Leo_G

“Interesting deductions there...I never knew there were even ninjas involved.....but,” Holmes paused to pull out a cigarette and lit it. After a quick drag, he rested it on his lip, “You need to get some of your facts straight. For one, Mr. Kelly is dead. I got the pictures and paramedic confirmed it. Secondly, no one really knows what happened to the mother. According to the surveillance cameras....some dumb crystal camera magic crap things....all we know is there was smoke that veiled the whole scene. The smoke could have been the result of an explosion caused by the equipment so Mrs. Kelly could be dead as well or it could have just been used as cover to get to her. Thirdly, the special purpose that the deceased Mr. Kelly summoned weirdos like yourselves here for was some kind of trans-dimensional equipment he was testing. The details on it I have yet to receive because the two other scientist working on the project are missing.”

Growing tired of the cigarette, the detective put it out in a nearby ash tray. “I already have a hunch on who did it and what happened but I need to review the surveillance footage more before I get any warrants.”

((Hal, Ess, Kell, Laz? Still there?))

((Heh, well I was kind of expecting for people to fan out and cover more ground but everyone kind of stuck together. I told myself "give them 15 pages to explore around and stuff and they might solve the mystery too soon" then I expanded it to 25 pages.

Well, anyway, you can still ask Detective Holmes about the clues he found but they'll be from his perspective...just so everyone sees more of the big puzzle so ask away .))

"Ah, the ninja story again," Rich grinned. "Normally, I wouldn't believe you but if the proof is there," he then pulled out a clear plastic baggie and tossed it on the table near him. Inside was a rectangular strip of paper with japanese symbols written on it. "It's some kind of paralyzing paper. I found it on one of the robots near the lab. One of my guys was completely paralyzed by just touching it. Now I have to wonder what their motives were and where they are now."

“Jase?” Ian answered, a bit surprised. “He was here? Could he....nevermind. Let’s just get inside.”

Ian was about to open up the door to let everyone in when someone from behind made their voice heard. “Hey! It’s the kook troop,” the detective laughed as he followed behind them. “Well, the investigation here is pretty much done. Everything is packed up and has been sent to the labs for further investigation so I’ll be out of your hair soon enough.”

Inside, the guest house just resembled a really large house, not a mansion or anything. There was a living room with theatre entertainment center, fire place, plenty of places to sit and relax, quite a comfortable place to stay although seeing people like Archlich and Naga around such surroundings would seem extremely peculiar.

“Okay, I’ll see to opening up the up-stairs area for you and then I can get you all something to drink if you’d like,” Ian said to the group, “I’m not very good at mixing drinks though so....does anyone have any requests?”

Detective Rich eyed the boy a moment, coming to the conclusion he shouldn’t be handling alcohol at all. “Just get me some ice, I have my own something to drink.” Rich then sat in a comfy modern arm chair and looked back over to the group. “Before I head back to the lab, I’d like to know if any of you guys found anything while you explored around.”

((And that's the 'end' of the information gathering phase. If I were grading you on your skills to explore and investigate, I'd give you all a C+ ....not bad but not good.))

“I know everything that happened but people like you don’t deserve to know,” Jase muttered softly while still pulling at his hair and staring down at himself. “....you’d only make it worse...” Jase paused and let go of his hair before looking to Essex, “Ian’s coming back but I can’t face him like this....so tell him I said hi.”

The shadow dweller soon faded from view and was gone, off to the Shadow Place. Ian arrived a few moments later, a bit sweaty from his sprint. “Okay, I got the key but you didn’t have to wait outside for me.”

Jase took note of the missing Naga and glared angrily at 2.0. “Useless ignorance has no place here,” he simply stated. “Seriously, how long have you been here yet how much do you actually know about the situation?....Nevermind, don’t answer that because I already know.”

The little android began hovering closer so he leapt to a higher limb on the tree.

[ QUOTE ]
"Sir, I don't know [you very well], but I assure you that we're only trying to help poor Ian in this time of grief."((Sorry to change your words but trust me, it makes more sense...))

[/ QUOTE ]

“Don’t feed me that crap!” Jase scolded Essex. “It’s all just some soap opera to you people. You don’t know how he feels right now....not like I do....none of this should have happened.....” Jase ran his fingers through his wild black hair, as if trying to pull out his hair to purge himself of thoughts, “....everything’s gone too far....now I just want Ian to forget all of this ever happened....he’ll never forgive me though...” The ninja looked frantic and crazed as if he might strike out at anyone for no reason.

