Bargain Hunting (IC)

[Thevshi]

GM

The new Legion that Crimson Tiger had turned her focus to grunted slightly from the hit, but remained on her feet. She regarded the heroine a moment, glancing up at the floor above where Tsunami had now arrived, as well as the Legion that had been fighting Thaelia before focusing back on Crimson. "You just don’t seem to be getting the picture. We don't have to be tough, all we have to do is keep you busy, which we have done a pretty good job of." She spun her staff once before swinging it in a wide arc designed to force the heroine to move into the path of an attack from her twin.

The second immediately was moving to capitalize on the opening created by the first, swinging her staff down towards Crimson's upper right shoulder. The martial artist heroine was able to get her right arm up to deflect the attack off her forearm, a maneuverer that stung, but was far better than if the blow had hit straight on.

"And we have managed to get a few good licks in as well." The second one added.

[Thevshi]

Giang had sprinted back to where she and her friends had first spotted the Legion that had been attacking a security guard. The Asian teen reached the railing overlooking the area below. Most of the other shoppers were gone, either having moved into stores to hide, or having headed for the nearest exits.

Down below Giang saw Mali fighting with two of the Legion duplicates, the martial artist just deflecting an attack from one of the Legions. But before Giang could even consider how best to help her friend, she saw another Legion come running up towards the top of the escalators, coming from the direction Thaelia had gone.

A slight feeling of concern came over Giang as she took a step towards the new arrival, her hands thrusting out in front of her as she did so. A blast of water shot out from the air in front of her hands, twisting through the air towards the Legion duplicate. The blast struck the costumed criminal squarely, the force of the impact lifting her off her feet and sending her flying back more than fifty feet to slam back down on the tiled floor.

[Brown Dynamite]

As the Atlantean demigoddess once more propelled herself to an upright position with an acrobatic kip up she looked around the area.  She'd taken some heavy blows, shamefully so, but nothing that would put her out of commission yet.  If anything she was more motivated than ever.  Her first few steps forward almost brought her back down to the ground again.  But Thaelia pressed on knowing she'd be responsible if that Legion got the jump of her friends.  Her pride may have been wounded, but her enmity for her foe had just begun fill.  Taking off into a sprint, it'd be only a short burst til the Atlantean's muscular frame could cross the distance Legion had in hot pursuit.

 

Thaelia was pleasantly surprised to find Giang towering over her foe.  Or at least she assumed it was the one that had been giving her trouble.  The Glamazon's sense of honor forbade her from taking advantage of a helpless foe normally.   No such honor would protect someone from attempting to harm her friends and Thaelia's slightly beaten face was a testament to how far from helpless the villainess was.  Before even acknowledging her friend Thaelia took to a quick knee and sent a punch in a downward arc connecting with the masked woman's jaw.  

 

"It is good to see you are well Tsunami.  I had the most unpleasant encounter with this woman, needed to make sure she understood things were not forgiven yet."

[Thunder King]

Mali moved forward to strike again, taking a swing at her opponent. Unfortunately, as she did so, her foe moved with the hit and negated it completely. This was one of the more frustrating fights she'd been in. These Legion girls were surprisingly effective in a fight, even taking hits from someone who's striking power was as potent as Crimson Tiger's.

 

She hoped her friends were having an easier time than she was.

[Thevshi]

GM

The Legion that had weathered another of Crimson's attacks righted herself once more as she gave a small smile. But despite the smile, a part of her seemed distracted, her eyes glancing up towards the level above. "Well, this has been fun and all, but we think it is time for you to go down and us to get a moving." With that, she moved forward once more, her staff whipping out in front of her and forcing Crimson to take a step backward.

That was directly into the path of the second Legion, who's staff came down across Crimson's back. The martial artist was able to roll slightly with the hit, reducing the damage, but she still felt a sting of pain across her back.

[Thevshi]

Giang gave Thaelia a small smile as the Atlantean teen appeared to give the Legion duplicate another hit. "I am glad to see you as well Glamazon." The Asian teen replied. "These duplicates are indeed troublesome. It looks as if you have things in hand with this one, I am going to go see about assisting Crimson Tiger."

With that, Giang started back towards the railing along the balcony, easily vaulting over into the open space beyond. The Asian teen flipped over once, landing nimbly on the tiled floor below. Glancing up, she saw Mali still in intense combat with two of the Legion duplicates. Focusing a moment on trying to make a precise attack with her water blasts that would not strike her friend, Giang took a step forward and sent a blast of water flying at the Legion that had just hit Crimson Tiger.

