Thriller Dragon Warriors: Bloodlines

May-Ling Parker
Oahu, Hawaii, Master Lu Chan's Dojo

May-Ling was in her favorite spot in the entire world next to home, Master Chan's private dojo. She had grown fond of the old master, and their lessons, and she all but ran to make sure she was never late for their sessions. It seemed to give her a kind of peace that was hard to attain other places, except during her meditations.

Master Lu Chan looked up at May-Ling and smiled. She held back a giggle, and smiled, as he attempted to get up and found himself laying back down. "Give me a moment. Let me catch my breath..." He said panting. "I think...I think I'm getting too old for this." May-Ling smiled. "You're not THAT old, Master." she said as she patiently waited for him. Master Lu Chan took a deep breath and then energized, jumped up and landed in a crouched position. He looked up at his student as he rose, then bowed before her, signifying the end of that particular encounter. She returned his bow.

"You have surpassed all my expectations May. I know your father would be proud." May-Ling's teacher smiled at her and nodded reassuringly. May-Ling practically beamed with happiness. As much as her father had talked of the man, she knew that he held his old teachers opinions in quite well regard. She was about to ask him about their next lessons, when she noticed he had turned from her.

"What....is.." A quizzical look came over the Master's face as he looked at the door. He motioned for May-Ling to stay back, when the front door was suddenly blown to smithereens. the ground where he remained unmoving. Mayli was shocked, and ran towards her Master and friend. She was about to check him for injuries when she froze.

"Master Chan!"

She stopped and immediately turned around. A dark figure stepped through the ruined remains of the door and entered the dojo. It was a man. He wore loose fitting combat clothing. His head was covered by a hood and the lower half of his face was also covered. Only his intense dark eyes were visible, and they now stared at May-Ling. Mayli held her ground, keeping herself between the intruder and her Master as she glared back at him, showing no emotions.

"Weak..." It declared, then he turned to face her. Mayli did not fool herself. This person had took out the door quickly, AND managed to send Master Chan flying as well. Mayli took a few steps to the side, watching the stranger.

"So, what does that make you?" He asked of May-Ling as he lowered himself into a fighting stance. This guy was sending out a challenge. Normally, Mayli would avoid a challenge or fight, but she felt that she would not be able to aid Master Chan, until she got rid of this jerk. But since she had just finished sparing her teacher, her Tonfas were over on the side of the Dojo. She walked slowly, watching the man as he sat in his fighting stance.

With the grace of a dancer, May-Ling spun and moved into a double hand punch. Mayli focused herself as she concentrated, not with her move, but with the build-up of Ki within herself. She released it, in the form of a Shockwave attack, covering the area the intruder was in, along with her sudden attack. As she attacked, she answered his question.

"Something else."

May-Li moved quickly, hopefully, she would be able to recover her tonfas before the intruder could recover. If she was lucky, perhaps he would simply leave, but May-Ling doubted it would be that simple.

Tag:GreyJedi

 

IC as Kamiko Takahashi

The day was a beautiful one for sure, it had been warm but not overly so and with hints of the soft breeze to make it even better. The nineteen year-old woman smiled to herself and pulled open the satin brocade curtains back to reveal the amazing light into her bedroom, pushing open the windows for the breeze to enter just after.

Kamiko took a step back to examine the trees surrounding the house and that filled up most of their land, finding that watching the leaves and branches billow in the wind calm her thoughts. Her mind, however, was brought back to the present when she eyed the calendar on the wall with her black eyes. The world tournament was coming soon and the closer it came, the more worried she felt about not training hard enough to earn a way in. She didn't have any idea on how to get in to begin with. Tossing her head back helplessly, Kamiko let out a breath before she could let the tension get to her.

She then faced the bed and remembered the forgotten book that was open and turned down so the page she was on was saved. It would be a good enough way to distract her mind from worrying, she mused and collapsed onto the comfortable bed, taking the book back up and begin again.

The Japanese woman was only given a brief moment to read a few words before she heard the scrapping of fabric at her door and the soft-spoken voice of the servant, Asuka. "Kamiko-sama. Your father wishes to have a word with you. He awaits you in the Dojo."

"He does?" Kamiko asked, more to herself than Asuka, and once more, set her book down. "Alright, thank you for letting me know, Asuka-chan. I'll go right away." The honorific 'chan' was used by Kamiko to Asuka when she was a young girl, when she enjoyed teasing her as if Asuka was the younger one, and like many other old habits, it was dying hard.

Kamiko stood from her bed and felt a rush of irritation in her when she noticed the bedspread had been messed up. She quickly straightened it out to her liking and left her room, knowing that Asuka would remain in her kneeling position, her head lowered as the nineteen year-old moved by her. Though the size of their property was quite large, the house itself was a comfortable size for a family of three and the few attendants waiting on the family. And even though Kamiko's father was an important one at that, the house was still filled with items that made it a personal and warm place to be.

Coming to the end of the hallway that was covered with pictures of the family on the walls, Kamiko slid open the Shoji screen door and slipped on a pair of sandals that were waiting just outside. She carefully made her way across the small wood walkway in the court yard that gave way to many beautifully made foutains and several Sakura trees that were her favorite. She stopped at the small building on the other side of the court yard that was used as the family's dojo. Mirroring Asuka's stance at the door, Kamiko knelt and sat on the backs of her heels as she opened the sliding Shoji door. "Father? You wanted to see me?" she asked in a gentle tone, waiting for him to call her in before removing her sandals.

Tag: Kamiko's Father

 

Vajra Pani
Hubei Province, China


******

"He who strikes the first blow admits he's lost the argument."
Chinese Proverb

******

The Bandits did that which bandits do.

Or at least they attempted to.

However, Vajra Pani was no easy mark.

Vajra's motion was smooth and quick. He sidestepped to the left, and pushed out with his right hand to catch the arm of the assailant by the wrist. He pulled his hand back and struck forward with his left hand, the strike directed at the mans elbow.

"OW!!!" The Bandit yelped aloud as sharp pain jolted his arm. He pitched forward and almost fell over, but was able to regain his balance at the last moment. He felt a strange numbing sensation where he was struck and quickly rubbed the spot in an attempt to revive his arm.

Vajra had no desire to hurt anyone, but it was clear what the bandits intended. The monk hoped to discourage any futher violence, but the bandit with the Machete seemed to have other ideas.

"Yaaaaaaah!!!" screamed the bandit as he performed a two handed downward chop with his weapon.

"Careful. I think he's a real monk!" The other bandit warned, still rubbing his elbow.

Tag: Despised1

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Itzhak Peled
Santa Monica, California, USA

At 12:01:44. Itzhak received the confirmation signal from the SOG Command Center. They were now alerted to his situation and would be sending in agents into the area to reinforce him should he need it.

The pier was indeed filled with tourist, given the ideal weather. Not too far from where Itzhak was standing (for the moment), an ever growing circle of spectators was forming around a group of acrobats practicing their routines in the open air.

12:03:33. Itzhak's cellphone rings. It's the anonymous contact.

["Glad to see you made it. I was begining to think you weren't going to show".]

