Description: Aranha begins his search for Tomoko in Japan. Problem. Nothing goes as planned. The person he interrogates turns out to not know anything but ends up drawing a lot more blood than the Dancing Spider expected. Even after the fight, things go wrong for him except for receiving aid from one of the unlikeliest of sources. The Zero Doll.
There was a connection with what he had felt at both the temple in Sunshine City and Stonehenge. The problem was that the one person he had who could get more detail on what was going on didn't believe him on the something not being quite right part. He kept getting that nagging feeling in both of those places. In the case of the temple it was there right from the beginning and it was only confirmed by watching the chi sage walk up to the temple looking incredibly sick. It didn't make sense to the capoeirista that both Gen and Frei sensed a wrongness around them and that Frei was visibly unwell if it was just a gathering of power. In an area with a gathering of power, it seems as though Frei would be in his element. Pun not intended.
Aranha realized he was ill equipped to follow along the thread of what that power would be used for and why did he feel that things weren't quite right? What he was more equipped for was street level investigation. He received a tip that Tomoko was in Japan now and that if he found her, he'd get an idea of why she went to Stonehenge. That person who sent the tip that recommended that the Dancing Spider check out Southtown. If he didn't find her there he'd at least encounter someone who knew something about her.
Aranha finds himself in an alleyway between a well known dive a bar and quite possibly one of the trashiest Chinese restaurants one may ever lay eyes upon. He stares at a lone figure and says softly though carrying a significant amount of menace in both voice and posture. "I know you know about the old woman, Tomoko Kimura. How about you tell me something about her whereabouts or what's she's doing and we can go our separate ways."
The lone figure in question is a local tough, a few rungs above expendable redshirt, quite a few rungs below anybody truly important in the underworld, with the currently very appropriate name of Minoru. A solid looking gentleman who has had his fair share of street fights in the past, he does not appear to be particularly impressed by Aranha's not so veiled threat.
"You know, do you?" he asks, pausing from walking out of the dive to the main street. "You don't know squat, and neither do I. I don't know every old woman who passes by, maybe you should try an old peoples home or something?" he asks, huffing at Aranha as he tries to shoulder past.
Aranha quickly moves to cut off Minouru's escape route. "Because a little birdie told me she's been in this area, and because no old woman who can do this..." He jabs to fingers in a nerve cluster on the street tough's shoulder. Sure he's not an expert on pressure points but after being on the receiving end of both Gen's and Tomoko's nerve strikes he has at least a general idea on its execution. He then finishes, "... belongs in an elderly home. So cut the BS already and /please/ tell me something or else I'm going to have to stop asking nicely."
COMBATSYS: Aranha has started a fight here.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Minoru has joined the fight here.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Minoru
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Minoru with Medium Throw.
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Aranha 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Minoru
It's not really a throw per say - Minoru tries to ward off Aranha's fingers, but fails, and then he's suddenly finding his arm on fire. "What the!" he gasps, suddenly assaulted right next to his favourite bar.
In the bar are Minoru's associates, the sort who prey on any displays of weakness, and so it's not like he can just spill his guts to Aranha after what looks to the uninitiated like a simple poke to the shoulder. So he grunts at Aranha, "Alright bozo, you asked for it, and now you're gonna get it.". A fist comes careening towards Aranha's eye. Street thugs are rarely particularly subtle in their fighting.
COMBATSYS: Minoru successfully hits Aranha with Black Eye.
- Power hit! -
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Aranha 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Minoru
There's a problem with using methods you're not exactly used to. In delivering that initial attack he has forsaken one of the main advantages of capoeira's ginga. Providing a moving target. As a result, Aranha doesn't even move when that fist comes right into his face and sends him flying.
He takes a moment to bring himself back up to his feet and rub under his eye and then all of a sudden he's in motion dancing as he moves closer. Then all of a sudden he becomes a blur swinging around a glowing blue roundhouse kick followed by a jumping roundhouse also glowing with blue chi landing with his back turned before he flips backwards driving a foot downwards to smash a final glowing kick down on the top of his skull. "Fine!"
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Minoru with Aggressive Dance.
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Aranha 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Minoru
Minoru gets kicked - a lot. Seems like a foot is coming in from every angle for a moment, and it would likely fell a lesser man right there, but he's not a complete wuss - he's seen his fair share of violence in his time. He backs off for a moment, shaking his head. Grr.
Seems that Aranha's kicks only slowed him down for a brief moment as he comes in again, coming in to try and grab an arm and send Aranha tumbling down onto the cold and dirty stones of the alley. If Aranha ends up on the ground, then a foot comes crashing down, to add to the pain and the suffering.
COMBATSYS: Minoru successfully hits Aranha with Curb Stomp.
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Aranha 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Minoru
Minoru falls asleep.
Minoru wakes up.
