Description: Iori and Kyo are impossible.
SOUTHTOWN - DOWNTOWN
OUTSIDE OF WENDY'S
In China, the world is ending, or something; there's craziness afoot, madcap adventures and excitement... But in Southtown, Japan, it's pretty much business as usual. Kyo Kusanagi, the reigning World Warrior champion, onetime King of Fighters and onetime /undefeated/ SNF Champion, along with other accolades too numerous to mention (he's also Shizuka Kusanagi's 'Handsomest Little Man' award recipient, nineteen times; his streak was only broken three years ago when Sakura Kasugano inexplicably won, but since then Kyo has reclaimed the throne) is among those just living his life, the life of one of the most powerful human beings to ever walk the face of the Earth.
Yes, what IS this young man, who by his lonesome possesses the strength and skill to alter the flow of history, to change the fate of nations, doing right at this moment?
Well, the perpetual highschooler is stepping out of a Wendy's, with a brown paper bag in one hand containing his ~quadruple~ Baconator and his fries; he also has a shake in his other hand, from which he takes an annoyingly slurping sip as he emerges out onto the street, into the half-light of a lovely summer evening. Yep, it's a pretty awesome day to be Kyo Kusanagi.
What could /possibly/ go wrong?
What could /possibly/ go wrong?
"KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
And that is when Kyo Kusanagi may notice a vending kiosk crashing down on him in a rain of 'VICE'S VICIOUS TAMPONS: SEAL THE BEAST'.
/FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO/
Iori Yagami steps out of the local PETSMART clenching a bag of MEOW MIX in his hands. He does not look happy.
/THREE WEEKS AGO/
Iori Yagami strides irritably down the street hands shoved deep into his pockets. He walks alone; no one dares try to interrupt him. Most people in Southtown know who he is, which means they know better. Most people would know that. Which is why, when he feels the faintest, yet firm, tug on his inexplicable pants strap, he draws into a pause. A frown crosses his lips. He keeps moving.
Three seconds later, there is a firmer, more insistent tug. His brow twitches. "Go the hell away."
He moves again. Two seconds later, there is another tug, forceful enough to almost trip him up. Now enraged, Iori spins around.
His right hand is frozen in mid-air, clenched into a fist, when he sees his assailant:
A tiny, adorable stray kitten.
"*meow*"
"..."
/TWENTY MINUTES AGO/
Iori Yagami slams a bag of cat food irritably down on the cashier counter. The employee looks down, and smiles brightly.
"A cat fan, are you??" the overweight man asks in a way that is far too friendly. Iori's brow twitches. "You know, I know the /perfect/ place to buy matching cat-and-owner outfits--"
A resounding crack later, the man is out like a light on the floor below as Iori storms off with his food.
"I /hate/ cats."
/FIVE MINUTES AGO/
Iori Yagami walks by a Wendy's restaurant, happily oblivious to the going-ons around him. He passes a vending kiosk proudly labeled 'REAL-ASS KING OF FIGHTER'S MERCHANDISE,' happily oblivious to the bright colors and how it is clearly not legitimate merchandise, a fact one can tell by the Ralf Jones action figure with 'NEW "VULVAN PUNCH" ACTION!' He walks, happily oblivious to the people gawking, and saying so distantly--
"is that kyo kusanagi?!"
"it is! it is! oh my gawwwd, let's get his autograph--"
Iori pauses. No longer happily oblivious, he turns around; as he attempts to ascertain the truth, his bag of cat food snags on the corner of the vending kiosk. The material tears open and food begins to pour out as Iori is left to stare at Kyo Kusanagi with a mixture of shock and rage. Kyo Kusanagi -- just made him -- /tear open his cat food/ -- /AND HE HATES SHOPPING FOR CAT FOOD/--
/NOW/
"KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
CRASH.
COMBATSYS: Iori has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Iori 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kyo has joined the fight here.
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Iori 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Kyo
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Large Thrown Object.
Glancing Blow
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Iori 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kyo
"...?"
This is how Kyo somehow asks a question without using any words at all, his attention turning upwards as he realises something is falling towards him, the familiarly angry shout of his name in the background alerting him, keying up his FINELY HONED SENSES to deal with imminent danger. In the form of a vending kiosk, and... What the hell are those, anyway?
With a sudden start, Kyo dives forward, but he can't completely avoid the kiosk; ANDISE snaps off of the sign as it hits his back, causing an unfortunate chain of events which are basically 'Kyo drops his drink /and/ his food, which are both crushed by the remains of the kiosk'.
