Robbing a Dust Store: How Cliche... [Open]

The streets of Vale were cold and dim, lit only by the faint street lights that peppered them, as the moon was absent from the sky on this night. Few people roamed these dark streets, and those who did were no more innocent than the silver haired man standing in front of a dust shop. Clearly, he was up to no good, and the hammer on his back made this clear. Ace Toromaki, former student of Beacon Academy, was now a violent and dangerous criminal who was capable of elaborate acts of terrorism, however, at this particular moment, he was concerned only with the contents of the store before him. He stepped inside and stole the hammer from the device that held it on his back and set it in front of him, then pulled out the dial on it's side and spoke to the man with a single, short line. "Give me every crystal of dust in this building, if you want to live."

Ryuuji browsed the various shelves in the Dust store, looking to stock up on supplies for his entrance into Beacon Academy the next day. He wondered what kind of dusts his fellow hunters in training would be using. "How do I check quality again? Tommy mentioned it one time..." He scratched his head as he tried to remember.

"Give me every crystal of dust in this building, if you want to live."

Ryuuji could hear the sound of pistons moving. He peeked over an aisle to check the store front. A young man holding some sort of special hammer stood in front of the front desk, apparently threatening the owner of the store. 'Interesting...' he thought to himself, audibly walking out into the open.

"What exactly would a person need with so much dust, anyway?" Ryuuji asked. "How would you even carry it?" He asked again before reaching for his sword hilt. He asked another important question. "Who... Are you?"

As the man scurried to gather dust for Ace, the criminal's operation became interrupted rather rudely by a boy who looked like a burning piece of coal. His blackened, unruly hair, accompanied by his ill-chosen attire, caused Ace to frown upon him as he spun the hammer slightly to face the fool. There was always at least one customer in every dust store, no matter what time of the day, and they were usually the kind of people who went around trying to be heroes.

"This is sad, really. I'm stuck here robbing a dust store... How cliche..." Ace's head finally turned towards the boy, and, as it did so, the hair covering his left eye fled from his face, making both of his entrancing, amber eyes visible. Now that he had eye contact, the boy would be helpless against his strange semblance. "The amount of dust that I used during the New Year's Dust Bombing cleaned me out. If I'm going to wreak more havoc on this pitiful kingdom, I'm going to need lots of dust. You... don't need to know my name... It is likely that this is the last time that you'll ever see me... or anyone else for that matter."

His words carried a sociopathic air to them, making it clear that this violent criminal didn't have a single care for the feelings of other people. It did, however, give a slight hint to a much more civilized, and refined man. Perhaps a lost soul on the wrong path? Regardless, turning back would be near impossible for Ace, no matter what the cause.

Now that combat seemed inevitable, with the boy reaching to draw his weapon, Ace had decided on how he could easily gain the upper hand for this fight. While laying on the counter a large case he'd carried with him in to the store, Ace planted a thought in to his opponent's mind. He was analyzing the situation quietly, and the hammer's pistons were likely a damned good explanation as to how his weapon would fire bullets. But Ryuuji didn't need to know this; in fact, he needed to know the opposite. The hammer is a melee weapon, and doesn't fire bullets. I need to focus on getting in close without getting hit. After the thought vanished from Ace's mind, and in to his opponent's, Ace inconspicuously, and lazily, flicked the dial on his hammer towards the poor boy, firing an explosive bullet towards his chest.

The speed, doubled with the alien thought, would make the bullet completely unexpected and difficult to dodge. Seeing this reaction would allow Ace to prematurely judge the content of their fight. Hopefully the kid knew how to activate his aura.

The hammer is a melee weapon, and doesn't fire bullets. I need to focus on getting in close without getting hit.

Ryuuji's breathing slowed as he drew his sword and readied to move in. 'If I can make it past the hammer, I should be fi-'

Suddenly, a click, followed by a burst of sound exploded in the room. On pure reaction, Ryuuji activated his aura. It projected itself into a reddish shield of energy inches from in front of him. He could feel a strong resistance for just a moment. A small burst of shrapnel impacted the aura shield moments later. 'Yikes!' Ryuuji thought, ducking away behind a shelf. 'Looks like he's pretty serious. Need to be careful.' He took a quick look around, hoping to find something to turn the edge in his favor. What he found was a surplus of one of the most dangerous substances known to man.