Aranha's arm is grabbed and he attempts to move with the wrenching motion and keep himself from hitting the ground. Instead he steps on a banana peel and falls face first on the ground. He then finds his first attempt to get back up put to a screeching halt by the powerful stomp.
In this moment, due to not being able to put up an adequate defense against this particular thug and the thug being unable to put up an adequate defense against him, he finds himself in a race to deal as much damage as possible instead of his ideal fight which is to slow the pace down, pick his shots and ultimately force his opponent into situations where they have to make a choice between multiple bad outcomes. A damage dealing races are not something that Aranha excels in.
Even still, Aranha has to hit him hard or else Minoru's sheer brute strength will out pace him. Especially if he can't manage a defense against the brute. He swings out a powerful chi enhanced pimp slap from hell before delivering a cartwheel kick right after.
COMBATSYS: Minoru endures Aranha's Dead Man's Hand.
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Aranha 1/---====/=======|=======\====---\1 Minoru
Minoru is evidently the sort of thug who likes toe to toe, theres no running around with him, it's just slam slam slam, fists and feet crashing into bodies, and who can take the most punishment. He doesn't even attempt to get out of the way of Aranha's kick. He lets out a loud cry and just charges right into it. Slapped and then kicked, he rocks back on his heels, before getting up close in Aranha's face, taking advantage of the kick sending him off balance slightly.
Then, right up close in his face, he swiftly draws a shiv from some concealed location in his jeans, and tries to gut Aranha with it, jamming it into his belly, a fight ending move if ever there was one.
COMBATSYS: Aranha interrupts Armed And Dangerous EX from Minoru with Joker's Wild.
- Power hit! -
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Minoru
Of all the things that Aranha wanted to happen in this fight that was the last thing he wanted to happen. Minoru simply taking the shot to keep things close was something he could work around. Granted, it would be with a lot more pain than what the Dancing Spider felt was ideal.
As the weapon comes out, Aranha leaps forward with a jump kick as his entire body glows with blue chi. The stab catches him on the side of the torso with blood splattering on the ground from the wound. Aranha then bounces off of him with a trail of after images following him as he bounces back and forth between Minoru and the environment at a variety of angles. From the walls, from the dumpster, from the fire escapes attempting put as much hurt as he possibly can on him.
Then it is over and Aranha's clutching at the wound even if he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he hurt Minoru more than the thug hurt him.
Minoru careens backwards to thud into the wall, clutching at his side, which is apparently where the most painful of the many kicks he has just sustained slammed into him. Eyes closing momentarily, it looks like the fight has perhaps turned, at the last possible minute!
He needs a breather, anyway, so when the pain has subsided enough for him to talk, he grates out, "Not bad... but I still don't know what the hell you are on about! And no blue chi fire is going to make any difference to that." he mutters, fixing a baleful, pained stare upon his assailant.
COMBATSYS: Minoru gains composure.
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Minoru
It's at this point that Aranha suspects has indeed got the wrong person. He can see how much of a toll the last attack took on the street thug and if that didn't get his mouth to loosen a bit, then he's either defiant to the last or he truly doesn't know. Either way the only use that this thug has is as a messenger.
"Well... I know that someone in this area /has/ seen her. Spread the word that someone is looking for that old bat, Tomoko Kimura. And is willing to beat the crap out of as many people as it takes to find her."
Aranha doesn't make any moves to attack though. He wants to see if the thug will be smart enough to walk away right here or if foot to thug will need to be applied one last time.
COMBATSYS: Aranha focuses on his next action.
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Minoru
He's a thug. Of course he's stupid enough to want more. ...And besides, he has the crowd in the dive next door watching, seeing him clutching himself in pain, while the other guy apparently has the advantage even after being shivved.
And he has a couple of tricks remaining to him, which he attempts to use. He staggers over to Aranha, feigning being more hurt than he is - and then when he's up close another shiv magics itself into his hand, so he can stab at the back of Aranha's legs in a cheap shot. "I'm not your errand boy, and you're not beating the crap out of anybody! This is my alley, dammit!".
COMBATSYS: Aranha dodges Minoru's Hamstring.
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Aranha 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Minoru
He's seen that trick multiple times. He's seen it in capoeira rodas. He has especially seen it a lot on the streets. As a result he doesn't take the bait and in fact waits for the moment right before Minoru's about to strike when he cartwheels over the attempt to shiv him in the back of the leg and then lands on the ground before spinning around and whipping out a spinning back heel kick to the side of head.
After that kick is delivered he flips backwards and then begins to sway left and right in his dance.
COMBATSYS: Aranha successfully hits Minoru with Change-Up Kick.
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Aranha 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Minoru
Minoru lunges, but Aranha isn't there by the time blade reaches target. Instead he's off to one side, and then a foot is crashing into the side of Minoru's face, sending him down to his knees momentarily. One hand stops him from falling over completely, and he painfully forces himself back up again.
