Match of the Millennium

Description: Sometimes, the best way to deal with a fire, is with fire. Smokey might say the only you can prevent forest fires. Well you can. With fire. By doing controlled burns outside of Calgary, you can prevent wildfires from consuming communities like nuts. Unfortunately, Scorpion has arrived a little prematurely at this burn site. Will Kenshi be able to control this bonfire, or will he go up in smoke? As Smokey says: Toasty! <Winner: Kenshi>

[SCORPION]
Have the Lin Kuei been keeping up with current events? Do they study the fighting world? Scorpion had no reason to doubt that they did. Even when he was alive and living a rustic, nearly-medieval life in the forest, even he knew of the King Of The Iron Fist tournament, even he'd heard rumors of powerful brothers who were masters of a most deadly secret technique.

So it would stand to reason that the Lin Kuei, as powerful, prosperous and technologically savvy as they were would pay some sort of attention to the fighting world as it was today. If that was the case, then would they recognize the uniform of the fighter currently fighting under the SNF? That quilted yellow, worn to taunt and antagonize the Chinese assassins, worn over treated, dyed-black animal hides. Surely they would notice the insignia of the Shirai Ryu on his back, three stylized triangular shapes facing each other within a chain-like circle. They resembled very stylized kunai somewhat, and within each kunai were symbols. 'Strength', 'Integrity' and 'Cunning', the three values of their clan.

In front of the cameras, Scorpion simply stood deadly still, awaiting his opponent with an eerie patience. Milky-white eyes staring ahead and never blinking, his chest not even rising or falling, it was truly unsettling for the SNF cameramen, who were slowly realized that they were surrounded by silence. No birds singing, no possums or other creatures to disturb the foliage, It was as if everything with sense was giving this area a wide berth.

And they were.

[KENSHI]
The eery silence blanketing the forest is disturbed by the soft sound of rustling brush, as someone pushes their way through the tangled undergrowth. Moving at a relaxed pace, it takes a moment for the shadowed figure to come into sight. His dark armor blends well with the gloom beneath the branches. In fact, if it weren't for the ragged crimson blindfold, and splashes of crimson decoration on his arms and kneepads, he might be mistaken for one of the ominous Lin Kuei his opponent is so fixated upon.

But no. This man is no hired assassin.

"It seems that fait wills us to fight." Kenshi calls quietly across to Scorpion as he emerges from the brush, shoving a branch out of his path with one leather-clad palm. His heavy boots compress the soft soil beneath his feet, kicking up clods as he strides forward to take up a position not 15 feet in front of the deathly still spectre. Lips quirking up into a brief, wry grin, he bows shallowly at the waste, then straightens up and slides his right foot back, turning his body to present his left shoulder. His knees bend slightly, left hand held out palm extended while his right couches at his hip, curled into an armored fist.

"Let us see if your anger will be enough."

COMBATSYS: Kenshi has started a fight here.

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Kenshi           0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Scorpion has joined the fight here.

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Scorpion         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Kenshi's arrival wasn't exactly a surprise to the ninja in black and yellow, but then again it wasn't exactly supposed to be. At the heavy footsteps, Scorpion turns his head slightly, and as the blind warrior emerges from the wilderness into the clearing that was set for them, the ninja gives his full attention out of respect. He returns the bow at nearly the same time, but never keeping his eyes off the swordsman. In fact, as rays of light occasionally peaked through the canopy of leaves and branches up above, one might notice slight parallels between the men, down to the swords on their backs.

"A simple test of abilities. Our alliance after today has not changed, swordsman."

He spoke lower than a whisper on the passing wind, lower than the audio of the cameras far away to pick up. And with the mask covering his nose and mouth, there was no danger of his lips being read by any spies. Immediately after he stood up straight. Actually, he was already dashing towards Kenshi even as he started standing up from the bow, immediately leaping up into the air and spinning, coming around with a straight kick aimed at the chest of the swordsman. Scorpion was wasting little time in this fight, it seemed!

COMBATSYS: Kenshi just-defends Scorpion's Front Kick!

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Scorpion         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Kenshi

[KENSHI]
Having no mask to hide his lips, and no need for further words, the blind swordsman responds with a simple tilt of his head. He seems altogether too casual for a fight with such a skilled opponent, but that is part of the confidence that comes at his level of mastery. A simple self assurance that is very difficult to sway.

