Description: Naerose has a premonition - maybe she spilt some milk and it looked like an arrow. Maybe her pet bird told her secrets. Does she even have a bird? --Either way, Naerose KNOWS something is happening at Stonehenge. She SWEARS it. She's dragging Aranha along to check it out. Pacific High's Preston has heard the same thing from a recent acquaintance, the matronly old Tomoko, who is a sweetheart and makes the best takoyaki in Southtown. Stonehenge holds great secrets, and she would adore to see it before she... passes. Would Preston be so kind so as to entreat an old woman to her last wishes? When the two groups meet, suspicions may run high, but the fact remains: Just what's so special about Stonehenge? Why would one of the world's most eccentric chi savants AND Southtown's sweetest old woman care so much about this place?
At first it was just a hunch. A little fancy she didn't expect to work anyway. So what happened, where did she go. . right? Flash back a few days and all she knew was that there was a lot of power flowing to this region.. somehow, she wasn't sure why. Chi power, of course, she had no notion of other power. Still, here she was.. How did we get here? And more importantly how did she drag Aranha here. That was really quite the question.
Naerose had a contingency plan. She bought a gallon jug of extra super strength Night Time Flu remover (tm) which 'may make you drousy'. If he'd refused..? She'd of just offered to buy him lunch. Probably this contingency would of been far too suspicious, but that's neither here nor there, because when she said,
"Hey ahh, Aranha? So there is this umm how to say.. it.. lemme see, like.. energy.. surge.. I think at this place.. in this other place called England.. So wanna go?"
He agreed, and probably it didn't go like that, but frankly Naerose didn't remember anyway, the point is, she told him, the most reliable (and least angry) member of their 'team' what she felt and he agreed!
Fast forward to now, Naerose is in full on tourist mode. She had a tourist map, Hawaiian shirt (over her normal red dress), marti gra beads (is that how it's even spelled? (No flashing occurred)), half a painted face for some random college team she's never heard of, a hip pouch (tourist to the max) and a "How to speak Japanese" book (totally useless).
"I think I see it!" Naerose states, pointing at the impossible to miss stone arrangement. Yep, they were finally there.
After his experiences in both of the Jinchuu tournaments and his most recent experience with Sunshine City's Abandoned Temple, he was more likely to believe the witch's comments on an energy surge. Wait this was Naerose he was talking about. He often took the words coming out of her mouth with a grain of salt.
Even if he thought Naerose was at least five excedrin tablets short of a medicine cabinet, he decided to come along with her anyway. After all, what would happen something crazy happened to Naerose while she was investigating this phenomenon. He didn't want to end up losing a team mate because he stood by and did nothing while she went to England. He may not like the witch but he doesn't want to see her killed either(at least not until after the tournament).
Right behind Naerose is Aranha glancing around as he looks at Stonehenge for the first time. He can't help but get this weird feeling the moment he arrives but he has neither the experience nor the context to identify what is this strange feeling is. "Yeah that's definitely it."
This place right here? It's not precisely home for Preston Alistair Wellington the II, but it's close enough. Amidst the ruins, two people are ALREADY HERE, for the sake of sheer convenience and because, hey, the need for speed to get here had to have been caused by something.
One of those two people is naturally the brute of a Brit, tall, muscular, and despite the weather not wearing a shirt. "Fuck me it's cold," the student grouses in his usual way, for indeed, one look at his chest should confirm just how cold it is. After a few seconds of considering whether he wants to remain shirtless, he finally puts his coat back on, leaving his impressive row of abdominal muscles out and about.
Slanted across his shoulders is his signature oar. Casting a glance about the ruins themselves, the young man finds himself asking his companion; "Why is it I was so kind to accompany your old bitty ass out here again?"
Now there's a good question.
The 'old bitty' to whom Preston refers is walking alongside him in the clear 'old lady being escorted' position; just behind him enough so that if something bad happens, it happens to Preston first, but close enough and off to the side so that if someone sees them out and about, they will know that it is the old woman who is in charge of this situation and not the decrepit one being led about by a long-suffering adult. Considering that despite her clearly advanced age she walks, even in this bitter cold, with assurance in her step and life in her eyes, she is clearly a master of Grandma-fu.
Reaching out to pat the mountainous Preston on the arm, Tomoko chuckles. "Because you're a fine young man."
SOME TIME AGO
Tomoko Kimura's snack cart has been making repeated stops in front of Pacific High the past few weeks. The warm and inviting smells of homemade Japanese snacks have garnered their share of even the snobbiest of American jerkwad students with money to burn. Particularly favored are the takoyaki, fried octopus fritters, which one Preston S. Preston, Esquire(*) is about to bite into. He does, the warm, fried goodness giving him a taste sensation of not-quite-but-close-enough-to orgasmic proportions.
"That was fucking incredible," he notes, turning to the old woman who runs the thing. "I'd kill for a few more."
A glint appears in the corner of Tomoko's eye. "Is that right, sonny?"
NOW
She isn't much to look at, Tomoko is. At first glance, she is regulation old Japanese lady; short in stature, wearing a lovely dark green kimono decorated with paulowina tree patterns of embroidery in dull silver, and a white obi to match. Her greying hair is pulled back into a bun, secured with a pair of chopsticks, and despite the cold, she seems in quite hale health indeed for her clearly advanced age, likely no younger than 70 and probably older yet.
"Remember what I told you on the plane?" she asks, glancing up at Preston. "I just wanted to see this place before I shuffle off to the next life. But I heard fighters on the circuit tell stories about a power here before your father was even born! I don't need it, but if you were to find it after showing this poor old woman a kindness, well..."
She smiles, so very sweetly.
