Toptomcat

"Yes, yes it does- good old Shaolin Eagle Claw, not the neutered, showy stuff the State Commission for Physical Culture excreted in the late 1950s. If the only kung fu you've been exposed to is contemporary wushu, you are seriously missing out. But forgive me. This is obviously something of a pet peeve of mine, and I owe you the courtesy of focusing. HUTTAH!" Benjiro makes a pair of lightning-fast, whiplike overhead strikes that target the collarbone from both sides. Despite Nightrival's evasive footwork and well-timed blocks, the strike on the right side of the head gets through. -------- Unable to contain his curiosity, Shinken is there long before midnight. He stops a muggging or two out of sheer nervous energy, and is generally immensely amused to have possibly landed a fellow superhero as a sparring partner.

Charged and Accurate Attacked for 5, and still couldn't touch ya. Your kung fu is strong.

Charged and Accurate Attacked for 5, and still couldn't touch ya. Your kung fu is strong.

Charged and Accurate Attacked for 5, and still couldn't touch ya. Your kung fu is strong.

Shinken half moves out of his stance, conveying exaggerated surprise. "Contemporary wushu, Nightrival-san? I thought you had better taste than to use that choreographed child of totalitarianism. I don't want you to dance at me." Moving back into perfect stance, he charges in, making a precise, low swipe at the martial artist's crouching form that's still just high enough for the limber Nightrival to duck. ----- "I'll be there. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Shinken half moves out of his stance, conveying exaggerated surprise. "Contemporary wushu, Nightrival-san? I thought you had better taste than to use that choreographed child of totalitarianism. I don't want you to dance at me." Moving back into perfect stance, he charges in, making a precise, low swipe at the martial artist's crouching form that's still just high enough for the limber Nightrival to duck. ----- "I'll be there. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Shinken half moves out of his stance, conveying exaggerated surprise. "Contemporary wushu, Nightrival-san? I thought you had better taste than to use that choreographed child of totalitarianism. I don't want you to dance at me." Moving back into perfect stance, he charges in, making a precise, low swipe at the martial artist's crouching form that's still just high enough for the limber Nightrival to duck. ----- "I'll be there. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Yes, Shinken pulls the crit. And futhermore, he's going to wait to see if Nightrival can shake off the Staggered with the HP available to him, obviating the second issue. We are men of honor, not brainless thugs.

Yes, Shinken pulls the crit. And futhermore, he's going to wait to see if Nightrival can shake off the Staggered with the HP available to him, obviating the second issue. We are men of honor, not brainless thugs.

Yes, Shinken pulls the crit. And futhermore, he's going to wait to see if Nightrival can shake off the Staggered with the HP available to him, obviating the second issue. We are men of honor, not brainless thugs.

Benjiro bows to Nightrival, then adopts kasumi no kamae and waits for him to get up. This is, after all, a sparring match, not a contest of who's more willing to escalate. They could both turn this into a brawl if they wanted to, but that's not what this is about. "Are you able to continue, Nightrival-san?" ------- The line is quiet for a moment. Could he be...no. Well, maybe. I can think of two students of Lee's that have gone into superheroism off the top of my head. And he has enough of a background for it. Oh, this will be *fun* if I'm right about this. "Absolutely. Where should I meet him?"

Benjiro bows to Nightrival, then adopts kasumi no kamae and waits for him to get up. This is, after all, a sparring match, not a contest of who's more willing to escalate. They could both turn this into a brawl if they wanted to, but that's not what this is about. "Are you able to continue, Nightrival-san?" ------- The line is quiet for a moment. Could he be...no. Well, maybe. I can think of two students of Lee's that have gone into superheroism off the top of my head. And he has enough of a background for it. Oh, this will be *fun* if I'm right about this. "Absolutely. Where should I meet him?"

Benjiro bows to Nightrival, then adopts kasumi no kamae and waits for him to get up. This is, after all, a sparring match, not a contest of who's more willing to escalate. They could both turn this into a brawl if they wanted to, but that's not what this is about. "Are you able to continue, Nightrival-san?" ------- The line is quiet for a moment. Could he be...no. Well, maybe. I can think of two students of Lee's that have gone into superheroism off the top of my head. And he has enough of a background for it. Oh, this will be *fun* if I'm right about this. "Absolutely. Where should I meet him?"

Edit- never mind, silly question anyway and I found the Immunity.

Edit- never mind, silly question anyway and I found the Immunity.

Edit- never mind, silly question anyway and I found the Immunity.

Okay, this chorus of misses is getting a little silly. Time to kick this up a notch. Benjiro will Aim, take a five-foot step towards Nightrival, then Surge to get an attack. This gives a +5 bonus to the attack roll. He will then All-Out Attack for a further +5, and Power Attack for 5- leaving him at +5 to both attack and damage bonii, and -5 to Defense. Unfortunately, he gets a natural 3 on the attack roll. Therefore, instead of the planned use of a Hero Point to negate the suffered fatigue, Shinken spends it to reroll that attack- for a 19, a critical threat that gets another natural 3 to confirm. Which is probably for the best- I wanted to put you in trouble, but I don't want too big a possibility of ending this thing before it begins.

Okay, this chorus of misses is getting a little silly. Time to kick this up a notch. Benjiro will Aim, take a five-foot step towards Nightrival, then Surge to get an attack. This gives a +5 bonus to the attack roll. He will then All-Out Attack for a further +5, and Power Attack for 5- leaving him at +5 to both attack and damage bonii, and -5 to Defense. Unfortunately, he gets a natural 3 on the attack roll. Therefore, instead of the planned use of a Hero Point to negate the suffered fatigue, Shinken spends it to reroll that attack- for a 19, a critical threat that gets another natural 3 to confirm. Which is probably for the best- I wanted to put you in trouble, but I don't want too big a possibility of ending this thing before it begins.

