Post by Kuma on Mar 29, 2015 22:23:38 GMT
Prologue
In matter of hours the process will begin and Gen Shishioh will die.
-Is everything ready?-
-Yes Doctor, the machines are warming up and the subjects are prepared.-
-Excellent Joshu, excellent. I knew it was the right thing to give you this work.-
-Thank you Doctor, but are you sure of this? If we start the operation the donor will definitively die.-
-I know that Joshu, but taking in account how much they are paying us, I don’t see what the problem with a simple sacrifice is.-
-Maybe you’re right Doctor and thanks to that money you managed to complete your two master pieces. The perfect regeneration of a damage body and the enhanced clone of another subject. Those are enormous accomplishments-
-Thanks Joshu, thanks for recognizing my genius, when nobody else does. Did you prepare the defenses?-
-Yes, and paid the local yakuza to also impede any attempts of infiltrating this building. Not to mention the mutants, the enhanced soldiers and the Espers.-
-Perfect Joshu, let’s start the preparations.-
The streets busting with activity, the neon lights shining over the channels, Osaka is alive and kicking with people moving through the busy streets looking for the best Ramen in Japan, or just tourists. Office Employees take the streets after work drinking their asses off, the loud karaoke parlors filled with high-schoolers and delinquents. The hostess bars are open and ready to receive everybody with open arms and overly priced drinks. The City of Osaka breaths and moves, the luminous streets like the nerves of a man, the channels going towards the sea the veins. Nobody can predict that soon enough it will turn into a war zone, as the Yakuza, lead by Aoki Minato, the God of Gambling, are getting ready to resist a siege.
Using his Underground Fighting Arena as a HQ, away from the surface and the prying eyes, Aoki is preparing his men, some of them even enhanced by their employer, Dr. Kago, with enhanced skills and bodies. The God of Gambling didn’t like massive operations, but the money was too much too ignore. This was also a matter of respect; nobody would take him seriously if he allowed a bunch of dangerous Hidden World Denizens do whatever they wanted on his city. From his highly advanced Security Room he prepared his men alongside his aide, a young man that went by the name DGT and was a world class hacker.
-Are we ready? I don’t want any out of town scum getting through our defenses. We are tracking the ones in the city, right?-
-Yes aniki, we are keeping track of most of the possible targets through the cameras of the City Network.-
-Perfect, are the enhanced soldiers ready?-
-Yes, the FMY 1 to 8 are ready, you just need to give them orders.-
-Well DGT-kun, I think we need to see their first move before acting.-
-Ok aniki. I’ll keep track of them.-
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In a big Chinese restaurant, Rin Shishioh, Gen’s sister awaited to see if her summon worked. Used her resources and with help of Yuriko, Rin got the investigation that her parents made of Gen and sent messages to anybody who fought besides him, hoping to get their help. Yuriko also went to recruit the students of Inazuma, in hopes of getting larger numbers to attack Dr. Kago’s lab, as if half of what was said of him was true, this would be an uphill battle for them. Rin only talked in person with Gen’s current teacher, that couldn’t come here to help, as he was restricted to leave his island. Yet she hoped her brother didn’t piss out half of the world.
A letter arrived the day before, from somebody called Masaoki Takeda, who said he would try to arrive as soon as possible yet he was half a world away. Still Rin didn’t know if this man would arrive in time. She could only hope for more people to show up. Samjaz offered his help, but after finding out he killed Washiyama and even worse he tried to invent a story about her loyal butler being evil, Rin rejected his help. Hopefully Crow Cementerio would arrive soon, since she was starting to feel uneasy for some reason, as if somebody was watching her. Maybe it was only her imagination. So she exhaled and waited.This time around she brought a sword, a gift from Gen’s master, instead of her weapon of choice, the naginata. According to that strange old man, this sword was made to combat mythical creatures and could have some special properties.
As people buzzed throughout the city of Osaka like bees moving from flower to flower Crow stood outside of a large Chinese restaurant gazing up at the stars in the night sky and taking in all that was around him. There was something about this city that held a sense of familiarity plagued by déjà vu everything Crow seen, smelt, or heard felt he has done it before. The Last Gunslinger had only been in Japan to capture a bounty but instead got wrapped up in a chase across Kobe for Gen Shishioh. Unfortunately it was too late for Crow to realize the evil motives Gen’s own parents had, the Hot Blooded Boxer was captured and taken away. It was only afterwards that Gen’s sister Rin revealed the truth to the 1 Billion Yen Bounty. Gen’s own parents intended to harvest his organs, thus ending his life, to save their eldest son. This very ideal was boiling Crow’s blood it was wrong no parent should ever sacrifice one child for another, the Gunslinger didn’t care how much money the Shishiohs had to forsake one child to save the life of another was evil.
Thankfully though through the use of various resources Rin had located Gen’s location and it seemed that she had a small group coming to help her rescue her brother. There was still hope for the Spirit Boxer, as long as he had people caring about him there was still hope. This was a second chance for Crow he had let them take Gen out from under him but this time he intended get Gen back and in the process teach the Shishiohs, (and the Iron Eagles) that a Gunslinger never goes back on his word. Don’t worry Gen wherever you are your friends are coming to get you back. The Last Gunslinger pulled his cowboy hat down and walked into the restaurant equipped with both Quicksilver and War Iron, the Rail-gun made small glances around as he made his way over to the table where Rin was located. “Evening mam, you seem a bit uneasy I hope it isn’t because of the food because I’m starving.” Crow sat across from Rin and spoke softly, “If you are getting the feeling that someone may be watching us, than you’re not paranoid I been having the same feeling. I’m not surprised though you parents went so far as to put a 1 Billion Yen bounty on your brother’s head, if they went that far to get him who knows how far they will go to keep them. I wouldn’t let it get to you though because as long as we don’t make our move they won’t theirs.”
A waitress came over and Crow put in his order, which was a strawberry sundae with extra everything on it, as if he wasn’t about to go war with god knows who. AS Crow waited for his sundae he leaned back in the chair and just smiled a reassuring smile Rin. “So who exactly will be joining us as we go get your brother back?”
In a graveyard on the hills of Osaka stood a red-haired samurai, mourning the loss of old friends from the war.
Many of these friends died of old age, in his absence, to be told. However, Naoto Kensei still missed their companionship.
They were good comrades.
As of yet, he was unaware of the conflict brewing down below.
—=-=—
Elsewhere in the city, a bulky man travelled by portal, traversing the air before he recognised a familiar cowboy's hat entering a building. Allowing himself to free fall, Alvin landed a couple of metres away from the restaurant, rolled on the ground, then moved to approach them inside. "This the rescue team?" Alvin asked the two as he took a seat. "I'm Alvin, I trained alongside Gen for a time."
A flash of light, blinded her for a moment. Elise never saw anything as bright as that light in her entire life. Granted that didn't mean much given that she never left her house, though at this point "never" was probably the wrong word as it was obvious that right now she was outside of her home. The light slowly cleared out and she started falling down. But it wasn't fear she felt, rather excitement. For someone who never experienced any real danger a free fall was an exciting event.
Then she hit the ground. As she came down she hit her head on a tombstone, however she didn't even know what it was for her it was just a stone. She got up slowly looking around. As morbid as it may sound but the sight of this graveyard was beautiful for Elise. Though she really didn't know what most of these things are she at the very least knew that she was outside she could see the sky. She never thought that it was this big. Besides her on the ground were shards of a shattered gemstone. The same thing that brought her to this world was now destroyed, however a small symbol burnt itself into her palm, the one which was holding the crystal.
She slowly started walking unsure where to go or what to do. In the end all she wanted to do is to get out so she never really thought beyond this point.
Then she noticed it.
A man with red hair and strange clothes was standing not five meters away from her.
So, the boxing idiot got himself captured and is about to killed by his own folks? Sounds like a real drag. I can't just let him run away to the afterlife without first kicking the crap out of him, especially after what happened in San Francisco. He owes me that fight! Where is that damn restaurant?!
Finally arriving at the restaurant, the leg-focused martial artist Sid Renen walks through the door and spots three people that, for lack of a better word, looked out of place. Casually walking over to them, he takes a seat next to them and leans back in his chair. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is the hot-blooded idiot's rescue team? Name's Sid Renen by the way, found out about this little party through Inazuma. You're his sister I assume?" Sid looks at Rin as he said his last sentence. The only other people at the table were guys, so it was reasonable to assume that she might have been the one who called them here. Unless this was a completely different group and he had to find the real one, in which case this entire conversation was a waste of time.
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Walking out of another store, Haruko Miyata confidently strolls out onto the streets of Osaka with multiple large shopping bags in her hands. Her entire day was spent meeting with different Japanese designers and watching how they come up with the unique styles of their area. Haruko's own shop in California mostly got orders for American-styled clothes and fabrics, but it was a good idea to be prepared for any order. Plus, this gave her an excuse to finally go to Osaka and see just how different it was from Tokyo, a place that she had visited a few years back.
The large shopping bags were all filled with different fabric patterns and textures that she planned to use once she got back to the USA. Finally arriving at her hotel, she swipes her keycard and enters her room, tossing the shopping bags onto the floor. "Whew, that was fun! Now that business is done, I wonder if there are any good sushi places around here..." Throwing off the dress she had been wearing and flopping onto the bed, Haruko begins to flip through the map provided by the hotel to see if there were any around. Of course she made sure to lock the door and close the blinds beforehand. Just as a precaution, she had packed her normal combat attire in a separate suitcase...in case something were to happen.
Daniel Drake charged through the streets of Osaka, a pink blur, loudly yelling "GEN!". One match. Just one, only a few miles from the school Gen went too. Couldn't the punk be bothered to show? He had already checked the school, and since he was already going to be late to his next match, he had decided to check Osaka, on the rumors floating around that he was a frequent contestant in an underground fighting ring located there. Of course, he hadn't counted on the city being so damn big.
After fruitless hours of searching, he skidded to a stop by a Chinese restaurant. He was close to giving up and flying out, but he wasn't going to eat airplane food. A taste of home would do him some good. He walked in and took a table, ignoring the young woman sitting nearby.
DING….DING….DING….DING….DING…. a lonely alarm sounded inside Dr. Kago’s lab. The Mad Genetics Expert assistant, Joshu went to the Doctor’s room and asked. –Doctor! What’s the alarm for?- The Old Doctor stood up with energy that didn’t match his frail looking body and ran towards the main lab. Joshu followed him and started hearing –YES! YES! AT LAST I WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE MY COLLECTION.- The young assistant entered the room as Kago moved frantically all over the place, checking instruments and cameras. –Doctor what’s happened? The last time you were this happy the new AKB48 leader was announced. - The Mad Scientist wrinkled face had a very disturbing grin of mad happiness as he pranced around in a grotesque fashion. –Doctor!? Explain!- Joshu’s tone got a bit harsher as he didn’t like to be kept out the loop.
Kago turned around with a bit of anger reflected on his face. –Did you just scream at me boy? Because I can end your life with the touch of a button, you know?- Joshu took some steps backwards in fear as the Mad Scientist moved closer, with his old and lanky silouhette casting a shadow over the Lab Assistant. –Ye-yes D-d-octor…..ehm…ehe……s-s-s-sorry….. I just w-w-wanted to know what-….eh……m-made you so happy.- Kago’s vexed face went back to his mad smile as he returned to his instruments. –I’ll tell you what’s going on boya! We hit the jackpot, the piece I needed to complete my next creation! That’s way more important than that carnivorous bitch Sashihara!- Joshu’s fear was exchanged for interest. –Do you mean….- but his question was interrupted by Kago exclaiming. –YES! A magic user from the west is here! At long last this trinkets and gadgets we…..”adquired” from those imbeciles in the Hidden World Affairs Bureau have some use!-
Joshu was almost as excited as his old mentor, Kago had been talking of using forgotten techniques to channel magical energy into the creation of organic tissue. He had been searching for western magic users for a while with no luck, most of his attempts blocked by the different Hidden World Organizations and other groups, like that pesky school in France. But this time Osaka was a No Man’s Land when it came to Hidden World security, as the Shishioh fortune and influence was keeping the JHWAB away from the city. –Who is the specimen Doctor?- Joshu asked eager. –This one.- The Doctor pointed at a screen in which a red headed woman was dressed in a long dress. –She is pretty.- Said the assistant to which Kago’s reply was. –It’s just raw materials, don’t start thinking with your ****.- Joshu blushed a bit and asked. –Should I call Mr. Minato? He could use the Senshi you made for them to capture her.-
Kago looked at him with disbelief. –Are you dumb boy? Those beast can damage it, you don’t use a jackhammer where you should use a scalpel.- Joshu sighed. –Sorry Doctor, what do you propose?- The Mad Scientist looked at him with a disturbing smile. –Get K-4 out of the freezer, I think is time for him to get a test drive.- Joshu, a bit surprised, asked. –Are you sure Doctor? He isn’t fully tested in the appropriate conditions.- This time around Kago striked his apprentice on the head. –OUCH!- Joshu screamed in pain as Kago shouted at him. –If you have time to second guess me then you have time to get him out. I would use K-1, but the metal is still bonded to him and we still can’t separate him from it. And K-4 original is around here somewhere, so we can measure if our improved version is better than the original source. - Joshu rubbed his head in pain. –Yes Doctor, right away.- With that said the young assistant went towards the specimen storage area a place filled with large tubes filled with creatures and monsters.
From the lab Kago shouted. –I’m going to call that simpleton of Minato, he needs to clear off the area where the raw material is, I’ll send him to attack the “rescue force”.- Joshu replied as he started opening a cryogenic pod. –Good call Doctor, I will send K-4 directly to the surface using one of the lifts. – The metallic cillinder opened releasing steam as the ice melted and the specimen inside was reanimated. It was a young teen with pale skin and white hair, his eyes were of a bright blue, but they seemed off, as if he was powered down robot, as if he lacked a soul. K-4 was using simple white clothing as he walked towards a high-speed lift with his spiky hair swinging from side to side as he leaned back on the lift. He was stretching, as basic combat skills and instincts were programmed into him by Kago. He was built to obey and serve a very particular role in battle.
K-4 was built for speed and he showcased that the moment the secret lift popped up rising a telephone box up. The Clone rushed towards the location of the Red-haired girl with his hair turning into a bolt of lightning that engulfed his body as he moved with speed that made him invisible to the naked eye. He arrived to the scene in less than 5 minutes, crossing the city leaving a stream of electrically charged air. He stood in front of her and the Red-headed Swordsman with eyes devoid of emotion….
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-Boys! We got a call from that crazy old man; he is giving us the green light to attack them. We will send a wave of gunmen to them and if the live to live the tale the FMY Senshi 8 and 7 will go and clean up. Whoever gets a target gets a bonus.- Aoki shouted at his men that boarded vans and jeeps, all of them in full tactical gear and weapons. The police and even the government were out of the picture, giving them a chance to break loose. Aoki’s right hand man DGT asked something to his boss. –You seem happy today, what’s so good of attacking some people in a Chinese restaurant? Is not the pay, we get this in a single month of Underground bets.- Aoki smiled with a hint of nostalgia. –Is the excitement, is like the good ol’ days, when we roamed the streets, before constructing this Empire…this is before your time… I used to be a punk with more fight than brain, but I got smart and I got wealthy….I don’t take risks anymore.-
DGT didn’t share his enthusiasm. –You know this is a risky move; the guys we are attacking have a very dangerous reputation, they are the kind of “heroes” that destroy organizations like ours.- Aoki placed his hand over his Hacker underling shoulder. –That’s the exciting part, I’m the God of Gambling DGT…..but I don’t gamble anymore, that’s why this hunt is exciting.- The Hacker left the room shaking his head in disbelief, this wasn’t a side of Aoki he had seen before. As DGT left he said –I’m going to send the alert to the Senshi, they will surely enjoy the exercise more than I’m enjoying this bet.- As DGT activated a couple of alarms on his wrist mounted computer two of the FMY left the lounge. A tall pair, man and woman, both dressed in sharp suits. He was blond and he face showed his arrogant sense of superiority. Her hair was white with red tips and her movements showed her confidence.
The FMY Senshi 7 and 8, codenamed Taka, the man and Washi, the woman, with their enhanced bodies they soared over the skyline with graceful and silent movements, like a pair of birds flying freely on the starry sky. Both stopped as they saw the troops ready to enter the restaurant guns blazing. The whole troop passed right through the middle of Osaka’s tourist neighborhood, getting some weird looks and fearful glares from the people, at least the ones who remembered the past gang violence.
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15 Minutes Earlier
Rin Shishioh greeted all the newcomers. –Thank you for coming, Mr Cementerio, Mr. Himmelskarte, Mr. Rener, I’m Gen Shishioh’s sister and our mission is to rescue Gen from the stronghold of an illegal surgeon who will use my brother body as raw materials to…- she stopped for a second, she knew this sounded outlandish but after experiencing what she did over the past week, this shouldn’t be as weird sounding, at least not for them. –To heal my oldest brother Masayoshi who is in a critical condition. If we don’t do something Gen will die on the slab of some crazed maniac.- Rin ordered a light drink, she wasn’t hungry. –We are waiting for some of Gen’s classmates in the Inazuma Gakuen alongside a friend of mine who is working as a contact. Mr Rener here is one of them. –
As she finished the sentence Yuriko entered through the door accompanied by two individuals. –Rin-chan! - She waved with enthusiasm, a bit misplaced for somebody who was about to crash into a mad scientist lair. –I got some back-up.- Besides the Boisterous fist Heiress there where a woman and a man. She was of petite build, freezing stare and carried a sword, Raisa, the Russian Prodigy heed the call. With her a young man with red skin, flame-like hair and horns. Toramaru the Myth Soldier was also here. –Hello people, I’m Toramaru and she is Raisa, we are classmates of Gen. We come to help.- Yuriko smiled at the young teen enthusiasm. –I’m sorry we didn’t get more people, but some in the class tried to get in the way and some volunteer to keep them….”calm”.-
Meanwhile in Inazuma
Kojiro and Xi’ai were leaning back against a broom closet trying to look innocent and failing to do so, yet what was interesting was what was inside the room. Wallaby and Tetsu were tied like calves in a rodeo, both with a sock in their mouth. Tetsu opposed because he was uptight and rule abiding. Lei Sheng opposed because he is a prick. –I hope they rescue that stupid boxer soon enough, I don’t know how much damned time we can keep those bastards inside.- Kojiro was a bit worried but Xi’ai calmed him down. –I may not be the best fighter but I’m the best in the school when it comes to bonds and knots. –
For a second Kojiro looked at her with perverted interest. –Don’t even think about anything weird, you aren’t in my league….you aren’t playing the same sport.- Kojiro sighed. –Okay…okay, don’t make everything boring….but I have a question, you don’t care for the Boxing Idiot or want to fight him either, why are you doing this?- It was Xi’ai turn to sigh. –He is a classmate and in this school that’s the only bond that you should keep stronger than mine, I learn that the hard way.- But to ruin her tender moment a sudden grunt and a knock in the door behind her broke the atmosphere. –It’s my turn.- Kojiro calmly stated as he entered the broom locker with a baseball bat. –Sleep well aussie prick- And with that he knocked the Kicking fighter down with an abrupt smash to his temple.
Back to Osaka
-Well, now that we are all here, we need to reach this location across the city, we will need to cross the main channel and if my sources are right half of the city underworld got hired but the surgeon who is operating Gen and Masayoshi. The good news is that we now the location, the bad news is that my parents have moved their influences and we won’t have back up.- Rin sighed. –Yami Kizuato, who some of you know was forced to stay away from Osaka and the JHWAB with him.- Toramaru added. –My brothers and the Bounty Hunters Association from Japan were also forced out by deceit or by government orders.- Rin continued after bowing to Toramaru in thanks for his exposition.
–The odds are against us, so I wont hold a grudge with any of you leaving right now…. I know my brother isn’t the most treatable man in the world, but today he needs your help, I need your help as well.- As she finished talking Rin did something she never did before, she went on her knees and bowed with her head touching the floor. –I deeply care for both my brothers, but I don’t want to kill one to save the other.-
Aoki’s men where halfway there, soon they would rain lead over them.
Naoto was distracted by his mourning by the most beautiful woman he had ever seen walking towards him. Long, red hair, curved horns, a large, heaving chest the likes of which the samurai had never seen. "Milady…" Naoto said breathlessly, before feeling K-4's killing intent rushing towards him.
Acting quickly, Naoto drew his sword, charging at the clone as lightning sparked around him. Acting fast, Naoto sheathed his blade as quickly as he drew it before taking a wooden blade and raising it to strike K-4 in the side of the head.
—=-=—
Alvin nodded. "If in life or death, I can retrieve your brother, then I will." He said, placing a diamond pickaxe on the floor as he knelt on one knee towards Rin. "You have my axe."
It wasn’t long before Crow received the answer to who would join them, first Alvin Himmelskarte, then Sid Renner, finally a small group of Gen’s classmate showed up led by Yuriko, the Fist Mistress from Kobe. As the classmates of some hot headed ones who wanted to join but had to be restrained Crow felt a sudden tingle; a great disturbance in electricity it was faint but it was enough for the Gunslinger to just take notice. However Crow chalked it up to a number of different variables that could affect the electro-magnetic field, Crow then introduced himself to team. “Nice to meet you all I’m Crow Cementerio a Bounty Hunter from America.” Crow tipped his hat towards Yuriko, “Good to see you again Miss Kazegawa it’s good to see you recover from your wounds from Kobe.” Following the introductions Rin explained how serious the situation was and how much her parents had influenced the authorities. However it was what Rin did next that truly shocked Crow watching the girl get down on her knees and beg for help to save her brothers had struck a chord with Crow.