N-no. His /quadruple Baconator/.
"YAGAMI!!" Kyo bellows in return, turning and rushing forward at a dead run at his lifelong rival (whether he likes it or not, SPOILERS: he doesn't) righteous fury suffusing every inch of his frame as he lashes out with the intent to avenge his horrible fast food meal, swinging his right fist in a hooking, fiery punch for Iori's jaw, and then swiftly following that up with a second punch, a left-handed mirror of the first, and finally a straight-up headbutt, because /goddamn/.
COMBATSYS: Iori endures Kyo's Aragami.
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Iori 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kyo
A shredded picture of a kitten Photoshopped for maximum cuteness falls to the ground in a pile of fresh dry cat food by the time Iori is already breaking into a full-on run. Ruins his life. Ruins his leisurely walks. Ruins his pet's life. Iori demonstrates his raw distaste for Kyo Kusanagi the best way he knows how:
"GUUUOOOOOOOOHHH!!"
Through attempted murder.
Fire blooms in purple gouts at Iori's fingertips, sending a twinge of pain through Iori's spine that goes largely unnoticed in his red-hot rage. If he were more coherent, he'd probably spend some time insulting Kyo's values or his life choices, or his terrible choice in food, but he is not. He has more important things to deal with:
Such as Kyo raming into him fist-first. The two rivals collide halfway through their rush. Iori doesn't even seem to /try/ to avoid Kyo's right hook, fires broiling at his flesh in a painful contact Iori knows all too well. But he is still moving /forward/, /shoving/ his face directly into the blow, as if to say he doesn't care /what/ Kyo throws at him. The second blow comes, snapping Iori's head to the left, blood and spittle flinging free from his lips even as his fire-wreathed fists clench together like a sledge hammer. Kyo's head comes crashing down--
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
--and impacts directly against the bridge of Iori's nose with a resounding CRACK the exact second he /spins/ into Kusanagi, intent to drive his flaming fists into the side of his rival's head in a vicious overhead hammerblow with a resultant and gruesomely beautiful explosion of purple fire.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Tsumagushi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Iori 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Kyo
Among the many gathered, a woman watches with a frown.
Wearing a sleek-looking business suit, Chizuru Kagura, last scion of the Yata clan, watches Kyo and Iori trade blows with one another. While the audience around her seems thrilled at the idea of a fight between the World Warrior and his eternal rival, Chizuru seems hugely disappointed by this. Sadly, the Yata woman's patience only stretches so far.
Without a word the priestess moves through the crowds, pushing her way and shouldering through the gathering throng of people. And, without a single word, the Yata heiress--once clear of innocent bystanders--breaks into a jog after the duo.
...but lifts her proverbial hand only at the Yagami, dropping low and delivering a sweeping kick aimed at his ankle to knock him off his feet.
"This /isn't/ what your power was meant for!"
COMBATSYS: Chizuru has joined the fight here in the center.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Iori 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|-------
Those Baconators are /DELICIOUS/. They are in fact BACONTACULAR. It's not Kyo's fault that Iori's unrefined peasant's palate can't discern such high levels of bacontacularity.
After smashing rather heedlessly into Iori out of his loss-of-sandwich-fueled fury, Kyo realises a bit too late that he's left himself wide open for whatever monkey business his rival might get up to afterwards, which is of course to start whirling around for another attack. Too late, Kyo smashes his foot against the cement of the sidewalk - cracking it - to redirect his momentum away; too late, Kyo starts to lift his arms to block the attack, and Iori's fiery fists smash through the Kusanagi heir's half-formed guard, colliding with his head and driving him to the side even as the tainted flames of the Yagami explode against him.
Hitting the ground in a roll to snuff the remaining purple fire out, Kyo quickly hops back to his feet, ready to...
...Wait, what?
"Hey, Auntie, maybe you shouldn't be getting in the way like that?" Kyo wonders, not immediately recognising Chizuru and instead assuming she's just /another/ strange woman who wants to lecture them about their awesome ancestral superpowers.
Kyo does not, notably, move to help her, though.
COMBATSYS: Kyo takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Iori 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Kyo
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Chizuru successfully hits Iori with Kaiten.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Iori 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Kyo
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|------=
The air ripples around Iori's hands as they whip about to either side of him. Flames still dance around his fists like the writhe of snakes as mystic power wells up within him. His cursed blood boils, whispering at him to destroy, to decimate, to--
"You're /pathetic,/" growls out Iori as he wipes away the blood from his lips. "Look at you, wasting yourself away with that crap without a fucking care in the world. Who the hell do you think you are?" His hands clench tight, sharp nails piercing into the flesh of his palm. The flames burble larger, as if being fed.