The first thing Itzhak would notice, other than the voice itself, was the background noise. It sounded like he was somewhere on the boardwalk. Wherever this 'contact' was, he wasn't very far.

["I won't waste your precious time with pleasantries.You're having trouble getting your Drug Lords. I know some...people...who could lend some aid, in exchange for...say, your expertise."]

The voice went quiet as it waited for a response. Just then, a seagul sailed over above Itzhak, squawking as its wings caught a gust of wind and caused it to soar. Itzhak could also hear it clearly over his cellphone.

Tag: Mandeillord

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Hikari Oda

South Beach Florida, USA

It didn't take long for Hikari to reach Master Law's Martial Arts supply Store, for it was just over on Lenox Ave and Ninth. There were no vehicles parked infront of the one story tall white building, and as usual, the front door was open, welcoming its guests. The palm trees on the front lawn swayed lazily in the balmy breeze and seemed to be waving a greeting to Hikari.

Picking up the requested mouth-guards should be a matter of routine, Seeing how the Oda Dojo had an account at Master Law's. As Hikari entered, he would have been greeted cordially by an attractive receptionist at the front desk. However, no one was there. The ambient music being played made the empty front desk seem even more forlorn. And even though it was bright daylight outside, the indoor lights were off.

Something was not right. Obviously.

Beyond the reception area was a door that lead into the main store, which was presently ajar. No light came from the room beyond. Nor did any sound whatsoever.

Tag: Ameteth

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Fiona "Flex" O'Hara

Madison Square Garden, Rooftop

Excitement. Adventure. Clearly, Fiona a.k.a Flex was drawn by these things. That's what originally drew her to become the three time Acrobatic Champion and Gold Medalist she had become, but the rush of compet

 

IC - Kensu Chang

Kwong's Apothecary, Chinatown
Los Angeles, United States

Kensu set down the mortar and pestle he'd been working on, regretfully letting the rose-and-jade scent to itself as he stood up from the table. Almost as a matter of instinct, he clenched and unclenched his hands, taking a deep breath, filling his centre with the chi that powered his art.

It had been years since a gangster had walked through the doors of his store. There hadn't been a challenge to a duel from the local young bucks in a good couple of months, but they knew better than to come down and try to intimidate Kensu or his staff in his own business. These days the challengers were a bit more respectful, issuing polite bows or at least offering a cup of tea before promising to try and flatten the proprietor of Kwong's.

No, the only source for that flow of anxiety and apprehension from Judy could only be some towering great lout in sunglasses, black tank top, tattoos swirling in a distasteful non-pattern across his arms. As he moved to the front of the store, Kensu wondered which gang it was; he'd thought that when Tommy Tong's crew had come off worst in that little restaurant scuffle six months ago that the streets would go quiet for a while. Really there were only two alternatives here: either this was a new group who hadn't learned of Kensu's reputation, or alternatively they'd found some outside specialist to try and meet Kensu's prowess.

Either one meant a fight was a possibility here, and with a quick exhalation, Kensu released the chi along his limbs as he moved the curtain aside in final readiness for combat, not looking at the visitor before -- as confidently as he could -- saying to his receptionist, "Thank you, Judy. Could you see if we've some more jade extract in the storeroom?"

He looked up to see what the situation was.

TAG: Greyjedi125

 

Hikari Oda

Master Law's Martial Arts Supply Store
South Beach Florida, USA

The ride to Master Law?s Martial Arts Supply Store was quick and pleasant, the breeze and sunshine working their calming magic on Hikari. It seemed like everyone was strolling about enjoying the perfect weather, but the young man?s sense of urgency prevented any feelings of longing to take hold.

The noon sun was reflecting strongly off the empty parking lot and the one ?story- tall white building, the lazily waving palm trees looking rather decorative in the bright light, giving the shop the look of a shrine.
Thinking of maximizing his time, Hikari parks the Ferrari Segway by the open front door, his mind rehearsing his greetings should an elder or Master Law himself be present at the shop.

Entering the shop, he reflexively passes his hands through his hair in a combing motion in an attempt to look presentable for the pretty girl at the reception area. But after a few seconds go by he feels something is amiss. He knows that certain pleasantries and traditions are strictly observed at Master Law?s and having a greeter welcome every single customer is absolutely a must. He had noticed that the lights were off when he had entered as his eyes did a bit of adjusting, but since he was expecting the receptionist to be there and offer and explanation he didn?t think much of it, but now, there was a sense of alarm going off in him. ?Not good? he thought to himself, ? have to focus??

Mustering his training, Hikari crouches low and moves to nearby wall seeking cover and a better vantage point. His movements are silent and fluid, his agility and control betraying his ?laid-back? appearance. The ambient music lends an ominous feel to the situation, the beautiful melody playing without an audience, Kitaro?s Matsuri.

He notices that the door leading to the main store is ajar, no light or sound coming from beyond. Deciding that he has read the situation correctly Hikari prepares to move forth as if someone?s life was imperiled.
In the absence of normal light and sound, the untrained individual would be at a disadvantage. The young warrior concentrates inward, seeking the familiar energies that he has been taught to tap into during his young lifetime of training as an Oda. He feels the warmth and ripple effect from the subtle release of ki rush from his chakra to his extremities and the back of his neck. This simple skill should help him see and hear subtleties that were previously hidden form his senses. He quickly scans the room, every reflective surface and silhouetted object in their varying shades of black report back that he must enter beyond the partially opened door.

?There is usually and elder in this store, am I being brave or foolish?? Whatever has silenced the entire store might be beyond my ability to overcome?but if I can be of any help??_ with those thoughts, Hikari presses the button on his watch that sends a signal to the Oda Security House. Hikari doesn?t like bodyguards, but he has been inculcated with the importance of his safety as the only son of Yatsumori Oda.

He positions himself at the threshold and quietly listens for the space of three heartbeats, normal store sounds; the low hum of the central air; the music and the little fountains. He can only smell the incense from the far side of the store, but nothing else. ?Gambate Hikari?, comes the memory of his mother?s encouragement, and with that Hikari Oda stealths quietly into the darkness?



Tag: Greyjedi

 

OOC: oh shoot... i just realized i goofed something up. fiona was supposed to be a gymnast. ah well, still works on the whole i suppose.

glad you're enjoying it grey.

IC: Fiona "Flex" O'Hara/ New York City/ USA
Madison Square Garden, Rooftop

It took a moment for her vision to finally adjust to the wind, but when it dead Fiona's breath stopped for a moment. It was a truly breathtaking scene, with the sun gleaming off of the nearby buildings and a brilliantly blue sky overhead. What she couldn't see, however, was anyone else. Sighing softly, realizing it had all been just a hoax, Flex was about to turn around and go back to the floor when someone spoke to her.

Jumping slightly, Fiona turned around to find nothing but a pole sticking straight up in the air. The voice continued, it's feminine tones decidedly pleasant with a hint of an Asian accent of some sort as well. Following the pole up she noticed there was someone standing atop it, balance on one foot in a stance generally associated with fighting. It was something Fiona was reasonbly sure she could have done, but with the sheer amount of wind that there was... well, it was a slightly awe inspiring sight in all honesty. Here was someone who could provide some sort of challenge, she was sure of it.

