21/12/04
Characters: Ralf, Whip
Ikari Base
Concealed in the mountains, in a massive clearing of jungle, sits a small
military base...which wouldn't be all that surprising, if not for one thing.
This base flies no flag. They exist on no map, and no government will
actively give information about the paramilitary group that calls this remote
bastion their home--the Ikari Warriors. Though quite small in size, the
expertise of the Ikari Warriors make up for their numbers, by far, making
them one of the most effective fighting forces on the planet. Of course, you
could hardly tell by the appearance of their home.
Built into a jungle clearing, brown soil makes up most of the ground of
the base, with very little grass or assorted vegetation growing within the
base's boundaries, defined by a tall barbed wire fence. Guard towers secure
the location, while a duo of long, paved runways and helipads make it clear
that the Ikari Warriors are quite capable of deploying anywhere in the world.
Anti-aircraft cannons are also visible.
Most of the buildings are humble in construction, and are equally few.
Storerooms can be found all over, but only a few buildings are really
notable. One large pair of barracks--short, squat buildings, green in
color--sit in one area, lined with windows. The largest are a few hangars,
surrounding the runways. Easily larger than standard hangars, they
undoubtedly contain a variety of the tanks and aircraft the Ikaris use for
their various purposes.
The only 'advanced' looking building is the command center. Black in
color, the center is mostly invisible from topside. Built underground, a
series of stairways with exits on the surface are scattered throughout. All
are nondescript, failing to indicate what lays beneath.
[Exits : Hangar, Barracks, Command Center, and Out to
South America ]
Morning comes early to the Ikari base, much like one would expect from any sort
of military group. The sun is already over the horizon now; these southern
hemipshere seasons are tricky devils. Still, the base is already teeming with
life. Scores of groggy, shambling men make their way to the showers and prepare
for the rigors of the day, some yawning and rubbing their eyes. Others, somehow,
are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, making for a sharp and, mostly, unwelcome
contrast to the other men. Going against the flow of people is one ofthe taller,
bulkier ones. His tresses are still damp and seem to want to stick to his
temples, peeking out from a very familiar-looking red and green bandana tied
over his crown. There are, of course, some damp spots here and there on it,
indicating that it was put on a bit too early after showering. Still, Ralf seems
to have been up for a while already, before all the others. It's good to set an
example, right?
Well, this 'example' can look fishy, if it were other people. Instead of moving
back for the men's barracks, the elite mercenarysaunters over to the new female
area, stopping just at the door. His big right hand lifts and raps, none too
gently, against the door itself; one of the few without a window to make for
some privacy. ..That is, to keep the men from peeking in. Lechers.
"Ooooy, Whip! Get a move on, time to wake up! We've got a lot to do today!"
"Reporting for duty, sir!" Whip's voice comes from somewhere a short distance
behind Ralf as he delivers his wakeup call. He didn't really think the eager
young recruit would -still- be sleeping? Nosir. Actually, she's been pacing
along in his wake after catching sight of him a few minutes ago, keeping her
step quiet, her noise masked and offering a quieting gesture to anyone who sent
a suspicious glance her way. A little girly-playful for someone with all the
skills and traits you'd expect in an assassin, but we already knew that - the
Ikari mercenaries have been learning it over the past two weeks. Anyway, should
Ralf turn around on being responded to he'll see the slender ex-NESTS agent
straightening up from a half-crouch and snapping a hand up to her forehead in a
textbook salute. She's as ready as can be!
Bright eyes? Check. Bushy tail? Check. Playboy bunny costume? ...no. But two out
of three ain't bad. Coming out of her salute and falling to a militaristic
casual, linking her arms behind her and rocking lightly on her heels, Whip sends
a small smile towards the brash merc lieutenant. "You didn't think I'd still be
asleep? I've actually been wondering how lax the regime is here... we woke up
-much- earlier during my training..." Grranted, the twinkle in her gaze gives
away the tease. But it's early and her usual friendly manner masks it just
enough that maybe.. she can still get a rise out of her superior.
Oh, that..that's just lovely. Yes, sneak up on your superior, that's a fine way
of getting into his good graces! Ralf's right hand stays raised, fingers still
slightly curled from the knocking effort. His shoulders visibly droop from
behind, and he makes no effort to hide the heavy sigh that escapes him.
"Nnnng..." Straightening his posture before he turns around, Ralf briefly lifts
his hands to pull his hair away from his face, as it seemed to want to stick
against his skin. His expression is only mildly surly, eyes partially narrowed
as the corners of his lips attempt to tug his mouth into a frown. It's something
that Whip should very much be getting used to, especially first thing in the
morning.
"Good. C'mon, we've got a special regimen today." Vert short and to the point,
he turns and walks off for the training grounds with a short, half-hearted wave,
indicating for the young girl to follow. Special day, huh? There are no guns,
training weights, playboy bunny outfits, or anything of the sort with the man
today. How fun can it really be?
Whip's getting used to an awful lot of things all too quickly... but every
little quirk, for better or worse, is only seeming to endear her yet more to
this new position. In a more serious moment, she might be reflecting on just
what she plans to report to NESTS regarding Ikari activities. Such a report
can't be too far off now. But that's a matter for a later time, and right now
the girl stifles an amused grin at the lieutenant's reaction. He's shown his
warmer side enough that she doesn't fear these times, or worry about her
standing, and though a chance to shine would be nice... it's no big issue. She
feels almost at home, and holds herself well under Ralf's frowning scrutiny.
Then he details the duty she's reporting for, and an eyebrow arches upward, a
half-smile breaking her assumed neutral as she watches the burly mercenary turn
away. 'Special regimen?' she mouths silently, tipping her head to one side. Just
what can that be? Something interesting, hopefully! Or something challenging.