(*Name may not be correct)
Huh, there were other people here too, well that didn't surprise Nae. . Actually she would of been much more surprised if there -weren't- any other people here, but surprise rarely shows on her face, more like she rolls with the punches. After all, when you wake up every morning learning that gravity means things go down (but not really knowing why) new things shouldn't, or should surprise you right? Still, from Preston she doesn't get the impression he's the person she's looking for. For that matter, is she even looking for a person? She doesn't have any particular reason to assume, but well, that was what she was assuming. So moving on, there is more than just the three of them. She turns her shades away from Preston and starts to examine them, adjusting said shades. Aranha? forgotten. She got him this far, what more does she need to do?
"Hey, would you look at that?" Naerose states, holding up her book on Japanese, nevermind she just came from the country, "This thing is going to totally come in handy.. Lets see.. Corner-each-he-what?" She turns to Aranha, "That's totally a greeting. Sounds kind of funny to me though."
Even with her antics, Naerose seems to be wandering the area looking for something. Those other two just arrived also. Why was she so convinced there would be some sort of.. man behind the curtain? Maybe she just watched the animated wizard of oz movie. Never the less she actually looks behind all of the rocks just in case.
And Aranha for his part begins to rub his temples the moment that Naerose begins talking. That oh so familiar migraine feeling coming back to him. Actually just being in proximity to Naerose causes him to get that headache. It just grew to the point where he can no longer ignore the pain.
He glances at the book again. He doesn't say a word after all he had been trying to tell the witch that the book would be useless since they were heading to England and not Japan. His words have fallen on deaf ears.
Instead he focuses on the other two people in hopes of using it to distract him from Naerose's antics. One person, he recognized from their fighting appearances on TV. The other a completely mystery.
Deep inside, the capoeirista wonders to himself whether or not Terry Pratchett's insights into smiling old men apply to smiling old women as well. "Here to check out the sights as well?"
"Nothin' out here but a bunch of rocks," Preston replies to the old woman, although he's clearly started to look about to judge by the swing of his head. "Don't pay much attention to fuckin' fairy tales either, so I don't know if we're really gonna find anything. Sure hope you're gonna give me that recipe for those fish balls before you kick the bucket as well, old bitty," the young man is about as blunt as ever.
It's during the searching that he sees the other occupants, and they're on their way over. He rather pointlessly nudges Tomoko to get her attention, gesturing with the flat of his oar towards the incoming duo. "Wasn't expectin' no fuckin' company out here," he calls out, starting towards Aranha and Naerose.
The oar swings back up onto his shoulder. He seems annoyed, no doubt due to being in such a cold place at this time of the day.
"Hohoho... you've got to learn to be patient, bouya," the old woman says to Preston, pleasant demeanor entirely unruffled. Her glance flits over to Naerose and Aranha, as it must; Stonehenge is popular, but not exactly during the winter. That people might show up and decide to look around at exactly the same time as she and her 'bodyguard' doesn't seem that coincidental, now does it? "You're standing on history, my boy. Ancient civilizations. Someday we'll all return to dust and it'll be a bunch of rocks that outlives us. Some sooner than others, eh?" she says at last, poking Preston in the side before turning toward Aranha, who decided to speak with her.
"Ahhh, you could say so, you could say so," Mrs. Kimura says in an airy, noncommital tone, waving a hand a bit. For a second she turns to Aranha and her gaze goes from that gimlet-simple old lady smile to a hawk's, sizing him up. "I think I've seen you on the television, haven't I? The 'Dancing Spider' or something. Forgive an old woman, the memory's not what it used to be. Here with your lady friend?"
And here, she's back to the sweetest smile you ever saw. "Maybe you're looking for the ancient power too, eh? Buried under the surface."
Not finding the wizard or the man behind the curtain and the conversation around her being well, rather bland, Naerose decides to do something else, try a different tactic as it were, she moves to the center of the stones and sits down. Yep, just sits there. Maybe it's to you know, meditate on the mysteries of life and come up with some sort of answer that will shock and astound everyone. Actually, just trying that would be pretty shocking and astounding and then she'd probably say something like, 'Fish tastes good'. No she doesnt' say that, she's probably just going to take a nap, then the old lady speaks.
"Oh so it's beneath the surface," Naerose comments and then looks at her feet, as if trying to decide the best way to proceed, "And that guy you brought, with the big shovel" (it's an oar apparently) "Is here to dig for you? I sure hope it's buried treasure!" Probably not, "Maybe even witch cakes (tm)" Definately not.
Aranha raises an eyebrow at the sudden change in the old woman's demeanor going from pleasant to suddenly sizing him up and then back again. It's at this point that Aranha could say with absolute certainty that there's more to this old woman than meets the eye. He would be the last to count elderly people out in a fight. He got incredibly torn up by Gen, the aged assassin in Sunshine City.
Either way, Aranha does find what Tomoko has to say interesting especially since that confirms what the batty witch had been telling about the place. "The Dancing Spider? Yeah that would be me. You've got me curious. What will you be doing with this power that's beneath the surface?"
Aranha doesn't say anything in response to Naerose, after all, the shovel comment, buried treasure, and the witch cake comments are all headache exacerbating trains of thought to the capoeirista.
Lifting a hand, Preston rubs it against his mild stubble, which isn't much at all. Given his age, he's probably had to let it grow for about a week before being able to do that. "I don't remember you mentioning I'd have to do any digging," he grouses at the old lady, after hearing what these other two have to say.
With a sigh, his hand lifts further, rubbing over his incredibly short hair. "I think I can tell where this is fuckin' goin' though. We're takin' this thing, whatever it is, and you two can either help us out, or stay out of the way."
After that bold declaration, the Pacific High brute turns to glance down at the old lady. "Right?" Never hurts to have confirmation, no it does not.
That pleasant smile never seems to leave her face as Tomoko watches the goings on. Buried treasure under an ancient monument long considered to have mystic significance! How terribly exciting! She laces her hands behind her back, and gives out one of those amused-sounding old lady laughs. "O~ho~ho... you children so full of vigor. I don't know if there's really something bured under the surface here or not. It could just be an old wives' tale. After all... I am an old wife, eh?" she finishes, chuckling. And then it looks like Preston has decided he's going to get... belligerent? Looking to his 'old bitty' charge for guidance, the old lady and former fighter simply smiles beatifically. "It looks like he's serious, my young friends. It might be best to do as he says. I pick my escorts carefully, after all. The consequences could be..."