Taking a moment to actually look the person on top of the pole over, her robes were long and flowing, and almost blindingly white in the direct sunlight. A true beauty, even with a shaved head, and utterly confident going by the look on her face. And it looked as if she knew something, something about Fiona that she was not comfortable with anyone else knowing. A most unnerving feeling. The name that was given by this most extraordinary individual seemed somehow fitting. White Lotus. This is not a flower I would want to mess with.

So it had come to this. Was she ready? Ready for what, exactly? There was only one way to find out, but something gave the sense that there was about to be a fight. Maybe there was a slightly feral tint to the White Lotus' smile? Something slightly aggressive in her posture, her almost too perfect balance? Taking a deep breath, and doing her best to prepare herself for whatever might come, Fiona spoke, her voice pleasant but not quite as pleasing to the ear as Lotus'. "That would depend on what I need to be ready for. Since I don't now that, I'm as ready as I can be seeing whatever my purpose up here is going to come as something of a surprise." Somehow knowing her jacket was going to be in the way, Fiona slipped it off and let it blow against the wall by the door, not particularly caring if it blew away entirely. She could always get another one. This, however, was one of the few times she wished she had paid more attention to her lessons on Ki, few though they were. Ki wasn't something focused on very much in Krav Maga, seeing as it wasn't so much an artform as a knock your opponent on his rear and break his face before he can do something to you type of martial art. It was all about defense and survival than competition or philosophy. Maybe she would study Ki more later? Time would tell if she was going to get that chance.

TAG: GREY

:snoopy

 

Itzhak Peled
Santa Monica, California, USA

["I won't waste your precious time with pleasantries.You're having trouble getting your Drug Lords. I know some...people...who could lend some aid, in exchange for...say, your expertise."]

The strange voice immediately was filed in Itzhak?s steel trap of a mind. He couldn?t quite place the accent, but that wasn?t important right now. The man obviously saw him and was close, as this end of the pier was bustling with more activity than the other end. His estimates were accurate as the seagull squawked above him and also through the phone. He must be close.

?Information first, payment later.? Itzhak said gruffly. There was no room to play around with this man.

Itzhak started to move in a random pattern to make sure that anyone watching him would have trouble keeping up, especially in the crowded pier. As he squeezed between people he kept one hand on his pistol and the other pressed against the minute earpiece that was his Bluetooth headset. His eyes scanned every nearby person for a cell phone or something that resembled one. These days it was much harder to spot a caller because everyone and their six year-old sister had a cell phone.

He made it to the side of the pier with little difficulty and turned around with his back to the railing. Now the informant had to approach him and Itzhak would spot him well before he came into close-combat range. His hand was wrapped around the pistol... just in case.

TAG: Grey

 

Kensu Chang

Kwong's Apothecary, Chinatown,
Los Angeles, United States

Even as Kensu entered the reception area, he was sure to feel a powerful presence. However, Kensu was a smart man and did not allow himself a glance. Not just yet. Instead, he turned to his receptionist. Judy.

"Thank you, Judy. Could you see if we've some more jade extract in the storeroom?"

Judy nodded at Kensu. Her nervousness came off her in waves. She gave Kensu a worried look, then smiled weakly as she leaned in and kissed him in the cheek.

"Just be careful..." She whispered, and then disappeared beyond the curtain.

Now, Kensu allowed himself to look up and see what the situation was all about.

Before Kensu stood not one, but two youngmen, probably in their early or mid-twenties. It was hard to tell. The one to his right was handsome, like one of the popular asian pop-stars of the day. He wore a pleasant expression and was dressed in an all white mandarin collar suit. The red hilt of an unseen sword jutted forth from behind his right shoulder. The one to his left was much more severe looking. His expression was hard and serious and his black hair ended in a long braid. He dressed much like Kensu, but in black. The gold embroidery glinted off the satin cloth as it caught the light.

"Pardon our intrusion Master Chang..." The one in white said as he began to speak. He placed his right fist against the open palm of his left hand and bowed. "I am Kim-Hong, and this is Pai-Mei. We have travelled a long way and have business with you."

Kim-Hong looked around the reception area before addressing Kensu once again. Pai-Mei stared at Kensu all the while.


"Is there somewhere more...private....where we can speak?"

Kim-Hong smiled reassuringly as he awaited an answer.

Tag: Saintheart

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Hikari Oda

Master Law's Martial Arts Supply Store
South Beach Florida, USA

The reception area at Master Law's supply store was completely unlit and deserted, which was highly unusual given the time of day. Hikari was now driven by curiosity and a desire to help. He wanted to find out what was going on, but would not do so foolishly. After alerting the Oda Security House, via signal watch, Hikari proceeds towards the partially opened door. He was alert, and that made all the difference.

Though Hikari could not hear breathing, for their was none to hear, and could bearly distinguish the near impreceptible foot falls being masked by the music, it was the music itself that alerted him. There was a change in sound, as if something suddenly obstructed the music behind him. The change was small and would have been imperceptible to Hiraki, had he not employed his ability.

Clearly, something had moved behind him.

There was a swift and faint sound of rustling fabric as it traversed space. Should Hiraki find himself grounded in that spot, he'd find himself the unfortunate recipient of a decisive blow to the base of his neck.

Tag: Ameteth

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Fiona "Flex" O'Hara/ New York City/ USA
Madison Square Garden, Rooftop

It was High noon in New York City. The Streets were crowded with pedestrians as the lunch crowd converged upon each other to make the best of that precious hour. Atop Madison Square Garden's rooftop, a unique scene unfolded... and no one was the wiser.

Fiona's Jacket glided for a moment in the wind. Discarded. Already forgotten.

Are you ready? White Lotus had asked her.

"...That would depend on what I need to be ready for. Since I don't now that, I'm as ready as I can be seeing whatever my purpose up here is going to come as something of a surprise."

White Lotus' smile widened ever so slightly. The fierceness in her eyes did not waver as she took a visual measure of Flex. How interesting the change that suddenly came about her. There was fire brimming within her. Not even ten minutes ago, she was bored out of her mi

 

May-Ling Parker
Oahu, Hawaii, Master Lu Chan's Dojo

An intruder had come to Master Lu Chan's Dojo and had attacked him without provocation. The attack had been sudden and powerful. But May-Ling only focused on the fact that she needed to deal with the intruder at hand. And this time, she did not feel a need to hold herself back, unlike her sparing times with her Master.

With the grace of a dancer, May-Ling spun and moved into a double hand punch. As she released her Ki in the form of a Shockwave attack, she could hear the floorboards ripple. With luck Mayli's was able to reach the weapons rack that held her Tonfa's. From her visual periphery, she could see the intruder standing in place, hands balled into fists and hands crossed before him in an 'X' pattern. A small dome of energy flickered aroud him and began to dissipate. The damage her shockwave caused was spread neatly around him as he remained untouched. At least for now.

WA! This man was no ordinary jerk off the street looking for a fight. He had not even flinched during her attack. She would have much more to deal with now. She looked at him sharply as the man spoke once more.

