65 Posts
2 EP
EXP
Total
24 Years
Female
"Calabar"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Ndeye Ndao on Jan 18, 2020 2:19:55 GMT -4
In a secluded spot in Yokohama, the two faces of the criminal underworld showed themselves simultaneously, playing out literally side by side. On one side, business associates sat around a table, making expressions ranging from cocky smirks, upset grimaces, masks of fear, and general poker faces. The poker faces were less effective than they might be, owing to the fight participating in the backdrop. Apart from the table, separated by a tasteful, cross-hatched partition, a fight unfolded, launching goons up and down a hallways as some attempted to jump back into the action, others tried to escape, and still others found themselves flung bodily against the opposite wall.
The fighters on the other side were an eclectic mix of non-quirked, disposable henchmen and more distinct, quirked fighters. These fighters came from all manner of criminal groups, small and large, smart and foolish, who'd shown up to this meeting with the intent of putting the squeeze on the others. Because the set up had been so obvious- no faction in attendance had arrive without planning for combat- the one that struck first might well have the advantage if that first strike cleared enough of the board. As one of the most battle-hungry present, the Senegalese fighter, Ndeye Ndao, known as Calibar in her trade, had initiated.
Two goons had found themselves catapulted into a line of others wedged in that narrow hallway. This had knocked many down and caused others to scramble for their weapons. Following that initial ambush, she prioritized locking up with the few gun wielders, smashing barrels with her hands and knocking aside those she couldn't aim for so accurately. Her employer, Wang Ba, had purchased her services as extra insurance here, seemingly... though he may have had other intentions for reaching out to her, she had no reason to suspect him, as the work was plenty fitting with her specialties. Along with her, several of his other employees were fighting, such that what should have been a brawl between all of those parties in attendance had become a mostly one-sided beat-down.
"Dependency on these makes you weak," she spoke the same message for maybe the third time since the engagement started, as she twisted back the lightweight, metallic barrel of the final gun in sight, a silenced pistol. Guns were pretty rare in Japan; she had no doubt that these people had benefited from the recent increase of gun traffic following Plutocracy's "auction." That event had resulted in the ruination of many villains, but it did make for a lot of cheap guns entering the market. Ndeye had, ironically, done her part to take a few of those out of circulation today, despite having made off with a crate-full herself earlier. Another henchman made a grab for the gun she'd just ruined; this just made her more frustrated, as she swung one arm and knocked him against the brick wall opposite the fence partition. "Did you not hear me? Weak and foolish!"
There had been plenty of fodder to knock around. If they'd been able to attack in their full force, things could have been dicey, but for now, they'd been mostly scattered. If she'd been able to see inside the partition, however, she may have noticed that besides Wang Ba, one other man at the negotiating table had yet to adopt the look of terror that comes with all of one's henchmen being annihilated during a dicey ambush. She'd figured that Wang Ba wouldn't be the only guy here to rely on the innovative combat that quirks provided, and it seemed she had called it correctly. An over-sized man with a werewolf-like appearance had been waiting over the door-frame into the kitchen and now swung down, launching himself into the fight.
With both hands occupied holding the weapons of different goons, who struggled against her, she found herself slowly maneuvering to cross both of those weaklings in front of herself to stop the first attack of the wolf man. But would she be able to block it? It seemed that here, she could use the assistance of Wang Ba's regular employees.
...
Eternity had broken up following the Shinagawa incident, leaving Ndeye to her own devices. Calling cards had begun to circulate again to promote her services as a freelance bodyguard / muscle for hire, but business was slow coming in. The foreigner found that people seemed to have clammed up a bit after Shinagawa; villains were finding it hard to trust one another after that. Reasonable, but annoying... She needed the business.
Ndeye had bigger reasons to hate Plutocracy than simply giving villains cold feet about working with one another, of course. The unforgivable part was that they'd played her for a fool, then further, sent their henchmen to take M.A.R.I.N.E. out from under her nose when she'd nearly turned the tables by securing their warehouse cargo. The guns and ammunition she'd made off with were a small consolation compared to the humiliation of the whole event. Ndeye Ndao did not let go of a grudge easily... by treating her as just another criminal, a fly stuck to the flypaper, they had, in her mind, seriously underestimated her and thereby made her an enemy.
