Description: While the rest of the world goes to hell in a handbasket, whilst others are gripped in the throes of a terrible rage, some people are inclined to simply keep on keepin' on. Two such paths cross on a pleasant street in Southtown, and bond over mutual aggravation and the woes of a stricken hobo. Disclaimer: titular rage may be entirely unconnected to Orochi, and may be a symptom of boredom and sobriety. Excessive sobriety can be bad for your health, and may bring harm to others around you.
Looks like the world is kind of going to hell in a handbasket these days. Even if that is the case things have been quite for the Ikari Warriors. Faolan certainly isn't the highest ranking guy, but he has proven his value on and off so he tends to find out if anything major is going on. Instead it has just been dead quiet. Alot of the higher ups haven't even being arond just making Faolan wonder if something fishy is going on among the ranks. He wants to believe nothing is, but at the same time he can't help but feel something might be up and he feels kind of antsy about just leaving it alone.
Even so he has kept his mouth shut for now and has followed what orders he has been given. In this case it is a small break in the action and he has taken a travel to Southtown. It is just one of those cities if you are feeling wound up and are looking for trouble you tend to find it. Right now roughing up muggers or some ganger wannabes would relieve some stress for him. It just hasn't been his night. The town has just been peaceful. As if all the criminals and the like decided to take a Sunday off. It figures it would turn out that way for him.
This of course has led to some bar hopping. The result isn't as bad as one might think. He has been too annoyed to really drink alot. He hasn't even have had the urge to flirt. Maybe he should go see a doctor. This can't be good. For now he is just leaned up on a lamp post idly debating his next course of action. The Duck Pond isn't too far from here. Maybe as it gets later some trouble will rear its head out that way.
There's definitely something in the air - the tournament is causing a stir of global proportions, and sending ripples through the various interconnected underbellies of the world's nations. Dark whispers resonate in pricked ears, hairs are raised upon necks and fists are clenched in anticipation of some terrible, otherwordly force. A presence waiting to make itself known. Waiting, until the time is right. Always waiting.
It's really quite troubling.
Which is precisely not why Annie Murakami is currently bouncing cheerily out of a cramped little betting shop downtown, just a few doors hence - as it happens - from the nearest bar to a certain Ikari's post (pun intended). The sixteen year old psychic is beaming as the door clatters shut behind her, leaving the ringing of rusty bells in her wake, a giggle breaking past her stretched lips as she flips through a raised wad of cash. There's... well, there's a considerable amount held in her dainty grasp.
"We're the best, Qui-zi! The best! Just think of the night we can have with all of this... what's that? Well. Hmm. I guess you're right! We should be able to make this even longer than that. I'm not sure we should be saving too much, though; I'm supposed to be learning about the world, you know! And-- well..."
Babbling away seemingly to herself, Annie starts to sashay her way down the street, remaining - as ever - happily unaware about the specifics of social etiquette. Never mind the scandalously short cut of her dress, or the way it sticks to her perfectly smooth skin, the way it's cut away at the middle to reveal a pleasantly toned abdomen... more distracting by far is the mound of yen notes she continues to nonchalantly count out, waving them hither and thither in tandem with the swish of her pigtails.
Pausing a few paces past Faolan, the very blonde, very psychic girl casts a glance back over her shoulder to a tiny, dark shape slipping gracefully along the pavement behind her. An eyebrow arches, amber eyes wide and unblinkingly fixated on the floor as she continues to dangle her winnings in front of her - whilst merrily paying them no attention whatsoever. Her tone grows a little exasperated, however, as she continues her one-sided discussion.
"Don't say that! I haven't forgotten. I'm just... I'm going about it in my own way, just like I always do. Oh, fine. Look. We can spend half the evening doing that, and then maybe you'll let me spend my money without telling me off! I'm not a child, you know."
