ex3lev3n Posted October 16, 2010 Posted October 16, 2010 GM Post October 10, The Fens The air was crisp in the late hours of Freedom City, scattered clouds drifting lazily in the night sky. There was just a sliver of moon shining tonight, but the artificial glow of neon lights illuminated the trash-laden streets of the Fens. Drunkards, prostitutes, and other assorted ne'er-do-wells roamed about the littered sidewalks, too immersed in their own base indulgences to think twice about the happenings around them. Beneath the facade of an unremarkable book store that catered to a... particular type of clientele, there took place a gathering. A number of local triad and tong organizations came together to discuss a merger, of sorts. Each group had a solid hold over key elements of the Asian underworld, and they each sought to bring their influence to Freedom City in an attempt to seize power from the faltering Italian and Russian mafias. However, the exact nature of the way to handle this orchestrated takeover was a matter of dispute between the triads and tongs. Each organization had it's specialty, and each organization was eager to increase it's own revenue by way of proposing a plan that would lead to such ends. Obviously, the other groups weren't pleased with these propositions, and soon the meeting became a personal bid for power. In time, the groups would come to an agreement, and the Chinese underworld would attain a stranglehold on the criminal happenings of Freedom City. However, two heroes would interfere, and they would see that justice was served.
Grotesque Posted October 16, 2010 Posted October 16, 2010 Suzaku leapt from rooftop to rooftop until he reached the... "Mature" book store. He had heard about this meeting taking place and knew that this would be a great coup for the crime-fighters such as himself. Alright Suzaku ol' boy, you can do this... Looking into the alley behind the store, he sees two men one rather large the other... not so much. After watching them pace he notices they both have guns. Not little more harmless ones, noooo more like nasty looking SMG ones. Alright, alright, alright... What have I got to work with... Pausing for a second, he exhales racking his brain for some kinda plan... Yeah... that might work... Walking over to the side of the roof, Suzaku stepped off the roof falling to the ground. Landing in a crouch he crept over to the mouth of the alleyway calling out in Cantonese, "Hey, you two get up to the front! Something might be happening, and the bosses want all hands to the front!" Jumping up and pulling himself back onto the roof he watched the two guards go by under him. Heh heh, phase one complete... Going over to the back he dropped down, and started working on the lock... Please, please, please, let me have time to do this before they sort out any problems and come back... Hearing the click of the lock, Suzaku slowly opened the door and slipped inside locking it behind him, leaving the alleyway just as he found it... filthy, dark, and kinda creepy.
ex3lev3n Posted October 17, 2010 Author Posted October 17, 2010 GM POST Suzaku found himself in what appeared to be the manager's office of the establishment. A small desk with a shutdown computer on a desk with a clutter of papers laying on it, a closed safe sat next to the desk on the floor, and a filing cabinet was set on the opposite wall from the safe. Next to the filing was a fuse box, which could be put to good use. While he examined the room, Suzaku could hear muffled voices coming from down the hall. He could make out the Cantonese, but the Mandarin and Taiwanese was lost on him, though he could piece together the conversation.
Grotesque Posted October 17, 2010 Posted October 17, 2010 No alarms raised, no yelling, no fuss, and no muss. Suzaku almost smirked as he found and flipped on the light switch, and took a look around. His keen ears and eyes gave him all the information he needed. Fuse box in the wall to the side, voices comeing from outside, bit down the hall. Alright sounds like they're right out there... Let's see slip in a recorder, listen in, wait for them to start wrapping up, call the police, kill the lights, and put a-whoopin' on these guys... Yep sounds like a plan! Creeping over to the door he creaked it open, sliding out into the hallway he snuck along to the door where the meeting was taking place. Reaching into his suit he pulled out an audio recorder, and began recording whatever he could get from the hall. He also takes out a pencil and pad, and starts jotting down anything that sounds important. Names, numbers, businesses, Suzaku wrote them down, certain that the police might find them useful...