Perhaps knowing her grudge, or perhaps simply interested in her service, Wang Ba had contacted her. His money had been good... very good, compared to the odd jobs she'd managed to pull off so far. With his cash, he'd secured a loyal worker for the night, but with common cause, he might secure a more valuable working relationship with the woman who, to this point, was simply happy she was being paid to fight armed men and a werewolf.
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WC 953
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58 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
37 Years
Male
"Wang Ba"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Wang Ba on Jan 19, 2020 23:35:06 GMT -4
In a stark contrast to the chaos playing out behind, the large man sitting at the table showed no concern. A bluff? Or did he have such confidence in his hired hands that he felt no reason to worry. For it was not just Ndeye Ndao that he had brought with him, but his own personal guards. A metal bat swung towards the back of his head- A gun avoided, for fear of hitting the man who sat across from him. However, it would not reach- Caught in the hands of a grim man dressed in black. "Know your place." And with a twist, the bat would be torn from the weakling's grip. A follow up to the stomach, dropping the nameless grunt. He was destined to not rise in the ranks this day.
"You seem distracted." Came the calm tone of the Chinese crime lord. His opponents this day could hardly be called as such. Small time crooks, pushing drugs and guns on the streets of Yokohama... The city Wang Ba had made his base. And wouldn't you know it, but... Wang Ba was no fan of competition. Fingers laden with rings tapped on the table- An innocent gesture, yet each thud struck deep into the Yakuza's hearts. They knew, had known all along, that Wang Ba was not someone who would be willing to share. In fact, the groups had pooled their fortunes, hiring what mercenaries they could to come on this day.
Of course, being the fools that they were, they had not even thought their foe might do the same. And while Wang Ba's empire was renowned, his personal guard were... Less so. After all, he kept them close due to trust, not skill- The latter could be enhanced with money. But trust was something no payment could buy. Take Xuan Wu, the one who had just disarmed the thug. Compared to Ndeye, no, to any of the quirked thugs in the building... Could his meager strength be called impressive?
Even his own boss was far more impressive than him, despite that excessive appearance. He still remembered that shimmering shield, which had protected him on so many occasions. Proof of his own weakness- That the Boss needed to act personally to defend him, was Xuan Wu's greatest shame. If he never saw that shield again, it would be too soon... He ruminated as he threw another small fry into a wall. But if he had a second greatest shame... It would be that Boss had needed to hire an outsider to protect him. Even knowing that the boss had deeper motives than this... It hurt his pride to see the hired hand effortlessly dispatching the grunts he knew he would struggle with. Drawing the attention of the real threats, so that he only needed to deal with these smallest of fries.
However, breaking through his defeatist mindset was the crashing down of the partition which had, until now, separated the two sides. Revealing in full glory, the woman with snakes for arms fought a werewolf- And to his schadenfreude, was being pushed back. It seemed he wasn't destined to be relegated to small fry today. "Oy, Calabar. Need a hand?" His words held a hint of his frustration- The other not having hands in the first place. But his help was well timed, a human fist striking towards the werewolf's exposed side, the deadly claws and teeth otherwise engaged.
While Wang Ba was aware of his bodyguard's dissatisfaction, all was as he desired. Dissatisfaction, for Xuan Wu, led to a desire to grow. And while he would like to use Ndeye, he had no illusions regarding retaining her for the longer term. A little chafing was fine, as long as she stuck around long enough to hear his words. As for what she did after that- It was up to her. But, before he could spend any quality time with miss Calabar... He should take care of business here, first.
"Oh, cut the bullshit." One of the men across the table roared in frustration. He knew Wang Ba had come to deal with them, not to make a deal with them. Why else would he have paid for Calabar. Their attempt to set him up had resulted in them being set up- And what more could they say? After all, if they were to complain... Had he not only brought the two guards he had agreed upon? What face would they have if they, who had hired a small army, were to complain about that? As such, Wang Ba merely smiled at the curse. That the other was frustrated was proof of having been cornered.
