Description: The opening of the King of Fighters is a media spectacle, bigger than the Super Bowl, the World Cup, or the Grammies. Athena Asamiya has been scheduld to perform--and NESTS wants to disrupt that performance. Can Rock Howard turn the tides against NESTS?
Annie arrives from elsewhere.
Easily the largest organized fighting competition in recorded history, the King of Fighters tournament has captured the world's attention. No one can dispute that Kagura Enterprises has crafted a media masterpiece with the grand scale of the production. Expensive, elaborate stages have been constructed around the world, with every country eager to play host to even just a single King of Fighters match - the publicity easily worth the investment. TV channels are flooded with coverage and the internet is in a constant state of buzz about the matches, with everyone chatting, tweeting, and posting away with excitement about the matches to come.
Part of the Media Monstrocity being managed by the Kagura Enterprises involves non-fight events as well, such as booking participants for interviews, filming profiles of various fighters and broadcasting those alongside other KOF coverage, and hosting large scale events like the concert taking place in this Shrine to Consumerism. All of Freemont Street, Las Vegas, has been decorated with King of Fighters paraphernalia. Posters, banners, large television screens broadcasting from tournament venues around the world, and more.
The long, half-cylindric canopy overhead is aglow with more fighter related images and animations and loud speakers running along the concourse echo with sounds of brutal combat. The sidewalks are packed with tourists with many gawking at the famous canopy of Freemont Street. And at one end of the long plaza is a stage playing host to a concert by J-Pop idol, Athena Asamiya.
Unable to participate in the tournament itself (Kensou was having confidence issues again with his PSI and both Momoko and Bao were drummed out by age restrictions that should have been put into place forever ago), she was still happy to appear for a concert at the request of Kagura Enterprise's Media Event division. Functions like this were all handled by production staff and stage coordinators. All Athena had to do was show up, wear whatever frilly, sparkly, sequined-plastered outfit was custom made for the event, and do her show.
But when it came to her part, she was a prodigy at the art. The alloted time arrives and the concert is ready to begin. Spotlights shift their focus to the stage, lights sparkle, speakers thunder with music cranked way too loud for anyone's good, and Athena skips out into the light. Dressed in a frilly red and white skirt, crimson thigh-high stockings, shin-high boots, and a blouse with way too many ruffles for anyone's good, she certainly looks the part. A flick of her wrist, a flash of pink and violet light, and a microphone stand seems to shimmer into existence right into the hands of the violet-haired girl. A beaming, contagious smile is augmented only by an unseen energy that seems to radiate out from the enthusiastic stage performer - an innate, powerful charismatic charm, some chalk it up to.
Pacing back and forth, she speaks something into the microphone but whatever it was she said goes entirely unheard over the loud adulation and shouts of an excited crowd. The show is moments from being under way!
"Oh my god. Look at her go! No wonder we sold out, chief!"
Ilo Pepper, one of the techs up in the glass-lined control booth set up on a nearby tower, points out the shining figure on stage. "Gee whiz. Do we even need the pyrotechnics? Have you ever seen somethin' like that, cap?" "I've seen bigger." "Not those, cap! Did she just teleport her mic?" "Still seen bigger." "Argh, you're a perv, cap. Let's get a cut shot of the crowd, they're totally eatin it up!" At that point, Ilo pans camera five across the crowd, catching a glimpse of the sheer excitement going on in the crowd below. Interestingly enough, the camera stops across one particular patch of onlookers out in the street.
"What the... what the hell is wrong with those people? They're not even clapping."
"Looks like the goth crowd to me."
"...eh... cap.. I'm calling security--what the, who're--agh, AGh, AAHHHH!!!!!"
"I still seen big--"
Blood drips down the edge of the windowpane, the syrupy mix smouldering slightly as it bakes to the glass. A body falls in half. The other one is a charred skeleton in an instant. A tall, coated form walks through the control booth, minding the blood. He sets his hands on the controls.
"All units," a dark voice sounds over a private command frequency..
".... activate."
Throats of security guards are slit in terrifying unison, drug into the spaces where the light is too bright for the public to see. Gas shoots nearly 400 feet into the air, in noxious black and purple clouds that obscure the stage. For a moment, the crowd simply eats it up, cheering, shouting, /begging/ for more. The color seems a little off for an Asamiya concert, but that's the best part about her! She's never doing the same thing twice! .. It's a shame she's not doing /this/, because whoever is doing it is causing most of the front rows to pass out where they stand.
For the moment, the view of the stage is completely obscured in smoke.
The crowd splits, with some of them simply refusing to budge, and others confused between whether they should be running or screaming for more of the show. It's only a temporary indecision.
With the control booth rapidly catching fire, the glass panes shatter into a glittering rain that falls out into the street. A boot sets on the edge of the pane, crushing a bladelike piece to fragments. "This is Krizalid," the dark voice clarifies over that same command frequency, broadcasting through his battle suit. "You know what happens if any of you let her escape. Stand by, I'm coming down."
Of all the things K9999 has ever bullied Angel into buying - or, perhaps more realistically, 'acquiring' - for him, the noise-cancelling earbuds are by far his favorite. They reduce the shrieking of Athena Asamiya's fans (and her music) to a dull, distant rumble, with the help of the music he's pumping into his skull from the iPod in his pocket.
This is an extremely important trait when you're slouched in the third row of a concert, and also are K9999.
Speaking of being K9999, the... uh, 'young man'... isn't surprised at all when Krizalid's voice cuts into his earbuds right in the middle of one of his favorite songs. That's just his luck, after all, and his expression twists into an irritated sneer as gas washes over the people in front of him, dropping them like flies.
As K9999 reaches up to tug his earbuds from his head, he mutters angrily to himself, "This is such a stupid plan..."
And then he's off, springing suddenly into the air, soaring up through the gas and smoke and then dropping heavily onto the stage some thirty feet from Athena herself. As he rises to his feet, he snaps the fingers of his right hand contemptously, and the fur-lined jacket he's wearing simply vanishes in a flash of light.
Apparently, K9999 is a wizard.
"Hey, bitch!" he roars over the ongoing ruckus, turning to face the Psycho Soldier he's sharing the stage with. "You ready to die?!"
It's kind of like the celebration of the Super Bowl. Or the World Cup or the Olympics. It's just more focused. And apparently it's focused on Las Vegas, where, aside from the -public- festivities on Fremont Street, casinos and gambling dens, public, private, legal and not-as-legal alike are abuzz with odds, money trading hands as bets are made on the first round. Who are the favorites? Who are the underdogs? The shoptalk is less about the capability of the fighters than probabilities and possibilities.
Rock Howard is aware of it, to be sure. One doesn't become a fighter of his level, participate in tournaments -like- the King of Fighters, without understanding what goes on behind the scenes. But he doesn't care about that. Right now... well, okay. Athena's music isn't -really- his style, but he's out to support a fellow fighter, even if she -isn't- in this year's King of Fighters. (Thank god. Who wants to fight -Bao-? And having to punch Momoko? That'd just be... he doesn't need to feel any -more- like Geese Howard.)
The Howard scion isn't in the front row--he's maybe ten rows back. But where he is soon -will- be the front row. Unlike most of the cheering throng, well, he has a sense for what's wrong, what's right, and when things are getting dangerous. He can't see up into the control booth, but when that black and purple stuff starts billowing... he understands. And...
And it makes him angry. Unlike the people who start to run screaming, realizing that Something Is Very Wrong(tm), Rock covers his nose and mouth and runs -forward-. K9999 is up on the stage already, having made a leaping entrance--and Rock is about to do the same.
It's quite a distance, really, a long freakin' way to go--but he can do it. It takes an effort--Krizalid and K9999 might be notified a moment earlier than normal that someone's on the prowl, as Rock applies a touch of his purple chi to literally launch himself from the fifth row, soaring overhead and slamming into the stage floor, landing in a three-point crouch, perhaps ten feet behind Athena and inward of the stage.
"You guys are such -jerks-," Rock comments, casually, as he rises from his crouch, tugging his favorite gloves into place, unzipping the sleeves of his biking jacket. "I know you're their bitch, but is King Bitch-Boy here too?"
Rock raises his voice, amplified quite well by the good acoustics, if not quite as melodious as Ms. Asamiya. "KRIZALID!! ARE YOU HERE?!?" He hasn't forgotten Brazil.