Kenshi does not charge forward to meet Scorpion half way. He waits, gloved hand held out in a simple gesture of warding. It is only at the last minute that he acts at all, palm twisting to face the sky as Scorpion's foot comes whipping around toward the center of his chest.

Ghostly blue energy flares to life around his hand, rolling up past his wrist until it is colored purple against the crimson wrap on his forearm. With the arrival of the energy, Kenshi thrusts his left hand skyward, causing a blue glow to briefly form around the spectral ninja's body and shunt him up and over the swordsman's head.

Stepping forward into the spot Scorpion had just occupied, he whirls about to face his descending opponent, sword leaping from its scabbard with a shivering 'shring' of metal. The weapon cleaves a blazingly quick path through the air, the entirety of its length sheathed in a glowing blue aura. Directed by the power of the blind man's mind, the katana sweeps out in an attempt to cleave horizontally through Scorpion's briefly exposed back, before reversing course and flying through the air to slap firmly into Kenshi's extended hand.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion blocks Kenshi's Blind Swordsman.

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Scorpion         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Scorpion wasn't expecting the kick to land, but to create an opening for something that would. Unfortunately for him he never even got the chance to land and throw out something else before blue energy engulfed him, and he felt that familiar 'grip', similar to what he felt against the construct Ermac. Scorpion kicked and clawed at the air, helpless to prevent himself from getting flung directly up, into the sky.


"Who-whoa-whoa-WHOAAAAH!"

That brief lapse of dignity aside, in the air Scorpion let himself travel, and only until he was close to the 'ceiling' of dense branches did the ninja flip himself upside down, the soles of his tabi gracing the canopy before he dropped down, spinning as he plummeted faster and faster and faster. The cameras even had trouble catching the movement as anything other than a black and yellow blur, with a thin blue-lit sword traveling up to meet him. That blade flew upward, and only at the last minute did the Shirai Ryu deflect the blow with his own sword. He felt Kenshi's blade cut up his right bicep, but it was only surface damage that looked bloodier and messier than it actually was. But it served to cause the ninja to flip the last of the trip to the ground, landing with a soft padded 'thud' of his tabi and not even stopping before charging his ally. Scorpion sliced outward with one arm diagonally upward, testing just how high quality that armor was because, if it wasn't any good? Then that sword would be cutting its way through Kenshi's soft underbelly up into his ribcage.

It was only a friendly spar. What would happen when Scorpion met a true enemy?!

COMBATSYS: Kenshi blocks Scorpion's Doom Slice.

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Scorpion         0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0           Kenshi

[KENSHI]
Sparks fly, and metal scrapes loudly against metal as Kenshi brings his sword arcing down to catch Scorpion's own rising blade. Flat meets edge with a clean 'PING,' and the armored swordsman sweeps the testing cut to one side.

Where once a slight smile had touched his lips, Kenshi's features have grown stoic beneath the crimson band of his blindfold. If this is only a test bout, a competition between allies, both men have a strange way of showing it.

The blind man's left foot suddenly lashes out, attempting to capitalize on the quick deflection and drive an armored boot hard toward his opponent's gut. If he can land the strike, he will follow it with a quick jab of his armored fist toward Scorpion's chin, then sweep his sword around and down in an attempt to hook the flat behind his knees and topple him with a step forward and heavy thrust of his shoulder into the muscular ninja's abdomen.

The blind warrior pays no attention to the cameras, nor the looming trees all around. His hidden focus seems fixed entirely on the ninja before him, and the threat posed by his unique set of powers.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion dodges Kenshi's Kombo.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Scorpion         0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
His right arm was trickling blood down to his gauntlet, and tripping out underneath, down to his fingers. The second the blow was deflected Scorpion felt the rush of wind and reacted before he even 'knew' the kick was coming. He side-stepped and moments later leaned his upper body backward, to let the uppercut whizz in front of his masked hooded face. This made it much easier for him to backflip past that sword, away from the reach of the blindfolded warrior. He didn't stop though, backflipping again and again and again. Unfortunately for Kenshi, on the last he was in the midst of unhooking that kunai on the back of his belt, hurling it forward with rope uncoiling behind it rapidly. Punctuating this, Scorpion would bellow out loudly, his otherworldly voice echoing off of the trees and causing even distant birds to scatter and cry out warnings.