There is the ringing of bells and the Ikari's attention is shifted just slightly. Mostly because all the yammering that seems to be coming from one voice that is having an arguement without it sounding like someone is responding. Probably some annoying woman on her cell phone from what he gathers. Instead he is left a bit confused by the sight of Annie and her uh.....fashion decisions. Do teens really wear that stuff? Hell, he isn't that old, but he knew most girls that age would be beaten by their mums for walking around like that. Even more bewildering is she isn't on a cell phone. It isn't even one of those damn annoying earpieces that always make one think someone is talking to no one in particular.
His gaze travels to the cat and then back towards the girl briefly. That is an awful lot of money to be walking around like she is and just waving it about. Have the gangs and thugs really gotten that lazy? They don't even have the energy to rob teens of their allowance or whatever? "Hey kid." he calls out finally. "I don't think wandering around flashing the cash like that is the best idea." Of course him just loudly saying she has alot of cash isn't exactly a bright move either. Then again maybe he is hoping that it would bring someone out of the woodwork that is looking to cause trouble. He at least is nice enough to mention talking to cats in public isn't a smart idea if you are under the age of 50.
Among the multitudinous unwritten laws of the world, one is probably that any youngster drawing attention to themselves and rather vocally proclaiming that they're NOT as unwise and innocent as all appearances would suggest, is due for a swift comeuppance at the hands of the nearest available brash adult. Though it's also, perhaps, an actual written rule of the Ikari that any male recruits have to be as far divorced from 'adult' as it's possible for a fully grown human being to be. For now, though, Faolan serves his role.
"So that's settled! Let's start loo--"
The black cat's attention shifts abruptly to the Irishman, though oddly it seemed to do so a heartbeat before he actually opens his mouth. The cock of the animal's head is therefore somewhat early, a fact perhaps unnoticed as in the moment immediately thereafter Annie whirls around herself - almost fast enough to lose her footing on big, clumpy boots, steadying herself by whipping out the money-bearing hand. A couple of notes actually fly loose, and start to waft their way down the street toward a hungry-eyed hobo leaning in the mouth of an alley. Who in turn attracts the attention of a group of Gedo thugs, who were busily watching /Annie/, when he darts in front to chase after the paltry sum.
They're left to have their scuffle in private, as the girl continues to ignore anything happening around her - now with the sole exception of Faolan. Wide amber eyes dart to him, eyebrows lifting high upon her forehead as she tries to process what he's told her. She looks at her hands, glances at her bare midriff, and then back to him as she folds her arms across her chest. Fortunately not disappointing the Gedoites now playing tag with the bum.
"How very rude of you!" Annie meanwhile proclaims to the Irishman, pouting as she rocks on her heels, managing not to unbalance herself this time as she peers at him with some scrutiny behind her show of annoyance. "Though I've never heard it called 'cash' before. Anyway! I don't see why I shouldn't dress like this, and neither does my cat. And for your information... I'm /not/ a kid! I'm an empowered young woman with a job and life goals! Aren't I, Qui-zi?"
She looks down at the cat.
"Mrowl," says the cat.
There are finally signs of trouble and instead of jumping in to have some fun himself Faolan instead finds himself sort of staring back at Annie as he tries to remember if he actually said anything out loud about the manner of dress. He squints a bit then looks at the cat which in turn gives it's two cents on the whole matter to the mercenary. "Oh yes, pardon me if I don't speak feline." he says while trying not to sound too sarcastic about it all. She certainly seems to be a firey one at that. Kids these days just act like adults way earlier before they should be. Though her attitude goes to show she isn't as mature as she tries put herself off as.
He shakes his head and gives a wave with his free hand since the other clutches the top of his bata as he leans on the stick. "And whatever. I am just saying there are some bad types out there." Such as the ones he is completely missing thanks to the current distraction. "Shouldn't you be at home playing on you Bookface or whatever? Don't wanna hear about you getting clubbed over the head over money and then find out yer cat was sold to the nearest Chinese restaurant." Because that happens when girls have alot of money and cats. It is simple logic that is something he learned from the likes of Ralf. Someone should have picked Clark as his mentor it would seem.