Events like the ones young Asamiya performs in are far too elaborate to be managed and designed by a single person. And she's too busy also trying to be a school student, justice fighter, and skilled combatant herself to even try to organize them herself. This means that a lot of the pyrotechniques, smoke, lighting tricks, and so forth that happen during the performance are a bit of a surprise to her. All she has is moments to review the script before a performance to make sure there's not going to be anything that catches her /too/ off guard. Reacting to such spontaneous incidents with such smoothness that it seems a well practiced script is all part of being a talented stage actress.
Which is why it takes a while for her to quite figure out what that nagging sense of unease in the back of her mind is all about. In a crowded place like this, it takes a furious amount of effort to filter the psychic feedback down to a level that isn't overwhelming, but that means dulling sensitivities to events taking place around her that she would very much like to be aware of. Glass shattering goes unheard over the noise but the smoke plume that errupts really gets a brief strange look from her, though she manages to keep from missing her lyrics. Malfuction somewhere? Those sort've things DO happen... But that doesn't explain the surge of counter-emotion washing over the crowd.
Her pace slows to a stop, mic in hand, eyes blinking as she looks over the crowd then glances up toward the control booth with a 'What is going on?' look on her face. These might very well be the worst technical difficulties at a concert to date! Wait, why is the glass-
The young performer is joined on the stage by K9999 and Athena whirls to face him, hands lifted to a stance indicating a readiness to defend herself. What is he doing here? Well, there's no doubt about his purpose. But here and now? At a time like this? The stage persona melts away slowly, her expression shifting from excited to serious, smile replaced by a condemning glare at the NESTS experiment.
"Why have you involved so many people? If I'm the one you want, then I would have gladly dealt with you anywhere." She relaxes her own psychic dampeners and a subtle pulse radiates out from where the girl stands like a blastwave unseen. Invisible but easily felt, it radiates emotions quite different than the vigorous excitement she radiated when performing - perilous levels of righteous indignation. Rock joins her on the stage and Athena glances his way, calming down just slightly at the sight of someone /not/ so repugnant as K9999.
When Rock calls out for Krizalid, Athena blinks again, identifying at last that other presence she felt, turning to focus back up at the blood-stained glass of the observation booth. "I think this one is definitely reporting to a superior." Whether or not that is Krizalid himself... well, she doesn't know the NESTS leader's psychic signiture yet.
COMBATSYS: Athena has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Athena 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Athena takes no action.
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Athena 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Rock has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|
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Athena 0/-------/------=|
The heat and smoke bales from the top of the control tower, blowing his coat about him slowly. Interestingly, Krizalid can hear most of what goes on on the stage, and most associated security channels throughout the concert--after all, did you imagine an organization like NESTS wouldn't try to keep an ambitious mission like this completely under observation. So when Rock yells out looking for Krizalid, it's only a moment before the commander's boots slam into the stage, the self-proclaimed ultimate clone standing up straight slowly.
"Well well, look who decided to show up. I guess our mission preparations weren't as air-tight as we thought.."
After all, there were several fighters who were supposed to be attending Athena's concert today. All of whom suffered... travelling difficulties on the way here. It's funny what happens when planes run out of fuel over the ocean.. "Did you enjoy my present..?" he asks Rock.
Krizalid feels, psychically, a lot like someone else you may have met: K'. He has the same proclivities, the same aggression, the same insecurities. But he's different, somehow. He has a primal countenance. There's something that's snapped within him, uncorrectably. What was reasonless insecurity gives way to absolute chilling confidence. An obsession bordering on mania. And furthermore... the drive to do anything that is necessary to accomplish the goal.
"In this case, it'll be simple... Athena will disappear during a technological malfunction of her concert, It will be reported as her being taken away by medical staff and being kept under supervision from the accident, thus providing us a window of opportunity." Krizalid explains dully. "During that time, her body will be ours to do with as we please. As for you.."
Krizalid glares at Rock.
"Well, we don't really /need/ you, now do we?"
Krizalid glances at K9999, his eyes burning from over his standing collar pointfully.
Why is Krizalid explaining this? Well. That gets back to the base point he was trying to make. It doesn't much matter, does it? He's explaining it to people far past the point of no return. That's all. A flame kindles in a talon forged of titanium wires at his right hand..
COMBATSYS: Krizalid has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Krizalid
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Athena 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: K9999 has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Krizalid
Rock's psyche is radiating a tightly-focused anger, shot through with streaks of darkness--not mere violence, but... something else. Something tightly suppressed. His aura, were it visible to anyone but, perhaps, Athena, would be that dark, dull red, blackness seething behind it like flames licking at a glass wall. His hands clench into fists, so tight that the black leather creaks audibly over the noise and fury of the surroundings.
"I know you can't possibly think that you're going to walk away from here. I've beaten you before, you half-assed, cockamamie, waste of flesh..." And given that Rock is -usually- pretty mild-mannered in speech, he's certainly giving a lot of voice to how he feels about the white-haired clone. And he's ignoring K9999 utterly, because, well, that dude's just cracked in th head, seriously, utterly insane. Funny how NESTS likes their tools unbalanced, hmm?
He -knows- that Athena is a warrior of import. That she's got that strange power, and she's fast and strong and skilled in the art of kung fu, taught by a madman named Chin who spews alcohol and psychic fire. Rock's well aware of all this.
That doesn't stop him from acting the hero. He starts advancing before he's even really aware of it, booted feet sounding sharp, quick, percussive sounds as he starts crossing the stage towards Mr. Battlesuit.
"I beat you before and I'll do it AGAIN!!" he shouts, getting into the mix of it immediately, without regard for niceties, pushing off with that last step, drawing his right fist back as he hurtles through the air in a low, almost flat arc, seeking Krizalid's face with a classic right hook as he touches down to the flooring.
K9999, for a brief moment, looks downright smug as Athena asks him why he's involved so many people, and he barely notices, it seems, when Rock lands heavily on the stage not far from him. But when the pop star and the newly arrived Rock... well, talk over him - talk about him like he was some, some kind of /tool/, inevitably being used by someone who 'outranks' him - his cheeks flush with color, and his facade of 'smug evildoer' collapses immediately.
"DON'T TALK ABOUT ME LIKE I'M NOT HERE!" he screams; this time, the volume is not just so he can be heard. Even as he shouts it, of course, Krizalid is, uh, monologuing, and, really, that's far more interesting and deserving of attention that K9999's tantrum.
He knows this, and it goes a long way towards making his tantrum continue.
"You all talk too damn much!!" the experiment snarls, balling his hands into fists and lowering himself into a ready crouch. "Just-- just SHUT UP!"
And, with that eloquent demand, K9999 springs forwards across the stage towards Athena. As he does, his right arm twists and mutates, sharpening into a long, thin drill, that the experiment plunges towards the pop star's stomach, because he /doesn't even give a shit, man./
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges K9999's Shut up!.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Krizalid
She can only guess at the history between Rock and Krizalid. Or, that's all anyone needs to know, at least. But the hostility it brings out in the young man doesn't need a psychic's eye. Whatever the case may be, she's definitely glad to have him at her side now that she realizes the scale of this assault. The why's are only slightly less unclear after Krizalid's very composed explanation. She is their target though the end goal is still as unknown as it is frightening to contemplate. She puts that out of mind, along with anything resembling thoughts of flight from the scene. No - it is monsters like this that she's trained so hard to combat. She has to prove that it's amounted to something capable of taking a stand.
She really wishes she would be making this stand wearing something a bit more serious, but that whole instant-costume changing gig is just a stage trick that requires advanced setup. Thus she finds herself facing the berserker clone with something suited more for skipping around a stage and singing than combating the forces of evil.
"So sad... I feel sorry for you - that your masters treat you in such a way as to reduce you to such directed rage." She relaxes her stance but not her readiness, "Yet pity can't stay my hand. If you won't give up, then..." His arm mutates before her eyes. That... wasn't expected. Pretend it's a sword, she tells herself, and not someone's /arm/, and react accordingly. And with that in mind, she twists at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the sharpened drillarm, but not sacrificing much in the way of proxmity in order to counter attack quickly.
And counter she does, her left hand reaching out for K9999's drillarm near where it meets his shoulder. With one smooth motion, she is whipping around behind him, her other hand aiming to slam into his upper back. At both points of contact there would be a burst of Psycho Power more than capable of overwhelming the psyche of most of the world's fighters, reducing their capacity to even continue fighting due to the pain that might wrack their nerves.
All of this motion and power is put to a simple purpose, however, to flip the clone over and send him tumbling toward the edge of the stage - possibly even off of it all together!