Crow knew what it was like to live with no one when you lost everyone you cared for, he had seen everyone he loved or cherish fall. The Last Gunslinger had sworn from that day on he would seek justice as he walked forward down his path it was that decision that made him want to be a BH. Now Crow stood in front of this girl who was pleading for help so she didn’t lose everything she had; Crow heard Alvin comment and rolled his eyes, “Nice one Gimil but we aren’t going to fight Sauron here in Osaka.” Crow offered his hand towards Rin to help her to her feet; “I swore to you on my word as a Gunslinger that I would get your brother back and I never go back on my word that is the Gunslinger way. Your parents may have kept the BHA from interfering but unfortunately for them I’m not here as Crow Cementerio, Bronze Star Bounty Hunter of the BHA Artemis Branch. I’m here as Crow Cementerio, the Rail-gun a Gunslinger from the town of Santo de Tormentas.” Crow sighed a little as he prepared to say the next part, “And you have my revolver…damn you J.R.R Tolkien.” Turning towards the others with a fierce determination burning in his eyes. “Let this be the beginning of the Gen Rescue Team!”
Elise was as air-headed as you could possibly get. That being said she was sorta oblivious to what was going on right now. She turned her head towards Naoto as he called out but before her lips even moved K4 was already there and he was ready to engage in combat. In that regard she was helpless, she had no idea that danger was even present. With a finger on her lower lip and a curious look in her eyes she watched the scene unfold.
Dan finished his meal, still drawing looks for his odd attire, but not as many as the crowded table just across the room. Even his attention was drawn by a sudden reflection. He glanced over to see a diamond pickaxe being wielded by a young man. ...What? Odder still was the horned guy with firetruck skin. Nope. Fuck this. He pushed out his chair and quickly signed a check. There was no way he was getting entangled in whatever this was.
He strode to the door. “Let this be the beginning of the Gen Rescue Team!” He heard from behind. Did they mention Gen? He glanced back, wondering if he should listen in, but no. He wasn't going back into that world, the one nobody could see. He shoved open the door and stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air. It was a lovely night. He wandered off, hoping to get away from the strangeness, but unknowingly heading towards more as he left on the same path Aoki approached on.
"Rener? I dunno what you heard girl, but my last name's Renen. Nice to meet ya..." Sid was cut off when she got on her knees and begged them all to join. Sighing and leaning back in his chair even more, Sid stares up at the ceiling. "You really don't have to beg us, I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to see that boxing bastard brought back. Though my only rule is that idiot has to make good on his word to fight me after he is able to fight again." Seeing Alvin and Crow doing a cliche Lord of the Rings-style gathering, Sid only sighs again as he points his boot at the circle. "...and my boot. I really do not want to ever use this again, so you do NOT have my sword." The martial artist points to the sword on his back. He had already used the demonic blade in his last adventure in San Francisco, so using it again to that extent would not be a good experience.
Looking over at Dan leaving the restaurant, Sid points him out to the group. "...is that dude over there supposed to be part of this team or something? He looks like one of the dude who the boxing bastard would face."
Haruko continued to lay on the bed, still only in her undergarments. "Holy crap! There are so many choices here...I don't even know where to begin..." The map that was given to her was absolutely littered with restaurant suggestions and entertainment options. "Hm...not really in the mood for Chinese...I went to this place in the morning...oooooooooo..." Haruko stares at a picture of a chef standing over a large fire, customers sitting along the sides with plates in front of them. It appeared that the chef cooked all the food on the table itself, which had a stove built in!
"That looks fun, I think I'll head there tonight!" She exclaims to herself. Putting the map down, she reaches into her purse and pulls out a purple 3DS XL. Until then, time to level up Sylveon. Turning on the DS and booting up Pokemon Y, she begins to quietly hum the background music as she began playing. The door was locked and the blinds were closed, so she was still unaware of the chaos that will soon begin.
K-4 moved out of the way with his insane speed. But let’s analyze his movements again, this time slower, shall we? As the wooden sword moved towards the Lighting Bio-Weapon, a field of static was disrupted by the introduction of a foreign object, just like popping a bubble. This field serves as an alarm system for K-4, who moved automatically to a side, with the least amount of movement necessary to avoid the incoming attack. The clone looked at Naoto with his vacant eyes and spoke with a monotone, almost robotic voice that was accompanied by a faint buzzing. –Enhanced Human, Rank 2, Mystical Properties….Threat level low-medium, engage basic countermeasure...- A sudden blast of lighting surged from his hand homing towards Naoto like a snake of electricity. As he did he looked at Elise. –Designated Specimen WM-1, remain in the vicinity or violent action will be used against you.-
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The troopers sent by Aoki Minato, Osaka’s God of Gambling drove swiftly through the streets, getting nearer by the second as the “Gen Rescue Team” was talking. They were 30 men strong all armed with the most advanced body armor in the planet and a varied arsenal, automatic shotguns, advanced rifles and grenade launchers. Most of them were part of a somewhat legal Mercenary group called the “Iron Eagle Brigade” The same men that captured the weakened Gen before. –Get your asses ready men! Tonight we face several high risk targets, we need to keep a closed line of fire to keep them on their toes, and then we can throw some fireworks and see the result from outside. - The emphasis he put on the word “fireworks” was accompanied by him lifting a rocket launcher.
As their black reinforced vans roared down the streets the FMY 7 and 8 were already standing over a building, overseeing the restaurant. As their enhancements were purely mechanical, based on the designs of the nefarious organization Trinity Gate, creators of an infamous Mercenary based on Germany, the FMY couldn’t be detected through Ki or Magical detection. –Washi, I think we should attack now and destroy them all ourselves, why do we, superhuman demigods need the help of pitiful mercenaries with laughable weapons.- His voice reflected the same as his posture and eyes, arrogance and overconfidence. –Taka-kun, we talked about this, having this powers doesn’t give us the right to brag about them, neither underestimate our prey. Personally I would like to fly over the sky all the time, with you alongside me.- Washi looked at him with adoration.
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Rin stood up, helped by Yuriko, with tear in her eyes. –Thank you all, I could never manage to save Gen alone, thank you for helping me to save him….- Toramaru, not exactly good at reading the situation asked cheerfully. –Then when do we go to beat some skulls, my brothers surely would want me to punch people in their absence. Or do we eat first? - He lifted a cup of soup from the table only to be shattered by a bullet. –Or we don’t! EVERYBODY DOWN!- Yuriko roared the order as Rin, Toramaru, Raisa and herself crouched behind any cover they could find as a storm of steel tipped lead rained upon the restaurant. They didn’t notice that the patrons were all gone as well as the owners. –We need to do something! - Rin shouted through the sound of the bullets. –Any bright ideas? - Asked Yuriko to everybody in the room.
Naoto moved back, his weaponry ineffective against this enemy. The best he could do would be to lure him away from her.
Naoto ran, down the hill and towards the river.
—=-=—
Alvin began generating barriers near the windows, trying to soak up the worst of the damage. "Anyone capable of fighting back?" He asked, willing to create gaps in the defence to teammates to attack through.
With the team assembled Crow smirked now it was time to save Gen however this moment of hope was quickly shot full of holes. Bullets whizzed in through all directions while some members ducked behind cover, Alvin created barriers to shield from some of the bullets, meanwhile Crow grabbed a nearby table and flipped it over ducking behind it. Plates shattered, wood was splintered, and glass broke all over the heroes as Crow heard Yuriko and Alvin shout. Despite all this chaos there was but one calm stone; Crow Cementerio sat his back against the table he was using for cover eyes close silently counting to himself. Crow was a Gunslinger he had been shot at more than any solider could bear to imagine and that was just in his training as a child, to make matters worse it was his very own grandfather that shout at him. Some would say that is insanity how a grandfather could do that to his own grandson as a child; Crow knew that his gramps had a method behind his madness and he remembered the lesson clearly even now…
Bang! Bang Bang! “What the hell Old Man?!” Bang! Just outside of the town of Santo de Tormentas a young Crow only 13 years of age it wouldn’t be long before he would take the Gunslinger Trial but right now he had to worry about the bullets coming from his trainer, mentor, idol, and grandfather. “Hey Old Man that one almost hit me!” Búho Cementerio just laughed a little as Crow’s complaint. “Well then I guess you should move faster. And don’t call me Old Man you Young Brat.” Bang! Bang! Bang! Crow just barely dodged the incoming bullets while his gramps reloaded, “You know Crow if you stopped your yapping for a minute for you able to read the bullets.” Bang! Bang! Bang! Crow panicked as he try to move out of the way the bullets coming inches from hitting him. “What the hell are you talking about Old…?” Bang! “I told you stop calling me old. I said be quiet and maybe you could read the bullets. But I guess I should explain it in more detail.” “Yeah you think a little more detail would help.” Bang! The bullet was so close it brush past Crow’s hair while Búho just smirked a little. “Don’t get smart kid. Listen up…As a Gunslinger you are going to be shot at a lot. Some bullets you will see coming others you won’t and if you want to live you have about a split second to dodge them. Your life is determined by each bullet shot at you and each of those bullets can be read if you are good enough. If you keep clam and pay attention you can tell where that bullet came from, you can see its trajectory, and you can hear the sound of bullets running out and the person reloading. Gunslingers call it reading the bullet. The people you go against Crow won’t think twice about shooting you down so you must be able to dodge their bullets no matter what. Even in a storm of lead you must always remain cool headed. Now get ready those shots were just practice this will be the real thing.”
Those words echoed in Crow’s mind like an eternal record being played over and over a smile breaking out on his face as he took in the sounds around him listening for that distinct noise of one of the shooters have to reload. Then it happen the slight sound of clicking as one the shooters emptied his clip and that when Crow struck. With viper like reflexes spun out from behind the table and shot a single bullet through one of the windows at the precise spot where the man who was attempting to reload was. The Gunslinger than began to weave in and out of the bullets his eyes focused on them, like a hawk watching for it’s prey to leap from the water, reading the bullets he estimated their trajectory as he made his way to another table waiting for someone to run out of ammo then he fired with deadly precision. Crow kept repeating this process moving in and out of cover whether they be tables or Alvin’s shields while firing trying to make an opening for his allies.
Elise was confused. Not because she could not understand the language, her nature as a witch allowed her to speak a unified language, understanding all sentient living beings and communicating with them as if they all spoke one language. However, she simply did not understand what the machine told her.
Then Naoto ran.
"W-Wait." she tried stopping him and quickly ran after him, simply because she had no clue what was going on.
Diving behind a nearby overturned table, Sid groans at the scenario that they all were now in. Fucking great...a bunch of people with guns and I can't do shit from here. Unless...
Grinning, Sid turns his back on the group and runs away from the hellfire, into the restaurant's kitchen and out the back door. Once outside, he ignites his right boot by spinning on the tip of it at an extremely fast rate.
Boot now aflame, the martial artist jumps over a nearby fence and begins to circle around the shooters. In his mind, two things were likely to happen; either a few of the shooters follow him and he could bring this into a close-quarters fight, or nobody follows him and he could sneak up behind them. Crow seemed to be distracting them well enough, so this plan might just work.
_____
Upon hearing the distinct sound of gunshots being fired, Haruko quickly powers off her 3DS and tosses it into her purse. Cautiously, she peers her head out of the curtains to find a large group of people shooting up a Chinese restaurant. What...the heck is this? Some type of gang war or something? There is no way I could take on that many gunmen without prep...
The seamstress's thoughts are soon interrupted when she sees electric bullets fly out of the restaurant at the shooters. Raising her right eyebrow slightly, she only shakes her head. There is no freaking way HE would be here of all places. Must be some other electric gunslinger dude. Welp, looks like I have to bust this gang up.
Haruko once again turns around and opens the suitcase containing her combat attire, which she hurriedly begins to put on. Hopefully they didn't notice her peering out the window, as she was not yet ready for combat.
Dan heard the gunfire and instantly knew where it was coming from. The strange group at the restaurant was under attack. He glanced back, thoughts racing. Was it really worth it to get involved, to get dragged back into this world? No. He turned back and continued down his path, but the tug-a-war in his head continued. The fear of going back to the hidden world, and in doing so attracting unwanted attention, versus the want to help people. Finally he stopped and spun on a dime. He wouldn't take another step away from the restaurant. There were people in trouble, and who could help them better than he?
He exploded back towards the restaurant, preparing for battle as he went. Tiny glands behind his ears and on his palms got to work, beginning to spread a pheromone especially effective at lowering awareness and causing relaxation. A few seconds would cause drowsiness. A few minutes would make it hard to stand. Any more than four would put all but the most aware and energetic down for hours. As a result, he stayed clear of the restaurant. Instead, he went for the armored vehicles were their assailants stood. He dove right into their midst, not in the slightest afraid. Bullets were at worst capable of bruising him. The grenade launcher he saw one wielding? A bit scarier.
He bashed two mercenaries aside to get to grenade-guy, attempting to slip behind him and put a hand over his mouth, taking him out without setting off the rocket. The pheromones should have him out in just a few seconds at that range.
The restaurant was under a barrage of bullets, riddling the furniture, decorations and walls with holes. As this onslaught of lead continued, the improvised rescue team jumped to action, all of them in different ways. Part of the bullet storm was blocked by Alvin’s Barriers, created by the Gainen Medal of Protection. Crow Cementerio, in an unmatched display of skill and reflexes advanced through the enemy offensive avoiding bullets as he shot somebody who was recharging. The mercenary didn’t die, thanks to the extremely expensive body armor he was using but the impact knocked him out. Rin was taking cover behind a wall as Sid went out the back with a bloodthirsty grin that clearly indicated he wasn’t escaping. –This is a nice way to start a night out in the city, right Rin-chan? - Yuriko Kazegawa laughed as the bullets flew beside her head; the youngest Shishioh sibling wasn’t as thrilled as her friend to be under heavy fire.
Outside Dan gave three mercenaries a very important lesson in close quarters combat and the element of surprise as he managed to knockdown a couple of guards as he climbed atop a one of the vans and tried to use his pheromones to stop him from shooting. They effect was almost instantaneous, but the rugged veteran managed to stay awake enough time to shoot, yet his aim was affected as the grenade hit the neighboring building, exploding inside one of the floors and destroying all the furniture inside. One of the mercenaries he bashed down shouted the alarm. –We have an enemy behind our lines! - Three of the nearest mercenaries turned around with stun batons ready for close combat. As they charged another of the Iron Eagles shouted. –One of the targets is trying to out-flank us, deploy countermeasures.- Three of them turned towards the alley and grabbed a weapon hanging behind their waist, it looked like a oversized flare gun. Its name was Denjijunju and it was meant as a non-lethal way to capture Hidden World target.
The mercenaries shot at Sid with a single metallic sphere. Mid-flight that ball split in to smaller ones tied by an electric cord. Like a bola this would entangle the target, but just a faint touch would get them magnetically attached to the target, so avoiding them was a must. As this events unfolded Toramaru inside was taking cover besides Raisa. –This is exciting, I think I’ll ask my brothers to let me help on their rounds. - A bullet buzzed by them and Raisa turned at him and talked in a quiet calmed voice –Can’t you do anything? - The Young Oni shrugged his shoulder. –They have guns, the only things I can do are punch stuff really hard and throw big balls of fire…- Raisa looked at him, even Rin and Yuriko looked at him with disbelief. Toramaru looked at them not knowing why they reacted like that but he finally got it. –Ups… I keep forgetting I can throw fire…- Yuriko looked at him as the bullets kept flying. –How the hell can somebody forget they throw fire?- The Young Oni scratched his head ashamed. –Sorry, I didn’t use it much where I lived and now I keep forgetting.-Raisa looked at him coldly. –What are you waiting for then?-
Toramaru stood up, some of the bullets reaching his chest but only leaving marks or very superficial wounds, as his red skin was almost Kevlar like. –Now you’re going to get it you fuckers!!!- Two spheres of flames, with the same intensity as his hard surged from his hands and Toramaru launched both towards the enemies, aiming through the window. Unluckily for him, he didn’t realized that the windows were protected by the Shinodaborn’ Barriers and both pyro spheres crashed against said force fields and exploded inwards. Thankfully most of the people was either out of the blast zone, like Crow, Sid or Dan, or were taking cover. Toramaru, following the unlucky streak was the only one affected, not by the heat, but by the shockwave, that threw him crashing through the wall into the kitchen. A faint –I’m okay- could be heard from inside. Raisa sighed and Rin looked at Yuriko –This was the best you could get from a school of warriors?- Yuriko tried to laugh it off. –Haha…eh, I told you we had some troubles.-
Meanwhile in Inazuma…
-GET *BONK!* THE FUCK *BONK!* TO SLEEP *BONK!* YOU FUCKING *BONK!* PRICK FROM DOWN UNDER!- As he shouted Kojiro smacked Wallaby back to sleep with the third baseball bat, to his surprise he was starting to run low on bats. Xi’ai tried to cough to hide his classmate outburst, with not much success.
Back to Osaka….
The Restaurant was destroyed or on fire. Sid, Dan and Crow had 3 teams of 3 Mercenaries targeting each of them. The remaining 9 (as one was taken out by Dan and another by Crow) kept the barrage; to the point the front wall was almost nonexistent. But as this events unfolded a pursuit was starting on the other side of the city. The other 10 were moving to higher ground, trying to serve as scouts, snipers and support.
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K-4 looked at them with his void eyes following them on foot. Seemingly his electrical powers had a certain limit; he spent a lot reaching this location as fast as he could, as he was instructed. The clone, completely organic in nature had mechanical movements as his knowledge of combat and tactics was programmed into his head by the wicked Doctor Kago. Still even without his surprising lighting powers he managed to keep up with Naoto’s pace, yet the Clone had started looking around, with a hint of curiosity as this was the first time he saw the real world live. –Research Material WM-1 please refrains from useless acts or aggressive counter-measures will be necessary putting in risk my mission to retrieve you.-
Inside the restaurant, Alvin coughed through the smoke. "Is anyone hurt!?" He asked, continuing to set up barriers and looking to see if anyone was wounded.
Following Toramaru’s chaotic backfire the restaurant that the Gen Rescue Team had gathered in was in a state of serious disarray. Fires were breaking out all over the place, smoke and dust were filling the air, and it was being torn apart by bullets from all directions. Sid had use the back door as a way to try and out flank the mercenaries and from the sounds coming from outside it seemed like someone else was helping them. Crow looked back at Rin and Yuriko and quickly made his way over towards them dodging the incoming storm of lead. The Last Gunslinger knelt down with them and spoke over the gun fire, despite the chaos around them there was a slight smile on his face, “Rin listen this place won’t hold for much longer.” Crow pointed to Rin, Yuriko, and Raisa, “Need to get out of here take the back way keep your head down and head out of here. Use the back door grab Mr. Backfire on the way out with you. Sid, Alvin, and I can provide cover for you guys. However I wouldn’t doubt if these are the same guys who ambushed me and took your brother back in Kobe in that case they may be prepared for that and try to cut you off. Remember what I said in Kobe Rin, never stop moving forward. The others and I will meet up with you once we are done here you go get your brothers back!”
A fierce determination burned in Crow’s eyes as he slowly rose up and shouted towards Alvin, “Alvin provide Rin and the others with some cover as they sneak out of here. We can’t be hiding in cover any more we need to get out there and bust some heads.” Crow rushed towards the front doors which were barely on as he opened his hand electrical energy gathering in his palm as he reeled it back then throw it forward. “Flecha!” Crow released a powerful blast of stream of electricity from his hand that took the form of an arrow head the blast blow the doors off the restaurant propelling, the doors in a random direction while the blast continued towards them mercenaries.
Elise was still lost to say the very least. In fact if she were honest, she didn't even know what the two were doing. She did know what conflict was but she never actually saw a fight unfold so this was actually quite all new for her and alienating. She just stood there watching as Naoto launched a shockwave at his enemy.
Sid watched the large metal ball come flying at him, and instantly knew he needed to avoid it. These guys have some high tech weaponry, so he assumed this ball was no different. Leaping to the side, Sid begins to wall-run against the side of the building in the allyway, dodging the ball and headed toward the 3 mercenaries coming after him. Aiming for the one that shot the metal orb at him, Sid leaps off the wall and twists his body around, attempting to deliver a flamming aerial kick to the opponent's head. "Eat this you cowardly mother f***er!"
___
Finally dressed in her normal combat attire, Haruko makes her way to the elevator of her hotel and rides it all the up to the roof. Stepping out of the elevator, she begins to observe the situation from her better vantage point. All of those thugs are still shooting up the restaurant, though that martial artist guy somehow jumped right into their ranks. Three in the alleyway attacking some ratty-looking guy, and three coming at some person I can't see. Then there are these guys setting up around the area...
Looking over, Haruko notices 10 of the mercenaries moving to higher ground. If they were going to survive this, she needed to remove the supporting fire. Luckily, one of the snipers was positioned on the building below her. Heh, I've always wanted to do this.
Drawing a poison knife from her jacket, Haruko leaps off the building and positions herself directly over the sniper laying down. Once she landed on him, she planned to cover his mouth with her left hand and jab the poison-tipped knife into his neck. The poison would be potent enough to knock out a tiger in a minute, so in a humans blood stream it would only take a few seconds.
The mercenaries he had ended up among put their guns away, drawing a different weapon with a much larger muzzle. From these they launched a swarm of silver orbs that quickly expanded. Dan lashed out without thinking, striking one of the metal balls. Instantly, it clung to his hand and the other balls on its chord spun to tie his arm to his chest. He stumbled as his balance was thrown off, howling in pain from the electricity they carried.
Fortunately, his consciousness was intact enough for him to stumble out of the way of the other two shots, even as his bare arm burned from the electricity. Before they could reload, he lunged forward, attempting to grab onto the closest mercenary and let him get a taste of the electricity himself.