Ryu grabbed a vial of powdered dust, recalling an accident that happened during his training. He uncorked it forcefully with a smirk. 'This probably won't hurt him, but...' He tossed it towards the criminal and overcharging the ensuing cloud of spilled dust with his aura.

A small burst of flame and smoke covered the area around Ace. Ryuuji used the momentary distraction to close the distance with his speed. He pulled the trigger on his sword hilt, making his sword extend to its full length as he swung for the dangerous man's middle.

So, the boy proved to have substantial reflexes. He would need them. This fight was about to take flight, and his reflexes and resourcefulness would be his most valuable asset. Ace, on the other hand, would have to rely on his unnatural speed and gifted mind for this fight. Being far more experienced, Ace had the upper hand, but Ryuuji certainly wasn't lacking a brain.

A small thing of dust flew over the shelf that the boy hid behind, but Ace hadn't forgotten where they were. Dust, by nature, is a weapon and he knew it. The vial was unexpected, but he was prepared to cope with it. Quickly pushing the dial on Chaos back in, Ace jumped back and landed just inside the cloud that was produced by the volatile powder.

Before there was much time for him to react, Ace was charged with a single swing of a sword. A follow up from the boy would be required if he was planning on staying alive.

While Ace still hadn't fully readjusted his hold on his weapon, he wasn't incapable of countering the blade. He firmly pressed the bottom of his hammer in to the floor, creating a small divot, and jumped in to the air. While performing a brief handstand on the head of his hammer, Ace felt his opponent's sword connect with Chaos' handle, causing the weapon to slowly fall.

As it toppled, Ace pushed off of the hammer and landed on the counter that the store's merchant would normally stand behind. He then immediately gripped the case, now filled with dust crystals, and launched himself off of the counter, over Ryuuji's head, and hopefully slamming the metal case in to the side of the boy' skull. "You lowly street urchin!"

Ryuuji dropped to the ground on all fours to dodge the flying case. He did a quick roll to re-position himself with his back against the store's front desk. He pulled his sword back into a fighting stance, keeping himself ready for another possible attack from the vagrant. "Stay down and call the city guard," Ryuuji muttered over his shoulder to the shop owner. 'Better keep him out of the way,' he thought as the older man ducked behind the desk for safety.

He positioned his weapon in front of it and braced the center of his body against it. Using another burst of speed, Ryuuji ran straight at Ace, aiming to knock him through the storefront into the streets.

The guard... perhaps I should take my leave soon. After all... I did get what I came for, though it's times like this that make me think I should carry both my weapons on me. No matter... Ace still had yet to even use his aura, and while his foe likely wasn't reaching his limit any time soon, he'd already begun to dwindle away small bits of his remaining energy.

"I shall have to bid you farewell now." As the boy charged at him, Ace slipped his hand inside the blade's reach and threw his hand outward, against the blade, knocking it away from it's threatening angle. His hand received small cuts from the sword but it only invigorated Ace, reminding him of the severe nature of the battle.

Ryuuji was still charging madly, making an abrupt stop incredibly unlikely, and the maniacal beast thrust his fist forward, aiming for the stomach of his opponent. Contact from a brute force, such as Ace's, would be enough of an impact to lift the boy off his feet. If he kept his aura activated to keep the precious air in his lungs, Ace would merely toss him to some other aisle of the store. Should he release his aura to prevent it from taking any further damage, the attack would leave him on the floor, gasping for air. Either way, without some additional strategy, Ace would be free to take his leave from the scene, Chaos in check.

Failing to keep his speed in check, Ryuuji smashed his body into the fist of his opponent, on reaction managing to activate his aura to block the harshness of the blow; only for Ace to toss him in away towards one of the shelves. 'Deflecting the blade bare handed!?' he thought as he flew through the air. He knew if his opponent had made even the smallest misstep in his move, he was liable to end up dead. 'Okay. So he's waaay more dangerous than I though,' Ryuuji sarcastically announced to himself as he made contact with the shelf, some leftover bottles of dust dropping around him. Though his aura protected his fall enough to stop most injury, Ryuuji had another pressing matter.

