Beware the Tiger

A small notice appears on a wanted billboard, a picture. The man looks to be young, but not that young, his eyes are cold and distant. It's a crude hand-sketched drawing. The ad specifies no reward, no name, just the face. Beneath it is the warning, in bold letters 'BEWARE THE TIGER'. It's are mid-day, the regular crowd makes their way to the market, amidst the crowd, a man wearing bizarre armor appears. He winds here and there like a snake, and finds his way to the wanted poster board. In one swift swipe, he tears the sketch away, looks for a name, or sum, finding none, he smirks. He remembers his last target, leaving her grieving widow with no one, no money, no one who cared.

He still remembered her last words, 'You'll pay for this!', to which the reply came, 'I've done this for years, I've never been the one who pays for anything. You crossed Heihachi for the last time.' Her eyes had bulged out as he twisted her head viciously to one side, a resounding crack permeated the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see a man, smaller than the woman, a broken, and weak old thing. 'You saw nothing.' The old man, an artist, did see, and he drew what he saw. He posted the sign, he had no money, what could he offer, leave the payment blank, they might think he's rich.

The man in the armor made his way through the crowd again, into a quiet, ancient part of the city. The house was still the same as before, forgotten, and rotting. The windows were barred now, that was alright, he had dealt with bars before. He stepped up to the door, grabbing the handle, he sent a quick, high powered jolt into the metal, and could hear the locking mechanisms crack, chatter, and pop within. He pushed the door open, and slinked inside. He made no sound, the old man was awake, sketching one of several new sketches for other boards through out the city. Each one grew more terrifying and repulsive. He began to draw what he imagined rather than what he saw.

The man in the armor slipped the sheet onto the desk, his face was hidden by a hood, "What's the price on his head?", he asked, masking his voice into a quiet whisper. The old man jumped, and cried out, gripping his chest as he turned toward his unexpected visitor. "R-Reward?...I-I uh, well, you see-" "There isn't one, is there?", the hooded man asked. "W-Well, i-it's...well, no. N-Not at the moment. B-But I swear, if you can bring him to justice, I-I'll get you money, lots." "How?", came the reply. "I-I know people, rich, powerful people, I can get you the money...just...kill him.", his voice was almost begging. "You want him dead? Why?", asked the hooded man. "That bastard killed my wife, my dear sweet Lune...he broke her neck right in front of...me-", the old man looked up, and shot to his feet, backing away, "Th-That armor...y-you...?!"

The man took two quick strides forward, catching the old man by the throat, lifting him, and throwing back his own hood, "I told you that you saw nothing." The man, the assassin, lifted the sketch he'd torn from the board, "This isn't nothing." The old man squeaked, and coughed painfully, "You killed my wife, you killed her...f-for nothing...killed her...Who do you...th-think you are?" The man smirked, "My name is Lars, the Tiger.", he said. "I killed your wife because she was meddling in affairs above her own head, she was getting into trouble." He began amassing electricity in his left arm, the one that had been keeping the old man aloft, "And now, so have you." The old man's eyes widened, and a scream tore from his lips as a massive release of lightning passed through his body. The sheer power of the blast caused his lips to curl, and fried his insides. Lars dropped the corpse, cooked, and absolutely dead.

He could hear guards outside, and quickly snatched the pile of posters, and broke through a nearby window, returning to the market before the guards even managed to find the body. He used his lightning to ignite the papers, and watched them burn away to nothing. He slipped into a bar, and took a seat, his seat. Everyone knew of him, but no one knew him. The Tiger, Lars, watched the bartender appear, and set down a bottle of sake, the only drink Lars accepted, and a cup. He poured himself a cup, watching the bartender slip back to his position, hands shaking. Lars drained the cup, and refilled it, awaiting his next client, and his next target.

Lars sat quietly, he had no reason to talk, at least, not yet. He found himself toying with his cup, pulling out a gold piece, slipping it under the cup, and sliding it with deft speed around the table, his hands moving faster than the human eye could follow. He caught sight of someone new entering the bar, someone who struck him as slightly out of place. He paused, following her gaze, someone who was a bit more dangerous than she looked.