But the Asian teen’s aim was a bit off, and the twisting coils of water streaked past the Legion and slammed into a column that was helping support the floor above, chunks of plaster and concrete flying in all directions from the force of the blast.

[Thunder King]

As Mali saw the water blast past her, she grinned internally. Giang's arrival was a signal that they were taking control of the situation. She hopped forward and made to kick at the girl's feet. As soon as her opponent hopped away from the kick, Mali spun around and delivered a vicious knee to her midsection with the other leg. She felt the breath leave her foe completely as she staggered back.

 

"What's wrong?" Mali said, eyes as hard as steel. "Hard to talk trash when you can't breathe, ain't it."

[Brown Dynamite]

Thaelia mounted her grounded foe tilting her head slightly to examine the damage dealt.  It wasn't enough to pay her back, she could still continue.  From on top of the Legion Duplicate that she had been fighting against Thaelia would bring down her fist.  Raining down a vicious blow directly in the center of the masked villainess face.  The loud thud of her head slamming into the ground below resounded momentarily as that version of Legion quickly found herself out of it.  

 

Leaning in so that she may whisper rather than falling back on one of her normally loud declarations.  "Did I not warn you of this outcome?  It would have behooved you to listen.   Now you shall continue to fall one by one."  Rolling back and standing anew Thaelia would glance over in the direction of her friends and then back to the villain on the ground.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Crimson Tiger's powerful knee strike sent the Legion duplicate she had been focusing on flying several feet through the air and landing hard on the ground.

 

The second Legion glanced over at Tsunami a brief moment before she closed with Crimson once more, her staff spinning around as she closed.  "Well, you can talk trash as much as you want red.  But the fact of the matter is, we have done what we needed to.  While you and your friends have been busy with us, the real me and some other duplicates have got ahold of a nice haul of diamonds from a jewelry store."

 

The Legion whipped her staff around at the martial artist's head, but Crimson was easily able to duck under the attack.

[Thevshi]

Giang was glad to see Mali take advantage of her arrival and manage to at least deliver a solid hit to one of the two Legions she was facing. The Asian teen was already starting to launch another blast of water as the other Legion who was still trying to attack Mali when she heard the young supercriminal's comment about this being nothing but a distraction.

 

The revelation was enough to throw off Giang's aim, and the twisting coils of water flew harmlessly overhead as the Legion they were aimed at easily ducked out of the way. The blast of water blew out the front window of a store, but luckily no one was nearby to be hurt by the shattered glass.

Giang frowned at her poorly aimed attack, while also glancing around to try and see if she might be able to catch some glimpse of where the jewelry store the Legion mentioned could be.

[Thunder King]

Mali was focused on defeating her foe. She was going all out, pulling no punches. Legion was falling for nearly every feint and taking a pounding, yet she still would not drop. She zig-zagged through Legion's defenses and landed a solid hit to the side of her head, and her foe was visibly hurt, yet still on her feet. This was getting ridiculous.

 

Mali hoped that Giang could help find the real target, because Mali didn't feel she could disengage, not yet.

[Brown Dynamite]

Glamazon reached out with both hands and grasped Legion's legs.  "Now it would be wise to take a nap dear Legion.  I do insist!"  Without any grace in the movement she would swing the female overhead as if she was twirling a lasso.  Before finally Thaelia let Legion free from her impressive grasp sending her flying into the nearby wall.  A loud thud echoed as the foundation was challenged by the force of the assault.  But Legion had managed to relax her body at the last moment before impact.  Making the assault no less painful, but bearable enough to roll with the force of the momentum and thereby push through no more harmed than when she started her flight.  A sharp stare by the Atlantean showing herself not pleased with the fact that Legion was still conscious.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

After somehow managing to avoid any further injury from hitting the wall, the Legion Thaelia had thrown kipped herself back up to her feet, somehow managing to not topple back over as she seemed rather unsteady on her feet.  She whirled her staff around once, but with a bit less of the flair than she usually showed, as she shifted her stance to a defensive one.

 

 

Down on the lower level, Crimson Tiger hand once again knocked one of the Legion duplicates to the ground.  But the other was still up and active.  Choosing to ignore Tsunami for the moment, the duplicate swung her staff around in a wide arc, managing to catch Crimson on the lower back.  But the martial artist had seen the attack coming, and though she had failed to dodge it, she was able to brace for the impact.  She felt a slight sting as the staff impacted on her back, but it was likely less than she might have otherwise felt.