'One, two, and then...' Ryuuji mentally counted his aura usage. The earlier explosive round had drained him a tad more than he first thought. If he stayed in combat too long, it could be an issue sooner rather than later. 'I should still be fine for at least a while, but...' he examined his opponent. Besides the small cuts on his arm, Ace seemed to be in great condition. His speed and ability seemed matched by the enemy's. And the strange weapon....

'...I could be killing myself if I just keep attacking.' Ryuuji gritted his teeth.'He seems crazy enough... Don't think he's lying about the bombing.'

He stood from the wreck of a shelf, picking off rubbish on his person. Pulling a pin on the blade hilt, Ryuuji flicked his wrist. The top five inches of his sword split away into a short dagger, spinning slightly in the air, landing in his left hand. He could see his opponent beginning to walk away, clear of his crime. 'In any case, I can't let him just walk away if he's planning on doing it again!'

Ryuuji put his longer sword in front of him defensively. "You never did say who you are," he shouted, trying to buy some time for his Aura to recover and the City Guard to show up. Ryuuji hoped he would stop for even a moment. "That weapon is something only a hunter would have skill enough to make or use, right? Are you a huntsman...?" He asked, keeping his guard up and his eyes trained on Ace.

It has been some time since I walked these streets... I do not quite recognize this area. Perhaps it is new? Or maybe my memory is finally starting to go... Alban quietly laughs aloud at his own thoughts as he walked down an unnamed street deep in the city of Vale. As he turns a corner with no particular destination, he spots a seemingly quiet Dust store. "Ah, a dust shop. I suppose now is a good time to obtain some supplies." Alban softly says to himself as he approaches the store's entrance. He opens the door outward and steps inside, lowering his head slightly and having to twist his oversized frame just to fit through the unusually small door frame. However, he is immediately taken aback at the scene before him. Crashed shelves, various dust products lay everywhere, and two armed people stand, one heading straight towards him as he blocks the doorway, the other wielding two weapons, asking questions to the other.

Alban doesn't move from the door, blocking it entirely, and instead places his hand on his mace, which is strapped to his belt. He speaks quietly, but its difficult to use a quiet voice with a large frame and deep voice. Regardless, he tries anyway. "I feel like this is not the best place for a sparring match. Unless I'm mistaken... " Alban's eyes shift quickly toward the shopowner, who has hidden behind some far shelves in the corner of the shop, as far away from the fight as possible. Hmm, perhaps I am mistaken. His eyes shift back to the approaching person, but he does not move from his spot, deciding to block the exit until he can properly ascertain what the situation is.

As Ace made his way towards the exit, his hand trickling blood and a massive hammer on his back, a monstrous figure was consumed by the doorway; and a large beast occupied the only route of escape. Immediately, Ace adjusted to the situation in order to sway things in his favor. He wasn't entirely sure what this new arrival's place was in the mess but he already had a plan.

The man loosened his expression in order to make himself appear younger and more frightened, then adopted a fatigued stance, clutching his wrist to display the pain in his hand, and dragged himself towards the reptilian man -- a faunus of sorts, no doubt -- with his entire act. His eyes looked as though they were on the verge of tears. These tears, appear as they may, were not false like the rest of his character though they were forced. Rather than being tears of fear and pain, however, they were merely the soft cries of frustration, as Ace just wanted to rid himself of this whole scene.

"Sir!" Ace's voice cracked under the strain of this new, nearly-feminine pitch. "Please mister, you have to stop that man! He attacked the poor shop owner and I while I was buying this dust, He held the case of dust up to the man, though it shook vigorously with the hand carrying it. "but I tried to stop him. He-he cut my hand because my hammer is too heavy for me to fight with, but I got one lucky shot on him, so I started running for the door. Please, save the store owner!" Under almost any circumstance, Ace appeared as the victim as there wasn't a single mark on Ryuuji, and the dust case caused Ace to appear as a regular customer, not to mention his point about the weight of his hammer. If he truly were as young as his charade made him appear to be, it would be unlikely for him to have enough control over his aura to throw Chaos around effectively. But just to be sure...

