Description: Freshly returned from her inauguration ceremony as CHAMPION OF BEARS, Asuka Kazuma comes across a dojo in ruins - and not for the first time. Lying amidst the destruction is one Sie Kensou, who's in for a surprise of his own as he awakens and reaches out to touch something satisfyingly firm, and seductively warm...
So that was Feng.
Nice guy. A bit quiet. But quiet can be good. Kensou was actually a bit curious about how he came across the God Fist. They chatted, they laughed, Kensou got his chest exploded, it was good times. Except the part where Kensou was punched into a tree. And punched so hard the back of his shirt exploded. He almost had Feng on the ropes too though! But now, here he was. Out before the dojo. Passed out unconcious.
And slowly, Kensou comes too again.
He was still laying in the field of the Ryu Zui Ken Dojo. Everything was made of hurt. But he was, thank god, alive. He didn't know how long he was out. It couldn't have been for long. If it WAS for long, he could imagine how distraught Athena would be. Athena would be having her finals with K', and then, right before the fight, she would look to the audience. Waiting for her knight in shining armor to be there. But where is Kensou? Where is her best friend? Disheartened, she would lose the fight, and her career would fall into the toilet. Gigs would be getting worse and worse, soon she would be starring in questionable productions about her and her 'friends' where Ron Jearamy would be playing the role of Kensou. She would be a depressed, self-loathing shill.
Just like that terrible cowgirl actress.
A surge of resolve hits Kensou like a bolt of lightning. He would NEVER let Athena end up like whats-her-name. Eyes opening wide, he stares into the sky. And sees... essentially nothing. Vision doubled and blurry, he was pushing himself well past what his body can handle. All his senses were swimming. He needed to recover. He needed.... his meat buns. The chinese teenager begins to feel around blindly. Groping around, for the life giving food. Feeling the soft texture of the meat bun, he gives it a squeeze.
*DOKI DOKI*
"Man, those guys were completely insane..."
Asuka Kazama has had an unusual day. Setting out upon the trail of a Dragon - that's with a definite capital 'd', and one of a small collection for reasons she only partly understands - she found herself stumbling headlong into the seedy underbelly of Sunshine City. Bashed skulls and broken faces led her through a labyrinthine muddle of shivs and gambling rings, until she came to the location of one reputed to have great strength, a champion amongst lesser men. It could be said, in a sense, to have been a logical process that culminated in her standing in a sandy pit facing off against a crazed femme-punk and her bear companion. With her own beside her.
That's her own bear, not her own crazed femme-punk. Anyway, that was that. It's over now.
Suffice to say, the famed and feared 'Champion of Bears' proved to not be the one she was looking for. Because apparently it's now Asuka herself; there was a ceremony, and it was thoroughly confusing and embarassing, her discomfort cut thankfully short by the apparent escape of one of the fighting beasts. Slipping away in the ensuing chaos as fifteen illegally-employed immigrants attempted to chase down and cage an 800lb slavering monster, she's on her way back through the streets to the Ryu Zui Ken dojo when she comes across an unusual sight. Moving in closer, she gets down on her hands and knees, shuffling along with hazel eyes wary upon her quarry. "Is that...?"
*DOKI DOKI*
In response to his rather unfortunate, ill-chosen action, there's a gentle rumbling from directly beside Kensou, a firm protest ringing in his ear along with a rush of warm, moist breath and a naturally musky scent. His hand grips not onto the desired meatbun, but something delightfully soft, possessing a certain firmness yet yielding enough to be pleasurable. He might want to have another squeeze before coming to entirely, enjoying the moment for long enough to notice, too, how smooth the fur is around the molested prominence. Another rumble sounds out, this one beginning even deeper but rising soon to a guttural growl, and then there's a resounding *thump* as the creature he's fondling flops over onto its side, legs high in the air. When he finally opens his eyes...
He's meet those of a brown-coated grizzly bear, a big dumb beary smile on its big dumb beary face.
This was not a meat bun.
Kensou still couldn't see clearly. Blinded, he begins to runs his hands around the softness. Lifting it slightly. Circling his fingertips. The rumbling, accompanied by the moist, heavy breath, is all too familiar to Kensou. As that musky scent fills his nostrils, he suddenly blushes.
