Starring:
Date: February 18, 2017
Summary:
Reina and Aburei are hired to recover a kidnapped inventor, but when they arrive, they find they're not the only interested party…
"Conflict of Interest"
A small city in the Land of Earth
Opportunity arises! While passing through a small city in the Land of Earth, word comes to Aburei and Reina of a kidnapping which occurred recently. At least, the family of the victim, an eccentric inventor, says it was a kidnapping. It's one of those cases where everyone's pretty sure the local yakuza did it, but there's no solid evidence, and the constabulary are leery enough of the gang which controls the city that they're reluctant to push an investigation. c.c; But the family is willing to hire a passing ninja to look into it, and Reina came along at the right time.
Aburei doesn't expect to be particularly useful until the aftermath of whatever happens. The victim might be roughed up, and of course there's likely to be a few seriously injured yakuza when Reina is through. X) "I wonder why they kidnapped this guy," Aburei ponders as they walk down the street toward the yakuza's not-so-secret hideout. "Think he invented something really valuable or useful to crooks?"
"I wonder why we're supposed to care," Reina replies. "They barely have any money to pay us. We ought to get that constabulary to pay up after we fix his problem." Money is what drives Reina first and foremost. But it interferes with no other jobs, so she's agreed to come along. And Reina always finds herself following up on the sob stories that her travel companion is attracted to. Her criticism never ceases—but neither does the aid she gives him. She's too nice for her own good.
"Maybe the inventor is onto something. Maybe they kidnapped him to make something useful or valuable." She hadn't heard about him, but who knows? So she follows the first lead with him. The yakuza. She's already focused her chakra. She already looks ready to undergo the first phase of the mission: yakuza beating.
Aburei feels Reina's chakra building and slows his pace to let her go on ahead. "I'd probably better watch from a distance at first, I'll just be in the way if things get — "
*KER-SMASH!!!*
Yes, complete with the KER part. A man comes flying through the rice-paper door of the yakuza hideout. He fits a stereotypical yakuza appearance, bald with various tattoos visible under his sloppily-tied robes. He also currently bears a distinct fist imprint on his face. Aburei instinctively trots forward to see if the man is in critical need of healing. o.o Meanwhile, more splintering and crashing noises come from inside the building, along with a lusty shouting. "HO, THIS IS BETTER FIGHT THAN I THOUGHT WOULD BE! IT HAS BEEN LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE HAD SUCH GOOD SMASHINGS!" >D
Reina grabs Aburei's arm before he can reach the wound yakuza. "Don't heal him," she says, flabbergasted. "You can't heal your enemies!" Why does she need to tell a shinobi this? Sometimes she wonders how a sweet guy like this ever survived. She shakes her head in dismay. Aburei would recognize this gesture, since Reina has used it repeatedly in regards to his actions. Fortunately, the yakuza isn't in critical condition.
There seems to be a brawl inside. Maybe somebody already came to rescue the inventor. That means they may be stealing her fees. She's already been paid, since she insisted on having it in advance. But she wants a tip afterwards! So she goes in fearlessly, ready to claim her moneyer, the inventor that isand drag him to safety. "I'm here to rescue you, inventor-san," she announces. She's raring for a brawl. Ker-smash or no ker-smash. She shoots Aburei a warning look. No healing guys who are likely to attack them!
Aburei stops short of the yakuza. "He doesn't know I'm an enemy. And I'm kinda not, really." c.ca Aburei looks over the man from a safe distance. He's still writhing a bit, so his injuries probably aren't that serious. "I'll check on you again in a bit," Aburei remarks, and steps aside to watch what happens as Reina heads in.
Another body narrowly misses Reina as she steps into the building. The fight seems to be taking place in an inner room separated from the hallway by more sliding doors, in which a couple of holes have been punched. Through the holes, men can be seen scrambling back and forth with weapons clenched in their hands, and every other moment one goes flying. Then one of them crashes through a door to create yet another hole, revealing the central figure of the fight: a large, muscular woman with reddish skin and unruly dark hair. She looks through the hole and her face, already grinning ferociously, lights up even further. "HA! REINA-SAN! Is funny to run into you again here! You come to join in smashings?!" >8D
Reina ducks as a body sails over her. As she nears she can't help but grudgingly admire the chaos. Someone is tossing the yakuza around like they're rag dolls. With enormous strength and enormous audacity. It'd be a more interesting mission to fight this guy than the yakuza. She's surprised to see the hulking form is a woman, not a man, though she ought not be too surprised. She herself can give a few yakuza a pounding, or at least a good third degree burn. "You!" she gapes when she recognizes her former comrade. And then, half friendly, half wary, "So you're still alive. Good."