Backing away down the alleyway, he flings the knife he just tried to stab Aranha with at him, the desire to be within kicking range of Aranha starting to leave him.
COMBATSYS: Minoru successfully hits Aranha with Pigsticker.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Aranha 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Minoru
Aranha back flip while under normal circumstances, would've allowed him to be ready to evade whatever came his way, ends up bringing him in a landing right on top of guess what? Another banana peel. To his credit, Aranha manages to keep his balance to not fall down... At least until that knife connects with his stomach and brings the usually more graceful capoeirista to the ground where he can leave a nice big pool of blood.
He slowly climbs back up to his feet while he clutches his abdomen in pain, growling. And then he darts forward back into his kicking range. He whirls his body around as he delivers a powerful roundhouse to the head, he then swings his foot in the other direction hooking a back heel kick behind his neck and then violently pulling the thug face first to the ground, "STAY THE FUCK DOWN!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Minoru interrupts Face Down from Aranha with Kidney Punch.
[ \ < > ]
Aranha 0/-------/-----==|=======\==-----\1 Minoru
COMBATSYS: Minoru can no longer fight.
[ \ <
Aranha 0/-------/-----==|
Minoru takes the first roundhouse, which crunches into his side painfully - but while Aranha is curling around for the second kick of the series, he steps in and delivers a savage punch to Aranha's exposed side as he twirls. "Noooooooooo..." he grunts out in defiance, even as his fist delivers a meaty smack that echoes through the alley.
Aranha seems to be crumpling - if only he can stay up, he'll have won this vicious little street fight - but despite his best efforts, he sinks to his knees. He has the mother of all headaches from all these kicks to his head that he just weathered, and unconsciousness is actually rather a merciful way to end it all.
And just then, at the end of the alley, the red cloaked eyes and ears of Shadaloo appears, stepping into the entrance of the narrow alleyway and looking down its length. Drawn to the fight like a killer bee to honey - where there is fighting data to be had, there are Dolls. Unfortunately, as she surveys the scene, hands in pockets, she realises that for once she seems to have been too late, as bodies are falling to the ground, and not getting up again.
And then Aranha manages to stumble away. He then he manages to hold his body up for about a half a second longer before he falls down to the ground. His eyes look towards both of the banana peels that he slipped on during this fight. He shakes his head in disbelief. "Really?"
His eyes glaze over for a bit and while he's conscious, he seems to be in a fog due to all of the blood loss. After all, most of the pools of blood came from him.
COMBATSYS: Aranha takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Aranha can no longer fight.
Cammy glances over the combatants - some zero who she doesn't know, but will note for the Shadaloo databanks - and she tuts as she recognises the other one. The OTHER capoeirista. She steps into the alleyway, delicately stepping around the pools of blood, to squat down next to Aranha, who seems semi conscious at least, unlike the other guy. "Hello." she says by way of greeting - it costs nothing to be polite, though maybe Aranha is not in a fit state to appreciate it. "A fight that I missed? A shame. I wanted to see more capoeira.".
She reaches out to give him a shake, trying to stop him from passing out. "No more?" she wonders aloud, a little plaintively. "What was all this about?".
Aranha is still lucid enough to somewhat appreciate the fact that Cammy isn't going to attack him or rub verbal salt in his figurative and literal wounds. "Information gathering undone in the most cartoony way possible. Freakin banana peels."
Aranha lets out a groan and begins staring at the sky as the pool under him grows increasingly bigger.
"Oh, blood. I thought you were made of sterner stuff than that. You will tell me what information it is you are looking for." Cammy says, her voice flat. "And then I will take you out of this alley, I suppose, in exchange. It is not the sort of place you want to lie down for a rest and a sleep." she notes, eying the dive filled with reprobates, some of whom are eying the aftermath with hungry sort of expressions. Luckily their eyes are more focused upon the slumped Minoru - revenge may be nigh, soon.
"Fair deal?" she asks, removing his bandanna and moving to bandage the worst of the stab wounds, from the hurled blade. Bandannas really are excellent, there's no clothing vandalism needed, and Aranha's is even black so it won't stain unduly from being bloodied.
"Heh. Considering my current location I guess telling you in exchange for getting me out here is fair and I guess you bandaging me will count for that small favor. I'm willing to call us even."
Removal of the bandana will reveal hair cut in a short fade on his head. He slowly works his way back up to his feet. "Contrary to what you may have learned damn near everyone bleeds." He hisses in pain as he clutches his side. "Anyway, I'm looking for Tomoko Kimura, old lady, awfully fond of the sweet old lady bit who's nasty with pressure points. I heard she was near here some time ago."