"A-A-Athena?"
And then his vision begins to come into focus. When he sees that broad frame, and that brown hair, he knows very much that it was NOT Athena. Recoiling his hands nervously, it lays down beside him. "L-lynn?" He asks nervously. But then, legs high in the air, he realizes that Lynn's legs were NOT that long. Or hairy. And finally, his vision comes to focus, as he loudly realizes what this stranger is.
"BEEAAAAAAAR"
Fear can be a good thing. In this case, it knocks the grogginess clean out of Kensou bolting straight up into a upright sit, Kensou drags his butt along the ground as he swiftly scoots backwards further and further back he scoots, terror in his eyes. Was this the same bear? Was this the same bear he... he didn't even want to think of it. Already, he was wiping his mouth...
Until he comes to a sudden, swift stop.
WHERE WAS THE BEAR'S MASTER>
Alas, neither the psychic songstress nor the solemn mistress of Ryu Zui Ken would be so wanton as to moan and squirm beneath Kensou's caring touch, though it's forgivable that it takes him time to realize this after taking so many heavy knocks from the Chinese marauder. The dopey bear has no such excuse, and it seems just as confused as Kensou once the boy meets its eyes, those huge dark orbs regarding him with unblinking befuddlement as he starts screaming and then backs away like he's seen some kind of massive, slavering, brown-furred ghost. It might all end in laughs and hugs, but well... this is a professional battle bear, and it's programmed for this.
There's no deep rumble of enjoyment this time; what begins at a murmur within that cavernous chest becomes within a second an outright roar, sharp-toothed and feral, promising only the imminent descendance of pain upon the retreating Psycho Soldier. In spite of it, as the bear clambers to its four paws, it still seems to have upturned lips to either side of that terrible maw. It probably doesn't help to know it'll ENJOY ripping Kensou apart.
His audience, the girl watching on her hands and knees from only a few feet away at this point, seems less worried when the bestial brute lumbers to its feet. A palm lifts from the street to slap against her forehead, eyes closing as she grimaces and lets out the most frustrated moan. 'Why', it concisely expresses, 'does this crap keep happening to me?' She only makes it worse on herself though, that moment's inattention...
...creating a crucial blind spot, into which Kensou moves backwards in a flurry. He comes to a stop because he runs the back of his head at ramming speed into the Osakan tomboy's face, squashing her nose and driving her one remaining bit of support out from under her. With her hand jarred aside, she'd faceplant; but she can't, because the Psycho Soldier is in the way. What ensues is the most ridiculous double impact, his impromptu reverse-headbutt stunning her, then causing her chin to smash against the upper curve of his back, rattling her jaw.
"Mmmfff!" And causing her to bite her tongue. "Yo' pfufid ibiut!!" She half-screams, half-burbles through a haze of ambushing pain as she scrambles away and frantically stamps to her feet, the back of one hand rubbing at her nose as she massages her chin with the other. There's still a wild bear scratching the pavement a dozen feet away, but for the moment Asuka seems far more bothered with staring her baleful rage at the dumbass who's just thrown himself at her in a blind panic. Her forehead creased in a frown, she continues, "Wod da 'ell iff wong wiff yo'?"
Because it can't possibly be anything to do with, say, that big dumb angry bear.
Oh no he just found the owner.
Smash goes Kensou's head into the face of the strange woman. Kensou, naturally, bumps his head too. "AIYA" Was the cry as he brings both palms to the back of his head. Wincing, he looks wide-eyed at the bear that was THIS CLOSE to mauling him. But then, he hears a muttering female voice. Turning around.
Did he just smash her face?
"AH! S-s-sorry!" He quickly stammers. What was this woman doing here? And why was her face there. Kensou passes a once over of her, face bright red. "I did not mean to hit you, I am so sorry! Please forgive me." He pauses a moment, before looking back to the bear. As an instictive reaction, he is already on the move.
"Also BEAR!"