ex3lev3n Posted October 19, 2010 Author Posted October 19, 2010 GM POST The sentries hustled down the alleyway to the front of the book store, puzzled looks playing across both their faces as they looked around for the source of the voice. They readied their weapons and scanned the area, but saw nothing save the usual dregs shuffling about the streets. It said much about the Fens when two armed men could brandish SMG's and no one thinks it out of place. The Asian gangsters shrugged at one another. <"We should go inside, see what that was all about,"> said the smaller of the two men in Cantonese. The large, brutish one grunted an affirmation, and the pair lowered their weapons and walked back towards the mouth of the alley. As they entered the shadowy corridor, a figure leapt from the darkness, delivering a powerful upwards elbow strike to the smaller man's chin, dropping him instantly. Before the brute could even raise his weapon, it was batted aside by the unseen attacker and followed by a knife hand chop to the large man's throat, causing him to stagger. Suzaku continued his surveillance, jotting down notes as fast as he could as names and locations were spoken. He was at work for at least a minute when something dawned on him. The guards he tricked hadn't come back yet. Surely they would have returned to their post when they found no one out front, just to resume their duties if not inform the men inside of what had happened. However, this train of thought was interrupted when a loud, angry voice commanded silence in the meeting. It was a male voice, one he hadn't heard yet, and it spoke in a very menacing tone. <"We cannot afford to bicker among ourselves like children if we are to see our dream of controlling Freedom City's underworld come to fruition!"> the man said sternly, Suzaku understanding every word. <"Even now, our enemies move against us! The Italians and Russians have caught wind of our plans, to say nothing of the heroes that claim the city under their protection! If you fools cannot agree to work together, then you are useless to me!"> An uncomfortable silence fell across the room.
Grotesque Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 Oooooookay.... Sounds like it's about time to kick this into high gear then... Turning around and stealthfully making his way back to the office he pulls out his night-vision goggles in one hand, and his tools in the other. Going to the fuse box he noticed earlier he goes to work... ... few seconds later... The building is plunged into darkness. Slipping on his goggles as he moves Suzaku heads back to the meeting room. Alright man this is it... your first solo gang bust... Taking a deep breath Suzaku activates his Chi Aura and kicks the door in...
ex3lev3n Posted October 19, 2010 Author Posted October 19, 2010 GM POST Razorwing went in close for the finish, driving a knee into his foes midsection. Big mistake. Not only did the attack seem to fail to damage his opponent, it left him open for a counter attack. With a speed belying his size, the Asian brute wrapped his massive arms around the young vigilante, forcing the air from his lungs. Try as he might, Razorwing couldn't escape from the vise-like grip. Not that he had long to wait. The mountain of a man swung Razorwing first against the alley's brick wall, and then into the building's facade. Raising his vicitm high overhead, the brute slammed the hero into the concrete pavement. The edges of Razorwing's vision began to darken. Hua Ling cast an unsympathetic gaze across the assembled audience, forcing their submission through sheer will. The wizened old man was small of stature, but of great inner strength, and those present knew of his terrible power. The triad and tong leaders had gathered around a circular wooden table, large enough to sit four with ample space between them. Only one woman was present at the table, and she looked to be in her late twenties, much younger than the men at the table. A guard stood behind all of the crime lords save Hua Ling, who was about to continue talking when the lights mysteriously cut out. A murmur of suprise was quickly cut short as the door violently flew from it's hinges, peppering those within the room with splintered wood.
Grotesque Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 Suzaku charged into the dark room looking through his goggles at the people gathered... Two... four... six... seven. Eh I can handle them... Running at the two closest figures Suzaku jumped into the air screaming... "SUZAKUUUUU'S SWEEPING TALOOOOONS!!!" One foot catching one firmly in the face, the other dead in the chest, the two criminals crumpled to the ground. Suzaku fell to the floor with them yelling up in Cantonese... "Surrender now villians. Or taste the flames of the Vermillion Bird!"