Funny thing about this girl and her cat; for all that the latter seems heartily disinterested in the conversation, and the former appears to be quite indignant as she stands up for herself against the Ikari interloper, they share a common intensity to their gaze. Their eyes are the same colour, but also harbour the same strangely keen intelligence. Despite the defiant cant of her chin, Annie is examining Faolan when he replies, continuing to wag her wad of cash carelessly against her upper arm.
And Qui-zi is doing the same, though she does start cleaning herself partway through.
This happens at approximately the same time as Annie's curiosity and annoyance are both sent scattering by a confused blink and a birdlike twitch of the head. "Bookface?" She echoes, completely failing to make a link to something she's never heard of. It's filed away with a shrug, under 'things to investigate', possibly when she's done spending her hard-earned cash - if she doesn't lose it first - and she launches into her reply as though it was never mentioned. So much for the Irishman's cunning slurs against her and her 'kind'!
"I'm not sure I understand why a restaurant would want my cat; she's a terrible cook. Actually, I'm not even sure she /does/ cook, though she definitely likes sushi! Does that count as cooking?" She glances from the feline to the man before her, biting on her lip as she considers the very important question. Apparently she's even forgotten she was supposed to be indignant, as a moment later she breaks out a bright, glowing smile, "I love clubbing though! Qui-zi always finds the best places, with music you can really dance to. Much better than the stuffy traditional rubbish my family likes!"
She pauses, glancing momentarily toward the scuffle as two boys have pinned down the hapless homeless chap whilst another busies himself waving a captured hundred-yen note in the air above him. Again the girl cocks her head to one side, before finally deciding to put the rest of her money away. Or as 'away' as she seems to think is appropriate; in fact, as she turns back to Faolan, she lifts the hem of her dress (revealing a flash of something he probably shouldn't be looking at) and tucks the copious bundle into the top of one stocking. It's a very snug fit.
"Oh, and don't worry about the language barrier. That's fine! Qui-zi speaks Japanese and English too. Isn't that right?" Smiling proudly, she looks back to the cat, who glances up from her personal grooming and looks Faolan dead in the eyes. It should be impossible, but it seems that the cat actually rolls her own heavenward; as if to say, 'you see what I have to put up with?'
This girl seems to be pretty dense Faolan comes to realize. Definantly a natural blonde from the looks of it. He isn't even sure he wants to try to explain what he meant. Instead his gaze travels to the feline and he stares at it a few moments before giving a nod as if understanding what it is trying to tell him. "Clubbing? Ain't you kinda...you know. Nevermind. I am starting to sound like my dad and that ain't good at all." he mumbles and rubs his forehead. Turning his attention away from the girl momentarily lets the Irishman also to finally realize what is going on in the nearby alley and suddenly his mood just seems to change.
What is that? Trouble? Youths that think they are awesome by picking on the homeless? "Excuse me for a moment." He tells the girl while raising up a finger to silence her if she was to begin talking again. Instead the big guy starts to stalk towards the alley and pick up pace as he starts to charge. "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-" he shouts loudly as he suddenly launches himself into the alleyway and more than likely into some very confused teens. "-ck YEAH!" He can try to explain things to the girl later. Some things are more important.
COMBATSYS: Faolan has started a fight here.
COMBATSYS: Keita has joined the fight here.
That heavenward roll turns into the first truly startled sign the cat has given, when Faolan turns and pitches himself headlong into what was barely capable of being called a fray - instantly upgrading the situation from unjust teasing to a potential battle. By sharp and strange contrast, Annie - who before this has only responded to Faolan's grumbling with the hint of a youthful giggle - turns to view the spectacle without a single hint of surprise. Leaning back, she sets a hand to her hip and reaches up with the other to point at the three thugs and Faolan in turn as she deliberates over something, muttering under her breath, and smiling...
"Eenie, meenie, miney, mo..."
It's just as well he's not close enough to hear. The feline is, and gives a rumbling moan, settling down with a huff and watching the action with a hint of detached boredom once more as two of the thugs instantly stumble back away from the grounded hobo once the Irishman approaches. Gedo isn't known for its cowardice - but Faolan is built entirely unlike their usual prey, and they appear to be both unarmed and unprepared for a fight. Raising their hands before them, they start to stammer out excuses, only to be cut off by the barking shout of their third number.