Okay, this chorus of misses is getting a little silly. Time to kick this up a notch. Benjiro will Aim, take a five-foot step towards Nightrival, then Surge to get an attack. This gives a +5 bonus to the attack roll. He will then All-Out Attack for a further +5, and Power Attack for 5- leaving him at +5 to both attack and damage bonii, and -5 to Defense. Unfortunately, he gets a natural 3 on the attack roll. Therefore, instead of the planned use of a Hero Point to negate the suffered fatigue, Shinken spends it to reroll that attack- for a 19, a critical threat that gets another natural 3 to confirm. Which is probably for the best- I wanted to put you in trouble, but I don't want too big a possibility of ending this thing before it begins.

Benjiro scowls underneath his mask, frustrated at the inconclusive exchange of blows. I am being too conservative, forgetting the lessons of the great Japanese masters and trying to preserve my own hide. This is not some mere brawler or criminal, capable of being overcome by technology and skill alone: this man is an artist, a true warrior. To defeat him, my spirit must also be that of a warrior- I cannot defeat him without endangering myself. As I move, I meditate on Tsunetomo's words. 'I have found the essence of Bushido: to die!' Shinken is absolutely still for an instant, regaining his focus, banishing the frustration from his mind- and filling his soul with the willingness to die. Time seems to slow as he smoothly sheaths his sword once again, focusing every once of attention on his opponent. "Yagyū Shinkage-ryū iaijutsu ougi..." His blade lashes out in a smooth arc, almost too fast to see. The strike is as utterly perfect as the man is utterly exposed to counterattack. "DAIITOKUMYOUOU!" ----- Benjiro is quite impressed by Liam's recounting of his experiences, remarking on the excellent diversity of his experiences- neither too formal nor too undisciplined. He himself talks about the unusual path to martial ability he himself has taken; his damaged nerves make it impossible for him to practice martial arts conventionally, so he programmed martial arts ability into a computer that controls his muscles and those of the battlesuit he wears for him. Some would bemoan the fact that he gets his martial abilities 'out of a can', so to speak, but the fact that he had to make the can himself has arguably made his journey harder, not easier. When Liam asks for help, there is only one reply: "Of course. You're doing me a favor, after all. What do you need?"

Benjiro scowls underneath his mask, frustrated at the inconclusive exchange of blows. I am being too conservative, forgetting the lessons of the great Japanese masters and trying to preserve my own hide. This is not some mere brawler or criminal, capable of being overcome by technology and skill alone: this man is an artist, a true warrior. To defeat him, my spirit must also be that of a warrior- I cannot defeat him without endangering myself. As I move, I meditate on Tsunetomo's words. 'I have found the essence of Bushido: to die!' Shinken is absolutely still for an instant, regaining his focus, banishing the frustration from his mind- and filling his soul with the willingness to die. Time seems to slow as he smoothly sheaths his sword once again, focusing every once of attention on his opponent. "Yagyū Shinkage-ryū iaijutsu ougi..." His blade lashes out in a smooth arc, almost too fast to see. The strike is as utterly perfect as the man is utterly exposed to counterattack. "DAIITOKUMYOUOU!" ----- Benjiro is quite impressed by Liam's recounting of his experiences, remarking on the excellent diversity of his experiences- neither too formal nor too undisciplined. He himself talks about the unusual path to martial ability he himself has taken; his damaged nerves make it impossible for him to practice martial arts conventionally, so he programmed martial arts ability into a computer that controls his muscles and those of the battlesuit he wears for him. Some would bemoan the fact that he gets his martial abilities 'out of a can', so to speak, but the fact that he had to make the can himself has arguably made his journey harder, not easier. When Liam asks for help, there is only one reply: "Of course. You're doing me a favor, after all. What do you need?"

Benjiro scowls underneath his mask, frustrated at the inconclusive exchange of blows. I am being too conservative, forgetting the lessons of the great Japanese masters and trying to preserve my own hide. This is not some mere brawler or criminal, capable of being overcome by technology and skill alone: this man is an artist, a true warrior. To defeat him, my spirit must also be that of a warrior- I cannot defeat him without endangering myself. As I move, I meditate on Tsunetomo's words. 'I have found the essence of Bushido: to die!' Shinken is absolutely still for an instant, regaining his focus, banishing the frustration from his mind- and filling his soul with the willingness to die. Time seems to slow as he smoothly sheaths his sword once again, focusing every once of attention on his opponent. "Yagyū Shinkage-ryū iaijutsu ougi..." His blade lashes out in a smooth arc, almost too fast to see. The strike is as utterly perfect as the man is utterly exposed to counterattack. "DAIITOKUMYOUOU!" ----- Benjiro is quite impressed by Liam's recounting of his experiences, remarking on the excellent diversity of his experiences- neither too formal nor too undisciplined. He himself talks about the unusual path to martial ability he himself has taken; his damaged nerves make it impossible for him to practice martial arts conventionally, so he programmed martial arts ability into a computer that controls his muscles and those of the battlesuit he wears for him. Some would bemoan the fact that he gets his martial abilities 'out of a can', so to speak, but the fact that he had to make the can himself has arguably made his journey harder, not easier. When Liam asks for help, there is only one reply: "Of course. You're doing me a favor, after all. What do you need?"

I was amused by your description of Hieronymus King's entrance, Barnum- because the limo Benji came in really was armored.

I was amused by your description of Hieronymus King's entrance, Barnum- because the limo Benji came in really was armored.

I was amused by your description of Hieronymus King's entrance, Barnum- because the limo Benji came in really was armored.