COMBATSYS: Krizalid blocks Rock's Aggressive Strike.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Krizalid
"Do you really think the outcome of one fight is really any kind of a determinant of superiority?" Krizalid asks Howard quietly. His voice is intense, his glare as a viper's. "What a child." Krizalid steps forward, turning his attention away from Athena and leaving K9999 to proceed with the plan. This would have been simple, if it weren't for Howard's appearance and continuing habit of drawing breath.
Easily fixed.
"Don't get cocky, this body of mine was intended for a lot stronger than your little kid punches."
He says this only inches from Rock's face, a moment pioneered by the iron guard of Krizalid's limiter cuffs, Rock's fist stopped easily by them. He raises a claw between them, energy crackling as he closes his fist. "I don't think you really got the gist of what you're up against last time. Fortunately--I'm feeling generous enough for a short lesson." His claw snapping open, Krizalid releases a blast of flickering black energy at Rock, his entire body straightening as he throws himself into the vicious motion. The blast enervates, strikes numb all senses, and has enough force behind it to knock Rock right off of his feet.
"Remember," Krizalid reminds K9999, "Don't lose it.." his voice, though by all means seeming well, is a dripping seething hatred right now. It is the way he has always lived. These sunshine kids will have to learn what pain is shortly.
COMBATSYS: K9999 blocks Athena's Psi-Throw.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Krizalid
K9999's psyche, for the record, is basically just that one level from Psychonauts. You know, the meat carnival?
Yeah.
Athena grabs the NESTS experiment by the shoulder and pulls, and what was a lunge becomes a half-controlled fall. The pop idol spins behind him and slams her hand into his back with a burst of psychic power, and the half-controlled fall becomes an /un/controlled fall...
... at least for a moment. K9999 hits the ground, bounces once, and then tucks his legs and turns it into a roll, coming up on his feet only a few feet away. The muscles in his back are spasming in agony, but... well, K9999 is used to pain. All it really does, now, is make him angry. Speaking of...
The young man whirls around to face Athena again, letting out a wordless scream of frustration. He lifts his hands above his head... and fire begins to swirl around and over them, like he was holding an armful of snakes, except the snakes are made out of, you know, /fucking fire holy shit./
"You-- you /slut!/" K9999 screams furiously. "I don't need your pity! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!"
K9999 slams his hands downwards like he was dunking aforementioned fire snakes like they were a basketball, and science takes a holiday; all of a sudden, an arc of flame erupts out of the air in front of the young man, rushing across the stage towards Athena.
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Krizalid's Negative Anguish.
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Rock 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Krizalid
"Isn't -about- superiority, you crank," hisses Rock, all but inaudible to Athena and K9999, particularly over the sounds of their own clash, but certainly resounding in Krizalid's ears, where it should. The punch doesn't land, not the way he wants it--but then, Krizalid's black energy won't either, though it does push the two men apart as Rock covers up with crossed forearms, twisting away from the worst of it.
Teeth gritted, he denies the pain that wells up all the same--not as bad as had Krizalid's energy ripped right through him, but bad enough. "This is about doing what's right--and stopping people like you, who don't understand what it means to be -human-." The wording, the tone, clearly say that Rock doesn't think Krizalid is human, no matter what he may look like, or sound like. Heedless of the distance created, Rock whips his right hand back behind him, open-palmed, and ignites it with his purple windfire, hissing and popping, crackling with dark menace. Normally he shouts the name, calls it out as a focus--but he merely says it, almost sotto voce.
"Reppuken." The arm whips forward, and that familiar wave of hissing energy flows along the flooring, knee-high, perhaps looking to take Krizalid out at the knees, to make -him- eat dirt...
COMBATSYS: Athena blocks K9999's Get out of my sight!.
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Rock 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Krizalid
For a moment, Athena finds that she has K9999 to contend with rather than the combined might of both of the formidable NESTS operatives at once. The thought crosses her mind that she's so very lucky Rock was present - perhaps divine providence had a hand to play, sparing her a match against them both at once? But she can't reflect on it for long, attention focused on the assailant that just tried to skewer her with his arm. There's no room for error with someone like that!
He recovers from the tumble smoother than she would have liked, but it's bought her a second at least. Whirling around to keep facing him, she drops back into her ready stance, arms raised, hands out in front of her, adopting the posture she's been instructed by Master Chin for years. Her words seem to have enraged K9999 moreso than the actual attack wich only drives home just how insane he is. A flicker of a glance is cast toward Krizalid - is he representative of the savage practices of NESTS?
If only her esteemed ally in arms were here... he would relish a chance at going after a figure as key as Krizalid. But at least Rock seems to be holding his own. "What you need and what you deserve are rarely the same thing," she replies, violet eyes focused intensely on the pissed off young man.
And then she's defending herself, arms raised, bracing for the impact of unholy fire - fueled in part by the bloodline of another famous fighter. Flames crashes against her, provoking a startled hiss as Athena bites back the pain before dropping her guard to rub her forearms briefly.
And then she's closing distance across the stage. But for the loss of life already inflicted tonight, such an event could be misconstrued as a publicity stunt - to have her concert interrutped by a harrowing battle only seems appropriate for a King of Fighters sponsered event. But there's no acting going on here, the danger is quite real.
Her attack is simple and direct, sliding into a palm slam with her right hand for K9999's chest before stepping into a follow up strike with her left hand at roughly the same point of impact, all of her forward momentum dedicated to the task of slamming the immature clone back hard. "HA!"
COMBATSYS: Krizalid reflects Reppuken from Rock with Typhon's Rage "R".
- CRAZY Hit! -
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Rock 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Krizalid
"Jesus, you're blonde."
The ground burst is caught beneath Krizalid's boot, energy crackling against and threatening to overcome his thigh. The clone's arms sway limp at his sides as he does this, settling his weight onto his haunches to keep that Geese Howard special from overwhelming him. "Don't you get it...?" His voice barely carries over the crackling snap of power that Rock just unloaded on him. "Just because you can say you know what human is doesn't mean you do. See, thing is, creeps like you went out of vogue years ago. You're just lucky enough to be one of the few who weren't out of date before you were even born..."
The energy lights him from below, giving his features a darkened, scary cast into shadow. Only his eyes can really be seen beneath that shock-silver mop of hair. They are piercing with an inner light that is simply not sane. "Way I see it, folks like us are more human than YOU'LL EVER _BE_!!!"
Krizalid whips his other leg around, twisting on joints that don't entirely seem physically possible, rotating while balancing on Rock's Reppuken to suddenly cause it to flare, kick up with force as he sucks it into a cyclone of whirling power, his rending force bending and twisting Rock's energy until it flashes outward, ripping up the temporary floorboards that make up the stage as the wave repulses away from Krizalid. Back towards Rock. It seems to have a dark, unnatural light to it, as if tainted with the same energies Krizalid just unloaded into Rock's forearms.
COMBATSYS: K9999 dodges Athena's Strong Punch.
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Rock 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Krizalid
K9999 lets out a howl of laughter as his flames wash over Athena, and when the girl comes rushing in towards him, he twists nimbly to the side, slipping out of the way of her first strike. When she follows up with a second, he drops suddenly into something between a kneel and the splits, letting the pop star's hand slip just past his head.
"Didn't you hear me?!" he snarls up at Athena, drawing his hands out to his sides, flames dancing across his arms again. "I told you to /SPLIT!/"
With a grunt, K9999 draws his spread arms in towards his body, and an arc of flame erupts out of the stage in front of him, meant to crash into Athena and toss her into the air and across the stage, into a conveniently located pile of speakers.
COMBATSYS: Rock just-defends Krizalid's Reflected Reppuken!
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Rock 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 K9999
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Athena 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Krizalid
Rock's energy, returned to him, with Krizalid's completely unnatural leg movements, like he's a doll with balljoints and not a human being. Proving Rock's point, with movement, with the look in his eyes--Krizalid may not be aware of it, as his Rant goes to 8. Contrary to how it looks, Rock is -not- immune to his own energy--but as it comes right for him, he sure makes it -look- like it is--dropping to one knee, he plunges his hands into the heart of the reflected burst, the energy racing up his arms, engulfing them in purple before fading away.
"I think you've got it wrong there, Krizalid. Your masters don't know what human -is-... so how can they hope to create it? Look at yourself. What do you live for? Who is important to you?" God. He hates these philosophical discussions, why does he even get into them? Rock gets into a runner's crouch, transitions smoothly from there into another forward movement, flinging himself forward--feet -almost- trailing on the floor as he propels himself towards Krizalid.
He leads with a left elbow, pointy and impactful, the opener for a two-hit technique which sees Rock planting his feet and then slamming an open right palm for Krizalid's chest--a palm filled with that purple energy.