(([EDIT] I was going to add something for 2.0's post but I think everything still works out there...))

((Actually, this kind of happened before CoT so this would be the first time he has personally met some of the group although knows everyone, except maybe Naga if she actually never went to Ess' birthday party.))

“How could you be so mindless and carefree when your friend is in obvious anguish?” The figure asked angrily to Hallucinogen. “Either you don’t care or you’re just a two-faced [censored] who poses as someone’s friend.” Suddenly, the voice could be heard from the tree behind them. Now that the figure was close, he was distinguishable. It was none other than Nightmare-Strike, a.k.a. Jason(Jase) Morgan.

“I ought to kill you right now.” Jase stood on a limb, his arms crossed and his eyes fiery. The shadows of the night were all around him so he could choose to make a move and more often than not it would be a deadly one.

As the light burst near the figure, the shadows that it created grew darker and longer and so the figure was gone. Only a moment later a voice could be heard. “What’s the big idea?” said the figure, now sitting on the roof of the guest house.

((Heh, good guess, Khell. Or perhaps it was just obvious...))

“Um, hello,” Ian said tentatively to Naga. “Well, I guess the guest house would be best for the group to stay....even for those that don’t sleep which is probably all of you.” Ian looked over at Andrew, “Do you think you could point them in the right direction. The front door to the guest house should be opened but I’ll need the key to open up most of the other rooms. I’ll be right back.”

Ian then ran back toward the main mansion to retrieve the guest house key card. As he ran off, a dark shadowy figure in the tree overlooking the guest house entrance made itself slightly visible as if it was holding its breath until Ian was gone.

<Leeksoup>:Andrew almost fell forward from the force of his sword shove going through nothing. He looked around, then snapped his liuyedao into links and wrapped it around his waist. He looked at Ian and took a step towards him. "So, Ian, good timing. Anyway, I found this bag of stuff, I was hoping you could tell me what it does." He grabbed at his waist for the bag, then became alarmed when it wasn't there. "I could've sworn I had it just now. Did I drop it during the battle?..." He knelt and started combing the grass for the bag.

<Leo>: But his search was in vain as nothing more could be found as the stiff grass began to become flacid again.

<Leeksoup>: Andrew sighed. "Hmm.... anyway, Ian, it was magical components and stuff I hadn't seen before- but then, I don't recall ever seeing that room before. If it's too late, we can see it in the morning, though I think you'd know more about it than I do." Andrew paused. "It's very odd that I hadn't seen that room before... I don't think I'd have missed it, with all the time I spend in the lab..."


~~

"Magic what?" Ian quirked for a moment then just released an annoyed sigh. "Father never told me much of anything about his research...he was also so secretive about it, except to mother...." The teen swordsman's shoulders sunk down in a discouraged fashion as he thought about his lost mother.

((Just to clear things up, we're outside....The guest house near by.))

“Ian!” Lei shouted as she witnessed the boy being hammered down. Soon he was hurt and surrounded. “Okay, time to get serious,” Lei growled and focused an immense amount of chakra in her feet. Electricity sparked and danced around her legs and they began faintly glowing. “Thunder Kick!” Lei was about to charge but another TechnoFreak struck out at her diagonally with a claw. Lei turned and swung her leg in the opposite direction so her kick would deflect the blow but instead, when her foot made contact, the claw was ripped off.

The freak winced in pain for a moment before a straight, lightning covered foot stuck him in the gut and sent him flying backward. Now the thin 12 year old girl charged the group that was ready to attack Ian. One was behind Ian and saw the girl coming and pointed her out. The freak with his back turned, looked behind him and swiped his claw back to slice through Lei’s neck but she expertly ducked under it. She shifted her weight to her hands as she balanced upside down to use the momentum she built up while charging. The freak saw what was coming next and pulled his arms up to block. Lei kicked once with her right foot which knocked the freaks arms up, then kicked with the left in the Tech freakshow’s chest. Normally, a powerful, lightning charged foot to his chest would have soon been shrugged off by the freak’s regenerative powers but the force of the kick knocked his back into a wall, nearly crumbling it. The tech on his back sparked and sent jolts of energy through him, causing the guy to black out.