ex3lev3n Posted October 19, 2010 Author Posted October 19, 2010 GM POST Razorwing was barely aware that he was on the receiving end of a savage beating. The behemoth stood over his body, hammering into the young man's head and chest with powerful fists. At this point, Razorwing's mind and body were on autopilot as his subconscious took control of his actions. As the massive Asian sent a devastating right fist towards the prone vigilante's head, Razorwing's ninja reflexes kicked into high-gear, leaning to the side to avoid the blow. The brute recoiled in pain, grasping his broken hand and giving Razorwing just the opportunity he needed. He pulled his knees to his chest and drove his feet up, connecting with the heavy set thug's groin, the force of the blow lifting the man off the ground. Razorwing used the momentum of his attack to kip-up, tucking and twisting as he rose. He lashed out with a lightning fast kick his opponent's midsection while they were both in the air, and the brute crashed into the facade of the book store and slumped to the pavement. His foe defeated, Razorwing leaned his elbow against the alley wall for a few moments to rest. Unbeknownst to him, the battle inside had already begun. Suzaku had already felled two opponents, and lay prone after his attack. Hua Ling, an accomplished student of esoteric martial arts, could see the powerful chi emanating from Suzaku. Hua Ling widened his stance and moved his arms in slow, wide, circular motions to focus his own chi. Bringing his palms together at the end of his kata, he unleashed a blast of brilliant, blue energy. Although he struck the hero with his attack, it had no effect against Suzaku's vermillion aura! The female syndicate leader and her bodyguard both drew nunchaku in defense as automatic gunfire tore up the floor and walls of the room as the triad goons shot blindly in the darkness.
Grotesque Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 After nearly getting a bolt of blue chi to the face Suzaku blurted out in his native Cantonese... "HUB-BA-DA-WHU? YOU CAN..." Pulling his knees in and kicking up, Suzaku uses the momentum to get back to his feet in a kip-up. Darting to one side he delivers two quick blows, one into each of the SMG wielding triads. Then with surprising quickness he swings around and steps over to the two with the nunchucks. A quick right cross to the man and a more gentle chop to the lady, and they too were out. Turning to the one remaining Suzaku took a deep breath, "So I see you have at least some of the same kind of training I do. Well then let us settle this the proper way. Your style against my Vermillion Bird." With that Suzaku reaches up and takes his hat off tossing it aside. Then sliding out off his suit jacket, he tossed that aside as well. Rolling his head from side to side to get any stiffness out, he drops into a martial arts stance ready for a Kung-Fu showdown in the Fens!!!
ex3lev3n Posted October 19, 2010 Author Posted October 19, 2010 GM POST Razorwing was still regaining his wits when he heard gunfire from inside the building. Suspecting that the meeting between the triads and tongs went sour, making his job that much easier, he stalked down the darkened alley towards the back door of the book store unhurried. Coming upon the back door, he pulled a lockpick set from his utility belt and was ready to begin disabling the locking mechanism when he noticed scratches on the door handle. Someone had already picked the lock! Opening the door quietly, he peered into the darkness, his mask's active infrared allowing him to see clearly. The gunfire had stopped, but there was no reason to assume there were no threats still inside. He slowly made his way into the building, closing the door softly behind him. Suzaku finally had a chance to take in his surroundings now that the melee was over. The room was roughly fifteen by fifteen feet, though slightly rectangular. The nondescript wooden table was riddled with bullet holes, but it still stood on four legs and looked reasonably sturdy. All four chairs had been overturned during Suzaku's suprise attack, and he could spot the female's nunchaku laying at her side, just a few feet away. A cieling fan turned lazily in the center of the rook, and a few boxes of magazines and DVDs was stacked on the wall behind him, opposite Hua Ling. Although the room was still as dark as a moonless night, Hua Ling was more than willing to accept Suzaku's challenge, his mystic sight enabling him to see in the pitch black. He removed his coat and loosened his tie. <"You are a capable fighter,"> he said to the young warrior as he unbuttoned his collared shirt and tossed it aside, <"but your Vermillion Bird is no match for my Celestial Boar style!". The elder man, only five and a half feet tall but incredibly well-toned, body-flexed to loosen his joints and warm his muscles. He widened his stance and lowered himself, arms held close to his torso in a similar fashion to a boxer's "Philadelphia Cross" block. <"Let us begin!"> Hua Ling repeats his earlier circular arm motions, but with a suprising speed, and launched a blue-white ball of concentrated chi at his opponent and missed. A chunk of wall behind Suzaku was destroyed by the force of the blast, indicating the strength of Hua Ling's attack.