Those words show a measure of affection, especially when she grins. "You're tough as ever, you beast of a woman," she says, but the tone she says it in makes it a compliment rather than an insult. She watches as Bea dispatches a few more of the yakuza. Eventually she joins in. She uses her bare fists alone, and together she does as the woman says. Joins in on the violence. They fall into a natural rhythm. Or rather, they deal out a bludgeoning worthy of a group of guys. It's refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day. "Why are you here?" she asks. "For the inventor?"
Bea laughs heartily as she swings an arm back to bludgeon a mook that was trying to sneak up on her. "Da, is hard to kill me! Even if times are hard, I survive just fine on wild beasts. Is not much money for booze since we parted ways, though." Bea half-nelsons a guy and uses him as a shield on one side while beating down attackers on the other side. "I was sent for puny smart man, yes. Is best pay I have had in long time. Good fight too!" After all the yakuza are dealt with, Bea bonks her human shield and drops him. "Oh, wait…you are probably not sent by same boss I am…does this mean we are not on same side?" -.-a
Meanwhile, Aburei sidles up to the door and peers in. By now there are enough holes that he can see what's going on fairly clearly. o.o
"Yeah sorry about disbanding," Reina says. "But too many top tier elites were starting to target us. None of us were at a level that could allow us to survive a squad of advanced Jounin. If I start up a band again it'll be when I'm much stronger." She seems strong enough. She puts a fist into one of the yakuza's belly. A few try to run away, but she tackles them from behind, sending them all sprawling. The room is getting heated from the battle. Infact, it's literally growing hotter. Something about Reina's scorch ability has always relied on her emotions to a degree. She's literally generating heat.
"Have you seen any of the others?" she asks. "I haven't." Her tone is a bit wistful. She misses her ragtag band of bandits. They had some good times. She lobs a yakuza right at Bea. Like a tossed bouquet.
Bea uppercuts the yakuza tossed at her. "No, nobody really wants to be around me too much unless there is smashings needed." Bea squints against the heat in the room. "But you are avoiding question. That makes me nervous. I know you can outsmart me." :/ Bea steps over to where the inventor lies bound and hoists him over her shoulder. "Let's talk it over. How much is he worth to you? Because my boss offered me…" And Bea names a figure over five times what Reina got from the inventor's family. 8o
"Um…your boss asked you to rescue that guy, right? Does it really matter who does it?" o.o Bea glances aside. "…Who is tiny man?" e.e
Reina grins to Bea when she talks about what she's best at. Which is definitely smashing. Though Reina is holding up quite well, she just doesn't quite have the ferocity that Bea does when it comes to pummeling someone with her bare fists. However, her smile dissolves when Bea mentions a figure five times the amount she was offered. She follows Bea's gaze when she looks at her companion. Reina gives him an accusatory look. He really does want her to work for chump change, doesn't he? She turns back to Bea. "My client paid me in advance," she says, "with the purpose to return the inventor safely. As long as the end result is the same, I'll get my (pitiably) lesser amount from them. So you can take him, so long as he's willing to go with you. So I'll accompany you until he gives the say so. If he doesn't, our nice time together may come to an end." There's a serious note of regret in her voice. She doesn't want to have to turn on her former comrade and drinking buddy. Hopefully Bea's client has the inventor's best interest at heart, as well. "Do you know why this guy is so important anyway?" She falls in beside Bea, to go to their boss.