"... Whatever." His right hand lifts high.
"Not like it's going to matter anymo--"
His arm swings down at the exact time a blurring figure sweeps past. Eyes widening in surprise, Yagami has no time to react before the figure sweeps down, taking his footing out from under him with one deft blow. The plume of Yagami flames goes wide and crashes into the front door of the Wendy's the exact moment Iori's head strikes the cement sidewalk with a disorienting crack, the explosion of fire and force making his ears ring as brick, metal and glass rain down around him.
"Gnhf..." mumbles the Yagami heir as he slowly claws himself up. Violence is in his red eyes as they lock on the person who dared try to get in his way -- and in one brief, rare moment, they widen in surprise. Her. /Her/? His gaze squints. Her. Where does he remember--
"... you," he spits out irritably, left hand rubbing the back of his head. "Why don't you get it through your thick head? I don't give a shit what you think my power was meant for, and I don't give a shit who you think you are. To me -- you're either out of my way, or in my way. And right now..."
Iori strikes. His right hand sweeps down, to simply /backhand/ Chizuru in a sudden and light assault intent to knock her aside rather than actually hurt her. It might be considered being charitable, by Iori's standards.
"... you're /in my way./ So get out, or I'll tear YOU to shreds, TOO!"
... but then, they probably don't know Iori very well.
COMBATSYS: Chizuru blocks Iori's Quick Punch.
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Iori 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|------=
Kyo's sass goes ignored for now; right now, Chizuru's primary interests seem invested in at least separating Iori from Kyo. She seems relatively successful as Iori hits the ground with a bone-jarring thud; however, it earns him no joy or arrogance from the well-dressed woman. Instead, Chizuru smoothly rises to her feet, black eyes fixed on the angry young Yagami scion.
"Well, as much as /you/ don't care, /I/ do," Chizuru argues, as Iori's hand snaps out to backhand the businesswoman. In immediate response a long arm crooks, shooting up to intercept the blow meant for her head. The woman's thin lips pull into a deeper frown.
"And /you/," she notes, glancing over her shoulder toward Kyo. "only aggravate the situation. When will you both learn that your powers are meant to help this world--not /help/ add to its chaos?"
Breaking away from Iori, the Yata heiress dashes after Kyo with a frown still on her face. "The flames you two both wield are necessary in fighting the power of Orochi--yet you both just ignore your destinies and carry on like fools."
Lifting her long arm high, Chizuru leaps into Kyo with a rising knifehand--followed by a striking downward blow upon her descent. Yet, when her feet touch the ground, she vanishes with a flicker--
Because she never moved from her spot to begin with.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Chizuru's Shinsoku no Norito.
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Iori 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|-----==
The more he thinks about it, the more Kyo is down with letting this mysterious unmarried woman of advanced age deal with Yagami /for/ him, because well... Let's face it, Kyo is a lazy son of a bitch. He even goes so far as to roll his eyes and make a 'yap yap yap' gesture with his fingers as Iori's angry tirade continues, feeling fully justified in provoking his archrival further because of course he does. He'd probably do it anyway; the fact that this mysterious stranger is here to fight Yagami in his stead just makes it all the more deliciously tempting to do.
But then Chizuru turns on /him/, and he's still in the middle of making his 'yap yap yap' gesture as she does it, which totally ruins his further plans to taunt Iori behind her back.
"Uh," Kyo says. "Look, what are you talking abo--" And then she's suddenly /right there/ lashing out with a distinctive series of strikes that the Kusanagi heir is only barely able to deflect at the last moment, batting aside the rising knifehand and then intercepting the downward strike at the last moment. His eyes narrow a bit as she then /vanishes/, reappearing over yonder. Oh, wait. Now he recognises her.
"Kagura? What's with this lecture, all of a sudden? Don't you have a busy social life to /not/ have?" Kyo wonders, with his characteristic care and respect for others. "This guy comes out of nowhere to attack me, and you blame /me/? That's a warped sense of priorities. Maybe if you weren't so sexually frustrated, you could think straight." A moment later, Kyo snaps his fingers, feigning a look of realisation! "I know! Why don't you two go have an embarassing hookup and /leave me alone/, then maybe you'll both get the sticks out of your asses, huh?"
Yes, who would /ever/ attack Kyo Kusanagi out of nowhere?
COMBATSYS: Kyo takes no action.