"Very well. I'll give you all a chance. Work for me." His words contained no room for backing out, and no disguise of what would happen if they refused. The fates of their hired goons in the background hung heavy in their minds. This was not a negotiation, it was a one sided slaughter.
"If, and I say if, I were to join you. What treatment would I receive?" A man spoke so calmly that some others suspected he had been a mole planted by Wang Ba precisely to ask this question. "You will be considered an independent group within my organization. I will allow your command structure to remain intact. The difference is... While everyone reports to you, you, will report to me. Furthermore, I will take over the chain of supply. What you sell, you will purchase from me. Of course, any profit, is all yours." The man laid out a plan that may as well be called a pyramid scheme. But then, he was a villain. The gathered heads each sat, some contemplative. Most angry. Frustration and resentment gathered- But, Wang Ba knew that some of them would give in. His conditions were simply too good. Especially considered to the alternative- Complete obliteration.
And as those who would join him would find, the benefits were not limited to what he lay forth. Some of the perceptive ones knew well- The ability to borrow Wang Ba's reputation would serve well in their attempts to silence their own rivals. While most expected that he would use the monopoly he sought over them to gouge prices... Many of their thoughts were immediately opposite to Wang Ba's own. They would rather be the tail of the dragon, than the head of the snake. And unlike their opponent this day, they were content to remain snakes their entire lives. Why should they not accept? But to give in so meekly, what face would they have left? It was a dilemma not so easily solved.
As the gathered heads of the snakes continued to try to buy time, Wang Ba merely sat and smiled. As long as nothing unforeseen came about, there was nothing to worry about. And Wang Ba made a habit of avoiding situations where the unforeseen could come.
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65 Posts
2 EP
EXP
Total
24 Years
Female
"Calabar"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Ndeye Ndao on Jan 27, 2020 0:48:57 GMT -4
Calibar didn't know if Wang Ba's underling was trying to be considerate of her pride or relishing the fact that she'd found herself in a pinch for once, but either way, she was not pleased by the courtesy. "If you have to ask then do it!" she responded as quickly as she could, unable to quite move the two men into position to absorb the blow she saw coming at her. Thankfully, before the werewolf could dive into the dropkick he'd planned, Xuan Wu took the opportunity to offset the creature with a bodyblow, causing it to stumble to one side.
Seizing the opportunity, Ndeye decided to give the two men she'd grappled with the momentum they desired and then some, shoving them off to either side. One bashed into the partition, his head cracking a small cross-section piece of the partitions boards off, which would land in the lap of his own employer. The other collided with the werewolf stumbling against the opposite wall, but the quirker knocked him rolling away with the swipe of one arm, slashing his claw vigorously as he attempted to regain composure.
The last tenuously hopeful man at the table seemed to deflate as Ndeye's armored fist collided square in the face of the werewolf, sandwiching it between the rock-like scales and the hard brick wall, which cracked under the pressure. There was a pretty good chance the wolf-man's skull had cracked, too. Such a fate was not at all hard to imagine, as the creature's body crumpled and slid unconsciously down the wall and onto the floor. Ndeye lifted her arms and gave him a harsh kick for good measure.
From here, there was no good way she was going to catch what was being said at the table. There wasn't much benefit to her listening, anyway. She had no desire to join that table of negotiators, swindlers, and underworld business moguls. She'd much rather the one sitting there with the most cash pay her for the privilege of undermining the others. In this particular meeting, she doubled as a bodyguard and a shiny gold wrist-watch: in this gathering, managing to hire her was a status symbol as well as insurance.
Still, with the mooks mostly taken care of, she could divine most of the situation simply by looking across the broken partition at the table. She spoke to the man who'd assisted her, rather than to anyone there. "Hmph. They think about it, but there is only one conclusion. They have to do whatever he asks. The weak don't get choices," she sighed, shaking her head slightly. "The little gears in their heads continue to turn. Those men are so proud of their little gears... When something like this happens, they think, 'my gears are still turning, that means my clock is still ticking. I still have time. I can find a way out.' It is pitiful to watch." She didn't mention whether she also considered Wang Ba one of those who was pointlessly proud of his gears, though his had served a much higher functioning machine than those of the others today.