Bea beams. "Ho, you got money already? Is no problems then. We give smart man to my boss and all get money that way. I even give you some for not interfering, yes?" ;) Bea starts off with the wriggling inventor grasped firmly. Aburei scuttles to catch up, not comfortable with the sound of things here. o.O; "Um, I'm Ongakuno Aburei, a friend of Reina-san's," he says, introducing himself since nobody else did. "We've been traveling together." Bea turns around to do the 'Osu!' pose with her free arm. "Confrontation Bear-Fist User, Rittoru Bea. So, what are you good at?" "Um…healing, mainly." "Hm. Could be useful, when group gets big." Bea turns back to Reina. "I did not ask why boss wants smart man. I probably would not understand anyway." The inventor, sensing Aburei might be of a less mercenary nature, speaks to him urgently. "I've been working on a new printing method! Those goons wanted me to use it for making counterfeit money! This is probably just a more powerful group that heard about it and decided to muscle in!" O.O; Bea laughs. "Print money? That sounds great! Why would anybody even want to stop that? If can make all the money you want, everybody can be rich and buy much booze!" n.n
Reina is following along cheerfully, when the inventor decides to open his big mouth. A look of reluctance comes over her face. In a way, she did what they paid her for. To save him from the yakuza. What does it matter to her if he can't keep himself un-kidnapped two seconds after that? She takes a look at Aburei, and then takes a look at Bea. "Bea-san," she says. "After this little fight, I'll get you a friend round of booze later tonight." What little fight, you ask? Why, the fight Reina starts right now as she punches Bea in the stomach. She aims for the diaphragm, so that all the air would leave her if it connected properly.
"Sorry Bea-san, but I'm afraid my client wants to return to his family," she says. "That's what I was paid for. You're going to have to go back to your boss empty handed. That or I'll have to beat you up right here." As she speaks the heat around her is palpable. Enough to make anyone sweat. It seems the inventor has another ally besides Aburei. She shoots the medic another accusing look, as if this were all his fault. Which, in a way, it is.
Small problem with that approach: Bea's diaphragm is shielded by strong abdominal muscles. The shot isn't totally ineffective, but it only about half-winds Bea. She grunts and halts in her stride. X/ "Ngh…so, is coming to this after all." Bea wastes no time in channeling rinki to her free hand, hardening it into a fearsome claw and swiping at Reina despite the heat aura. "What is problem?!" Bea shouts as she attacks repeatedly. "I will give you fifty-fifty split if you really want it that badly!" Aburei backpedals to let Reina do her thing. o.o; The inventor struggles more frantically in Bea's grip. "Ow! Hey, what's with all the heat?! What's going on?!" C.C;
"Oww!" Reina says, at the sudden punch to the unyielding stomach. She flicks her fingers to get the sting from them. Reina won't be able to beat her former comrade with fists alone. She glances over at Aburei's shoulder, and back to Bea. "I'd love the money, but I can't," she says. "I guess I'll have to be bringing that booze to you in your sickbed." She doesn't even glance at the inventor. She'll leave him, and any explanations, to Aburei.
"Bea-san I loved having you in my band," she says. "You're loyal to strength and a good drink. What more could you ask for in a warrior?" As she speaks the heat is rising, and then attacks with slicing wind. Multiple shots at Bea.
RP: Reina joins the roleplay.
COMBAT: It is now Reina's turn.
COMBAT: Reina focuses 3964 stamina to turn it into 5000 usable chakra!
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with WIND-CUTTER with a roll of: 28
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with WIND-CUTTER with a roll of: 35
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear-Claw-Break from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 25. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear-Claw-Break from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 29. - Rolled by: Aburei
Bea tries to break the incoming wind slices with her rinki-hardened hand, but recovering from the gut blow and carrying the inventor slows her down. She tumbles back with a couple new gashes in her hide. X( The inventor is knocked free of her grasp and does some tumbling of his own. x.x Aburei hops in to drag him away from the fighting. c.c Bea doesn't seem to heed that, she probably figures she can't run away with the prize with a healthy opponent on her heels, and neither could the scrawny medic. "Fine, I still do not understand why you do it this way, but I accept we are on opposite sides this time," Bea growls, getting to her feet. "Is not worth killing old friend over, but I do not give up easily." Bea's ferocious grin returns. "Besides, always wanted to find out who is best at smashings!" >D Bea slams a fist into the road and tears up a cobblestone, then hurls it at Reina. She follows up with a rush forward and one-two swipe combo.