Ace idly brushed the hair out of his left eye with a falsely-trembling hand, and stared at the other man in fright. I need to get this kid out of here so he doesn't get hurt. He obviously wont be any help in a fight, plus he needs to clean that cut.

Before he could get an answer, a giant of a man appeared at the front door, apparently... observing?

'He's huge! Is that the City Guard?' Ryuuji wondered. The size of the guard made him nervous but he gave a small sigh of relief.

Quote :

"Sir!" Ace's voice cracked under the strain of this new, nearly-feminine pitch. "Please mister, you have to stop that man! He attacked the poor shop owner and I while I was buying this dust, He held the case of dust up to the man, though it shook vigorously with the hand carrying it. "but I tried to stop him. He-he cut my hand because my hammer is too heavy for me to fight with, but I got one lucky shot on him, so I started running for the door. Please, save the store owner!"

Ryuuji was taken aback by the criminal's words. He glared angrily at Ace. "What!? T-that's not true!" He shouted. "It's the other way around!" he swung his sword in front of him in protest and pointed it's edge at Ace.

I should get this kid out of here. His eyes shift back and forth between each of the three in front of him, before flicking toward the one in front of him, pleading for help. He raises his eyebrow slightly, before switching his eyes to the shopkeeper. ..Ah... but I shouldn't simply abandon the shopkeeper. He holds his position as the second person refutes the first's claims of innocence. Shifting his attention back toward the first, he speaks with a louder, but still calmed voice. "Ah, It would actually be best if everyone disarmed themselves so the situation could be resolved by officials."

As he turns toward the shop owner, Alban notes that the shopowner is keeping his attention more on Ace than on Ryuuji. Hmm.. he appears more scared of the hammer wielding man. Turning back toward Ace, Alban speaks once more, again with a calmed voice. "I believe you should remain calm, as you are not in danger anymore." His hand maintains its somewhat loose grip on the handle of his mace, but he keeps it latched tightly to his belt. Still, the weapon can be quite intimidating even just sitting there.

Ah, shame... Well, I can't say that I tried to spare the fool. It now became apparent to Ace that his story would no longer work once they sought to fully resolve the situation. The foolish clerk would peel the mask from Ace in a matter of seconds and after that, he would have to deal with two opponents rather than one. This wouldn't be a problem for him, under normal circumstances, but he had somewhere to be and this definitely was not it.

Keeping up his charade until the very end, the psychotic terrorist reached back to remove his hammer, subtly pulling the dial out, and stood it next to him. As his left hand carried a metal case, he held the head of the hammer with his right and used his foot as a lever to keep the staff at a right angle. He turned his head back for a moment, eyes wide with crocodile tears, to get a good look at the location of his former adversary and the shop clerk, then returned his attention to the massive faunus. Without warning, the thumb of his left hand pushed the circular dial downward, firing a shot backwards toward Ryuuji, then he swiveled the entire hammer and fired another shot at the clerk. The second shot, however, was not aimed directly at the clerk as it was not intended to kill him; it's blast was far enough away that he would survive the shot, but close enough that it would wound him so badly he would require medical attention.

With one last flick of his thumb, in the opposite direction to that of the previous motions, Ace fired a shot in to one of the front windows and tossed the case of dust through it. In a wild flurry of feints and dodges, he darted passed the large and stationary creature at the door and out the window. "I really must apologize, but I've places to be, people to see. The kind of thing that you common folk wouldn't understand." Ensuring that they were stalled even longer, Ace fired a bullet at the door, then several above the broken window. The rubble collapsed on the exits would force them to either climb their way out of the place, or remove the debris. Either way, Ace made for his swift escape with his stash of dust in hand.

A dangerous sounding click made Ryuuji jump away, remembering the hammer had some sort of ranged function. Ace spun the hammer, and Ryuuji readied to dodge a second round, but the bullet aimed elsewhere. It hit the empty canisters near the front desk, sending a shower of glass and shrapnel onto the clerk hiding behind it. Ryuuji heard an audible thud and groan as the clerk disappeared under the desk once again.