Even another steroid-pumped archer wouldn't be unwelcome, and so it's with
welcoming curiosity that the slender assassin starts off after Ralf, letting her
hands fall to her sides and following him at a properly brisk pace. "Right
behind you, sir."
That's all. She knows better than to ask details too early.
That's got to count for something, right? Knowing how to be an annoying little
chatterbox, that is. It's too early for something like that, after all. Still,
patience is rewarded, more often than not. This time, it pays off fairly
quickly, too. The big man stuffs his hands into his pockets, the odd sound of
his skin rubbing against the kevlar vest prevalent in his wake, carried well by
the warm, moderately humid air. Out in the open, there's still the faintest of
mists here and there, little clumps that haven't joined its bretheren further
down the mountain to the creeping jungle below.
"It's kind of a test today," he explains, closing the distance to the
dirt-covered training area soon enough. It's still early enough that only a
couple of guys are around, people that don't have missions today and want to
better themselves. "You've been doing well enough with the piddly-ass
assignments so far, but don't let it go to your head. We only hand out the
lowest-class missions to newbies." Really makes one feel good, doesn't it? Ralf
eventually stops, turning slowly to look down at the young girl, and his
expression has lifted by now. ..Not much, though. Just a little bit. A
tiny..teensy little bit. "We've got to find out if you're capable of handling
yourself, before we send you out to get killed or something, comprende?
'Piddly' assignments are exactly what was needed. Krizalid doesn't know as much
about his little rival as he'd like, and NESTS in general know little of the
Ikari workings... they need information on everything. Whip's skill level was
aimed perfectly so she'd get in at this level, and no further. In all honesty,
just reaching this high was a feat in itself and one she's trained hard to
achieve. As would any sixteen year old. But what, exactly, will NESTS be
receiving from their double agent? Maybe not much. Possibly nothing...
Striding on behind Ralf, Whip doesn't take too much time to look around, holding
herself well and not sparing more than a friendly nod to any mercenaries they
pass. Quick to fit or not, two weeks is hardly long enough to have formed deep
friendships. And despite her friendly demeanour, she's not the type to cultivate
multiple camaraderies, particularly on the 'mess room' level favoured by male
soldiers. A male, she is not and a soldier, she is only barely. Rather ironic
that she be higher ranked than many of these, but something in her manner does
suggest it should be so - a grace to her movement, a frank certainty to her
every gesture.
She stops a moment after Ralf, booted feet crunching the dirt underfoot as she
closes a little with her superior. A ready gaze is turned on him as he undergoes
his brief pep-talk, her expression open and student-like... there's a time for
teasing play, and a time to listen attentively. When he's done, she flashes a
smile and snaps off a salute. "Understood. I'll admit I'm lacking in field
experience, sir, but in theory I should more than meet your expectations." Not
dropping the smile, she turns on her heel and takes a couple of steps away from
Ralf, turning to face him again once distance has been made. Again an eyebrow
arches inquisitively, "How do you propose to test me today?"
Well, thank god Whip's not a male. If she were, things would be awfully..weird.
Weird and uncomfortable. ..In fact, Ralf probably feels more comfortable having
a girl on the squad than a man that /looks/ like a girl. Old habits and all, you
know. Another one (habit, that is) comes out, and the man pulls one hand from
his pocket, placing his palm directly on his left shoulder. The left hand comes
out now, clenching into a tight fist as the arm bends at the elbow, his whole
appendage moving in a slow, constant circle. At the same time, his feet spread
slightly, ankles turning until he's supported only on the outer edges of his
boots, then twist further to leave him standing on the balls of his feet.
"You're a bright one, newbie. Figure it out."
Craning his neck to one side, a small pop can be heard, then more as he twists
his torso to the side. "Take whatever warmup time you need though, but not too
long. We've got other stuff to finish up today." ..Really, he doesn't /mean/ to
sound so condescending, but..you know how things get. God knows why he was
picked out to see test the newbie's mettle. Some of the other, lower-ranked guys
around should have an easy time of it, right?
COMBATSYS: Whip has started a fight here.
COMBATSYS: Ralf has joined the fight here.
Figure it out? Oh, she's already figured it out, and after calmly watching
Ralf's brief warmup display a gloved hand rises from the girl's side, up to the
nape of her neck. As her fingers uncurl she ducks her head in a brief nod, her
smile turning rather sly. "That should make a worthwhile test..." she remarks
quietly, eyes narrowing with pleased anticipation. She's already seen the two
commanding officers at war with each other, and has been looking forward to
this.. whether Ralf considers it a burden or not, the little assassin considers
it nothing but a treat.
There's a sharp swish once her hand moves, blurring underneath the top flap of
her uniform and unleashing her pride and joy. Voodoo falls to the floor in a
coil of vivacious blue, relaxing in the beaten dust for but a moment before it
is launched upward to curl around the ready hand of the Ikari private. "I don't
need much of a warm-up.. I rose early and got in a little practice already. But,
if you insist..." clapping her feet together she hops lightly up and down, then
bends forward, her back arcing catlike as she bends at the knees and stretches
her arms behind her. There's no resounding pops, no crack of bone or softening
muscle.. her form is lithe and ready at all times, insofar as that can be
achieved.
Once she straightens up again, Whip begins to gyrate, watching Ralf carefully
and considering her first move. She allows herself to become lost in
concentration for quite a few moments, controlling her breathing in this time
and falling fully into the rhythm of battle. There's no signs of nervousness or
worry - she knows she has to impress, and that is simple fact. Worrying will
achieve nothing but a loss of sense. "Okay," she breathes to herself, tongue
clucking at the roof of her mouth before she drops to her knees, right arm
curling back then sharply forward to fling forward a whiplash streak of blue.
Almost horizontal, the path of Voodoo is aimed to catch Ralf about the torso...
