Description: Freeman tracks down Munin, who fell into a trap he set up trying to lure out his enemies after teasing Adon. He was mildly upset that she was the one, but decides not to kill her... intentionally, anyway. He does play a little roughly...
Late night southtown outskirts. Crickets are chirping, the sounds of the city are further distant and not as obnoxious. The lights don't fully reach here, making for an easier view of the stars when not under the canop of the trees nearby.
Quite some time ago, this quaint clearing was the sight of a duel between Takako and Munin. Since then, it's been something of a 'resting area' for the latter fighter, since A) few come here, B) it's quieter, and C) MUCH cheaper than the hotels. Munin has long since fallen asleep, zipped up in a black sleeping bag under the treeline, almost invisible in the darkness due to the lack of any fire or other light sources.
Someone else is prowling around in the darkness near Munin. What precise thing causes her to wake up likely is lost in the grogginess, but if her eyes open, it is unlikely they will close once more. There is a dark weight in the air, an intangible sensation of fear. The sort that raises one's hackles, the feel of eyes watching unseen, of a presence otherwise invisible. Something is rustling in the bushes not far from Munin; brief shuffles, followed by quiet. The source is not able to be distinguished, but seems to be coming from something smaller then a human...
Groggy, violet-glowing eyes open, peering around as Munin awakens. Sleepy as she is, she knows that feeling well, usually being the one it's attributed to.
She quickly scrambles pulls herself out of her sleeping bag, pulling her weapon with her. There she stands, eyeing the bushes, as well as the treetops in case the bushes are a distraction, clad in nothing but a tshirt and shorts.
Her sleepy mind can't help but wait for something to comment about sleeping with her sword, but what smart fighter wouldn't keep their weapon close, if they had one? She says nothing, however.
Whatever unseen thing is in the bushes nearby isn't trying to keep itself hidden. Although Munin can confirm some sort of peculiar, malevolent presence, her eyes find nothing. The shadows and darkness keep themselves close. There is no sign of peering eyes or the like, or even a specific point that a possible attacker's signature could be pinpointed. It could just be that the noisy vegetation is the cause for her being woken up. It sounds like an animal, although what one might be making a blatant racket is another story entirely.
Finding nothing but moving shubbery, Munin cautiously moves around, looking for a better angle to see the cause. What would be doing so indeed! Few animals she can think of in this area, at least.
She makes almost no sound as she circles, her own dark chi veiling her form somewhat in the darkness, hiding the glow of her eyes. Her sword glints faintly in the shadows as it catches an reflection from the horizon, but this lasts but a moment as she continues her observation.
After a bit of careful skulking, Munin will find... a possum. One that appears to be wounded. It is barely able to crawl through the brushes, and is certainly making a racket throughout. It doesn't seem to be hit by a car however, which is likely unusual. "Are you awake?" A voice rings crisp in the air. A mild echo. Close, but not giving away precisely where it is. "I was playing with some animals..." Nearby, a large number of slaughtered wildlife lies in a bloody heap, clear in a sliver of moonlight.
Munin eyes the possum, blinking as she goes from observing the movement to analyzing it's injuries.
She flinches suddenly as she hears the voice, startled. It is then her eyes rest upon the massacred animals. As disgusting and disturbing a sight as it is, she doesn't seem to rattle "Funny definition of 'playing' you've got there.....".
Regardless, she does get a chill down her back at all this. Someone willing AND able to do all that, witout waking her up? Makes her concerned at what else they can do....
Freeman makes his presence known; some distance behind Munin, the source of that twisted chi emerges from the shadows, arms hanging low. Crimson hair, badly dyed. Fingers stained in blood. Precisely fitting the investigations Munin did on the serial killer known only as 'Freeman'... and the perpetrator who harassed Adon within the hospital. "You seemed interested in my work." His voice is smooth, conversational. Bangs are brushed from his eyes, leaving a smear of crimson behind. "I had hoped my game with the Emperor would last a little longer before being unraveled."
Oh shit.....
