O’Malley’s: Gundam Fighter’s welcome (Bar thread) Round 3

[Recon 5]

All over the lobby, heads turned to stare as a tall, ponytailed figure in a barely- fitting business suit and shades stepped in through the door. Assuming that the newcomer was someone important, an attendant shuffled over and offered his services.

The distinguished bruiser simply handed him a note. He looked at it, did a badly hidden double- take, nodded and scuttled off towards the elevators.

The attendant was a Neo Hongkie, and the note was addressed to his idol, Ning- Qiu Ouyang.

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Oblivious to the many pairs of eyes fixed on him, Tao Long simply stood and watched until the attendant was out of sight. He resented having to resort to such a deception, especially when it involved a lame, poorly- tailored suit.

In his note Tao had posed as Liu Fang, chief talent scout for the famous Shaw Brothers Films, arranging to meet Ning alone in the Level 3 dojo to discuss a possible acting job. If Ning's reputation held true, such an offer would definitely get her attention.

A moment later, he began walking to the elevators himself. He would need a short while to prepare for the encounter with his target.

Also, he REALLY wanted to rid himself of the ridiculous (and exceptionally uncomfortable) outfit.

[Ziryab]

"You think they would have tried to send me an email," Ning spoke quietly to herself as she looked over the note while Tomas chatted up Cheoco. "Or just contact my husband," who had eventually took over the job of being her agent.

"Oh well," she flipped and folded the note in one hand before sliding it in her pocket.

Which director? She wondered. Or sort of flim for that mattered?

She had little allusions that it would be beyond the sort of roles that made her famous and she was well known for, especially since she was Neo Hong Kong's official Gundam Fighter. It was unlikely she would be sought for any role beyond that of a fighter of some kind if she was being sought out during the Gundam Fights. In fact she currently was since she officially became a Gundam Fighter. But this was the first instance that someone tracked her down in such a manner and so closely in the midst of the other fighters.

"Might as well face the disappointment head on," sighing to herself. No telling how long it would before anyone would ever want her for anything but an action role. True, the Shaw Brother Studios did produce it share of non-action dramas but they weren't mainly famous for it. Much like Ning.

"Come on Chic--Cheoco," quickly correcting herself as she set a hand on the girl's shoulder. Interrupting her conversation with Tomas. "Let's go for a walk a bit," tugging on the girl's arm as she herself got up. For the time being she would humor Michael in making some effort at keeping the barely legal girl out of trouble from all the roaming wolves about. Among which she also believed Michael was also one admist them.

[EZero8]

OOC: Sorry for the late response... I was completely unaware that artsmaster made a post on the 19th.

--Chase Lee--
--Neo China--

"No... I didnt." Chase replied as he ate. He then realized though that he had to get back over to the ship since his "lunch break" was pretty much over. He wasted a bit too much time at the bar.

"Well I gotta go," he says as he shoveled some food into his mouth. "Later's Amir."

He paid the bill for the meal and quickly returned to the Neo Chinese cruiser.

[Recon 5]

(OOC: Because I'm tired of waiting for Cheoco ).

Tao stood in the center of the dojo with crossed arms. He'd actually hurried to change into his regular clothes so that he could catch Ning the moment she came in, but the Neo Hong Kong Gundam Fighter was taking longer than he'd expected.

Reserving the dojo had been surprisingly easy considering the number of world- class fighters gathered in O' Malley's at the time. However, Tao reflected, maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising after all. The discipline of Gundam Fighters overall had decreased over the years, especially with advances in Gundam technology allowing for even the lower- tier fighters to perform some astonishing attacks.

Wait, focus...

Ning was known for her martial arts prowess, so Tao would need to get the first blow in if he wanted a quick kill. He cleared his mind and tensed once more, ready to rush forward and strike as soon as Ning opened the door.

[Ziryab]

Other than the fact I don't even trust Michael with her, Ning told herself as she rode the elevator up to the level three gym and strolling down its hall towards the proper dojo room she was told to met her potential scout.

But he is from Neo Vatican so maybe there are a bunch of monks and nuns and bluejays--I think it's bluejays--as members of his pit crew. I'm sure they'll keep altar boy, want to be errant knight in line when it comes to Cheoco or any woman for that matter.

"Great," she told herself as she came to a halt. "Now I'm starting to think she's some innocent young girl too," shaking her head. But then again given Cheoco's age and physique... and all that happened to the girl around with the men sniffing around her...