He smirked, slipping the piece away, standing, and striding across the bar, setting the bottle down on the counter, followed by the gold piece, though the bottle wasn't worth half that much. He whispered, "That couple over there, know anything about them?", he asked. The bartender was at loath to say no, Lars was known to be vicious. "N-Not really...there...um...not like ordinary folk...b-but...I don't know anymore than that."

Lars glanced over at them, definately not ordinary, but, in all honesty, who was these days? He wondered how much fun he could have torching them one by one right in front of their would-be assassin, he quite enjoyed ruffling his fellow's feathers, which is why he typically tried to blend in. Assassins don't usually take kindly to people who interfere.

He closed his eyes, "Take this to them, tell the girl I sent it.", he said to the bartender, who nodded slowly. He hated it when Lars dragged him into his schemes. He was making very deliberate movements. Inside, he was bursting, he wanted to cause trouble so badly that it hurt, but on the outside, he looked the part of a handsome man, making a very generous gesture.

The bottle was taken, and delivered, he saw the bartender point, and the target-girl's gaze followed. Lars winked, making sure her male companion saw it. He wanted a good fist fight, and hoped that this little charade would prove worth his time. He didn't turn away, no, he watched her, waiting for her friend to stand, and approach him.

Lars watched the girl's companion, his reaction was better than he could have hoped. 'That's right, big guy, come get some.', he thought. His pre-victory celebration was cut short however, when the woman who was intent upon the pair interrupted it. She rambled about how dangerous the guy was, about how he should leave. Definately new here. No one dared accuse Lars of being unable to take care of himself, or ever recommended he back down from someone. He might have replied too, chastised her about underestimating someone she knew nothing about, perhaps explained why he was intent upon causing harm to the man, but he had no time.

The fool was there already, staring with as much anger as before. Lars smiled, a slight shimmer appeared around his right arm as it was electrified, a single touch would be enough to paralyze the arm, leg, or other apendage that touched it. He stared right into the man's eyes, no fear, not even nervousness, just absolute delight. "You got something to say?", he asked, his electric blue eyes searching for any provocation. "Give me a reason.", he said, "Anything."

He stood face to face with the man, ignoring Nokomi completely, "I'm sure your friend would love to see you back down. Those tattoos look pretty...feminine, don't you think? Don't you think you could have found some a little less immasculating?" Lars was begging to be hit, he wanted to hurt this guy so bad. He wasn't egotistical, no, he enjoyed smashing another man's pride, and ego, grinding it to dust in one swift move.

Lars wasn't in a very passive mood, and when the girl appeared, he gave her an even more suggestive smile than before. Even better, when the fist flew, Lars, for a brief flash, seemed to vanish entirely, speed was his essence. He caught the fist, super-charging the man's arm in what appeared to be a lightning bolt. The skin Lars gripped blackened, and cracked, but he kept the energy contained to just the man's arms, managing to halt it's progress before breaking contact.

Lars looked absolutely happy, a sadistic smile was on his face, and he didn't hesitate to kick Curly's legs out from under him, and slam an armored elbow onto the base of his neck, smashing him onto the floor. He kicked him over, staring down at his face. No one, no other patron moved, they didn't even attempted to call the guards to the man's aid, they just watched. Lars' smile widdened, and he kneeled down, "You are a fool, and you've meddled with the wrong person. How does it feel?" He asked, roughly grabbing the man's arm, and tugging it, "Does it hurt? Did you really think I am incapable of crushing an insect like you?"

He rose again, releasing the blackened arm, rising to his full heighth, "You underestimated the wrong person.", he said, placing his boot against the man's chin, and kicking quickly, there was an echoing snap, then silence.

Lars stood still, allowing the knife to slam into the armor, leaving no dent, nor any trace of damage, the blade's 10th inch was, however, snapped off, and the blade diverted to the left. Lars' right arm shot forward, catching hold of Freckles' face. He lifted her off the ground like that, grabbed the hand that weilded the blade, and closed on it slowly, and deliberately, crushing the bones. He released her hand, catching the knife, still holding her aloft.

He shook his head, "Such a shame." His wrist, and shoulder wrenched to one side, and, in an instant, Freckles' arms, and legs dangled like a ragdoll. Lars was unfazed, he didn't care, not one bit. He dropped the second kill onto the first, and tossed a small pouch to the bartender, so indifferent that one might think he'd just paid for drinks, "Clean this up. Not a word." The man nodded, as did the others. Lars turned slowly toward Nokomi, but continued past her, and walked outside, it was clear he wanted her to follow.