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Flying Flagstone from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 40. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear Swipe from 20 to 30 and get(s) a 30. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear Swipe from 20 to 30 and get(s) a 28. - Rolled by: Aburei
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a FIRE-DODGE…50
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a WIND-BARRIER…44
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a WIND-BARRIER…46
"Since it's you I guess I can't go too easy," Reina says, with a sinister smile. Hot air is radiating from her like a dynamo. She propels herself along a trail of flame to dodge her attacks. The rest she stands there, and repels with a gust of wind. Nor does the wind stop there. It's swirling, slicing, carving the air around her. It's a tactic to make it difficult for Bea to get near her. She knows that her friend is a close quarters combat. During the fight Reina doesn't seem too mindful of the inventor. In fact, she's not paying him a lick of attention. She's caught up in this nostalgic feud. It'd be up to Aburei to look after their charge, while the two former Hakumei members duke it out.
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with WIND-SLICE with a roll of: 42
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with WIND-SLICE with a roll of: 36
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with WIND-SLICE with a roll of: 32
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear Claw Break from 35 to 45 and get(s) a 44. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear Claw Break from 35 to 45 and get(s) a 42. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Bear Claw Break from 35 to 45 and get(s) a 42. - Rolled by: Aburei
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a FIRE-DODGE…50
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a FIRE-DODGE…49
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a WIND-BARRIER…49
Bea swats through the wind coming at her this time, somehow managing to dispel the cutting edges as though shattering scythes of glass (ain't rule-of-cool anime logic grand?). "I will be happier if neither of us dies, but yes, give me a good fight!" >] Bea steps aside and grips the wooden support of a nearby shop awning. Tearing it free from its place with a splintering *CRACK!*, she swings the lengthy log at Reina, first sideways, then in a mighty overhead arc. Meanwhile, Aburei sets about untieing the inventor and inspecting him for wounds.
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) LOG'd from 35 to 45 and get(s) a 35. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) LOG'd from 35 to 45 and get(s) a 45. - Rolled by: Aburei
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a WIND-BARRIER…44
RPCOMBAT: Reina defends against with a WIND-BARRIER…26
Reina buffets away the blows with a powerful gust of wind, but the last attack has enough momentum to plow through the wind. She gets a glancing blow on her shoulder that sends her reeling. But she keeps her feet and flings out her head. A deadly wave of heat flares out from her hand, distorting the air, and it'd scald anything on contact. Including Bea's skin. Even Aburei would be able to feel the warmth coming from the attack. Somehow despite being the source of this, Reina isn't sweating so much as a drop. Whatever effect the heat has on others, the Miira has some kind of immunity to it.
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with HEAT-WAVE with a roll of: 48
COMBAT: Reina attacks target 1 with HEAT-WAVE with a roll of: 39
COMBAT: Reina finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Reina's turn.
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Gallumph from 30 to 45 and get(s) a 31. - Rolled by: Aburei
[NPC System]: Bea roll(s) Gallumph from 30 to 45 and get(s) a 36. - Rolled by: Aburei
Bea gives a triumphant laugh as she finally lands a hit on Reina. >D Too bad it was on the shoulder instead of the head…although she might've broken Reina-san's neck that way, so maybe this is better. e.ea Uh-oh, counter-attack incoming! Bea drops the log and throws herself to the side, but it's not quick enough to avoid the heat wave.
!!! DX
Bea spends a minute rolling on the ground instinctively, even though there's no actual flame on her. When she gets ahold of herself, she waves a hand placatingly in Reina's general direction. "Okay, you win! Reina-san is best at smashings." XP Aburei trots over and starts applying some burn salve to Bea's exposed skin. "Hold still, burns heal best if they're treated quickly." The inventor looks nonplussed. "So, um…I'll just be heading home, then?" c.c;
Reina watches Aburei and Bea under hooded eyelids, while he treats her. She knows Bea well enough to know there won't be any reprisals, after she admitted she was beaten fair and square. Not between them at least. Bea was one of the more upright brawlers she knew. So she doesn't protest when Aburei heals the enemy, and she soons falls into talking rather cozily with the mercenary.