Smile.
"...dire."
"To be honest.." The witch of us says while standing up, "I don't actually think that the way to do this would involve any digging from anyone." She smiles a little while moving out of the way of the digging and continues, casually, like the last thing she wants to do is prevent someone else from doing possibly necessary work for her. " See the thing is.." She continues, "Well I think it's probably not something physicial..." She pauses, looks around, shrugs and says, "But I was totally wrong with what I expected to find coming out here anyway, hey wait, are we looking for the same thing?" She scratches her head and then it occurs of her to ask, "Cause really, I'm not even sure what it is, maybe you could like, I dunno, tell us?" Naerose asks the old woman. Indeed Naerose had a vague impression at best. It was truely not going to be enough to tell them exactly what they were out here seeking.
Now it's Aranha's turn to size them up. He starts with the brute... after all he's the closest one to him, going over what bit of footage he has seen of him. He doesn't talk about what he knows. First thing, things change. Second, if the opposition thinks he doesn't know anything about them that can be used to his advantage.
Then his eyes go over to the unknown quantity in the form of Tomoko. However with his lack of knowledge of her, he is at a disadvantage with her.
"Naerose, I don't think the old lady's parting with any information unless we apply foot and broomstick to ass. Especially considering the fact that they're both quick to fling threats about. But I may be willing to help or move out the way depending on what you're seeking and what you intend to use it for. I ain't the type of person who makes that type of deal without information. Uninformed people tend to end up dead people."
Yeah, Preston has seem plenty of that old lady smile during their trip out here; he's actually used to it by now, and he reads volumes into the expression alone. Thus, when he faces the two opposite fighters, he slowly lifts that oar off of his shoulders and sets the butt of it down against the ground nearby. With his clear hazel gaze he glances from Naerose to Aranha, and then back again, finally settling on Aranha.
"Just say the word, grandma," the burly Brit speaks to the old lady of course, indicating that if push comes to shove here, he'll get straight to the shoving. The oar can do some pushing as well, but it's mostly just an extension of his body. It all hinges on what Tomoko has to say next, as to whether this ascends from thinly-veiled threats to outright violence.
"'Foot and broom to'...? Oh my. Kids today have such awful language," Tomoko says with faux concern. It's not as if you can waltz in here with Preston '[censored]' Wellington II and then complain about the language people are using in your company and still be taken seriously about it. Tomoko's head shakes from side to side sadly, clearly mourning the terrible manners of today's youth. "It really is a terrible shame. Always so impatient, you whippersnappers, wanting instant gratification. Well, bouya," she says to Aranha, grinning a little bit, "things take time. I really am terribly glad I brought a bodyguard with me. I don't think these old bones are up to a--"
Then she lashes out at Aranha with two fingers extended, looking to jab an easily accessible nerve cluster on the side of his torso with speed that a little old lady... well. Let's just say Preston asked her to say 'the word,' and this probably qualified.
And she's still smiling ever-so-pleasantly, as she adds: "Winner gets a whole box of my special takoyaki." That's prize enough!
COMBATSYS: Naerose has started a fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Naerose 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Aranha has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Naerose 0/-------/-------|
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Tomoko has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Tomoko
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Preston has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Preston
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Tomoko
Naerose wasn't any fan of naughty words either, but that's far in the future, first we need to address, "Threats?" Asks the red witch, looking absolutely confused, you can tell by the 'o' on her face that she didn't see it at all, had no idea it was coming to that or anything. Then.. Well the old woman launches herself at Aranha and she's like SHOCKU!
But waist no time Naerose. She springs as best she can to Aranha's aid, hopping onto her broom and launching off toward the old woman with a rush of speed. If she can, Naerose will attempt a dismount right in the way of the oncoming assault, charging the old woman over in the process.. unfortunately. Really Naerose is just trying to just interfere with the old woman's attack, but lets face it, her aim and control on her broom isn't that precise. She zips around on it more like a scream, rather than a whisper.
COMBATSYS: Tomoko successfully hits Aranha with Medium Throw.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Naerose 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Aranha 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Tomoko
There's a difference between knowing something is coming and actually being able to defend against it. Aranha ends up being flat footed in the face of Tomoko's fast movement and he ends up getting that nerve cluster not just jabbed but stabbed. It turns out that she ended up aggravating a sensitive nerve made sensitive after another old person jabbed the living hell out of it.
Aranha just suddenly drops quicker than a penny off a rooftop and collapses to his knees. "So yes, that Terry Pratchett quote does apply to smiling old women as well."
He waits until Naerose flies out of his way and then he suddenly rises to his feet as he swings out a blue glowing pimp slap from hell before suddenly following it with a side kick to the stomach.
"Fuck me, what a fast old broad," Preston finds himself saying, watching as the old bitty dashes forward and delivers such a pinpoint, devastating strike to Aranha. He's left equally agog as Naerose hops on her broom and flies after the other woman.
"Fuck me, I need a drink," the young man shakes his head. Well, this is the age of Street Fighters, naturally there's bound to be some weird shit going on. "C'mere a minute," the burly Brit makes his intentions very plain as he stomps after the witch.
By the time he gets there, the start of interactions are likely to be already dealt with; but he comes in swinging, thick bands of muscle powering that oar of his, utilizing its incredible range to do the sensible thing. Slam it right into the back of Naerose's head!