Lars stood quietly for a bit, unfazed by Nokomi's slow arrival. He wasn't really angry inside either. He was just having a bit of fun, really. He looked around at the people who walked here, and there. He didn't really have much respect for weak people, nor did he tolerate much from them.

When Nokomi did appear, he didn't look at her. He waited for her to say something first. When she did speak, he found her voice irritated him, why do all woman assassins act like this? "Being indifferent doesn't change the fact that you're human.", he said sharply. He was quiet again after that, allowing his words to sink in, "Those two, what were they worth to you? Perhaps a more acute question: What were they worth to the person who wanted them dead, and where did they come from?", he asked.

Lars turned his gaze on her, this woman who was shorter than him by enough for him to notice. "You must fancy becoming like your friends in there.", he said. "This isn't up for debate little girl. Either you tell me why they were important, and where they are from or I follow you to your client, and bury that person too.", he said.

His face was blank, but his voice wasn't, it was edged, like a razor, and there wasn't the slightest sign of empathy.

[Oh god: Lars will make her FEEL something. XD]

Lars nodded, looking down at the blackened skin on his hands, and dusting it off. He sighed, "Excellent find.", he said, refering to the job. "Been a long time since a target has fought back." He really did miss the good targets, the one's who had round the clock guards, and knew how to handle a weapon themselves. He shook his head, freeing himself from the trance-like state he'd attained.

"I hope I didn't spoil any fun by taking them for myself, but, I couldn't really help causing a bit of trouble.", he said, a slight, twisted smile on his face.

Uh oh XD

Nokomi

"Hey, it's no skin off my back. I've been tracking them for months and wanted this over with; it was amusing to watch you handle it," she said in response. She switched her pack from one shoulder to the other--the thing got heavy sometimes--and then raised an eyebrow. "Is that all? Because if so, I'm out of here." she said. She felt a nagging need to get the h'ell out of the Fire Nation. She never felt comfortable back in her homeland. It wasn't that the Fire Nation was a bad place to be. It just brought back far too many memories of her childhood and her sister. She reviewed these memories with unfeeling observation, but that didn't mean she wanted to be anywhere near where the events had transpired. Not without losing her sanity.

Mood: Uncaring Condition: Healthy

Nokomi Nefara Sen

Lars shrugged, "Unless you want something from me.", he replied quietly. He hadn't talked to someone this long in a semi-friendly manner in quite awhile. It felt new.

He lightly tapped his thumbs together, "And perhaps to add that if you ever wanted assistance that you need only...to ask."

Lars shrugged, "You seem to get jobs that are more interesting than nosy old people.", he said. "Besides, you have a certain solidity about you." He glanced out at the street, "What do you say?"

Lars was silent, his hands opening and clenching, as if testing to make sure his tendons still worked properly. He didn't seem to read into your silence much, at least, it didn't SEEM that way. He was actually measuring her strengths and weaknesses. She had weapons, either she was a non-bender, or a poor one, either way it didn't matter. Lars typically didn't care what others used, or did, the only time he ever fought anyone was when they got in his way. Or when they were a personal enemy who Lars disliked for reasons only he knew.

He closed his icy blue eyes, and nodded his head at her answer, "I....suppose." She was also a lot quieter than he imagined. When she extended her hand, he looked at her for a moment, taking her hand in a much lighter grip than many would have though possible, and shook it lightly. "As for my earlier comment earlier about indifference: Indifference in the face of a target is expected, and desirable, indifference in the face of all aspects of life makes you bland, boring, and suspicious.", he said slowly. "Remember that."

Lars chuckled lightly, "Well to fetch your payment, first." He turned, and glanced into the bar, the bodies had already been removed. "So, technically you're leading the way." He turned back toward you, "My name is Lars...but you can call me what you like.", he said, a light humor in his tone.

Lars chuckled, and followed Nokomi silently, finding himself measuring her up in more ways than one. He usually didn't do anything like this, especially not on a professional level. He glanced at the door as they came to a stop, stopping himself, leaning against the wall.

He chuckled at her comment, "Safer for them, I'd be safe almost anywhere.", he said, turning, and looking out at the main street. If only she weren't so young.