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Iori 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|-----==
"And why should I give a shit about what some hag thinks?" Iori asks as he snaps his hand back immediately. His eyes narrow.
"You know what, nevermind. I'm not going to listen to your answer anyway."
Chizuru Kagura: trapped between two dicks.
She seems to be handling it rather well, though; the initial rage that had overcome Iori now simmers dangerously at the surface of his thoughts as he focuses his gaze rather pointedly on Chizuru. Not that he cares about what she's saying - he doesn't - but she's currently trying to interpose herself between him and his soon-to-be-dead rival. He rolls his neck slowly, bones cracking as an indignant snort escapes him.
"My flames, huh," he grates out as if he were speaking a particularly morbid joke. His right fist snaps into an open hand, presenting it graciously towards the Yata heiress. "You need /these/ flames to fight Orochi, huh," he continues, as flames bubble to the surface of his skin. "/These/ are essential to your big plan." Violet flames. Orochi-tinged flames.
"How stupid are you?" Suddenly, Iori tenses; his hatred begins to surge anew. "These pain in the ass flames only exist for one reason--"
Iori /springs/ the exact moment that Chizuru attacks, his flames broiling impossibly hot at his open palm. It would seem as if he is about to strike Chizuru -- except for when he suddenly feints to his left, sweeping his right hand upward in a rushing surge of cursed fire.
"--TO KILL THIS ASS!"
The plume of flames that roars to life across the cement earth has one destination, and one destination only:
Kyo Kusanagi.
"Yes," Chizuru notes to Kyo, her dark eyes half-lidded in a distantly agitated fashion. "Chizuru Kagura. Last of the Yata clan. One of the Three Sacred Treasures." Her gaze shifts then, briefly to Iori before she looks to Kyo once more. "The same as /you/ two."
Shifting her weight, a slender hand reaches up and brushes insanely straight locks of hair from her shoulder. With a distant 'hmph,' Chizuru just disregards Kyo's chiding for the moment; after all, her social and personal life is of no concern to a socially dysfunctional guy like Kusanagi.
"And why you should listen, Yagami," Chizuru then notes, turning to face Iori directly. "Is because I am fairly certain you would be grateful to be relieved of the curse hanging over your bloodline. Am I not correct..?"
Drawing her eyes shut briefly, Chizuru shakes her head as the Orochi-tainted flames are presented. "You don't get it. Neither of you do. It's a shame...but I'm determined to convince you /both/ that your destines are important--and worth heeding the call of."
Whether or not Iori is ready for it, Chizuru twists sharply on her heel and steps forth, drawing an arm around and up before bringing it down harshly upon his shoulder. "Why are you both so ignorant!?"
COMBATSYS: Kyo overcomes Yami Barai from Iori with Yami Barai.
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Iori 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|-----==
Of course, though he might be an incredibly confident, maybe even overconfident, probably even outright arrogant guy, Kyo Kusanagi doesn't underestimate the power of Iori Yagami's own flames. It's an open question as to whether or not Kyo ever really underestimates /anybody/, despite his outward behaviour... But Yagami is one person who, definitely, Kyo can't afford to take lightly. Maybe that's part of why the red-haired man pisses him off so much just by existing.
So, the purple flames race towards him. Kyo, who was just standing there, minding his own business and calling them names. It'd be a mistake to assume that Kyo is unprepared, and as the flames rush along the cement, the Kusanagi heir turns, swinging his right hand out underhanded, flames trailing behind the motion as he releases a 'seed' of fire. The seed strikes the cement, creating a second blossom of fire, and it rushes to meet Iori's, a conflagration of crimson and purple... Before the crimson overwhelms the other, and what's left keeps going back along the original attack's path, towards Yagami himself.
"Too bad," Kyo replies to Iori, with a tinge of amusement threaded through his voice. "I guess they're not good for anything then!" It's not that he doesn't hear what Chizuru has to say, and it's not that he doesn't take note of it, but... Well, all this 'destiny' talk, it's not really his thing at all. "I'm not ignorant, Kagura. I just don't care about all that fortune-teller crap. I live in the /real/ world."
COMBATSYS: Chizuru successfully hits Iori with Zheng Zheng.
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Iori 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Iori parries Kyo's Yami Barai!
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Iori 1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0 Kyo
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|---====
'... you would be grateful to be relieved of the curse hanging over your bloodline. Am I not correct..?'
"... No," says Iori Yagami with a helpful spit to emphasize his simple statement. His teeth grit together as he feels the pain pulse pointedly through his veins. "You're not correct, jackass.