"COME HERE!"

COMBATSYS: Kenshi fails to reflect Spear from Scorpion with Instant Karma.

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Scorpion         0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Kenshi

And after it hit, Scorpion threw that sword aside, letting it sink itself nearly four inches in a tree so that he could get both hands on the end of that rope. Using his strength, he'd yank the swordsman towards him violently, already pivoting through the air to meet the blindfolded man's face with a roundhouse kick that would stop that forward flying progress. With authority.

[KENSHI]
As Scorpion back flips out of his improvised takedown, Kenshi recovers, sliding back a step and sinking into a low crouch. His glowing sword cuts softly through the air, blade swung back into a ready two-handed grip behind his right hip.

Head bowed and senses alert, the psychic swordsman readies himself to strike. Will his opponent teleport out of his acrobatics and come from an odd angle? Reverse course and return?

Launch a projectile?

Kenshi's head comes up a fraction before his sword, hidden gaze seeming to lock in on the Kunai hurtling through the air toward him. The energy surrounding his blade flares with sudden, brilliant intensity as he uncoils from his crouch and brings the weapon humming up to intercept the spear.

Blade meets blade with an explosion of blue sparks, but rather than send the projectile into an aimless tumble, he manages only to knock it slightly off course. Rather than impacting him squarely in the chest, the sharp point slams into his right shoulder.

Parting metal, leather, and flesh in a misty spray of crimson droplets, the thrown kunai lodges deeply in Kenshi's body.

before he can react, the rope is violently tugged, and the blind man flies forward off of his feet. He is airborne for only a couple of yards before his booted feet touch ground and he stumbles forward, right into a brutal roundhouse that snaps his head back and splits both lips, sending him tumbling backward toward the ground.

However, as the armored warrior falls, he swings his sword in a neat arc, severing the rope connecting him to the deadly ninja. A short, two foot length of material still hangs from the kunai imbedded in his flesh, but at least he is free to roll backward across the ground and come up into a defensive kneel, sword held horizontally before his chest.

[SCORPION]
Scorpion took his time after Kenshi landed, briefly lifting his arm to check the wound, and nodding in satisfaction upon seeing that it was nothing more than a painful graze. He pulled the rope backward, quickly coiling it back up, removing the other end from his sash, and tossing it all aside now that his kunai was still embedded in the swordsman. As he paced around the man, walking toward the tree that held his sword, he spoke out with that echoing doublevoice. The very sound of it caused some of the camermen to double take and start to worry, but the more experienced ones held their ground.

"Your technique is impressive, Kenshi Takahashi. And the blade you wield is deadly indeed. But your over reliance on it leaves a flaw that can be exploited."

As he spoke he gripped the handle of his own blade, and with one mighty pull ripped that supernatural weapon free. Bits of wood chips flew every which way, and the upper blade was covered with amber...emphasis on 'was'. Reaching up with his left hand, he carefully handled the blade by the flat sections and wiped it away as if it were water. An impressive feat, but Kenshi's equally impressive senses might have noticed the change in temperature, and the way that amber smoked and quickly 'dried' on the ground. With that done his sword was once more sheathed, and Scorpion turned toward his opponent. Left hand was dropped low, right fist poised above his head, ready to 'sting' just like the assassin's namesake.

"Stand up, let us see what your teachers taught you, aside from how to take a kick!"

This was a friendly spar. This was a friendly spar. This was a friendly spar...

COMBATSYS: Scorpion takes no action.

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Scorpion         0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Kenshi

[KENSHI]
"You are confident of your victory for so early in our bout. I would have attacked." Kenshi replies dryly, jaw flexing slightly as he lifts the tip of his sword and lodges it beneath the blade of the kunai jammed into his shoulder. A quick twist forces the weapon out of the rent in his armor, sending it tumbling away into the grass, tip stained red. Luckily, the metal plate over his shoulder seems to have blunted the majority of the impact, and he rises smoothly to his feet with a wry twist of his lips. Still though, a slow ooze of deep crimson leaks from the stab wound, staining the white of his tattered sash.

"The souls of my ancestors guide my path. it is they who live within Sento's blade, and it is upon them that I rely." The energy that pours so freely from his sword flares brightly as he releases his grip on the weapon, allowing it to float gracefully over his left shoulder and sheathe itself with a soft 'shinnnk'.