The clone was too focused on Elise, fault of his rushed programming, to realize the masterful attack Naoto launched towards him. His electric barrier only served against physical objects, that meant Naoto’s cutting wind passed right through it an impacted against the clone. K-4 fell to the ground, his body withstanding the shockwave, but not the sudden shock. The clone fell flat on his ass and looked around confused. His eyes lost their sinister light that was replaced by curiosity and a hint of innocence. –Where? This is not the lab- he spoke softly as he rubbed his eyes. –Who are you? - He asked to Naoto and Elise. Seemingly, whatever forced him to follow orders had been dispelled by Naoto’s attack
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Yuriko snapped at Alvin. –We are okay; keep those damn barriers on instead of worrying about small details.- The Heiress of the Fist does enjoy a good fight, but this circumstance was more akin to an execution. Rin looked at her friend and said. –We don’t have time for bickering Yuriko, let’s take Cementerio-dono advice.- The youngest Shishioh sibling turned to Alvin. –Himmelskarte-san, could you provide cover while we move? - Rin, Yuriko and Raisa moved towards the kitchen, meeting Toramaru there as he stood up from a crushed furnace. The Russian Prodigy whispered to Rin –Go on ahead, I’ll stay to help the others.- Without waiting for an answer Raisa moved towards the mercenaries to assist Crow and Sid.
As Rin & company left through the backdoor, the front door flew away after receiving the impact from Crow’s Flecha. While the Gunslinger blast threw the doors down and knocked 4 mercenaries to the ground, short-circuiting their electronics gear, Sid masterfully avoided the Denjijunju and clocked one of the Iron Eagles trooper, knocking him out, the two remaining grab hold of their stun batons and attacked in synch, on aiming low with a slide-kick and lunge combo, while the other a jumping roundhouse to the head and a full swing of his baton to the top of the Master Kicker head. –Fall down, damnit! - Both shouted in tandem.
With one of the guards propelled to the air by Sid and other four knocked by Crow’s attack the onslaught of bullets lowered its output, at least low enough to allow Raisa, less skilled than the Last Gunslinger in avoiding bullets, to advance forward. The Russian Prodigy slid under one of the vans as she sliced in half one of the troopers weapons. From that position she moved to help Sid. As her firm stride took her there, other events happened by the other side of the improvised battlefield. Dan got hit by one of the Denjijunju, luckily his instincts helped him to only lose one extremity instead of his whole. –He shouldn’t be up? How can he be up?- One of the troopers whispered afraid. His partner managed to regain his composure, but the terrified one stood frozen. Dan grabbed him and the current, which would easily knock out or even kill a regular human, coursed through his arm reaching the Trooper and fried him. His comrade attacked with another Denjijujun while he shouted for help. One of the Snipers above, started moving his crosshairs towards Dan, others aimed at Crow, Raisa, and Sid
Over the rooftops Haruko silently took out one of the snipers. She was really good at it; no simple human could hear her. It’s a shame that the FMY where there, as their cybernetic enhanced bodies had sensors and radars with large range than any human sense, just like certain Infamous Mercenary. Taka and Washi detected her and rushed towards Haruko’s location –What do you think you are doing? These rooftops are my domain! - Taka roared his words like a lion, looking down on Haruko standing over a water tank. Washi was sitting beside her lover looking at Haruko with playful wickedness, as a cat looking a mouse.
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While these events unfolded, something started beating in Dr. Kago’s lab. K-1 was waking up, his closed eyes suddenly opening, filled with predatory rage
Naoto landed on his feet and immediately moved to stand between the mysterious horned woman and the electrical madman.
The Samurai's sword remained extended, ready to make the finishing blow if the man made another show of aggression. But the electrical attacker was acting confused, and if he was in need of help, then killing him might not be the best course of action.
—=-=—
As Alvin continued making barriers, he shouted "I HAVE PORTALS! DOES ANYONE WANT TO USE PORTALS? NO? OKAY!"
He was started to sweat under the pressure, but he had to make sure they escaped.
Why did this have to be a bustling city? It'd be so easy just to drop lava on them or portal them into the ocean if there weren't civilians or property to worry about.
Once everyone escaped, Alvin portalled into the sky to see what was going on.
Elise became confused. Theyoung man was acting no other than herself right now. So, did that mean that her behavior was the normal one? Well it didn't seem normal to Elise, but who was she to judge? She had no idea where she was let alone anything else. So, if she was like that and the man was like that, if she had a third person she could confirm it.
Waiting a moment she waved at the swordsman. "Hello." she said as she tried to get his attention.
Then she waited to see what kind of response she'll get.
Shit, the other mercenary guys had stun batons. Sid ducks his head down to avoid the upward swing, and attempts to leap out of the way of the slide kick. Unfortunately, he couldn't get his right leg up in time, causing the stun baton to collide with the side of his flaming leg and numbing the entire limb. "FUCK that shit hurts!" Sid shouts, back flipping away from the two attackers and wobbling on his left leg.
He does spot Raisa coming over to help him, giving her a slight hand signal to go for the one on the right. Sid, on the other hand, launched himself off his left foot and sped toward the mercenary on the left, his now numb flaming right leg outstretched. "Take this, flaming dead leg kick!"
______
Haruko's heart nearly stopped when she heard Taka and Washi's voices behind her. By this point she did indeed see that Crow was the one shooting those electric bullets, and that a sniper on the next building over was lining up a shot to take him out. Time to play this cool.
Picking up the sniper rifle that the mercenary she took out was holding, she turns around to face the two. Ugh, how gaudy could they make those outfits? Regardless, she didn't like how Washi was looking at her like a piece of food, nor how Taka was yelling at her.
"Oh, was this guy yours? Sorry about that, I just can't stand thugs like you shooting up a nice Chinese restaurant. I mean, snipers...really? That's just not honorable." While she was talking, Haruko had levitate a piece of paper and a pencil out the back of her jacket using ki control and began writing on it. Once the note was done, she discretely ties the note to the handle of the sniper rifle with some of her wires, along with one of her knives.
"...buuuuuut perhaps you could fill me in to whatever is going on?" Stepping back toward the edge, Haruko takes out the ammo cartridge and empties and bullet that might be in the chamber. "We wouldn't want this to be a big...issue."
Suddenly, Haruko turns around and tosses the sniper rifle off the building, directly at Crow. On the note attached to the handle were two simple words; look up. Between the sniper rifle and the note, hopefully Crow would know to look out for snipers and relay the message to the group. The knife attached would simply let him know that it came from her, so it wasn't a trap.
Turning back to her two opponents, Haruko only gives them a slight grin. "Oops." Waving to them, the seamstress jumps off the building and lands on the roof of a nearby shorter building, taking off into a sprint. That's right Green Day, follow the harmless seamstress.
Dan struggled out of the Denjijujun as Crow demagnetized it, wincing at the burns on his arm and scorched uniform. "Pleased to meet you, Crow. I'm Daniel Drake. Anyway, thanks for helping me out there. Now, just what is going on? Who are these people?" The battle lessening around him, he took an opportunity to look at the gathered fighters. At this point they were all just a blur of weird. He couldn't handle this shi- "Look out!" He yelled, ducking under something that flew down from the roof. When he looked up, he saw it was some kind of sniper rifle with a knife attached.
He glanced back up to the roof it came from. To his horror, a small girl was being threatened by two insane people and at least one more mercenary, who appeared to be a recently disarmed sniper. He glanced at the base of the building, but it would take to long to get back. He looked back at the Gen Rescue Squad. There, one man was creating large barriers to block fire from the remaining mercenaries. "You, give me a boost! I need to get up on that building!" He yelled as the girl took off across the rooftops
K-4 was confused, whatever programming he had was slowly fading away, possibly after the shock of the sudden attack coming from Naoto. Dr. Kago and his Assistant never considered somebody could even touch the Clone, so they didn’t worry to strengthen his programming about eventualities like this. Not that they thought about it either, Kago jumped from idea to idea without rhyme or reason, while Joshu wasn’t smart enough to do it alone or courageous enough to point out a flaw if for some miracle he noticed it. K-4 wasn’t more than a month old, but language, combat and skills were force feed to him by bizarre machines and devices designed by Kago himself. Originally those machines were planned to enhance an individual’s knowledge, but he repurposed them to inject facts and skills into clone minds as a way of easy training. K-4 looked at them with innocent eyes. –Where am I? Are you my parents?- His tone was a pure and naïve as his face at the moment.
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Taka forehead vein seemed to be about to pop out, he couldn’t conceive how somebody would dare to talk like that. Washi took the taunts much lightly, but her companion was a bit more pissed, surely related to the amazing God Complex he developed after being turned into a Cyborg by Kago. –I will destroy that whore! I’ll destroy her and fuck….her….skull…- The FMY 7 closed his fist in anger as he jumped behind Haruko. As he fell down something weird happened, suddenly he got propelled by an invisible force, as if a gust of wind caught him mid-air and he went towards the Seamstress with both legs up front, like a human missile.
Up the previous building Washi looked at him. –He knows exactly what to say to turn me on…. But I wont help him, those guys down there seem to have an awful lot of limbs….I think I’ll relieve them from some.- With that words vanishing on the wind the FMY 8 jumped down, as she did a similar thing happened to her as it happened to Taka, but instead of seeming to be pushed she appeared being pulled down by an invisible force, right towards the street, in front of the Chinese restaurant, surely her landing would cause at least a small crater. –Hello boys- Would be her first words upon landing
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After losing the distance edge, most of the mercenaries starting running away, later they would refer to this as a “tactical retreat” when what they really did was ran for the lives… or better said drive. Even the one Crow tried to interrogate managed to sleep towards and alley and ran away through the crowded city of Osaka that started to realize that maybe the bad old days were coming back. The others received the Heroes attacks and mostly fell unconscious or faked it, mercenaries don’t tend to be proud people, or at least not proud enough to consider playing dead is dishonorable While that “strategy” happened on ground level, the Snipers were already aiming at most of them. – I have them on my sights Sir, but we lost several members of the group, some must have taken the back exit. Permission to eliminate targets in sight.-
The leader of the Sniping Squad communicated to their boss who surprisingly denied permission. – Stand down, our hirer men will take care of the issue, move to the secondary defense position.- The Sniper Leader was a bit disappointed by the order but the accepted it nonetheless. –Roger that, we will move towards Defense Position Beta.- He changed his intercom device channel to talk to his men. – Fellas, we are moving to the Lab, one of those weird Yakuza Robots will take care of this.- In the same line on his men replied. – I have visuals on….her? Damn! If the Yakuza roll with hot pieces of ass like that I think I want to change my job…. Maybe they have an exchange program or something.- Most of the squad shared his opinion but their Leader snapped at him. –Shut the hell up Bonham, I don’t fucking care you are from a famous family or that your daddy got some connections to bring you here from that fancy school, if you say something like that again I’ll beat the shit out of you.-
Andy Bonham, student of Inazuma, moved the crosshair away from Sid Renner chest and replied with unnecessary snarkiness. –Yes sir, as you command.- The tone wasn’t ignored by the Leader who immediately pointed his rifle at him, just to discover he was already being targeted as Andrew waved his hand. –Damn kid.- The Sniping Squad Leader muttered to himself as he left the scene like the others. This would be a long night.
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As the Snipers left the scene the same could be said of Rin’s team. Yuriko, lead the charge until the youngest Shishioh Sibling stopped her. –Yuriko-san, we can’t leave them on their own, we need to go back and help them. - The Fist Heiress turned around and looked her friend’s eyes. –Do you want to save Gen? – Rin nodded silently. - Then stop worrying about others, we have to keep moving and lose whoever got pissed at us and then go the location that Yami guy told us.- Yuriko always was a pragmatist but she never was this cold, or at least Rin never was in a situation like this with her friend. –But I asked for their help, what kind of person will I be if I leave them alone? - Rin was obviously distressed about the prospect of betraying her brother friends, since she still felt the guilty of betraying Gen.
*SLAP* -Get your fucking act together Rin, they can handle some fucking mercenaries and most of them are surely stronger than us, don’t get cocky for unlocking your ki, you don’t measure to them and in a fight you would end up being a nuisance.- Yuriko slapped Rin hard enough to make her bleed. –But Yuriko! I can’t use them like pawns, I don’t want them to end up dead on my or Gen’s behalf. - Yuriko had to contain herself to avoid slapping Rin again. – The only ones who will die today will be us if we don’t keep moving.- Yuriko lowered her voice. –You aren’t the only one who wants to rescue your brother got it?-. Rin looked at her with surprise and before she could reply to that, Toramaru, who was mostly ignored by them, interrupted her.
-Ladies…- Yuriko and Rin turned around to face him a bit angered from somebody getting into their argument. –WHAT!?- Toramaru took a step backwards while waving both arms trying to calm them and pointed to their backs. –I think your little fight got some unwanted attention. - Both friends turned to where the Half Oni was pointing and met a short old man in a sharp suit and an elegant hat. – Oh my, what do we have here, two little birds and a piggy, mind if I join to your discussion?- Yuriko in a Gen like manner replied to that bizarre introduction. –Huh!? Who the fuck invited you to this private conversation fucking geezer!? Get the fuck away before you get hurt!- The Old Man smiled wolfishly and replied to her sudden burst. –What a shame, I had some very sharp arguments and bullet points about your talk.-
Toramaru tapped both girls’ shoulders. –I think I forgot to add he is a robot or something like that, I can smell metal from him…- Yuriko and Rin repeated the same action they did moments ago, first turning to Toramaru and then towards the old man direction, but this time their surprise was even bigger. –WHAT!!!?- The Old Man, or FMY 6 suddenly started opening up compartments on his skin, revealing rows of missiles and cannons. – I think I forgot to introduce myself, how rude from me. - He humbly took off his hat. –My name is Baku, you can call me Ojiisan if you like, at least while you can. I only came to wish you a nice trip to the Sanzu River. - With that said a bullet/missile storm ensued over the alley.
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-Tuntun…..Tuntun……Tuntun….- A beat started pounding inside the chest of K-1 as the metallic encasing around him melted from the intense heat he was generating. Cracks on the sleek silver surface started to appear shining with bright red light. Whoever….or better said whatever was inside of that mineral cocoon was waking up and it only had to things on his mind, killing and eating…..
Naoto looked at the clone, then at Elise. "Yes…" He lied carefully. "You've had an accident. Do you remember your name?"
The samurai was thinking on his feet. If the kid had memory problems, that could be used. If he could get the big booby redhead with horns to help him on this. Her safety came first.
—=-=—
Alvin turned to see someone charging for him, then turned to see the girl with the knives.
That was Haruko- the girl from the arctic.
Moving quickly, Alvin opened two portals- one directly under Dan's feet and the other above the snipers threatening Haruko.
That should create more than enough impact to save her.
The Last Gunslinger began explaining the current situation as fast and simple as he can to Daniel Drake, “Well I won’t give you the long story but to make matters simple partner. A friend of ours by the name of Gen Shishioh is in more trouble than a carp in a desert. His sister has assembled what I’m calling the Gen Rescue Team to get him back and these mercenaries work for the people who took him.” Before Crow could say anymore Dan shouted for him to look out, seeing the object heading towards him out of the corner of his eye. The Last Gunslinger spun on a time and caught the rifle spinning it in his hand to ease the momentum till he stopped it perfectly in his hand. Looking down at the fire arm Crow spotted the note and knife his eyes widen as he looked up to spot none other than the Battle Seamstress, Haruko Miyata, on top some buildings looking over the battlefield. The shocking part was seeing his ally on facing home some more mercenaries. “Haruko Damn it! I’m either a magnet to that girl or she is a magnet for trouble! Either way I gotta help her!” Dan was already on the move intending to use Alvin’s platform to create steps and Crow was going to be right behind him however he was caught off by the impact of Washi crashing into the ground the force of her creating a small crater sent some debris at Crow and pushed him back. A single people flew past his face creating a small cut on his cheek that trickled down some blood.
The Rail-gun glared at the women blocking his path as he looked down and noticed the crater beneath her feet. There was something strange about this women and it wasn’t she was a wearing a suit (no that was kind of stylish) it was that fact she seemed normal yet the way she jumped off that building and how she landed. There was something unnatural about it not to mention the eerie feeling she had seen this women before, however there wasn’t much time he had to help Haruko and more importantly reunited with Rin and rescue gen. The Lightning Revolver turned towards Dan, “Dan I need you to get up there and help that girl. She is a good person and an ally of mine I will hold off this bitch here. Just get up there no matter what.” Crow faced the mysterious Washi, “I normally have an issue with fighting women because it’s against the code of a Gunslinger. However anyone who targets my allies is no longer innocent and therefore I will show no mercy to. I doubt you were very innocent to begin with, you reek of so much bloodlust it’s making me sick. Overcharged.” An electrical aura surrounded glow arcing out powerful electrical energy in all directions his eyes glowing slightly. “Now if you don’t mind…” Without warning Crow charged his increased speed allowed him to appear as if he was teleporting in very short distances moving all around the FMY female in diagonals till in a flash he appeared crouch down in front of her. “GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!” Crow thrust his leg up with his enhanced speed and strength aiming his boot right at her chin with potential devestating and shocking results.
"Ummm... hello?" Elise repeated trying to get Naot's attention.
Maybe there really was something wrong with him.
Seeing that everyone was retreating, Sid flips them the middle finger as they ran away. "That's right you fuckers, run!" He was about to taunt them some more...but he is interrupted by Washi crashing into the ground, making a small crater. This lady appeared to be strong, much stronger than those mercenaries that just attacked them. The only problem was that his right leg was still numb, but feeling was returning.
Since Crow seemed to be facing off against the woman, Sid decides to momentarily forget about the hot chick on the roof and give him a hand. Running at Washi, he aims his flaming right leg at her face in a roundhouse kick fashion, trying to combo off Crow.
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Haruko senses Taka's ki signature coming at her in a very peculiar pattern, almost like he is hovering in mid-air. Was he flying? Just before she could attack him, she turns around to see a martial artist appear out of a portal and attack her pursuer!
Stopping in her tracks, Haruko turns to Dan and gives him a thumbs up. "I don't know who you are, but thanks!" Turning to Taka now, the seamstress draws five explosive knives from her jacket and tosses them at him, trying to catch the mercenary off guard.
“Dan I need you to get up there and help that girl. She is a good person and an ally of mine I will hold off this bitch here. Just get up there no matter what.” "Don't worry, I'm on it." He charged off to the barrier maker, who took one glance at the situation and opened a portal on the ground. "Thanks!" He yelled as he slipped through the portal. He was expecting barriers to give him a boost, but this was definitely better. He appeared immediately ten feet above the flying mercenary. Odd. He wasn't doing that before. He was surprised to see the girl drawing knives from her jacket. If he had known she was a fighter herself, he wouldn't have panicked as much. Still, the mercenary was fast. Time to limit his options.
Energy crackled from his palms, forming into two pink spheres a little smaller than his head. He didn't like that his energy was always pink, but hey, it blew stuff up so he wasn't going to complain. He launched the balls on either side of the mercenary, hopefully stopping him from dodging. Even if that didn't work, he readied his fist, dropping with enough force to smash the bastard through the roof.
K-4 stood up, his big blue eyes looking both at Naoto and Elise, as confused as both of them. –Accident? What Accident?- As he asked with naïve voice and expression alike small sparks of lighting started to course from his skin forming thin arcs with nearby metal. This static wasn’t harmful, making him seen like a human Plasma Lamp in the darkness of the Knight. Even if from afar the phenomenon seemed beautiful being the ignorant source of it wasn’t enjoyable and the Clone’s confusion just grew as he started to hyperventilate and release more arcs around him. His innocent face now terrified K-4 started taking steps backwards and looking around in horror. –What’s happening to me?-
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Washi built in sensors and cybernetic enhancements to her reflexes were the only thing that allowed her to react to the incoming attacks. Even before becoming a test subject for Kago she was an infamous assassin in Osaka, going by the code name Persefone, a name she gained for her immense body count and her preference for underground ambushes. If she was still a human it would be certain both kicks would impact her, most assuredly killing her instantaneously. But she wasn’t a human anymore and that fact was clearly showcased by her as she moved away from the kicks. –No chance boys. - She said as once again seemed to be pulled, this time from her arm, towards the corner of a building.
Her reinforced fingers clawed through the concrete to hold her position 5 mts over the sidewalk. – Good try, but you won’t get me with fancy kung fu, maybe if you get me some flowers first I would consider dancing with you, but for the moment I would like to see your dance moves.- She laughed with evil glee as two of the weapons left by the mercenaries flied towards her hands. Both heavy rifles were handled as toys by her, testimony of her superhuman strength. –Dance boys, dance!- She started shooting with impeccable accuracy, raining steel tipped bullets from her higher position. While she did Raisa kept herself hidden from sight, behind one of the remaining trucks, waiting for her chance.
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While his partner fought on the ground Taka was chasing Haruko with the intent of, as he so brutally said, skull fuck her. Still he wasn’t fully focused on her, thanks to the radars, sensors and sensorial enhancements and managed to notice the sudden apparition of Dan over him. Still whatever brought the Martial Artist over him also screwed up with his enhancements as if a trace of particles reached him when Dan moved from point A to point B courtesy of Alvin’s portals. –What the he?- His inquiry was cut short by the combo of Ki attacks + Fist that sent him through the roof into the highest floor of the building. Dan could easily notice after punching Taka, that under the skin of the Yakuza reinforced metal plates were installed as an Endo-skeleton.
Taka talked and from inside the hole these words came out. –Both of you are dead; nobody dares to lay a finger on me without getting double the pain in exchange. – His eyes shined brightly red in the dark and ruined apartment he landed on as he lifted his hands and the whole building started rumbling dangerously. The drywalls start to peel off revealing the metallic structure underneath. Taka arms suddenly transformed. The suit, halfway ruined after Dan’s amazing combo, was shredded as mechanism popped through his artificial skin, similar to Tesla Coils. –Now you die vermin, feel the cold embrace of iron beams and repent for your audacity.- The roof started to collapse as the Iron beams started to bend outwards as a positive magnetic field started pushing everything away from Taka and kept him floating in the air forming a barrier around him that would repel metallic objects and forced them away or around him.