When the inventor asks whether he ought to go home, Reina says, "First there's something I have to get." Then she'd go back into the yakuza den, and raid the entire place. She's very good. It only takes a few minutes for her to round it up the money, weapons, and other equipment and store them into scrolls. One of which she tosses to Bea, by way of compensation. "Okay now it's time to go," she says, and then to Bea, "But since we're together want to grab a drink? We'll have a good drinking game. Heh."
Bea sits stoically under Aburei's treatment, only wincing a little. =.=; It's a good thing Reina has something to do in the meantime, there's a lot of surface area to cover. c.c; Aburei makes a mental note to replenish his stock of burn salve soon. Once Reina comes back, Bea catches the scroll tossed to her with a blank look. "What is this? I am not very good at reading." c.c "I…think it's got stuff in it," Aburei supplies. "Oh, that ninja trick! Good, good. I will need stuff taken out of it later though." X) Bea stands up, giving Aburei a heavy-handed pat on the head as she does so. "Is wimpy, but is good with hands. That is why you keep him around, yes?" ;) Bea raises a fist skyward. "To drinks, then!" ^.^
Opportunity arises! While passing through a small city in the Land of Earth, word comes to Aburei and Reina of a kidnapping which occurred recently. At least, the family of the victim, an eccentric inventor, says it was a kidnapping. It's one of those cases where everyone's pretty sure the local yakuza did it, but there's no solid evidence, and the constabulary are leery enough of the gang which controls the city that they're reluctant to push an investigation. c.c; But the family is willing to hire a passing ninja to look into it, and Reina came along at the right time.
Aburei doesn't expect to be particularly useful until the aftermath of whatever happens. The victim might be roughed up, and of course there's likely to be a few seriously injured yakuza when Reina is through. X) "I wonder why they kidnapped this guy," Aburei ponders as they walk down the street toward the yakuza's not-so-secret hideout. "Think he invented something really valuable or useful to crooks?"
"I wonder why we're supposed to care," Reina replies. "They barely have any money to pay us. We ought to get that constabulary to pay up after we fix his problem." Money is what drives Reina first and foremost. But it interferes with no other jobs, so she's agreed to come along. And Reina always finds herself following up on the sob stories that her travel companion is attracted to. Her criticism never ceases—but neither does the aid she gives him. She's too nice for her own good.
"Maybe the inventor is onto something. Maybe they kidnapped him to make something useful or valuable." She hadn't heard about him, but who knows? So she follows the first lead with him. The yakuza. She's already focused her chakra. She already looks ready to undergo the first phase of the mission: yakuza beating.
Aburei feels Reina's chakra building and slows his pace to let her go on ahead. "I'd probably better watch from a distance at first, I'll just be in the way if things get — "
*KER-SMASH!!!*
Yes, complete with the KER part. A man comes flying through the rice-paper door of the yakuza hideout. He fits a stereotypical yakuza appearance, bald with various tattoos visible under his sloppily-tied robes. He also currently bears a distinct fist imprint on his face. Aburei instinctively trots forward to see if the man is in critical need of healing. o.o Meanwhile, more splintering and crashing noises come from inside the building, along with a lusty shouting. "HO, THIS IS BETTER FIGHT THAN I THOUGHT WOULD BE! IT HAS BEEN LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE HAD SUCH GOOD SMASHINGS!" >D
Reina grabs Aburei's arm before he can reach the wound yakuza. "Don't heal him," she says, flabbergasted. "You can't heal your enemies!" Why does she need to tell a shinobi this? Sometimes she wonders how a sweet guy like this ever survived. She shakes her head in dismay. Aburei would recognize this gesture, since Reina has used it repeatedly in regards to his actions. Fortunately, the yakuza isn't in critical condition.
There seems to be a brawl inside. Maybe somebody already came to rescue the inventor. That means they may be stealing her fees. She's already been paid, since she insisted on having it in advance. But she wants a tip afterwards! So she goes in fearlessly, ready to claim her moneyer, the inventor that isand drag him to safety. "I'm here to rescue you, inventor-san," she announces. She's raring for a brawl. Ker-smash or no ker-smash. She shoots Aburei a warning look. No healing guys who are likely to attack them!