Of course, there was little to do for the men assembled but to concede, or at least pretend to. That said, to do so was to lose face, and most of the men assembled here today had only gotten as far as they had by holding tight to their pride. Ndeye understood that well: such concerns were why she valued strength so highly. She tilted her jaw up, regarding the man who'd come to her rescue a moment ago, and spoke quietly. "You did good work. Those who fight with their fists are the ones who become strong without relying on cheap tricks or those little gears. When your machine runs without those little gears, it is that much harder to disrupt," she reasoned, sounding pleased... or as pleased as she ever did. Her frown hadn't changed. At any rate, she could go on preaching a while, but there was still clean-up to do.
The villain known as Calibar had practiced a certain "shedding technique," which she demonstrated here, breaking her actual arms free of their scale encasings while leaving the sheddings in tact, connected at the shoulder with arms curled. By doing so, she created convenient racks to hold the various weapons that other faction's mooks had brought with them. Deprived of these weapons, they would be even less consequential to the outcome of this negotiation. She figured Wang Ba might like to hold on to them... well, the ones that weren't already broken in half or twisted. Any one of the soldiers who wasn't unconscious already had lost the spirit to try and get another shot off. If their boss was about to surrender, the best they could do was avoid racking up more hospital bills.
At least one of the bosses had decided to play against the odds. The ones at the table had all been checked for weapons upon entering; it wouldn't do for any of them to pull a gun underneath a table. That was a safety measure they all, as gentlemen could agree on. Regardless, a man in a white suite and gaudy purple shirt suddenly and roughly stood up, grasping both hands around what had looked like an alcohol flask, but now appeared to be vibrating rapidly (and dangerously). What would happen wasn't exactly clear, but the crazed look in his eye could lead one to assume that it was something suicidal. Evidently, he was playing the ever popular but seldom useful "I'll take you down with me!" card.
Ndeye cursed her decision to start clean-up; if she had her arms scaled up, she could break one hand through the partition and knock the flask out of the man's hands. As such, she needed a little more time to re-armor herself. The best she could do in this circumstance was to spin her body slightly, causing a metal cane she'd seized from one henchman to free itself violently. It shot out, striking the guy across the face. He began to spin, as if in imitation of Calibar's earlier movement, and his hands let go of the flask, which began to spin through the air. Wang Ba was in a better position to mitigate the damage than his henchmen, but one or the other would have to handle it, assuming the flask had actually been turned into some kind of weapon.
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WC 1078
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58 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
37 Years
Male
"Wang Ba"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Wang Ba on Jan 29, 2020 21:43:54 GMT -4
The weak don't get choices. If the man was close enough to hear Calabar's words, the vicious grin on his face would grow at least three sizes. That was the truth of it. These moths had flown too close to the flame, and few of them even bothered to hide their emotions at this point. Their trump card, that great quirker wolf, had fallen, as had all their other mooks. To two people- Well, one, really. Was it really any wonder that they had lost all hope? Wang Ba could simply do as he wished with them. What could they say about it? They would sign any agreement he put before them- If even their strongest mercenary had fallen before Calabar's strike's, then would these weaklings survive?
However, in the depths of their despair, their tormentor dangled a thread. A hope of rescue. A promise of treatment better than they had imagined. The carrot to the stick. Clinging to this ray of sunshine, these gathered prideful heads soon swore fealty to their new snakehead. For as of now, Wang Ba could hardly be considered more than that. A snake among dragons. But hardly content to remain so- The difference between himself and these nameless bosses... Or now it should be, nameless mooks. For while he intended to keep the promises he had made- It would only be a matter of time. They would see. Under his lead, the benefits that even the lowest levels of the gang would see would naturally increase- At that point, would their loyalty still remain with their original boss?