 

[Thevshi]

Giang was not able to spot any immediate sign of the jewelry store that was apparently Legion's true target.  She looked back at the melee in time to see Mali take another hit from one of the Legions facing her.  Deciding to try one last time to help her friend before setting off, the Asian teen sent another blast of water flying at the Legion attacking Mali.

 

This time her aim was true, and the powerful blast of water slammed into the Legion from the side.  The costumed criminal was knocked off her feet and sent flying several dozen feet away from Mali, to slam into a wall between two shops.  The duplicate crumpled into a wet, unconscious heap before disapearing.

 

With a slightly satisfied smile, Giang then ran off towards the nearest mall directory to try to find the location of any jewelry stores.

[Thunder King]

As soon as the other Legion went down, Crimson Tiger was on her other target. She was tired of fighting this girl and her copies. She was tired of her rolling with punches that would knock out a bull. She was annoyed and sore and tired of fighting a girl she was pretty sure was literally running running circles around her. So, it was time to end the fight and show Legion exactly why she wasn't to be messed with.

 

Mali reached up and grabbed at Legion's right arm. She pulled the other girl off balance as her other hand reached down and grabbed Legion by her leg. She used Legion's own weight and momentum and added to it, rolling with the movements to build up force.

 

She turned and hurled Legion in a straight line as hard as she could, sending the other girl flying through the air. She watched as the other girl landed roughly on the mall floor. That, at least, had to hurt.

[Brown Dynamite]

Thaelia dove right into the pocket with Legion again.  Getting as close as she possibly could to release compact punches that still carried force behind them.  Keeping in mind that due to her strength carrying force behind a blow wasn't a matter of technique or position.  She could flick her finger and would be pretty sure it still had a shot of hurting.  If it hit that was, which judging how by Legion had been reading her up to this point was turning out to be a harder task to achieve than consider.  Switching her posture so as to lead with her right foot the Atlantean southpaw would throw a combination of jabs with her dominant hand.  Wanting more than anything to make sure to plant the villain while she was still on her last legs.

 

A hit that was all she cared for making sure happened at this point.  Her fist flew crisp and clear cutting through the air sending Legion's head flying back.  But the affordances made so that her punch could actually land was enough to keep Legion standing.  Albeit on shaky legs as the villain found herself dazed by yet another blow.  The wild look on Thaelia's face as Legion continued to stand was of quiet respect.  But Thaelia didn't do anything quietly.  "It seems I am not on the only one willing to push through a torrent of blows.  Had you not tried to hurt one of my compatriots perhaps I could leave you capable of walking."

[Thunder King]

Before her opponent had an opportunity to get back up, Crimson Tiger was there. She looked down at her opponent, who was still breathless and unable to stand. So, she bent down and, in one motion, pulled Legion's head up and delivered an elbow to her face. That was enough. Legion disappeared.

 

Unfortunately, she did not have time to catch her breath. There were more of these Legion duplicates out there, and they needed to be stopped. So she turned and looked for her friends, hoping to get a handle on the situation so she could see what to do next.

[Brown Dynamite]

Thaelia wasn't about to relent on her assault.  Still aiming for crisp accurate blows she would start another series of punches.  The first aimed squarely at Legion's liver.  An act that forced her to lower her staff relenting on the defense.  Opening her face for the reprisal that followed after.  There was no tact, no proper technique in the next blow.  It was pure aggression.

 

As Thaelia slammed her elbow into Legion's face.  The blow didn't just rock her off her feet, but flat out sent her flying landing a short distance away.  Legion almost looked as if she was about to try and stand again.  But her body was obviously not as willing as her mind as she fell unconscious.  But the situation had yet to be resolved.  Thaelia needed to follow up with Giang and Mali to see how they were doing.  A dip in the fountain sounded lovely, but only if the situation wasn't dire.

[Thevshi]

As the Legion facing Thaelia collapsed to the ground, she disappeared completely. 

 

 

Elsewhere in the mall, Giang came sprinting up to the entrance to the nearest jewelry store to find a pair of unconscious security guards lying outside.  The Asian teen frowned as she glanced around, looking for a sign of where Legion and any of her other duplicates might have gone.

 

A number of still frightened shoppers had started to come back into view, and at the sight of the teenager with a swirling sheen of water flowing around her, some backed off again, afraid she might be a supercriminal as well.  But others realized she seemed to be looking for the identical costumed women that had been robbing the store. 

"They went that way."  Yelled one of the bystanders, point off towards one of the mall exits.