Aburei stops short of the yakuza. "He doesn't know I'm an enemy. And I'm kinda not, really." c.ca Aburei looks over the man from a safe distance. He's still writhing a bit, so his injuries probably aren't that serious. "I'll check on you again in a bit," Aburei remarks, and steps aside to watch what happens as Reina heads in.
Another body narrowly misses Reina as she steps into the building. The fight seems to be taking place in an inner room separated from the hallway by more sliding doors, in which a couple of holes have been punched. Through the holes, men can be seen scrambling back and forth with weapons clenched in their hands, and every other moment one goes flying. Then one of them crashes through a door to create yet another hole, revealing the central figure of the fight: a large, muscular woman with reddish skin and unruly dark hair. She looks through the hole and her face, already grinning ferociously, lights up even further. "HA! REINA-SAN! Is funny to run into you again here! You come to join in smashings?!" >8D
Reina ducks as a body sails over her. As she nears she can't help but grudgingly admire the chaos. Someone is tossing the yakuza around like they're rag dolls. With enormous strength and enormous audacity. It'd be a more interesting mission to fight this guy than the yakuza. She's surprised to see the hulking form is a woman, not a man, though she ought not be too surprised. She herself can give a few yakuza a pounding, or at least a good third degree burn. "You!" she gapes when she recognizes her former comrade. And then, half friendly, half wary, "So you're still alive. Good."
Those words show a measure of affection, especially when she grins. "You're tough as ever, you beast of a woman," she says, but the tone she says it in makes it a compliment rather than an insult. She watches as Bea dispatches a few more of the yakuza. Eventually she joins in. She uses her bare fists alone, and together she does as the woman says. Joins in on the violence. They fall into a natural rhythm. Or rather, they deal out a bludgeoning worthy of a group of guys. It's refreshing as a cold drink on a hot day. "Why are you here?" she asks. "For the inventor?"
Bea laughs heartily as she swings an arm back to bludgeon a mook that was trying to sneak up on her. "Da, is hard to kill me! Even if times are hard, I survive just fine on wild beasts. Is not much money for booze since we parted ways, though." Bea half-nelsons a guy and uses him as a shield on one side while beating down attackers on the other side. "I was sent for puny smart man, yes. Is best pay I have had in long time. Good fight too!" After all the yakuza are dealt with, Bea bonks her human shield and drops him. "Oh, wait…you are probably not sent by same boss I am…does this mean we are not on same side?" -.-a
Meanwhile, Aburei sidles up to the door and peers in. By now there are enough holes that he can see what's going on fairly clearly. o.o
"Yeah sorry about disbanding," Reina says. "But too many top tier elites were starting to target us. None of us were at a level that could allow us to survive a squad of advanced Jounin. If I start up a band again it'll be when I'm much stronger." She seems strong enough. She puts a fist into one of the yakuza's belly. A few try to run away, but she tackles them from behind, sending them all sprawling. The room is getting heated from the battle. Infact, it's literally growing hotter. Something about Reina's scorch ability has always relied on her emotions to a degree. She's literally generating heat.
"Have you seen any of the others?" she asks. "I haven't." Her tone is a bit wistful. She misses her ragtag band of bandits. They had some good times. She lobs a yakuza right at Bea. Like a tossed bouquet.
Bea uppercuts the yakuza tossed at her. "No, nobody really wants to be around me too much unless there is smashings needed." Bea squints against the heat in the room. "But you are avoiding question. That makes me nervous. I know you can outsmart me." :/ Bea steps over to where the inventor lies bound and hoists him over her shoulder. "Let's talk it over. How much is he worth to you? Because my boss offered me…" And Bea names a figure over five times what Reina got from the inventor's family. 8o
"Um…your boss asked you to rescue that guy, right? Does it really matter who does it?" o.o Bea glances aside. "…Who is tiny man?" e.e
Reina grins to Bea when she talks about what she's best at. Which is definitely smashing. Though Reina is holding up quite well, she just doesn't quite have the ferocity that Bea does when it comes to pummeling someone with her bare fists. However, her smile dissolves when Bea mentions a figure five times the amount she was offered. She follows Bea's gaze when she looks at her companion. Reina gives him an accusatory look. He really does want her to work for chump change, doesn't he? She turns back to Bea. "My client paid me in advance," she says, "with the purpose to return the inventor safely. As long as the end result is the same, I'll get my (pitiably) lesser amount from them. So you can take him, so long as he's willing to go with you. So I'll accompany you until he gives the say so. If he doesn't, our nice time together may come to an end." There's a serious note of regret in her voice. She doesn't want to have to turn on her former comrade and drinking buddy. Hopefully Bea's client has the inventor's best interest at heart, as well. "Do you know why this guy is so important anyway?" She falls in beside Bea, to go to their boss.