NOW Munin recognizes who it is. She assumes a defensive stance. He clearly hasn't killed her in her sleep to make a point, so it may be he isn't here for a fight as much as to intimidate. Therefore, best to plan for him to attack, and if he doesn't then a fight may not happen at all.
If he DOES, she only hopes she's fast enough.....
Her tone is a mix of unnerved, and edged in her readiness to potentially defend herself "I read of the incident, and detected a flaw in the logic of the deduction. My interest only extended as far as my curiosity into that flaw. Your 'work' itself is really not my thing". Her eyes narrow as she allows a slight smirk "If you wanted the 'game' to last longer, you shouldn't have left footprints, as it were".
"I didn't try very hard to disguise it. But I have many enemies who seek to... interrupt my art. It was something of a spider's web... and what falls into it? Nothing but an innocent girl, unaware of her little voyeur..." Freeman extends his arms to either side, letting out a slow exhale. Disappointed. "Not one of the people I hoped. You... I don't think I wish to kill you... there is something about your energy I like..." A slow, careful footstep forward takes place. "But. Would you like to play?" Hands lift, invitingly.
Violet eyes carefully watch him..... the logs of past matches and events have made her wary of him and the danger he presents..... she mentally sighs in relief when he says he doesn't wish to kill her, since she is pretty sure he could if he wished.
As a fighter, however, she can't help but consider his question. How far HAS she come since before the war? Can she succeed?
Remaining in her stance, she tilts her head slightly to the side "On the condition that no one is killed, a match could be interesting.....".
She's finally done it. She's gone completely crazy, and thrown 'the smart thing to do' out the window.
Freeman blinks in surprise. Then slowly he begins to laugh. Trembling slightly, lips spread into a toothy grin. "I see...!! You are willing to play. Good. Good!! I won't break you...! But the animals were not enough, you see..." His chi begins to rush outwards, before he slowly exhales. Arms going limp, head lolling to the side. "Come, then... I'll make you pay for ruining my game with a little blood..." He beckons, eagerly, with a finger.
COMBATSYS: Freeman has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Freeman 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Freeman takes no action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Freeman 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Munin has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Freeman 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Munin
Munin's eyes begin to glow much more brightly in the darkness. This is likely gonna hurt. Badly. However, it'll get it out of his system concerning her 'solving' the crime Adon was being blamed for. That means less hiding on her part, or wondering what would be done in retaliation.
This also gives her a chance to test herself, as well as see just what this guy can do. Maybe she'll see him do something that can be integrated into her own combat style somewhere.
Without all the killing, that is.
"As you wish...". is her only choice of words, when her chi spikes as a burst fires from her eyes!
Munin's eyes begin to glow much more brightly in the darkness. This is likely gonna hurt. Badly. However, it'll get it out of his system concerning her 'solving' the crime Adon was being blamed for. That means less hiding on her part, or wondering what would be done in retaliation.
This also gives her a chance to test herself, as well as see just what this guy can do. Maybe she'll see him do something that can be integrated into her own combat style somewhere.
Without all the killing, that is.
"As you wish..." is her only choice of words, as she blurs in the darkness, her shadowy chi making her seem to blink in and out of existence, until she finally comes in with a sword strike to his side.
COMBATSYS: Freeman endures Munin's Medium Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Freeman 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Munin
Freeman seems to welcome Munin's initial assault; quite literally. He rushes forward, rearing back his right hand. Her sword strikes heavily into his side, but his chi-infused flesh repels it neatly enough... barely cutting in. This leaves her open, as he attempts to grasp her by the face and then place the back of his hand to her throat...! With the intent of slashing heavily while hurling her backwards into the ground. Most people would probably be killed outright by just this alone... but he is fairly sure that Munin is not /that/ fragile...
COMBATSYS: Munin fails to counter Gore Fest from Freeman with Shadow Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Freeman 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Munin
Suprise is Munins first thought when he doesn't dodge her strike. Worry is her second when she realizes exactly why he didn't. Smart move....
She tries in vain to swing the blade up into the arm as he reaches for her face, but fails miserably, missing by a good margin.
She is easily hurled backwards, being small and not at all that heavy, her neck bleeding nicely. However, as he predicted, she isn't that easily broken as she glares at him from a sitting position, hand pressed to her neck.