His hands now empty, free from all traces of psychic energy, the blind man charges forward to meat Scorpion. Heavy boots crunch through the soft soil as he closes the distance in a rush, the armored plates covering his knuckles glinting briefly in the dim light before he is upon the ninja.

Kenshi begins a blistering combination of blows with a lunging straight aimed for the spectre's chest, followed quickly by a left hook angled up for the side of his head, and a lunging knee meant to drive hard into the yellow-clad warrior's gut. This chains into a flurry of five quick jabs, fists alternating as he attempts to drive back the ninja with a hail of punches to his chest and face.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion endures Kenshi's Rapid Jabs.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Scorpion         0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Kenshi ran forward, and so did Scorpion, the two meeting in the middle of the clearing in a sudden explosion of violence as the SNF cameras watched on. Scorpion threw a blocked punch and took a punch from those red gauntlets right to his solar plexus for his troubles. This stunned the big man enough for the hook to clip him around the face and turn his head around violently. Unfortunately for him, this meant that he never saw the knee bury itself underneath his diaphram and double him over powerfully. He instinctively backed away but took a flurry for his troubles, punches slipping past his hastily put up guard and battering his ribs and face. Until Scorpion caught a punch, gripping the wrist tightly with both arms and spinning around. He used that sudden momentum to try and execute a well-timed judo maneuver, to throw Kenshi over his shoulder and dump him on to the leaves and the hardened dirt underneath their feet.

If this worked, then and only then would the ninja shake his head and start breathing, the force of that onslaught catching up with him just a little.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion successfully hits Kenshi with Front Throw.

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Scorpion         0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0           Kenshi

[KENSHI]
Fists meet armor and flesh with meaty thuds and thunks as Kenshi trades blows with the spectre, appearing to come out on top for the brief moment it takes him to drive home four out of five jabs.

The reversal is quick and neat, Scorpion twisting beneath his arm and rolling him over his shoulders with effortless grace. But equally quick is the swordsman's recovery.

Hitting the leafy ground with a roll, the blind warrior tumbles once before rising to a knee, sword sheathe rattling against the metal plates of his reinforced leather armor. The metal plate covering his left knuckles scrapes across the ground as he explodes back to his feet, shoulders rotating behind his fist as it blazes an upward arc toward Scorpion's chin. The huge uppercut ends with his left fist held high above his head, body fully extended. But that is not the end of the maneuver, for as he straightens he continues the rotation started with the opening maneuver, twisting his entire body around behind a heavy roundhouse kick aimed to smash into Scorpion's body center mass.

COMBATSYS: Kenshi blitzes into action and acts again!

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Scorpion         0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0           Kenshi

COMBATSYS: Kenshi successfully hits Scorpion with Uppercut.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Scorpion         1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0           Kenshi

COMBATSYS: Scorpion interrupts Roundhouse from Kenshi with Torment.

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Scorpion         1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Kenshi thrown, Scorpion charges in after the roll, fist reared back and ready to strike the unsuspecting swordsman. Unfortunately, this time it was the ninja who was the unsuspecting victim and plated knuckled smash into the underside of his chin, teeth gritting hard as he's launched into the sky in an upward arc. His arms and legs were limp during the descent, his head lolling in the telltale sign of unconsciousness. But as he started to fall, the color started to fade from his form. Healthy skin, black hide, yellow cloth, it all started to turn grey and dry looking, flecks breaking away in the light breeze. That roundhouse kick to the chest seemed to confirm it, the entire form breaking apart and scattering to nothing in the air.

Unfortunately for Kenshi, his leg wasn't even down from the kick before Scorpion flew in from the swordsman's left side, right fist swinging through the air as the hardened black wooden gauntlet over his knuckles collided with the man's cheek, and cheekbone. Landing to the ground with a soft 'thud', he took a stance in preperation it seemed. The Scorpion had struck, and was ready to strike once more!

[KENSHI]
Kenshi's head is knocked hard to one side, stance briefly unbalanced in a staggering side step as he reels from the unexpected punch. While he is still off balance, half way between the first step and the second, he reaches up instinctively with his left hand and grips savagely at the empty air.

