Nightwalker (Open)

Though he'd never been to New York City, let alone the state, Kenji knew enough from reading online that this was not an easy city to get around in. To improve the quality of his stay, he knew that he had to map out as much of the city as he could, learn shortcuts and traffic tendencies. Thus, we come to the close of his third day of surveying NYC. The night was relatively peaceful, if you don't count the honking of cars, and booming music emanating from nightclubs and bars.

As he passed an alley, Kenji heard a wet smack, prompting him to pause. He stepped out of the way of anyone potentially behind him and took a look down the alley. Further down was a sight that was hardly uncommon in this town, from what he understood: a thuggish man wielding a pistol, threatening a young man for his money or else under the cover of night and the sounds of the city. Kenji knew that he had no rights to do anything about the situation, and that stopping one mugger would hardly change how things worked in New York. Even if it was, the man had a gun, presumably loaded. Logically, he should've turned around and kept going.

Quietly, Kenji slinked into the alley and creeped along, listening to the exchange between thug and victim.

"You wanna 'nother? Or maybe you wanna bullet in the gut? Is that what's up?"

"N-no, no! Just let me get in my bag--"

"Yeah, that's right, get that money! And move it already!"

Along the way, Kenji carefully picked up a length of pipe, then timely ducked behind a dumpster as he heard the mugger exclaim and look over his shoulder, only to see nothing but the street behind him. Confident that they were still alone, the thug returned to his victim. Kenji resumed his advance, rounding the dumpster and closing on his intended target.

"Move a little faster, wouldja?! I don't have all night!"

The click of the pistol's hammer being drawn back rang in Kenji's ears. Time was short, and fortunately, so too was the distance remaining. He took one long step ahead, then lunged with an overhead strike of his measured steel. The mugger belted out a curt expletive and discharged his nine past his victim's head, doubling over and clutching his own skull before trying to turn and see who his assailant was. Kenji acted quickly, knowing full well that one late or wrong move could result in a bullet to his head; he'd already drawn back his pipe after the initial impact, and swung a second time for the side of the thug's knee, forcing it in a direction it shouldn't naturally be able to achieve. Another yelp came as the man was brought to a knee, then gritted his teeth as Kenji smashed the pipe into his gun-wielding wrist twice, forcing him to drop it.

"Having the element of surprise is important in a takedown, you know," commented Kenji as he stepped around to the front of the thug, who was in a bit much pain to be reacting. By this point, his intended victim had scampered deeper into the alley, getting to safety, so it was just the two of them. The mugger finally put aside his pain long enough to lash out at Kenji, only for the easterner to timely step back and golf swing his extended fist, right into the knuckles. That hurt. Kenji finally discarded his steel and stepped back, patiently waiting for the thug to rise. He managed to do so, stifling the pain in his knee long enough to lunge and throw a punch with his good hand. This was the moment Kenji had been counting on; he was above striking a helpless opponent, but now that he was on his feet and hostile again, there was nothing to stop him.

Kenji hastily ducked below the man's arm and shoulder tackled him at close range, using his momentum against him. He followed through and rammed him into the dumpster from before, winding him. Sprawling against the back of it and cursing with what oxygen he had, the would-be robber was at Kenji's mercy, who took the time for another lecture as he stood tall. "I'll let you go with this much if you do the right thing and quit mugging people. Sound like a fair deal to you?" His response was a breathless but pissed "Fuck you, kid!" Unsurprising, but the easterner liked to give people like this one chance to reconsider. But, seeing as he'd turned the opportunity down...

The thug tried to step away and lift his fist, expressing hostile intent, but Kenji shut that idea down with a harsh boot to the stomach, once more depriving him of air. Then, stomping his foot back down, he stepped in and laid into the man's face with one, two, three, four rapid punches, primarily focusing on his nose. After the fourth, he threw a heavy fifth, colliding with the thug's abused nose and breaking it with a potent crack, his target's nostrils practically detonating with blood all over his knuckles. This time, the mugger had no words; the shock coupled with the earlier abuse had rendered him unconscious as he slumped down against the base of the dumpster. Kenji shook his now-open hand a bit, chuckling. "Man, he has a hard head. Not as hard of a nose, though..." He took no pride in what he did, but hoped that the thug would reconsider such actions in the future. If not, well... He tried.

Picking up the nearby gun, Kenji removed the magazine and fingered out the bullets one by one, pitching them in every which direction. As for the empty magazine and gun, he threw them onto separate fire escapes up above. As he looked back down from his throws, he noticed a perfectly good water bottle, sealed and all. Looking at it first, then his bloody fist, he shrugged and sweeped it up as he made for the mouth of the alley, using the water to clean his hands up.