"Where are you going, idiots?!" Pushing himself to his feet, leaving the man he was pinning behind, the boy - a callow youth clad in what can only be described as a modified leather jumpsuit, wearing a bandanna around his neck bearing the Gedo logo. This has evidently been left down to make way for hair only rivalled in outrageousness by one Eiji Yamada's - dyed pink and blue and styled into drooping spikes around his crown. He spins on Faolan, grinning like a Cheshire cat (and nothing like Qui-zi) as he bounces from foot to foot. "This is what we /like/! What are you, old man? Fighter?"
"Yep!"
The bright, chirpy answer comes immediately, from behind the Irishman, as the slender psychic clumps up in her thick-heeled boots and comes to a swaying stop behind him, leaning up on her tiptoes to clap a small hand against the Ikari's shoulder. "He's definitely one of those! I'd run away if I were you..." Wait, how does she even know that? Not waiting for any responses, Annie drops her hand slightly and gives an encouraging shove as she steps back, soon humming happily to herself and folding her arms behind her head.
"Run away?!!"
The Gedoite is indignant, lips pulling into a snarl. He doesn't waste time in following the example of his retreating companions - whose footsteps can be heard clattering away in the near distance - and using his own feet, planting back on one heavy motorcycle boot and lashing the other up into a fast, flashy kick direct to the temple... or as near as he can make it, with near enough a foot of height difference between them.
"You're gonna get JACKED, red!!"
COMBATSYS: Faolan endures Keita's Light Kick.
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Faolan 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Keita
Sometimes that is all it takes to break things up. A guy of Faolan's size can intimidate and often scare away anyone that really isn't prepared for a scuffle. This is Southtown, though. Gedo is known for some really tough kids and it seems one of them at least is one of those tough kids or just brain damaged. Faolan just raises a brow to regard the guy. "Must be one of those...uh. What is that shit band's name....Fallout Boy? Yeah, one of them fans." he says while looking amused.
He grips his bata tightly and he seems about ready to say something before he feels hands on his shoulders and that perky girl is behind him and apparently feeling the need to talk to him. "Hey you stay back. This guy wants to be all serious. Last thing I need is-" He is cut off briefly when that kick connects to him and it rattles the Ikari just briefly before he just stares towards the punk again then looks back to Annie. "-a distraction." he finishes.
That is when he turns his attention back to the Gedo student and he grins. "Gonna get Jacked? I hope you got alot more than that kid. I ain't just some guy." he explains then he just charges forward to slam his shoulder into the younger fighter before following it up with a rather vicious headbutt. "Faolan Sheehan. Ikari Warrior. Nice to meet ya, fellah."
COMBATSYS: Faolan successfully hits Keita with Sheehan Special.
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Faolan 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Keita
"Oh," Annie leans back against her arms, blissfully unconscious of the way the action strains her body against the woefully tight material of her little black dress. "I wouldn't want to be a distraction, mister! I'll just stay over here like a good girl and think about my homework!" She smiles brightly, managing to insert not a single note of sarcasm into what is perhaps the sassiest thing she has deigned to come out with. Hanging around gambles may be improving her ability to detect and utilise such things... when she wants to...
Of course, unaware as she is of the effect her posturing is having, she's probably not to blame for the side-sway of the Gedo thug's head as he tracks her motions from behind burly soldier. It's just enough to leave him horribly open as he lowers his leg, shifting his weight over it to get a better look at the slender psion, and well in position for Faolan's headlong charge.
"No, you're not 'some guy'--" the thug looks back with a rapid shake of his head, snarling all the more as he realises he's left himself wide open. His witty riposte is cut short as he's met with a brutal shoulder, flung back with negligible defenses scattered wide, preparing him for the headbutt which pitches him to the street with a pained yell he does his best to cover up - but ends up simply coughing and stammering. "Y-Y-You're 'some guy' I'm gonna beat into tar! I don't care if you're mad or whatever! I'm /Keita/!"