It rarely had in the past. Certainly, not enough of them to stage the mutiny which such bosses inevitably attempted. The moment they were thwarted by the very men they thought would be with them until the bitter end... Ah, that was such a treat. The question was not if, but when. But how could these small-minded criminals understand such a meaning behind his benevolent smile?
One, perhaps, could. A desperate attempt to break the mood set forth by the domineering salesman.
By Calabar's side, Xuanwu watched the proceedings. Calabar had missed his attempts at snide comments, leaving the man entirely off his game- Although no less potent a threat than before. He simply lacked the face to continue attempting to banter with the hired hand after being so mercilessly rebuffed. Just do it indeed. But now that the danger had passed and the quirker had fallen- Much to his pleasure, despite only having played a minor role- The rest was up to the boss.
"Damn right. Boss doesn't gamble unless he's holding all the cards." The illusion of choice. "Anything less would be an insult to those who follow him." When you are a leader, you don't get to take risks. Because when they blow up in your face, there are people below you who suffer. But there was a difference between not taking risks, and not taking pointless risks- If he was to become the dragon, Wang Ba could not sit back in his chair and relax. It was seeing this that brought so many, Xuanwu included, to his side.
As for her opinion of gears... "Perhaps they even could. If they were able to think even a step ahead of the boss. But that's the scary thing. I've never once seen someone capable of that." The bodyguard admitted, his pride in his boss evident in his expression. "I've seen a thousand men stronger than Boss. But when it comes to people I don't want as my enemy? Boss is number one." Awe and respect. The basis of Xuanwu's loyalty. But his words should, of course, be taken with a grain of salt. If it was merely a normal amount of awe, a deserved respect, then the fighter would not have entered Wang Ba's inner circle. Just like how his colleague's insistence on their boss's attractiveness should never be taken seriously.
This also served as his opinion on her theory of fists being the path to strength. The less the gears turned, the harder it was to escape the web laid by that infernal machinery. He had seen too many men proud of their bodies put to use by his boss to do anything but respectfully disagree- Although, before he could begin a true debate on the topic, a hubbub erupted. Immediately, the man in black whirled around- In time to witness a man enraged. A vibrating flask- "A weapon? Shit!" As the one who had performed the inspection for his boss's sake- And confiscated more than one hidden pistol in the process- having one slipped by him was a great black mark on his record. Another reason for his boss to leave him behind next operation... He grimaced. But not once did his face show concern for his boss's safety. Although nominally a bodyguard... When push came to shove, he knew. That he was not a shield but a sword.
And the Boss's shield was always closer to him than even Zhu Que could be- Despite her best efforts. As the flask soared over the table, a meaty arm raised. Set in one of his many rings, a purple gemstone glowed brightly- Was he thinking of purple due to the man's shirt? And instantly, a faceted barrier spread forth from the man's person. The table before him was flipped as the shield expanded, and the attempted weapon faced a similar fate, returned directly to sender.
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65 Posts
2 EP
EXP
Total
24 Years
Female
"Calabar"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Ndeye Ndao on Feb 6, 2020 1:04:10 GMT -4
"I can appreciate that. Nothing should be done in half measures," Ndeye agreed with Wang Ba's henchman. Xuanwu sounded plenty faithful in his boss's leadership, to an extent Ndeye instinctively found foolish... but there must be some basis. After all, in this situation, Wang Ba had certainly come out on top. It couldn't be that he was a man without challenges; if he'd organized a meet-up like this and played it to his advantage, surely he was one to assert his authority rather frequently. The fact that he could maintain faith in his employer, in the midst of such bold maneuvers, was a testament to the man's shrewdness.
Still, Ndeye's mind was made up: cunning was only worth so much. In the end, one needed strength to follow through. Wang Ba was only lucky he hadn't come up against someone with stronger pieces yet, in her simple estimation. She kept the thought to herself for now, returning her attention to the meeting.