Ever the white knight, he brings up his arms. Scooting between Asuka and the Bear, he puffs out his chest, despite still being unable to stand. Still on the ground, he was more than ready to fight the bear. Despite being nearly unconcious... and unable to stand. But that would not smother the undying spirit of a Psycho Soldier. Chest out, he looks unyielding towards the several hunred pounds of muscle of fur. "Stay behind me! I will protect you Miss.... miss...." He hesitates, glancing up at the girl.
"What is your name?"
The Psycho Soldier's hasty apology doesn't appear to move its target, who remains just as direly enraged. It doesn't help his case that he was lying before the open gates of the dojo she's pretty sure is otherwise void of protectors right now, looking for all the world - if through circumstance alone - like the kind of person she'd normally be kicking very, very hard in the head to make a decisive point about the nature of right and wrong. It also doesn't help that he helpfully points out the 800lb grizzly. That gets an arched brow, furious sarcasm washing through the girl's expression as she stops clutching at her nose and pushes her jaw to one side with a rather stomach-churning *click*.
"Augh! Man..." Appearing about as perturbed by the pain as she would be by losing her keys down the back of the couch, the Osakan lowers her hands and gives her head a quick shake. Reasoning that nothing appears to be broken, she turns her attention back to the stammering boy. "My name? Really?" Bruised nose wrinkling slightly, she looks as if she's about to add something else when the waiting bear suddenly charges with another bone-chilling roar. It covers the ground quickly, a trio of bounds carrying it within swiping range of Kensou. It could all be over...!
Or it could be fortunate for Kensou that the young lady he's so brutally assaulted happens to be made of stern stuff, and under pressure she's able to shake off her dented nose, bitten tongue and pounding headache-- if she hadn't been able to do that, she wouldn't have been half as likely to straighten up with one hand on her hip and the other sending a dramatically pointing digit toward the onrushing bear. That frown is still very much in place, as is the vengeful fire in hazel eyes, only seeming to lend a greater air of command to what follows.
"MR. HUMPY!"
...okay, so it's pretty anticlimactic as pronouncements of salvation go. But it has the desired effect. Previously intent upon Kensou, at the sound of its name the animal comes to a thudding halt, heavy, misshapen head craning upon a powerful neck to turn dark eyes upon the dominant tomboy. She appears completely unmoved by the subsequent attempt at a puppy dog face, and only frowns all the deeper when the bear's mouth falls open to phrase a bizarrely lovable smile. One of the girl's feet lifts and comes down hard, driving her heavy bootheel against the street. "/Bad/ bear," she states slowly and clearly, "No biscuit." The pointing finger jabs at the ground firmly.
To the amazement of nobody except probably Kensou, who happens to be half the people here, the bear lies down. Breathing out as she draws her hand back to run it through her short brown hair, the girl glances toward Kensou and says in the most long-suffering tone, monotonous and thick with pained sarcasm.
"I'm Asuka Kazama, and I'm the Champion of Bears."
[1;34mAsuka drops Mr. Humpy.
Kensou is braced for the oncoming bear storm...
That never comes.
Kensou's eyes were shut tight as the final lunge comes. Gradually, he opens one eye. And then, the second. Peering at the bear that was utterly a puppy, he blinks a few times. And then, Asuka makes it clear.
She is the champion of bears.
Kensou just throws his arms in the air, utterly defeated as he falls on his back. "Bears! Why is everyone in this crazy country now having bears! Bears are dangerous! And now everyone has them like handbags! What happened to tiny dogs? Tiny dogs were annoying, but they were not, not like... Mr. Humpy!" He points an accusing finger at the bear. Looking up, he realized that, thanks to his leaning back, he was right under Asuka, looking up. Blushing brightly, he sits back up again, Scooting away. "OH! OH! Sorry!" He begins. He had to make sure to NOT make the mistress-master of bears any more upset. Therefore, he asks a very neutral, non-offensive question. The first one he could think of.
"You have a very strange accent! Is it Italian?" Kensou pauses, thinking harder.
"Have you met Robert?"
So smooth, Kensou.