"I don't give a shit. /Get it/ now--"
Apparently Chizuru doesn't, as a second later Iori's words are interrupted by a man-like arm crashing down on his shoulder. The mannishly manly power of Chizuru's dropping blow is enough to issue a sickening /CRACK/ upon impact as the sheer force of the blow sends Iori literally dropping down to one knee, his shoulder going limp in the process.
"You fucking bitch...!" Crimson eyes focus on Chizuru pointedly as violet flames flare around Iori in an extremely dangerous manner. The air waivers around him--
'Too bad. I guess they're not good for anything then!'
--Only for his attention to be torn away as crimson fire abruptly SMASHES through violet. Chizuru is abruptly the last thing on Iori's mind as the red-head SPRINGS forward, eyes flashing with a dangerous surge of rage.
"The guy who can't even leave high school is living in the real world?! GIVE ME A BREAK!!" Iori springs. Fire coats his palms in sickeningly violet sheathes as he flips through the air. His palms touch on the remnants of that crimson fire, the counteraction of pure mystic power meeting cursed flames creating a brief and potent explosion. The BOOM ricochets Iori harmlessly through the air; the added momentum sends him flying FAST.
Straight for Kyo.
One left cross comes down with all the force of a sledgehammer for Kyo's jaw. It's swiftly followed by a right uppercut for the chin, Iori's fist imbued with raw and overwhelming physical force.
"HWOOOOOOOOOOOGH!!"
Before the young man will attempt to LUNGE forward, and drive a single, powerful hammerpunch toward Kyo's sternum.
"JUST DIE ALREADY, YOU LAZY SHIT! MAYBE THIS HAG WILL FINALLY STOP BUGGING ME IF YOU DO!"
Chizuru's only response to Iori comes as a quiet 'hmph.' He's a liar, she decides.
And that's when she decides the only thing he'll understand is brute force. Crashing her arm down upon the Yagami, she forces him to a knee before she takes a graceful step back, black eyes leveled on the Orochi-tainted young man. "I don't under--"
Within moments Iori leaps from the ground in a furious rage and tears after Kyo and his flames.
"...stand."
Furrowing her brows as he unleashes his anger upon Kyo, the Yata heiress shakes her head solemnly. "Sister, why don't they understand..?" she wonders quietly to herself, a hand touching at her collar. "The task is hard...but I promise I won't fall off that path of destiny. Give me strength."
Looking up, the woman's gaze fixes on the two fighters.
"Why would you both dismiss your destinies so readily?" she wonders. "Don't you two have /something/ in this world worth fighting for? Worth protecting??"
COMBATSYS: Chizuru focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Iori 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|---====
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Aoi Hana EX.
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Iori 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|---====
As it happens, Iori's added momentum is a bit more than Kyo can deal with at this exact point in time. He sees the other flame wielder coming, and lets out an irritated huff of air as he does, but his attempt to interpose something between himself and Iori's attack - in this case, his upraised forearms - comes just a heartbeat too slow, and his half-formed guard is crushed by Iori's prodigious strength, the left cross striking powerfully, knocking him to the side; the uppercut strikes home next, snapping Kyo's head back and driving him up to his toes, stumbling backwards, which leaves him wide open for the last strike, that doubles him over and sends him /skidding/ back instead, the soles of his shoes leaving black marks on the sidewalk and the faint smell of burned rubber.
"Of course you don't understand," Kyo coughs, but he dosn't take his attention off of Iori. "This isn't about our destinies, or this idiot's stupid revenge quest," the Kusanagi heir explains. "I couldn't care any less about either of those. The fact is, when I see this guy's face... It just pisses me off." Does he have things he wants to protect, though? What about that? "Of course I do, I'm not some shoeless hermit. But, come on, what's so bad that you really think it'd make me want to work with /him/?"
Because it would have to be pretty bad.
Suddenly, Kyo moves forward in a lunge at Iori, aiming his own strike at the red-haired fighter's sternum, using his elbow; if that connects at all, Kyo's followthrough is to throw his other hand forward, lightning-quick, to grab his rival by the collar and then heave him off the ground with his own display of tremendous physical might, before delivering a single imperative command: "/Burn/," accompanied by a MASSIVE explosion of his crimson Ever Burning Flames.
COMBATSYS: Iori interrupts Koto Moon Positive from Kyo with Yami Sugi.
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Iori 0/-------/---====|=======\=====--\1 Kyo
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Chizuru 0|-------|---====
At this point, the flames around Iori are in such abundance he seems like he might be bathed in them. Considering how much pain manifesting even a little bit of them causes him...