...whereupon he'll suddenly find the weapon torn away and replaced by a
fast-moving girl, as she leaps in a tight arc right into his guard, rearing up
above his head and coming down with a near-vertical kick aimed for that
bandanna'ed noggin. "HA!"
COMBATSYS: Whip successfully hits Ralf with Strength Shot - Yuuetsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Whip
And so, the little 'test' begins. Ralf doesn't seem as..well, he's not tense,
not anxious or anything. Hell, he hasn't even started bobbing yet, or pulled his
arms into any sort of defensive posture. When he finished his stretching, they
immediately went to his hips, hands still balled into fists, of course, while he
stands facing the young girl directly. The noises he makes when the attacks come
is, for lack of a better word..comical.
"Nnnng?" Ralf's first utterance is like a grunt, something you'd expect from a
caveman. The blue lash slings around his body rather nicely, the tip striking a
point with a quick, short-lived stinging sensation, having slapped just on the
meat of one of his shoulders. It couldn't hit the vest, could it? Nooo. After
that, despite being freed, he stays rooted to his spot, lifting only his eyes to
catch a glimpse of Whip just before the impact against his poor, oft-abused
skull takes place. His eyes narrow as his vision blurs, but even that doesn't
last for more than a couple seconds, with a soft shake of his head. The bandana,
bless it, manages to stay on his head, though it's not quite in the same place
as it was before. Reaching up, the Ikari corrects that, rubbing his afflicted
shoulder as his hands drop down.
"Good. Keep it coming." he commands, rolling his head slightly. It's kind of
like pummelling a mountain, isn't it? The big man, he just looked like he stood
there and took it. ..Hopefully, it seemed like he meant to do it, not that he
was just slow in reacting. Honest.
COMBATSYS: Ralf takes no action.
Never underestimate the slim chick. Not that he did really.. by this point Ralf
should have some idea of his newest charge's abilities, even without firsthand
experience as such. For her part, Whip is merely glad that her calculations and
judgement of Ralf's defenses turned out to be correct - given a 'free shot' or
not, there's no denying that one was perfectly executed, and she mentally awards
herself a point as she soars sharply downward, smashing her superior's head with
a leather-clad foot. The rebound is executed nicely too, and she slips from the
air into a tense crouch at his feet, ready to bound away on one hand, a palm
slapping into the dirt and starting to twist...
But no. He's not doing anything, and it's her turn to be surprised, wide brown
eyes blinking rapidly. "Hm?" She peeks up towards the burly lieutenant, cocking
her head to one side. Birdlike, she blinks again. Keep it coming? Really? She
was expecting resistance, a real combat test, but if he truly insists. He must
be ready for her, at least. Now.. where to go from here?
Oh yes. "Sir!" She chirps out, leaning to place full weight onto her left hand,
"Yes, sir!" Once the last snappy syllable is out she flings herself forward and
to one side, curling a short distance into the air then deftly switching her
momentum to carry her in a leap straight past Ralf's shoulder. But it's not
quite that simple, and her right arm flies out in what looks - until the last
moment - to be a clothesline. If not for Voodoo's coils, it would be a dead cert
that this is what she has planned, but instead two fingers flick up to send the
blue coils outward, lashing around Ralf quickly. Should this complex and
deceptive manuever pay off, her right hand slams close to her ribs, dragging
with it the handle of Voodoo and in turn dragging with her Lieutenant Jones.
He'll be in for a weapon-aided toss over her head once the recruit lands,
crouching down and preparing to pull Voodoo back once her superior is airborne.
COMBATSYS: Ralf blocks Whip's Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Whip
Yes, really. Keep the attacks coming. While it's true that his gifted recruit
isn't fighting anything hard and certainly against no freakish, strange
adversaries, Ralf isn't quite ready to make what is likely to be a
simple-straightforward throw-down that simple. He turns his head to follow Whip
as she flies around, indicating that, if nothing else, he can keep up with her
movement to some extent. What's most important here, to him, is seeing just what
kind of tactics and moves the girl's prepared to pull out. It's a learning
experience, you know? After all, it's she that's being tested, not he.
Still, as expected..the whip makes its path around him, pulling his arms
tightly against his sides. It's a snug fit, even for him, not that Ralf
struggles to escape from it. All is going to plan, right? The trap, the
pull..the pull.. Well, that's not so effective. Jones's bulk is pulled, true
enough, but it's like hauling a rock through sand. He slides on his feet a
little, then turns on one heel, as if allowing himself to be brought closer on
purpose. Indeed, with a long, sort of hopping step, his left leg lifts and
pushes out, aiming to catch the little waif in the upper back. Way to help the
momentum there, right?
COMBATSYS: Whip parries Ralf's Heavy Kick!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Whip
...boy, that's heavy. One disadvantage to training in an organisation like
NESTS: anorexic fighters do not make for an all-round workout. She can use an
opponent's momentum, use her own lack of bulk with a precision to counteract it,
and so forth.. but when it comes to hauling around a large foe, the little
assassin is severely lacking. "Nn." A short grunt of effort escapes as she yanks
Voodoo as close to her own tight form as possible, but clearly this is no fight
she can win like this.. and quickly she throws up her left palm and turns, using
the built-up pressure to her advantage and closing the final gap with Ralf, her
crouched form skimming -almost- right into his leg. But not quite. Instead
there's a slap of boot against leather, a light creak following as her small
hand takes the force fully, absorbing it and dissipating it.
Point of impact: found. Impact: nullified.