Even as the swordsman's fingers snap closed, blue energy explodes to life along the length of his arm. Simultaneously, a shell of thin blue energy forms around Scorpion's body,attempting to trap him in the blind warrior's telekinetic grip. And while it lacks the oppressive, monstrous pressure of the last one to use this power on the spectre, the strength of Kenshi's mind is mighty indeed.

Unless the ninja can escape, glowing blue psi will lock him in place for the fraction of a second it takes Kenshi to regain his balance. And then, turning on the spot with a swift jerk of his arm, he will send the unfortunate shinobi hurtling past him, tumbling end over end toward the towering trunks of the nearby trees.

COMBATSYS: Kenshi successfully hits Scorpion with Lost Way.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Scorpion         1/--=====/=======|===----\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
He was ready for any attack. Except, it seemed, the awesome telekinetic abilities of Kenshi Takahashi. Scorpion is grabbed in front of the cameras, and moments later he is thrown faster than a speedball until his back and shoulders crash into the tree his sword had previously met hard enough to shake the branches and cause leaves to mosey down. Hanzo fell in a heap, landing face down and slowly starting to push himself up. He wasn't moving particularly fast, and it was clear that Kenshi did a number on him. As he pushed himself up to his knees, he took a few moments before speaking.

"You are a good opponent, Kenshi. And it is because of your strength, that I do not hold back!"

Instantly he sprung to his feet, once more unslinging that sword and running towards the modern day ronin. Something within Scorpion seemed different, the air around him quickly growing uncomfortable, every step leaving a trail of flame within his wake. A trail that caused the camermen to start to worry. A fire, in this rich forest? That was a bad sign.

And it would just get worse. Just before Scorpion got close enough to attack he leapt into the air, flipping like a gymnast as his sword...his sword caught on fire, as if it were a blade of living flame and not of steel. It was this dangerous weapon that he slashed at the grounded Kenshi, deep frightening cuts if they connected. When Scorpion landed, he would quickly crouch down, with his sword in his left hand he'd rise up with an uppercut with that left fist now also surrounded in flame, returning the earlier favor and trying to launch Kenshi into the air as well as singe his babysmooth chin.

If all went to plan, however, Scorpion wouldn't just let him drop to the ground. Instead his form would turn to ash as he popped back up in the air, sword sheethed with his feet now aflame. Angled downward, Hanzo would flip in mid-air, using that momentum to try and smash Kenshi in the face once more, and send him hurtling down to the earth. Scorpion of course would land back down at the same time, landing on his feet, now free of flame. But the heat throughout the forest was still stifling, not going back down like many probably wished it would...

COMBATSYS: Scorpion successfully hits Kenshi with Doomblade EX.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Scorpion         0/-------/----<<<|======-\-------\0           Kenshi

[KENSHI]
There is plenty of time for Kenshi to set himself. While Scorpion reclaims his feet, the swordsman falls into a defensive stance, knees slightly bent and left forearm forward, right hand lifting to massage at his bleeding shoulder. He does not respond to the spectre's comment, his noble features set in an expression of thin-lipped concentration.

Bare handed, with energy emanating from both fists, the swordsman's covered gaze tracks the approach of his nimble opponent. He does not draw his own sword to meet Scorpion's, and that is likely his undoing.

The blazing blade descends, all the weight of the spectre behind it driving the hateful sword down toward Kenshi's chest, and he sweeps his forearm up, attempting to catch the blade at an angle and deflect it off of the sturdy metal plate of his bracer. instead, the weight of the falling ninja forces his forearm back against his chest, scoring a deep gouge in his bracer and setting him back on his heels. As the weapon is retracted for another blazing cut, his right arm swipes at it, attempting to catch it as he did the first, but he is just a fraction too slow, and the sizzling sword carves a deep gouge through his chest plate, its superheated edge trailing a spray of hissing blood.

Back peddling with agony and focused fully on fending off the sword, the blind man becomes aware of the follow up punch too late to do anything about it. His teeth, already gritted with pain, are compressed in his skull as his head is rocked back from the uppercut, feet briefly leaving the ground.

In mid air, mind full of pain and warnings of impending danger, Kenshi's left hand lifts, fingers opening to accept the hilt of Sento as it flies free of its sheath and lands directly in his palm. This he lifts between himself and Scorpion as the ninja appears above him, feet colliding with the flat of the blade and knocking the ronin tumbling toward the ground.