This might be a bad sign.
"There's NOTHING that's 'so bad' that I'd EVER work with HIM," Iori barks out, stabbing an accusing finger at Kyo even as he turns hateful red eyes on Chizuru, the rage in his expression practically overwhelming.
"What can this piece of shit save?! He's had everything tended to hand and foot, given everything he wanted on silver FUCKING platters! He's a soft-skinned little SHIT!"
Flames whip around Iori like a tornado as Kyo recovers himself. "Just looking at this asshole makes me angry. You want to know what I have worth fighting for? Take a good look." Kyo lunges, his forward movement impossibly face. Iori's entire body tenses.
"The only thing I have to fight for is KILLING THIS WORTHLESS /GODDAMN/ /LOSER/! GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO--"
Iori meets Kyo halfway through his frenzied rush, his horrible howl cut short the moment that Kyo Kusanagi plants that powerful fist into his sternum. Wind is forcefully expelled from his lungs as Iori's flaming arms swing forward, cursed fire /all/ channeling into his clawed fingertips. Claws rake flaming blows across Kusanagi's chest; Kyo flings Iori off the ground...
... the exact /second/ that a MASSIVE pillar of Orochi-tinged fire EXPLODES like a raging geyser from the very ground beneath Kyo, to consume him in every ounce of Iori's hate.
Iori meanwhile lands, bloody-lipped, on the hard earth a few seconds later, letting out a groan of pain. He can hardly even breath; his lungs feel like they're on fire.
"... and you'll have to kill ME... before I EVER work with HIM..."
It made more sense in his head, but being in tremendous pain will do that.
When Kyo speaks, Chizuru listens. And while she listens, it isn't the sort of response she wants to hear from him. It's evident in the frown that crosses her pale face, the way her black eyes discreetly narrow and the way her brows lightly knit. What's so bad..?
What's so /bad/?
Before Chizuru can ask Kyo just how stupid he is, he proves exactly that by throwing himself at the Yagami scion. /His/ response is just as vexing; how these two are two of the Three Treasures is utterly beyond her. It's as if fate dealt her a cruel hand, all things considered.
The Yata heiress exhales in frustration.
Before she can properly argue in response, Iori intercepts Kyo and explodes with rage and Orochi-tainted flames. Flinching, Chizuru recoils, an arm lifted to shield her face from the intensity before, cautiously, she drops her arm.
"You /fools/," Chizuru hisses. "To think you've been dealt such a great responsibility, and all you can do is just fight like complete children? Kill each other? What pointless existences you both lead. Your ancestors would be ashamed."
The pain from Iori is palpable. Those flames are slowly devouring him. He needs to stop relying on them--at least for now...and Chizuru has a proper answer to that. Discreetly her heeled feet stir, weight distributing evenly between her shoulders. The fingers at her sides twitch, flickers of golden energy dancing upon her hands.
"I can see I have a rough road ahead of me...but this is a task I have been asked to take. But for now--"
Darting forward, Chizuru LUNGES at Iori with her hand outstretched. She'll seek to press two fingers gently against his chest and, should it touch--
A massive burst of chi energy will erupt between them, consuming Iori. It's not lethal--
But the after-effects are numbing, as if the very strength of Orochi within his body were dulled, temporarily locked away--along with the rest of his strength.
"Your rage needs to quell."
That was really not how Kyo saw that going; as ever, Iori's own strength and ability prove to be tremendous, the cursed blood of the Yagami clan lending him that nearly bestial strength as he slashes at Kyo despite the Kusanagi heir's grip on him, the World Warrior champion gritting his teeth but continuing despite the attacks... But the column of tainted fire proves to be another matter entirely, enveloping Kyo and blasting him backwards out of the raging flames, fire clinging to his form and getting slowly snuffed out as Kyo hits the sidewalk in a roll. He probably shouldn't get up, but you know what?
Fuck it.
Laboriously, Kyo pushes himself up to his hands and knees, and then up further, and... Then Chizuru goes after Iori? And lectures them, which she seems to do an awful lot, for reasons Kyo Kusanagi absolutely cannot understand or appreciate. "All you ever do is whine and complain, Yagami," Kyo notes, dismissively. "I'm really sorry you didn't get enough hugs as a kid, why don't you go get a therapist or something?" Kyo seems content to leave it with words, rather than adding to the assault on Yagami, all things considered.
