"Stop right there!!" Heroically stepping in, gaze brimming with determination as he stared the masked attacker; his whole form prepared to strike.

"Feh!! Your feeble actors cannot stop me!!" The lady in his arm still struggling, barely uttering a sound as he turned to face his aggressor. Yes. This! This was the grand performance he was looking for.

--May have jumped the trigger there.

...

Recently there have been repeatedly conducted, violent acts of abduction -- or attempts of such -- in Hinoki theater. Somehow gauging Jan Ren to be a capable fighter, manager Yua had summoned him again as he was to keep guard during one of the performances. When he heard mainly the actresses were targeted he naturally insisted on apprehending the villain and rescue the damsels in distress, though was ultimately stopped as the lady in charge proclaimed such would be too risky and could lead to further turmoil. A search party would have to be dispatched and such would only stress the theater's and Hosenka's expenses further than they already are, seeing how treatment for the abducted was required as well. This was but a guarding mission, and should Ayakashi not even appear, that's for the better.

Terms accepted, understanding the hefty sum and big responsibility on the line; Jan Ren decided to lay in wait backstage, simply watching the acresses' every move (trying his best not to oogle them with his eyes while doing so). There were no guarantees that Ayakashi would appear today, but the odds were high. The recent abductions were close by and didn't seem to stop for anyone. He could rely on this solid statistic to be the closest indicator. When push comes to shove, the Sinese was convinced he could locate the criminal by his scent -- granted they'd already met before. Because as it stands, he had no way of knowing. The only clue being the man donning a mask belonging to Hinoki theater.

WC: 321

Come performance time, Jan Ren remained as wary as possible as he watched the play unfold per the script, uninterrupted as the crowd immersed themselves in the show. If Ayakashi was to appear, it would have to be grandiose and sudden. With so many people in the crowd, a factor the Sinese had carelessly not accounted for, there was no way he could trace the abductor through smell alone. He needed to wait it out.

...He only blinked once. He really only blinked once as suddenly, there laid the suspect. In all his glory, appearing out of thin air without warning and coiling an arm around one of the actresses on stage. He laughed extravagantly; "I will be taking this lady!!" He declared, his aura alone menacing enough to scare away a sum of the crowd, as panic ensued. The tall man wearing baggy blue kimono to hide his features, manly coarse voice coming from behind the white Noh mask. The other two ladies on stage screaming in fear as they hastened to run away. Sheesh. The mad lad actually went and made a big scene right in the middle of their performance. Incredible.

Regardless, there was the cue. As a small pebble was thrown at Ayakashi, the large man dodging rather gracefully with the abducted woman still firmly in his hold. "Who's there!?" He demanded to know, as from back stage emerged Jan Ren; fully prepared. "Stop right there!!" Heroically stepping in, gaze brimming with determination as he stared the masked attacker; his whole form prepared to strike. While he'd liked to contemplate the man's motives, such was mistimed.

"Feh!! Your feeble actors cannot stop me!!" Ayakashi confidently declared; the lady in his arm still struggling, barely uttering a sound as he turned to face his aggressor. Yes. This! This was the grand performance he was looking for. Spreading out his free arm in a boisterously welcoming fashion; "Your resolve is too weak!!" he decided, flinging the woman at Jan Ren as the Sinese successfully caught her in his arms, only to find himself stabbed with a knife from behind. "Ghk...!!!"

WC: 673

Sneaky attacker, this one. He used whatever method of disappearing and reappearing despite the lad expecting it, using his hostage for a distraction. The lady screamed out in terror as Ayakashi stared her down menacingly from behind his mask. That which soon, took a solid back-handed punch. "Guwah--!!" The criminal fell to the ground with the force of the impact as Jan Ren gave the woman a light shove, freeing himself from the hindering state; "Run!!" He ordered as he turned to his opponent, making obvious effort to ignore the stab wound in his back. Lunging at the abductor on the floor with an incoming palm strike, as he once again disappeared from sight. "Again!?"

A scream from behind insinuated what was happening. Jan Ren stood up to see his target, holding the woman from earlier with a knife held against her throat. "Naive, too naive, boy!!" He declared. "I've told you. Your resolve is too weak! You cannot reach me!!" He once more declared. Slowly raising his arms, a drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face; the Sinese spread his legs at shoulder width, appearing harmless. "...Alright. You win." He uttered, much to the woman's terror. Slowly, Ayakashi backed a step at a time away from the stage; still holding onto his hostage.

And then-- "GUH--" --was hit by a sudden rising boulder that emerged from the floor. A magic circle behind him conducted with a tap from Jan Ren's foot signified what had transpired; an easy trick for an enemy who lacked knowledge. Seizing this chance, the Sinese leaped into the air and landed a somersault kick upon the criminal's head, his full force driven behind the movement. The mask cracked under the pressure as the criminal was slammed to the ground. A vital shot; "S... Splen, did...." He barely voiced out, finally falling out cold.

"Phew..." A thankfully short-lived fight, as the young man proceeded to tie up the criminal. "Finally." To his surprise, the crowd began cheering after the conclusion, pleasing his ego quite a bit.

Shortly after a break was taken, someone came to take Ayakashi and never returned that day. By the end of said play, manager Yua finally paid in full.

WC: 1,044