His back impacts the smoldering forest floor with a heavy 'wumf' and a soft clatter of armor. His stoic face is badly scorched, and blood gushes from rents in his light weight armor. But there seems to be fight left in him. For as Scorpion descends, the dark-haired swordsman throws himself to his feet, Sento's hilt grasped firmly in both hands.

The tip of Kenshi's sword throws up a clod of burning dirt before being whipped upward in a rising arc, attempting to catch the spectre just above the groin and carve a bloody gash up the length of his body, before the weapon is twisted at the last minute to allow the flat to strike him heavily in the chin.

An uppercut deserves another uppercut, it seems.

COMBATSYS: Scorpion dodges Kenshi's Rising Karma.

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Scorpion         0/-------/----<<<|====---\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Kenshi was a powerful fighter, and Scorpion was quickly learning that this was not a man he wanted as an enemy. If he had the help this strong, then the Lin Kuei was going to have a true problem on their hands. And the destruction of Sub-Zero would be all but assured.

But trickery and guile was something that any ninja with their mettle knew all too well, and this ninja saw the rising dirt for what it was. As that sword came up, Scorpion was immediately rolling past with an uncanny display of agility. Staying on one knee behind his ally, Scorpion threw out his arms, to try and grasp the swordsman's ankles and pull them suddenly, to try and topple Kenshi facefirst into the earth once more. But this was more than just a simple trip, Scorpion rolled again to end up more towards Kenshi's upper body, where the ninja could throw down hard overhand elbow strikes, aiming them for the side of his neck, three or four in rapid succesion. Finally the Shirai Ryu would slip his arms down and hopefully around Kenshi's throat, his legs wrapping around Kenshi's midbody as he tried to lock in an old fashioned sleeper hold. It wasn't very fancy, but if it worked, then it would go a long way in trying to stop the man, without doing too much more damage.

COMBATSYS: Kenshi dodges Scorpion's Kombo EX.

[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Scorpion         0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0           Kenshi

[KENSHI]
Though up until now Kenshi has remained a fairly grounded fighter, tumbling only when thrown from his feet, acrobatics are not completely out of his realm of expertise. So it is that when Scorpion rolls low, attempting to drag the ronin's legs out from under him, the armored warrior sweeps his sword around and down, head bowing as he throws himself into a neat forward flip over the muscular ninja's grasping arms.

Both boots slam to the earth a good two meters further on, and he twists, sword tip pointed off to the side as he grips it defensively in his left hand. Coming once more face to face with his nimble foe, the blind warrior's right hand flies up from his sword, fingers spread in a harsh, 'STOP' gesture.

A shell of glowing energy forms along Scorpion's front, slamming into him with all the force of a run away truck as he attempts to launch the spectre backward and pin him against a tree. If he can get a firm psychic grip he will suspend the yellow-clad ninja there, feet dangling above the ground and arms held immobile.

COMBATSYS: Kenshi successfully hits Scorpion with Off Balance.
- Power hit! -

[                        \\\\\\  < >  ////                          ]
Scorpion         0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Scorpion was just getting to his feet, dusting off the knees of his suit when he was launched by invisible force, hurtling through the air until he hit the tree directly behind him hard enough to crack the trunk just a fraction. He cried out in pain beneath his mask, eyes widening in shock and surprise as his hands and feet fly out in pure reflex, before going slack. He felt a pressure against his ribs and lungs, and for a few moments he writhed in continued, agonizing pain. Frequently he reached up to try and and grasp whatever was keeping him pinned, but through the haze he dimly realized what he was dealing with. And so he let himself go slack, and soon it was only ash being held against that tree, an ash copy that was slowly losing its shape and falling slowly to the earth.

Behind Kenshi, Scorpion through out a hard swinging kick, the shin of his tabi boot aimed for the man's ribs, aiming beneath his outstretched arm. That leg wasn't even dropped before a quick punch would come for the back of Kenshi's skull, right where that blindfold was tied. That would be followed by a quick succession of rapid straight punches for the man's midbody. Whether he was battering Kenshi's kidneys and spine, or whether he turned around to let his chest get battered, that made no difference to the ninja.

COMBATSYS: Kenshi dodges Scorpion's Rapid Jabs.

