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The instant they were downed, two more jumped in, being a little more careful this time as they watched and waited. As the other two rolled backwards, taking a knee due to their stinging shins, the two that were up steeled themselves for the attack, being careful not to make any wrong moves. One moved in slowly from the front, creeping ever closer into range. The other was already on the attack, slicing at the small of her back with a wicked grin.

As soon as he saw the sun glint off the blade, the man in front struck, this time a live attack to the shoulder of her sword arm.

Espa Aelethe-Monroe was glad to leave the company of her 3 best friends and wander Laburnum City. The young quarter Elven girl with strange, mismatched eyes looked about and took in the city. She hadn't had a moment to herself since their last visit to Laburnum. So, she left Rymfire, Saruo, and Mick at the inn and ventured out.

A gathering crowd caught her attention and she moved forward. Espa liked to brawl and pushed her way forward.

What she saw made her smile falter. The fight was horribly uneven. 'Perhaps I should even it out,' she thought and her smile returned. She moved just inside the clearing behind one of the combatants who was waiting for an opportunity to step in. He didn't notice her which was too bad for him.

A quick jab to the back of the neck and a mental burst sent him to the ground. 1 down and how many to go?

((How many are still standing?))

Wham. The shoulder was hit, causing him to drop the tanto. Hissing in pain, he retreated for the moment, out of the mists. He nodded to one of the other thieves, and one of them got the message, pulling a dagger from scabbard strapped to his thigh and readied it to throw.

The other was not so fortunate, as a snap was heard. His ankle was out of it, and he fell to the ground, howling in pain. He rolled away so he would not recieve any more damage, but at least one was out of the fray. The leader nodded with approval- this one was definitely one to have for ransom. He changed his orders. "Okay, we have a live one. Kick her a**, but don't kill her."

The others nodded, their blades still at the ready. The leader threw the one who was disarmed his tanto, which was 10" long. The man accepted with a nod and a grin, and was once again ready. If he could get his other weapon back, he would definitely have fun... Meanwhile, the dagger was thrown at Hoshimi's right temple in the hopes of the mist providing it with some cover. As for the man that was still behind her, he creeped forward, along with two others who simply moved at walking speed- one from either side. While he was just going to get his knife back, they were moving to strike. One was not sure when, though...

He may have thought he was throwing it at her right temple but the mositure combined with the heat of the day often gave one strange illusions and very bad aim whee and passed by her head by several inches in fact. There was also the matter of her now glowing staff, that added to the odd light effects within the fog.

The man who had been behind her was no in fact in front of her as she had pivoted on her right foot, then pushing forward, dropping her grip on the staff with her right hand, crossing the grip of the bokken over her body before moving up into the slash across her body and into the man's chest, her own movements obscured by the fog. The two men on either side of her wouldn't even see anything beyond a shadowy figure they would take for her but would in fact be their opposite mark. Strikign at each other instead of her.

Espa heard the leader shout and watched as the two corrected themselves. She threw her hand out, index and middle fingers forked at the thugs who had almost sliced each other. The index finger of her other hand touched her temple and she sent screaming pain ripping through their minds. One might liken it to being struck on the side of the head with a frying pan except you get hit on all sides at once, enough to bring tears to your eyes.

In a swift exhalation, Espa was suddenly in motion, going straight for the leader, boldly. She was unarmed, save for her brass knuckles, whip, and leather gloves but with her fighting style, a weapon was really unecessary.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!"

The two thugs were blinded by an immense pain that seemed to come from within. They dropped their knives and doubled over in pain, ending up on the floor in a fetal position. They were immobilized for the time being until the intense pounding ceaced in their heads. Meanwhile, the leader was definitely ready for Espa, stepping to one side while bringing the waki to bear at her solar plexus, just letting it sit there. If she did not stop, and quickly, she would cut herself on the blade.

((Down/Immobilized: 5 Up/Recovering: 2))

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Lao watched the entire scenario from a nearby roof. He liked what he saw- the girl was doing well, and she had help. The man who seemed to be their leader seemed to have a bit more skill, though it did not seem that he had much sense. It was a two on one fight- he was either desperate or overconfident. He did not want to believe the third one, but there was always a possibility of it: He had a trick up his sleeve, whether literally or figuratively.

In any case, it looked like the other two were on their feet, both heading for the women, raising their weapons to strike. It seemed that one of them had two tantos, while the other had one tanto, along with a throwing knife. This would not do- it was still uneven. He picked up a few loose pebbles from the roof and jumped to the street. He then weaved through the crowd, picked the farthest man, and threw.

The pebble struck the grind ridge of the dagger, which was enough to knock it out of his hand. Seeing as the stone barely missed the man in front of him, he turned to the source of the attack- just in time to see a flash of red and gold, along with the knife edge of Lao's foot heading toward his nosebridge.

Wham. He was floored, three feet away. Again.

Hoshimi started moving toward the leader and the other woman, but as she stepped forward she realized the woman needed no help really and simply moved over to the side, her staff clutched in her hand as she moved back into the gathering crowd. This was too much for her to take really.

Her silver eyes shimmered with tears as she watched, glancing over her shoulder to see the odd man in the red kimono attacking someone who had been behind her. She was gratefully truly she was but she needed to find someplace safe. She really needed Tsai here right now, she thought to herself as she slipped the bokken back into her obi, her hand going back to grip at her staff before she was yanked back into the crowd quickly disappearing with a slightly taller eastern man, who had tucked her his arm. She thought to resist but thought it wiser not to until she could see him better.