Bea beams. "Ho, you got money already? Is no problems then. We give smart man to my boss and all get money that way. I even give you some for not interfering, yes?" ;) Bea starts off with the wriggling inventor grasped firmly. Aburei scuttles to catch up, not comfortable with the sound of things here. o.O; "Um, I'm Ongakuno Aburei, a friend of Reina-san's," he says, introducing himself since nobody else did. "We've been traveling together." Bea turns around to do the 'Osu!' pose with her free arm. "Confrontation Bear-Fist User, Rittoru Bea. So, what are you good at?" "Um…healing, mainly." "Hm. Could be useful, when group gets big." Bea turns back to Reina. "I did not ask why boss wants smart man. I probably would not understand anyway." The inventor, sensing Aburei might be of a less mercenary nature, speaks to him urgently. "I've been working on a new printing method! Those goons wanted me to use it for making counterfeit money! This is probably just a more powerful group that heard about it and decided to muscle in!" O.O; Bea laughs. "Print money? That sounds great! Why would anybody even want to stop that? If can make all the money you want, everybody can be rich and buy much booze!" n.n
Reina is following along cheerfully, when the inventor decides to open his big mouth. A look of reluctance comes over her face. In a way, she did what they paid her for. To save him from the yakuza. What does it matter to her if he can't keep himself un-kidnapped two seconds after that? She takes a look at Aburei, and then takes a look at Bea. "Bea-san," she says. "After this little fight, I'll get you a friend round of booze later tonight." What little fight, you ask? Why, the fight Reina starts right now as she punches Bea in the stomach. She aims for the diaphragm, so that all the air would leave her if it connected properly.
"Sorry Bea-san, but I'm afraid my client wants to return to his family," she says. "That's what I was paid for. You're going to have to go back to your boss empty handed. That or I'll have to beat you up right here." As she speaks the heat around her is palpable. Enough to make anyone sweat. It seems the inventor has another ally besides Aburei. She shoots the medic another accusing look, as if this were all his fault. Which, in a way, it is.
Small problem with that approach: Bea's diaphragm is shielded by strong abdominal muscles. The shot isn't totally ineffective, but it only about half-winds Bea. She grunts and halts in her stride. X/ "Ngh…so, is coming to this after all." Bea wastes no time in channeling rinki to her free hand, hardening it into a fearsome claw and swiping at Reina despite the heat aura. "What is problem?!" Bea shouts as she attacks repeatedly. "I will give you fifty-fifty split if you really want it that badly!" Aburei backpedals to let Reina do her thing. o.o; The inventor struggles more frantically in Bea's grip. "Ow! Hey, what's with all the heat?! What's going on?!" C.C;
"Oww!" Reina says, at the sudden punch to the unyielding stomach. She flicks her fingers to get the sting from them. Reina won't be able to beat her former comrade with fists alone. She glances over at Aburei's shoulder, and back to Bea. "I'd love the money, but I can't," she says. "I guess I'll have to be bringing that booze to you in your sickbed." She doesn't even glance at the inventor. She'll leave him, and any explanations, to Aburei.
"Bea-san I loved having you in my band," she says. "You're loyal to strength and a good drink. What more could you ask for in a warrior?" As she speaks the heat is rising, and then attacks with slicing wind. Multiple shots at Bea.
Bea tries to break the incoming wind slices with her rinki-hardened hand, but recovering from the gut blow and carrying the inventor slows her down. She tumbles back with a couple new gashes in her hide. X( The inventor is knocked free of her grasp and does some tumbling of his own. x.x Aburei hops in to drag him away from the fighting. c.c Bea doesn't seem to heed that, she probably figures she can't run away with the prize with a healthy opponent on her heels, and neither could the scrawny medic. "Fine, I still do not understand why you do it this way, but I accept we are on opposite sides this time," Bea growls, getting to her feet. "Is not worth killing old friend over, but I do not give up easily." Bea's ferocious grin returns. "Besides, always wanted to find out who is best at smashings!" >D Bea slams a fist into the road and tears up a cobblestone, then hurls it at Reina. She follows up with a rush forward and one-two swipe combo.