COMBATSYS: Kyo takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Iori 0/-------/---====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Kyo can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Iori 0/-------/---====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Chizuru successfully hits Iori with Reigi no Ishizue+.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Iori 0/-------/-======|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|-------
Slowly, Iori drags himself back to his feet. Thin strands of blood diluted with saliva drools from his bottom lip, puddling at the concrete street beneath him. He wipes his lip with the back of his hand, the excess flames burning away spittle and iron-scented blood as he turns crimson eyes squarely on Kyo. There he is. He's recovering himself, but there's an opening.
The flames swell again, blooming upward from the soles of his feet and burning upward steadily with every step he takes. His left hand clenches into a fist, claws penetrating skin deep enough that blood begins to seep out as his right hand opens wide. There it is. His opening. The thing he's waited for. Nothing else matters. Nothing else exists. For what reason does he live, if not for--
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Iori Yagami lunges, murder in his eyes. Flames whip about his body as his right hand surges forward, fully intent to grab Kyo by the face--
Two slender fingers press against Iori's chest. He didn't even feel the presence there until he feels the warmth of fingertips against his chest. Dumbfounded eyes look down.
"Wha--"
The burst of chi engulfs Iori and his words. Yet it doesn't hurt -- at least, not comparatively. Not as much as he imagined it would have. The massive burst sears clothing and flesh and in the aftermath... leaves Iori standing there, at a loss for words. Numb.
"... What the fuck was that supposed to be?" he growls out. "You're just as worthless as he is. Now get out of my way before I /really/ hurt you." Iori suddenly turns, readying his right hand. It thrusts out, to burn Kyo away with cursed fire...
... and nothing comes.
"...?"
He thrusts the limb again. Nothing.
"..."
Again. And again. And again, until the flailing seems almost comical.
"... what..."
Without any warning, Iori is suddenly turning, SURGING towards Chizuru in a fury to literally GRAB HER by the face and PLANT his forehead powerfully against hers, as if to MAKE her pay attention to him with pain.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME?!"
COMBATSYS: Chizuru blocks Iori's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Iori 0/-------/-======|
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|-----==
Before things can escalate between the two, Chizuru steps in--with 'force.'
Kyo Kusanagi, she certainly hopes you'll appreciate this.
Alas, his words fall upon deaf ears as Chizuru interposes herself between the two, placing her fingertips against Iori's broad chest. A burst of brilliantly gold energy swells, enveloping the Yagami scion and surging him with odd energy. It's chi, yes, but there's something else about it. Numbing, certainly.
Stepping back, the woman keeps her arm extended, her posture rigid and perfectly still. A cursory glance is spared toward the Kusanagi boy, and whether or not he's decided to just shuffle off like the jerkface he is. A beat later and she's got her eyes on Iori.
"It's the power of the Yata," Chizuru 'helpfully' notes. "For a brief moment, your flames are quelled. The taint of Orochi is not--"
He moves without warning, lashing out at her face. Startled, the woman snaps her hand around and into his incoming arm, CRASHING into it to deflect the grasping hand. Instead, his hand claws past her throat, his vicious nails cutting a visible gash into her throat. Well, she certainly has her attention on him now. Chizuru leaps back and away.
Then, she leaps forward, delivering a flying downward knifehand blow at Iori's thick skull. The thing is, like before, when she lands--if she lands--she hadn't moved from her standing position at all.
"Use your /head/ for once, Yagami! And you, Kusanagi! Violence solves nothing. This is precisely /what/ Orochi feeds on. This is what he wants! If you both kill one another, then he's won. Everything you both know and love is /gone/."
Does Kyo appreciate this? That's a good question. He certainly doesn't /look/ like he does, and in fact he hardly seems to be paying any attention now, instead regarding the shattered remains of the vending kiosk which, only minutes before, nearly crushed him and seriously did crush his Wendy's. Stupid Yagami, always showing up at the worst possible time and ruining things. Like some kind of... Ruiner. There's no way Kyo can get back in the fight now, even if he wanted to, so he's going to have to be content to let Chizuru and Iori slug it out, with Chizuru working her weird witch powers on the other flamewielder's fire.
Kyo, having been on the receiving end of that at various points, doesn't envy Iori. Not... That he ever does, but it's the thought that counts.
Despite all of this, though, he does hear Chizuru's words. Orochi, that's something he's heard about, but mostly just in the sense of 'old legends retold to him by his insane old coot of a father, usually in variations that involve Saishu travelling back a thousand years in a DeLorean to stop Orochi himself' and he's never been entirely sure that he /believed/ in something like that. He does, after all, live in the real world. A world where people have crazy superpowers and can beat up tanks. You know, realism.