"Hell with it. I'm not here to freakin' -debate- you. I'm just here to -stop- you, and I don't give a damn what you think about it!"
COMBATSYS: Athena reflects Split! from K9999 with Shield Psycho Reflector.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Krizalid
Athena's hand snaps back as she returns to her stance fast enough to avoid an immediate counter attack. "I should split?" she retorts, a touch of irritation in her voice. "Have you forgotten who ambushed who?" Poor guy doesn't even know what's going on anymore!! The flames building along his arms are a sure sign that more of that brutal fire is about to come her way. Only this time there's a significant build up before, buying her more time to respond with a more sure defense than just bracing down and hoping it doesn't hurt too bad.
Her left foot stomps behind her as she brings her hands together, one on top of the other, in front of her. "Even now you fight with fire that isn't yours, a passion you don't understand, and a rage you can't control... Your fury should be directed at those that did this to you, not me."
When he completes the significant build up of energy and pulls an explosive amount of flames from the air in front of the psychic warrior, Athena responds with precision timing, pulling her hands apart, a widening barrier of rosey pink energy filling the growing gap between them. It is at its strongest when her arms furthest apart, and it is that instant that K9999's flames crash into it. Some wash around the shield but the rest are sent recoiling back toward the clone... only now they seem twisted, somehow, infused with that same pink energy common to Athena's techniques!
COMBATSYS: Krizalid endures Rock's Hard Edge.
! VENGEANCE !
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Krizalid
This Howard is getting to be a real pain in the ass...
For all of the high-handed ideas being thrown around, even Krizalid's patience is being tested. "Whatever, pencil neck--" Krizalid's familiar with that move, one of Rock Howard's fastest, and one of the most difficult to defend. So the clone doesn't even attempt it. He's not really here for Rock's sake, not worried overmuch about what sunshine-head is saying. So Krizalid opens his arms slowly to Rock's blow, flashes of energy running along the seams in his suit as he shifts his weight just so--
Heheheheheheheh..
Hitting Krizalid in that instant is like hitting a traffic barrier pole with a truck. If he moves at all, it's a distance measured in inches, and easily lost in the chaos of the impact. Boots locked to the ground as if anchored, Krizalid shifted his weight against Rock's attack so as to completely absorb the weight of his blow into his boots, forcing his body to stay upright. It's something that's utterly bizarre to watch. It's clear /damage/ was inflicted. It didn't even seem to be soaked. It's just.. Krizalid didn't move. At all. He didn't even flinch.
Then he whips out with a talon, to try and grab Rock's skull and lift him off of the ground.
"I can think of so many better uses for that pretty mouth of yours."
And then Krizalid attempts to tear Rock straight in half by kicking a charged energy cyclone straight through him.
COMBATSYS: K9999 overcomes Reflected Split! from Athena with Get out of my sight!.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Krizalid
One of K9999's eyebrows quirks upwards when his flames bounce off the glimmering screen in front of Athena and rebound back at him, all... /pink/ and shit. It gives him only a moments' pause, however, before in one fluid motion he rises sharply to his feet again and sweeps his arms upwards, conjuring another blast of flame out of the ether. His second volley meets his Athena-pinkified first, and for a few moments the two waves of flame writhe around each other in the space between the two combatants, as if doing battle for superiority.
"Stop lecturing me, you skank!" K9999 crows, drawing his hands in close to him again, flames dancing around his clenched fists. "And if you're not gonna get out of my sight, then just..."
"DIE!!" The experiment's arms thrust forwards again, and a third wave of flames joins the writhing mass of fire in the air between him and Athena. The reinvigorated non-pink flames overwhelm Athena's reflection and continue on towards the pop idol, the air around the sheet of flame shimmering with heat.
COMBATSYS: Krizalid successfully hits Rock with Typhon's Rage "S".
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Krizalid
Rock doesn't flinch from Krizalid's supposed non-reaction. He knows it hurt. Of course, it isn't as if Krizalid didn't gain any advantage from being able to withstand. Rock's head is gripped, and he knows pain is coming--but he just smiles, a sardonic smile, and replies to Krizalid with a half-grin. "Sorry, you're not my type, unless that battlesuit is hiding assets more impressive than what you're showing me right now."
Then the cyclone hits, and Rock is indeed struck--but torn in half? Sorry. He's not weak. Hurled away by the cyclone, Rock performs a graceful flip, landing on his feet, hands splayed out on the floor to slow the skid--peeling skin off his fingertips, leaving a set of streaks of blood on the flooring.
"Yeah... I knew you could -hit-..." He laughs again, the sound only somewhat broken. He's definitely feeling it, but he isn't out either, not by a long shot. But... he doesn't charge in again, that's for sure. Instead, he slams his hands together, right fist into left palm, the sound sharp, cracking like a whip throughout the now-emptied area. Well, almost-emptied.
"But you're still a -loser- and a -tool-, you understand? I think you do... isn't that why you're crazy mad all the time? You know what your boss thinks of you... 'cause if he doesn't give a damn about the world... he sure as hell doesn't give a damn about you. Hell, I know... look at my dad."
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Krizalid
COMBATSYS: Athena blocks K9999's Get out of my sight!.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Krizalid
There is no question that flames seem to be a common thing to K9999's attacks. Well, flames and scathing insults and bad language! Athena's timing was precise enough that she didn't anticipate the NESTS project would be able to defend himself from the pink'ified bloodline fire but he proves otherwise in an instant as her returning projectile is consumed entirely another gout of relentless inferno.
Having not expected retaliation of this kind, there's little time to do anything beyond bracing for the impact, trying not to lose too much ground as the flames wash over the defending girl, sliding her back a couple of yards and leaving her arms a little scorched. "Che." Athena lowers her arms, glaring back at K9999, looking a touch heated now. Perhaps the constant stream of insults and threats are getting on her nerves finally?
"I don't know how much of your plight is by choice but given the nature of your keepers, I suspect not a lot." She breaths in and exhales, half closing her eyes for a fleeting moment as if trying to steel her determination for what must be done. "Even still, I can't hold back even against one so torment as you. In the end, you will have to learn control or suffer the consequences your behavior reaps!"
She takes a step forward then, but only one step. The remaining several yards are crossed in the blink of an eye, trailing images of the girl left in the wake of her teleportation adjacent to the berserker clone.
He will have only an instant to react before Athena slams both of her hands forward, summoning a collosal sphere of crackling Psycho Power directly over the young man. It's enough energy to put the stage aglo with that pink aura common to Athena's attacks. But as inocuous as the color of her attack may be, the nerve-shattering pain it can inflict is anything but harmless!
The kid isn't torn in half, perhaps showing that he's made of a lot tougher stuff than krizalid gave him credit for. More likely, it's that Krizalid would like to tear him in half, but has a lot of bleeding to do on that kid first. His claws flex slightly as Rock Howard scrabbles on the ground to get back to his feet, energy dancing from one steel blade to another as he stares at the blonde-haired boy.
Something decompresses in his suit, in time to his low, meandering sigh.
"Suckers don't know when they've run their mouths a little too long," he decides simply, with a blink. Maybe if he crushes Rock's windpipe, the boy will see fit to put a sock in it. Slowly, inexorably, Krizalid walks towards Rock, each boot of his making a low ominous sound on the floorboards, as he strides out of a plume of knockout gas strong enough to put pretty much anyone who isn't standing here at this moment under, possibly for good. Anaesthetic gasses were kind of like that. So hard to get the dosage just right for general usage. Oh well. It's something the companies in charge for pyrotechnics will have to explain, right?
Krizalid could say a lot of things right now. He could point out that Rock's angrier than the both of them put together, he could say that they're two sides of the same coin, he could say a lot of things that sound pretty classy, pretty cool, maybe hit all the right spots on Rock emotionally, or maybe not. Instead, Krizalid quietly makes notes to take out any frustrations he might have on Rock's throat. And possibly a duplicate of his mom.
But that's for later.
"You talk way too much, powder puff."
Word fucking one. The next word that comes out of Rock's mouth. The attack comes much sooner than expected. Krizalid doesn't even really seem to be in range when all of a sudden he stretches out like a cat, his coat flaring wide as he stabs out a vicious boot to slam into Rock's throat. See, Rock is going to have to fight to talk for the rest of this fight. Because if Krizalid manages to pick him up with his boot (!), Rock's throat is going to belong to him as he folds it in a broad U shape with a distinctive tread pattern across his larynx.
COMBATSYS: Athena successfully hits K9999 with Round Psycho Reflector.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Krizalid
"/WHY/-" K9999 screams over Athena's words, "- WON'T YOU /JUST/ /STOP/-"
The final word dies in his throat when the girl takes a single step forwards and is, suddenly, right in front of him. The experiment's eyes widen, and he draws his fist back, flames dancing around it...