"Yes. Something else indeed." The intruder declared firmly. He sounded almost glad. She wanted to snort. Instead, she reached for her tonfa's gripping them tightly. The man spoke once more.

"You sure you want to raise the ante?" It was more a statement than a question. Suddenly, the intruder made swift motions with his hands and three small objects flew at May-Ling with blurring speed. He snapped downward with his right arm and a baton appeared in his hand. The tip of it sparked with an electrical charge. Half a second after that, the intruder rushed at her.

Oh CRAP! Was this jerk using a stun bat? She could not worry about that now, as she had three object moving towards her quickly. And he was quickly bringing up the rear. It was time to think of something different.

With calm determination, Mayli moved. Not to the side, as her attacker might suspect, to get out of the way of the things he threw..but straight at him. She danced with precision, either moving her body to miss the objects, or using tonfa's if they got too close. She was once more channeling her Ki focus, but this time, she was preparing for defense. She had to be carefully not to use to much energy to early in the fight. And this was a fight to be sure.

She would let him make the next move, as she danced to avoid his toys. Time to see what he was made of.

"You raised the ante the moment you blew open the door."


Tag: GreyJedi

 

Itzhak Peled
Santa Monica, California, USA

["Understood. But my...associates... are not interested in monetary compensation, you see."]

Itzhak did not want to have a conversation with this man and was going to try to avoid that at any cost. Some dirty work could be done in order to get closer to achieving the goal at hand.

?Why don?t you show your face so we can discuss this in person? I thought that is what the point of me coming out here and playing your game was.? With that said Itzhak hung up on the informant and waited for the next move in the chess game. Usually informants were very desperate for cash, protection, or other services. Most of them are already very close to being assassinated from a fellow member or have had a falling out with the group they wish to ruin. This man would either call him back or accept his offer, either way Itzhak was not worried about losing this man.

Just then he felt something hit him in the leg and looked down to see a brightly colored rubber ball lying on the pier next to his foot. This made his right hang twitch very slightly and his pointer finger neared the trigger. One of the acrobats must have misjudged their throw and accidently hit him with the ball instead. He shook his head and a teenage girl acrobat immediately ran over to retrieve the ball, sticking her hands out so that Itzhak would give it to her.

As much as Itzhak did not want to take his eyes of the crowd, he also didn?t want to be an ******* and leave this girl to get her own ball when he obviously could reach down and give it to her. In a brief lapse of focus and judgment, Itzhak reached down and picked the ball up and then placed it into the girl?s hands with a big, yet fake, smile on his face.

TAG: Grey

 

IC: Fiona "Flex" O'Hara/ New York City/ USA
Madison Square Garden, Rooftop

The balancing woman's lips twitched, causing her smile to broaden ever so slightly. In some ways it was an almost impercitible thing. But one of the things that happened when Fiona prepared herself was everything seemed easier to notice, things that would normally be beyond her grasp were suddenly blindingly obviious. Almost as if her senses had been enhanced or something. She'd always thought it was just adrenaline, but maybe it was something else...

Regardless of what it was that caused this reaction, it happened and she knew the situation was balanced on a knifes edge. White Lotus said they may surprise each other, but Fiona could not for the life of her see any way she might surprise this individual who had such superb balance, which would almost certainly translate into equal skill in other areas as well. In short, for the first time in her life Flex felt out of her league. In some ways it was a good feeling, exhilerating, facing the utterly unknown and having nothing to fall back on other than herself. In others it was the pinacle of terror. Looking back later, it would probably strike her how odd excitement really is. How it mixes so many elements together, fear and anxiety with exhileration and anticipation, things that on the surface should be mutually exclusive but instead mixed together on innumerable occasions throughout a persons life.

What happened next was indeed something of a surprise. The asian woman jumped down and immediately upon landing the staff (Fiona realized belatedly that it was a rather long version of said weapon) was batted at her in a move that would entangle a regular person's feet. For her this was almost laughable easy, especially in her prepared state. The real trick was going to be making sure that the staff didn't catch her on a rebound or some such. Drawing on her inner strength she leapt into the air, and noticed Lotus doing the same. While Fiona managed to gain a decidedly respecable height for a jump from a stock still position (sixish feet), the other woman was decidedly farther in the air and had not been running before hand.

Mouth falling open slightly, Fiona landed and considered grabbing the staff to try and hit the seemingly flying other woman, but odds were not particularly great that she would even be able to reach her.

Trying to stay alert for anything or anyone else that might try and sneak up on her, Fiona circled to the side and considered her options. Having a wall at her back for the moment seemed like a good idea. And should White Lotus decide to fall on her in some fashion a miss would be far more painful.

There was one thing she might could try. It had never actually succeeded before, but something felt different today. There was a sense of destiny over the day, so what better time for this to work? Taking a deep breath, Fiona focused herself as she would before going into a routine... and drew on that focus just as she'd been told to do. To her utter astonishment, something happened. Fiona could feel an energy shifting about, and somehow it felt moldable.

Drawing some of it to her hands, and having not taken her eyes off of the other woman who was still "flying" (something that truly boggled her mind), Fiona molded the energy into a projectile. When she felt it was ready, she threw both of her hands at White Lotus and "pushed" the energy at her.

Immediately after she felt it leave, a slight weariness descended over her. This was tiring, and if she used this new found energy source too much she realized exhaustion was not terribly far behind. And potentially death, because what would a challenge be without some kind of stakes? At the moment that was the only stakes she could think of. What was I thinking... Stupid, stupid, stupid. Yet she knew this was where she was supposed to be. She could feel it.

TAG: GREY

OOC: hope that works, not something i've ever really considered how to integrate into

 

IC: Teresa Starkos
London, UK

A couple of minutes of determined shoving brought Teresa up to the mezzanine level, and in sight of the scene of the crime. There: a scuffle had broken out in front of Video Explosion, where a few young ruffians had decided to prove how tough they were by beating up Old Jackie. She quickened her stride - Old Jackie might be a homeless drunk, but he was amusing and harmless - she opened her mouth to shout, call them off -

But as she drew closer, she noticed something ... odd.

Namely, that the kids were failing miserably at even landing a hit on Jackie.

Teresa stopped short, staring. It was very strange to watch him - there was a combination of absolute indifference (for he didn't even seem to notice that them) and balletic grace in how he avoided and countered their blows. She had never seen anything like that before. In a matter of seconds, they were all down, groaning and clutching their respective bruises. Old Jackie made a face.

Then, to Teresa's surprise, he turned and greeted her with a wave and a smile.

Cautiously, the doctor approached. She had come here to help: he didn't look like he needed any, and she didn't sympathise with any kids who thought five-on-one was fair, but - she had made it all the way here, and curiosity alone propelled her forward. "What's going on here?" she demanded of the young ruffians, more authoritatively than she felt. "What do you lot think you're doing?"

It belatedly occurred to her that she should have called mall security before charging in. But she had assumed they would already be here... they were pretty fast normally ...