She can't help but smile broadly at this success, feeling a fresh surge of
elated adrenaline pump through her veins and propel her up onto her feet,
turning to skim around to Ralf's flank. But she hasn't released Voodoo, and
though its grip upon the Lieutenant has slackened considerably there is still
enough there to keep them close for the time she needs. Time enough to grip a
handful of blue coil close to the whip's handle and then twist herself to be
backfirst to Ralf, aiming to again use his weight... but this time more
effectively! An assisted variant of her 'Zed' throw, hauling him over her bent
back on a reinforced thread, releasing Voodoo's hold once he's off for his short
roll/toss to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Ralf blocks Whip's Zed EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////'''']
Ralf 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Whip
What a sight this must be to the other men, as sparse as they are. Ralf is
sitting here, tied up and seeming to just take abuse for the hell of it. It all
of this really part of the test? Is it because Whip's a girl? ..And why aren't
they allowed to be manhandled like he is? Oh, the perks of rank..
Now, the mass card works for both sides. Most of the Ikari men are pretty
hefty, muscular men. It's a fangirl's paradise..somewhat. As such, most of their
training is done with people of similar bulk. The tactics needed to oversome
smaller, more flighty critters are..quite different. The man's heavy foot slams
into the ground, dust kicking up around the point of impact. His stance is wide,
though, and he had to hunch over some to keep his balance. That's why, when he
finds himself pulled forcibly over his svelte comrade, he's already in a good
position to flip over, using that same momentum used to toss him to, quite
heavily, land on his own feet..and right in front of Whip, to boot. His arms
still bound, he really has few attack options. Comparatively, anyway. He looks
up, lips pulled wide in a toothy grin with one of those 'hehe!' kind of laughs.
Shoving his bulk forward, he tilts his head back only slightly before snapping
it forward, aiming to smack foreheads with the newbie. There should be a nice
gong sound resounding after this one..if such sound effects were feasible,
anyway.
COMBATSYS: Whip dodges Ralf's Strong Throw.
Whip certainly isn't finding this easy, even with a lack of real resistance to
her first couple of strikes. Very much like assaulting a wall, this isn't the
manner of combat she's used to and thus she hardly paces herself well - too much
acrobatic dynamism, an abundance of flash and style designed to throw off an
opponent who's a bit too seasoned to get lost in it all. And this quickly
executed next move is no exception, she can already feel Ralf is ready by the
time he's halfway over, and so she grits her teeth and shifts her footing as
best she can to prepare... she only has a split-second to really move in, but
boy does she move!
First, there's an audible snap from the binding around Ralf as Voodoo is
retracted with a deft flick of the girl assassin's hand. Then she's rolling with
him, curling over backward with her face a scant inch from his own. For all the
pace of the moment, she can't help but smile a breathless smile as she travels,
staring wide-eyed at the mercenary bound for painful impact with her face. While
the big merc isn't exactly 'fast', he moves with a deceptive pace, rather like a
slow-moving vehicle. And probably with all the impact of a train behind it.
"Almost!" She gasps out as she jerks the final half-foot backward, bent almost
double now in what looks quite painful. With Voodoo still coiling itself around
her hand, she can only reach back with one to brace herself for what follows - a
tuck into a brief roll a few feet behind, coming up in a predatory stance, one
leg kicked out to the side and the other knee held up to her chin, upper body
hunched over the lower. "How am I doing?" She proceeds to ask, having caught
enough of her breath to do so. Then she waits.. staying ready, looking feral.
She needs a moment to consider her next course of action.
COMBATSYS: Whip focuses on her next action.
Tch. Man, Ralf never gets to headbutt anyone! Fast sons of bitches. Sure, it's
always fun to see people twist and contort themselves to get out of tricky
situations..but sometimes, Ralf would just really like to grab them and tie them
in a knot. Oh, what fun that would be! Maybe just..throw them to the dirt, put
them in a Boston Crab..or even a full Nelson! Hee. That's a happy thought, right
there.
Back in reality, Ralf's foot, again, clomps forward, keeping his balance and,
thus, barring the crew from an embarassing display of the Ikari tipping over
like a drunken madman. Yeah, any commentaries to the contrary will promptly get
a kick in the pants and be sent to clean toilets. You know who you are.
Just because his balance is kept, it doesn't mean that Ralf is pulling back.
Instead, his momentum is again put to use, bringing the other leg forward to
stride quickly toward Whip. It is something like a train bearing down along the
tracks; big, quick, and apparently unwilling to be stopped. "Later," he says
simply, neither giving any indication of a good or poor performance just yet.
Hunched down slightly, he clenches his right fist, pulling back juuuust a
little. With his movement, the straight-forward punch that he snaps out is even
faster, headed right for the girl's pretty, as-of-yet unblemished face. Even if
she doesn't take the hit as intended, the lick of fire that bursts from his hand
at the point of impact (or indeed, point of whiffing) makes for a nice visual.
COMBATSYS: Whip interrupts Bomb Punch from Ralf with Desert Eagle.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Whip
Whip watches intently as Ralf begins his headlong rush. "Hmm..." a quick reply,
and one she might have expected. For all the leeway she's gained, ultimately the
grizzled merc has held true to his word - she's not given special favours, no
dispensation is made. It's all very fair. Much like this fight will hopefully
turn out to be, now that he has the full measure of her abilities. Aaaand.. here
he comes. This could be a blinder, and crouched as she is there's little the
young NESTS agent can do. At the very last a grin spreads like wildfire on her
lips and she hammers her left palm into the floor again, this time in front of
her, springing off her bent leg to hurl herself back - aerially crouched - from
the vicious impact.
Ka-boom! The punch misses her, but as she flings her face pre-emptively to one
side, neat brown hair swishing across to cover her flesh, the explosion triggers
and her hopping spring backward is turned into a horizontal flightpath that
continues for quite some way. She could end it painfully, hitting the ground on
her back or side, or she could go for an impressive counter-attack...