Only a moment later, she'd have reason to regret her idle thoughts, as they all found themselves embroiled in a new crisis. Calling it a "crisis" turned out to be a bit premature, as the would-be assailant's plan was soon foiled. If embarrassment was the worst of his worries, he could rejoin the rest of the table in their forlorn sulking, but he'd engineered his own demise: whatever quirk allowed him to turn the flask into a bomb didn't work both ways. There was the nasty sound of a miniature explosion... painfully miniature, really. It begged the question of whether anyone had really needed to shield themselves.
Once the shield rolled away from the man's corpse, however, it became evident that the precautions were still useful. The grisly remains made it clear that the noise had only been muffled by the barrier, but the damage had been somewhat serious. At any rate, whatever henchmen that guy had, they wouldn't be rejoining him and would certainly be on Wang Ba's payroll- or unpaid servitude, his choosing- after tonight. If any of the others were pondering using their quirks to fight or flee, that thought had drained out of them now. If anyone had been planning to eat anything else at the meeting tonight, that desire had probably drained out of them as well.
Ndeye, for her part, was increasingly intrigued. "I had suspected the man was quirkless. If he has such a strong quirk himself, what does he need to rely on these schemes and bodyguards for?" she questioned Xuanwu, perhaps misinterpreting that Xuanwu and she had returned to idle conversation as they cleaned up, when really, Wang Ba's employee would probably be much more focused on the fallout of the attempted bombing. Unfortunately, her voice was also somewhat audible from the table now, since the room had gone newly quiet in submission, with no one left chattering in low voices or cursing under their breath any more. Turning from the table, Ndeye gathered up the rest of the visible weapons, loading them onto the "rack" of her arms.
Wang Ba would be free to subjugate, dismiss, or order the slaughter of the remaining negotiators, after which, he may want to have a word with Ndeye about the doubts she harbored, or any other business he had on his mind.
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WC 551
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58 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
37 Years
Male
"Wang Ba"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Wang Ba on Feb 9, 2020 15:23:59 GMT -4
Wang Ba merely shook his head at the unruly man's fate. The gruesome appearance hardly fazed the man. Let alone seeing, he had ordered far worse in his lifetime... However, for the petty criminals gathered today, few had the courage to face such a fate. Even those who had been sitting near the man were not spared, for while the blast had not reached them... They had not escaped the splatter. Blood stained into pristine suits, as men vomited on the floor. In stark contrast to the intended victim, who was revealed to be as pristine as when he walked in- Illuminated by the pale violet light of his barrier. Even as it began to fade away, as the purple gem set in his ring crumbled and fell to the floor as black dust.
The rest of the negotiations would not take long.
On the other side, the conversation between the muscle continued. "Hmm? It's because he's the Boss, of course. He has a responsibility to us, not to put himself in danger." It was a very generous outlook on it. "If the boss has to move personally, then what good are we!" Never mind that the boss was currently doing that very thing at the moment. Xuanwu was well aware that it was due to his own incompetence. But his frustrations would tinge at his voice, hardly able to disguise it as his boss could.
"To obtain the greatest benefit with the least effort, Calabar."
The voice would come as a surprise, even to the eagle-eyed Xuanwu. Having concluded matters at the table, Wang Ba had left the assembled villains to contemplate their fates... And perhaps to clean up what they could. "Power... Has its uses. But an individual's strength has limits. Were I to control these men by force... They would constantly search for an escape from their shackles. I am but one man, how could I watch such a scattered group for signs of betrayal? But, claim their hearts..." It was true. They respected him now due to fear- Fear of Calabar, of Xuanwu, and of receiving the fate of their comrade. But Wang Ba was in a position of lenience, and the benefits were already starting to sink in to the gathered bosses. Their loyalty was all but assured.
"Besides. It does no good to make a show of things. I have no desire to be the target of the next Shinagawa." It seemed casual, but had a distinct meaning. It led the conversation in his desired direction- Or did you really think he had invited Calabar simply for the strength she possessed? No, he was aware that she had been present at that dangerous night. And while he did not expect the mercenary to give up her ways and join his side... It would be more than worthwhile to plant the suggestion that Pluto was not merely the victim, but responsible.