TAG: Grey

 

Hikari Oda

Master Law?s Martial Arts Supply Store
South Beach Florida, USA



The shop was dark and deserted at high noon. Not exactly what Hikari was expecting to find when he came in, this it was definitely unusual. His initial curiosity was quickly replaced with a desire to help, since he was guessing that some form of trouble might have led to this strange desolation. Though resolved to investigate, he took the precaution of contacting the Oda Security House, he couldn?t shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

Hikari didn?t wish to be at a disadvantage in the darkness and be taken by surprise; he was going to prepare himself before moving deeper into the gloom. Using a measure of his skills with ki, the darkness is transformed into a panorama of shapes of varying degrees of grays and neutral colors, almost as if the moon had appeared indoors. His range still needed work, but this was better than total darkness.

His alarm was giving way to slight frustration? ?Except for the music I hear nothing?no breathing?no footsteps? huh!??
If he didn?t know better he would swear that someone was using the music to mask his or her footfalls, definitely not an amateur. And then it happened; there was a slight change in the music, the type that happens when a hand moves quickly over the ears, almost imperceptible if not for the ki enhancement, but definite in its meaning.

?Behind me!?_ Thought and action become one and time slows to a crawl.
This second use of ki is prompted by the realization that he has been discovered, in the dark no less, by someone who is most likely superior to him in skill. Be that as it may, he will need to muster all his agility and skills if he is to survive or distract this person long enough for authorities to arrive. Thus the energies fuel his limbs with their galvanic miracle and his body is in motion with fluidity and speed not meant for mortals.

As he begins his evasive maneuver Hikari hears the swift and faint sound of rustling fabric as it traverses space, towards him. His brain processing this encounter at lightning speed, he figures that there are a few effective attack strikes from the attackers position and likewise there are a few effective defensive maneuvers from his. Performing a dexterous twist dive-roll behind a solid looking display fixture, Hikari makes sure to angle his body so that his feet, powered by the torque force of his twist can counter any possible strike should the assailant cover the distance, and perhaps the fixture can lend itself as a shield.

Realizing that this could possibly turn out to be a life and death situation, he finally begins to wonder, ?Who is this??? and will he live to find out.


Tag: Greyjedi

 

Kamiko Takahashi

Takahashi Estate, Kyoto, Japan

One of the servant ladies of the Takahashi Family, Asuka, knelt quietly by the front doors of the room of the only daughter.

"Kamiko-sama. Your father wishes to have a word with you. He awaits you in the Dojo."

She waited with her head inclined patiently and respectfully. After a small moment, there was a simple reply from Kamiko Takahashi.

"He does? Alright, thank you for letting me know, Asuka-chan. I'll go right away."

Asuka smiled faintly to herself for a small moment, but kept her place until the lady made to leave to visit her father. When she did, she quietly got up and moved back to continue her work around the estate.

As for Kamiko, she made her way to the dojo as requested and adopted the stance Asuka had for her when she slid open the Shoji door.

"Father? You wanted to see me?" came the gentle question from her kneeling position.

Her father, the powerful and important: Uksen Takahashi sat close to the door, his back to that particular wall. He turned his head to look toward his daughter.

"Yes, yes, Kamiko. Please come in. I have had some visitors as you see in which we have been discussing some certain important matters."

As Kamiko would enter the room she would notice her father sitting with two other men in monk's robes with him, both before him but not directly in front. Leaving an open spot in the middle, where Uksen Takahashi happened to point to.

"Come, sit. We have something to discuss, Kamiko."

The monks shuffled a little farther apart to give Kamiko more room when she came over and were otherwise quiet for the time being. Uksen watched her the whole time, awaiting any replies and reactions.

Tag: spacelady

 

Fullo Ocean
-North Carolina

Fullo held the pizza with perfect Papa John's trained balance and rushed out the door and jumped into his old black Mustang. Placing the pizza in the passenger seat, he moved out and onto the street. It was the beginning of summer and Fullo had started to feel more relaxed. It was not something easily explained. The sun was shining and girls lost clothing, but that was not it. Maybe it was the green and the old buildings vs. new buildings of Greensboro that was making him feel good. He could not put his finger on it, but Fullo Ocean was having a good day.

He pulled up to the right place and took a glance in the rearview mirror to discover that he was smiling rather brightly. Fullo nodded, grabbed the pizza and stepped out of the car. He was dressed in an old pair of blue jeans, sandals, and an ocean blue checkerboard button up. Of course, to complete the attir, his red cap was pulled backwards. The graveyard was in sight, but he paid it no mind. On a day like this, the dead were likely to rise, put sunglasses on, and head to the beach.

He knocked on the door three times and waited, rocking back and forth on his heels.

Tag: Grey

 

May-Ling Parker
Oahu, Hawaii, Master Lu Chan's Dojo

The battle between May-Ling and the intruder was now fully engaged. Master Lu Chan's student was well trained and possessed good speed. Even so, May-Ling could appreciate the level of skill the intruder exhibited. She gracefully dodged the first thrown projectile,which zipped by over her shoulder, but was forced to make a quick defensive motion withher tonfa in order to deflect the second, which came quickly at her ribs. A loud pinging sound rang out when her tonfa made contact with the thrown object, which was sent spinning to one side.

As for the third, It was already too close to deflect, so May-Li had no choice but to perform an evasive pirouette as the projectile barely graced the side of her hip. The intruder took that opportunity to press his attack as he jumped within close-combat range and performed a reverse sweep intended to knock her off her feet. He also stabbed upward with the stun batton from his low position. The electrified tip shot forward, hungrily seeking her midsection.

Fortunately for May-Ling she had not been attacking, so it was likely for her to mount some sort of suitable defense. But the intruder had a surprise for her, depending on how things played out.

How ironic it was that Master Lu Chan wasn't able to see his prized student in action, but he was well aware that fate was a fickle mistress.

Tag: Ktala

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Itzhak Peled

Santa Monica, California, USA

In a brief lapse of focus and judgment, Itzhak reached down and picked up the ball, then placed it into the girl?s hands with a big, yet fake, smile on his face.

No doubt that expression changed completely when the ball fell past the girl's hands and bounced on the floor. In that same moment, the young girl had grabbed Itzhak by both wrists and pulled him down backwards with her.

The young girl's leg came up and was hinged between them right as she smoothly hit the floor, then heaved with her leg as she used the falling momentum to boost her throw. Her strength for someone so young must have surprised Itzhak, as well as her action, which he could not have anticipated.

The SOG agent was launched a well over 6 feet into the air and almost twice the distance across. Depending how he landed, Itzhak would find himself at a great disadvantage. Hopefully his training was up to the challenge.

Tag: Madeillord

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Fiona "Flex" O'Hara/ New York City/ USA
Madison Square Garden, Rooftop

Fiona could not see it from her vantage point, but White Lotus was smiling down at her. She watched as Fiona managed to easily avoid her little trap with the pole, and was even tactically savvy enough to cover her exposed back as she moved near a solid wall. Flex was indeed clever on her feet. A quick and smart thinker. These were the attributes that truly won the day. Her potential was undeniable.

Then Fiona did something Incredible.

White Lotus slowly began to descend as she calmly witnessed, albeit with some degree of surprise, as Fiona fired a charged Ki-blast a her. The technique was unmistakable to the High Priestess. Fiona's training was farther along than she'd suspected. How intriguing.

