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Seren is stopped in her tracks by a new face, and this same arrival makes Hog feel more like a rather overweight piggy in the middle. Although she doesn't recognise the figure that comes around the corner, his presence does seem somehow…familiar. The man in the long black coat comes around the corner looking straight at her as he does so; his eyes seeming to recognise her, but she mistakes the tears playing in his blacked eyes as those of fear as she challenges this new 'player' as a foe. She looks at Hog and remarks sardonically 'and I thought you were saving yourself for me!' She then snarls at her new opposition 'walk away, tough guy; this is a private party. I'll give you three seconds, and the clocks already ticking!'
Michael expected no less, but the crazed look in Seren's eyes certainly makes him a lot more cautious as he approaches with his hands raised in surrender. He tells her 'just listen to me for a second…' Seren cocks her head from one side to the other as she carries on regardless 'tick…that's one…' Michael doesn't stop his progress, and he still tries to get through to her with 'please; just let me explain…' Seren obviously isn't listening as she continues 'tock…that's two - is Hog really worth dying for?'
Michael's own unbalance comes to the surface briefly as he growls 'what makes you think I give a FUCK about that piece of shit?!' Seren then reaches Hog and pulls him up by one hand off the floor and looks at him before hissing 'where I come from, that's fighting talk!!' Seren throws him through the corrugated metal alley wall, but seems slightly confused by her insistent new arrival. She looks at him with a bit more curiosity as if trying to weigh him up better as his gaze hasn't even flinched from her as she threw this mysterious newcomer's assumed friend through the uncaring sheet metal of the alley wall. She certainly doesn't like his unwavering attention, as it reminds her too much of the painful and torturous memories that led her to become what has become. Her insanity increases and seems to send some unspoken message that she seems only too happy to hear.
Seren smiles with a certain slyness as she points at her supposed adversary while crooning 'you're one of those sacks of flesh that ruined my life aren't you?' Michael's own rage grows at this accusation of being the same as those he has come back to this world of pain to kill. He can barely contain himself as he growls through gritted teeth 'what?' Seren waves her finger slowly in front of her face and shakes her head with her smile broadening as she whispers 'the crow shows me the way to my enemy's little man, and here I find you - coincidence?' She swings her arms out sideways casually before hissing 'I don't think so; time to die, asshole!'
Seren launches at Michael with incredible ferocity and Michael can only duck weave and block the flurry of kicks and punches. He grabs her by her shoulders and yells 'snap out of it Seren; this isn't who you are!' Seren growls 'how the fuck would you know?' Seren grabs Michael by the lapels and knees him in the gut, which is followed by her dropping to her back and bringing Michael over with her. Seren kicks out with her feet to send Michael sailing down the alley, but unlike all the others she has faced, he flips himself over in mid-flight and lands on his feet.
Michael pleads again 'please; we don't need to do this!' Seren is already striding towards him as she growls 'maybe you don't…' She then fires a feinted front kick that is easily blocked followed by a roundhouse kick to the side of Michael's head that sends him reeling backwards. Seren grabs him by the throat as she snarls through gnashing teeth '…BUT I DO!' Seren then slams him into the wall, and then spins him around once to gain the momentum to send him flying heavily through the brick wall of the abandoned building. Seren hops inside, and Michael spins on his shoulders and scissors his legs to spin and right himself back onto his feet.
Seren congratulates him with a mocking bow as she huskily quips 'I'm impressed - the others went down way too easy for my liking!' Michael has had enough, and knows that while he can't bring himself to hurt her, he needs to create an opening to try something that may bring Seren back to her senses. Michael slowly rocks his head from side to side to the sound of bones grinding and cracking back into position before adopting a crooked smile 'I impressed you? Sorry I can't say the same!' This has the desired effect as Seren roars in anger and launches furious attacks that allow Michael to calmly block and dodge due to keeping a cool head.
He quips and teases as Michael leans backwards at an impossible angle as he dodges a spinning roundhouse kick with he dodges her first attack 'almost had me there!' Michael straightens himself up in an instant to catch the hook punch follow up; quipping 'so; come here often?' Seren's face is almost that of a wild animal as she tries for his groin. Michael blocks it quickly and fires back 'now that's just not cricket!' Seren then propels herself around in the air to catch Michael on the back of the head with her other foot. This sends Michael flying, and Seren uses her supernatural agility to land gracefully as she fires in a quip of her own 'I never was one for sports!' Michael whispers 'how can I forget?'
Michael turns and his mocking grin is back in place as he leans forwards to point to his chin; teasing 'one free shot; right here!' Seren cracks her knuckles before saying deceptively gently 'such a gentleman!' The blow isn't a punch, however, it's a jumping roundhouse that would have taken the head off a normal man, but thankfully on this occasion, Michael is no mere mortal man!
Michael is sent spinning in the air, but manages to put one hand down and flip himself upright once more. Seren can't believe the smile still on his face, and remarks 'you just don't give up, do you?' Michael shrugs 'not when something's worth fighting for!' Seren lets her guard drop a moment which seems to indicate a flash of memory 'you seem to remind me of someone…' she then smiles as she fires in the insult '…and that's not a good thing!' Michael can't help but feel a little hurt by this, but carries on his charade as he smiles mockingly before quipping 'mind if I lead?' Seren bows in mock courtesy and tells him 'please; be my guest!'
Michael knows what he must do, and his attacks are dodged and deflected with intentional ease; he is waiting for the counter-attack to his 'uppercut' to Seren's ribs. Seren's attempted punch to his head is anticipated and Michael swiftly puts Seren in a rear arm lock that she tries to use her supernatural agility to propel herself off the wall and behind; Michael, however, uses his own to catch her in mid-air, and send both down onto the floor. Michael forces Seren face down to the floor while he keeps a full nelson on her, with a knee in her spine for leverage. Seren can't believe his strength, and yells at him 'GET YOUR HANDS OF ME, YOU SCUM…' Michael has to gather his thoughts together at these words that, while directed at him through error, hurt him all the same.
Michael whispers 'I'm sorry I had to do this!' He rapidly takes his hands from the nape of her neck to the side of her head, and the effect is instantaneous as Michael unlocks her memories once more; the pain she feels being the same as he experienced. He holds her still as she roars in pain, and after a long and fraught moment, she recedes - her body seeming to go limp.
Michael slowly drops his hands away, but Seren still believes him to be the enemy and slips from under him with incredible speed, and she flips into the air to bury her boots into his back and uses the momentum to flick-flack over to land on her feet. She growls at him with hatred 'I don't know what you did, but it didn't work!' Michael is getting back up as Seren grabs the back of his head and slams it into the floor as she yells 'STAY DOWN!' She then rolls the now unconscious Michael over to deliver a deathblow, but then her memory gives her a vision, and it is very poignant.
(...)
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