Of course, his current words did not bear that trace. In fact, they suggested the opposite- That Pluto had, by foolishness or by overconfidence- Made their actions too loudly, and been struck down in response. "In my experience, it is always better... To be underestimated."
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65 Posts
2 EP
EXP
Total
24 Years
Female
"Calabar"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Ndeye Ndao on Feb 19, 2020 22:52:27 GMT -4
This level of violence was really a welcome change for Calibar. Nothing like a bit of blood to get the blood pumping, after all. She wanted to be the strongest for the sake of her pride, but beyond that, there was a rush to combat itself. Fighting for fighting's sake. Strength was the altar she prayed at. Empathetic people valued family or friends. Spiritual people might value living a good and moral life, or one with strength of faith. Material people might value things or status. For her, ever since she was a young girl, might made right... the strongest child was the favorite. There were no rules, other than that every sibling followed the strongest's rules or challenged them if they had a disagreement. Warped by this world view, Ndeye was even able to smirk as she watched the people at the table wiping fresh blood from their suits and flesh. "I think I like your boss after all," the tall, dark lady admitted aloud.
She turned back to Xuanwu, putting back on a wide frown that just seemed to be her resting face. "Huh. Well, his strength is no joke. But I believe he should apply himself too, like a warchief. Then he would not be so fa-," she spoke candidly with a painful level of brashness, before raising an eyebrow and turning her head towards the table. Their philosophies were a little different. She believed that anything less than full effort was simply laziness, and laziness was weakness, but at the same time, that some peoples' efforts were fruitless and ought to be recognized as such. That said, they agreed on the end point, that being the greatest personal benefit... though, perhaps Wang Ba spared a bit of that for his business associates too? She'd need to spend more time in order to fully grasp his leadership style.
"Ha. I see what you mean. If the heart is weak enough to be claimed, then yes, I suppose you do with it what you will," she responded, seeming to take a different view on it. Xuanwu might even by offended by her thoughts on what it meant to be a subordinate... and might also wonder why she thought herself different, since she herself handed out business cards. Whatever vague smile she had put on earlier fell when he mentioned Shinagawa. "Wang Ba, I know you are not insulting me, as I was one who walked into that trap. I escaped on the up. I... how do you say... made out like a king," she elaborated, not looking particularly pleased despite the supposed regal bounty she'd claimed. "Those Plutocracy bastards and their useless drug wasted my time. Underestimated, yes- they underestimated me!" she hissed along, pointing one thumb to her flattish chest. It was pretty clear she also blamed Plutocracy for the whole thing. From her perspective, she'd seen them lure villains into an auction, present a useless drug as a homing beacon for every cop in Japan, then deploy their men to cut their losses while all those assembled for the action were taken in by heroes and police. What could that be called but an engineered trap? Hell, for all she knew, they might have even worked directly with the police.
However, even if she didn't believe some malice towards the criminal community (herself included) entered into it, she'd still hold a grudge... because either they'd tied her up in that situation intentionally, or else, been stupid enough to let it happen unintentionally. She didn't want either such enterprise living on in Japan. If Wang Ba wanted to foster a grudge between Ndeye and Plutocracy, there was no need to push from behind. He could simply take her hand and lead the momentum that was already there wherever he wished to go.
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WC 635
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58 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
37 Years
Male
"Wang Ba"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Wang Ba on Feb 20, 2020 13:59:18 GMT -4
The raven-haired man would smirk, as though acknowledgement of his boss was acknowledgement of himself. Perhaps it was. At the very least, it meant that the other understood the respect he had for his leader. But the other still failed to understand the nuance of leadership- At least so far as Wang Ba's underlings understood it. But considering the one who had instilled this expectation in them was the very one who benefited from it... Perhaps the understanding should be taken with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, this was the philosophy Wang Ba's men lived by. If their boss had to make a move, it was their fault for being too useless. If all he needed do was wait in his parlor and sample the imports... Why, that was the ideal.