 

Giang gave the man a small nod of thanks and started off in the indicated direction.

[Brown Dynamite]

Thaelia balled her fist up as Legion faded.  The situation made the victory ring hollow.  If her foe could not suffer the woe of defeat, it meant her fist still needed somewhere to fly.  More importantly it meant she missed the opportunity to gloat. An opportunity that she was not one to let just slip away. Sprinting to until she caught side of Mali...and just Mali for some reason, the Atlantean would stare puzzled.  The purple and black welts on her face distorting as she did so.  "Where is Giang?"

Moving with tremendous speed she'd get ready to descend the stairs so that she could quiz Mali as to what happened to their other friend. And more importantly, how many more Legions were left.

[Thunder King]

Mali turned to where she saw Giang go and broke out into a run. The Legion duplicates she fought were a distraction, but they had to be taken care of. An enemy who could be in multiple places at once -and- was an effective combatant was frightening. She was grateful that Legion seemed to be exclusively interested in petty theft. Turning those talents to something more malicious was a scary thought.

 

"I think Giang knows where they went." She said to Thaelia. "Let's go take that girl down. The real one."

[Brown Dynamite]

Having not seen which direction Giang ran, Thaelia couldn't well take off in a full sprint.  So instead she found herself matching Mali's pace.  Still unaware of the thefts, the lack of apparent motive in Legion's actions were confusing to her.  It seemed as if they were simply there to cause mayhem.  And after being on the wrong end of a staff enough times, it was a decision Thaelia was resolved to make them regret.

 

"I think they are aware of one another's actions judging by the way she was talking earlier.  Some sort of shared sense, obviously not extending to sharing pain and damage.  If one saw her run off, they may just be laying in wait for her."  Not that Giang couldn't take of herself.  From what Thaelia saw of her roommate's condition she seemed to be faring better than she was earlier.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Even with Glamazon having to slow down to match Crimson Tiger's speed, it did not take the two long to catch up with Tsunami, who was no faster than a normal person running.  The pair passed the jewelry store where some bystanders were starting to help unconscious security guards and then caught up with Tsunami as she was exiting the mall.

"This was all a distraction so she could rob the jewelry store."  Giang stated to the pair in a slightly winded voice.

 

The three teenage superheroines exited the mall, coming out on a small plaza next to a busy downtown street.  A number of people had all come to a halt, looking towards the street in apparent suprise.  At the opposite end of the plaza, just reaching the sidewalk, were six Legions that had been running away from the mall, a few appearing to be carrying some sort of sacks.  The six figures all skid to a halt as one glanced over her shoulder, and they all turned back to look across the mall towards the three teens.

 

The Legion in the center of the group tucked her bag into her belt as she looked across the plaza.  "Well, you three are persistent, I'll give you that.  But I think it's time to just let this go."  She called out towards the three.  "After all, I have numbers on my side."  With that statement, the Legion swung her staff in front of her with her right hand, smacking it into the open palm of her left hand.  At the impact, another Legion appeared beside her, bringing the total number up to seven.

[Brown Dynamite]

A smile formed on Thaelia's face as it appeared Tsunami was unharmed albeit in need of a breather.  Glamazon looked out at the seven Legions in disbelief.  Not because of the fact that they were now looking at a series of duplicates that outnumbered them 2 to 1 and she had enough difficulty with one.  But she couldn't fathom the idea that they thought the heroines would just let it go.  "Fiends!  Your numbers will only serve to delay the fate of the true Legion.  It will do nothing to stop the inevitable.  You shall fall before our mere triumvirate of glory! Seven is hardly enough!"

Normally she would have instead turned around the offer and given Legion the chance to surrender.  But then again normally the colorfully spoken Atlantean wouldn't have been quite so fuming.  No, she wanted to make sure that the real Legion's body was made to feel regret for her actions.  

[Thevshi]

GM

 

The Legion that had just appeared let out a small laugh at Glamazon's response.  "Big words from someone who had a tough time with one of me."  She stated.  The duplicate then spun her staff around and ran forward to the middle of the plaza before stopping about thirty feet from the three heroines.  She brought her staff back in front of her and assumed a defensive position. 

 

"You don't seem to fully understand the situation."  Stated the Legion that appeared to be the real one.  With that, she stomped one foot on the ground and yet another duplicate appeared beside her.  She then assumed a defensive stance herself.

 

Two more of the duplicates moved forward to the middle of the plaza, spacing themselves out from the first one to have moved there.  They assumed similar defensive stances.