In fairness, looking up at Asuka isn't really much of a problem - that bodysuit is cut scandalously high, but it's also very snug. She's not all about the panty-flashing goodness; though again, Kensou's taken a few knocks to the head, and the stomach, and the shirt, and can probably be forgiven for confusing her with Asamiya. There's certainly more of a resemblance with the brash, short-haired tomboy than there is with Mr. Humpy, who incidentally now has his constantly-smiling head on his big ol' paws and is also staring up at her. Unapologetically. Asuka's attention is all upon Kensou, staring levelly, and also unapologetically, with an eyebrow once more arched.
"Robert?" She echoes, a non-committal sigh lacing her tone as she draw both hands to her hips now, planting them fist-first. Inhaling a long, cooling breath - that just happens to noticeably inflate her chest, as if enough attention hadn't already been drawn to her more copious qualities - she pauses not for thought, but to allow time for the stupidity of that question to sink in. It's a pretty common name outside of Japan. And they're not in Japan. She's probably met at least a couple since arriving in Sunshine. If she hasn't, she's seen the name either in print or plastered on screens countless times. "No," she says at last, "No, I haven't. And it's not."
She doesn't add anything else on that subject, shaking her head at this newfound stupidity as she turns away, one hand slipping to her side. A few sauntering steps are taken toward the dojo gates, close enough that she can look inside and glimpse the recent damage of another desperate battle fought.
"The bear thing, though," she rejoins as she takes a look around, in that same long-suffering, "Not exactly my fault. I was looking around for this guy, and one thing led to another, and then I was being paid to fight in a tag battle for the amusement of a bunch of losers who think fighting bears is the future, or something. I beat my opponents, they made me Champion of Bears, and I guess the stupid thing escaped and decided to follow me..."
Suddenly, she spins about fast enough to elicit a shocked grumble from the bear; who hasn't taken his eyes off her, and has shifted position to facilitate this. Her finger jabs out again, but this time for Kensou. The subject shifts dramatically, which may or may not be a good thing.
"Alright, now it's your turn! Who are you and what are you doing here? I also wanna know why you've been fighting out here, and where the hell is Lynn Baker? You've got five seconds to answer," she says that in almost a reasonable tone, spoiled by the cracking of her knuckles, "Before I beat you up, too."
%But unless she was willing to put on a wig, rename herself, and actually become Athena, she wasn't Kensou types!
The teenager was grateful that he was not going to be the victim of another bear assault... or fighter assault. At least for now. But as the Robert comment bounces off her, he just shakes his head. It was such a strange accent. Kensou certainly had not heard it before. But when she mentions the bear fights, Kensou just sighs. "Probably that Heihachi jerk! He was causing trouble earlier...." The thought is suddenly interrupted by Asuka JUMPING him. He is threatened with 5 seconds to answer.
And it takes only 4 seconds for Kensou to answer.
"I am Sie Kensou, of the Psycho Soldiers! You probably heard of..." The chinese teenager stops. This person was a Champion of Bears. She is probably up to date on bear news. Like that very, very embarassing video of Kensou and the bear and the kissing and the terrible punching. Kensou swallows nervously. "... Athena Asamiya! I'm part of her band. You can see we are partners!" Kensou steadily tries to rise, legs still like jelly. "I was here to meet with my friend Lynn, to leave a letter for her. And I found this strange man who was skulking around the place...." Kensou finally makes it on both legs, struggling to keep his balance. An odd thought drifts into his head. Just a passing thought.
"You weren't looking for someone who knows about the God Fist, were you?"
On any other day, several of the things that Sie Kensou proceeds to offer forth would be interesting. Heihachi Mishima is responsible for the existence of Asuka's college, the organizer of the first internationally-accredited tournament she's ever attended, and seems to own approximately fifty percent of Tokyo and her native Osaka. He's also related to her, but she's not yet aware of that part. Kensou himself pales by comparison, and she doesn't even show any recognition of that fact; though the name's certainly familiar, as - unavoidably and inevitably - is that of Athena Asamiya. That gets the opening of the tomboy's mouth, but she can't get a word in...
It's her own fault. She DID tell him to respond within five seconds.