It doesn't take a genius to know which Muchiko chooses. Voodoo is already
halfway up her arm from the rush of winds, and so she releases its handle as she
drops to a smooth roll, hitting the floor with a light *whump* and shaking off
the disorientation of the big badda boom as she rises in a crouch. This is not
predatory though - rather she could be on a firing range, her gloved hands
extended, bearing an altogether different weapon. Her Desert Eagle. A finger
closes firmly on the trigger and a single bullet is sent lancing through the
lingering puff of fires to catch her superior in the chest. Bang. Once it's
away, a hand lifts to brush back dishevelled brown hair and the girl rises to
her feet, spinning the hefty handgun up and back into its hiding place. "Nice
try, sir."
And with a gout of blood and helpless gurgles, Ralf's life is snuffed out.
Downed by one of his own, his story is forever finished. Oh, the cruel intent,
to take one so young from this world! There was still to much to accomplish! So
much evil to smite! So much alcohol to imbibe! As Ralf takes the slug right in
the chest, his eyes widen, mouth hanging slightly agape as he, with one last
shaky step, falls in a heap to the ground.
...
And then, a few seconds later, he pulls himself back up on all fours, or rather
threes, as he puts his hand to his chest. "You /shot/ me!" Sure, all's fair in
fights, but.. "YOU SHOT ME! What the hell!" The big man gets back up, still
holding his hand under the edge of his vest. ..Wait, vest, that.. That faker!
That cheating bastard! Glancing down, Ralf pulls his hand from under the vest,
digging the tip of his pinky into the small hole made by the bullet. "And in the
chest! The hell were you thinking? If you're gonna shoot someone, shoot where
it's going to hurt, for christ's sake." A bit of admonishment during the test,
but hey.. Even if she knew it wouldn't kill her superior, he'd have felt better
if she didn't show the moment of weakness, if that's indeed what it was.
Seriously. Kevlar. Vest. Gah.
Now, Ralf doesn't make any movement to continue the attack, no. Pulling his
finger from his vest, he finally takes up a good, solid defensive stance, arms
bent and hands drawn into tight fists. "Let's try it again, Rainbow Brite."
COMBATSYS: Ralf focuses on his next action.
It's just possible that the hint of a pout creeps into Whip's expression as Ralf
undergoes his admonishment. Hey now, it's just a bullet... it hurts no more than
a gout of fire, and maybe a whole lot less. She just wanted to demonstrate her
readiness for any situation - and prove she can fight from a great distance if
need be. But ah well, near the end she finds the humour and smiles again, just a
little, rocking back and forth on her heels as she prepares to get back into the
fight.
"I'm sorry," she offers briefly, nodding her head and letting Voodoo's ergonomic
handle fall back into her grip in the same moment. "I'll aim higher next
time..." she lets her comment tail off before throwing out a brief, playful
wink. But there's not too much time to hang around, and once Ralf looks set in
his stance she drops into a quick dash forward, body slung low, close to the
ground with her beloved weapon held out behind her. The distance is closed fast
and once half has disappeared behind her she finally changes her motion,
straightening her back and taking a lunging step to the left, Voodoo rising in
her right hand and then flung out towards Ralf... time to be ensnared again!
And she has something very similar planned this time, using the moment of impact
to tighten her grip alarmingly and then swing in towards her superior, the whip
coiling around her forearm to draw her rapidly close to her target. Both legs
kick out en route to catch him with another blow to the chest - this one less
explosive, and a good deal more appreciated! By the time she impacts, Voodoo
will be released as the last of its coils spool around her covered arm.
COMBATSYS: Ralf endures Whip's Hook Shot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Whip
Well hey, how mad can one guy be after being shot with so little effect? Go
ahead, shoot Ralf in the head! He can take it! He can take god damn near
anything! Fear the super-absorbant Brawney!
..Wait. That doesn't sound right.
No, fear the..you know, the joke's done now. To hell with it! The point is,
Ralf just seems to love taking abuse. Even before Whip starts moving, his right
arm has pulled back, torso turning slightly. Before long, his arm starts to
tremble slightly, and it's becoming quite apparent that he's holding it back,
like some wild stallion bucking around wildly in a tiny stable. He sees the next
attack coming; he'd be blind not to. His left arm pulls out a little as the
now-familiar blue tendril wraps around him. This time, however, he shows amazing
resilience in the binding effort. Doing his best to keep the binding from only
wrapping around his right shoulder, where it won't matter too much, he holds the
length of the whip tight. Indeed, every muscle in his body seems tensed as the
followup comes. He makes no effort to move or dodge, and in fact, much to the
amazement of some, takes the double-heeled kick right in the chest, like a
boulder accepting the abuse of nature. A muffled grunt escapes his lips at
first, then it's immediately followed by a very loud, very deep bellow. Aiming
to strike back before Whip can get away, his right fist, constrained by only
himself, is finally let loose. The fist takes the long way around in a brutal
hook, nearly every muscle working to push an amazing amount of force behind the
swing. Best case..he connects, and Whip will likely have a better understanding
of the Ikari's power. Worst case...well, Ralf will look pretty silly, swinging
around in a full circle after the whiff.
COMBATSYS: Ralf successfully hits Whip with Galactica Phantom.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=======\=======\1 Whip
Whip doesn't think much of the whole shaking thing... after all, whatever an
opponent has planned, if you wrap them in an ensnaring coil of twine and then
kick them hard in the chest, it can't exactly go smoothly. Or so she might
believe. But this mountain of flesh isn't something she's dealt with, and so the
assassin takes her time in the landing, giving a light grunt of effort and
pushing off with both feet - adding a punctuation to the thrusting kick - and
flipping around and down into another crouch. This time though, she starts to
crawl backward, booted feet kicking up dirt as they scuffle back one at a time.
Her eyes slowly widen on a still apparently very ready Ralf, and before she's
made much progress at all there's the mother of all haymakers coming her way...