Grotesque Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 Looking at the wreckage behind him Suzaku could not help but smile... "Oh it's been too... too long since I've run into anybody close to my type of fighting style... This should be good!" Making slow sweeping motions with his arms, Suzaku began focusing, drawing in some of his Chi channeling it into his hand... "My turn!" With a swift fluild motion Suzaku snaps his hand forward letting loose a Vermillion colored chi bolt. Catching the older man square he watched as he took it with only minimal damage. "Why don't we settle this the only true way. Relying not on sheer chi power. But on our skill in hand to hand! Your Celestial Boar... and my Vermillion Bird! Let us see which is truely the superior technique!"
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 GM POST Hua Ling looked at his opponent, smiling at his challenge. For a moment, it seemed as if he entertained the thought. However, he wasn't so certain that he could best the younger man in hand-to-hand combat, and he wasn't about to take any chances. Hua Ling crouched low and leaped over the table, firing another chi blast at Suzaku, but again he missed his mark. The elder martial artist landed on the scorched carpet where Suzaku had just been.
Grotesque Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Suzaku watched to elder man leap across the table. Taking a short hop back he dodges the blast, looking disappointed he says, "You disappoint me. I hoped that we could settle this with skill over power..." With that Suzaku stepped forward swinging with a round punch as he does so... then turning the momentum of the swing into a powerful heel kick! Hoping that would catch his opponent off gurd, Suzaku dicovered that Hua Ling saw through the feint and was moving to block the kick. But he was not quite fast enough as the kick caught him square where the earlier chi blast hit. Suzaku felt his foot land good and hard and knew the old man had to be hurting... "Because I have alot of power..."
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 GM POST Suzaku's attack struck hard, driving the wind from the old man, doubling him over and sending him flying across the room! Hua Ling crashed into the wall, cracking the plaster, and slumped to the ground in a crumpled heap. His vision blurred, and Hua Ling could sense imminent defeat...
Grotesque Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Looking at the crumpled heap of Hua Ling, Suzaku calmly said, "Surrender now... you have lost. I have to much respect for a fellow practitioner of the martial arts to beat you into unconcious, BUT I will if you force my hand." Waiting too see what Hua Ling does next, Suzaku gets ready just in case his offer is declined... violently...
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 GM POST Hua Ling looked up at his opponent in disgust. How dare this upstart offer a peaceful end to their conflict! <"You are strong, but you think you have me at a disadvantage,"> he said bitterly between gritted teeth. <"You have yet to see my true power!"> he shouted as he pulled himself up to his feet. Resuming his form he shouted <"CELESTIAL BOAR SECRET ART! CHARGING BOAR!"> and rushed the young hero, making one last all-or-nothing attempt at putting Suzaku down.
Grotesque Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Seeing his offer shot down by Hua Ling, Suzaku sighed. Quickly charging toward the man he leaped, spinning, into the air shouting, "Vermillion Striking Talon!" With that Suzaku lashed out with a crushing hook kick into Hua Ling's face... That had better damn well do it...
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 GM POST Hua Ling's attack was intercepted by Suzaku's fiery kick, embers of chi exploding at the point of contact, sending the triad leader smashing through the already damaged wall! If it weren't for Razorwing's finely honed reflexes the battered body of Hua Ling would have collided with him, instead crashing haphazardly into a rack of adult magazines. Making no attempt to conceal his presence, he looked through the body-sized hole in the wall. A man dressed in black with a blazing crimson aura stood in the room where he had heard the sounds of combat, and deep inside his being he could feel the Kamisorihane become unsettled. Somehow, it knew this masked individual, and compelled it's host to engage him in combat, although the teenage vigilante suppressed the urge. "Who are you?" he asked the black clad martial artist, unsure whether he was friend or foe.