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Joshu ran towards the main lab. He wasn’t a very athletic guy and he tripped several times as he panted and breathed heavily. –Doctor! Doctor!!!- The infamous Dr. Kago was too enthralled on his current project, a pair of rocket launching slippers, to notice his assistance please, but his trance was cut down when Joshu said this. –K-4 Programming is failing and K-1 is waking up!!!!- For a moment an awkward silence engulfed the room, almost as if Joshu’s words sucked the air of the whole room. The silence was broken by Kago. –That’s not good Joshu...That’s absolutely not good.-
Naoto glanced away from K-4 and sheathed his sword. "Ah, sorry milady." He said. "That was most rude of me. Naoto Kensei, at your serv-", but he was interrupted by an electrical discharge that he had to pull Elise out of the way from.
He's a kid, Naoto realised as the clone started panicking. That's all he was. Just a kid and he was breaking down.
Making a decision, Naoto set Elise to one side and looked at K-4 "Calm down." Naoto said calmly but firmly, squatting low and slowly approaching the boy. No swordplay would be of any use in this electrical storm, but leaving the boy would cause huge damage. "You're gonna be okay, you've been hurt and you're a little confused, but I'm here to help you." Naoto insisted. "Right now, I need you to close your eyes and take deep breaths. Don't think of anything but the sound of my voice and where the air is as you breath it slowly and deeply."
He was trying to hypnotise the boy- a clever trick he'd learnt to calm people down when they were stressing out, as well as helping meditate. "Just breathe. In… and out. Just like me, in… and out… in… and out… there we go…"
Once Dan was up, Alvin created two portals, one above the other, and started tossing debris into it. Soon, he had a whole cluster of bricks, rocks, pennies, broken glass, all sorts falling at terminal velocity.
A single penny from that cloud of shrapnel should tear through flesh like a hot knife butter. Or at least like a sharp object at high speeds piercing flesh.
Alvin checked on the situation above to see Taka wrecking the tower. Moving quick, he created a portal for Dan and Haruko to escape through, and redirected the portal full of high-speed debris into Taka's face. It should have an effect like unto a shotgun blast from hell.
The Gunslinger’s eyes widen as he watched her completely evade the dual attack from both him and Sid. However he was more concerned with the way she moved, instead of dodging it she seemed to pull away from the area. As the FMY assassin hung in air two heavy rifles flew towards her hands before she began raining a violent storm of lead at the two heroes, reacting with his own inhuman speed Crow began to move run to the left dodging the bullets meanwhile he drew Quicksilver. The Overcharged Cowboy began to frantically swing his arm and revolver around while moving at electrically amplified speed deflecting some bullets away. Crow gritted his teeth until he felt a strong surge of electrical (or at least electro-magnetic) energy from above him where Taka was attacking Dan and Haruko. The distraction was enough to cost Crow dearly. The Rail-gun slowed down only for a fraction of a second but it was enough for a bullet to pierce through his leg making cry out in pain. “Aaaahhhhhh. Damn it.” Blood began flowing from his lower leg soaking his jeans turning it a darker color and worse yet the wound hindered his movement evident by the way he winced every time he stepped on the injured leg. A bullet close in on Crow’s head looking to end the Gunslinger’s life however a smirked played on Crow’s lips as the bullet drew closer.
In a shocking move Crow stopped planting himself on his injured leg causing him to wince in pain as blood spurted from the wound. The Lightning Revolver swung his arm and Quicksilver around revealing that electricity was conducting up him arm and the revolver, “Overcharged: Corriente.” Normally Corriente only really worked when Crow made contact with some conduct electricty though it however in Overcharge it power increased so that it could conduct slightly through air. Crow deflected the bullet aimed for his head back towards the other’s conducting electricity from Quicksilver to the bullet and then hopping through the air from bullet to bullet towards the rifle in Washi hand and possibly even up her arm.
Elise scratched her head. This was sorta confusing. But at least the strange man talked with her, so she wasn't invisible after all. Then again it was a stupid theory to begin with as both men clearly interacted with her before, however Elise was way too busy to bother realizing that right now. She walked over to the two of them and look at both Naoto and K4. "What's going on she asked the two?" as she looked around quickly noticing that something wasn't ok with K4. Of course she had limited knowledge so she took the most simple explanation when it came to what was wrong with the artificial life form.
"Are you sick?" she asked in a rather friendly tone of voice.
"Fucking guns!" Sid shouts as he dances out of the way of Washi's bullets and dives behind a nearby truck, finding Raisa hiding in the same spot as well. He couldn't get close to Washi like this, since he had no ranged attack and would most likely be a bullet sandwich if he tried running at her. Looking at Raisa, he begins whispering to her. "So...got any ideas on how we can defeat this bitch?"
_____
Haruko stares at Taka's display of electric prowess, crossing her arms across her chest. "Oh come on! First that warlock vampire guy, then Tesla, now you. Why must everyone I face have to have magnetic powers that make my knives useless?! Jeez, I am going to start bringing wooden knives or something." Taking a deep breath, Haruko regains her composure and smiles at Dan. "Sorry, had to vent there for a second. This building doesn't seem too stable, so let's go."
Turning around, Haruko walks through Alvin's portal and stands next to him, looking at the damage Taka was doing to the building across the way. "...I'm not cleaning that up, by the way. Alvin, wasn't it?"
Dan was surprised to find metal beneath his foe's suit and skin. He shook his hand as "Both of you are dead; nobody dares to lay a finger on me without getting double the pain in exchange." Dan didn't think this man knew who he was dealing with. "Do you know who I am? I'm Dan Drake, world class martial artist. You're a thug with metal where his brain should be." Two red eyes lit up in the dark hole beneath him and the yakuza became more visible as the skin on his arms tore away to reveal coiled wiring and steel. "Uh... don't do that."
Taka didn't listen, and the roof began to crumble as the support structure bent outwards. Dan could feel his own blood being shoved back by the field the guy was projecting. Well, punching was out of the question. The blood rushing to his ears blocked out Haruko's little rant as he scrambled away from the magnetic madman. "Sorry, had to vent there for a second. This building doesn't seem too stable, so let's go." "Actually, you'll have to repeat it later. I didn't hear a thing. And I'll be right down, I'm taking another way."
He glanced down to where that cowboy from earlier and another martial artist where dodging fire from another mercenary wearing a suit in place of body armor, likely enhanced like the one he had struck. He hadn't managed to harm that one, but he didn't have to try to hurt this one. He covered himself in his energy, a draining task that left him burning like a pink comet, and lunged down behind her, creating a small explosion as he slammed into the side of the building. He flailed for a handhold, but found none as it collapsed. He went down with Washi and was buried by the rubble, his defensive aura glowing through the cracks for an instant before he shoved it off. Too tired to do anything else, he powered down and leaned against the wall, letting everybody else deal with whatever happened next.
K-4 tried to follow Naoto’s instructions, but even as he tried to keep calm new arcs of lighting surged from him homing to anything metallic on sight. The bluish flashes and the constant buzzing were more than enough to keep him in panic. But when all seemed lost, the Clone heard Elise voice and he felt calm invading his body, as if something in her tone or worried inflexion managed to soothe his troubled mind. As her question echoed in his mind he made an effort to breathe deep as Naoto instructed and the arcs stopped surging. K-4 started panting as he leaned over his knees. The confusion he felt moments ago clearing up. –I’m okay….I’m okay…- He looked around as he stood straight and scratched the back of his head confused. –Where am I? Why I’m not at the lab? - He spoke with inquiring tone as his big blue eyes sparkled while scanning the area around him.
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The debris blast from Alvin found itself blocked by Taka’s power. The Magnetic field around the FMY forced any metallic piece of debris to be pushed backwards, pushing the rest of the stuff and dispersing and even if something managed to avoid it a shotgun blast to the face wouldn’t damage Taka’s under skin armored plates. –Cowards, mongrels and whores incapable of understanding my ascension to Godhood. - He spitted those words to them as if he was spitting them in the face. He ascended over the building as the metallic girders started spinning around him, almost in a perfect orbit. One of his hands aimed at them when a powerful magnetic wave was sent forward, launching the girders and many more metallic objects nearby in a Gate of Babylon-ish fashion towards them. The magnetic field around the objects could make them difficult to teleport. –You deserve death for trying to blemish a God of Steel like myself… I’m BISHAMON INCARNATED!!!!-
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Washi saw Crow’s trick. –Neat moves cowboy, but metal isn’t going to work here.- She threw one of her weapons and the bullets weirdly went towards it on a curve, sticking to the rifle as if was magnetized. The Female FMY noticed Sid who moved towards Raisa, or at least to her hearing range for a whisper. Washi was surprised she didn’t notice that the Russian Prodigy was hiding there so she swiftly took action to solve the issue. –No hiding when we are playing girl.- She waved her free hand and a couple of cars on the street moved towards her at great speed, surely flattening Raisa and Sid against the wall under her elevated position. The Swordswoman from Inazuma looked at Sid and the cars and snapped at him. –Yes my idea is that you don’t give out my location to the enemy!!-
She used Sid shoulder as a stepping stone and jumped over the incoming cars. Mid-air she spun and launched a slash 5 mts away from Washi. –Smerch- That whisper indicated the name of the Cutting Wind technique in her arsenal. The FMY blocked the Wind Pressure blade with her free hand, losing her artificial skin and revealing the metallic armor under it. –You’ll need more than that to get through my…What the hell? - As she boasted about her invulnerability Dan crashed besides her, destroying the corner of the building she was clinging to making a pile of rubble crash down from the top floors all the way down the lower floors, like an avalanche of rock that drowned Washi under its pewter embrace.
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The detonations ended and the smoke cleared up. Rin and Yuriko were on the floor knocked out by the repeated shockwaves. The whole alleyway was completely destroyed, bricks all over the place and burn marks as well. FMY 6, Baku was standing in the same spot where he was before with his suit so clean it didn’t seemed to be nearby an explosion. He whistled with admiration. –Well done boya, you managed to protect the ladies, very gentlemanly of you.- He was of course referring to Toramaru, who was standing in-between Baku and the girls. The destruction of the alley was diminished or even nullified behind him a cone of safety formed by his body placed in front of Rin and Yuriko.
The young Half Oni coughed, he didn’t seem to be okay, even if he was immune to fire the shockwave and the fragmentation managed to hurt him a lot. The whole front of his body was covered in wounds. –I can take another of this blasts old man, I couldn’t face my brothers or Houzi-san if I cou….THUD. – He fell on the ground mid-sentence and Baku avoided him to get to the girls, who he promptly lifted over his small shoulders and left. –I think the boss would like to get some leverage if things go south. - He whispered to himself as he left the scene.
Naoto smiled as K-4 was able to calm down. "Thank you." He said to Elise. "We're in Osaka, and we're going to get you home." He explained. "My name is Naoto Kensei. What're your names?" He asked The redhead and the boy.
Seeing that he'd only fuelled Taka's ability's, Alvin raised barrier's around him, blocking the worst of the shrapnel and keeping him contained. He tried opening a portal above Taka, but it wasn't able to form properly in the magnetic field.
He did, however, get an idea. Reaching into his pocket, Alvin withdrew a small die made of barriers. Tossing it into the magnetic field, it broke apart into 27 smaller cubes, each of which opened into a cubic metre of water.
Alvin got to work building more barriers around Take, forming a ball of multiple barriers that got progressively closer and closer to Taka as Alvin built more layers of the sphere. If he couldn't sent the problem away, maybe he could drown and crush him.
The Last Gunslinger took notice of the bullets being attracted to the gun that Washi threw away and then he understood Washi ability and it made him smirk. He had dealt with a similar back West in a town called Coyote Creek and if’s Crow was right Washi ability related around controlling magnetic forces similar to the dangerous Tesla Powell. Washi wasn’t the only one caught off guard by Dan’s Pink Comet of Death attack smashing into the ground the resulting debris crashing down on top of Washi. Crow’s eyes widen and saw this as his chance to possibly end the threat she posed to the Gen Rescue team. Rushing towards the pile of debris wincing in pain as a trail of blood followed him Crow place both his hands on the pile and looked towards Raisa and Sid. Since his fight with Tesla Crow had been working on using his powers to magnetize items in a similar way that the Self Proclaimed Lightning King did and this was the perfect chance to try it. Focusing on all the metal within the rubble and any metal/magnetic components Crow Overcharge to enhance the new skills strength. “Overcharged: Menos”
Electricity flowed from Crow’s hand and into the pile staying localized on it, the electricity super magnetized the pile of rubble so that it would be attracted to the FMY assassin’s body and magnetic ability the force of the metal and concrete compressing down into her from all sides. Crow hope this would crush or permanently bury Washi. With the ability localized to just the pile it wouldn’t effect metal like Raisa’s blade or Dan who was nearby. The Overcharge aura faded from Crow as he kneeled down panting a little. “There hopefully that dealt with her.” Crow glanced over towards Dan and slumped to his one knee the pain in the other too much right now, “Thanks Dan for helping us out. Has anyone seen Haruko, short seamstress chick with a flat chest?” Crow looked around and noticed something he limped over to a pile of flowers from a destroyed cart then picked them up. The Gunslinger casually toss them on the pile that Washi was buried under as he said. “Here are you flowers Ms. I’m sorry they are meant for your grave.”
"Umm... N-Na-Naoto?" Elise repeated the name with some difficulty. She wasn't even going to try to pronounce the second part of his name. "My name is Elise Orion." She told the two with a smile.
"Aw...fucking hell!" Sid shouts as he ruined Raisa's cover. Watching the combo between Dan's pink comet and Crow's magnetism, it appeared as if Washi was trapped in the magnetic wreckage. Looking up at the sky, he saw Taka seemingly gaining power...and thought of an idea. He turns to Dan.
"Hey, comet dude! Let's send this hunk of metal at the lighting guy up there. Ready? Go!" Sid took off into a fast sprint toward the metal ball, and aims it directly at Taka. Once Dan was close, he uses him momentum to kick the metal ball up into the air toward the other FMY assassin, hopefully enhanced by Dan's own attack.
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Suddenly, somebody punches Crow in the back of the head lightly. "What's this about my chest, cowboy? That it is the perfect size and is the best set of boobs you're ever seen?" Walking around, Haruko appears in front of him, twirling a knife in her right hand and smirking slightly at Crow. "Nice to see you too, Zappy. Now...mind filling me in as to why there is a battle going on in the middle of Osaka?"
Dan shook his head when Crow asked him where Haruko was. "She took the portal down, so ask the guy who's setting those up." He glanced back to see her coming up behind the cowboy. He thought of telling him but decided better when she started talking to him herself. He didn't interrupt join the conversation. It would be awkward to interrupt people who where clearly close friends, possibly even a couple, especially when they started talking about her chest.
He turned to find somebody he didn't recognize, a shaggy fellow with a sword on his back, looking contemplatively at the pile of rubble one of the mercenaries was trapped in, tightly bound by the parts of the building's support structure that fell with it. "Hey, comet dude! Let's send this hunk of metal at the lighting guy up there. Ready? Go!" He glanced up to see Taka still in the air, a little wetter but still going. The metal in the ball should be repelled, by he had seen the mercenary within had magnetic powers of her own. Maybe she'd overcome his ability and make it hit him? Only one way to find out.
He charged with the fellow martial artist, aiming to give the ball lift where the other gave it range. At the last second of his charge, he crouched and launched a massive uppercut and combined with his new ally's kick, the ball of rubble sailed true. Now to see if it would hit.
Alvin’s strategy surely was aiming to drown the arrogant FMY Taka, but considering his cybernetic enhancements that wasn’t possible. Yet the Portal Master tactic had a surprising and useful secondary effect. Taka’s magnetic powers came from the activation of his Electromagnets, mounted on his arms. On his regular form he had those enhancements inactive, but upon activating them he shifted into the Electromagnetic Mode, exposing them. The water interacting with the tesla coils wasn’t exactly a good combination and the Cybernetic Yakuza received a very important shock as his systems short-circuited. –YOU IGNORANT PEA BZZZZZZTTTTT- He tried to insult Alvin but he received a brutal shock that turned his body limp, floating in the middle of the watery prison the Shinodaborn constructed.
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-Uh thanks… I think home is that way. - K-4 pointed towards the direction he came from, directly aiming, albeit some buildings in the way, towards the Lab General direction. –It’s a really big building, but we live realllly deep down underground.- He cutely gesticulated as he explained, trying to be as serious as he could while doing, but failing miserably. –Grandpa Kago told me I should listen to the voice in my head and do what he says, but I don’t listen to it anymore. - A very simple way to explain the programming imposed over him by Dr. Kago’s brilliant biological programming inventions. The Old Scientist field of expertise is mixing organic with inorganic matter, but he also excels in Genetics and Surgery. –Well what are we waiting for Onee-chan and Ojiisan, I think I can lead the way… Maybe Kago-jiisan will be glad to have visitors apart from that horrible Joshu. - With that said he started skipping towards the direction he pointed, laughing heartily.
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Crow’s attack was very effective. Not even the reinforced titanium armor plates Washi carried under her skin managed to stop the rubble from crushing her. Dan’s first attack had already defeated her, but the Gunslinger turned it to overkill by crushing the already half-destroyed Cyborg into a past of enhancements and artificial skin. Her hand squeezed out from the rubble rolling down the debris pile until it landed under Crow’s feet. And if that wasn’t enough Dan and Sid launched the pile towards Taka, surely exploding upon contact with the short-circuited android, counting that Alvin released the barriers in time. As both FMY 7 and 8 meet their demise, somebody crawled towards them out of the alley. Toramaru the half Oni was utterly defeated, barely able to move and even with regeneration like his the amount of wounds was almost overwhelming for him.
-Ughk…*cough*….*cough*…they took Rin and Yuriko…..*cough*….- The Oni tried to stand up leaning against the wall but his knees buckled making him fall with his back leaning against the fall, slowly slipping down. Raisa moved towards him and tried to put some pressure on his wounds with cold professionalism, but the Oni stopped her. –Don’t worry, I can…*COUGH*….heal, you need to follow them, just track my Ki, …*COUGH*…. I left a faerie fire with them, is like a small shikigami…*COUGH*…. A familiar….…*COUGH*….follow him and you’ll find Rin and …*COUGH*…. Yuriko…- With that the young Oni fainted. Surely while they tracked the Faerie Fire the heroes could catch up and compare notes.
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I’m hungry
Really hungry….
I could eat a whole school….
And taste the scream of the children….
Redheads taste like bacon….
"Happy to meet you, Elise-dono." Naoto said, walking behind K-4 as he skipped ahead, keeping one eye on the boy and another on Elise's large, round, beautiful… eyes. "Oh, sorry. In my culture we add suffixes as terms of respect." He explained, noticing Elise's difficulty around his Japanese name. "Sparky-kun, for example, is a younger boy, so I would address with a -kun suffix. Is this your first time to Japan?"
—=-=—
Well, a dead guy floating in water is a dead guy floating in water. Large chunks of debris collided against the barriers from the outside, breaking them apart, dropping large volumes of water into the street.
However, the magnetic storm had subsided, allowing Alvin to generate a large portal to drop Taka, the debris, and most of the water into Somebody Else's Problem land, a few hundred miles off the eastern coast of Chile.
Closing the portals, Alvin turned around and ran towards the others, performing a quick headcount to see who was still around and who had gotten themselves kidnapped. "All those who are still present, raise their hand and say aye!" Alvin called out, getting bored of the job half-way through.
Crow rubbed his head after the punch and glanced at Haruko making a mental not about avoiding calling her that again. –This little shoot-out? We all got called by Gen’s sister, he was captured and seemingly they will kill him in a couple of hours if we don’t rescue him.- The Lighting Cowboy looked around the battlefield and noticed Toramaru. –I’m going to check on him, be right back…- As he moved he heard the Oni’s words and upon reaching the position he asked. -Who took them? - Crow was the first to arrive at Raisa’s side and asked the young Oni about the kidnapper, but Toramaru had already fainted. The Last Gunslinger raised his hand when Alvin asked, while he stated tracking the Ki. It was similar to following the trail of Natural Energy he was more akin to use, in fact it was almost as tracking anybody who used Natural Energy with inclinations for fire, surely because of Toramaru’s genetic heritage having a link with a similar energy. –I think we should follow the trail, I can track it without any troubles, but we should also keep an open eye for any ambush.- He glanced at the whole group with trusting eyes and finished with. - Agreed? Ms. Shishioh is the one who knows the location of and she was the one who asked to help. - Crow sighed. –And I don’t want to know what that crazy boxer will do to us if we rescue him and let his sister die. - Raisa nodded and checked her gear first, and then, with surprising ease for her size, she moved Toramaru against a wall in the alley so he could heal more comfortably.
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Rin was rudely woken up by a sudden slap to her face. She got slapped so hard that her cheek got wounded. –Wake up princess, our boss wants to talk to you.- A hulking figure was standing in front of her. He was too big to be a simple man, his body obscuring the lamplight behind him, dressed in a sharp suit, like the man who attacked her and the others in the alley, but instead of the face of an old man, this individual had a metallic face, plates of an unknown alloy instead of skin composed his head, lenses instead of eyes. He was strangely human looking except that half of his head and one of his eyes were covered by heavier black plating. Rin was scared, but she kept her cool, trying to swallow that fear, knowing deep inside her that showing it would make her a more enjoyable target for this brute; she wouldn’t give him the pleasure.
The giant metallic man walked around the chair she was chained to and with his immense ogre-like hands grabbed her from her head and forced to turn towards one of the side walls. Yuriko was chained and strapped to it. For the looks of it they gave her quite the beating. –Do you see that ojou-chan? You’re going to end like her if you don’t answer my boss, so get ready to talk when he gets here. - He released her head and remained behind her. Rin could hear the sound of cogs and fluid tubes coming from him, as if he was a car. The rumbling noise was unnerving, collaborating to make the only captor she saw so far even less human that what he looked. Seconds crawled by in silence, except for the aforementioned engine-like sounds, until steps echoed in the hallways outside the room.