... and then the stage fills with pink light as Athena conjures a ball of Psycho energy directly into K9999's chest. It hits him like a mack truck, and he goes flying backwards, spasming in obvious agony, to crash into a pile of speakers equally convenient to the earlier pile of speakers.
This second convenient speaker pile collapses on top of the battered K9999, concealing him entirely from outside eyes, and for a few moments, it seems as if he might be defeated...
... and then, without warning, a column of flame erupts into the air from within the pile, sending ruined speakers flying in all directions. A tweeter punches through a giant banner of Athena, leaving her crotch a giant gaping hole in the material. K9999 would find this /hilarious/ if he were looking.
He is, of course, not looking. In fact, he seems to be alternating between screaming like a maniac and... uh, laughing like a maniac. "NOW YOU'VE MADE ME REALLY MAD!!" he practically shrieks at Athena, "YOU WANT TO GO ALL OUT?! LET'S GO ALL OUT, WHORE!"
As if on command, the inferno rising around him widens, sending a wave of heat across the stage in all directions. "HAHAHAHA! CAN YOU FEEL IT?! CAN YOU FEEL MY POWER?!" K9999 cries.
He might have lost it a little.
COMBATSYS: K9999 gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|=======\======-\1 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Krizalid
COMBATSYS: Rock interrupts Lethal Impact from Krizalid with Raging Storm+.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|=======\======-\1 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1 Krizalid
Rock's throat may never forgive him. But since Krizalid's looking to -crush- it, well, mitigating the insult will have to do--as the foot impacts, Rock -twists-, throwing himself into a forward spin, aided by that impact--it looks very much like an uncontrolled spin, Rock whirling like a top as he almost floats towards Krizalid. And indeed...
He does land at Krizalid's feet. But it isn't as a crumpled heap. No, Rock lands in a surprisingly controlled fashion and, midway through that spin, his hands were flaring, energy built up, spiked through the roof in a single moment, concentrated in Rock's wiry arms--if he could channel it differently, he might suddenly have Hulk-like arms. But the energy retains its nature...
And despite the abuse to his throat, Rock still manages some volume, some projection, as he drops to a knee and grates out, "Eat -this-, powder puff..." The explosion of purple and Rock's voice come in the same, singular moment, a harsher sound than his usual:
"RAGING STORM!!!"
The geyser of power is both like and unlike Geese's famous 'cage', more like a gout of power torn straight from the depths of the Earth to engulf Krizalid, payback for the insult of the clone's very existence in defiance of the natural order of things.
When her attack sends K9999 crashing into the pile of speakers, Athena actually pauses for a moment, blinks, then starts to wonder if she can turn her attention to helping Rock out with the NESTS officer. She glances toward the young man that's stepped up to be her help in this nefarious ordeal just in time to see him explode with a storm of erupting chi right in the middle of Krizalid's throat-crushing combination. A risky counter attack, to say the least, but in the end it seems to have paid off.
She starts to take a step, intending to help Geese's son against a common enemy when the pile of destroyed electronics behind her detonates. Whirling around, the threatened girl focus on the psychotic clone, mouth set in a bit of a frown of concern and irritation. "So much power, yet all he does with it is whatever that wretched cartel has him do... No more dignity than an abused dog..." she muses to herself. She sets herself, hands closing then opening again as she returns to her ready stance, mouth twitching at the corner as she's once again insulted by the raging lunatic.
"All out? You want to see what happens when I do that? You want to see what going all out really means?"
Another pulse radiates out from around the girl, an unseen blastwave of energy being released, limitors cast off, potential realized for a fleeting moment before it's about to be brought crashing down against the NESTS project. The inferno raging around K9999 expands as if liquid napalm had been poured from the sky to wash over the thoroughly damaged stage. Heated wind, driven by the rising waves of molten metel whips the girl's hair about her shoulders.
"So be it."
Another blastwave of invisible power ripples out, washing over all those nearby, but only affects her chosen target, the one she's glaring at directly now. If his own psyche is unable to ward off the initial intrusion of psychic onslaught, he may have a hard time focusing on his chosen prey, as Athena will seem to suddenly move in several directions at once. Illusions, perhaps, apparations visible only to his mind's eye as she seems to be coming in to attack him from all angles, each connecting blow a distracting strike that might cause him to lose track of his defenses against the real incoming attack.
In the real world, Athena leaps to the air, flipping forward in a lazy arch, pink and violet energy swirling about her forearms as she pulls extensively from her own reserves of Psycho Power. The apex of her jump would bring her right over K9999, upside down, hands pressed together in front of her. In the blink of an eye, however, she pulls her hands apart and a literal tsunami of Psycho Power comes crashing down out of the sky against K9999. It may well be enough to shatter what exists of his nervous system or at the very least render him unable to battle any further.
Unless otherwise stopped, Athena will complete her jump, landing on the opposite side of where she had jumped in a controled crouch before rising to standing to turn and review the outcome.
Krizalid frowns as Rock lands in a vapid sprawl. Underneath his battlesuit's analytical eye, he can suss out pretty much every movement of energy in that boy's frame, and none of it told him that Rock had anything intended other than to unleash his strongest move. However, his dissatisfaction is brief. So brief.
The power inherited from Geese Howard washes over him, an energy blast ripped straight from the earth into Krizalid's body flashing over him and sending the clone back and away from Howard. This time, it knocks him off of his feet, clearly and explicitly. ... But he doesn't fall on his face. He doesn't falter. Some preternatural force of 'solid' air seems to twist the clone unnaturally, knocking him riotously around until he lands--heavily--on his boots.
He breathes outward again, forcibly regulating his pain responses.
Energy snaps and pulses off of Krizalid's bracers and claws as excess drains from them, dragging long scorched furrows in the ground around him as they arc away. All around him, energy pulsates--Athena's, K9999's, Rock's. So far, the only person not to show their true power here is Krizalid, it seems. The clone's eyes are closed as he flexes his talons.
[#] Battle data copied to primary active library.
His battlesuit ripples with power, causing his coat to flare, and black feathers to fall from his pauldrons, drifting through the wind around him.
[#] Adapting routing algorithms. New defensive parameters unlocked.
[#] Beginning charging routine..
"You know..." Krizalid seethes quietly, as the ambient power seems to collect in his ribbed gauntlets, now, causing them to glow faintly. "I think these people need to be taught real pain. K Four Nine!" Krizalid barks. He can tell the flood of energy emitting from Athena is some sort of illusory technique, but not much more. "Don't give the kewpie doll the satisfaction.... we'll take their /entrails/ for the dark dinner plate!" A sign of humanity? Krizalid does /not/, noticeably, talk down to K9999. Instead, the ultimate clone seems to ... support him?
COMBATSYS: Krizalid gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|=======\======-\1 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
COMBATSYS: K9999 blocks Athena's Psychic Medley 13.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
K9999's eyes widen in shock again as Athena splits herself up like she's a God damn /devil witch./ The flames towering around him suddenly recede, swirling tighter around him like they were his giant fire pet, and as the illusions lunge at him again and again, he desperately fights them off with massive gouts of flame.
Of course, as no one else can see them, it mostly just looks like he's totally lost his God damn mind.
He's so distracted by the swarming illusions that he barely even notices when Athena takes her position above him... at least not until it's too late.
Only at the last second does the experiment's gaze flash upwards, but he only barely has time to open his mouth to cry out before Psycho power descends upon him from the God damn heavens, as if somewhere, a goddess just spritzed him with a spray bottle full of water while shouting, 'NO! /NO!/'
K9999 vanishes within the onslaught of pink energy, and when it vanishes, he is conveniently obscured by a slowly spreading cloud of dust. Is he still okay? Is he down for the count? WHO CAN SAY?!
Oh nope he's okay.
He looks... awful, of course; he's slouched over, his left arm hanging limply at his side, blood trickling from his nose... but his eyes are still full of hate, and his right hand is still held in front of him, flames dancing along its length.
"Haha... hahahaha!" the experiment howls. He's obviously exhausted and agony, but he's still crazy, apparently. "Is that... is that the best you can do, whore?! I've still got enough power to tear you apart! I... I..."
K9999's shoulders and gut suddenly heave as if he's about to vomit; he has to take a sudden, unsteady step forward to keep himself from collapsing. Under his tight-fitting vest, his skin visibly bulges and ripples, like there was something crawling around inside of him.