"Since it's you I guess I can't go too easy," Reina says, with a sinister smile. Hot air is radiating from her like a dynamo. She propels herself along a trail of flame to dodge her attacks. The rest she stands there, and repels with a gust of wind. Nor does the wind stop there. It's swirling, slicing, carving the air around her. It's a tactic to make it difficult for Bea to get near her. She knows that her friend is a close quarters combat. During the fight Reina doesn't seem too mindful of the inventor. In fact, she's not paying him a lick of attention. She's caught up in this nostalgic feud. It'd be up to Aburei to look after their charge, while the two former Hakumei members duke it out.
Bea swats through the wind coming at her this time, somehow managing to dispel the cutting edges as though shattering scythes of glass (ain't rule-of-cool anime logic grand?). "I will be happier if neither of us dies, but yes, give me a good fight!" >] Bea steps aside and grips the wooden support of a nearby shop awning. Tearing it free from its place with a splintering *CRACK!*, she swings the lengthy log at Reina, first sideways, then in a mighty overhead arc. Meanwhile, Aburei sets about untieing the inventor and inspecting him for wounds.
Reina buffets away the blows with a powerful gust of wind, but the last attack has enough momentum to plow through the wind. She gets a glancing blow on her shoulder that sends her reeling. But she keeps her feet and flings out her head. A deadly wave of heat flares out from her hand, distorting the air, and it'd scald anything on contact. Including Bea's skin. Even Aburei would be able to feel the warmth coming from the attack. Somehow despite being the source of this, Reina isn't sweating so much as a drop. Whatever effect the heat has on others, the Miira has some kind of immunity to it.
Bea gives a triumphant laugh as she finally lands a hit on Reina. >D Too bad it was on the shoulder instead of the head…although she might've broken Reina-san's neck that way, so maybe this is better. e.ea Uh-oh, counter-attack incoming! Bea drops the log and throws herself to the side, but it's not quick enough to avoid the heat wave.
!!! DX
Bea spends a minute rolling on the ground instinctively, even though there's no actual flame on her. When she gets ahold of herself, she waves a hand placatingly in Reina's general direction. "Okay, you win! Reina-san is best at smashings." XP Aburei trots over and starts applying some burn salve to Bea's exposed skin. "Hold still, burns heal best if they're treated quickly." The inventor looks nonplussed. "So, um…I'll just be heading home, then?" c.c;
Reina watches Aburei and Bea under hooded eyelids, while he treats her. She knows Bea well enough to know there won't be any reprisals, after she admitted she was beaten fair and square. Not between them at least. Bea was one of the more upright brawlers she knew. So she doesn't protest when Aburei heals the enemy, and she soons falls into talking rather cozily with the mercenary.
When the inventor asks whether he ought to go home, Reina says, "First there's something I have to get." Then she'd go back into the yakuza den, and raid the entire place. She's very good. It only takes a few minutes for her to round it up the money, weapons, and other equipment and store them into scrolls. One of which she tosses to Bea, by way of compensation. "Okay now it's time to go," she says, and then to Bea, "But since we're together want to grab a drink? We'll have a good drinking game. Heh."
Bea sits stoically under Aburei's treatment, only wincing a little. =.=; It's a good thing Reina has something to do in the meantime, there's a lot of surface area to cover. c.c; Aburei makes a mental note to replenish his stock of burn salve soon. Once Reina comes back, Bea catches the scroll tossed to her with a blank look. "What is this? I am not very good at reading." c.c "I…think it's got stuff in it," Aburei supplies. "Oh, that ninja trick! Good, good. I will need stuff taken out of it later though." X) Bea stands up, giving Aburei a heavy-handed pat on the head as she does so. "Is wimpy, but is good with hands. That is why you keep him around, yes?" ;) Bea raises a fist skyward. "To drinks, then!" ^.^