"Bah," Ning waved off the matter and continued. "She has my number if she needs anything from me. And if she's just faking innoncence then I want her far away from me if it does turn out her or her people were behind the sabotage." As was the case with Ning wanting to put the girl somewhere 'safe.' Putting her in a Neo Hong Kong hover-limo to drive her country's nearest consulate.

"HUH," she exhaled as she stood in front of the door.

"No different from what we're use to," she took out a compact to look herself over quickly. Dabbing buildup from the corner of her eyes, grooming herself then expediently streaking a bit a lipgloss across her lips. "Just don't be disappointed if it's a fighter's role... and try not to strangle him if they want me to start playing a matriarch now just because I'm 'getting older'--the bastards," she sighed in anguished and wiped her face then began checking herself over. Straightening her khakis, pushing up her bosom and straightening her blouse before rubbing her hands together.

"Okay now," grabbing the door knob and beginning to open the door.

And it was just as the door was halfway open that she her cellphone began to ring. Its tone sounding the Neo Hong Kong anthem. Her fight crew.

"Onemomentplease," she swiftly spat in Cantonese before closing the door to retrieve her phone. "Ning here," she began as a loud bang came at the door.

"Sorry 'bout that," she covered her hand over the phone after opening up the door again. "Duty for our nation calls and all that patriotic stuff," she said while hardly even bothering to look around before turning attention back to her phone. Oblivious to who the man behind the door was, what he looked like or wearing, where he was or his condition as she chatted away on the phone.

As she chatted away with a crew member she pulled out a papersize glossy from her pocket and began to write on the back of it. "Contact my hub--my agent with this number. You can speak to him or have him reschedule an appointment with me," she handed it over for a moment before pulling it back.

"Sorry to cut this short," she wrote on the front of the glossy while still speaking on the phone. "But I have to hurry to win my next fight. Surely, you understand that the last one was a technicality--the machine powered down on its own and I was unable to continue as a resulted while golden boy would've passed out. Have your people call my people," she handed back the now signed photo glossy of herself then sped off.

Her photo being signed:
To one of my greatest fans that help me land my next best role! Immense love.

--Ning-Qiu Ouyang

[Recon 5]

Flabbergasted, Tao stood stone still for almost a minute after Ning left the door to swing closed on its own. When he finally moved, it was to shred the photo in frustration.

He'd acted at the perfect moment, dashing forward at the very instant the door began to move- only to have it slam shut in his face. His incredible body control had almost allowed him to stop before crashing... almost.

His nose wasn't broken, but it would be sore for quite a while after this fiasco. A potent reminder of the importance of planning ahead.

Maybe I should have checked the roster a bit more carefully...

After calming himself down, he left the dojo to bide his time and wait for another chance to strike.

[Ziryab]

—Ning-qiu Ouyang!—
—Neo Hong Kong—M
—Gun Fu Gundam—

*O'Malley's Level Seven-Bar*

"Oooo," Ning reeled herself back from the bar counter. "So much for Tomas' chance to find... pirate booty," lamely laughing at the drollness of her pun.

She shook her head as she watched a replay of the fight between Tomas and Morgan--not wanting to hear news otherwise, just wanting to see for herself whether he won or lost.

"And he was almost close to winning too," she told O'Malley as she waited for her drink.

"Now it's up to you Quinn," quitely telling herself as a branch of thought began to form in her head. Ning began to take a look around the bar, a fiendish smirk etching her face, "Tomas is out and I only have Quinn to entertain me... wonder who else I can get to participate."

[Recon 5]

((At long last, he's BACK! - for more humiliation, maybe))

Tao Long stepped silently into the bar, observing his target carefully for any sign of her being aware of his presence and slipping a mask over his face as he did so.

Being the fighter that she was, Tao strongly believed that Ning was following his every step. However, he was confident that his superior speed (superior, that is, to any of the movements he'd seen her make in her Gundam Fights) would allow him to catch her off- guard. He quickly dropped to one knee and launched himself towards Ning, stiffening the fingers of his right hand and drawing it back so fast that it was a blur.

As he brought his hand forward with even greater speed (aiming to drive his fingers into the back of Ning's neck), he began to think that he was much better at this assassination business than he'd previously thought...

[SNT1]

--Neo England--

Adrianne, in the bar, is once again playing with the darts. She had just come back from her tour of New York. This time, trying to impress some of the younger guys, will try to hit the board blindfolded. Unknown to her, someone was making a straight run at someone else, at the time. Unfortunately she backed off a bit too fast, a bit too far away from the dartboard and just enough to be put off-balance by the assault.