He glances down at his roiling insides, and when he looks back up at Athena, he's as terrified as he is angry. "You-- you did this to me again--" he sneers, he's cut off by another heave.
"YOU-- YOU-- MY... POWER... LOSING CONTROL... I--" K9999's words trail off into a wordless scream of agony, and his right arm suddenly... explodes, expanding into a massive, fleshy column. Veins spiderweb across the entire fleshy expanse, many translucent enough and close enough to the surface that one can watch the blood pump through them; they're joined by a series of obviously artificial tubes and wires. Every once in awhile, the enormous appendage sprouts a horribly misshapen eye, or a human mouth that lets loose a long thread of drool, or a fleshy, flailing tentacle.
It is horrifying. It is disgusting. It is Lovecraftian, even.
It is also erupting out of K9999's shoulder, straight for Athena.
COMBATSYS: Athena has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Krizalid 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
Athena arrives from elsewhere.
Rock is all set to go charging off after Krizalid. Really, he is. Then K9999... unleashes his 'power'. It's impressive, certainly very very impressive... in a totally disgusting, unnatural way. He doesn't even want to think about what that might end up doing to Athena, but he's in no position to stop it, even if he weren't temporarily horrified and disgusted. And then he turns back to Krizalid, righteous indignation in his eyes.
He sweeps his arm out towards the raging K999, his voice raised in heated anger, filled with disbelief, scorn, and disdain. "THIS is what you think is human?!? That isn't -anything- close to human!!" Athena may feel pity for K9999; Rock does too, but he expresses it in a different manner--anger towards Krizalid.
"You're despicable--the lowest of the low. You've got some serious brain damage in there, and I don't think anything will fix it." Aware that Krizalid's power is channeling, the young Howard's tactical brain is trying to overcome that righteous anger, to force him to think harder about what's going to happen if he does what every fiber of his being wants him to do... he twitches, as if ready to charge in anyway...
And then he stills. No, not this time... not unprepared. Rock's vision clears, and his eyes narrow, his fists clenching, then unclenching. "You're going to pay for all this. You, and your 'boss'. All of you corrupt assholes. Maybe it won't be me that does it. But someday the hand of the world is going to crush you like a -bug-."
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
COMBATSYS: Athena effortlessly blocks K9999's Power... losing control!... YAH!.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
When she lands, she's again ready to dismiss the tenacious NESTS experiment as having been dealt with. Not many can keep fighting after being subjected to a tidal wave of Psycho Power and K9999 was already looking to be on his last legs /before/ that. Krizalid speaks, encouraging the clone briefly, and Athena whirls toward the superior officer, brow furrowed, hands clenched at her sides, risidual energy swirling around her, latent power that has yet to subside after attempting to lay waste to her attacker.
Rock's situation is inspected - the young man's intervention critical in giving her a chance against the otherwise overwhelming odds. To think, Geese Howard's own progeny would turn out to be so unlike his amoral father. It is always a relieve to find those that will take up the fight against factions like the NESTS Cartel against all odds to the contrary. Time to help Rock out with his fight. The opportunity to bring down two very important entities within such an evil organization is not one to be passed up on.
But she's only taken a step when motion behind her warns of additional threat incoming. Whirling back around to face K9999, she blinks in a moment of abject surprise, "You... you're still..." His shouting voice more than drowns out her own murmurings of disbelief. Her own stance tightens - it seems there's more work to be done with this one.
The horror movie sequence that plays out next, however, easily surpasses that surprise. Violet eyes widen as the clone's body begins to lose what semblence of stability it had been maintaining thus far. She remains rooted to the spot at first, staring with confused facination with what transpires before her eyes.
When his arm explodes out, only fear-induced adrenaline provides the necessary speed to react at all. Reflexes honed by training are the key to moving out of the way of the main impact just in time. Warding off the stray tendrils, apendages, and unexpectedly sharp edges of twisted flesh, on the other hand, is almost purely innate talent, as there isn't even time to see them with her eyes. That she makes it out with scrapes and scratches is a miracle one is welcome to attribute to any divine intervention they care to chose as Athena springs up and over the rest of the mass to land on the other side of the stage.
Even as she lands, both of her hands have become super-charged with more of her relentless energy. "No. It isn't the best I can do." As her feet touch the stage, she slams her hands forward and together, generating a pulsating sphere of that same pink energy circled about by thin violet strands that seem to just barely keep the Psycho Power contained. "But I'm through with you!"
COMBATSYS: K9999 Toughs Out Athena's Psycho Shoot!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > // ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 K9999
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Athena 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
It takes a few seconds for K9999's enormous hell tentacle limb to shrink and shrivel back into his body after Athena leaps to the other side of the stage in her lust to be /nowhere near that thing holy fuck/, and even when it does, it's not really an... ARM so much as a pink blob of flesh that hangs uselessly at his side. It'll take him awhile to fully recover from the malfunctioning of his powers, it seems.
Awhile that he apparently doesn't have; the experiment turns to face Athena again just in time for her to hurl a ball of pink energy at him... and, too exhausted to do anything else, all he can do is turn his nose up at the incoming blast and sneer.
Amazingly, this works pretty well. The blast of psycho energy breaks on K9999's chest like a wave on a rock, merely driving the 'young man' a single step backwards. He doesn't even spasm or thrash in pain... at least, not overtly.
But it takes him a second or two to recover enough to actually do anything, and when he does, all he really manages to do is take two steps forward, begin, "You're /through/ with me? I'm-" and then suddenly lurch forwards and throw up what must be a pint of blood onto the stage in front of him.
When he lifts his eyes out of his own bloodvomit, they are full of rage again. "Looks like... looks like it's time for me to get lost," he concedes, swaying gently back and forth. "But I'm... I'm not gonna... leave empty-handed!"
K9999's left arm may be cashed out, but it's not nearly as cashed out as his boneless floppy right arm... so, with a snarl of pain, he heaves the limb up to point towards Athena. It begins to twist and transform, and after a moment it's turned from an arm into...
... a big, black machine gun.
"So... SO YOU GET LOST TOO!" K9999 howls, voice absolutely manic. He then proceeds to laugh like a maniac, his voice backed up by the rapidfire beat of machinegun fire as God damn /bullets/ erupt out of his arm towards Athena, and shell casings spray out of what used to be his elbow.
K9999 is like an Animorph, except instead of turning into animals, he turns into bullshit.
COMBATSYS: K9999 can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/----===|
After about six seconds of sustained fire, the gunfire is replaced by a series of rapid 'clicks' - K9999 is, apparently... out of ammunition.
And then the experiment sways once, and collapses forwards onto his face.
The boy with the sacred blood frowns. You can't see it.
"You're not as strong as you think you are," Krizalid observes of Athena, and the fact that K9999 is brewing to his full potential behind her as she whirls on him. Simply, he leaves it at that, finding little reason to defend himself against Athena when she still has so much to defend against. Instead, he turns to Rock, dark lightning and energy trails sliding along his suit's pinlines.
Inexorably, he begins to advance.
"Let's get one thing straight between us, reverend," Krizalid starts, his voice low and deadly, boots sounding out hollowly against the stage as he advances. "For all that whiny preaching you've been doing, you've been forgetting the point. I'm not asking you your opinion on anything. You know why?"
Like the main gun of a battleship cannon, Krizalid's knee blurs, as if he'd planned to knee Rock square in the middle since before Rock was even born. The rest of him doesn't even move. It's like Krizalid grew a joint or two specifically for the purpose of making Rock hurt all that much more. If it lands, there have been car accidents that have hurt less.
"I don't care. Fucking gutter genes. Though. Come to think of it."
He headtilts into his collar thoughtfully.
"Your mother did have some attributes I liked."
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Krizalid's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/----===|
Most would, rightly, be quite terrified of the inexorable advance of the NESTS agent Krizalid. Rock is in the top five percent or so that ... aren't. Krizalid's knee does not find Rock's gut. Far from it; it finds his left hand, instead, opened palm catching that knee. Rock glances up at the taller man, with a wry half-smile. "You're only half-right. Only my father came from the gutter..."
"Whereas NESTS must've scraped -your- genes out of the bottom of a pig sty." Perhaps not the best of the witty repartee, but Rock isn't really -trying-. Half a moment after the impact, Rock is moving, spinning right, looking to hammer the base of his fist into the back of Krizalid's head as he spins past. "You keep posturing about how superior you are--well I haven't seen it yet, you pompous ass!!! AND YOU KEEP MY MOTHER OUT OF THIS!!!" The mention of his mother -does- put quite a bit of sharpness in his tone, but he isn't quite fully enraged yet.