Still balancing on both hands, she did a little spin and kicked the other freak with her right foot across his face, using her small weight plus her chakra charged kick to send him spinning through the air. Her fighting style had quickly adjusted to a Capoeria style on those two TechnoFreaks which caught them off guard. She picked herself back up, only faced with one last opponent who was a hulking mass of metal and flesh and tall.

“This looks like a job for Jump Kick,” she grinned. Just as the tank freak was upon her and leaned down to make his hammer fist connect, she slid down, almost lying on the ground to evade. “Time for the other foot,” she warned but the tank was too slow. “Thunderous Jump Kick!” Her foot smacked the tank under his chin, sending it flying straight up into the air. The freak was already unconscious on the way up and landed harshly on his head with a loud *THUKLANK!*

Any remaining gangers had retreated and soon the police arrived to arrest the criminals. Not wanting to get any attention, Lei pulled Ian’s arm over her shoulder and escaped to her house. “Thanks.....but I was only getting started. I could have handled it,” Ian told her.

Lei just shook her head. “Sure, if you say so.”

It was still early in the day and her parents usually worked kind of late so no one was home. Ian sat in the living room, holding his chest in pain. Lei just moved to the kitchen then the bathroom as she shouted orders to Ian. “Just don’t apply pressure.....make sure you keep taking deep breaths or you’ll just pass out from shock....and take off your shirt....” Lei came back to find Ian following her orders and sat straight up in his seat bare chested. “Well at least you’re not shy,” she said before putting some medicine and bandages down next to him.

“Okay, this is a little more serious so it will hurt but you can’t move around,” she told him. “By the look of the bruise here and here, I can tell your have a fractured rib,” her voice quieted a little as her fingers hovered around his side. “But don’t worry, I can help you. Just stay very still.” Lei’s hand went up to Ian’s arm pit as if she was going to pick him up and her other hand down on his hip. She began massaging gently which caused Ian to look away in discomfort. Soon, all his ribs began burning and he sucked air through his teeth. The hand that was on his hip shifted around to his lower back and he violently pulled away as a pain in his entire torso became unbearable. Ian squirmed on his back while she held the same areas but his shoulder began to burn as well.

Almost all at once, the burning in Ian’s entire body stopped and he was fine. Lei was still leaning over him to make sure he was okay and he smiled, “Wow, it doesn’t hurt any more.”

“Yeah, just don’t move around too much,” Lei sighed and grabbed the bandage next to her. “It will only take a few minutes to completely heal but I suggest wearing this to keep the bones in place.” After wrapping up Ian’s chest and shoulder, she returned the medicine back to the bathroom. When she turned to leave the bathroom, Ian was standing in her path with an eager look on his face. Lei almost withdrew wondering what he could be thinking.

She almost fell backward with relief when Ian grinned in a pleading manner, “Thunder Kick? Thunderous Jump Kick? Wow, you’re so cool!”

“Yeah, that’s a combination kick attack of mine,” she said proudly.

“Who taught you that stuff?” Ian continued eagerly.

“No one. I just practice my martial arts so much I made it up myself....of course, Master Cheng taught me how to focus my chi."

Ian frowned a bit, figuring he wouldn’t be able to learn it himself. “.....then I will practice my swordsmanship until I can make my own techniques too...” Although Lei was obviously far skilled for her age, she became nervous at Ian’s declaration. She knew they would be a long time rival.

"S-sure. If you think they would want to..." Ian replied with a frown. He wasn't frowning at the idea of inviting someone else over though. "There's plenty of rooms so..." his voice trailed off as he began to think about the situation.

“I may be able to learn a lot about someone by just fighting them, but I’ve only fought them a few times so I don’t know much about their background,” Ian replied, holding himself so he would shiver less. “They’re the highest ranking karamatengu and work directly with a woman named Mistress-Oni but I know next to nothing about her.” Ian began looking about, wondering if there were any other threats about. “They use wind and earth ninjutsu and are really difficult to pin down when you have them in a corner. Their tricks make them very slippery....their Daitengu leader, Fuijin, is very dangerous so don’t let her looks fool you.”