SMACK! While definitely not a direct hit, Tao's assault sends Adrianne tripping towards one of the tables and smacking down the chairs, Along with the "OWWwWw" of the small crowd.

Embarrassed and cheeks flushed, she immediately takes of her blindfolds, screams to the nearest guy, and makes a scene, "HEY, WHAT THE HELL, MAN?"

[Psyden]

--Neo America--

Jo sits down at the bar and signals the bartend.

“Four Horsemen, please.”

The battle with Neo Egypt’s Seth Mukantagara has left James in a poor mood, even though he won, because of his fickle since of honor. In James’ mind, he believes he used too much force on a weaker opponent, and now he’s beating himself up about it.

The Barkeep delivers the glass and she is about to down it when…

CRASH!! “HEY, WHAT THE HELL, MAN?”

Jo takes a deep breath and sighs before downing it in one shot.

“Can you make me another? I’ll be right back.”

Jo turns to look at the commotion and notices at least one Gundam Fighter involved, if not more.

“Christ. Better make that a Five Star General…”

Jo heads off towards Adrianne Hunt. After she makes sure she’s ok, she can go after the assailant.

[Recon 5]

Tao had been so focused on his target that he hadn't noticed Adrianne backing into his path. He instantly slammed his feet into the ground in a vain attempt to stop himself while trying to angle his body in the hope of missing the young woman.

It didn't really work. His shoulder glanced off hers and the impact spun him around, lifting one of his feet off the ground. Reacting quickly, he attempted to utilize the momentum of his spin to bring the already lifted leg up in a roundhouse kick aimed at Ning's temple, launching himself off the ground in the process so that he could spin in mid- air for a second kick if his first attempt failed.

One way or another, Ning would not get away this time if Tao Long had anything to say about it.

[SNT1]

--Neo England--

After getting the crowd's attention by screaming in particular, Adrianne, sits up on the floor, only to find that she really did not know who just hit her, or for what purpose. All she knew was that some people are looking at her, some people are looking at another direction. She looked at a masked guy trying to kick someone else at the bar.

After the realizations hit that she, in fact, doesn't know what the hell is going on, she just sat on the floor with a dumb look on her face.

"?"

[Ziryab]

A bar fight? Ning quickly twisted her head in the direction of the commotion. Hoping it was, or at least another one after missing the first. Eyes widening in expectation.

There was not enough time for her to register disappointment upon registering that it was merely two people falling over. One of them wearing a mask? It was as if he was in slow motion when he saw his foot tripping out right from under him. It would be moment's later before her mind would consider the possibility of why he was wearing a mask before aligning him with one of the foreign fighters in this tournament with its wacky cast of characters.

Unaware of the man's true intent, Ning quickly grabbed for the man before he could hit the ground--as she perceived it. Her small palmed, yet long fingered hands deftly grasping a forearm, up to his elbow, while the other grasped his collar.

"Gotya! Don't worry."

[Recon 5]

This is crazy.

Tao realized from the moment Ning grabbed his arm and collar that his plan (his initial plan, anyway) to assassinate Ning was quickly falling to pieces. He would just have to make the best of what he already had. Suddenly tensing all the muscles in his lifted leg, he stopped it mid- kick and forced himself into a standing position by lowering both his legs- all while Ning's hands were still holding him.

Perhaps something a little bit more stereotypical. Snapping himself out of Ning's grasp, he dropped into a low crouch. From this position, he threw himself back, placed his palms on the floor, and did a powerful flip kick that would at least snap Ning's neck if it connected with her chin.

((To avoid any confusion, Tao is now in the position that SF's Guile would be in halfway through a flash kick, but with both palms on the floor.))

[Ziryab]

"You o-", Ning's words were suddenly cut off as the masked stranger rudely tore himself from her aiding grasp.

"Hey!" Her features began to frown towards him just as he began to crouch low. Forcing Ning to suddenly pause her being entirely. Her movements seemed too slow as she tried to gauge the man just as his hands hit the floor and finally began to pull her body back.

Unable to move away in time, Ning allowed her body to roll with the blow. Still pulling her body back, her head began to bend back while turning to the left as the kick came. In a brief moment the toe began to dig into her chin then glance off as the rest of the masked assailant's foot scrapped up the right side of her face. Following through with the rest of her body, Ning managed to put space between her and masked man, twisting a couple steps away from him and managing to nab someone's glass and another person's bottle off the counter.