The blue energy ball raced towards White Lotus, who regarded it for a split second, before spinning around once and catching the energy ball at the end of her rotation.
The brillinat sphere of blue energy now floated on the palm of her hand as she came down for a landing.

"Impressive, most impressive..." she declared.

White Lotus gave Fiona a nod of acknowledgement.

"Now catch!" she said, before she lifted the energy ball in the air and spiked it like a vollyball at Fiona.

Tag: Trimaj

OOC So far so good Trim.

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Teresa Starkos
Victoria Shopping Centre, London, UK

Incredulously, Teresa witnessed some

 

IC: Teresa Starkos
Victoria Shopping Centre, London, UK

Teresa opened her mouth, found herself speechless, and closed it without saying a word. This was not what she had expected at all.

That he had even recognised her was startling. She knew of Old Jackie, of course - everyone did. He was always around when she came by, and she might even have tossed him a few coins once or twice when he was being particularly funny. But she had had no reason to expect that went both ways: she had never said a word to him, not even hello, so why on earth would he even recognise her? What could he possibly want to give her?

And on top of that, Old Jackie sounded wise, and serious, and not the slightest bit drunk.

She watched, staring, as he hiccuped - an unbelievably real drunken hiccup she now knew better than to believe - and hobbled off to meet the security team. Teresa opened her mouth again to say - what? Don't hurt them? She was warning a homeless guy off hurting a bunch of buff security types. It was absurd.

Instead Teresa turned back to the kids groaning on the floor. Morality advice from Old Jackie - that sounded even more absurd, but now that she was past the flash of righteous anger, she could see that he was right. When people arrived in the ER, it didn't matter who they were: the doctors would treat the drunk driver just as they would the child with a broken leg, the stockbroker the same as the mechanic. This was the same thing... and she shouldn't need Old Jackie to tell her.

Quickly, she knelt by the closest one, the one who had been brandishing a broomstick - and unless she was mistaken, he had been hit by both his friend's purloined lunchbox and Jackie's fist. "I'm a doctor," she said. "Let me have a look - where does it hurt?"

Admittedly, there wasn't much she could do without at least a a first-aid kit, but she would do what she could for him and the others.

TAG: Grey

 

Hikari Oda

Master Law?s Martial Arts Supply Store
South Beach Florida, USA


Darkness and silence dominated the interior of Master Law?s Art Supply Store. The melancholy sounds of the beautiful gu-zheng piece played softly over the concealed speaker system, serenading the unheedful merchandise. At the moment Hikari was too busy trying to stay alive to appreciate anything but his dilemma.
The young Oda was trying to make himself as near invisible as he could, using both his skills and the darkness to good effect, but to little avail.

Hikari narrowly managed to evade the blow to his neck. The dive roll he executed was the perfect counter to the attack. But he couldn?t stop and congratulate himself for surviving this first pass. He knew that only the full measure of his abilities had enabled him to escape harm thus far, but for how long? This assailant seemed to be testing him.

Whoever was in this room with him was exhibiting great prowess and clear thinking. Hikari took notice that his mysterious opponent had not pursued him, and neither did he make any sound, he couldn?t help but to admire their skill.
It was a testament to both combatants that nothing had been disturbed in the slightest by that first pass. ?I?m going to make sure to survive this just so I can double my training? came the self-admonishment.
This confrontation was beginning to feel like a sign for Hikari to improve himself as a fighter, to enter the world of warriors and discard the contentment of the moderately accomplished.

Scrutinizing the room to the best of his ability Hikari suddenly sees a faint bluish glow reflected off one of the walls. ?? There! He must be hiding behind that pillar?wait, darn it, not in here!!!?
Recognition, realization and reaction; there was no doubt that he recognized that rapid-high pitched whooshing sound, which he realized would lead to the sonic signature of a familiar energy discharge. Hikari?s side of the room was becoming increasingly brighter as the brilliant energy sphere sped across the room and barreled to his position.

This made it obvious that this person could find him in the dark, so it was safe to assume that they were employing a higher-level skill. That being said, Hikari decided that it was time to change the cat and mouse game.
If the cat was truly a Lion, he would probably end up hurt, or worse, once they decided to stop toying with him. One had to take into serious consideration that this store presented and almost endless array of weapons to choose from, a fact that he was sure did not escape his opponent.

Experience alone told him that he had but a heartbeat and a half before the fixture acting as shield became utterly pulverized.
His warrior instinct was furiously propelling him into action; his body enhanced by ki, was moving with preternatural speed as the brilliant projectile sped towards him, singing with destructive intent.

In a flash, Hikari moves to the front of the fixture with a spinning palm strike meant to reflect the ki bolt back to the sender, hopefully saving the display furniture and creating a distraction if the assailant was still standing at the point of origin. He would continue his motion with a handless summersault over a waist high display case that upon landing would position him right by the entrance to the reception area where he would make a dash to the relative safety of the outdoors.
He was fighting in a ?burning house? and he was soon to become a young dead fool if he stayed.


Tag: Greyjedi

 

Itzhak Peled
Santa Monica, California, USA

The young girl was hardly what Itzhak had expected her to be. When he went to place the ball in her hands he was instead tossed high and far into the air by a seemingly fragile and small street acrobat. Immediately his mind went into performance mode and all of his years of experience fed into the processing center of his brain and he decided what the best action was. Yes, he was disoriented, but his training told him that he was upside down with the ground hurtling at him.

Itzhak landed on his shoulders and back and quickly tucked into a roll and sprung up in a fighting stance. He would not draw his gun just yet unless it was absolutely necessary, as he didn?t want to scare everyone. The audience clapped furiously at Itzhak?s simple maneuver and thought he was part of the show. He was very angry and felt set up. Thankfully he was still connected to the informant on the other line.

?If this is of your doing there is no way in hell I am helping you now. You are as good as dead.?

The girl stood just twelve feet away, obviously planning her next move. Itzhak raised his fists to his cheeks and glanced around at the other acrobats, making sure that he had all angles covered. He had killed girls before, and this one wouldn?t be any different.

TAG: Grey

OOC: It?s getting exciting!

 

May-Ling Parker
Oahu, Hawaii, Master Lu Chan's Dojo

May-ling dodged the first thrown projectile,which zipped by over her shoulder, but was forced to make a quick defensive motion with her tonfa in order to deflect the second, which came quickly at her ribs. A loud pinging sound rang out when her tonfa made contact with the thrown object, which was sent spinning to one side. Mercies, this man was quick! As for the third, It was already too close to deflect, so May-Li had no choice but to perform an evasive pirouette as the projectile barely graced the side of her hip. May-Ling didnt react. She couldnt afford to. Not with this guy. He was far too skilled, and quick. She should have been faster, but she would debate her reaction later.

Since she had been forced to move to the side, the man took that opportunity to press his attack as he jumped within close-combat range and performed a reverse sweep intended to knock her off her feet. That was far too simple an attack, which meant he had something else in mind. He also stabbed upward with the stun batton from his low position, seeking to strike her midsection. That electrified tip, was far too close for her liking. Again, something felt wrong. She had seen this man stop her attack with not so much as an flicker of the eye.