Still blinking back tears from his collision with Faolan, the cocky youth pushes himself to his feet and throws himself forward, actually utilising some halfway decent form as he goes for a takedown, gripping at the back of a thigh and pushing at the shoulder of the stick-bearing arm in an attempt to send his much larger foe scattering onto the ground. Right on top of the hobo, who has still yet to concern himself with rising - too busy either watching the fight, or staring up Annie's dress. It's hard to tell. Keita meanwhile, strikes a pose following his assault.
"That's Japanese for /BAD ASS/."
(It's not Japanese for 'bad ass'. At all.)
COMBATSYS: Faolan interrupts Desperate Grapple from Keita with Jig Kick.
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Faolan 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Keita
Oh how lovely. First she distracts him enough to get kicked in the head and now she wants to be sassy about the whole damn thing. He is seriously starting to think Southtown just really breeds a special sort of teen that is just around to get on the nerves of anyone over the age of twenty. He just happens to be dealing two opposite ends of the spectrum right now with a wannabe ganger and the weird blonde. "Yanno it might be nice if you all don't wanna stand around." he comments mostly to the hobo.
His reasoning is justified too because he is grabbed Keita and is shoved to where it looks like he is about to use the hobo as a soft landing. Instead he manages to catch himself with both hand and his knees cocked. That is also when Keita made a grave mistake. He made Faolan drop the bata. Sure it is only a inch or two away, but before he stands back up fully he just lashes out a foot forward and slams it right between the teen's legs. "Whatever. I'll just call you Sally." he grumps as he starts to get back up after grabbing for his bata again.
He tchs a bit as he dusts himself off and finally gets a moment to get in a more defensive position with both hands gripping the bata. "Now go home and play with your Linkin Park dolls and such." he comments and he just gets a bit of a smarmy grin as there is a bit of a crackle and some blackish looking energy seems to be flowing from his hands into the bata.
There's really no way to properly convey the sound that Keita makes when Faolan's foot impacts his most special of developing places. But suffice to say, the hobo - who was just about to open his mouth and make a reply to the sound piece of proferred advice - grits black and yellow teeth and emits a sharp hiss of his own as the boy drops like a soft and squishy rock and begins to roll helplessly on his side, babbling unintelligible half-squeals of pain.
"Muh nem i'nt Suh..." As he stammers to get his wording under control, he is at least making an admirable attempt to get back upright, eyes rolled into the back of his blue-haired head and jumpsuit creaking as he slaps one hand to the floor - the other cradling his groin - and gets himself into a squatting half-crouch. From here he coughs once, then appears to be on the verge of vomiting, before his burgeoning fighters' instincts kick in and he lashes out with a leg, letting loose a squeal as it reaches full extension.
Bless him, but there's a little more power than the clumsiness and the agonised squeak might suggest. It might even just be enough to catch Faolan's ankle and bring him crashing to the ground, giving the teen a second to catch his breath before he reaches into his boot and yanks out a butterfly knife, which is snapped open and brought down in a even more clumsy, desperately fierce downward strike to the bata-bearing arm.
"'ll cutcha life inta p-pieces, grandpa!!"
It's almost a good comeback, if he didn't get the wrong awful band.
COMBATSYS: Faolan blocks Keita's Trip and Slash.
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Faolan 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Keita
The kid just doesn't seem to be learning his lesson. He should just go wander off with his two friends that already fled instead of hang back like this. Now that Faolan is also on his guard the punk is going to find a very unplesant surprise of trying to get Faolan off his feet. That much is proven when he goes to give that kick that slams into his leg and the big man just grits his teeth while not budging. Physical abuse he is at least used to. That is in fact the first thing anyone will learn when becoming an Ikari. Whip might be the exception there, but Whip is......well no need to get into that.
Of course while he doesn't budge from the kick there is the whole problem with the knife. It comes slashing and cuts along the arm of the older fighter and draws a nice line of blood that begins to drip down. "Oh I see you want to be a big boy now. Well lesson one. Learn to take a good hit." he tells him as he lets go of the bata with one hand and actually uses the freshly cut around to raise the stick upwards and then bring it down on the top of Keita's head with a solid thunk. It is probably not a good idea to try to teach kids things by removing braincells in the process, but eh. Thems the breaks.