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Tomoko with Delphine Charge.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Tomoko
COMBATSYS: Tomoko counters Dead Man's Hand from Aranha with Sankan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Tomoko
Naerose, in her on inimitable way, actually seems to surprise Tomoko... which, given her never-fading pleasant old lady smile, is likely a rare thing indeed. The girl might appear to be a bubblehead, but she's actually using chi to fly on a broom. One of Tomoko's steel grey eyebrows goes up, and the old woman turns to try and brace herself, but Naerose's incoming pattern of flight is both too swift and too erratic to properly judge, and the witch bowls over the grandma in one fell swoop. She gets up shortly before Aranha's retributive slap rounds on her face, and laughs that same old woman laugh again, glancing at Naerose. "Hoh hoh hoh... well, I see they're teaching you young ones new tricks--"
There's a sharp *thwp!* sound as Tomoko's hand suddenly locks around Aranha's attacking wrist, without the old woman even looking in his direction, before it gets turned aside and she makes three more quick, precise nerve jabs travelling up his body: one in the hip, one on the stomach, and one near the base of the neck, before she shoves him away.
Continuing, unperturbed, as if the past few seconds never happened, she finishes: "...nowadays."
COMBATSYS: Tomoko has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Aranha has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Preston
COMBATSYS: Naerose has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Preston 0/-------/-------|
Cammy arrives from elsewhere.
Naerose arrives from elsewhere.
COMBATSYS: Preston has ended the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Naerose blocks Preston's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Tomoko
It was awfully nice of Preston to announce himself by telling Naerose to come there a minute. Though after bowling over the old woman, her trajectory is slowed down enough that she is able to, with a little twist, land on her feet. This is rare because launching yourself with an explosion of energy lends not well to control, nor soft landing. Watching Aranha get himself struck again is a problem though, you can see she's making a wince and totally ready to charge back toward Aranha, holding her broom out and to one side like she were going to prod the old woman with it, but then she hears Preston, looks up and manages to move just enough, using her broom to divert the oar so as to glance off her shoulder instead.
Now the brit was in her way. . "Aw, man, can you move out of my way? Please?" Naerose asks and makes a wide sweep of her broom to knock Preston back, looking like she needs to get past him.
"Hey, Awrahna! Watch her shoulders and when she looks like she's gonna throw a punch, duck!" - Sound advice, that.
Aranha's hand gets snatched out of the air and he doesn't have enough time to do anything but let his eyes grow large before the old woman abuses his body even further. On the upside, at least the capoeirista isn't adding scars to the scar collection just yet.
He brings himself to his feet and then tilts over towards Tomoko, leaning in to pull himself into a handstand and then swinging an arm around to send himself into a spin while his split in an attempt to smack her in the face with his feet.
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Preston with Fierce Strike.
-**- LUNATIC HIT!! -**-
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Tomoko
Clearly, that broom is full of magical powers, magical powers that overwhelm even extreme odds to land such a CRAZY STRIKE against the burly Brit. Staggering backwards when he had through to simply plow through the oncoming strike, the Pacific High youngster is forced to pinwheel his arms just to remain upright.
"Well fuck me, you've got some strength in those puny fuckin' arms, now don't you? Anyway, no, I'm not moving," Preston adds, before ambling back up to do what he originally intended on; beat the shit out of a little girl!
"C'mere, I'm gonna beat the shit out of you," he voices his thoughts, before thrusting his arm forward, oar in hand. Wood whistles past his loosely clasped fingers, the broad blunt of the weapon seeking out the bridge of Naerose's naenose!
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Tomoko with Inverted Tornado.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
Well that, that's a quick little technique, isn't it? Tomoko may have visited some punishment upon Aranha so far in this battle, but the quick-moving capoeirista manages to tag the old lady back, his foot slamming into the bottom of her chin, sending her staggering back a step. She blinks in surprise a little, rubbing a hand along the bottom of her jaw, and totally irreverently, the elderly Japanese fighter places a hand against one of the Stonehenge stones for support, giving an appraising look at Aranha. "Hohoho. Maybe you've got something worth it after all, bouya," she observes. "Still don't know how you'll do against my bodyguard over there, of course, and the girl clearly has a little screw loose."
She smiles, pleasantly. Everyone's trying to just beat the hell out of each other. Isn't that _nice_? If she had a bowl of stale candy corn this would be just like a visit to Grandma's house.
The woman doesn't move. She just watches what's going on for now, taking stock of everyone's movements. "Don't disappoint an old lady, come at me! We've not got all day and I'm not getting any younger."
COMBATSYS: Tomoko focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
COMBATSYS: Naerose interrupts Bunting Tosser from Preston with Darkness Nova EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aranha 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
Despite pummeling Preston with what can only be called as frankly a much harder hit than she intended, she's even a little sorry, "Oh sorry.." Aranha is really doing his part. "Great Aranha!" Preston though doesn't get out of her way as she tries to rush past him. Doesn't work. . Preston is still there and worse yet, seems ready to crush her. He tries to hit her in the Naerose!
"Shoot, I was sure that would take care of you.." Naerose says, only just tries to get out of the way as she is then.. nailed in the Naerose, but uses the momentum to throw her hand out, grab Preston by the neck and lift him into the air.
"ALRIGHT-!" Naerose cries, "I'll show you the pain of the Universe!"
A gravity intense black chi gathers around her hand, like a mini black hole, right where she is holding Preston,
"The Darkness Nova!" she cries and tosses him aside.
The last of the kicks land, Aranha swings his body around to pull away from the elderly butt kicker before he tilts out of the spinning handstand and drops out of it in time to see Tomoko hang back giving him room. As a result he gets a chance to see Naerose do something he had never seen her do before. And then cringes at the fate of Preston.
His mind goes back to what Tomoko has said, and he grins when she makes the comment that Naerose has a screw lose. It's something he already knew and while it could be one of her greatest weaknesses, it was also one of her greatest strengths because the crazy ones are the ones are always the hardest ones to predict.
Aranha doesn't meditate on this much longer instead choosing to send a scything kick to Tomoko's ankles before bringing his he twists and shoots out both feet at her.