He hasn't seen what Athena's done to K9999, but he's a bit, well, fully involved with Krizalid, at the moment. Despite the words he's just said, he understands that Krizalid is far too dangerous to take lightly. A moment's inattention and the man could very well make good on his threat, the inherent and implied threat of his existence.
COMBATSYS: K9999 successfully hits Athena with You get lost too!.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/-======|
The attack launched, Athena draws her arms back, lifting her head from her over-extended position, hair, tousled by the encounter, half-covering her eyes as she's just in time to notice the NESTS clone weather a direct impact from one of her stronger projected attacks without being blasted clean off his feet or reduced to a crumpled heap as expected. For all intents, it seems as if he just allowed his body to flat out /absorb/ the power rather than fight against it at all. Against most, the nerve-wracking pain would be enough to drop them on the spot yet he stands defiantly.
"How are you even..." she starts to wonder out loud when the violent vomiting commences. The truth of the matter - the damage taken internally is about to overwhelm him completely. He shouldn't even be able to stand after that! Returning to her ready stance, Athena lifts her hands, preparing to defend herself against an attack from beyond the grave. After all she's seen out of him, it's impossble to predict what would come next... and if she even tried, she definitely never would have arrived at /machine gun arm/.
When the weapon takes form, she gets the idea that standing where she is is hardly a good idea, and thus Athena bolts to the side, trying to make herself a difficult target! It works for a few steps until one of the blazing energy bullets clips her leg. A trip and stagger later, and she's riddled with another few rounds from the wild spray of machine-gun-chi-fire?! Forget this, she's surrendering the stage to the NESTS experiment!
Her form begins to shimmer, the girl about to teleport some distance away in hopes of avoiding the rest of the shots, only to get clocked in the side of the head by another energy bullet, the impact dazing her and causing her concentration to drop. Another couple shots connect home and 'help' her off the stage as she tumbles rather than teleports, crashing to the street with an ungraceful thud.
It takes a few seconds for her hand to pop up over the edge of the stage and for her to eventually pull herself the rest of the way up to cautious standing, looking back at K9999 warily. It seems he's dropped at last, however. Whew! "Thus will be the fate of..." she winces a little, lifting her hand to the side of her head as if to assuage a headache, "Ow, that hurt." Shaking her head to clear her vision the rest of the way, she turns around to identify the situation between Rock and Krizalid.
COMBATSYS: Athena takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Krizalid with Medium Punch.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/-======|
Krizalid's knee is soundly blocked by Rock's defense, the experiment leader's leg twisting against him. If the action weren't (theoretically) achievable by humans, from the sound and the noise, one could easily assume his leg is reconfiguring itself to reintegrate whatever joints he seemed to spawn to hit Rock in the first place. Then again, what is and is not biologically possible with NESTS is questionable.
He smirks, pleased with Rock's defense, but more appropriately, his reaction. He begins to say something--
At that moment, K9999 eats a deadly blast in the background, and ends up vomiting blood.
Suddenly no longer particularly paying attention to Rock, Krizalid's eyes flick towards the younger clone. This turns out to be a mistake. Krizalid is struck hard in the base of the skull, forcing the agent to stumble forward, starts and damage assessment critical warnings flooding his vision in beautiful high definition. But he's not paying attention to that.
ugh--
Through the flashes of white pain, Krizalid manages to sort out his internal COM to focus on the display that is responsible for scanning his team. The reason /why/ Krizalid knew K9999 was still strong enough to fight a moment ago is because he's keeping tabs on his vital signatures using the data collection capacities of his battlesuit. Now?
Decide. He utters a single order.
"Four Nine. Retreat."
Sweeping a claw back, Krizalid doesn't even look as he tries to sink talons into Rock's wrist... and twist viciously. Though the commander mentions nothing of his plans, his eyes are focused entirely on Athena. It's as if he's deliberately trying to cause as much pain to Rock as possible, to get her attention. Breaking his arm, while unlikely, would suffice. Is he really going to try to distract them both long enough for K9999 to make his escape?
...The cartel covers for their own?
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Strong Throw from Krizalid with Gedan Crack Counter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/-======|
Rock pivots through the weird side-on hammerfist, ending up roughly behind Krizalid; he's got no idea what's going through Krizalid's head (literally) until he tells the clone to retreat. Whether K9999 is capable of doing that or not, Rock's blood is up, evil and good alike, and he isn't about to let Krizalid inflict emo scar wounds on his wrist--and with Krizalid not even looking, Rock treats the man with contempt, reversing the blind hold and grabbing Krizalid's wrist--and pounding Krizalid in the head again.
This time he uses an overhead axe kick, flinging his body through a quick rotation before dropping his heel right into Krizalid's braincase, a dull *thud* sounding as Rock's heel impacts. "What, you think I'm gonna -just let you go-??" Yeah, now he -is- getting cocky, although it's a cockiness born out of anger; he isn't smirking or taunting.
Now he gets a chance to see the rest of the battle, and he sees that, as expected... Athena's taken care of K9999. Quite possibly, Rock didn't need to involve himself at all. But yeah right, as if. Of -course- he would involve himself in this fracas. He's practically contractually obligated.
Of course, Krizalid has some amazing technology at his fingertips--and other body parts--so stopping him from leaving may prove... difficult. Unless Rock is willing to attempt to kill him and... well, he isn't quite there. Yet.
Rock might notice his boots are smouldering on the pavement.
Core temperature warnings are flashing across Krizalid's view as Rock rolls over and strikes him in the skull again, sending the agent of NESTS stumbling away from Rock Howard. Rock can see Krizalid's boots sizzling, causing the poly fibers of the boards beneath to liquefy. He knows what kind of power the clone wields in his body. Rock Howard once tasted it, surviving only by a thread of life.
He's holding back..
It explains why Krizalid has managed to keep so calm. It's only a tenth of his power he's even been showing Rock right now. It's said that the only thing that can keep Krizalid's obsessiveness in check is the object of his obsession. And right now... it's not Rock. Krizalid stands slowly, thuroughly vexed by the litany of data his suit is feeding him. Reports about damage, reports about his active unit, and most importantly, a report that K9999 is no longer conscious enough to respond to his command. Damn.
Running his talon through his scalp, Krizalid spreads a streak of blood haphazardly through his matting silver hair. "..Looks like you get spared the pyre."
Krizalid kneels slightly. Despite what Rock seems to think in his anger, there's only one person who's actually fast enough to stop him. He'll take that opportunity. The agent doesn't so much move as simply disappear. Moving at speeds that simply cannot be reliably tracked with the naked eye, Krizalid's movement is accompanied only by the shrieking groan of metal on metal, and the whistling gale of parted air. Even K9999 seems to be caught up in the deadly rakefest, his body disappearing. His blood boiling into near-uselessness in long black angry trails on the stage. It's untold carnage out there.
Chaotically, jagged wounds rip themselves into the stage. They cut the set to pieces, ripping struts from the ground, collapsing the entire thing in on itself. Rock, provided he can navigate the collateral damage, will mostly be able to escape completely unharmed. That's because Rock isn't Krizalid's target, and is not the focal point of hundreds of the cutting strokes.
Athena is.
Krizalid seems to be attempting to disable her before she can recover and detect their locations or anything silly like that. The worst part of it is--by the time the first droplet of blood hits the ground, Krizalid and his charge may already very well be gone. It will take skill to break Krizalid out of his stride.
COMBATSYS: Athena dodges Krizalid's Lightning Disaster.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/-======|
K9999 is not entirely a difficult persona to read but that doesn't mean it isn't extremely stressful just dealing with such a broken, yet powerful psyche in close proximity. By the time he at last drops, Athena realizes the dull roar in her mind fades as well. The threat from that violent creation is diminished for the moment but the aftermath of such exposure is not without its costs. Her right hand lifts to rub at her temple where a trickle of blood mats the hair along the side of her hair. The impact of those extremely strange projectiles she was riddled by was dazing, to say the least, as she found her aura unable to stay focused under the assault.
Focus returns slowly, in time to see Krizalid and Rock exchange a few violent blows. Krizalid, unlike K9999, is not so easy to read. Also broken, flawed, his mind is a thing best not touched for reasons entirely different than the crumpled clone on the stage. But if she could... for even an instant, perhaps she would gain useful insight, something to help combat the powerful cartel on a level never before feasible. It would be risky, but the war ahead demands chances be taken. There is no choice.