COMBATSYS: Keita dodges Faolan's Medium Strike.
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Faolan 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Keita
"No way!"
Annie's voice cuts into proceedings, resounding from her throat with a forceful gasp as she whirls around to look away from the action just as Keita's knife comes swinging for the older and more experienced warrior. The girl has been watching with a reasonable amount of interest thus far - though it's arguable that her gaze has been somewhat distant and distractable, as though it were not the fight itself that interested her - but now she turns to face her feline companion, who is grooming herself as she keeps one amber eye turned vaguely in the direction of the brawl.
"I don't believe you for moment, Qui-zi. I'll bet you tonight's dinner that he won't take a single hit! And I'll even throw in... no, no. You're probably right!" The bizarre little blonde chirps the last, smiling once more as she turns back toward Faolan, blinking momentarily upon seeing the drawn blood and eyes fully widening as the grounded Keita suddenly whirls upon his flank, fumbling to keep control of his weapon as he rolls aside, dropping off the pavement into the road and scrambling to his feet as a car swerves and skids to avoid him. Annie drops her arms from behind her head and starts forward, glancing across to Faolan in the moment that the boy draws back his arm and - careless of his precarious position - sends the knife spinning end over end toward the Irishman.
A wild grin lies in its wake, lighting dull brown eyes beneath that shock of unorthodox blue hair, "I'd rather learn how not to get hit, big man! Now let's see you do the same! I told you: Keita is /bad/... aaaaashit!!" A truck comes careering toward the Gedoite, who throws himself back toward Faolan, landing in a jumble of limbs and rather ruining the effect he was trying for. Some people never learn.
COMBATSYS: Keita successfully hits Faolan with Knife Throw.
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Faolan 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Keita
At least Annie has mostly stayed quiet and let Faolan deal with this whole incident. Of course she is just standing there watching instead of wandering off like she should, but at least she hasn't done a typical move a ditz might do and in turn isn't being held at knife point by Keita. If he could hear the deal being made he might even take a moment to look back and tell them to stop it. Or maybe even let himself get hit to spite Annie for being so foolish to make a bet with a feline. Instead he doesn't even need that since that knife is thrown so badly it actually throws Faolan off enough that his swing to knock it away misses and the knife slams into his shoulder which elicits a grunt.
"Bad ass eh?" he asks and he reaches and pulls the knife out while casually tossing it back to the hobo. "Hold onto that." he tells the man without even looking this way. "Kid, I have to admit one thing. Yer seriously too dumb to know when to quit." He kinda liked this shirt he was wearing. Now he had to go get blood on it and get a hole in it due to the knife. He grips the bata again with both hands and resumes his stance. This time there is a louder crackling noise as this time the energy really starts to build around him. It is almost like tiny black lightning curling around his arms and through the stick. "Lets do this shit."
COMBATSYS: Faolan gathers his will.
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Faolan 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Keita
As second blood is drawn, Annie actually shows a flash of concern - unseen by Faolan - that she forces herself to bite back, dragging her heels across the concrete as she moves a pace away, watching the knife's passage back to the fallen thug as she gnaws upon her lip. It's odd, given her attitude to the Irishman thus far, though she is at least fulfilling his wish that she not be a distraction from his heroics. She shifts her gaze quietly from knife, to Ikari, and back to the Gedo boy as he /thrusts/ himself upright, dragging the blade in tow.
"Why would I quit, old man, when you've made it clear you're gonna interfere with our fun?! We keep these streets clean and safe! Who are you to step in and tell us how to do our jobs? If Daigo heard about this..." He trails off, waving his knife in the air and glancing to one side as if looking for confirmation from a henchman who very notably isn't there. A loud, frustrated hiss breaches his lips, and he lunges forward, eyeballing the lightshow around the Irishman even as he picks up the pace and breaks into a short-range dash.