May-Ling thought quickly. She had never had to fight anyone like him before. She had to avoid the sweep...but moving up, would mean contacting that nasty weapon of his. And staying down, would mean dealing with the sweep. He did seem in an awful hurry to get her close... May-Ling let her Ki flow through her once more, this time taking her time to enhance her senses. There was something very strange about this battle. She felt the calmness flow through her, as she began her move. She could not afford to let her mind be splintered. She had to find her calm center, if she was going to get rid of this jerk, and help Master Lu Chan.

She leaned far back to avoid the baton the man held. If nothing else, May-Ling was very flexible. She planted her hands behind her, using the tonfas to steady her, as she brough both feet up. Feeling the energies of her Ki flow through her, she focused them to her feet. A technique, which her Master called Thunder Kick, came to mind, as she brought both feet up, once to his chest, the other to his head, as she was midway through her flip. After the kick, she let her mommentum carry her the rest of the way over, balancing on her tonfas.

As she didm she focused closer on her opponent now, looking to see if there was perhaps something she was missing, listening with all of her senses, and not simply what her eyes saw.

Jerk!

But even if she refused to acknowledge it just yet, a tiny part of Mayli thrilled in this new challenge. She had never found herself so tested before. But she only hoped that this newfound eagerness to test herself fully, did not come at Master Chan's expense.


Tag: GreyJedi

 

IC: Fiona "Flex" O'Hara/ New York City/ USA
Madison Square Garden, Rooftop

Being relatively unsure what to expect from the energy blast, Fiona was utterly unprepared for the other woman to actually catch the ball of energy and tell her that it was an impressive display. Right, if it was so impressive then how the deuce did you catch it? But that did give her more of an idea of what precisely could be done with this energy she had found. It still flowed through her, like an electrical current she hadn't realized was accessible before. It made her curious as to what was different about this situation that she had actually managed to tap into it? That was for later however.

Being told to catch, and then having an energy ball spiked at you by a woman descending from the sky slower than gravity would have liked was also highly unexpected. Again drawing upon the new energy source Fiona tried to figure out what exactly she could do that would allow her to react to this new situation. Rapidly running out of time, she knew that trying to catch it was out of the question. It was like a sphere of water, it would certainly splash all over her as she had no real clue how the hell to catch it. But maybe she could reflect it?

Picturing a tube that was the size of the ball, she formed it in her hands, with a curve to redirect the energy ball back at the still descending woman, and to her utter surprise and gratification it worked perfectly. "Uh... Catch?" Again she felt the drain and slight fatigue of the loss of energy, and she had no clue how she was going to actually replenish this supply, but given her situation using it was likely her only real option.

Deciding that staying still wasn't precisely the best idea, she started circling, still staying close to the wall so she wouldn't have to worry about that particular side.

TAG: GREY

OOC: not sure if that's... quite how you wanted redirect to work but *shrugs*

:snoopy

 

OOC: Arghh, I missed my tag. Just saw it now. I don't think this post is great at all, but I wanted to make sure I kept up.

Sorry for the wait gj.

Vajra Pani
Hubei Province, China

"Yaaaaaaah!!!" screamed the bandit as he performed a two handed downward chop with his weapon.

"Careful. I think he's a real monk!" The other bandit warned, still rubbing his elbow.

Vajra frowned as soon as he realized that the bandits had no intention of stopping their attack, as the one with the knife came forward with his long blade held high overhead it was clear what his goal was.

Feeling regret for his moment of violence, even if it was self defense, the monk decided upon a path of less resistance.

After a quick shuffle to the side, his upper body pitched forward and his arm came down. Planting his hand on the ground, Vajra preformed a one armed cartwheel which brought him past the bandit on his right side.

Once past the man, he landed on two feet, crouched down low and swept one leg out quickly and rotated it towards the mans feet.

If he was fortunate the sweep would catch the man and bring him to the ground, from there the monk could retrieve his belongings and depart from any more potential violence.

Tag: greyjedi125

 

GM's Note: Awesome job everyone!! Woot!! (Happiness! )

I'd just like to say, there's no need to worry about 'keeping up' with some of the faster scenes. Everyone will be attended to at their own pace. There will be a period where everyone needs to be and that won't be an issue.

I shall be posting a "Game mechanics and Combat Tutorial" soon, so look out for that. This will help you understand all those neat numbers on your character sheet and what they mean.

Well, don't wanna hold you up, so... Game on!

Excelsior!

---

[b]Fullo Ocean[/b]
[i]Greensboro, North Carolina, USA [/i]

[color=blue]North Elm and Fisher Ave. That's what the addressed said. There was no time to waste. [b]Fullo's[/b] black Mustang expertly zipped past some of the more 'conservative' drivers that cluttered the avenue on weekends, and upon reaching his destination, he quickly maneuvered itself into a precious parking spot. As usual, Fullo was perfectly parallel.

The day and the weather were perfect and Fullo was experincing a measure of exhilaration, and with good reason. Almost to underscore that point, there was a moving van parked in front of the address he was given. Someone seemed to be moving-in to 212 Fisher Ave. The building was a renovated Duplex. Music was coming from the upsatirs apartment and upon closer inspection, Fullo could see that the front door was open as it was held it in place by a crate. There were boxes everywhere.

Two girls dressed in shorts and t-shirts came down from the stairs that lead upstairs as they chatted with one another. They were speaking in a different language, but Fullo recognized that it was japanese. His anime education was extensive. Upon seeing him the two girls slowed and regarded him. They smiled and waved, then giggled as they passed. In they went into the rental van and began shuffling through more boxes and crates.

Hopeful, Fullo looked at which aparetment they had come from and checked it against the receipt on the Pizza box. Hmm. Japanese girls in apartment A1. Pizza delivery note....Apartment C3. darn!

Fullo remained cool and tried not to let his disappointment show on his face. He'd waved back and smiled in return. Quick of mind, it didn't take a brain surgeon to just deliver the pizza quickly and then just return to show he ladies a bit of southern hospitality! yeah, that was the ticket! No pun intended.

With that in mind, Fullo set himself to deliver the goods and fulfill his plan. He walked inside the gate of the building and took a quick look at the directory. Hmm. Apartmens A1 and B2 had entrances in the front. Apartments C3 and D4 had entrances around the back. Piece of cake!

Several powerful strides took Fullo round the back of the impressive duplex. The music from apartment A1 became a distant and muffled sound as he moved. Fullo was then greeted by a huge and well manicured backyard. A cursory glad would reveal the humble beginings of a rock garden. To his left where two doors. Apartments C3 and D4. The door to apartment C3 was left ajar, probably in anticipation to his arrival.

Might as well just go in and make the delivery. Right?[/color]

[b]Tag: Blubeast1237[/b]

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[b]Teresa Starkos[/b]
[i]Victoria Shopping Centre, London, UK[/i]


[color=blue]Groaning sounds seemed to come from every direction at once. It was hard to escape the fact that the scene was slightly reminiscent of an ER waiting room. Even on her day off [b]Teresa's[/b] work seemed to be following her around. Regardless of that, there were people in need of her help and she was not one to shirk her duty.