Preston thinks it's nice that everybody is beating the shit out of each other as well. Of course, then he's caught by the neck and flung into a suddenly formed miniature black hole, which isn't nice at all! "What the fu--" he manages, as the Darkness Nova takes hold of him and he sees through time, amongst other things!
Flung aside afterwards, he lands with one bounce, then a second. "Fuck me, you've got the strength of a man, are you a shemale?" the Pacific High student questions up at the Witch, before sparing a glance at the old bitty and the dancer. "How are you doing over there, grandma?"
Climbing back to his feet, he considers interfering, adding to Aranha's discomfort; but then he considers doing something else. Like really hurting Naerose! Enjoying the thought of picking on a girl, the burly Brit heaves a heavy snort, seeing red as he lines up the witch. Scraping his foot through the dirt, he sets forth like a charging bull, aiming to slam his shiny forehead down onto Naerose's collarbone, like a bull boring the matador -- and then uppercut her afterwards, high up into the air!
COMBATSYS: Tomoko counters Medium Kick from Aranha with Kabudachi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
Aranha's read his Pratchett. What comes of his kick shouldn't be much of a surprise.
"Oh, my poor lad," the old woman says, hopping straight up so that she is, for the briefest of seconds, actually standing ON Aranha's kicking leg toward her ankles. "You've got the guts of youth, that you do, but..." And here, she reaches up, pushes the *other* kicking leg that would have been aiming for her chest away gently, before snapping her fingers up and tapping a very very painful, paralyzing nerve point at the base of the neck, and hopping off Aranha's other leg to stand on terra firma and chuckle at her victim. "But none of the experience of old age!"
This is when, against every law of physics that suggests it is possible, she grabs Aranha's wrist and literally flips him from one side of her to the other by that point of leverage alone, slamming him into the ground before spinning and doing a quick tap of three more nerve points up his chest, tracing the paths of his chakra system, before stepping away and dusting off her hands, then folding them behind her back.
"Oh, don't you worry about this old woman, young Mister Wellington," Tomoko says cheerily. "You just look to yourself and that strumpet you're courtin'." Does she mean Naerose? Oh, _dear_.
COMBATSYS: Naerose endures Preston's Bull of Barney.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Naerose 1/--=====/=======|===----\-------\0 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
To witch.. Naerose doesn't make any attempt to get out of the way. Any attempt. So.. Yeah, she gets bull charged right into one of the stones. But.. if the gleam of her shades is any indicator at all, that wasn't entirely something contrary to what she expected. No, what she didn't expect was the pain.
"Owowowowowowowo!" she cries while realizing that, wow, Preston can land seriously painful blows when he lands them. "I'm going.. to have to go all out." She states and uses her close proximity, bought with her pain and BLOOD, to trace a quick circle with her broom, making a little spin, then starts her chanting. . She.. still hasn't gotten the chanting right yet.
"Crimson Red Sky,
"Ocean of stars,
Grant me thy power that draws near,
Fall onto me, thy crimson tears
and abolish my foes. . . "
"Star Fall!"
And with that Naerose calls down waves of falling balls of celestial burning, right down toward Preston.
Surprised? Not really. But the one blessing he has from getting being flipped is that first of all, he gets sent flying away from the old woman. Secondly upon landing on his back he ends up getting a chance to see what Preston is doing. The only problem is that he's too busy gritting his teeth against the pain of his pressure points being abused, yet again, to warn Naerose to not do exactly what he thought she was going to do.
He slowly gets back up to his feet and glances at Tomoko and then at Preston and realizes that coming in on Tomoko's terms is only going to earn him that same fate. Instead he decides to add some further chaos by moving away from Tomoko as he lashes his hand out sending a blue chi spiderweb at Preston hoping to focus his intent into it and make the web specifically an impact web.
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Preston with Star Fall.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Preston with Web Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Preston
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Aranha 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
"That is the lamest chant I've heard this year," Preston rather bluntly states, giving Naerose a rather unimpressed look. It's at about that time that, after a suitable pause, he turns his gaze skyward to see what's coming down for him. "Well now why is that only coming at me?" he questions, the last of which is lost as the celestial bodies fall and impact, causing the burly Brit to temporarily be lost in the impact of energetic explosions!
And then for good measure, he's shot by a web by Black Spider-Man. When the smoke and debris clears long enough to reveal the still-standing silhouette of the Pacific Highschooler, it may well be that he's somehow survived!
Sporting some rather impressive black face in the wake of that devastating strike, he coughs out a plume of smoke, then a smoke ring, before noisily clearing his throat. "Sorry old bitty, I think you're on your own, but let me try'n do you a favor, huh? I still want those fish balls."
With that he lifts his oar, spinning it hand over hand. Beneath Aranha, a massive swell of chi manifests, blue-white and wet in nature, before bursting upwards in a spike-like column. It's intent is simple; propel the Webshooter into the air, to meet the suddenly leaping Preston, who intends on clobbering the freerunner down into the dirt with one final swing of his oar!
Of course, he's about to fall over and take a nap, which may happen before he connects!
COMBATSYS: Preston can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/---====/=======|
Oh, there goes the bodyguard. Sighing, Tomoko just shakes her head as Preston goes down, her hands still clasped behind her back. Now it's just Aranha and Naerose against one little old woman, who is more than happy to play the grandma card and look totally, completely innocent rather than being guilty for Preston taking an inadvertent nap on the ground in midwinter, outdoors, in Britain. "Oh, dearie me. All this over my takoyaki? Why, Mr. Kimura would just be rotating in his grave if he knew he was getting it so good all those years, ho ho ho."
Did she? She did, didn't she.
Tomoko doesn't attack. She's still got an agenda here. "Well, well... just you two and an old lady. Dearie me. One wonders what you'll decide to do." Ho. Ho. Ho.