As the robber slipped out, Ryuuji the opening at the tip of his sword at him, his finger on the hilt's trigger. He hesitated, trying to find a way to hit him without a fatal shot. Before he could line up his shot, Ace hit the front of the shop with another explosive round, sending down rubble to block his escape. He released an audible 'tch' and retracted his blade. 'I might be able to chase him down, but...' Dropping his itching desire to go after Ace, Ryuuji made his way over to the store clerk to help treat his injuries in any way he could. "Would this be a bad time to ask how to tell the difference in dust quality?" Ryuuji joked, hoping the store clerk would feel a bit better afterwards. The clerk gave him a small glare in response.

Alban is unfortunately not fast enough to effectively react to Ace's sudden attacks. By the time his weapon is out and uflly extended, he made one wide, powerful swing, trying to knock Ace against the wall. A futile swing, unfortunately, as it was expertly dodged by the much quicker thief. As he is through the window, Alban considers changing his weapon's form, but decides against it and instead covers his face to block the dust and bits of rubble from Ace's second attack.

Alban sighs audibly after ensuring he and the other two were clear of the falling rubble. I suppose it is good he had no intention of killing anyone. So it seems, at least. He stows his weapon back on his belt as it shrinks only slightly in size. Alban is forced to duck his head several times to avoid hitting various light fixtures or beams on the ceiling as he walks toward the others. "Injuries are nothing major, I hope?" He smiles just slightly after speaking, but you can tell its not something he does very often. He must be trying to reduce any possible intimidation he gives off due to his height and size.

The store clerk shakes his head at Alban's response, but his injuries are severe enough that his face is showing a far amount of pain. He relaxes somewhat as Ryuuji is checking on his wounds, mostly bruises as far as visibility goes.

Alban takes a step back from them as he notes Ryuuji is checking over the injuries.Trained in some kind of medicine, I hope. "My lack of medical training will limit my usefulness here, but I can clear some of this debris so we can go get more aid." He seemed to be speaking more to Ryuuji than the clerk, but the comment could apply to both of them. He began walking back toward the partially collapsed front side, and begins clearing some of the wreckage. He makes moving the heavy chunks of concrete, brick, and wood look like nothing, lifting them up and out of the way without even breaking a sweat.

OOC: Unless someone else appears on the street in Ace's way, my role is done here. So posting is pretty much between the two of you.

Ryuuji slung the clerk's arm over his shoulders to help him walk. He watched as the much larger man began moving the rubble away from the storefront as if they were weightless to him. Once they made it out into the street, Ryuuji looked around. 'No sign of that guy... drat.' He sighed to himself. The hospital wasn't too far away from what he could recall, and the injuries to the clerk weren't too severe luckily enough. The only lasting pain would probably be to Ryuuji's pride. He looked back at the half destroyed storefront, wondering how long it would have taken him to dig his way out of there to get medical help. 'Probably long enough for the clerk to bleed out...' he bit his lip.

Ryuuji looked at the giant man who had helped him. "Thanks for the help, errr...," he hesitated realizing he did not know the man's name.

After clearing enough debris for people to easily and safely move in and out, Alban stepped into the street as Ryuuji came out behind him. Seeing the clerk coming with, he chimed in. "We should let the proper authorities take him to a medical facility. No doubt they will also wish to question him, and us." A brief pause between words, as sirens could be heard in the distance, closing in fast. The explosion surely got someone's attention, at least. "Alban Skyn is my name. I apologize for not being here soon to provide more assistance." He stands up fully when he introduces himself, but is retaining his faint smile on his face.

"N-no problem!" Ryuuji laughed nervously at his odd looking smile. "It would've been worse if you hadn't shown up when you did. I should've been more careful." He let out a sigh. 'I should have been able to take him myself,' he thought quietly. "I'm Ryuuji, by the way."

He let the clerk down onto the cold pavement of the sidewalk as they waited for the authorities to appear.