The door opened revealing Aoki Minato, Osaka’s God of Gambling. Yuriko, barely awake after the beating she received opened her eyes in surprise. With faint voice she said –You…You motherfucker….you are behind this? - Aoki looked at her with a mix of pity and snark. –Miss Kazegawa, right? Is a shame this had to go like this, I hope that knowing you will be missed from my arena, Kurogane, knock her out. - The massive henchman moved towards Yuriko making the room tremble with every step –Yeah boss, right on it.- He winded up his arm and clocked her in the chin with a massive haymaker, way faster than one could think such a large and heavy individual could be. Aoki sat on a chair in front of Rin, with the spotlight hitting his back, turning his body into a silhouette from the youngest Shishioh sibling point of view.
-So, Shishioh-san, let’s talk business here…- Aoki leaned forward enough for Rin to see his eyes, that clearly reflected he wasn’t a good guy and he wasn’t somebody you mess with. –I’m really sorry for your and my loss, your brother did bring crowds to my establishment but your parents are paying a small fortune to me to allow his operation to go undisturbed. - The God of Gambling rudely snapped his tongue as he changed topic. –But let’s get right into business, as you know you are being held captive, a bit obvious but I need to establish that, and I also will mention than the chances of you being rescued or tracked are slimmer than the chances of your unlikely entourage rescuing your brother. So I have an offer for you. – Rin tried to keep her stoic façade but the taunting of Aoki was getting to her what if her plan was just naïve hope of getting rescuing her brother. –What is your offer Mr…? - She asked trying to keep her voice from wavering as she also asked her interlocutor for his name.
-Minato, Aoki Minato, but my name is not of any importance, what is important is my offer.- He stood up and leaned against the wall in front of Rin, know he was fully visible as the light was hitting his front. –I’m currently in a business venture with your objective tonight, Dr. Kago, as he will supply me with several soldiers as the one who captured you if I do some security and collecting work for him.- Aoki took a Smartphone from his jacket inner pocket and swiped the screen a couple of times. –So it happens that the team you assembled is what my partner, Dr. Kago, called, and I quote, a “Genetic Jackpot” so he asked me, the moment he found out about who you were planning to assault him with, that we capture them and sent them to him. - The Criminal Lord of Osaka made a gesture with his head and his henchman, Kurogane, lifted Rin from the lapels of her clothing, with chair and all and pinned her against the wall behind her. –The offer is simple, you help us capture them, lie to them and all that stuff and you and Ms. Kazegawa here can leave without more damage.-
Kurogane pinned her so violently that she started bleeding inside her mouth. Her eyes defiantly rejected Aoki’s offer and to demonstrate she spitted blood on his face. –So that’s how it’s going to be Shishioh-san, then it’s going to be a very long night for you, as my boy here really likes to play.- To make that statement even creepier, Kurogane’s smile widened as he threw her with chair and all against a corner, just besides Yuriko. The FMY 3 walked towards her with his hand denting the wall, leaving lines behind his metallic fingers. Aoki left the room with a snarky smile. –Have fun Shishioh-san, or at least try to, I know my boy will, and don’t worry about your friends, they will be test subjects soon enough. - And with that the God of Gambling closed the door, leaving the terrified Rin at the mercy of his brutal henchman.
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-C’mon, c’mon, we have a long way to go before reaching my home… I think…- K-4 stopped for a moment, he seemed a bit confused about something, but instead of ignoring it he told them the reason of his doubts. -I don’t know, every time I think of home I imagine two very, very different places. - His innocent face turned pensive as he looked to the sky. –One is Kago-Ojiisan lab, with all those glass tubes and machines everywhere. There are some very, very spooky things inside the lab, but the other…mmmmh…- The Clone cutely scratched his head as he wondered. –I can see a place with a lot of sand and very funny twisted plants, I can see a river and some green, starry skies and mountains far away… I can remember smells, some sweet and some sour…- He looked at them.- Do you know what I’m talking about? One smell seemed like the drink that creepy, creepy Joshuu drinks in the morning… The other like those big fire things they launched days ago….hana..hanabi? (Fireworks) I heard some people called them that. - He looked at them waiting for answers as he kept back stepping towards the Lab general direction.
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-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!- A chilling scream snapped Dr. Kago from his work as he was trying to reinitiate K-4 Programming. Joshuu screamed 1 level down the stairs, the holding pens for the projects. That could only mean one thing, and that was confirmed when the Wicked Scientist heard the sound of uneven steps on the stairs. –Joshuu, are you there? - But a sinister voice, too strange to be human replied. –Joshuu is not here, when I last saw him he was a bit dispersed….Heh…heha…hehahehiheheahhe….dispersed…- The steps got nearer and nearer and finally a very thing individual appeared in the doorway. He was too thin, as if he was starving; his eyes were crazed and bloodshot. His hair was a greasy mess covered in blood and guts, surely Joshuu being the donor or that. But most noticeable patches of metal covered his body fusing grotesquely with the skin around them. –What’s up doc?- He spoke with a new voice, Joshuu’s voice, yet he didn’t move his mouth.
Kago looked with a mix of fear and amazement how the metallic patch on his chest swelled up and took the shape of Joshuu’s face, the voice came from there with a distinctive metallic chime behind it. –Doctor, I’m cold and scared, I don’t know where I am… I don’t kn.- but he was cut as the metal turned into a smooth surface again. The thing that killed Joshuu, codename K-1 moved with difficulty, as if his muscles were stiff after a very long time sleeping. Each movement seem like a short lived convulsion, making his bones pop, but instead of just doing that, the sound seemed more like two metals colliding with each other, like knifes being sharpened against each other. –Doctor Kago….Doctor…Kago….I need you to answer one question….I may let you live if so….- Kago swallowed saliva his body went tense, feeling the impending doom that was coming, maybe practicing to be rigor mortis, and heard K-1’s question. –How do you like your steak? I like mine, raw, bloody and intelligent, but what about you?-
Elise shook her head, though her eyes were sparkling with curiosity. Given how little she saw of the world, both her own and Earth, the place K4 just described sounded beyond amazing. If a place like that really existed she genuinely wanted to visit it one day. And what were those big fire things? Wait, she knew something that was pretty and could be called like that in the sky. One of the few things she knew.
"Oh, oh!" she said. "Is it purple, and green and does it twist and bend and cover the whole sky and do you want to watch it for hours?" she asked K4 before putting forward her palm and producing the aurora light, causing a giant beam of it to shoot up into the sky and illuminate all around them. "Like this?" she asked innocently as the light took a cone shape while leaving her hand.
"Gen was captured...? Who on Earth could he have pissed off this time?" In truth, Haruko found Gen to be one of the most brutish people she has ever met. It by some stroke of luck that he managed to defeat her in the underground fighting ring a couple of months ago, a match which she still is annoyed that she lost. But it would be wrong of her to walk away now, so might as well join these people for yet another adventure.
Following Crow to the oni, Haruko turns to the side and closes her eyes. It was as Toramaru said, there was a faint trail of ki that had a certain fiery affinity to it. Opening her eyes once more, the seamstress turns toward the group. "I can sense the trail as well. If we hurry, we might be able to catch up to wherever this leads. Has anyone called some help for this injured guy yet?"
Dan cheered as the cyborg yakuza exploded... and stopped when he realized just what that meant. His heart dropped as the high of battle left him. He had killed them. Willingly. He was pretty sure the yakuza he had electrocuted was dead too. He wasn't a killer. He didn't... He never... He stumbled into an alleyway and puked. And puked again. His stomach was empty in two, but he kept retching for what seemed like forever. He emerged miserable but glad that he had the presence of mind to hold his hair back. He wasn't going to think about it. Not about what he had done, not about how Taka had reminded him of his own dark side.
He made it back to the others, looking a bit shaky and pale, but uninjured except for his burnt arm. He saw Toramaru leaning on the alley's wall, quite horribly battered. He knelt and placed his hand over the half-Oni's face. Both of their faces visibly lightened. "Okay, he can heal." He muttered to himself. He stood and looked at the group. "I just put him into a more natural sleep. It'll help him heal, but he might be out for a few hours. Now... you guys owe me an explanation. Just what the hell is going on here?!"
K-4 big blue eyes sparkled with innocent amazement as he saw Elise create fireworks from her hand. –Yes! Like that, but very, very big, up in the sky! - Absolutely forgetting about his current activity the clone went towards Elise and hugged her. –Can you do it again Neesan? Can you? - He was jumping around here very excited by the possibility of seeing more Fireworks, as he never could watch many in the lab, the only times he could was when the Doctor was “charging” him on the rooftop, tied to a bed with a lightning rod attached to it. And even then he didn’t see a lot.
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Raisa, with her accustomed almost whispered voice and grim disposition explained quickly to Dan the situation. –The Boxer was captured, his sister asked us to retrieve him, she got captured, and the red skinned brat got damaged trying to stop whoever got her. We need to find her, rescue her and to find out exactly where they are keeping the Boxer.- Her thick Russian accent could difficult understanding her, but she went directly to the point, curiously never referring to Gen by name. The Russian Prodigy then turned to Crow. –You said you can track it, shall we start moving? I don’t know how much time my classmates back in the school will be able to refrain certain elements of our class from revealing our disappearance.-
-Xi’ai, can you get another layer of thread over Tetsu, I’m worried he ain’t moving, he shouldn’t be knocked down for so long, and he seems like a sturdy guy. - Kojiro was pinning down Wallaby who was still trying to get out of this bind. The Chinese Seamstress sighed and entered the room, using her advanced knowledge in the usage of string as a weapon to spin another layer of thread around the unconscious Karate Practitioner, Tetsu Yamanaka. –Here, now he is inside a cocoon of metallic fibers, I doubt he will get out… I just hope they don’t take a lot of time, I don’t want to be caught red-handed.- Kojiro sat over the struggling Wallaby and rudely snapped his tongue. –Tsk, you need to chill out girl, or you’ll wrinkle your pretty face. I have everything under control.- He elbow dropped the Australian Student back to sleep as Xi’ai rolled her eyes and left the broom covert to keep guard.
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Darkness. Complete and utter darkness. Yuriko Kazegawa could barely open her eyes after the beating he received from the sadistic FMY nicknamed Kurogane by his boss. She could barely perceive anything except for swelling masses of pain all over her body, bruises and wounds covering her after being on the wrong end of Kurogane’s metallic plated fists. But as she struggled not to fall back onto unconsciousness she started regaining her senses, hearing noises that seemed far away. There was a fight nearby; she could hear the contenders, one struggling to avoid the attacks of the other, which rumbled the room each time he failed. With enormous effort she tried to open her swollen eyes managing to see a bit of the room.
Rin, still cuffed, was desperately avoiding Kurogane’s sluggish attempts to punch her head in. Even beaten and scared her body moved with enough grace to avoid the mighty and surprisingly fast, yet easily predictable punches. The Massive Brute stopped his assault and looked at her. –You can certainly move missy, but sooner or later you will get tired and I’ll have my chance. - He tapped his chest with his enormous fist, clashing metal against metal. –Heard that? I don’t get tired missy, I’m almost completely metal, so you ain’t beating me, I don’t see you carrying any weapons so you have no chance, be a good girl and let me fuck you up.- He finished by launching another punch that Rin managed to avoid. –I won’t give up; I know that if I was on his situation my brother wouldn’t give up.-
-How sweet, you can tell him that when you meet him in hell. - This time around the punch scratched the youngest Shishioh sibling, launching her against the wall just besides Yuriko, who could only watch as her friend got punched. Rin was barely able to stand leaning against the wall with whatever strength she could muster. Besides her the broken remains of the chair lied in the corner, instinctively she glanced at them as they were the only chance at a weapon, but that instinct almost killed her as Kurogane charged forward towards her. Rin reacted a second too late, lifting her arms trying to protect herself, shutting her eyes in fear. Yet the hit never arrived as she got some help.
Rin opened her eyes to see Yuriko, who managed to break free one of her arms from the chains on the wall and used her thumb to pierce the sole healthy eye of Kurogane, who stepped back in pain as he cursed nonstop with his booming voice. –Don’t just stay there; finish this fucker… just like I taught you…- Yuriko fainted after imparting this words and Rin nodded grabbing one of the chair legs in the floor and charged it with Ki, just as her friend showed to her before this mission. Rin waited for her chance, prepared to attack and when she saw her window of opportunity she lunged forward with the broken leg as her only weapon. She aimed at Kurogane’s mouth as he opened to scream, piercing the Ki reinforced wood into the cyborg’s palate and releasing the Ki like a blast.
Maybe she was scared, or her survival instincts kicked in, but she wasn’t able to control the output of the Ki, creating a massive detonation that blasted the FMY 3 inside out, exploding into a improvised frag grenade in the closed room, making it tremble and filling the falls with metallic shards. Rin shielded herself with Ki as much as she could and jumped in-between the explosion and the still retrained Yuriko, minimizing the blast for her. She then proceeded to faint in tears, as this was the first time she killed somebody. Yuriko started to break the other chains and help her friend up.
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Moments before DGT greeted Aoki Minato back to the control room with bad news – FMY 7 and 8 are offline, they were destroyed by our targets. Pretty surprising. - Aoki glared at him. –Surprising!? This is a disaster; do ya know how much I spent on those friggin’ bastards? I not made out of money ya know? - The young Hacker laughed at the sudden surge of Kansai accent of his boss. –Calm down boss, I already sent 6, 5 and 4 to deal with them, so I don’t think they will survive for too long. - The God of Gambling sighed. –Damnit, I will have to ask that crazy scientist for more soldiers after this, I don’t like dealing with him, he is a crazy dou- BOOOM!!!! The echoes of an explosion made the room tremble. –WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?- Aoki shouted as he regained his balance. DGT checked his wrist mounted screen and trying to be as diplomatic as he could he said. –Well, I have more bad news for you, Kurogane just was rendered inoperative. - A vein popped in the Lord of the Osaka Criminal Underworld forehead. –Kurogane is dead? - DGT calmly nodded. –Yes- Aoki exhaled deeply trying to calm himself. –So Ms. Shishioh and Ms. Kazegawa are loose on our base and you sent all the available FMY troops to deal with the others… I think we should warn the soldiers that both could be dangerous… DGT-san, sound the alarm.-
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The Infamous Doctor Kago was utterly baffled, as surprisingly he wasn’t dead yet. K-1 or Masako Hihashi, as he presented himself had been, for the lack of a better term, kind to the old man, sitting him on a chair and cleaning up the remains of Joshu from the lab. The Genetics Expert was sitting in silence as the horribly disfigured K-1 he had on his lab as a study subject donned a broom and a makeshift bandana made of a piece of parchment and started cleaning. Utterly baffled, unable to say a single word, fearing that something could set off the monster in front of him. The silence was broken by Masako. –So Doc, I got a good read from your boy Joshu memories, and I know your deal, mostly… Care to talk a bit about your current activities? I can’t seem to maintain your assistant memories fresh in my mind, so could you elaborate?-
For a moment Kago was confused, as from what he gathered about K-1 life previous to being incased in Benkeinium, the living metal found during WWII by the Japanese government, was that he was a serial killer and had some sort of telekinetic prowess, nothing indicated him being polite or considerate, but suddenly he understood why this was happening. Masako wasn’t even looking at him after he finished eating Joshu, he barely had any interest in the Doctor, as if he was below him. Masako didn’t care about him because he didn’t considered him neither a threat or proper food, there was something alien on his detached attitude. –I’m working on making soldiers with enhanced abilities I thought that studying you would grant me a new perspective into that field, all things considered you are an exemplar specimen.-
-Thanks Doc, anything else I could do for an esteemed fellow butcher?- Kago tried to reply but he was cut by Masako continuing. -Don’t deny it, I have Joshu’s thoughts, I know you take great pleasure on cutting people up, dead or alive.- He dropped the broom and took of the bandana as he moved towards the Doctor. –The only difference between you and me…- His right hand turned into massive metallic blade. –Is that I’m better equipped for it. - A solitary drop of sweat ran down the Doctor’s face as he could smell the blood residue on the blade. –Ehm, I do have something for you to do if you…- Masako retracted the blade and looked directly at him, or almost through him, as somebody watching a fly on the wall. –What do you need esteemed elder? - Kago swallowed and replied. –I made a bio-weapon, a clone of an elemental user, he has gone out of control and I don’t think he is going to react, could you please kill him? And complete his mission, capturing a red-headed woman that currently is besides him. -
The sole mention of the word kill had a strange effect on Masako, the metallic plates grotesquely grafted onto his body suddenly started to move as if they were boiling water, but instead of round bubbles, horrible spikes started to move up and down. His eyes shined with a sinister light they widen up, his pulse accelerated and his breathing as well. –Esteemed Doctor, it would be my pleasure. - He turned around contorting his body again as he moved towards the exit. Kago tried to speak. –The exit is- But he was cut by K-1. –I know.- He pointed a plate on his back, once again forming Joshu’s face. –I still got his memories Doc, I know the way out, you just resume your work here, I’ll come back to ask you for something in exchange of my help here…- He continued walking and his voice changed from that politeness to a metallic sound so sinister and dark even Kago’s skin went pale. –Until then Doctor…until then.-
Naoto smiled at the display. So, this paragon of beauty was a power user as well? And such an aesthetically pleasing power too. "I would request another viewing myself, miss Elise." Naoto told her.
—=-=—
Alvin tried to follow the conversation, but he soon got bored, and decided to just follow what everyone else was doing.
With two new members joining the Gen Rescue Team, which Crow considered renaming to the Shishioh rescue team at the rate they were going, and the two members were no slouches. On one hand was Dan a powerful martial artist who showed he could handle himself against both members of the FMY briefly. On the other hand was one of Crow’s friends and allies Haruko a seamstress who the Gunslinger trusted more than any one with his life should the need arise. The Gunslinger agreed with Raisa if they wanted to save the Shishioh siblings then they had to move fast. “Okay everyone let’s move out. As my gramps use to say there a lot of field to plow and not a lot of sunlight.” After wrapping up the wound on his leg with a bandana, the Gunslinger knew his body would heal the injury slowly over time thanks his use of Natural Energy and plus he didn’t want use some vivificum berries yet. Crow began using his ability to track Toramaru’s familiar with the group following behind him adding to their success the Gunslinger was a bounty hunter after all he was skilled with tracking down a target following trails and clues left here and there. However as much as Crow was focused on finding Rin and saving Gen there was something else about the Shishioh family that was bothering him.
Since the events in Kobe Crow had been doing as much research as he could on the Shishioh family in general this was easier said than done seeing as much about the wealthy family was either covered up, hidden, or just completely missing. What Crow did learn was disturbing the Shishioh family were ruthless in the business world whenever presented with some kind of competition that opposing business was often met with the worst luck. Scandals were exposed, company secret leaked, CEOs quit and a week later committed suicide then when these companies were left broken and desperate they were consumed by the Shishioh Conglomerate. Using killer like the FMY or hiring cold blooded mercenaries like the Iron Eagles showed just how far the Shishioh family would achieve their goals and the Gunslinger was worried what else they would do. Crow looked back at Haruko and spoke quietly to her while the group moved as quickly as they could through the city. “Hey Haruko thanks for the heads up about the snipers from before. Listen the guys who took the Gen and are now trying to kill us, they will go to any length to get what they want.”
Elise enjoyed the hug she got from K4. She didn't get to experience those quite often. Furthermore, both K4 and Naoto seemed to like her powers and enjoyed the light as much as she did back home. She smiled at the two before shooting two beams out into the sky, now using both palms and occasionally crossing the beams or making them dance around one another.
Listening to Crow speak to her, Haruko nods her head, smiling slightly. "No problem, trying to stall those two mercenaries was actually pretty fun. Listen, Crow...why exactly was Gen captured and who is holding him hostage? I only came to Osaka so I could get some new designs, so this is all new to me. Mind filling me in, Zappy?" The battle seamstress asks, glancing around the place as they walked. Man, what a mess.
Sid, on the other hand, strolls casually alongside the group, occasionally glancing at Haruko's figure. Man...why did all the hot chicks have to leave? Now all I am stuck with is that scary-looking Russian chick and this knife chick. Hm...I guess she's not so bad...good enough for me. Walking next to Dan, he lightly tapped the former thug on the shoulder. "You said you wanted an explanation. Well...this one really annoying dude called Gen was captured by a bunch of dudes hired by his folks, so they can dissect him and cure their other son. Gen owes me a fight, so I'm just here to make sure the loud-mouthed bastard doesn't die on us. What's your story, pink suit?"
Dan listened to the Russian woman carefully. He got most of it. He was lucky he had learned English alongside Chinese, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten anything. He was guessing that the boxer she mentioned was Gen. The whole Gen Rescue Team thing gave it away. He took the opportunity to check out his team. There was the cowboy, crow. Crow and the knife woman, Haruko, were the first. He was impressed by both of them, and he had to admit that Haruko was right up his alley. She could hold her own in a fight, and he's always liked short girls with very little figure. Just his luck, she seemed to be attached to Crow. He sighed and checked out the rest.
There was the guy who had helped him up to Haruko earlier. Another potential friend. And the Russian girl, still seeming awfully cold. He was horrified to realize that there were more earlier. Had they died? He nearly threw up again. He was shaky and pale and surrounded by everything he had tried to avoid. He stumbled against a wall and breathed deeply. He appreciated it when Sid came over. He didn't like the uninvited touch, but he'd tolerate it. "Yeah, I came to fight him. He said he'd meet me for a match and never showed, so I came here looking for him. But now... all this." He felt like he was choking. This was too much. But what was he going to do? Leave him to die?
He was again overwhelmed by nerves, adrenaline, and the shame of his kill. He bent over and retched, only losing a little bile. It sparked some odd anger in him. Who was he to just run away, stomach acid dripping from his mouth when there was somebody to save? As much as it sucked, he had to straighten up and wipe the bile from his mouth. He would have apologized for them having to see that, but he was unlikely to start a conversation in the best of circumstances, and right now he was a nervous wreck. Still, he walked towards the front of the group and gave everybody a nod. Even in this shape, he could probably take a hit better than anybody else.