Freeman does not relent. He hurls himself into the air above Munin, laughing in a disturbingly melodical fashion. "Good... good...!! I almost lost myself there...!!" His heel extends straight up, before he descends like a meteor. His entire body flows into a whip-like motion, bringing down his leg in an attempt to /smash/ into the smaller fighter, with far more force then one might think him capable of. "But I've only just started. Dance with me a little longer..."
COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Freeman's Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Freeman 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Munin
With a blur of speed, Munin pulls her sword up to stop the kick, her arm going numb from the force of the impact. Her other hand continues to try to press the injury to stop the bleeding, while she tucks her legs under herself and pushes herself to a standing position.
She tries to press the advantage, splitting in two as she swings in with a spinning strike, one a chi-illusion capable of no damage, the other really her. She hopes the misdirection will help somewhat against someone of his calibur....
COMBATSYS: Freeman counters Power Strike from Munin with Nightmare.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Freeman 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Munin
Freeman simply remains where he is, listing to the side. Munin might be completely disoriented. He shows no signs of using a proper stance, and moves in a peculiar manner that defies one's expectations. It's unpredictable, at times stronger and faster then what should be possible. How people can die to him without ever regaining rhythm is likely clear. He suddenly lurches backwards, entire body collapsing towards the ground. Only his feet remain where they are, both slashes flowing over him. And then like a rubber band he swishes back, hand plunging out in a flare of nightmarish crimson and yellow chi. Sinking into Munin's stomach, before he attempts to hurl her away in a fanciful spray of blood. "Ah... no... you have not yet grown enough to play with me, little flower..." Disappointed, but understanding.
Once more, Munin is flung away, this time with a large bleeding gash across her stomach. Luckily, it isn't large enough to completely disembowel her, but she knows how deadly a stomach injury can be.....
This isn't in her mind long, though, as she shakily tries to stand. Bleeding from two major injuries, she focuses as best she can, eyes glowing like small violet pinpricks now. Whatever he does, she hopes her full attention will get her through it.....
Still, she says not a word....
COMBATSYS: Munin focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Freeman 0/-------/---====|=======\=====--\1 Munin
Very slowly, the shadows around them begin to almost flicker and move on their own......
"I'll put you to sleep now..." Freeman assures Munin. "Try not to die...!!" And then he suddenly, swishes to the side. Moving at his full speed, lunging and loping like a zombie, trying to confuse Munin. Only to then swish and appear directly in front of her, crouched down with his arms across his chest. And then with a loud shriek, he lashes out. A massive, crescent flash of energy swirls up, aiming to impact Munin from hip to shoulder. The plume of energy hangs for a few moments overhead, an echoed crescent moon of blood that slowly fades away...!!
COMBATSYS: Munin fails to interrupt Overkill from Freeman with Iron Maiden.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Freeman 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Munin can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Freeman 0/-------/-------|
As Freeman speaks, Munins skin and clothes are slowly covered in blackness, and her mouth and eyes begin to glow brighter still.... when suddenly, he's in front of her!
She barely has time to recognize this fact when his strike hits her full on! She's knocked back one last time, impacting a tree and rolling to the ground, red staining the ground from the massive chest injury. She looks up at him briefly as she uses the last of her strength to stand, but fails, eyes rolling up and consciousness leaving as pain overwhelms her.
Freeman's face is speckled with Munin's blood after that. Pant, pant. Ah... he forgot to hold back. He was not trying to kill her, but -- well, if she did pass on, it couldn't be held against him too much. A touch overzealous, perhaps. Biting too hard. Cutting too deep. Lapping at the fingers he plunged into her stomach, Freeman slowly begins to saunter away, half-dazed with a pleasant evening. "Goodbye, little flower... If you survive, maybe I'll play with you again some day..." The darkness seems to coalesce around him, and in a flicker, his unnatural presence... and himself... vanish once more into the Southtown night.
COMBATSYS: Freeman has ended the fight here.
Log created on 22:39:11 05/28/2012 by Freeman, and last modified on 00:47:26 05/29/2012.