"Wait, you know--" 'Lynn?', she pointedly doesn't get to finish. At which point Kensou has found his feet and elaborates on the other, very pertinent point of her enquiries, finding himself bull-rushed in a flash of blue and hazel as the tomboy launches herself forward and reaches to grip the Psycho Soldier by either side of his ragged shirt. Such is her haste that she massively misjudges, and ends up shoving herself bodily into him before she can get a grip. Given he's on shaky legs, and she's about as far off the Waif Scale as a Japanese teenager gets, this likely has a very predictable ending. Asuka won't particularly notice either way, her eyes wide and tone demanding as she uses whatever momentum she has to just hoist the boy clean off his feet.
"Whadda you know about the God Fist? Did get inside? Was he carrying a scroll? Was anyone hurt? Uh..."
With the last, she bats her eyes, mouth forming an 'o' as she realizes what she's doing. A sidelong glance meets the gaze of Mr. Humpy, who shifts against the ground, shoulders rearing back in the bear's equivalent of a shrug. This isn't spectacularly helpful, and just makes Asuka blush a little harder than she already was; hastily releasing her grip on the Psycho Soldier to send him crashing to the ground while she takes a leaping backstep.
"Sorry! I get a little carried away when it comes to Feng Wei... I uh," she reaches up with one hand, rubbing hard and nervous at the back of her neck. "I really need to find him." Bright red, she scrunches up her face a moment before hopefully finishing, "Any information you could give would be really helpful?"
"His name is Feng Wei?"
The mysterious figure now had a name. Of course someone with as much energy as Kensou running against someone like Asuka would normally be a manic event in most cases. Kensou begins to answer Asuka. "Yes, Lynn I-
And he is assaulted by a hot-blooded teenager.
Knocked clean off his feet, he fortunately does not hit the ground. Instead ,he is swept up and held aloft by the woman, carried like a rag doll. Worried from side to side, he is finally dropped unceramoniously to the ground.
"AIYA!"
Landing with a dull thump, he rubs the back of his own neck "You are gonna kill me! Calm down, okay! And let me tell you what I know!" Sitting cross-legged, he looks up at Asuka, teeth gritted. Kensou shakes his head. "Here, let me explain what happened.
"Feng was lurking around this place. I know only little about the God Fist, only what Master Chin taught me. I do know it is of incredible power, and those who unlock its secrets can unleash extraordinary feats of strength. But I also know the last surviving master of the God Fist died many years ago. This man carries the secrets of the God Fist... and yet he wishes to know more?" Suddenly, Kensou narrows his eyes. Choosing to ignore the bear, he suddenly forces himself to stand tall once more. A glower of indignant anger comes over him, eyes burning bright.
"Why are YOU interested in the God Fist, anyways?"
"'m totally calm," grumbles Asuka in response to the ever-popular order to take the proverbial chill pill, pouting a little before the more clued-in portions of her brain remind her this is a complete lie, and that said pill would go down just nicely with a little Humble Pie right about now. "But, I guess I could," she amends, moving to seat herself opposite Kensou and immediately beside her smiling bear companion, assuming a decidely casual but not entirely appropriate open-legged posture, knees up and palms braced behind her. Just to be sure she doesn't lose face with this strange boy, she also takes the care to add, "A little. Okay, hit me."
Listening to the story unfold, hazel eyes observe Kensou without the wary caution she'd exhibited prior to bull-rushing him, and with plenty of keen interest. Her expression darkens only at the content, gaze narrowing and gaining a dangerous gleam to match the one exhibited by the Psycho Soldier. A slow nod, confirming his words, seems to do so completely until she throws in a second and third and it occurs what she's just agreed to.
"Huh? What?" Eyelids batting, she draws her shoulders up with a wild shake of the head, "No! Jeez, why would I be interested in something so stupid? The spirit of Kazama-style transcends any so-called God Fist; I'm the open palm that parries conflict, the clenched fist that leads the way!" A crooked grin twisting her lips, she pulls a hand from the floor, clenched tight against the wraps binding it. "The world just doesn't know it yet. But I'm gonna put an end to evil bastards like Feng Wei. He left my old man needing medical attention, and our dojo a smoking ruin, then tried to do the same here..." She frowns, glancing over her shoulder and lowering her palm back to the floor before amending, "Twice. But he didn't find anything, right? I mean, you stopped him?"