However, his eyes would narrow once more at the insult she nearly spoke aloud. Xuan Wu may not have the strength to contend with this mercenary... But he would not simply stand still and allow her to insult the man he respected. However, even as the man opened his mouth to retort, he had been interrupted by the arrival of the very man they spoke of. A man who hardly seemed bothered by the hired hand's insinuations. His girth was his pride, the proof of living well. What need had he to hide it?
"That I will." He responded with a smile. Using people was, after all, what he did best. Even if those people still at the table heard him, what could they do? They would have to work to prove their use, or else be discarded like so many before them. As for Xuan Wu, the man who could be seen as the weak hearted one being insulted... Surprisingly, he did not seem insulted in the slightest. "And we thank him for it." He would supplement. Wang Ba's followers all knew that they were being used, that they could be replaced at a moment's notice... And yet, they were so loyal, that they would rather celebrate Boss gaining a stronger follower, than lament their own fate.
But even Wang Ba could not have foreseen the vitriol his statements were responded to with. Not directed towards himself, of course- But the pure hatred towards Plutocracy was not on a level he could even have expected, nor the way his casual words reminded the other of... Her own insecurities. Frustration at being underestimated, was it? He could work with that. "Is that so? I am glad that at least one of us made a profit off their duplicity." His words naturally changed upon hearing her own. She was the one who had called it a trap, not himself- And as worked up as she was, would she notice his narrative changing so subtly? She had changed the topic for him, from his own efforts to avoid a police raid, to Plutocracy's own schemes.
As for whether or not she had actually made a profit- There was no call to check her bluff. If it was the truth, a deal would be made in time. If it was a lie, there would be nothing but bad blood for revealing it. "I find it hard to believe a group could reach their size while still failing to take such... Basic precautions." The man shook his head, as though he was truly unable to understand. But the implication, was of course- That it simply made no sense for Plutocracy to not have taken precautions, unless the raid was a part of their plan from the beginning. But would Calabar grasp this subtlety? or would she confuse his admission for honesty, as several others had. Either way, it would make her think... And as they say. All roads lead to Rome.
And the journey was almost complete.
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65 Posts
2 EP
EXP
Total
24 Years
Female
"Calabar"
Bandit-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Ndeye Ndao on Mar 10, 2020 21:59:40 GMT -4
"Ha! Yes, there were no preparations for anyone's well-being, because it was all a fool-headed trap!" Ndeye reiterated, sounding as though she'd repeat it as many times as necessary to make the accusation stick. "If I find who attempted to entrap me, they will wish their death was as simple as bubbling innards and a messy explosion. I will take my time breaking every bone in their body, then I will leave them to die so they can fully... how do you say... recognize their hubris," she spat, literally spitting upon one of the random defeated thugs, who rolled slightly onto one side and groaned as it splashed him.
"If you know anything, Wang Ba, Xuan Wu, you should tell me. They are a menace that endanger working conditions for professionals. They deserve no less than destruction," she told them both, pointing a meaty finger at each of them in turn. Just having those scary hands of hers pointed in ones direction would make weaker men flinch, whether those hands were armored or not. In a showing of just how frustrated the memory made her, she raised both arms for a moment, turned slightly, and delivered an entirely unwarranted kick to one of the men she'd beaten earlier, who made a much more audible shout of pain than the spat upon one had a moment ago. "Bastards...!"
It was not hard to imagine that something about that situation had bothered her more than simply being one of many dozens of villains that were entrapped. She had been underestimated, yes, but it wasn't as if she'd been particularly targeted. Deeper, under the surface, Ndeye was still remembering how she'd failed to grab M.A.R.I.N.E. on her way out, when it was right within her grasp... She'd failed to destroy the young vigilante who got in her way... she'd been led around by a relative child who'd second-guessed her strategies... The whole experience had diminished her own "brand" within her mind. She wouldn't blame herself for her various failures during that meeting, but she had to blame someone. That had significantly amplified the vitriol she felt towards an organization she could barely put a representative face to.
"We are done, yes? I do not want the food. If you are done, I am leaving," she informed Wang Ba, leaning one of her huge, man-like shoulders and biceps against the wall while she waited.
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WC 405
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