocks all, the lava catches. Jiro lifts his head up to gaze at the sky. He can see parts of the building collapse, but it gives way for him to see... the light of the sun.
Time is taken to reflect back.
~ A little boy, no older than five, is hiding behind a black kid with a basketball. He seemed so afraid. Jiro was just a boy with no courage to fight for himself. Kyle was always his protector. ...if not him, then his little sister. ~~
~ Meeting Alma within the alley, who wanted to fight him. Jiro was just a punk kid who grew irritated with the man's presence. ~
~ His times of beating came from several people: Crucified in Metro City by Rolento's goon, his bout against Dante, his beating in the alley against Kurow as his cover is blown. Examples of the hardships that he had to endure. More involved him as a fanged fighter when he attacked Hotaru wildly, then the same depictions of his fight against Alma while Feral. ~
~ Within the church, with the sun releasing a light towards those below, a light is shining down upon both Jiro and the young girl, Hotaru. She has her head leaned up against his chest, enjoying the slumber. And next... his time as a helmetted man. He wore the Einherjar uniform, the helmet still intact. He flippantly tossed an object into the hands for Hotaru to catch. It's his harmonica that was a gift for him, now passed down to her. ~
"...Hotaru... Alma.... I love you both." A faint smile is drawn, "...It's..."
As the building collapses on itself...
"It's a nice day. Play a song for me, Hotaru." His eyes look below him, noticing a reflection of his past. The child, who was once scared. Young Jiro, is resting against the older man's leg. Hallucination? Probably. But... more of coming to with himself. A hand rests against the boy's hair. "...Our story is complete." The eyes become heavy.
As everything blackens... There is a voice speaking out towards him.
~ The image is Hotaru, who is looking quite sad, wearing that promise ring as she leaves the alley. "Goodbye, Jiro." When she slips out of the alley, "Be careful." ~
...The building is now a ruin.
Log created on 12:11:17 05/29/2010 by Juri, and last modified on 23:52:39 05/31/2010.