COMBATSYS: Tomoko gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/---====/=======|
Frankly Naerose wasn't looking for a fight exactly in the first place, so she's not entirely sure what she intends to do about this either. She glances at Preston, then at Aranha, says, "Hey, Thanks Awarhna." Then looks over at Tomoko, who isn't attacking, so it should be okay .. right? Well now we're just delaying the inevitable, but the red witch just isn't an aggressor. So she takes a few steps toward the center of the stone henge and is like, "I dunno what this was all about.." And places her broom into the ground. . So it stays there. Maybe she closes her eyes, maybe not, hard to say. She's got black shades on (always).
"I don't think there is anything buried here. I mean, maybe there is, but,.. I'm betting that.. if someone like was all, I know what I'm doing, and stuff, they could probably feel a lot more about what the chi is all about then like I dunno.. digging.. it.. or .. something." She's spoken more than she apparently actually knows anything about. Somehow this should surprise no one.
So the witch draws a deep breath and seems to just... stand there..? Is she meditating? Trying to 'feel the chi?' Who knows.
COMBATSYS: Naerose takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/---====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Preston successfully hits Aranha with Azimuth Circle.
Grazing Hit
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
Sees when Preston's attention gets redirected towards him. He makes a suddenly leap as he attempts to pull his entire body out of the way of the Pacific High Brit. He gets caught at the edges of the blueish white chi spike. But it's fortunate that he manages to barely stay out of range of the oar.
Upon landing he rolls backwards before coming out of it on one knee, breathing heavy. "There's more to this place than you're letting on. Otherwise you wouldn't have brought him along, and you definitely wouldn't have been threatening us. What gives?"
Aranha's not going to attack right away. No. He's going to take a moment to study her. Going in half-cocked only has brought him pain.
COMBATSYS: Aranha focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
COMBATSYS: Tomoko has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
COMBATSYS: Aranha has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Naerose has ended the fight here.
Aranha arrives from elsewhere.
----------------------------<Paste from Tomoko>----------------------------
Frankly Naerose wasn't looking for a fight exactly in the first place, so she's not entirely sure what she intends to do about this either. She glances at Preston, then at Aranha, says, "Hey, Thanks Awarhna." Then looks over at Tomoko, who isn't attacking, so it should be okay .. right? Well now we're just delaying the inevitable, but the red witch just isn't an aggressor. So she takes a few steps toward the center of the stone henge and is like, "I dunno what this was all about.." And places her broom into the ground. . So it stays there. Maybe she closes her eyes, maybe not, hard to say. She's got black shades on (always).
"I don't think there is anything buried here. I mean, maybe there is, but,.. I'm betting that.. if someone like was all, I know what I'm doing, and stuff, they could probably feel a lot more about what the chi is all about then like I dunno.. digging.. it.. or .. something." She's spoken more than she apparently actually knows anything about. Somehow this should surprise no one.
So the witch draws a deep breath and seems to just... stand there..? Is she meditating? Trying to 'feel the chi?' Who knows.
COMBATSYS: Naerose takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
COMBATSYS: Preston successfully hits Aranha with Azimuth Circle.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
Grazing Hit
Sees when Preston's attention gets redirected towards him. He makes a suddenly leap as he attempts to pull his entire body out of the way of the Pacific High Brit. He gets caught at the edges of the blueish white chi spike. But it's fortunate that he manages to barely stay out of range of the oar.
Upon landing he rolls backwards before coming out of it on one knee, breathing heavy. "There's more to this place than you're letting on. Otherwise you wouldn't have brought him along, and you definitely wouldn't have been threatening us. What gives?"
Aranha's not going to attack right away. No. He's going to take a moment to study her. Going in half-cocked only has brought him pain.
COMBATSYS: Aranha focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
----------------------<Paste to England - Stonehenge>----------------------
Naerose closes her eyes and attempts to feel the specifics of Stonehenge's locale. What she feels isn't particularly noteworthy - for the most part. There is, like there's always been, an odd convalescence to the spot - the world's energies are drawn here at once present yet locked to the earth, trapped within and beneath the soil. It is not something a chi-user might expect to manipulate, but at the same time, there it is. Power at the very edge of one's grasp. This -isn't- new or different; it's the reason Stonehenge has always been so interesting. It might even be the reason the stones were put here in the first place.
What Naerose will find interesting, even through those badass block shades of hers, is that Tomoko is -doing- something with that withheld force, the planet's reservoir of energy. The nature of that interaction is sadly withheld from Naerose's prying eyes - but already, the witch might have a leg-up on the situation.
Tomoko winks to Naerose. Secret secret, yes?
"Sonny," she begins, voice withered, posture bent. Already one of her battered legs shows signs of giving in to physical weakness; but nothing manages to rob her of her dignity, and those eyes, captured within baggy, boggy flesh, shine even brighter than they might have before the four combatants met, minutes ago.
"...What? I couldn't hear you, boy. Must not have been listening. Hah..."
COMBATSYS: Tomoko focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
Standing bolt upright, the witch is suddenly seemingly aware of something. She adjusts her shades and then says toward Aranha, "Hah, so .. I might of been a little mistaken, about you know, why we came here in the first place. Ahh, I think.."
The witch points her broom toward the old woman,
"She might like totally be what I er, thought was.. so interesting.. I mean.." She laughs a little, looking embarrassed. She then adds, as way of apology, "I mean, I guess the inflight meal was worth it right?" And by it, she probably means the whole trip to out here.
COMBATSYS: Naerose takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
"Wait wha?"
There's a bit of a pause as Aranha turns to look at the witch with an incredulous look on his face. "Mistaken? Mistaken!?" It's looking like the capoeirista is about to flip his lid. He looks over at the old woman and begins to take deep breaths.
"You mean to tell me the old lady is the interesting thing here?" Aranha clutches his head wishing desperately for some aspirin between the witch's general craziness and old lady who he's pretty sure is only using the act of senility to avoid answering questions when even a simple 'I'm not talking' would suffice.
The capoeirista turns towards Naerose and through gritted teeth says, "Give me one reason. One reason... I should stick around and deal with this instead of leaving, going to my hotel room and going to sleep."