"Tomoko Kimura." the Doll echoes, committing the name to memory. "Alright. I will ask the other witnesses here later perhaps to hear their stories too.". Just in case Aranha is lying, presumably. "You can walk now? That is good. I do not think I could carry you very easily, though you are quite small by fighter standards, I suppose.". She eyes the others in the bar, and nudges at Aranha by way of encouragement. "Come on then, lets go, before someone decides you look like easy prey in your weakened state.".
The Doll steps out of the alley, before looking back at Aranha, to see if he's capable of following along.
The battle scarred fighter is more than capable of following along even if he's still in somewhat of a fog. Aranha limps right behind the Killer Bee when all of a sudden, a marble rolls under foot and Aranha ends up crashing to the concrete. "Seriously?"
After some time spent muttering swear words, he's standing up again. "Where to?"
"I don't care. I was just passing through, when I thought I could hear a fight... I like watching fights. You learn so many things, and it's so much better to see them for real, not just on television. I suppose the business district will be our destination, it's much safer there than here. I will leave you there, and you can recover with a cup of tea or something."
The Doll pauses when Aranha seems to manage to fall over his own feet, before she suddenly goes into a crouch, to pick up the offending marble. "Strange to find such things in the street..." she muses, before eying Aranha with her blank gaze, waiting for him to get moving again. No doubt if he tarries too long, she'll start nudging again.
All of a sudden there's a shout, followed by a black cat darting in front of him before he glances right at an old woman hurling a bucket of water right at him which if he had to guess was meant for the black cat that was running away a bit earlier. It completely misses Cammy. "Maybe I should've stayed in bed today," Aranha muses to himself
Looking much like a wet cat, the capoeirista takes a deep breath and sighs. "Yeah... I could use some tea."
Cammy watches all these things with great interest. "You should try walking under a ladder. Just as an experiment." the doll suggests, seeing the opportunity for some empirical information gathering of her own here. "Maybe Naerose cursed you?" she asks, seriously enough. "I have seen her cast spells, and fly on a broom, so maybe she can do that too. Even if she is insane. Maybe because she is insane...".
The Doll is happy to make conversation as the two of them trek towards somewhere safer than Chinatown. Though her choice of conversational topics might leave much to be desired. "I am glad I chose the correct course of action. I was pondering threatening to hurt you to get the information required to sate my curiosity, but in the end I decided on offering to help you instead. I suspect you would have been uncooperative if I chose the other option.". She half turns her head, to beam at Aranha. Lord Vega will be happy with how efficient his Doll is, that smile says, though the words remain unspoken.
It shows how much homework Cammy has done on Aranha. More likely to be helpful if there is something in it for him. Bandaging his wounds and helping him get out of there were acceptable things. He's the type of person who values his freedom he's also more likely to offer something in exchange. In the case of Minoru, he suspected that he was the type of person who would lie about something like that just because he could. That was why he didn't offer anything to him.
"To be honest, I think having her in my presence has that effect on me. When I first started out, she used to come to my fights. Everything that could go wrong did. Didn't start winning fights until she stopped showing up. Makes me wonder why I even decided to recruit her on my King of Fighters team sometimes."
Cammy does indeed know from experience what gets Aranha cooperative and what makes him dig his heels in. She is not necessarily as inept as using the social equivalent of pressure points as she sometimes seems. It's probably also true that application of pain is probably the dolls default approach when interrogating an unknown, so Aranha is perhaps fortunate she knows him a little.
"Maybe. Strange things happen around Naerose quite often it seems. And there is a lot more to her than meets the eye, I think. She is capable of being quite lucid when it suits her - much of her absurdity is an act, I suspect. Or a fad, perhaps. She seems to greatly enjoy being cryptic".
He lets out a laugh which he soon pays for. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who was hip to that. I wonder if she does it so she can aggravate someone. An equally valid theory. More and more people seem to be coming to that conclusion so if it's an act the expiration date on is beginning to near. Even if I don't think the annoyance factor won't run out. In fact, Tomoko seemed to get that sense of Naerose when we were at Stonehenge together."
He continues to walk occasionally stepping down from high curbs eliciting hisses of pain from him.
"Maybe she finds it helps her deal with things socially." Cammy suggests, thinking of her own defences when it comes to dealing with people like Juri and Balrog - ie, being deliberately being even more doll-ish than she really is. "I think we all have some little thing like that to help us get by.".
Now on the edges of the business district, it isn't too long before Cammy comes to a halt by a tiny little cafe - a bit off the beaten track, but she seems to know most of the cafes in Southtown that sell cheesecake, and her choice of route was no accident. She holds open the door for Aranha, how polite. "They sell tea in here. And cakes too, good cakes. You can stay here now, you will be fine soon. Hopefully they will not mind the blood. Probably not, they've seen it all already here in Southtown".
Log created on 11:33:17 03/16/2011 by Aranha, and last modified on 17:10:18 03/17/2011.