Her expression eases for the first time, head bobbing in a quick sketch of a bow. She's smiling at Kensou, and for a moment she looks for all the world like a normal, pretty teenage girl. It's probably quite hard for him to disregard her brashness and freakish strength, but it's the thought that counts.
"Thanks, Sie Kensou. And I'm sure Lynn'd thank you too, y'know, if she was here..."
Her lips purse at that, and she glances aside, up the street.
"Wonder where she is... you said there was a message for her, right? Want me to take it?"
Kensou was wary.
The fact she was interested in the God Fist was supsicious. And that she had a bear... also suspicious. Perhaps she wasn't letting on everything she knew. Perhaps she was in league with that deadly bearman. Kensou might have been impulsive and a bit lazy, but he was not completely stupid, bear fondling aside. He looks at Asuka with a skeptical eye, not certain whether to fully trust her.
But then she mentions the Kazama-style.
"The Kazama style?" He blurts out, eyes going wide."Do you mean the ancient arts, carried down throughout the centuries? Of course, how could I be so stupid. Asuka Kazama, of the Kazama family of demon hunters! Well, legendary demon hunters." Kensou bows briefly, nearly keeling over from the effort. "My apologies! I didn't know! And for a moment, I thought you were nothing more than trouble!" Kensou's expression softens significantly, a smile spreading across his face.
"As for Feng Wei and Lynn..."
Kensou turns towards the Dojo. "I ended up driving him away, at least. I did not know if I could. He was single minded, utterly focused on perfecting the art of the God Fist. If he destroyed your dojo... then it is a miracle he didn't destroy the dojo here." And then, the letter is brought up again. "Oh! Right!" Kensou draws out a crumpled, bent letter from his pants pocket, holding it up. "I couldn't find the person who destroyed her lawn. So I wanted to leave an apology letter. I mean, she seemed really upset how everyone from out of town was picking on her. So I wanted to make it up."
"How did you know about Lynn, anyways?"
Given her alarming level of self-confidence, one might easily be fooled into believing Asuka Kazama would be the easily flattered type. This is... partly true, as it certainly has an effect, but the recognition less seems to feed her ego and more outright embarasses her. Again a hand lifts, this time for the girl to hide behind as she rubs the topmost knuckle against her nose. Obviously it's fine when she goes on about how Awesomely McBadass-sama she is, but hearing it from someone else is just way too much. Somebody might find it cute...
If they hadn't just been hauled off their feet and then dropped like a discarded sack of potatoes.
"Yeah, yeah," she mutters, rubbing at her left cheek as if a blush can be erased with enough elbow grease, "We've always been pretty great. I forgive you." Not that she's completely sold on the 'demon hunter' stuff, though recent contact with Lynn and the unfolding Legend of the Dragons is making her reassess her relationship to the esoteric; perhaps as being more than than a collection of eastern fairy styles bound to a style that has very real, relevant merit. No matter though, at the moment she remains more concerned with Sie Kensou. She's yet to encounter Feng Wei for herself, but given the after-effects she's seen, if this boy could drive him off? She's probably looking at someone almost as good as she is. Which is certainly 'interesting', given his demeanour.
"I don't believe in miracles," she expounds, leaning forward to sling her forearms over spread knees, gesturing loosely with her rather large hands, "That's no different to believing in luck, and luck isn't what wins fights, y'know? A skilful warrior, with excellent technique and power, is the tool to handle a man like Feng Wei. Closin' your eyes and praying to some higher power won't cut it, any more than I believe harnessing the power of a stuffy old scroll will. Real strength is found in your heart and your palm, Kensou. That's the Kazama way."
A glance is given to the letter, then, and a deep nod as she leans forward a little more to take it. Or prepare to-- she hasn't yet answered his other question, and at least accepts he has no more reason to trust her than she did him. Save a famous name that anybody could utter.