Teresa didn't have to look far to find her first patient. Three youths lay close to her, almost at her feet. The one she noticed first pressed both his hands to the left side of his face in a vain attempt to keep the blood from gushing down. The youth adjacent to him clutched his busted hand to his chest, trying his best to ameliorate the pain. His eyes were closed as he grimaced and ro

 

May-Ling Parker
Oahu, Hawaii, Master Lu Chan's Dojo

This puzzle was growing more stranger by the moment. A stranger had come into the shop, looking for a battle, obvisiously. And May-Ling was begining to suspect that she had been the target all along, for the person made sure to remove Master Chan. That in itself was curious as well. A bit too well thought out, as far as she was concerned. Then, it was as if he was testing her. Pushing her, to see just how far whe would go. But to what end.


As she had heightened her senses, May-Ling noticed quite a few things. As she had performed her Thunder Kick, the man had moved with a quickness, that Mayli even now could not help but find amazing. But he had not escaped unscathed. She did clip him. Her other strike had found his chest. The kick to the chest landed solidly and cracked like thunder as it was delivered, ki-energy detonating as it hit. The impact was a powerful one and sent the intruder flying backwards. But there was something odd about it.

The kick should have felt a lot more solid, more like kicking the side of a tree rather than a down pillow. Even of the man was employing some type of Ki shield, it should have been .. something substantial. As May-Ling balances herself on her Tonfas, her heightened senses also pick up another sound. The intruder lets out a long controlled exhale as he travels backwards. He seems to be riding the force of the impact as he performs controlled spins to slow himself down. It reminders her slightly of a balloon. Expansion? Or perhaps it was something more. She glances over at Master Chan for a moment, looking hard, and then back at her intruder. This definatlly felt wrong. He comes to a full stop, he rights himself and slowly removes the hanging face cloth. His mature, but still handsome face is revealed, still framed by the hood he wears. A sly smile appears in his face.

"I see Master Lu Chan has taught you a few tricks and better yet, you know how to use them well." The intruder says, then pauses, re-appraising May-Ling anew. May-Ling comes down gracefuly, gently seeking the ground as she takes a low stance, while watching the man carefully. He continues to speak.

"But is that all? Is that the extent of your powers?" he asks, taunting. He then makes the classic 'come and get me'hand motion and grins at her, eyes glinting with mischief.

But now it was May-Ling's turn to smile. She was still using her enhanced senses, as she focuses on the man. "Master Lu Chan taught me many things." she said softly, as she listened not only to the man, but around her as well. "And one of the first lessons, was that the mind was the most powerful weapon that I had. And I see through your veil." Mayli said softly, she gave the apperance of relaxing her stance, but she was anything but, as she began to channel her Ki once more. This guy was goading her to attack him. Why? She believed she knew the answer. But for what reasons, now that was a new question that she had no answer for. Perhaps she would find out shortly. But for now..

May-Ling decided that weather this was trickery, a test, or whatever other reasons for this, she would not find out the answers she sought, until she gave him what he wanted. If not the way he might have expected it. She quieted her mind, looking for that part of her where she felt her Ki most powerfully. She touched that area, and then decided to try something that she had not done but once before. The man had blocked her shockwave, as if it had been nothing. But that attack was an area attack. What if..? She suddenly had an idea.

Time to find out.

May-Ling flipped herself into the air, moving closer, but not into range to actually hit the man. She just wanted him closer. Her kick had done damage. As landed gracefully, she went into a very low crouch, and puched fowards with both hands, tonfas tight. She concentrated, releashing both Shockwave, and Ki-Blast as close to symotaniously as she could muster. It was a bit of a strain, to concentrate on both techniques, but she wanted this bit ove

 

Hikari Oda

Master Law?s Martial Arts Supply Store
South Beach Florida, USA



Time, what exactly is time. The space between heartbeats; the lifespan of synaptic impulses; the time it takes for a tree or a rock to deliver their wisdom?

So much was happening in the space of a few minutes. Finding Master Law?s Martial Art?s Supply Store dark and deserted, fighting a mysterious assailant who was clearly superior to himself, and now his parents where here. There was something pivotal happening; he could feel it. He just had to use the right set of eyes? no, not eyes, his heart and warrior?s instinct to find the clue that would lead him to some answers.
A warrior should keep not only his sword sharp but also his mind, lest he be undone by a keener opponent.

Time seemed to stop, as the universe waited for what Hikari would do next.

Yatsumori Oda gazed at his son intently, and then nodded his assent slowly. He had sent two of the four elite guards into the shop, this lifted some of Hikari?s worry for the safety of innocents inside, even though he hadn?t seen or sensed anyone else within the darkened store.
Hikari took comfort knowing that he had the best back up he could possibly wish for, but he knew that how things played out depended on his next move.

Just a few feet away from him, the mysterious assailant stood revealed in the afternoon sun. He was dressed in dark loose fitting clothing. His entire face covered, except for his exposed eyes. A silver circlet held his hood in place. Only now, in the light of day, could the tanto blade strapped to his back be seen, and the bandolier which held an array of throwing knives. Arm, shoulder and chin guards were noticeable as well. Overall, he looked like a traditional ninja.

In his training, Hikari has learned that everything is information, every action and inaction, every move, every sound and even silence. In fact, this entire confrontation had taken place in almost perfect silence; no words had been exchanged between the two.
Hikari, intent on reading the situation accurately, took a moment to calm his thoughts and allow himself a second to assess things with clarity.
The younger Oda studied the ninja before him as he lowered himself into a low-fighting stance, dark eyes still trained on Hikari.

His mind was working at light-speed, trying to make connections. The stance seemed somehow familiar, as did the garb. It looked like something that he had probably seen as a youth during his earlier years of training and with time forgotten its significance. Then there was the silver circlet. Killer ninjas don?t wear silver circlets without good reason.
No, this was no mere burglar or bloodthirsty killer, Hikari was sure that if this ninja had wanted to kill him, those nasty throwing knives would have probably been lodged in his body by now. There had been many opportunities for the ninja to have employed them.

Hikari went on to consider the fact that the ninja was here in plain daylight, confidently waiting for Hikari?s next move. A thief would have fled and not followed, a killer would likewise take flight or would be engaged in combat. All that he could see from the ninja was a perfect low stance, ideal for attack, defense and counters. There was no aggression, blood-thirst or cowardice. And the silver circlet?it has to be a symbol of station, he was almost sure.

Looking directly at the ninja, Hikari performs the warrior?s salute by pressing his right fist against his left palm, which he holds at a right angle over his chest, and bows. He finished the move by allowing his hands to rest at the sides of his body, very much as it would happen at the conclusion of a sparring match. His eyes never leave the ninja, only courage and determination evincing from them.
? I am Hikari Oda, son of Master Yatsumori Oda of Clan Oda, we are friends of Master Law?? his tone is respectful and sincere, ??I suspect that you have allowed me to get this far, may I know your name??
Hikari waits for a response, sincerely hoping that he has not made a grievous mis