Coming to a stop, she knelt low to knee height with her right leg far out in front of her as she leaned her weight on the left leg. In her left hand was an unopened bottle held at its stem and behind her back. In her right hand, an almost half full glass of some concoction.

"What sort of man picks a bar fight with a woman?" Taking a swing from the glass in the right hand then began staring down her assailant.

[Recon 5]

Tao had managed to propel himself off the ground, somersault in mid- air, and land a good distance back as Ning's annoyed question reached his ears. He looked up to find her staring at him.

What are you doing, woman? This fight is real, not some kind of kung fu movie. Looks like your desire for drama got the better of you. Time to end this...

Halfway through the thought, Tao had already reached his right leg behind him and hooked it around the leg of a nearby chair. With incredible strength he hurled the chair towards Ning's face with his leg, then he went in low, hoping to catch Ning off guard if she tried to evade the projectile.

[Ziryab]

"I see," Ning quickly began to understand she would not be getting an answer from the masked stranger.

"One of those types I take it?" Throwing her arms out to the side as he managed not just kick a chair at her, but actually lift it up and hurl it at her with his leg.

Wow, she thought just as her left leg raised at a right angle, the sole of her foot reaching for the ceiling.

"The strong silent sort!" Sending her leg crashing down on the incoming chair flying at her. Slamming it down onto the floor while it was in midflight.

"Yet!" While tossing the mug of alcohol into the air she was using the momentum of her slamming against the chair's seat. Ning vaulted into the air into a tight flip, swiftly crashing her rump into the seat of the chair and catching the mug on its way down.

"Yet a powerful and strong fighter," she then quickly flung the beverage at her assailant, more out of a defensive surprise than actual strategy. Surprised at how fast he had closed the distance between them. "Am I right"

[Recon 5]

If you expect me to answer that, then you're mistaken...

The stream of liquid came in rather low, and Tao realized from the moment it left Ning's mug that any attempt to jump over it would simply get him all wet. Instead, he wrenched his entire lower body forward and down, turning his low dash into something approaching a sliding tackle.

His feet slammed into the legs of Ning's chair and he pushed them forward as hard as he could, allowing him to slow down enough to flip himself backwards into the air. After somersaulting once like a gymnast he brought himself down in a low crouch, prepared to counter any move Ning might make.

[Ziryab]

((Sorry for the delay. Rarely seem to check much due to the RP seeming to slow down a bit.))

"WHOOP!!!" The back of Ning's chair slammed against the edge of a nearby table. An abrupt halt as it skidded across the barroom floor.

Maybe I should have just let go, Ning winced after her having the back of her head snap back and slapping the tabletop. Fall on my face instead.

"Okay," noticing the incredulous seeming distance her assailant had managed to kick her chair back. "So you are the strong and powerful type of fighter," peeling her fingers from the underside of the chair. Somehow she still managed to keep a grip on the unopened beer bottle around her thumb while dropping the empty mug.

"Not only that, you're also the sort that let's their actions speak louder than their words," she stuffed beer bottle neck first into a pocket and started rocking back and forth in her seat. Quickly building some momentum she then tossed her arms up and began to flip back until she could manage to stand atop the table.

"Did anyone tell you that you talk too much for a silent fighter?" Pointing at him before hopping from one tabletop to another until finally leaping onto the bar counter and purposely looking towards the exit.

[Recon 5]

She's fast, thought Tao as Ning began her flips. Too late, he realized that she was trying to open an escape route by moving towards the door. By that time his target was prepared to exit the bar.

I can't afford to make any more mistakes if I am to succeed...

Just then he spotted Adrianne still sitting stupefied on the floor, with Jo standing over her. That immediately gave him a somewhat dishonorable idea.

Forget honor. I'll reclaim it all once I eliminate the usurper.

Quickly he took a step to the left, crouched and lashed out with his right leg, sweeping the legs out from under a nearby table and sending its top flying into the air. With a long sidestep from his original position he placed himself under the airborne tabletop and caught it above his head as it came down. Turning the large piece of wood with his hands he grasped its edge, holding it as if it was a giant frisbee.

All right, heroine, lets see how heroic you really are...

With a tremendous effort, he hefted it into the air, sending it spinning towards Jo and Adrianne. If Ning attempted to save them, he would attack her directly.