COMBATSYS: Aranha takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
While the two speak, Tomoko is content to stand and listen. Preston lies nearby, broken but certainly not ignored - the elder must be aware that Preston is likely able to hear and see what's happening. Once Aranha finishes, she leans forward, placing the whole of her weight upon her cane, setting bright, inquisitive eyes upon the distant witch. Again, her lips curl into a smile.
"Why -did- you come here, dearie? I was not expecting to meet anybody else on my trip here. And so violent, my young friend aside!" One gnarled hand unfurls towards Preston, in a vague sort of gesture. The woman begins walking towards the two, passing between a pair of Stonehenge's iconic structures, entering into its center. Her eyes close, and with her proximity to Stonehenge's middle, her gait begins to improve.
Her back straightens, her legs quake less with each step. It is very, -very- unnatural. What's worse, at least for poor Naerose, is the way the energy feels.
The sudden streak of righteous malevolence, shooting through Tomoko, towards that reservoir of earthen power beneath her feet. It's imperceptible to those with their eyes closed to it, but to those paying attention... it's a firework of emotion.
"Why not go back to that hotel, if you're here on your confused little girlfriend's whims?? Leave adults to adult things, and let an old woman have her last wishes in peace, hmm? I'll make you some takoyaki if you come by Southtown in the next year or so..." A slow, throaty, -potent- sounding cackle.
"If any of us are still alive, that is.
COMBATSYS: Tomoko takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
"I... " Naerose says, then nods to Aranha, "Go ahead to the hotel, I probably owe you one for this you know?" The red witch smiles at Aranha and fixes her shades, but never fully turns her head from watching Tomoko. She waits there a moment then, holding her broom out to the side, free hand well, free. Actually, it looks.. like Naerose's fighting stance. Odd.
For the record kids her stance looks like this. One hand holds the broom, hard end toward her opponent, sweeping end behind her, three quarters of the broom in front of herself, the stick goes behind her back. This method allows for quick and easy side saddle mount if she chooses to employ it. Meanwhile her free hand stays out, toward her opponent with occasional almost beckoning motions. She's in no way ready to make a fist... but she never does, punching hurts, she sucks at it, but she could probably summon a chi blast in an instant with that stance. Her head slightly cocked, the brim of her hat casts a shadow over her shades.
"Go on ahead Aranha, I'll just catch up."
Except she looks like she's about to keep fighting Tomoko.
COMBATSYS: Naerose focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Tomoko
[ \\\\\\\ <
Aranha 1/-======/=======|
Aranha's head snaps back towards Tomoko. He no longer needs Naerose to give a reason to stick around. The movements, the voice, and the energy while he's nowhere as sensitive to it as Naerose is, it brings back that feeling of wrongness that he felt at the Abandoned Temple.
"No. My feelings of dislike for you aside, I look out for the members of my team. As a member of my team, you're my responsibility. I'm not letting you confront this alone. And I'm not about to let you sacrifice yourself. You understand, Naerose?"
Aranha then turns towards Tomoko, "And as for you, not only are you a psychotic bitch, you're a god damn hypocritical psychotic bitch. You two were the first ones making threats. You were the one who threw the first strike. And dammit I'm legally an adult in every god damn country you damn hag!!!"
After that he charges past the Japanese woman to a stone arch and runs up it as his body glows blue and is trailed by after images. He then launches himself off of that stone structure feet first at the old woman, proceeding to bounce off of Stonehenge's various stones as he delivers attack after attack from a variety of angles. He's pretty sure he knows what's going to happen but if he's right, he has atleast bought more time for Naerose.
COMBATSYS: Tomoko counters Joker's Wild from Aranha with Sokan.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
[ \\\ <
Aranha 0/-------/=======|
Naerose assumes a very witchy stance - at least, it is one that brings Tomoko's attention to her. The crone's eyes widen, delighted, but she does not move. Instead, earthen force whorls around her, by now something tangible even to those without the focus Naerose or other chi-sensitive types might posess. Winds begin to pick up in Stonehenge, at first vague whistlings, and then terrific gusts - the skies begin to crackle with distant lightning, and the first droplets of chilled rain drizzle down upon the dour English landscape.
Tomoko is unmoved by the Planet's display, though her clothing has taken to whipping around her in the conflagration. Her eyes do not leave Naerose's own, but there is a sudden efficiency to her movement - one that intensifies as Aranha moves in. She tenses as he -passes- her, but the eye-contact with Naerose is never abandoned. Nor his her readiness; Aranha's fake-out is met with stolid readiness from the woman, something that intensifies as he rushes up one of Stonehenge's monolithic structures. Her shoulders knit, she leans forward...
Lighting *CRASHES* to the ground not even fifty feet from Stonehenge. The effect is blinding, the thunder deafening. Tomoko has turned in this instant, legs spread in a strong, shoulder-width stance, right arm uplifted to split Aranha's legs open at the ankle. Her left has snaked inwards, and pinched-together fingers stab *DEEP* into his left inner thigh. Her lips are moving, her eyes blazing, but the thunder has robbed all of hearing.
Ringing soon diminishes.
"--such LANGUAGE. Why don't you trust your girlfriend now, and leave us to our... discussions? Sleep, sonny - the world will be here when you wake up tomorrow." She removes her hand, and leaves Aranha to tumble to the ground - this is what she assumes will happen, at least.
She regards Naerose.
"Now... you were saying? Awfully -determined- now, aren't we, dearie?" A smile, again, and Tomoko leans forward, once more decrepit, kindly. It is a bald-faced lie.
"You should be serious more often. Resolve suits such a pretty face."
When Aranha starts talking to her, Naerose is all like 'Wut? Sacrifice? Who is going to do the what now?" She looks at the dancer, then the old woman, looking more confused as Aranha bursts past her.. and.. and..
"Umm, okay.." She scratches her head and then looks over at the old woman,
"Sagitta minor!" She cries and flings a flurry of icy darts toward her.