"I'll give it to her. I came here on my search for Feng Wei, after a friend tipped me off he'd been in the area. One thing led to another, and Lynn offered to let me stay a while. Now we're, uh..." She hesitates, pursing her lips to one side and leaning back, retracting her hand to scratch at her neck once more. Her eyes narrow briefly before she seems to reach a decision, rolling her shoulders in a careless shrug. As if to say 'to hell with it'. "We're lookin' into the problems this city's been facing, which apparently means finding five legendary Dragons. We've also been tryin' to talk to this tournament organizer, Johann Gallo? He's kinda slippery. Been wondering if we should just turn up to the tourney final, see if he shows his face, then we-- waaaaitaminute..."
Suddenly she leans forward so far she has to collapse onto her hands and knees, peering closely at Kensou.
"You said you're friends with Athena Asamiya? Isn't she, like, in the final round?"
It would be foolish to ever underestimate Sie Kensou.
Sure, Kensou may look like Athena's incompetent sidekick.But he had been training with Master Chin longer than Athena had. Athena's own natural talents, whether in psionic ability, martial ability, singing, songwriting, academics, skin quality, or charisma, were what gave her the world family ability. But as anyone who has fought the Psycho Soldiers Team has learned, even if Kensou somehow lost all his psionic powers, he would still be a top-notch martial artist, and a contender in the world league.
He probably would still be failing math, though.
Kensou quietly listens to her stand on the Kazama way. The corners of Kensou's mouth curl up, showing that he did not quite accept that answer. But for now, he was not going to challenge it. Gingerly, he hands over Lynn's letter to Asuka. Clearly, it was holding a card of some kind. But Kensou's sheepish look said not to ask too much about it
But the warning of Mr. Gallo was drawing his attention.
"Why, I was looking for him!" Kensou states. "He had torn up this place with one of his fights. But... Five Legendary Dragons? I don't understand. What do dragons have to do with anything here?" Confusion comes over Kensou's face. But confusion falls swiftly to anger, as she brings up Athena. "And of course she is in the final round! Are you doubting the talents my Athena?"
"I meant Athena."
"Your Athena?" Hazel eyes, still perilously close, widen at that, before Asuka sits back with a heavy *flump*, somehow working a shrug into the motion as she settles back in that wide, overtly casual posture. "I don't doubt her, I know she can handle herself in a fight." A little of that blunt monotone is seeping back in, Asuka canting her head at this apparent return to the earlier denseness. "Does anyone not know that?"
Letting that hang a moment, she turns her attention to the letter, or card - she doesn't check the contents. Regardless, it's stowed away with some care inside the breast of the tomboy's bodysuit, patted once to make sure it's nice and cosy. Which sets certain things to jiggling.
Naturally, this goes unnoticed by the girl, who carries on breezily, picking up the earlier point.
"Right, that's why Lynn was looking for Johann too. But there's more to this. People around him have been killed," considering the subject matter, she speaks in an oddly breezy manner, one brash step shy of sing-song, "There have been others going missing, it's all a big mess. Apparently something called the 'Black Dragon' is sleeping beneath this city, and it could be rising any day now. All these fights, all the killings, it could all be linked. My hunch is either Mr. Gallo's involved, or gonna be targeted next; and if it does involve this Black Dragon it'll be one hell of a mess to clean up afterwards. The other Dragons are supposed to stop that one, I guess? But, better to stop it before it starts. The spirit of Kazama-style is to prevent conflict; so that's what we're gonna do."
It's stated so simply, her confidence in this act seemingly complete. Just how strong is Asuka Kazama?
"But gettin' close to Johann Gallo? Tough, as it goes. Maybe you could ask your Athena," she smiles as she says it, a cheeky, teasing quirk of the lips, at least partly served a distraction by the pleading upturn of a palm, "For a couple extra tickets to her fight? If we can get inside the arena, we can work on making contact with Mr. Gallo. Could save lives. Maybe a lot of lives. Surely she'd be interested in that, right?"
Kensou gets shifty-eyed when the 'My Athena' comment is repeated back to him.
Fortunately, the subject is changed. Unfortunately, she goes to embarassingly entertaining things that certain women do, unintentionally, of course. Kensou works so very hard not to notice the jiggling.Do those Namco people have no shame? Kensou stares upwards, sideways, every which way. He tries to think of his happy place.