But the idea of things he cares about being in danger is something Kyo can parse. It's happened before, after all. When Southtown was besieged by Shadaloo and NESTS, Kyo reluctantly took up the banner of resistance, fighting to protect the people of the city. So as Chizuru talks about the destruction fo everyting they know and love, Kyo looks up at the Wendy's sign, wistfully.
"Fine, fine! Whatever, I'll listen to your stupid sales pitch, you Nag-asaurus Rex." Kyo says, capitulating the only way he can: By making it seem like a bother, and making the alternative seem more inconvenient. That wasn't so hard, was it?
COMBATSYS: Chizuru successfully hits Iori with Choumon no Isshin.
[ \\\\ <
Iori 1/-------/=======|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|----===
Iori Yagami is quite clearly not listening to Chizuru's explanation about the Yata and quelled flames and Orochi. The only thing he is focused on is trying to smash his forehead into the woman until she's nothing more than a bloody pulp, because /no one/ does that to him. She just /violated/ him.
/VIOLATED/ him.
Instead, before he can even grab Chizuru, her hand interposes itself between his swiping grasp and her head. Blood flings as he snaps his hand to the side. There isn't even a spark of flame. His crimson eyes are full of fury.
"I'LL TEAR THAT FUCKING THROAT OF YOURS OUT SO YOU CAN'T EVER DRONE ON AND ON AGAIN--"
That knifehand blow comes; it is disorienting, especially because Iori can /see/ the woman far off in the distance there. What the hell is she doing, making clones of herself? He /hates/ clone--
CRACK.
The phantasmic blow burns with the doppleganger's chi-borne fury, the smiting strike to his skull enough to make the young man bite his tongue. Blood streams from the corner of his mouth; he wobbles, staggering backwards with a series of uncentered, swaying motions.
'This is what he wants!'
"... tho... whudd...?" Iori manages to grumble in a slurr through his wounded tongue. "... id'th... whudd /I/ /WANN/ /DOO/!"
Iori attempts to lunge. There is the sign of flames bubbling at the palm of his hand--
--Right before he collapses, unconscious, on the ground below.
COMBATSYS: Iori takes no action.
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|----===
COMBATSYS: Iori can no longer fight.
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Chizuru 0|-------|----===
Keeping careful eye on the Yagami as he sways and staggers, she doesn't let her guard up one bit. Only after he begins to speak does she frown, her arm still outstretched as she hoods her gaze. He's an idiot, she thinks. A dumb idiot with too much rage--
And a dumb idiot that's lunging toward her. And flames--
But, within a second, Iori hits the ground.
Chizuru sighs in obvious relief.
Breathing a bit raggedly, the woman turns her gaze toward Kyo as he looks to the Wendy's sign. "All I ask is for you and the Yagami's cooperation. Turbulent times are on the horizon, Kusanagi. Orochi has been rumbling far too regularly for my liking. I think..."
Looking toward the fallen, unconscious Iori, Chizuru frowns.
"I think destiny is coming to knock a little too soon."
Shaking her head lightly, she looks to Kyo once more. "I know that you two working together is the /last/ thing you both want, but it is necessary. I cannot do this alone, but I /will/ if I have to. Together, with our 'gifts,' we can stop Orochi. I know we can. That is why I need you two to help me."
Walking over to Iori, the woman will attempt to drag him to the nearest bench, rather than let him LAY on the GROUND like the savage he is. Once settled, she'll just turn to walk away.
"I'll see you again soon, Kusanagi. Just know that soon enough your flames will be needed more than ever. I just hope your 'friend' Yagami will do the right thing."
COMBATSYS: Chizuru has ended the fight here.
And so, with Iori Yagami left unconscious on a bench, and Chizuru Kagura leaving with her semi-cryptic warnings about legendary supernatural foes returning and needing their powers to face them, Kyo Kusanagi is the last one standing there, albeit looking rather burned and scratched up and generally battered and /kind of wanting to go lie down/. He heaves a sigh, shrugging with his palms raised in a 'what can you do?' kind of a gesture. Then, Kyo looks down at the incapacitated Iori.
"Man, of all the days to not be carrying a marker," Kyo mutters to himself, before turning around and stalking back into the Wendy's, whose staff is probably a little bit horrified.
This time, he's going to eat in.
Log created on 21:05:25 07/01/2010 by Chizuru, and last modified on 20:55:32 10/22/2010.