"The only lesson that needs to be learned here--" He spits out, throwing his leg up high, twisting his body as he leaves the ground and lashes out with a weighty, acrobatic kick that again shows something approaching solid form - though it's as much a gymnastic manuever as a martial one, telegraphed but at least carrying the weight of that huge motorcycle boot. And if it hits, he'll even manage to land upon his feet, gasping jubilantly. "Is you knowin' who NOT to mess with!!"
Behind Faolan, Annie is smiling again. "Best of three, Qui-zi?"
COMBATSYS: Faolan endures Keita's Strong Kick.
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Faolan 1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0 Keita
Is this kid serious? He is talking about keeping the streets safe and he is pulling this shit? "Yeah, if Daigo hear about this he would swat you around like a bitch, fellah." He may have never met the guy, but Daigo Kazama is a rather big name despite his age. Not only that he is a man of honor. Not some punk kid pretending that he is hot shit. Now his gears truely are being grinded. The energy he is gathering becomes erratic mostly because he still is rather new at controlling it. It almost even seems dispersed the moment the punk slams that that big boot right into Faolan.
He is pushed back from the impact, but he never seems to be in danger of toppling over. "Yanno. I was gonna go easy on you, but now that you are dragging Daigo's name through the mud I can't let that go." Despite trying to play tough guy he is starting to look a bit worn down. He may as well try and take the punk down a notch now before he lets himself get too winded. That is the last thing he needs. All that energy seems to come right back as he lunges forward. It all seems to have been gathered right into his bata as he goes for a swing to slam right into the shoulder of the youth. If he manages to succeed he just becomes a flurry of blows with that bata aiming to pummel the kid all over before he gives one final thrust aimed for the chest. With a grunt what is left of the energy is released from the bata and blasts the kid right at point blank.
COMBATSYS: Faolan successfully hits Keita with Hair of the Dog.
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Faolan 0/-------/-----==|=======\=====--\1 Keita
"Mrowl."
"Th-That doesn't count! He /meant/ to get hit!"
As Annie again swings away to argue with her ever-present companion, the overly confident Keita is met with a full blast of Irish fury. Fresh from his athletic landing, his breathless grin soon flashes into a look of absolute, dreadful uncertainty as he is faced with an oncoming barrage of ebon lightning. Gedo does produce many excellent warriors - some even as honourable as Daigo himself - but this poor idiot is not one of them. He tries to move, far too late for it to be effective, and is dragged spitting and cursing into the full combination. His chest shudders as the final blast impacts, flinging him back to the edge of the road where he lands across his shoulders with a whimper.
"And that," the blonde's incessantly chattering tone wafts back in, marked with a rather smug air as she looks from the cat to the source of all that righteous thunder, regarding Faolan with a good deal of pleasure considering he just showed himself to be quite the force to be reckoned with. "Means that I win our second contest. But, since you don't have any money, I'll be nice and still buy you dinner!"
"H-H-H-H-... hey..." Dragging himself up on his elbows, staring wide-eyed at Faolan, battered and bruised though still somehow clinging on to his butterfly knife, Keita addresses his hard-hitting foe with as much bluster as he can manage. Which is less than zero. He actually seems to be begging. "Look, old man, I'm sorry - but y-you should apologise too! This was your fault! We haven't hurt anybody, y'know! S-So how about you say it too, and we'll never talk about this again. Huh? Huh?!"
This probably can't end all that terribly well.
COMBATSYS: Keita takes no action.
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Faolan 0/-------/-----==|=======\=====--\1 Keita
He is panting a bit after those strikes, but he keeps his ground. "Wha? What are you talking about over there?" he asks as he finally seems to overhear the conversation between Annie and the feline. Were they making bets on him? Damn kid. Somehow she is at fault for all of this. Afterall it was her money being dropped that started this all. Though he truely didn't see that exchange. That could have been the punk's mo-pfahahahahah, yeah right.