Ian’s voice began to squeak and creak in fear so he grasped his throat and swallowed hard. “So....I don’t suppose you guys would be interested in staying the night....t-t-there’s safety in numbers I hear...”

((Don't forget about my little thread ;_; ))

Lei was weaving between trees while following the swift river downstream. Eventually, she scanned Ian sputtering up water and hanging tightly on a downed limb but on the other end of the river. “Hmmm, I think I can make it if I can...” She spied the boy was too weakened to pull himself up yet so yelled to him to reassure she was on her way. “Ian! Hold on! I’ll be there in a second!” The young swordsman looked over from his limb and nodded. “I may not be able to walk on water but I can do something close, Focused Chakra!”

Her hands were positioned to focus her spirit and transfer the energy to her physical movement capabilities then she burst into a blur of speed. Lei’s feet rushed over the water, causing it to fly up in sheets. She skid to a stop on the opposite bank and quickly pulled the limb Ian was holding onto.

After coughing up the last of the water and catching his breath, Ian laid back and smiled at the girl. “What was that? Focused Chakra? How’d you do that? Can you teach me?”

Lei only slyly smiled back, “Why should I? You won’t even tell me about all that water stuff you do.”

“Sure, I’ll tell you anything but please, just teach me how to do that speed thing,” Ian pleaded, getting uncomfortably close to the girl and held his hands together tight in a pleading gesture.

“Fine, just back up will you?”

Later, they were walking through the city streets, talking about sparring, techniques and tactics with each other as if they’ve done so for months. Jing Lei was kind of surprised how this all turned out and was glad she had someone to talk to that was interested in the same things she was. “...so, if I can hit someone in the three points near the heart and the point in the lower right shoulder, it will cause their blood vessels to expand or contract which causes havoc throughout the rest of the body.”

“Oh, that sounds wicked. I bet it really hurts, even more than the Dragon’s Blood skill I told you about,” Ian said with a grin.

“I’m not suppose to use it though. I guess it’s just really interesting to just know if you ever need it.”

As they walked, Ian noticed construction going on in an area and huge colorful banners being strung up. “What’s going on with the decorations?” he asked, “Is it some kind of parade?”

“No, it’s the spring festival. Everyone in town goes there and play games and eat food all night. At the end, there’s lots of fireworks too and flowers everywhere,” Lei answered shyly pushing a lock of her hair from infront of her eye.

“Wow, that sounds fun! Do you think I can go?” Ian asked with a cheerful grin.

A faint hint of red tinted Lei’s cheeks as she answered, “You can go with me....with my friends, I mean. We all usually go together and play the games together and put our money together so we can eat some of the really good food that is sold. We might have enough money to feed you too...”

“Cool, so when does it start?”

“The day after tomorrow so we still have a while to wait.”

“Okay, I’ll be there,” Ian grinned. “So what do you want to do now? We have a lot of-” Suddenly, a scream could be heard from down the street and a crowd of people running in the opposite direction from the area. “Come on! Let’s go see what’s going on!” Ian exclaimed, no hint of fear in his voice.

Wow, he’s either brave or really stupid... Lei though before she followed.

It was a group of the TechnoFreaks causing chaos to a large sector of the town that was being decorated for the festival. The TechnoFreaks were like the FreakShow gang but they were an alternate branch of the gang that developed around Hong Kong. They may have a bit of skill in the martial arts but they rely on the physical boosting properties of the drugs they took and their slightly more dangerous cybernetic enhancements.

“Oh no! They’re ruining everything!” Lei cried.

“Not while I’m here.” Ian stepped up to the group, his bokken put away but his Tiger Fang katana drawn. “Hey! Freaks with the metal butts! Cut that out right now!”

“Heh, looks like we have a little hero here. I’ll cut it out alright,” said one of the bulky clawed gangers. The rest of the TechnoFreaks turned to the two 12 year olds and lashed out at the nearest of them. Ian lashed out as well, slashing up one of their arms with two lateral slashes then quickly ducked under two claw swipes and hand sprung from a heavy metal hammer.

It was as if claws were coming from all directions, and Ian did all he could to escape them all, only managing to make a few minor cuts on his enemies. The boy knew he was in over his head but that wouldn’t stop him. He flipped away from the group and skid to a stop with a determined look in his eye. “Now, it’s my turn....” Like a ferocious little animal, Ian pounced at the group. His blade came down on one of the claws and sliced clean through it.