There's only one thing to do, and that's panic. Throwing herself to her feet,
Whip shoves off on one foot to try and flip clear over the burly mercenary's
head, readying her right arm to strike him -from the air- in his moment of
extension. It's a desperate manuever executed with all her speed but no time to
spare. She pays for this, taking the blow full in the chest and heading off on a
totally unintended trajectory, mirroring Ralf's final spin with one of her own,
a sidelong aerial pirouette, Voodoo's coils spraying in a flooding blue ripple
around her.
When she hits the floor, it's with a muffled thump and a pained grunt, the
girl's body rolling over a few times and then.. falling still. Power? No
kidding. That one... really hurt. REALLY hurt, her every limb screaming protest
at the searing agony running through her torso from the impact point. So that's
the strength she was trying so hard to avoid. It sure explains why she needed to
avoid it. After the landing she... decides to lie there for a few moments,
before rolling onto her back and then up to her feet, shaking visibly but
gripping Voodoo with gritty resolve, focusing on Ralf with a determined gaze. No
words are spoken, and shortly thereafter she begins to gyrate rhythmically,
waiting for his next assault...
COMBATSYS: Whip focuses on her next action.
Even WITH the clean hit, Ralf does still end up spinning; such is the amount of
force that he puts into that particular attack. When he does stop, he's hunched
over, his right arm hanging limp with his relaxed hand between his knees, which
in turn are bent. His left hand is resting on his left knee, supporting him as
he draws in two long, deep breaths. The tingling in his fist after such a blow
is something that tends to last a bit; not something that'll keep him from
carrying on, but hoo boy. The fingers constantly flex and relax, working blood
back into the white knuckles that became so desprived from all of that tension.
"Alright.. Still good to go?" he asks, pulling himself up to a more proper
posture. He's not advancing again; this isn't a serious, all-or-nothing brawl.
He figured that Whip just...needed some spice to keep her on her toes.
COMBATSYS: Ralf takes no action.
"Of course!" The slender private's reply is quick and certain, a smile briefly
emerging through the field of concentration. She's glad not to have to weather
another titanic blow.. for the two she's had, she might have taken three times
that many from most opponents. She may have a great deal of skill but, clearly,
Ralf is the superior fighter here... how could it be any other way? Nodding
briefly, she starts forward at even paces, slowly and surely covering the
distance. A few feet from the burly Ikari she pauses and tips her head to one
side, considering him for a long moment.
"Hm." She comes to some conclusion and leaps backward in a sudden blur of
motion, flinging one arm out for balance and drawing Voodoo back at the end of
the other. "Are -you- still good?" Yes, because he was the one just nailed by
the gigaton punch of doom. But we know what she means, and as one side of her
mouth lances up in a smirking smile she makes good on her manuever, feet setting
down firmly to either side and whip lashing forward with a resounding crack to
curl a vicious slash across Ralf's chest. But it's brief, and followed by
another in the opposite direction, the girl's arm swinging across her vision to
accommodate the effort. Still she is not done, and three more follow, a
vertical, a diagonal slash and then.. she ducks down, free hand slamming to the
floor and whip lashing towards Ralf's stomach for a final frontal assault.
If the first hit, he'd be tossed every which way but loose by the subsequent,
and the pain should be quite intense... if it didn't? Someone just left herself
very open indeed.
COMBATSYS: Ralf dodges Whip's Heavy Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=======\=======\1 Whip
"Good! I'd hate to have to demote you already, you know." Wait..demotion? Even
if there's no murderous intent in this fight, no real desire to seriously harm
one or the other....bullet and following Phantom excluded..this match may very
well have some horrible effects! ..Not for Ralf, of course. For Ralf to suffer,
he'd have to be thoroughly humiliated by the girl. That's not to say that it
won't happen, but..with the last blow, he's got a huge step up on keeping his
pride. In fact, he's so pleased with himself, that he now bears a wide, if
slightly lopsided grin on his face now.
"Please, I haven't even had to break a sweat yet, girly." As if to make a point
on the statement, the first last for his chest just..misses. Ralf pulls his bulk
back with one step, then ducks slightly back and to one side for the next. It's
then that he actually charges in, doing a rather fine job of weaving between the
coils and flicks, finding it a bit easier the closer he gets. The last strike
comes close, though; it eats the front edge of his vest as he literally spins to
avoid it. The move is carried out with two long strides, and by the time he's
facing forward again, he's much closer to the brunette. Not close enough to open
with the usual elbow attack, he swings his right fist out in a quick jab-like
attack for Whip's face. There's more than that, however, as the big brute
continues with his little ballet exposition. His left fist swings out as he
/keeps/ turning, aiming to follow up with a nice, firm backhand. Assuming he
even gets /that/ far, he finally plants his foot to the ground, bringing his
right up in a mix between an uppercut and a cross hook, extending from his right
knee to way up over his left shoulder. It's a silly-looking move, but it's
astonishing how often this works!
COMBATSYS: Whip interrupts Gatling Attack from Ralf with MAX Sonic Slaughter.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Whip
Demotion?! Much as Whip wants to be peeling potatoes or cleaning the toilets, or
both... (though not at the same time, we hope) no. She'll be doing something to
impress in this fight. She might be justified in thinking she has already gone a
fair way towards displaying her skill, but then again.. perhaps this could go on
forever, and why not? It's only one more underlying dynamic in a group already
full of the things, and she so enjoys the teasing back and forth. Still... for
now? It's on!
Or not, as the first strike flashes past Ralf and sees the girl carried off in
her motions, already planning two moves ahead and now lost within her own
intended game. He has the time to speak and close the distance before she can
get herself back under control, and by then she'd be on her very last lash -
primed to drop onto her haunches and end the rhythm of assault. Instead, she
takes a fist to the cheek and is sent stumbling back. A quick series of
possibilities flash through her mind... the first and least desirable being: to
get hammered by each of Ralf's subsequent blows. Not doing that. So instead...
