Description: Team Tanuki gets another member as Ibuki hunts down Pullum to offer her an invitation to the teen ninja's new team.
It was certainly something - the Business District of the Southtowns was actually /more/ than something! Currently infatuated by the landscaping that makes the city so unique to her, Pullum, dressed as she would back in her own home town, is slightly chilled.
The most striking sight of them all is the Geese Tower and Howard Arena. Her stroll through the many streets of the Southtowns draws to an end as she stands before the two distinct buildings, having seeing them for the first time.
"Of what use is a building so large?" She ponders to herself, tilting her head. But the Arena is self-explanatory, the up-coming KoF tournament scheduled to be held there. It's a place unto itself in the world of fighters - or so she has heard. She leans over a railing, looking up.
Southtown is a massive city and this fact is no more apparent than when one gets close to its heart and the buildings themselves reflect this fact in their own size and construction. The air is cool and crisp for this time of year but at the same time things are amazingly clear and easily visable from nearly anywhere in the city. The business district itself is alive with people walking here and there doing their shopping for this and that or at the very least window shopping.
Pullum does stand out in the crowd as well she's looking up at the buildings and staring at them, so it makes it much more obvious that the girl wasn't from around here which is thankfully good for the person trailing her today...
Ibuki had been doing a bit of headhunting, she needed a Team for KoF and she was going to have one in someway or another. It'd taken a bit of time and research to find talented individuals that didn't already belong to another team, she'd gotten a late start so many of the individuals she might've asked had already been pulled out of the pool, so Ibuki had, had to watch a lot of NL footage to figure out whom to make offers to and who could help the team as a whole, thus how she'd picked Pullum the girl had done fairly well in the Neo League and seemed like she had potential to fit into Ibuki's team.
Flipping upside down from the overhanging streetlight she'd been standing on so that only her toes were holding her in place now Ibuki replies to the rhetorical question that Pullum asks, "None really, it's more for ego and to see if it can be done!" The ninja cheerfully enthuses as she crosses her arms and nods her head thoughtfully while she speaks.
It's a sudden surprise to the woman - Pullum turns around immediately when spoken to, the cheerful voice seemingly coming from nowhere! Except that somewhere was beside her - and above! She reverses her grip, leaning back against the railing as she glances upwards at the ninja, hanging upside down like some sort of monkey, Pullum tilts her head. "Ah, sort of the same reason most fighters exist?" She asks rhetorically, a smile spreading across her face.
The upside down entrance doesn't seem to be lost on her, however. Or maybe it was. "But why are you talking in such an upside down way?" She asks, bending a bit backwards, her gaze more easily set upon the woman that hangs so high above! "I'm sure you're here for something other than just to answer my empty questions."
She thinks a bit harder - and ends up a bit uneasy from the possible prospects. "Unless you're here about something else... that might require an upside down attitude." She decides, eyes growing a little less open, welcoming. She's certainly not smiling. Could it be Shadaloo are after her now, too!?
Ibuki chuckles, "Well some might say that about a lot of fighers, but some just don't have any choice for one reason or another....others just enjoy fighting." She singsongs from her upside down perch her long ponytail swaying back and forth in the empty air between the two women as she speaks, "Lots of reasons to be a fighter, though most are ego and to see if they can do it."
Ibuki tilts her head and rubs her chin thoughtfully, all still upside down, as she thinks over Pullum's question, "To be honest?" She pauses, "I thought it'd be funny." She then playfully winks at Pullum, "Though you are right I'm not here to answer all your questions or anything. I have a very good reason for showing up!"
%Noting the sudden distanced and uncomfortable feeling coming from the other girl, Ibuki allows herself to drop flipping right side up as she does so and lands facing Pullum with her hands up and plainly visible as she waves them, "I am not here for anything bad though!" She stops waving her hands and pulls a piece of paper from her gi smoothly and slowly so Pullum can see she's not hostile, "I came to invite you to my team! For the upcoming King of Fighters tournament!" She pauses to let that sink in before she continues, "Interested?"
A very good reason for showing up!? Pullum's sure of it now. It's a mix of both horror and anticipation - what did they do with her father!? She'll clearly find out in the passing moments. She leans up, no longer leaning back against the rails, as Ibuki drops down and .. decalres that she's not here for anything of the sort.
But how did she know!?
Still, a piece of paper is a piece of paper - and she grasps for it before thinking things through, reading it just as Ibuki explains. She did well in the Neo League. Perhaps that had something to do with it? "You'd have me on your team for..." She looks up from the paper, towards ibuki, nodding slowly at first.
"Of course!" She responds - also quite quickly. To be involved in such a thing would ensure she found what she was looking for. Perhaps she would even grow to be able to help him. It's worth it, no matter what it lead to. "I was looking for a way in as well - what excellent timing!" She beams, "Thank you!" Now, with the threat of being comatose gone - it's a bit easier to be chipper!
Totally unaware of the fact she almost gave Pullum a heartattack of anticipation, Ibuki grins beneath her mask as she takes a much more relaxed stance once the other girl begins reading the invitation she'd given her. Leaning backwards against the streetlight she folds her arms across her chest while Pullum scans the piece of paper.
As for how she knew, Ibuki is just serendepitious like that...or maybe she's just lucky?
"You did well in the Neo League and I feel you'd be a good fit for my team." Is Ibuki's quick but very sincere response to that question as she taps on of her feet against the cool sidewalk while waiting for the girl's response to her offer.
Ibuki claps her hands together, "Great!" She enthuses cheefully. "I think a number of people on the team are in that situation, looking for a way in but not having much luck." She shrugs and grins, "You're welcome, I guess my timing is excellent." She chuckles lightly, "I think we'll be getting together soon to do a little team bonding and training before the tournament starts, I'll let you know the details I still have a few potential members to chat with before I finalize things." It seems the ninja is the one handling things not an intermediary.
It's as she thought. She did quite well in the League for how little she participated in it - the fighters that she had encountered were quite skilled, but she managed - somehow, at least. Infact, she remembers the truly difficult times she has had. One with that dancing man, the other she had contacted herself - even paid to fight! They certainly were a professional.
"I understand. I would have entered with my own team, but they are unable to at this time.." She had not heard from Blair, and her body guard was busy guarding the body of her beloved father! The Amal team would hvae to be put on hold for the moment, sadly!
Turning about, she nods, glancing up towards the Arena again. "I'm sure you understand better than I would on the preparations. Not knowing what your team can do isn't a fairly good strategy in the end." She says, somewhat to herself. "I'll be waiting then." She turns back around fluently, nodding, hair bobbing as she does.
The white piece of paper is tucked away in the hip of her clothing.
Ibuki nods, "I think some of the team are in similar situations of not having a team they'd normally have available as well." The teen ninja admits thoughtfully before smiling underneath her mask and nodding her head, "Exactly which is why we're going to have a team practice as soon as possible!" She nods her head again, "Till then!" Once Pullum turns away one moment Ibuki is standing there giving a hearty wave goodbye and then she's just not there.
Log created on 00:46:24 01/21/2011 by Ibuki, and last modified on 02:37:06 01/21/2011.