“What the heck, GAH!” cried the dark skinned ganger as his claw sparked and fell apart.

“My Tiger Fang is angry now that it’s tasted blood,” Ian smiled and charged again but this time with a more offensive tactic and sliced through tech and limbs.

“He’s not half bad,” Lei said, observing the fight until she sensed an assault from behind her. She expertly ducked as the metalic claw took flight over her. She turned and did a heel kick to the TechnoFreak’s head only to have it caught in mid air. Without waiting for the enemy to follow up with another claw attack, she spun around and kicked the freak with her free leg and sent him skidding into the dirt.

Although Ian’s sword strikes were high in power, they weren’t having a high effect on the highly regenerative TechnoFreaks. A hammer smashed on the ground near him which caused Ian to lose his balance only to be smashed in the chest by another club and thrown into the dust. He struggled to recover but his body just wasn’t strong enough to withstand such blows so the group of freaks closed in to finish the boy off.

“No, you can’t arrest them now,” Ian replied as he finally walked onto the field where the battle took place. He walked up to the downed Sunako and used his leg to roll him on his back. “They’ve escaped. It’s an old trick they use. Apparently they were here for a specific reason.” The smoking body of Sunako was, just like the rest, clothes with leaves stuffed in them to look like they were real.

It was all Akikaze’s doing, who had activated a justsu to substitute his allies with dummies for the sole purpose of a distraction. Andrew would find his pockets picked and the bag of components missing.

<Leeksoup>:Akikaze's katana bit into Andrew's side and ripped open a panel and a few wires. Andrew landed heavily on his outstretched hand, flipped and landed on his feet. His side was already emitting exhaust, and it appeared that his landing damaged his left elbow as well. In all the commotion, though, it appeared that the ninjas had forgotten about him. Fuijin had gone up into the air and was fighting the 'Knight', Akikaze was distracted by Ian's appearance, and Sunako was fighting 2.0. Andrew quickly rolled directly behind Sunako as he was distracted by his spells, gripped his Liuyedao with both hands, and jammed it as hard as he could aiming for Sunako's neck. ((I'm not saying I hit him becuase that's up to the GM. I can't exactly see how he could miss, but I suppose Akikaze could wake up and throw a rock at Andrew or something.))

~~

“You seem to overestimate yourself....or underestimate your opponent. That is a fatal mistake,” Fuijin simply stated to the charged up lich. “Akikaze?” She said, turning her head toward the ninja just before being engulfed in an eruption of light.

Akikaze wasted no time, and drew out an orange flower and held it with both hands. Suddenly, he leapt in front of Andrew and took the blade in his chest. He was gasping for a moment as the blade struck through him before falling completely limp on the sword.

2.0's spines impaled Namikaze, who was still laid out on the ground but Sunako expertly deflected the spine aimed at him with his quickly drawn katana. While holding his sword down toward the ground, he performed a monestrous amount of hand signs, preparing a devastating technique for the phantasm and 2.0 but he glanced behind him before halting further hand movements and bowed toward his enemies. Before the sand ninja could finish his bow, he was plowed back by a burst of light thrown at him by the phantom.

((Calling all Liches, a hurricane force wind blast is waiting for you overhead. Calling all Archliches.))

You should stick Jenny in SH101....just a suggestion....

((Now for Khell to post his reaction....*looks at watch*))

What about Autumn? What was her name? Cross Wind? Or is she someone else's character?

Anyways,

Ian has both of his parents but in Live by the Sword this whole....nevermind, I'll give away the story.

Jing Lei, I'm not sure. I haven't developed her full character yet so not sure if something goes on there.

Hyun-ki, well his mother is this really.....never mind. I'll give away some story I might tell in the furute.

Jase....yeah, he was an orphan. His parents gave him up when they found out he was a mutant telepath. It's just another thing that keeps him in the profession of killing people for money/fun/because he wants to see their insides.

Well....Sephiroth was pretty ....

If looks could PWN then he would be ahead of poor deranged Kefka.

[ QUOTE ]
I'anno, I still think Ian wins. XP

[/ QUOTE ]

Yay! I win! ....at least I'm a winner in the eyes of someone other than mine!

...darn.

*Puts back official T&TOOC trophy*