Part 2
K-4 looked at the lights and clapped with childish enthusiasm. –Yay! I love these lights…- He looked around him as the lights extended and decided to imitate her. Opening his palm sparkles of pure lighting started going up into the air and danced alongside Elise’s lights. –Nee-san, nee-san! Look I can do pretty lights as well. HAHAHAHHAAHAHA…- He filled the air with childish glee and lighting sparks, all of them harmless except for a simple tickling when touching the skin. Unknown to them enjoying the Osaka night, something very dangerous was moving towards them.
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-Well Doc, I’m leaving… don’t stay up too late…- Masako grinned with a weird tone of voice. He walked towards the exit and then started running. Once he left Dr. Kago’s field of view he rushed the stairs jumping from wall to wall clawing his way up like a beast. His body shape was altered a bit to allow such feat. As the Living Metal Benkeinium was lacing his whole body he could manipulate it to drastically alter his anatomy to suit his needs, allowing him to adapt to different situations with ease. Yet he was just able to do some functional alterations to his bones, like in this particular case a curved spine, longer arms and legs, fangs and claws. He even grew a metallic tail, and much more, as the Benkeinium extended over him covering his body in plates of armor.
Gone where his old powers that allowed him to emulate the powers genetically linked to others creatures by consuming their flesh. Those powers burned alongside whatever remained of his original psyche while he was covered in Living Metal. Now Masako became something else, adaptable to any environment or task, a true predator over men. No pride or ego to speak off, those things washed away by the alien mineral that bonded with him. This former ESP user had passed that pitifully step in human evolution and leapt over it into the path to become something this Earth hasn’t really seen for ages, something that was shattered by technology and men. Masato’s goal was to become the Apex Predator of this planet.
As he finally climbed up the underground levels he went out in the open latched to the side of the building with metal claws. He sniffed the air of the night for the first time since last year, back in the mission to get the Amaterasu, but who sent him there, he couldn’t remember, maybe it was because his brain was still scrambled from waking up. –Never mind that, I smell red-headed people nearby…- He whispered to himself and licked his lips as his body returned to a more humanoid shape. –I want a taste…I WANT IT- he whispered with intensity as his body morphed again. His legs changing shapes into more insect-like ones and under his arms stretching from his wrist to his waist a metallic membrane opened up, allowing him to glide.
With a powerful jump he was sent towards the night skies and on a breeze he glided like a gigantic bat towards Elise, Naoto and K-4, completely fixated on consuming them.
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Yuriko and Rin barely managed to move, dragging themselves through the corridors of the underground complex which held Aoki Minato’s HQ. Yuriko was pretty beat, yet she was the one doing most of the combat against the incoming threats, a testament of her resilience and willpower. Rin served as defense and support, now able to at least deflect gunshots using he blade Gen’s trained gave to her. –Yuriko, are you sure you know where are we going? I think we are going in circles…- Rin helped her friend to walk as both leaned on the walls. –S-Shut up, I know this halls, we are getting close to the changing rooms, just trust me on this one.- Rin sighed, hoping that the others were being more successful, at least she knew they would get Gen first as time was of the essence.
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If the Rescue Crew moved without stop they would soon arrive to one of the many entry points hidden in Osaka directly linked to the Underground Fighting Arena. As this was the most logical place of entry for the squad based on their current direction they would arrive to an open space in the middle of a city block, a place you could only get through a labyrinth of alley-ways, false turns and hidden pathways. In said open space three figures were waiting for them. The short and old looking Baku, the one who captured Rin and Yuriko while critically wounding Toramaru, a tall man with short bluish hair and white suit and finally a woman with an elegant blazer-skirt combo and purple hair.
Baku took of his hat, revealing even more metallic plates as he removed some dust from it. –You too youngsters should stay inside, I think I can handle them on my own. - He tried to sound wise and courtly. The purple haired woman faintly laughed with an almost melodic tone yet weirdly technological, almost like an auto tune. –HaHaHa, how educated of you Baku-dono, but I beg to differ from your experiment point of view, the intruders already took down Taka and Washi. Don’t you agree Mu? - She finished talking and looked at the tall man with bluish hair. –Mmh. - He just grunted in response, almost as if he wasn’t able to talk at all. –Do you see, he is giving me the reason, not to mention we even got one of the snipers to back us out Baku-dono, a young man, yet he promises.-
Andy Bonham looked from above. He was waiting with his trusty L115A3 AWM sniper rifle besides him. He also carried a MP5 SMG, two desert eagles and a couple of combat knives. –That Uta-san broad is crazy, if these three bastards are like the other two this place will be a warzone… Why the fuck did I accept to be their backup?- He sighed, bored. -What a drag…-
Naoto smiled, looking up at the night sky as this beautiful woman and this lost boy performed a beautiful light show against the sky. This was nice. This was really….
Really…?
What was that moving grey shadow briefly illuminated by Elise and the boy?
Is it a bird?
Is it a plane?
No, it's…?
—=-=—
Alvin moved with the group, spotting the three suspicious individuals up ahead. "I bet the restaurant's insurance bill that those guys know where Gen and his sister were taken." He announced to the group, wanting to see if he got any takers before he jumped in to attack.
When Haruko asked Crow about who exactly kidnapped Gen the Gunslinger simply sighed, “First I told you stop calling me Zappy…Flat Chest. Anyway the situation is a lot complicated than simply Gen pissing people off. The people who kidnapped him…were his parents.” Crow stopped for a minute to let that sink into the Battle Seamstress. “You are probably think why would his parents do this and to be honest I don’t think even Gen wants people to know. The truth is Haruko Gen’s parents are monsters they are trying to save their eldest son who is sick by carving Gen up like a turkey and harvesting his organs.”
As Crow talked one could notice a dark shadow forming over his eyes his fist clenched and he slowly pulled his cowboy hat down, “I never really understood Gen before….he was just a hot headed angry brat that kept looking for his next opponent. But after speaking to his sister and hearing from Gen himself back in Kobe…I understand now. Gen been living in his own personal hell all his life, he been fighting for every moment of freedom he can get. What his parents put him through is far worse than most can imagine and now they are willing to trade his life for the perfect child. I don’t care what I have to do Haruko the Shishioh….” Before Crow could finish he suddenly notice Dan, the Pink Comet of Death was a bit paler than before.
Without a word Crow walked back towards Dan the cowboy hat keeping his eyes hidden but his body giving off an aura that Haruko, nor Alvin, or anyone seen before in the Gunslinger it more vengeful and dark than calm and collected. The Rail-gun reached into his jacket and suddenly removed a bar of chocolate he broke some off and handed it to Dan his voice solemn and almost cold. “I’m guessing this is the first time you ever had to kill someone. Here eat this chocolate I get it from a special Native American supplier where I live it made from special herbs that are said to calm the nerves. I’m sorry you got drug into this fight with us. But let me tell you this…if you can’t stomach this then I suggest you take your ass and walk the hell home!”
Suddenly Crow looked at the whole group revealing his cobalt blue eyes were filled with a violent storm of rage aimed at the Gen’s parents, FMY, and anybody who stood in his way. “Those mercenaries we fought at the restaurant they were called the Iron Eagles they are some of the deadliest in the business. And those two cyborgs I would bet they have something to do with an elite team of assassins who recently dropped off the grid and it seems they were upgraded. I can tell you right now the enemies who lie ahead are probably some of the deadliest men and women we ever encountered. So if you think you are out of your league you probably are and you will only slow the rest down!” Crow began walking back to the front of the group he felt bad for losing his temper but his rage had been building since Kobe.
It didn’t take long for the Gen (Shishioh) Rescue Team to encounter the three in the alleyway the Gunslinger smirked a little at Alvin’s comment. “I would take that bet Alvin but as my Gramps use to tell me, never take a bet against a guy with rabbit’s feet and a wearing a horseshoe.” Crow stepped towards the FMY assassins, “You bastards took some friends of ours. So I’ll say this one time tell us where they are…or I swear on my word as a Gunslinger. I’ll make you regret the day you bastards decided to step in front of me!” Electrical Nature Energy was slowly started to radiate from his body its color taking a slight red tint, this wasn’t a Crow his friends had seen before this was the Crow who was the contained storm of rage and vengeance. This was the furious Lighting Bolt of Justice that strike down the wicked and evil without mercy, Gen’s parents were monsters they cared nothing for the lives of those around them and desired only what improved their status. He had learned of Gen’s past from the Spirit Boxer and his sister, he had learned of Rin’s former bodyguard from SJ prior to this, their children were tools to them. Crow never met them but he hated them and they…would...pay.
Elise smiled. "Wow, you can do it too!" she said as she observed K4. Maybe the boy was just like her after all. Naoto too seemed to be enjoying himself though when Elise took the time to look at him and focus for a bit she noticed that he seemed somewhat... distracted? "Um, Nao-Naoto? Are you ok?" she asked in a sweet voice as she stopped illuminating the sky.
Frowning at the insult, Haruko looks at Crow with a serious look on her face. "Careful calling me that Zappy, because there is a difference between giving a fun pet name and just being rude." Listening to the rest of the story, Haruko shakes her head once Crow finished and moved onto Dan. Gen's parents...kidnapped him? And now they plan on carving him up to save their eldest son? I know Gen's a bit of an idiot...ok he's a little more than a bit, but I can't let this happen to him. Besides, I couldn't just walk away now after helping them with those two robot guys. If the situation is as bad as Crow makes it out to be, they might need all the help they can get. Heh...there's never a dull moment around these people, is there?
Staring at the three cyborgs in front of the group, like the two enemies before, there didn't seem to be any ki signature coming from them. So either they were robots, or they were zombies. And she didn't see any rotting flesh, so that rules out zombies. Twirling a knife in her right hand, Haruko casually began looking around the area, planning any possible trap locations in advance. Being more suited for a position behind the front lines, the battle seamstress decides not to interject after Crow finished his speech in hopes of the cyborgs deciding to focus more on him and Alvin, as opposed to herself. Of course, she couldn't rely on that possibility fully, so the explosive knife twirling in her right hand would serve as a convenient counter attack should they try rushing her first.
Dan was again embarrassed by the arguing. No better way to feel alone in a group than having the couple start arguing. He just kept walking, only to be drawn back into the conversation when Crow directly addressed him. There was something unpleasant about the way he said every word, a darkness and cold that even Dan could pick up on. Dan accepted the chocolate gladly. Drugged or not, it was chocolate.
"I’m sorry you got drug into this fight with us. But let me tell you this…if you can’t stomach this then I suggest you take your ass and walk the hell home!” Dan had already had this dilemma himself. He shook his head. His face had regained from color and he had calmed somewhat, and he hadn't even taken a bite of the chocolate. "If I was going to leave, I would have done it already. This is too big to just walk out on. And besides, who else, besides all of you, is going to punch Gen for getting himself into this mess?"
It felt good to be able to joke with a... friend? God he hoped he could call him that. He didn't even need the chocolate. He slipped it into his pocket for later. It was only another moment before they saw the strange fingers. Dan's hair stood up as Crow began pouring out his rage in the form of a red cage of lightning, locking him into full on vengeance mode. "Uh, no offense, but I think I can take a hit best out of any of us. Most likely. What I'm saying is, I think I should take point." He didn't want to push in front of Crow for fear of being fried, so he settled for clumsily asking.
Uta and Baku perceived the group arrival before they even were in visual range. Andy, from above also noticed with his scope. If Mu noticed he didn’t show signs of it. Uta was the first of them to speak. –Oh, nice tone of voice, I can hear your conviction and your heart…not to mention the gallop of your blood in your veins…The crackle of your nerves…such beautiful sound.- She quickly looked to the other two. –This one is mine, get it? –
Baku chuckled. –Okay, okay, but don’t go asking for help afterwards…and truly I prefer shooting women down.- The old looking FMY took some steps forward and bowed as he removed his hat with an elegant gesture. He was looking at Haruko and Raisa through the opaque lenses mounted on the external plates of his armor.
-Ladies, it would be my honor if you allowed me this dance.- He finished his courtly gesture by putting his hat back on its place and suddenly opening his whole body, revealing missile silos, machineguns and more aimed at them. –I warn you that I like dancing with a bit of enthusiasm. - With that said he shot a full volley of bullets, missiles and more homed at Haruko and Raisa.
Uta turned to Mu. –Mu, be a pal and keep those two guys busy. - She lazily pointed at Alvin, Sid and Dan. The Tall FMY turned his head with a robotic gesture, confused he asked. –Which two? There are three targets…- Uta groaned. –Urk, then pick two and leave the last one to the support.- Mu nodded. –Okay- and charged forward. His body making robotic sounds as he did. He launched a frankly flawless Taekwondo kick aimed at Alvin’s head, while at the same time; he attacked Dan with an equally perfect Northern Shaolin Jab.
Uta waited for Crow. –C’mon Cowboy, don’t leave me hanging, I want to hear the song of your suffering. - She gestured the Lighting Cowboy asking him to come for her clearly a Taunt. As she did, Andy aimed his Sniper from his hiding spot. He wasn’t dumb and noticed that the only one left to get attacked was Sid. He sighed and whispered. –Well then, killing off a classmate is a good way to finish the evening. - And prepared to shot at Sid the moment he moved.
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Masako turned back into human form, only modification was that his legs seemed spiraled, like springs. He fell from the night sky landing in front of Naoto, Elise and K-4. The Young Clone immediately ran behind Elise, in a very child-like manner. As the dust cloud cleared up the soon to be Alpha Predator smiled as he licked his lips with his longue sharp tongue. –Hello boys and girls…the menu for today has you in the buffet and I already have my everything you can eat voucher…I THINK WE SHOULD SKIP THE FIRST DISH!!!!- He charged forward without doubts or sanity, directly towards Naoto as his arm turned into a Lance-like weapon. He didn’t had any skill behind the attack, just pure undiluted strength and savagery, enough to pierce a truck clean through.
Alvin smirked as they advanced. Oh, this will be fun. It quickly became apparent that one of them, Mu, was to become his and Dan's opponent. Well then.
Acting quickly, Alvin created two portals to redirect the punch and the kick to collide against each other. If successful, not only would the taekwondo expert lose two of his weapons, but he would be left dangling in the air with limbs crossing portals to make a perfect punching bag for Dan.
Assuming, of course, that Mu didn't change trajectory to avoid the portals.
—=-=—
Not superman either then. "We have company." Naoto told Elise as Masako landed, quickly identifying himself as someone that needed to be killed quickly. His body seemed able to be modified on command, like an octopus only far more so. Did he have bones to break? Organs to slice? Aiming for weak spots would be pointless against a malleable foe like this, and Naoto didn't even know if cutting him in half would multiply the enemy or not.
Drawing his blunted sword, Naoto charged under the spear, slashing upwards to redirect it, perhaps sever it entirely, before jumping up in front of Masako with a rising slash attack to tear his chest open and expose his insides. Then, Naoto hoped he could work out a plan of attack.
Uta, a member of the deadly assassins FMY, taunted Crow and the Gunslinger was more than happy to oblige. “I’ll dance with you sweetheart but you should know the last member of your little group that tangled with me. We buried her under a couple tons of stone and steel. I personally put the flowers on her grave!” The Rail-gun wasted no time in going after the FMY Assassin, he had warn them would happen if they didn’t answer him, now he was going to make good on his promise.
The Gunslinger drew his revolver faster than a viper’s strike and fired 3 shots at Uta making sure to bounce the bullets off surrounding surfaces so they would strike her from different angles. Crow wasn’t done with his attack yet he rushed as Electrical Natural Energy formed around his hand. He smirked a little as he decided to reveal a new trick he had been working on, once the Gunslinger got in Uta’s range he suddenly vanished leaving behind an afterimage, or Fantasma, which could possibly fool the assassin just enough.
The real Crow appeared behind the cyborg killer his hand surging with electrical natural energy. “I warned you bitch I would make you bastards regret the day you stepped in my path! ALA!” Crow went for what could be a killing blow aiming for the heart of the FMY Agent’s heart with his electrical blade. There was some violent and malicious about Crow’s aura and electrical nature energy they were filled with a violent intent and had a growing red color to it. The normally calm and cool cowboy was falling the biggest faults of the fabled Gunslingers…the violent force of nature known as the Red Storm.
"Naoto? What is going on?" Elise asked as she simply stared at the new arrival. Truth be told even though she did just see K4, Masako was quite different. Elise had never seen anything like him. He looked human to her but was kinda different.... she couldn't quite place a finger on it so she just asked away.
"What's that?"
Reacting quickly, Haruko darts off to the side opposite to Raisa, trying to split his fire up as much as possible. Most of the bullets missed her in the initial onslaught, but the missiles began to lock onto the seamstress and were closing in. Turning around, Haruko expertly tossed one explosive knife at each missile, blowing them up behind her and sending her flying backwards into the pavement. Quickly getting back up, Haruko looks at Baku with a look of sheer disbelief.
"...how the heck do you keep all that in your chest? You look like one of those Loony Toons cartoons." Hoping to distract him, Haruko tosses two explosive knives at the opponent, followed by her dashing to the side to try and hit him with three more explosive knives while the smoke was still clearing from the first two. The second aspect of her plan was to try and distract Baku so Raisa could sneak up and attack him with her sword.
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Meanwhile, Sid overhears one of the robots say something about 'pick two and leave the last one to the support'. Just who was this support, and where were they? He was obviously the odd man out. Perhaps he needed a vantage point to see if this 'support' would follow him onto the roofs. Leaping high into the air, Sid lands on top of a nearby building and begins scanning the area, not having spotted Andy yet.
As the big guy approached, Dan turned to Alvin. "Need me to take the punches? No offense, but you don't look as tough as me." He supposed Alvin's portals could help with that. Before he got a response, the enemy was among them. Dan was stunned by the flawless shots launched by his huge mechanical foe. This was a fight. He felt the wind off of the blow cooling his heating body as he ducked aside. Even if Alvin's portal failed, he wasn't getting hit.
Cocky grin fully in display now, he slipped into the proper stance for a kick to the legs. His muscles released their full force at the side of Mu's leg with the intent of knocking him down. He was already charging the ball of energy he'd bust his legs with if he fell. If he didn't, Dan would have to think of something else to do with it.
THE BATTLE RAGES IN OSAKA!!!
As Mu’s punch moved towards the portal created by Alvin, it suddenly made a strange noise and without any notice it split in several segments, as if it was composed by dozens of tubes. The strange noise was fluids moving through the metallic tubes that made an abrupt turn avoiding the Portal and moved towards Alvin’s face once again.
At the same time, Dan was avoiding the kick by the skin of his teeth as he launched a sweeper down the only support Mu had, the leg touching the ground, but just like his arm, the leg broke through the skin revealing intricate flexible tubing, that not only cushioned the impact of the kick, but also started entangling it.
-COUNTER MEASURE ACTIVE; MARTIAL PROGRAM ENGAGE; STEEL SNAKE TECH ART.- The FMY voice sounded robotic in nature as he showcased his main feature, Technological Augmented Martial Arts, or Tech Arts for short
The arm directed at Alvin didn’t strike the Portal Master, it missed for a meter while doing wild zigzagging as its true intent was to hit him from behind. While the leg was still on its place and the high kick he launched with the other turned into a stomp aimed at Dan’s exposed knee, in danger if he didn’t removed it from the constriction before it was too late.
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-Flowers in Washi’s resting place?- She said that as Crow’s bullets fell on the floor and the Ala trick was diffused half a meter before touching her body. Both attacks caused a gong-like sound when impacting the invisible barrier around Uta, almost as if the sound itself had guarded her.
-How sweet, I will be sure of returning the favor. - Her shoulders turned around, so did her stomach, breaking the fine suit she was wearing. Her forearms and calves also revealed silos, but instead of missiles like Baku she showed musical Amps and with a foreboding buzzing she released her attack
-BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM- A blast of pure sound, so dense that it could be seen vibrating the space around her. Affecting a dome 3 mts around her the ground shattered and whoever was caught in it would surely suffer serious damage and feel a bit stunned. –I want to hear the song of your suffering Revolver-san-
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Baku smiled as Haruko tried to taunt him, he always considered himself as a gentleman and he wouldn’t get pissed for something as childish as that. That condescending attitude extended to her attacks, as she threw two knifes at him. Baku’s defense was ranked third in the group, so it was his destructive power, speed and other features. He was a man of averages, but he was proud of it, yet he never counted with explosive knives.
-YOU BITCH!-The sudden detonations, not making much damage on itself, manage to break his balance, as he needed to be still to release his attacks properly. One of his legs got off the ground and he started spraying death all over the place, missiles shooting at the buildings, chain guns showering the floor with sparks on each massive bullet impact, a truly crazed mayhem as his volleys weren’t fully controllable, to ease the mainframe he had to preset the timer and this time he was caught in the middle of one.
The next volley of knifes were intercepted by Baku’s chaotic barrage, and Raisa was taking cover behind an already destroyed car, completely clueless about what do, is not like somebody told her a plan, and she never faced an enemy with such firepower before, it was over the level of Velvela.
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Yuriko and Rin kept advancing, beating the shit of anybody Aoki sent on their way. The Criminal Overlord of Osaka was getting a bit nervous and that feeling just got even larger upon discovering that DGT, the hacker had vanished…
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Naoto’s blade managed to parry the lance thrust of Masako, but when he slashed the chest of the Psycho Predator he was received with the sound of sparks, the clash of metal against metal.
–DON’T SCRATCH THE PAINT, RED!- Masako shouted at him with bloodshot eyes and demented smile as the side of the lance the Swordsman parried turned into smaller lances, this time more like spiked tendrils rushing towards Naoto.
-yOu dOn’T sEeM tO hAvE aNy mOnEy, sO I gUeSs i’M uSiNg yOuR bLoOd iNsTeAd!!!!!- Now in the heat of battle whatever leftover of Joshu’s personality got drowned by the urge to kill and dominate the enemy, that small bit of psyche left of Kago’s old assistant was swallowed by the blistering fire of evolution ever burning inside Masako
K-4 clutched Elise dress with his small and trembling hands as he hid he face on her side. He was really scared, everything Joshu and the Doctor spoke of K-1 wasn’t only true…it felt short of the real thing, and his “cousin” was frankly horrifying. Maybe the young boy was scared not of him, but of becoming like him. –I’m scared…- He said to the young witch with a wavering whisper.