"HAAA!" She hops back, ignoring the sting of pain and instead lashing Voodoo
into the air before starting a martial cry, her lips parting and her eyes
narrowing on Ralf past his uppercut as it flashes past her face. In his
overextended moment, she steps forward and brings the airborne whip down in a
flash of harsh blue, beginning an assault of her own. "NANANANA!" Again and
again she spirals the stinging weapon around her, each arc of her arm bringing
another brief strike down upon her superior and driving him back as she steps
forward. The dust of the floor is kicked up into a maelstrom around them, and it
continues for some time.
When it's all over, she simply steps back smoothly, swinging her arm out and
letting Voodoo call quietly back into place, the girl sending a raised eyebrow
towards the clearing dustcloud, towards her now-released commanding officer.
"Was that better?" She asks, fighting back another smile.
You have to give it to Ralf. Once he started the attack, he must have very
sorely desired to finish it. The second blow misses completely, and he makes a
reckless step in to try and get that uppercut to connect. Unfortunately..it was
all for naught. The first crack of the whip catches him quite cleanly in the
side. True, his vest is still there to take some of the blow, but really..he can
still feel the impact beneath it, and it smarts. Like, a lot. The way that the
kevlar actually tears should be horribly indicative of this. Turning to face the
assault, he brings his arms up to protect his face from the slashes, and,
seriously, he tries to advance all the time. New streaks of red marr his skin
with each crack, and he's actually surprised to find his forward movement
impeded by the force of the strikes. That just..well, you wouldn't expect that
from a Whip. Shreds of fabric fly off nearly constantly; vest, shirt, bandana,
though his jeans are resiliant enough to only tear in some small lines across
the thighs. He settles for just digging into the ground and weathering the
assault, for now. He could just back off, sure..but why? To make it easier for
her to dodge later? Pff. He's a man, he knows. He can take this!
When the cloud does, at least, dissipate, Ralf is still standing, though nearly
covered in what will be welts later, along with some cuts. His outfit, from the
waist up, is shredded rather nicely. His pants look like something from the
Grunge movement.
"A bit.." Ralf is force to reply with, pulling his hands down to briefly peer
at his attire. Man, his good pants! ASS! Little time is spent reflecting on the
minor statement, though. The fingers on his right hand fidget nervously for a
second before drawing in tightly, and he has hopefully stayed close enough to
merely step once, perhaps twice, toward the younger Ikari. Once more, he looses
a straight punch, easy to predict but with the power of his abused mass behind
it. Oh..and of course, a spark of fire. Boom.
COMBATSYS: Ralf successfully hits Whip with Bomb Punch.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Whip
Oh yes.. never underestimate what the lithe coil can cause. It /is/ the secret
to most all of the girl's power! Her arms are well toned but little real
brutality lurks there, it's all in the wrist and in the flashing streak of blue
that this action powers. Twirling said wrist a little, Whip takes a moment to
catch her breath and watch Ralf with a level gaze as he takes his own brief
lull. They both need it. Causing that much pain takes a lot out of the girl, and
this isn't over yet... though she can feel the sting of the Galactica Phantom
slowly rising to a throb, bringing with it the promise of a pitch shroud.
Maybe it's this throb that causes her to slow somewhat once Ralf lunges forward,
but he uses a fair turn of speed himself, and her attempt to spin around his
fist is brought to an abrupt and painful halt, the explosion catching her
slender form shortly after the knuckle and pitching her into a forced backflip.
Only sheer stubborn will sees her land on her feet after the impact, staggering
back a few more feet with a hasty shake of her head... those really do hurt. As
though the brick wall she's been assaulting is now launching an array of bricks
at her in retaliation. She'll keep going though, and with a fierce grin she
stumbles forward on the next sway, flicking her left arm out to the side for
balance and lashing out with Voodoo.
This one could be nasty, though the initial strike is almost ponderous - aimed
as it is not for the broad torso of Ralf, but for his -neck-. It's a smaller
target to hit, and her situation is hardly ideal, but it seems worth a try..
it's high time she showed her sadistic streak to full effect!
COMBATSYS: Ralf dodges Whip's Strings Shot - Shouri.
Sadistic..pff! Please, to be sadistic, the victim has to not enjoy the gift of
pain. ...Wait, that sounded wrong. Just because Ralf seems to just eat up
damage, it doesn't mean he's.. Well, maybe he can.. Uh..you know, nevermind.
Just, let's not think about any of that.
Still, though..it must be good to see Ralf finally taking the fight more
seriously than he was. It seems like the man's just dangerous when he's put on
the ropes..not that it's easy to tell, as the walking boulder just seems to take
and take and take the abuse. But really, with someone of his size, is that
really a surprise? If anything should be something to wow over, it should be the
way that he pulls his way out of immediate danger once again. Instinct is worth
more than anything at times, and as the streak of blue begins its trek, Ralf
actually ducks FORWARD, instead of away. A buzzing sound is audible as Voodoo
slices the air over him, and he starts to make another run for the poor,
battered NESTS mole. One step lands especially hard, bringing his body low
before springing up into the air; not too high, but enough to bring his hips at
about chest-height. His body turns, spinning slightly with his feet shoved out
in front of him, replaying the awkward-looking dropkick that nailed Clark in the
back on the girl's first day here. Aaah, memories..
COMBATSYS: Whip dodges Ralf's Ralf Kick.
Yeah.. let's not think about it. Let's not think about memories either - too
much lingering in combat can cause big glaring errors like a few Whip's made
this match. Pondering too much, and thus miscalculating or mistiming an
evasion... isn't this the route of most mistakes? And this time, the young
private is on the ball. Retracting Voodoo quickly after the failed lash, she's
almost instantly gyrating, watching Ralf's approach and simply hopping aside
once his 'trademark' kick comes in. She'd seen it used before, and the nature of
such a move can make it go one of two ways; deceptive, and thus a dead cert. Or
a little unwieldy, and thus an easy dodge to make. Whip's nimble jump comes into
the latter, and when Ralf lands she's already lunging forward in a half-crouch
towards him.