She takes a step forward, her balance restored, unaware of the litany of data being fed to Krizalid with each passing instant. Few could possibly keep track of so much information all at once like he can - most minds would snap at the mere attempt. Slowly she begins to alter her own psychic presence, getting ready to attack the NESTS agent on a level he might not be entirely prepared for. Sucking in her breath, she half closes her eyes, thinking to have found the perfect opportunity.
And then he moves. Everything changes.
Athena gasps, eyes widening, stance shattered as the very particles of air around her become energized by the incomprehensible speed accomplished by the battlesuit equipped operative. "Impossible!" A thick gouge tears through the ground at her side. A weave to the left results in a gash on her cheek being sliced open by the slightest grazing hit. Taking a step back, she moves again, on instinct more than conscious thought, and several strands of violet hair are scattered into the air. Another slight motion, and a crimson fragment of her skirt is sliced away. The speed - it's too much. She can't keep this up!
Twisting on one foot, she spins all the way around, clapping her hands together, as the storm of destruction rages on about her. Several more seconds of unmitigated wreckage takes place near and around the location the idol singer had occupied but she, herself, suffers no further harm. There can be only one explanation for such impossible evasiveness - for those moments, she wasn't in Krizalid's path of annihilation, and that very fact may have saved her life.
When she is next noticed, she is in the same location, though her hands are out at her sides, palms toward the ground, eyes closed... her feet hover a few inches off the ground, crossed at the ankles. That would probably be the best one could detect of her posture through the brilliantly bright pink aura that surrounds the girl. Her voice can be heard from behind the building power. A cry that starts out low and builds in intensity just like the aura about her. Shimmering Psycho Power radiates at levels few would ever be exposed to shy of crossing the likes of Lord Vega, violet spheres of crackling psi orbiting the girl in a protective pattern making it almost impossible to attack the now shielded Athena directly.
The soft cry ends and the goddess-named Athena quickly raises her right hand to a point over her head and suddenly lands, feet touching the ground as all of that immense power collects at her upraised finger. She turns without opening her eyes, picking a specific point without so much as seeing the intended target. A step forward is taken, her arm snapped down, her finger outstretched, and missile of rippling Psycho Power is let loose into the air. Its target...
COMBATSYS: Krizalid reflects Shining Crystal Bit+ from Athena with Typhon's Rage "R".
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/-------|
There was only one speed faster than Krizalid's best.
The NESTS agent rips, shreds, and slices Athena to pieces--as was intended. Or so he seems to think. He ends shredding up what seemed to have been a bloody figment of his imagination, finally landing with a bass boom of thunder as his boots cause the nicked trusses holding up the stage beneath them to sing underneath his weight. A claw drips a single notch of fresh crimson--a matching mark for which occupies Athena's cheek, but not much more.
Were she not 'that' fast, then his claws would be pouring blood by now.
"..Kch," Krizalid scoffs, looking over his shoulder. Of note is the fact he now has K9999, now not much more than a mass of mutated flesh wrapped in human clothes, slung over his shoulder.
In the split second that he stops, energy begins to concentrate at the center of the female's hands, his battlesuit making extrapolations in the background of the current Conflict Level of the encounter, the outcome of which is reflected in Krizalid's grim frown. "Should've guessed.." That energy will be more than enough to deactivate him and K9999 both.
The goddess points, and her will is made manifest.
The missile that is released focuses not on Krizalid's body, but his mind--a twisted, vengeful thing. It sails through the air, carving a asymmetric path towards the NESTS agent. Krizalid /bolts,/ heading towards the edge of the stage, the tails of his coat spreading like great black wings. But even as fast as Krizalid might be, he can't outrun or dodge Athena's ephemeral heaven-sent killer of a projectile. It seems almost futile, were Krizalid not running as if he still stood a chance. He just needs to get to the edge of the stage..
But at this rate..
"Hmph. Looks like they forgot who the ultimate clone here is..!"
-- !! --
It's hard to tell what exactly happened in the last moment. The last thing anyone can really clearly see is Krizalid's boots crackling with dark lightning, whirling on the divine missile just before it hit him and K9999. Then a massive explosion rips throughout the area, sending a dust corona erupting from the epicenter as the energetic reaction explodes outward in a shockwave of energy and force, pinkish light shot through with black. By the time the psychotic lightshow fades, the smoke from the pyrotechnics is gone, dispersed by the massive blast of power. The stage is thuroughly ruined, a spider's web of black scorchmarks radiating out from the point of impact over the length of the stage. But the rough semicircle where Krizalid /was/ standing, near the exitway?
Not a single board is even chipped.
Krizalid and his charge are gone.
COMBATSYS: Athena effortlessly blocks Krizalid's Reflected Shining Crystal Bit+.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/------=|
It was impossible. The Psychic Missile inbound for Krizalid could not be avoided, could not deterred. Its divine mandate was absolute and its judgement could not be denied. Yet... yet...
She's not so far as to escape the radius of the blastwave when it detonates outward. Arms come up, the girl bracing as the unchained power washes over her - a portion of it familiar, albeit diluted, the rest of it foreign and dangerous. Had she possessed even a bit less natural born talent, there would have been no chance to act within that non-existant window. She slides back two yards before coming to a stop, dust and debris whipped about her legs.
When she lowers her arms she is met with complete silence, her ears ringing from the close-proximity concussive explosion. Standing up straight, she stares back at the location occupied, seconds before, by the predator and his related clone, blinking twice as if still trying to process what just happened and for a passing moment, it feels as if the world has paused to sort out the mystery.
But reality can't wait forever and what begins as a dull ringing in her ears eventually clarifies to become the rush of life resuming around her. Shaking her head, she wipes her arm across her eyes once only to notice the streak of blood from where her forearm brushes briefly against her cheek. It could have been much, much worse.
She sucks in her breath as if surprised. It isn't just the noises but the surge of emotions from every direction. The panic of those who were outside the radius of the smoke, the terror of those watching the event remotely, the confusion of those barely coming to, shaking off the effects of the smoke, and the last dying thoughts of the security who bled to death in the shadows. It's too much to take in at once and Athena reflects the stress in her face, looking as if ill for a moment. Gritting her teeth, she raises her psychic filters once more, managing to block out the majority of sensations caused by this act of terrorism, stabilizing herself in the process.
By the time she can focus again, she's looking a little bit better, the worst it having passed. Violet eyes find their focus at last, coming to rest on the young man that stepped in to help her at a critical time. "Rock... thank you." There's an edge to her tone, she's holding something back, containing a deeply suppressed anger at what just happened here.
No time to talk now though. Immediately, the girl's attention turns to those slowly coming to around them, moving to help people to their feet or get them settled safely in what few non-destroyed chairs can be found in the vicinity. People pour into the location. Journalists talking to witnesses, reporters rolling cameras, agents and stage crew trying to find out what just happened, and Athena's own horde of handlers moving to check on her condition, obviously worried that their idol investment could have been damaged by what just happened!
COMBATSYS: Athena takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/------=|
"... -Shit-! Ath--" Rock cuts off--shocked or startled by Krizalid's sudden change in target, hurting from his own wounds--it's true. He's too hurt to effectively interpose himself between the silver-haired NESTS clone and his target. But he doesn't have to, as Athena proves herself more than adequate to the task of avoiding the lightning. Hell. He moves to take a step but his body fails him; with a sharp curse, he realizes that he's stepped into one of the furrows carved into the stage, a furrow just large enough to admit and hold his foot. The twist it imparts to his leg is enough to stop him--
--but he sees Athena's got things handled. Krizalid's lightshow is one that Rock is familiar with; as the explosion occurs, he curses again, pulling his foot free as he hurls himself backwards to avoid being caught in it, sliding on his back and side and ending up behind the percussion kit. By the time he gets up and out from behind that, well, it'll all be over but the singing; and maybe even that is over, as he walks out from behind the percussion.
"Athena," he says, his voice much louder in the relative silence, even with moving about. "It was my..." He thinks for a moment, about the words.
"... my duty. What kind of man would I be if I just turned away? I haven't trained all my life to let scum like those bastards do what they want. That isn't what I'm about--that isn't what I'm like." The words aren't said but are clearly thought--I'm not like my -father-. She might catch the edge of them even with her shields up.
"I can only hope we win our King of Fighters round... if only so that I can meet up with him again... and beat his head in... again." Turning, he surveys the cleanup of the carnage, shaking his head.
"Nothing left but the cleanup, I guess..." And with that, he hops off the stage, to do what he can to help out, despite the fact that he is nothing remotely like a medic.
COMBATSYS: Rock takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Krizalid
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Athena 0/-------/------=|
Log created on 16:11:11 02/06/2011 by Rock, and last modified on 22:29:49 02/12/2011.