And instead gets a bear in a sailor fuku.
The look of utter desperation on the chinese teenager's face breaks him out of it. The news, instead, weigh heavily on the man.The Black Dragon? Mr. Gallo? He had been meaning to get close to Mr. Gallo. But using Athena... it was downright disgusting. And that disgust brings Kensou to stomp his foot weakly.
"Now just a minute!"
Kensou gets that skeptical look on his face. "You are saying a whole lot. A mean a whole lot! I have heard legends of the Five Dragons. But this is not China! This is the United States. And Mr. Gallo... isn't that an Italian name, like Robert?" Kensou shakes his head. "This is sounding a little farfetched.I mean, is there any evidence? Other than coicidences?"
Kensou waits for a response, wary of the girl manhandling him again.
"Get with the times," responds the girl who's not been out of Japan in her entire life, until now, "The world's a real small place these days; where'd you think the Ryu Zui Ken dojo came from? It ain't American, Kensou..." Leaning forward as she says that, it almost sounds like she's addressing a six year old. Rolling her eyes, she settles back and heaves a sigh. "I am saying a lot, and y'think I believe it myself? It's all crazy, might even be stupid, but this city's bleeding out and someone has to do something. Lynn believes it, and we've got this... monk guy staying here, called Frei. Maybe you should try talkin' to him. You don't need to be involved, though."
A single-shoulder rolls up and back, both forearms swinging outward.
"I'm asking if you'll help us out, a little more. Two tickets. It's that, or I punch my way in." Demonstrating, she brings fist to palm with a hearty smack, then wrinkles her nose to belie the fact she'd obviously enjoy it. "Not that I /want/ to. It's just sometimes the only way people'll listen is violence, y'know? Why don'tcha just come inside, we'll fix you up, grab somethin' to eat, maybe talk to Frei if he's awake..."
Tailing off, she lifts her shoulders in another shrug, "This is just the first of my problems. I've still gotta track down Feng Wei and stop him, before anyone else gets hurt. Life never used to be this complicated!" It sounds like a protest, but her expression is open and more wryly amused than anything, a flicker of excitement in hazel eyes suggesting she's more than happy for things to be this way. People are nuts, and drive her insane, but this newfound drive to make a difference outside of her little world? This is what she lives for.
Rising to her feet with a single push of strong, muscular legs, Asuka starts to turn about to head toward the gates of the dojo when she almost falls over the now-slumbering form of Mr. Humpy. The bear's big dark eyes are closed, his maw hanging open with that ever-present smile as deep, snoozeful breaths emanate from his muzzle. Placing fists to hips, the tomboy considers the bear for a moment, lost in thought, before flicking a glance toward the signs of battle visible inside the dojo grounds. When she glances back toward Kensou, she's wearing a small, dangerously savvy smile. "On our way in, you mind pointing out anything Feng touched? I have an idea..."
Then she just needs to find a new leash, and put her faithful - and over-eagerly licky - ursine companion to the ultimate test. Surely the organizers of the Kuma League won't mind if she borrows their 'Arabian hunting bear' for just a little while longer, right?
"But an Ancient Mystic Italian Dragon? Next thing you know, you will say that two of them are brothers!"
Kensou shrugs his shoulders helplessly. The whole thing was absurd."You are terrible! You want me to risk embarassing myself, and more importantly, Athena over something like this? This is just dumb. This is just-" But then she asks about something Feng touched. "Well, that sign over there. But... Bah!"
And then Kensou gives up
The Psycho Soldier throws his arms helplessly again, storming off. "I will find you the tickets! But only because you are a friend of Lynn! And to make up for smashing your head in! You are both insufferable." Of course, Kensou was not going to admit that he was going to bring this up to Athena. With her caught up on the main events, it was practically his duty to learn about what was happening down to her. If this whole tournament WAS a fraud... well, Kensou remembered how the Devil's Tournament affected her. As Kensou storms off, he thinks glumly on that time.
Never again a repeat of the Devil's Tournament.
Log created on 22:35:46 07/16/2012 by Asuka, and last modified on 22:53:47 07/24/2012.