Speaking of punks. Keita finally seems to pull himself out of the heap he landed in and he speaks up. "Huh? My fault?" he just stares a few moments then he frowns some. "How about we do this. For one stop calling me grandpa when I am like seven years older than you tops." He then raises a second finger after that. "Secondly, you go home and pretend this never happened. If I ever hear of you harassing a poor bum again or causing any real trouble I will have my boss personally send a letter to Daigo explaining that one of his boys is causing problems." That part might be a bluff. He couldn't talke Heidern into doing such a thing. Though Ralf or Clark maybe if he haggled with them some. "And one more thing. When someone mentions they are an Ikari Warrior don't fight em."
COMBATSYS: Faolan gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Faolan 0/-------/------=|=======\=====--\1 Keita
Self-preservation.
Everyone has it to some degree; even the most foolishly foolish fool possesses at least the ability to know when they are truly and completely beaten. It's an instinct that can be over-ridden by the wilful and the desperate, but when the situation is less than pivotal to one's ongoing existence, when only such a small thing as pride is at stake - and when are there no witnesses - the brashest and most cocksure of customers will put down their chequebooks and vacate the bank. There are sums that no ass can cash. Keita has been knocked to the verge of unconsciousness by Faolan. He thinks about continuing to fight, he really does, but then he considers the consequences...
His pretty face is just one of the things he stands to lose. And that's with only this stalwart Irishman knocking him about. Should Daigo Kazama get involved, forced to intervene against one of the more low creatures upon the Gedo foodchain, there's a lot more than just pride at stake.
"If... if you put it like that..."
Of course, there's always the possibility that the Ikari /is/ bluffing. Is it worth it though, Keita? Is it really worth it? He fingers his knife, taking a minute to notice that even his HAND is bruised from the beating that's been doled out. He's not sure it should be possible - but his whole body certainly screams that it is. As much as it screams to run the hell away while he still can. "Old--- I mean... shit, I don't remember your name, man!"
Shaking his head, the thug pushes himself upright and stands, chest heaving and limbs hanging loosely for a moment before he bends down to put the knife away, all the while fixing uncertain eyes on the bata-wielding madman before him. "Um. I'll, uh, hopefully not see you around, right? If the er, blonde gives you her number though..." He licks his lips, and glances towards Annie, who returns his gaze with an innocent bat of her eyelids. "Never mind. Uh. Ikari, right? I'll remember that. Reckon we all will. Er, thanks."
A moment or two later, in a scuffle of dying footsteps, he's off down the street.
And Annie is standing up on her tiptoes to pat Faolan upon the shoulder, insistently, until he turns around to face her. She's beaming from ear to ear, rocking on her heels as she sinks back, now cradling her feline companion in her arms as she notes to the Irishman, "Qui-zi told me you were a good person. I guess she was right. Are you okay?"
COMBATSYS: Keita takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Keita has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Faolan 0/-------/------=|
The entire time Faolan remains where he is standing and the thug taking time to debate his actions just give the big man more time to catch his breat which can never be a good thing. The adrenaline is still kicked in so the stab wound and the gash on his arm are still not really being felt which might just up the intimidation factor. The guy is bleeding and just doesn't seem to care. "Faolan Sheehan." he responds when the punk mentions forgetting his name. He is just glad the kid seems to finally know when to call it quits He doesn't let his guard down until Keita is well out of sight and he eases his stance and sets the bata down to lean on it slightly much like before.
And that is when the tapping begins again. Faolan turns about and looks down at Annie who seems all smiles and his gaze moves to the cat then to her again. "She did, huh?" He honestly thinks he has had enough of this crazy girl. He doesn't even know after that if he has the energy to even deal with her for any prolonged amount of time. He just lets a large hand rest on her shoulder and he just leans forward a bit. "Qui-zi, I don't want your job. Let me tell you that." he tells the feline and lets his gaze move back up at the girl. "I feel sorry for your boyfriend if you ever get one. stay out of trouble." With that being said the hand is removed and he pats her on the top of the head once before he stalks past and back onto the sidewalk. Oh well, he did do a good thing at least. Now he just needs to kick himself for acting too much like his dad again. Augh, he is too young to be acting that way!
COMBATSYS: Faolan has ended the fight here.
Log created on 16:40:34 03/27/2011 by Annie, and last modified on 08:39:26 03/28/2011.