Grotesque Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Suzaku watched as Hua Ling crashed through the wall into the main store. Satisfied that the fight was over Suzaku turned to get his things... With a start Suzaku turned around dropping into a fighting stance as he heard a voice from behind him. Quickly thinking it over, he noticed that the strange black clad mystery man, spoke to him in English... so might not be a triad or a tong... but still... "It is customary to intruduce yourself first when asking somebody a question like that... But I suppose this might not be the time or place for civility. My name? Suzaku. Now I wouldn't mind it if you gave me your name in return." Still suspicious, Suzaku did not drop his guard... and something in the back of his head... almost like another voice... He is tainted somehow... we should take him out quick before he has any chance to... NO... no wait for him to make the first move...
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 Suzaku. The Vermillion Bird of the South. It made sense now. The Ssi Ling and Kageryu were no strangers to one another, and it would seem fate would bring two of their champions together tonight. Razorwing was wary of Suzaku, unsure whether Suzaku could also feel the spiritual animosity between their totems. "Razorwing," he replied coldy, his voice low and gravelly. He looked over his shoulder at the unconscious form of Hua Ling, then back at Suzaku. "Nice job. You saved me the trouble of doing it myself." He stood still as stone in anticipation of the martial artist's next words... or actions.
Grotesque Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Razorwing... He's part of the Kageryu... Dragon of... Fear... DON'T let your guard down, he's an enemy. Suzaku eyes Razorwing suspiciously, "Hmph. I'm sure I saved you some kind of trouble..." Trying to keep a straight expressionless face, Suzaku walks over to where he tossed his jackety and hat. Putting them back on, he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. Dialing the police he gave them the address to pick up the mobsters. "Well, Kamisorihane the cops are on their way. So if you want to talk, you better make it quick... and if you want something else...it shouldn't take long." Pausing for a moment to realize he just made a vague threat... Suzaku thought for a moment, Wait what? Did I just challenge that guy? Why did I do that?
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 "Well, Kamisorihane the cops are on their way. So if you want to talk, you better make it quick... and if you want something else...it shouldn't take long." Pausing for a moment to realize he just made a vague threat... Suzaku thought for a moment, Wait what? Did I just challenge that guy? Why did I do that? Razorwing slowly folded his arms across his chest. He knew the origin of his namesake, so he must have some idea of what he was capable of. His eyes narrowed behind the night vision lenses of his cowl as the spiritual link to the Kageryu cried out for him to engage Suzaku. It was nothing new for Kamisorihane to compel him to create fear for the Shadow Dragon to feed on, but he had never felt so powerful an urge as he was feeling now. "I came here to thrash bad guys, but if you have a death wish, than maybe I can accomodate you." He could feel the Kageryu's pleasure, it's piercing shriek echoing in his soul, and he took a step forward. He was ready and willing if Suzaku was...
Grotesque Posted October 21, 2010 Posted October 21, 2010 Suzaku wasn't sure why... but his chi... started swelling? It was almost like something inside him wanted to fight Razorwing, badly. Taking a deep breath and dropping into a stance, he thought to himself... I don't know why... but it's like I need to fight him. The Chi Fire welling up from within, Suzaku knew, somehow, that this was how it should be... "Those are bold words. To bad words are just... words. So let me give you mine... Bring it!" With that Suzaku and Razorwing, The Vermillion Bird and the Shadow Dragon of Fear, faced off...
ex3lev3n Posted October 21, 2010 Author Posted October 21, 2010 For a moment all seemed still in the universe as two opposing spiritual energies gathered power. The bright, burning Vermillion flame and the cold, inky depths of terror mixed together on the astral plane, great winged birds encircling one another until the seperate energies came to orbit, slowly drifting closer to one another until they merged. An explosion of black and crimson chi gave birth to a galaxy of colored emotion: despair and hope, fear and joy, yin and yang. Game on! The unseen, though not unfelt, collision of power signaled the beginning of combat. With blinding, post-human speed Razorwing took two long strides and dove horizontally through the opening left by the now forgotten Hua Ling. He corkscrewed as he flew, and threw his left leg up and over his own body while he was belly up, performing a sort of back somersault and striking Suzaku's trapezius with the kick before landing with his back turned to man in black.
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