"HAAAH!" This time the cry she gives lacks a building passion, and is instead
shorter, more primal. An expression of effort as she enters another combination
of bloodletting whipstrikes. She opens with a low lash across the big man's
back, but rather than immediately pushing the advantage she leaps aside after
this, making a quick feint en route and then dropping to her knees on the
opposite side. And this is where all hell is let loose, breath pounding from the
girl's lungs as she rapidly shifts her whip-bearing hand to slash time and again
from every direction, attempting to catch Ralf in a cage of pain, no advancement
made, no cloud of dust and no constant reiteration of her cry.
Far more simple, a good deal less painful but.. a lot more refined. Muchiko
finishes the combination with a glancing blow to the shoulder as she rises to
her feet, letting the whip coil back into her hand and then moving as if to tuck
it away...
COMBATSYS: Whip successfully hits Ralf with Sonic Slaughter.
[ \ < > //// ]
Ralf 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Whip
Man, is Ralf gonna be sore all day! The poor guy barely has time to land and
regain his bearings when his back is lashed..and quite soundly, too. A sharp cry
manages to leak from his lungs before it's cut back, held in by gritted teeth.
His back, arched with the sting, leaves his front and sides open to subsequent
kisses from the relentless Voodoo. Such a harsh, unrelenting mistress, she is!
Ralf turns to try and keep the hits coming on his frontside at least, but no
matter which way he turns, there's that thing again, trying very hard to push
him out of this little test.
He actually forces himself to rise, stuck between squatting and standing as he
walks into the lashings. Occasionally, Whip can get satisfaction from a "AH!" or
"SHIT!" coming from her superior, along with the very rare "FUCK OW!" now and
then. Bearing the Ikari pride and irrational resilience, or really just not
knowing when the hell to stay down and back off, Ralf bares himself to the final
licks as he ducks in, snapping his left fist out toward the girl's gut as soon
as he gets close, his right arm still raised from its attempts to protect his
face. ..It kind of worked, as he only has a few red marks blemishing his tanned
skin..and that's not tanned as in hide, but..it's hard to tell, by now.
COMBATSYS: Ralf can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Ralf has left the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Whip dodges Ralf's Quick Punch.
Oh-hohohohoho!
Well... no. Whip's quite reserved about it all, making her attack as described
and as intended - she's out of breath and pumped, simply running on what
internal fuel she has left that remains unoccupied with staving off the
still-aching Phantom, and the punch that followed it shortly afterward. Together
they have formed a nasty assault on her senses, and when finally she does rise,
smart as it looks, she really has nothing left within tired limbs. Voodoo is
lifted to its concealed harness, and stashed away deftly in the time it takes
Ralf to cross the distance. Which is about when the NESTS-trained Ikari realises
he's still up.
"Oh!" She gasps and bends backward, her right foot taking the initiative and
lancing back in a long step to get her the hell out of there. Too long, it
seems.. and though she feels his punch snap just short of her tightly uniformed
torso, she also feels her leg giving way beneath her, her other folding down
instinctively so that she lands on her knees with a dull thump. "Oof." She
remains there for a few moments, hands falling down to the floor loosely and
eyes fixed blankly on nothing, chest heaving as she sucks in lost air. If her
superior had anything left in him, she'd be a sitting duck - with the adrenaline
cooling in her veins and the energy flooding from her body, expelled in the
morning's rigours, she's got nothing left to carry on with.
Finally though, she finds some words. "Are... we done... sir?"
Ralf's blunder is rather similar, honestly. The punch is extended a bit too
far, and without Whip's body there to stop it, all he can do is stumble. Just a
little, mind you..but it's enough in his state that he also drops to his
knees..but also, having to use his hands to keep from tipping face-first into
the dirt. His body is covered with rising welts and some slashes now, and..hell,
he may as well be going out topless, with the state his clothes are in. Thank
god that his pants are, as previously mentioned, more resilient.
"Huh.. Yeah.. Think we're done now.." he says quickly, apparently a bit low on
breath, but doing a rather fine job of keeping himself from appearing /too/
tapped out. ..After all, he is the higher-ranked one here...right? Letting his
head droop some, Ralf takes in a few deep, deep breaths, emitting a short cough
as he pulls back, lifting his knees from the ground so he can squat instead.
Damn, though.. There's just..this kind of scenario's not right. It's a good
thing there weren't more of the recruits around to see this fight, or else there
would..hell, there /will/ be tons of talking about how Ralf got whupped up by a
girl. ..Tch. With a throaty grunt, Ralf rises to his feet, dusting off his pants
(and wincing as he strokes across some whip-marks in the process), and starts to
shamble off toward the barracks. "Good job. Now let's get cleaned up, before
Heidern sees us like this. He'd have our asses."
Whip is honestly not too clear on even where she is right now. The way a fight
like that catches up to you, it's fast and it's furious. Her head spinning, she
only gives a vague nod in response to Ralf as he starts off, taking a little
longer to rise herself. She waits a couple of minutes actually, until her brain
is functioning again and she can process what just happened. Yes... the
adrenaline headache is gonna be nasty. But as she eventually starts back towards
the barracks herself, she finally feels like she's made some progress beyond
personal revelation. She was given a few chances at the beginning, but all in
all? It would be hard for her place in this organisation to be denied after
that...
As for Ralf being beaten by a girl.. she won't be gloating, and maybe the fact
she arrives back in public view a short time afterward will save him from being
busted over this one?
COMBATSYS: Whip has ended the fight here.
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