Naoto was in a pinch. As difficult as the electric boy was as an opponent, this new foe was on a completely different level. Far more aggression, far more versatile abilities, and far better technique.
If Naoto fled, the monster would devour the city.
If Naoto managed to flee.
He dodged the wave of lances the best he could, but his left arm was stabbed in three places. Grunting through the pain, Naoto span his sword to try and break free, then stab forward at Masako.
—=-=—
He got lazy.
While Alvin was dodging the pipes that curved towards his face, the portal master was struck cleanly from behind, punching him in the back and cracking his right shoulder blade, an injury that only got worse as Alvin rolled aside to better see the situation.
Dan was quickly getting entangled in a mess of tubes and limbs, and Alvin couldn't close those portals while they were occupied, leaving him with only one choice.
Holding his diamond pickaxe tightly, Alvin charged in and swung the weapon for Mu's chest.
The Last Gunslinger’s eyes widen as saw his bullets and electrical attack fail when it made contact with Uta’s barrier of sound. However the true horror was just beginning. When the Full Metal Assassin revealed the speakers built in her body Crow saw the true nature of what the FMY were. The vibrating air around the FMY assassin was the only warning Crow received to the impending attack. The force of the sound hitting Crow felt like a truck of bricks, “Aaaaaaaarrrrrghhhh!”
The Gunslinger violently coughed up blood as the force struck him, tearing at his clothes and his jacket a bit. It was so powerful that he knocked Crow back with concussive force sending him flying back into the wall behind him. His body made an indentation in it with cracks going in all directions; again he coughed up more blood as he suffered several internal injuries. It seemed that Crow had been defeated so easily however if the FMY Assassin knew of the storm brewing within Crow then she would be more afraid then confident.
A young Crow was in a fight with several bullies who were picking on one of his friends, the bullies had gone too far this time and the young Gunslinger in training was going to make them pay. “YOU COWARDS WANNA PICK ON VERGIL! I’LL TEACH YOU TO MESS WITH ONE OF MY FRIENDS!” The bully sniveled as blood ran down his face staring in the enraged eyes of Crow, which had a bit of a red tint to them. Crow brought his fist back to inflict more punishment on the beaten bully until suddenly a voice called out to him. “CROW DON’T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!” The Gunslinger gritted his teeth as he heard the voice his gramps Buho. He knew better to disobey his trainer, master, and the one called the Fastest Gunslinger but the enraged Crow didn’t care he wanted to make this bullies suffer. “LEAVE ME….” Suddenly the shadow of his grandfather loomed over Crow and he know he was in trouble now especially when the elder Gunslinger grabbed him by his shirt and throw him with all his might. “Damn Whipper Snapper!”
Crow was sent flying and crashing into clearing far from the bullies, by the time the Gunslinger in trainer came around he was as battered and bruise as the bullies he had beaten. Buho was looming over him again. “What the hell Old Man? Those kid ganged up on Vergil and beat him up because he was standing up to one of them! I wasn’t going to let them get away with hurting my friend! I swear I will never let anyone hurt one of my….” “Enough Crow! I don’t care if those kids spat on Mother Teresa! A Gunslinger must always maintain a cool temperament especially a Cementerio!” Crow was stunned silence he couldn’t believe his grandfather was telling him to keep cool right now and why did being a Cementerio mean anything but before he could speak his gramps cut him off. “Listen Crow I’m not mad that you fought for your convictions especially when you are defending your friend. I know Vergil is your best friend and all, I’m proud of you for that. However fighting for your convictions and taking your fury and vengeance out on someone is not the conduct of a Gunslinger.” Buho kneeled down placing his hand on Crow’s shoulder. “Listen Crow do you understand how the Cementerio clan manipulates electrical natural energy?” Crow wasn’t sure what his grandfather was getting out but he answered anyway, “Yeah it comes from the contract with the Storm Eagle and manipulating natural energy in the environment around us.”
“Yes Crow but there is something you should know. Electrical natural energy comes from various elements of nature coming together just like a storm therefore it is extremely volatile. This makes the Cementerio clan short tempered, violent, and even more prone to bloodlust in combat. This is extremely dangerous even to those we want to protect, if we get too caught up in our own darker emotion just like Mother Nature we can unleash terrible disasters. For some users of Natural Energy this is still an issue when enraged they can unleash terrible forces of nature from tornadoes, floods, and even wild fires. However the Cementerio Clan have created a special term for this we call it the Red Storm.” The Elderly Gunslinger and his young grandson met eyes as Crow let his teacher’s words sink in, “The Red Storm is a violent ability that draws on darker emotions and leaves nothing but devastation in its wake. The name comes from a Cementerio who became a Gunslinger and willingly gave into these emotions. He became a violent storm of destruction and left nothing but blood and bullets behind earning the epithet the Red Storm. Please Crow you must maintain your cool nature in battle.”
Crow was eerily still against the wall however inside his heart and head he only saw flashes red as he remembered those bullies who attack his friend Vergil, his hatred for the Shishioh family, first Gen and now Rin being captured, his previous quest for vengeance when he lost all that he held close to his heart. There was a single thought that began to violently repeat and pulse in his mind…..DESTROY! A violent and powerful eruption of electrical natural energy exploded from Crow. Unlike the Rail-gun’s normal electrical NE this was a bright red, the energy pulse aggressively easily destroying the stray bullets from Baku that came near. Crow pulled himself from the wall as he lifted his head and cowboy hat he revealed that his eyes once a calming yet determined blue were not an intense and vicious red.
As Crow meet his gaze with Uta’s he only uttered, “I warned you about standing in my path…” With the force and sound of thunder Crow pushed off the ground fierce red electrical NE trailing behind him as he suddenly appeared next to Uta. “NOW GET THE F*CK OUT OF MY WAY!” The Last Gunslinger swung his revolver horizontally at the FMY assassin the signature Quicksilver was covered in red electrical NE. “GARRA!” There was nothing but killing intent in the blow Crow was no longer thinking rationally he just wanted to rip this bitch’s head off.
Seeing that Naoto was in trouble Elise did the only thing sensible.
She shot the auror light at their enemy.
Haruko notices the massive out of control attack, sending shrapnel flying everywhere and giving her a few cuts on her arms. Just how much firepower did thus man have? It appeared as if Raisa couldn't get close to him, so she needed to divert his attention even more. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Crow's demeanor turn to bloodless against his opponent, a sight Haruko hadn't seen before. Even though he seemed out of control, she had to deal with her own opponent before moving onto another one.
Turning towards Baku, Haruko takes out two knives attached to spools of nearly invisible wires inside her jacket. Dashing to the side to avoid the bullets, Haruko tosses the two knives at his torso...but at the last minute she would use ki control to redirect them around his legs. If the attack connects, she would pull the strings and throw off his balance once more, this time making him fall down hopefully.
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Nearby, Sid's shoulder is suddenly shot by a sniper bullet coming from the rooftops, the bullet dangerously close to his head. He screams out in pain, holding the bloody shoulder wound. The bullet appeared to come from the rooftops, and judging by the entrypoint, it was in front of him. Jumping up high, he lands on top of the roof and scans the area for whomever shot him. "Come out! I know you're here! Face me you sniper piece of shit!" He yells out.
Dan immediately tried to pull away when Mu's skin tore like paper and the strange tubes underneath reached out. It was like being entangled by hoses with water running through them, only far tougher. He couldn't break them, and they readjusted as he tried to wriggle free. Already, the follow up was prepared. He couldn't possibly break loose by force before Mu's leg dropped. His knee would be shattered. No way he could take that.
He glanced around for help, but everybody else had their own problems. Alvin, the closest, aimed for Mu's chest instead of his entangling leg. Thanks Alvin! Leaving Alvin to be entangled like him, Dan's eyes followed sounds across the battlefield. Gunshot and screaming. Sid was hit by a sniper. Explosions. Haruko and Crown were tied up in their own battles. Nobody to help him. The pain of having his knee injured came before the attack even landed. Not just the pain. The permanence. It wouldn't heal for months. Maybe never heal. The thought of never fighting like this again, forever limited to mere humans, gave him the boost he needed.
He threw his weight to the side will all the force he could muster. With only one leg to stand on, Mu should be thrown off balance, making his stomp go wild. As a backup plan, he charged and fired a single energy ball, hopefully carrying the force to blow these tubes away and free him in time to survive unscathed.
-tImE tO dIe dElIcIoUs sAmUrAi sNaCk!- Masako roared with joyous savagery as he felt the warm blood of Naoto over the metallic surface of the tendrils he used to attack.
Naoto fancy sword spin managed to break off the structurally instable tendrils, but the Alpha Predator smiled, baring his fangs as he received the stab into his body. Naoto’s blade sunk into Masako’s body, piercing through the mix of muscle and metal with ease. Maybe too much ease.
The attack of the Red Headed Swordsman entered through a hole in the middle of Masako’s guts. An advantage of being able to control ones form is that you can do stuff like this. The mineral/organic tissue closed over the blade, in an attempt to trap it inside his body, like a vice grip.
-yOu aRe gOiNg tO dIe!!!- The Alpha Predator shouted at Naoto with a sinister light behind his eyes as he raised his arm that slowly into an axe head.
But his killing stroke was interrupted by the Aurora Light. Elise projected an irregular beam of shining kaleidoscopic light that hit Masako right in the chest. At first he grinned not feeling the power behind what seemed glittery wind, but soon enough he noticed the force behind it.
The Alpha Predator was pushed back by the attack, leaving impressions of his feet as he closed his arms over his chest to block it. Naoto’s blade, if the Swordsman was still holding it, would come out like with some sparks, if not Masako would have dragged it back with him.
The attack stopped and the dust cleared. There were clear impact marks over Masako’s chest, cracks coursing the organic metal plates, but in a fleeting instant liquid metal flooded them and healed them, at least in appearance.
-yOu bItCh! i’M tHe oNe wHo dEaLs tHe pAiN, nOt tHe oNe wHo rEcEivEs it!!!- The Alpha Predator was pissed, something was not right, an attack as weak as Elise’s shouldn’t have affected him.
Something was off, he could feel it, as if the energy behind the attack had something else, something he couldn’t understand. He wanted to kill them in the spot, but his instincts told him that something was wrong, paralyzing him on the spot, as he glared at his prey.
In the other side of the battlefield K-4 smiled, his fear subduing. –That was amazing Nee-san!-
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Mu was in perfect balance, even with a single leg composed of tubes he managed to keep a perfect equilibrium as Dan desperately shook his leg trying to alter the course of the knee breaking stomp, which surely would force the warrior in the Pink Gi to become a guard or something akin to that. The sphere of energy Dan threw hit the tubes and with a curious whistling was absorbed by them, the light of his Ki coursing through them at blinding speeds. His stomp moved towards Dan’s leg unopposed.
As that happened at ground level, Alvin’s pickaxe swished through the air with a sinister sound directed towards Mu’s chest, yet the Portals Master was missing one important detail. The hand that attacked Alvin was still free and extended. The Ki energy from Dan’s blast climbed through it as it moved to entangle Alvin’s attacking arm to stop the pickaxe. As it did it would discharge the Ki turned electricity into the Portal Master, surely hindering his attack.
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Uta placed her hand around her ear to hear the grunts of Crow hitting the wall and showcased a smile from ear to ear as she did. –I like the sound of your bones cracking cowboy-chan, is a shame I need to take you out…- She made a pause and looked at the Lighting Gunslinger as he stood up. –I wish I could keep you as a toy, but I’ve got to kill y-
Her words were interrupted when she noticed the change in Crow, as if the Cowboy’s Killer Intent had extended like a field of static, a faint buzzing reached her well tuned ears. “Death….Death….Death…” The whispers of the static electricity that Crow poured made whichever part of his skin that still wasn’t synthetic to feel Goosebumps…
Involuntarily Uta took a step back, flooded of fear thanks to the sinister and wrathful aura of Crow, yet she clenched her teeth and decided to face whatever the Gunslinger threw at her. As she heard the Lighting Cowboy threat she tried to keep a façade.
-I’m not scared of your pitiful song little Crow! Bring it on! - She shouted as Crow ran towards her.
Lighting and Sound clashed as she intercepted the “Garra” with her hand covered in a dense aura of sound. Screeching and Booming sounds filled the battlefield as both attacks were equal in power.
-You’re going down Cowboy-chan- Uta screamed as she pushed forward trying to overpower the Red Lighting.
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Haruko’s quick thinking saved everybody in the battlefield. Baku’s programmed fire would have ended with a high density explosive shell, but thanks to the Seamstress strategy the FMY 6 fell on his back shooting the projectile upwards into the air, exploding far away from then upon impacting against a solitary bird hundred of meters above ground level. The explosion lighted up the sky and luckily blocked the insults Baku was throwing at Haruko, some quite dreadful.
As the FMY tried to stand up Raisa took the chance to attack. The Russian Prodigy ran forward, guided by the sound of Baku’s machinery and in did a quick succession of three Iai slashes -Uragan- was her faint whisper naming said attack, before she sheathed her blade coldly -Strike his chest, now that his armor is vulnerable! - Raisa shouted with authority to Haruko, after her attacks opened the chest piece revealing the circuitry inside Baku.
She would have done it herself, but her Uragan Technique only managed three attacks and she needed them all to cut through the thick plating.
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Andy got out from his hiding spot, putting his foot over the small wall in the edge of the rooftop while supporting his massive sniper rifle over his shoulder. He was in full tactic gear, armed to the teeth and with a smug grin on his face.
-Oh! Hello there mate, fancy meeting you here, in this beastly situation…how is your shoulder?- The son of the Bonham family kept his smile as he aimed his Sniper once again, without waiting for Sid’s reply.
-Nah, don’t bother telling me, I’m guessing you’re going to get more wounds sooner or later.- And with that said he shot again at Sid, with cold and professional efficiency.
The horned redhead. She could fight. More than that, she had saved his life.
Naoto held his blade firmly as the monster was forced back. "Elise-dono, sparky-kun." The samurai said, not taking his eyes of Masako. "This creature is a threat to all in this city. I fear that if we do not slay the beast now, then we ourselves shall be devoured. But I believe that with our powers combined, we can emerge victorious.
"Elise-dono, contain his movements with your ranged magic." Naoto ordered. "Keep him at bay but don't let him escape. Sparky-kun, charge into battle with me, I shall strike from the left and you from the right. Together we can overpower the monster but only if you fight with me!"
—=-=—
Alvin's attack missed, and he was met with electricity that shocked him back. He dropped his weapon, falling to the ground as he struggled to breathe with each jolt bringing back memories of his childhood under Ironside.
Guard's batons. Experiments. Therapy.
It had been over eighty years for Alvin since that time, but the memories never quite went away.
Abandoning his axe, Alvin rolled away from the fight, getting some distance between him and Mu so he could better think how to help Dan. If he got hurt now, Alvin could heal him. But until Mu was defeated then more people would be in danger.
Taking a deep breath, Alvin tried his best to calm down and think. Like Hag would. Don't be an idiot about this, look at everything around you and make a decision.
Tubes. They were like metal tentacles, right?
Don't fight like a man. Fight like an octopus.
Opening a portal above his hand, Alvin caught the diamond-tipped chain-axe that fell from his collection. A brutal device that had more in common with a mining tool than something designed for lumber, the Chain Axe came into use for Exalt's military while dealing with the Underfolk robotic monstrosities. This was a weapon for cleaving through layers of plated metal, assisted with the spinning chainsaw teeth. It wouldn't last in prolonged contact, but would deal lethal damage to Mu's tentacles with each hack and slash.
Closing the portal to his armoury, Alvin charged in to hack Dan free from Mu's grasp.
The Deranged Gunslinger smirked a little as he felt Uta pushing back against his attack, “I never said I wanted you to fear me…..” Crow looked up meeting the FMY Assassin’s eyes with his now red ones. “I WANT TO MAKE YOU SUFFER BITCH!” Crow gave the woman a twisted smile as red electrical Natural Energy arced from Crow’s body powering him enough to push back against Uta. “You talk about songs a lot. Well let’s hear the song of your SCREAMS!” The static electric field of energy around Crow grow stronger the buzzing would grow louder and louder…….HATE…..DEATH….MURDER….KILL…SUFFER…..DESTROY!
Unbeknownst to the Gunslinger, the FMY, and the Gen Rescue Team the static electric pulses of NE and the buzzing it generated would be felt by everyone and everything organic around Crow sooner than later. As this was the power, no the curse, of the Red Storm. Crow’s Natural Energy was so filled with violent and vicious emotions that it was affecting not only the environment but those around Crow making them more violent, more hateful, more vicious, and more wrathful. Their emotions then would feedback to Crow as Natural Energy making him more powerful, violent, and wrathful. It was very similar to the Eco de las Tormentas ability. Many referred to this as the Red Storm of War. The only way to fight back against the parasitic like ability was having a stronger/calmer will or for Crow to calm down.
The Last Gunslinger took a step towards Uta and swung his arm again. However this time Garra was more powerful causing it to release a powerful wave of red electrical NE possibly overpowering Uta. The sleeve of Crow’s jacket was now torn up and his arm was covered in burns and bruises from when his and Uta’s attack collided. “The only sounds that matter in this world are gun shots, bullets hitting the ground, and blood being SPILLED!” Crow slowly slide Quicksilver into the holster and drew the weapon he had picked up from the Iron Eagle back in Kobe. The electrical natural energy was flowing from his back (the buzzing growing into a violent thundering sound) forming a pair of what appear to be wings. “Because those are the sounds of WAR! That’s all this is WAR! A WAR against YOU! A WAR against the SHISHIOHS! A WAR against OSAKA! A WAR against this WORLD!” Crow held War Iron in one hand and fire the large double barrel revolver at Uta and with the crackling of lighting and the eruption of thunder he rushed towards Uta. “Violento: Punta!”
The Last Gunslinger smirked he was possibly a only a few feet from him and Uta as a spear of lightning formed from his hand aimed at the Amped Assassin’s chest the power of the Red Storm creating a violent buzzing feedback into her amps possibly reducing her ability to nullify the attack. Soon the violent energy Crow was emitting and the strong electrical signature he was putting out would be picked up by a certain clone experiment in a graveyard.
Elise just watched. Despite the praise and encouragement she got from both Naoto and K4 she wasn't even moving. She was scared. Scared of many things, Masako and the strange way he spoke. The idea that she had to fight him and kill him or even be killed by him. Despite how innocent she was the concepts of killing and death are not unknown to her.
A moment later however she acted automatically. It could be basic witch survival instincts. Two aurora beams, like the first one, simple lines with no defined edges curving to the sides to hit Masako. A third one was fired right away well above him to go behind him and into the ground. There it would spawn crystals that would quickly grow and impale him from behind.
Haruko watched the flurry of attacks that exploded harmlessly in the air, happy that they weren't fired down here at street level, as that would have lead to many more injuries for the team. However, despite this, Haruko was starting to get annoyed at all the harsh insults being thrown at her by Baku. How long is this guy going to keep insulting me, but not pay attention to his own body? If he keeps this up, the rest of this battle should be cake. Cake...I should get some of that while I'm here.
Nodding at Raisa's request after she created a hole in Baku's armor, Haruko brings out three rocket explosive knives. Unlike her normal explosive knives, these ones had a small charge at the end that, when lit, would rocket the knife at a higher speed toward the target and explode more violently than the base explosive knives. Perfect for dealing the winning blow.
Jumping up above Baku, Haruko tosses three rocket explosive knives at the mechanized opponent. The first two were set on a slight delay, so the middle knife would theoretically hit first, and the other two would strike with even more force should he try to block. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Crow beginning to lost it and radiate red lightening. After her opponent is dealt with...she needs to go over there and knock some sense back into him.
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Sid couldn't believe it...the rat bastard who shot at him was Andy...one of his classmates in Inazuma?! Worse still, one of the people whom he had actually considered a friend?! Stewing with rage, Sid takes notice of Andy's aim and side rolls to the right out of the way, causing pain to shoot through his shoulder once more. Standing back up, Sid brings up his right hand...and flips off Andy. "WHAT...THE...FUCK?! So you're the prick who shot at me?! You're an Inazuma dude! That's it, I'm kicking your ass right now just to show you show much you FUCKED UP!" Sid roars.
Bringing his right foot back, Sid rockets to the other side of the building, beginning to strafe around Andy to try and throw off his aim. Then, with a moment's opening, Sid leaps at Andy and tries to knock the sniper rifle out of his hands and off the building.
Shit. It didn't work. His face drained as the foot landed. He screamed, no, roared. Fuckpainhurtkneefuckstillstuck. Emotion retreated and he managed to look at the situation with new eyes. Fists opened with claws now attached. His hair grew out and his ponytail started lashing. Cocky grin returned with a cruel edge added by newfound fangs. He assisted Alvin in tearing away the tentacles that held his foot with his claws, once more attempting to pull free. Whether or not he did, something was getting hurt. His knee still howled, but in the avatar state, he had far greater pain resistance.
The tubes were tough. Possibly too much for his claws. In this state, he still thought. He might even be better at it with his emotions dampened. It took only an instant for him to formulate a plan. He unleashed a flurry of punches on Mu's chest and head. Every time he made the slightest contact, he immediately withdrew, hopefully too fast for the tubes to entangle. It would be slow going with this method. A lack of follow through lessened the impact. But for now, he stayed the course. If this didn't work, he'd just get clever again.
Masako, even in his madness, knew pain, as it was a basic instinct and his current condition was all about it. Knowing what that something can cause pain, thus avoiding it, is something any animal knows how to do. Humans are the only animals that can block that nagging voice telling them to run away and they stand and take more punishment, maybe because of their morals or values, for a greater cause or ideal. Maybe that’s why Naoto stood valiantly against Masako, or why Elise even scared as he was also did.