"Think I'll play the range game or something.." She winces because frankly.. she's getting tired.
What a crazy day cause then the wind picks up and lightening, but the witch is still light hearted, somehow. Serious for her? Well, who knows what serious is.
Aranha has nothing more to say, especially since Tomoko seems determined to either ignore the points he makes or evade his question through the facade of grandmother like personality.
Instead, he lets his spitefulness manifest in the form an angry, dark blue, impact focused chi web directed right to Tomoko's back. Instead of falling asleep, he crawls to one of the stones and lays against it so that he may continue to at least watch the fight.
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Tomoko
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Tomoko with Web Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1 Tomoko
COMBATSYS: Tomoko blocks Naerose's Sagitta Minor.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1 Tomoko
Blue force buffets Tomoko from the back - she's sent stumbling forward, briefly startled by Aranha's sheer resolve. While his manner is crude, his spite and desire are given considerable -impact-; Naerose has found strong friends in her teammates, obviously. Tomoko makes a point to remember this for future reference. Nonetheless, a sharp *CRACK* resounds from the site of that blue energy's impact, and Tomoko lurches to a knee, hair falling about her features, obscuring her face from prying eyes. She keeps a hand on her cane for support - and, as Naerose throws that flurry of ice her way, considerably more.
The cane twirls, once - several of the darts are battered away, but Tomoko falls prey to the last three, which splinter against the translucent flesh hanging from her forearm. Ugly, purpling bruises arise with alarming speed, but the crone does not care; instead, she rises, eyes hooded, lips curling imperceptibly.
"Foolish...! Coming here, full of purpose, but failing to take advantage of precious time, preciously given!? You've defeated my bodyguard, and have the audience you seek!" Lightning flashes again, but distantly - with the peal of its thunder, Tomoko rushes forward, cane held outwards like a rod. It sweeps between Naerose's spread legs, while Tomoko drops to a knee in a rather... youthful display. While the witch tumbles, the crone will reach upwards to punch the underside of Naerose's arm - as it goes numb, she will *PULL* the younger woman to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Naerose dodges Tomoko's Rapid Grapple.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1 Tomoko
Taking advantage of the distance that the old woman needs to cover, Naerose hops back with a quick WOAH, realizing that this isn't the situation she wants to be in she extends her palm and says,
"Lets not bee too hasty here, things are you know, starting to heat up a little much and frankly, well, I'd rather we stayed cool, you know? " She grins in what she hops is reassuring, but probably.. it isn't.
"En Criento!" She cries, for good measure and tries to blast Tomoko with a little spurt of her energy, all the while also trying to keep on her feet and out of the way of getting hit. This is way too agile a fight for someone so old,
"Man, whatever you're eating, I totally need to get some of that!" exclaims the witch.
COMBATSYS: Naerose successfully hits Tomoko with End Creation.
? Strange Hit! ?
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Naerose 0/-------/--=====|=======\=======\1 Tomoko
Tomoko closes her eyes, despite Naerose's attack on her, despite Naerose's -everything-. The old woman crumples beneath the energy blast, but the sickening -twisting- of the natural order of the energies here -- strengthens. It grows significant, becomes more of a rift in the way the world *should* be. Whatever it means, Tomoko shows barely any signs of appreciation for it; if anything, all she does is offer Naerose the slightest sort of smile.
She rises to her feet.
"Your abilities are dwarfed by your childishness, little girl. I've seen what you see; I know what you know..." Her voice rattles, cracks, and whistles while she speaks, that transient youthfulness from before suddenly gone. "You have abilities that scare even you. What is it that old Tomoko has done here? How did she defeat your strapping young friend, and why do the storms aid and follow her? These questions are tied into whatever pulled you here. You've witnessed something wonderful today - and something that should bother you more than you're letting it." Tomoko pauses, to hack into a clenched fist... and begins fading, walking towards Preston, Away from Stonehenge.
"You are one of the few people in the world with any kind of idea as to the problems mankind faces. This is a time for girls to grow into women, and boys to become men." Tomoko drops to a knee before the downed Wellington, and touches one gnarled finger to his shoulder. Lightning splits the skies again.
"Do not run from your responsibilities. Do not remind us of what has already doomed humanity. Is there no hope for any of you?"
Tomoko is gone, Wellington with her. Stonehenge stands, visually unchanged, but forever altered, diverted, opened to unseen, unknowable forces.
The storms beat down upon ages-old rock, unconcerned, uncaring.
COMBATSYS: Tomoko has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Naerose 0/-------/--=====|
SHOCKU! But how did, Naerose knows the attack didn't contain that much power, and even as she seems to be readying herself for something more. A glow of white in each hand, her broom planted. She was getting ready gearing up, but then the woman retreats, the red which blinks and adjusts her shades, the power draining from her hands. She fetches her broom,
"No way am I like gonna let you get away that easily!" she says, and looks ready to give chase, she takes a few steps as the storm wails, pushing her back the opposite direction. She needs to use her free hand to steady her hat. Still she only gets a few steps and pauses, staring, gaping at the storm blowing into her face and the woman able to escape so easily. She glances at Aranha,
"Aw, man, I really shouldn't ditch you like this either though.." She says, and then cocks her head.
"Afraid.. " She says and scratches her cheek,
"That woman, back home.. said something similar." She knots her nose, remembering something? Then sighs,
"I'm like totally freezing, lets get out of here."
Aranha's body protests as he uses the stone structure to support him. Every muscle screams out in pain. His breathing is labored and the nerves are firing uncontrollably to the point where he's not even certain that his legs will let him walk.
He takes a deep breath, focuses, and then attempts to will himself step by step until he's right next to the witch. He smiles and whispers to himself, "That was the Naerose that earned my respect so long ago."
He then turns to Naerose. "Yeah. Let's go."
Log created on 20:32:25 01/30/2011 by Preston, and last modified on 12:59:40 03/02/2011.