Masako, had separated himself from the shackles of humanity, yet his link to the primal nature was stronger than the rest of humanity. The desire to flee after receiving Elise’s attack was almost overpowering. Fear, or at least self-preservation, flooded the Crazy Predator’s head as if a dam had broken. But soon enough that fear for the unknown power behind the Witch’s light turned into anger, which burned inside him once again starting a bonfire of hatred. But those emotions faded away and got replaced by other thing…
HUNGER
His heart-beat was deafening, his pupils dilated, his eyes bloodshot and his breath turned into a heavy pant. Lines under his skin started to appear, as if his nerves and blood vessels tried to pop out through his metallic skin. As Naoto instructed the others, Masako’s metallic bits slowly expanded almost like a liquid covering his head and his body. His legs got stronger and more adapted to trampling. His skin became bladed, and his head was covered by a bladed helmet. He seemed ready to ram them to a pulp.
-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!- The transfigured predator roared with primal rage as he charged towards them. K-4, who listened Naoto’s request, armed himself with courage and launched an attack from the right, using his incredible speed to position right besides the rampaging Masako and unleashed a flurry of rapid punches, that may not carry a lot of strength, but they did carry power… of the electric variety. Small cracks appeared in the armor Masako formed, but he didn’t stop his rush.
Elise’s Aurora Light had more luck as the twin beams managed to stop the Mad Predator charge, thanks to whatever mysterious factor affected him in the first place, long enough for the last beam to hit him. Crystals started trying to breach through his skin, without much success, but he was immobilized, trapped in a Crystal Cage… The question worth asking here was…How long the cage will hold?
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Dan sudden flurry of attacks was mostly ineffective on a physical level, but it served a purpose. Mu didn’t seem to be able to react to the sudden influx of information. The Pink Gi Fighter transformation, Alvin’s new weapon and the sudden shower of punches served in combination to slow down Mu’s Reaction.
The Martial Artist FMY was the least human of his comrades, as most of his body, and almost all of his brain was replaced with cybernetics he depended much more on the mainframe included inside of him with the enhancements than his own brain. That’s how he was so blindingly fast to react, yet it also had a weakness.
Mu’s mainframe wasn’t able to cope with all the sensorial input and his body lagged, allowing Alvin to reach the tubes entangling Dan with his Chain Saw, cutting them in half.
1010101010110101101111000010101010101001ERROR1010101010010101001101010
He shouted with a horrible mechanical voice as he started convulsing and his eyes turned completely blue. Blue liquid starting pumping out his slashed leg as slowly parts of his body started deflating falling apart as the strange fluid formed a puddle under him. His inexpressive face didn’t show his pain, but the faint glow on his eyes slowly vanishing indicated his doom after getting sliced.
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CHACK-CHACK-CHACK!
The three knives loudly pierced Baku’s robotic innards and subsequently exploded. The power of said detonation moved through the inner systems of the FMY of Firepower, destroying him with brutal efficiency, as the shockwave activated the miniaturized ammunition inside him enhancing the explosion even more. As his body started to fall apart he laughed and looked at Haruko.
-This is how a man dies you little whore with knives! - He shouted as he rushed forward, trying to get near enough Haruko to damage her with the explosion.
Surprisingly his hull, extremely reinforced, was keeping the explosion inside of him, bending outwards, yet he didn’t fall. He kept moving forward, dangerously close to the seamstress, completely lost on his desire to take her with him. All could have been lost, if not for Raisa’s quick thinking.
The Russian Prodigy charged towards Baku and pierced her blade into his skull. With a surprising amount of physical strength she lifted him as she swung her sword. She was back to back with Baku as this happened and suffered some injuries after some of the FMY hull got launched towards her like shrapnel
-You’re going to hell abomination, nobody hurts my comrades of arms- She faintly whispered, maybe referring to them all or to Toramaru, her classmate.
Baku was launched into a building in which he exploded, leveling the abandoned storage structure over him. Raisa fell on a knee, her back bleeding profusely.
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Andy shrugged his shoulders at Sid’s anger and smirked as the Martial Artist launched his attack. The kick easily disarmed him, but the Heir of the Bonham clan had already considered that and didn’t even bother to fight for it, he already had his hands on a pair of SMG’s on his sides.
He rolled backwards as his sniper rifle crashed into the pavement many meter below and stood up with a nimble tumble, aiming both weapons at Sid. His face kept a sardonic smile, but his eyes were dead.
-Oh, fancy meeting you here mate, I didn’t notice you where here…bah, I didn’t care…- He took a couple of steps backwards with the same smirk plastered on his face, mocking Sid’s vehement anger.
-Yeah, I’m your classmate, so what is your problem you yellow cunt? - He sighed as he kept his guns locked on Sid. –We are trained to be the best soldiers and mercenaries, I told you arse I was from a family of dogs of fortune, weren’t you bloody listening?-
That smile, he kept it, locked on its place, a mockery of happiness and trust, the same could be said of the pressure he was projecting at Sid, don’t showing any soft spots on his aim, not even a faint wavering of the wrist.
- Being pissed at me makes a blatant point, you are a daft newbie. - His smile was getting more irritating by the second. –In this line of work there are no bloody friends, unless you count Lead…you can always count Lead…in fact, why don’t you do it, as I fill your arse with it….- With that said he started shooting his weapons as he ran towards the center of the rooftop, trying to get some distance from Sid.
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-What the f?- Uta’s sing-song tone wasn’t there anymore. As any mercenary she knew about the Gunslingers, but she never met them. From what her boss gathered in Intel they were like an Order of Knights with guns instead of armor and weapons, so she never expected to meet one of them so brutal
Her sound waves collided against the red lighting. Unlike before, when she faced the azure current of electricity, easily diffused by the vibration generated by her powers, this time around she wasn’t able to deflect it so leisurely.
-No…No… - She pressed forward trying to gain some terrain, but steadily Crow’s raging Lighting was pushing her back, cracking the pavement with her feet as the pressure built up. She wasn’t accustomed to this, since she was converted Uta never had been hurt, in the FMY her defense was almost the highest.
But this wasn’t the worst; she could feel Crow’s new song, a summoning call for death. The bloodlust of the gunslinger was overwhelming and when he pulled a second gun she didn’t even have enough time to react. “Punta” Destroyed her, punching a hole through her chest and launching her head into the entrance of the underground passage, leaving her lifeless husk falling on the ground with empty eyes. Yet her head muttered something as it fell.
-What… a b-beautiful song… La Balada… de la… Muerte-
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-Hah…..hah…..ha….ha….a…a- Aoki Minato, Osaka’s God of Gambling, panted heavily as he ran away from his control center. In almost 4 years this was the first time he was running, as that was the last time he had to control anything in the field. He was extremely out of shape, he kept his mind in perfect balance, but his body wasn’t.
He never had to run, because he never had the need to, everything was given to him by assistants and the dirty work done by mercenaries, he only sat, enjoyed and made big decisions. To think that taking decisions so coldly was the cause of his current predicament wasn’t something he was thinking about.
He was scared for the first time in years, incapable of thinking in nothing except his own safety. Yuriko and Rin were behind him and they defeated everything he threw at them, only two FMY were free, but neither was in the city at the moment. He needed to escape, he would get to the other FMY that surely killed those pests and use them to escape.
As his thoughts were solely focused in escaping he didn’t notice something in his path and tripped.
-What the fuck was th…- He stopped talking as he noticed what made him trip… It was the head of Uta
His scream of terror echoed in the hallways as he crawled against a wall, shivering in fear.
Naoto and K-4's attacks caused damage, but the true hero of the battle was Elise, her attacks binding the foul creature in a cage of crystal. "Magnificent… Elise-dono…" Naoto said, stepping back from the battle and panting for breath. "And wonderful work to you too boy." He told K-4, before sitting on a stone and resting on his sword.
Looking back up at Masako, Naoto analysed the transformations he'd undergone in the battle. This was a dangerous monster, a fact Naoto was learning more and more with each second. The ideal outcome would be to remove the beast's head, if that would even kill it. Sadly, not even decapitation was a guarantee of death in this day and age.
"Elise-dono, how long will that cage hold the creature?" Naoto asked, hoping for an eternal solution to the problem.
—=-=—
Having secured Dan's freedom, Alvin panted for breath, wiping his face on his shirt before getting to work on healing Dan's wounds. Alvin's trousers slipped slightly- but Alvin caught them quickly and tightened his belt.
There was fighting all around him, but Alvin sat down after making sure Dan was okay. "You go." He told the pheromone master. "Just gimme a sec."
That Gainen medal was tiring him out, and making those intergalactic portals heavier to hold up. He should have taken a break after fighting Taka- those barriers and the ones at the restaurant, he just didn't have the stamina for this kind of extended fighting.
Hopefully, no one would notice this moment of weakness and he'd be able to get back to finding Gen once he got his breath back.
The Gunslinger’s eyes were glowing red with the influx of negative Natural Energy, a pair of wings had formed on his back made from the same red lighting that was arcing off his body. He stood over Uta’s headless husk of a corpse like a predator admiring its kill. La Balad de la Muerte (as Uta had called it) was the anthem of Crow’s hear, the static electric buzzing was so loud and deafening it drowned out all thoughts and noises around him. The only thing Crow craved now was WAR. He could care less about the others, Rin, Gen, or even himself for that matter he just wanted to cause as much destruction as he could.
The Rail-gun walked pass both Alvin and Raisa without even a second look as he spoke his voice was cold and distant. This was not the normal Crow who would smile and protect his friends with all his might after he tells them that everything will be okay. This was someone who was beginning to slowly give into the corruption and bloodshed that anger created within one’s heart. “Either stand and fight or get the hell out of my way! This is war and the battlefield shows no mercy to those who are weak! If you get in my way or hold me back…I’ll KILL YOU!” Crow turned towards Haruko a terrifying and threatening look in his eyes as he spoke. “Haruko are you coming or are you just going to stand there!” Crow then snapped around towards Dan, “What about you Danny Boy have you found your balls or are you still acting like a pussy! Puking at the first sight of blood!”
Crow took a look around seeing all the blood, destruction, and chaos created by their fight against the FMY agent he looked down at Uta’s body and suddenly kicked it along the ground. “What the hell is wrong with your all? They weren’t any threat they were just f*cking cyborgs! They gave up their humanity so they could be better killing machines! Maybe you should all wait here while I finish this! I will personally find these bastards and BURN THEM ALL!”
Elise was frightened by Masako's transformation. For a moment she really believed that he was some sort of strange animal rather than a human or whatever K4 was. However that wondering soon vanished as the beast came charging at them with a scream. Naoto and K4 had already attacked, dealing damage and weakening the beast, but Masako didn't appear to be slowing down as a result, he was still going strong, charging at her. At last it was her own attack that stopped him from wiping her from the face of the earth. Though she didn't manage to damage him at the very least he was stopped for now.
Elise sighed in relief. But even if she was glad about the outcome, her heart was still pounding loud and she was still scared like never before. So this is how the outside world was like... exciting!
Elise shook her head at Naoto's question. "I really don't know. Sorry."
Haruko readied herself during Baku's charge, prepared to use one of her wires to tie up his legs and perhaps send him flying with rocket knives...but thankfully her ally Raisa thought ahead and launched the FMY opponent at a nearby building, which exploded violently. Wow...he had a ton of explosives inside of that body. Time to do some damage control.
Noticing that Raisa was bleeding profusely out of her back, Haruko reaches into her Kaspa and brings out a small rectangular piece of fabric. This was a special bandage that Haruko had modified to include a small supply of disinfectant and the able to be ripped into any size piece necessary. After tearing off a chunk large enough for the wound, the seamstress dashes over to Raisa and attaches the bandage, making sure it was on tight enough to stem the bleeding. It was by no means a permanent fix, but it would at least stop her from bleeding out. Walking around the Russian Prodigy, Haruko extends her hand to help Raisa stand back up. "Haruko Miyata, thanks for the assistance back there."
While she was trying to help Raisa recover, she hears a certain voice call out to her from nearby. “Haruko are you coming or are you just going to stand there!” That doesn't sound like Crow. I'll make sure she's alright first...then Crow's going to get an attitude adjustment from me. Though by the look in Dan's eyes...I might get beaten to the punch here.
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Andy's words merely passed through Sid's ears, as right now all he could think about was beating the crap out of this soldier for hire. "Me, a newbie?! Well I hope you like your friend Lead over there, because I'm going to shove it right up your ass, you posh prick!" Reacting to Andy's gunfire, Sid rockets to the side of the building, his sides getting peppered by near-miss bullets. Fucking shit I hate gun users! Fight me like a real man! Once Sid got near Andy though...he decides to try a different tactic.
Bringing up his right leg, Sid slams it down onto the roof of the building, causing a small section of it to collapse and hopefully throw off his opponent's balance. However, Sid utilizes the pieces of debis floating upward to his advantage and kicks 4 large chunks of roof directly at Andy. After kicking the last one, Sid follows behind the debris, using it as cover to try and get close to Andy and deliver a sharp roundhouse kick to the sniper's neck, hopefully slamming him into the ground.
Dan flexed his knee to check it out. Seemed good. "Thank you. Knee seems good. I'd better test it out just to be sure." He reached Alivn's shoulder to pull him down while he thrust his knee up for his crotch. Letting go and stepping around him, he tossed a cold look back. "Next time, you will release me first." He strode forward, flexing newfound claws. Emotion, that great flaw, was muffled, his goal made clear. Swiftly scanning the battlefield, he picked up on gunfire coming from the rooftops. He only glanced up, because his real prize was down here. In full view of Haruko, Crow was going mad.
"What about you Danny Boy have you found your balls or are you still acting like a pussy! Puking at the first sight of blood!" He must be insane. He was insulting Dan. And he was going to be stopped before he hurt anybody. A display of strength like that would get Haruko's attention. There was a sort of cold pleasure in putting together a plan. Pink energy once more poured forth from his palms, forming small energy balls that began to build. "Why yes Crow, I have found my balls. Here, take a look." He put his hands above his head, combining the energy in his hands into an orb the size of a large beach ball and jumped at Crow, seeking to dunk it on him like a basketball. A basketball that would explode.
Seemingly the combined strikes of Naoto, K-4 and Elise managed to stop Masako on his tracks, capturing him inside a crystal spike. Seen from outside he seemed like a bug caught in amber, a blurry statue seen through azure glass, yet his eyes, still encased in the organic metal maintained their sinister crimson glow. The young Clone was a bit relieved by the situation, looking at K-1 was like seeing his reflection in a dark mirror and that scared him.
-That was amazing Neesan! - K-4 gesticulated with child-like joy. –You threw those lights that when “SWIIIISH”… and Ojiisan here with his sword was so cool with the “SWHIIINGG! - He was completely ecstatic after the fight, seeing his current companions in action, but on the other hand he could feel that the fight wasn’t over and as he wanted to protect them he decided to keep that information.
He grabbed their hands with a very serious, for his boyish looks, expression. –Come on! We should be going to Kago-jiisan laboratory; I don’t want to be close to this man. - He gave Masako a terrified look. - He scares me a lot…- Inside the Crystal prison small cracks, almost imperceptible started to appear as the metallic cuirass around Masako started to shift and move trying to find structural weak points on the prison.
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Raisa nodded in gratitude at Haruko as she leaned on her side against a wall while sitting on the floor. She looked around seeing that most of the battles had ended at ground level, but in any moments a new one could start, between comrades. That could prove to be a problem.
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Shooting at the incoming debris would be the logical thing to do in the occasion, but Andy had a different plan. He rolled backwards, letting the chunks of concrete fly over him, not even scrapping his heavily armored body, but this movement ended up creating the blind spot through which Sid advanced. As the Heir to the Bonham’s finished the roll and stood up the kick was already in motion, ready to cleave his head off.
-You green-bottomed cunt! - He cursed as he placed both SMG on the trajectory to his neck. Sid’s kick was powerful to break both weapons and more. The force behind the attack managed to reach the Kevlar collar of his armor and launched Andy into the air. The armored collar stopped the kick from breaking his neck, but it would leave a nasty bruise.
The Sniper did a small acrobatic recovery in the air, using one hand to grab an iron girder of the water tank and broke the impulse of the attack. From his elevated position he taunted Sid. –That was just a fluke yellow monkey, so don’t get cocky with your fancy kung fu tricks…- The Sniper took a grenade from the belt crossing his chest. –Fancy a grenade mate?-
And with that as the only warning Andy threw the explosive at Sid while he jumped away from it, leaving behind a smoke grenade as well to cover his escape. The fight would end in a tie, but only if it ended now, because Andy as any Sniper with some self respect had an eye on the rest of the battle and noticed he wouldn’t last long against the combined forces down there.
It was a more logical strategy to retreat and take on Sid in another occasion.
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Aoki crawled out of the entrance, just as Dan and Crow were about to start fighting. With terror on his eyes he glanced at the destroyed FMY. He wanted to scream in frustration, as those Cyborgs were the most expensive things he bought on his life and surely would have tripled the investment with time, but now he was broken thanks to this group of freaks… He needed to escape, if he could retreat he could reform his empire, he did it once and he would do it again.
With that in mind he started crawling away from the group, hoping they were too distracted to notice him fleeing. –I will have my revenge, this freaks will now my name and fear me-
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-Rin-chan, are you okay? - Yuriko asked as she helped Rin walk. Both of them were quite banged up after fighting half of Aoki’s minions. Not even two Hidden Worlders could handle so many people while being so injured.
-Yes Kaz…Yuriko-san, I’m perfectly fine…- She said that, but the youngest Shishioh was quite damaged, or at least she was as damaged as her friend, but Yuriko was tougher than Rin. As she spoke blood slid down her temple and started dripping over her shirt.
-Don’t you think this is kind of stupid? - The Fist Heiress spoke with a thoughtful voice, as if she was talking to herself more than to her friend.
-What? This fight ? Gen’s abduction? Aoki’s immense underground complex? - Rin wasn’t in the mood for philosophical debates, but she really needed to do something to stay awake, as the blood loss and accumulated damage was about to knock her out cold.
-Everything, it’s an odd feeling like I was being watched. Or maybe the blood loss is speaking…- She replied with a strange tone, as if she was trying to hint something, but Rin was too tired to get that.
-You’re really weird Yuriko-san…Thanks for helping me out. - Rin spoke from the heart, something she never had done before, always trapped inside the image her parents wanted her to project, never showing how she was. Maybe that’s why she respected Yuriko and Gen, they weren’t afraid of shattering what others wanted to think about them, Rin could even consider being jealous of the freedom they had.
Yuriko sobbed in silence after hearing Rin, while both already at the edge of their strength noticed the exit and walked towards it. But as they did a chill coursed through their spines, as if somebody was watching them… For a moment they wanted to turn around but the strange feeling vanished and the couple of warriors restarted their pitiful advance, now in high alert.
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-My most esteemed wife, are you ready to depart? We must arrive to Osaka before the breaking dawn if we desire to see our son operation. - A short and stout man talked in perfect English. He was dressed in an elegant suit and from the looks of the jewelry on his fingers and elegant watch he was pretty rich. He had graying hair combed backwards and a very elegant beard. His eyes were hidden behind red tinted glass with golden frames.
-My honorable husband, I’m ready to leave, please ask the pilot to start the jet so we can depart as soon as we arrive to our airfield. - A woman on her late forties appeared atop the stairs. Her black hair was neatly tied on a knot that gave her the appearance of a very strict teacher. She was wearing an elegant evening dress and carried even more jewelry than her husband. She had matching glasses, red tinted glass with golden frames. Over her dress she used a fur coat.
-Then let’s go my dear wife, we must see to our only and most precious heir security, welfare and health, he must recover soon, so he can take the enterprise and elevate it to new heights.- The couple walked towards the exit as rows of servants bowed to them and two more opened the door for them.
As they walked down the stairs of their lavish manor near Kyoto a man moved towards the couple. He was around 50 years old, had black hair combed backwards and tied on a short ponytail. He used transparent glasses with a delicate silver frame. He was using a full suit with English cut, from his posture and attitude it was more than obvious he was the Butler.
–Mr. Shishioh, the plane is ready and the crew in Osaka is also prepared for your arrival. I’ll travel in the service area of the plane and keep contact with the “specialist” in Osaka to gather information of the situation. - He walked away for a moment but turned around as if he remembered something.
-We also found your daughter, seemingly she entered Osaka before the JHWAB realized their blockade around the city, and seemingly she was alongside Yuriko Kazegawa, of the Kazegawa family. They travelled to Osaka from Sakurajima, the same Island your son was - But the butler was interrupted mid sentence by Mrs. Shishioh.
-We only have one son! And he never went to that island, always remember that Mr. Oboide, or you will end up like your predecessor Mr. Takamaru. - She screamed with fury, her veins popping out, extremely noticeable considering how well her skin was for her age. It was a terrible contrast.
-My deepest apologies Madam, it won’t happen again, just a fleeting slip of the tongue. - After that brief apology he returned to his briefing. –We received a request to airlift one of Minato-dono associates to help him control the situation, as your orders were to do everything in our hand to facilitate Minato’s work I already green lit the transport.-
-Did our men see his “associate”? - asked Mr. Shishioh with curiosity.
-Yes, it was quiet young man, very well dressed. But he wasn’t strange, his pet was. They told me he was travelling alongside a “robotic” dog. - The Butler, Kyotei Oboide, replied without even changing the servile tone of his voice.
-How charming, I may buy one of those, it would help me on my hunting expeditions.- Mr. Shishioh smiled. –That would be all for now Mr. Oboide, thank you for your services, I may ask for you during the flight to get the update you mentioned.-
-Your wish is my command Mr. Shishioh. - The Butler bowed and left to sit on one of the bodyguards cars while the Shishioh’s took the limousine
The Shishioh Family would be reunited for first time in 4 years, all of them in the same city at the same time.