[                       \\\\\\\  < >  ////                          ]
Scorpion         0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0           Kenshi

Though up until now Kenshi has remained a fairly grounded fighter, tumbling only when thrown from his feet, acrobatics are not completely out of his realm of expertise. So it is that when Scorpion rolls low, attempting to drag the ronin's legs out from under him, the armored warrior sweeps his sword around and down, head bowing as he throws himself into a neat forward flip over the muscular ninja's grasping arms.

Both boots slam to the earth a good two meters further on, and he twists, sword tip pointed off to the side as he grips it defensively in his left hand. Coming once more face to face with his nimble foe, the blind warrior's right hand flies up from his sword, fingers spread in a harsh, 'STOP' gesture.

A shell of glowing energy forms along Scorpion's front, slamming into him with all the force of a run away truck as he attempts to launch the spectre backward and pin him against a tree. If he can get a firm psychic grip he will suspend the yellow-clad ninja there, feet dangling above the ground and arms held immobile."

[KENSHI]
Blood pours down the front of Kenshi's brutalized armor, his breaths coming in quick, controlled gasps. All of his concentration is bent on holding Scorpion in place against the tree, the considerable might of his mind combining with the lingering souls within Sento to keep the spectre pinned.

Right up until he vanishes.

Moving on pure instinct, the armored warrior dodges to the side just before Scorpion's boot passes through the area he once stood, then ducks forward and twists to avoid the follow up punch. The series of punches that follow meet the flat of Sento's blade as Kenshi brings it to bare in both hands, parrying left and right as his lips pull back from his teeth in savage concentration.

Twisting into the parry of a left-handed straight,, Kenshi forces the hand down and away, creating an opening for his left fist as he snaps it up from his sword hilt, attempting to sucker punch the spectre in the throat. This is followed by a second punch, his right hand leaving the hilt of his sword to lash out in a quick hook for the ninja's masked face, leaving his sword hanging in mid air without the guidance of his hands. But that is not the case for long, as Sento suddenly lashes out on its own,aiming to hack a brutal diagonal slash up the front of Scorpion's chest while Kenshi retreats a step.

Panting with effort, the blind warrior then calls the sword back into his left hand, right hand curled before his chest in a tight fist.

COMBATSYS: Kenshi successfully hits Scorpion with Heightened Senses.
- Power hit! -

[                            \\  < >  //                            ]
Scorpion         0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0           Kenshi

[SCORPION]
Left punch to throat, Scorpion staggered back, hands clutching where he'd just been struck as he gasped in a ragged breath, until he was smashed in the face yet again, head snapping backward from the impact and causing him to topple backwards from the force of the blow. This meant that, luckily, the sword slash wasn't deep enough to grant the ghost a second death, but that was cold comfort as the blade sliced clean through cloth and hide to create a thin red ribbon for Hanzo to remember even as he spun and fell facedown. His left hand reached up to feel the wound, looking at the blood smearing his fingers. This wasn't good. But Scorpion wasn't entirely out of the fight yet...he still had a final trick up his sleeve. Maybe.

Maybe.

Spinning around on one knee, the yellow-clad ninja extended his hand, throwing out two kunai this time instead of one, and each one was bathed in Hellfire, gleaming bright and connected by hearty chains. Through grit teeth, Scorpion would bellow out.

"GET THE FUCK OVER HERE!"

COMBATSYS: Scorpion can no longer fight.

[                            \\  <
Kenshi           0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Kenshi dodges Scorpion's Flame Spear.

[                            \\  <
Kenshi           0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Kenshi takes no action.

[                                <
Kenshi           1/-------/=======|

[KENSHI]
With his sword held off to the side and fist raised, Kenshi awaits the final attack that he knows must surely come. He is on his last leg, loss of blood and exertion leaving him light headed and near to collapse. But it will never be said that Takahashi Kenshi lack spirit.

A soft, dry little laugh escapes him just as the spectre whirls, his hellish voice echoing through the trees. He will not be quick enough to dodge, that is clear to him at once. Perhaps he could deflect them both away, but when last he attempted such, it did not end well.

It's all up to his trump card.

The serious expression melts from Kenshi's face, replaced by that twisted little half smile, made slightly grotesque by the burns across his jaw and the blood oozing from his split lips. The expression is visible for only a fraction of a moment before his entire body is engulfed in radiant blue energy, seeming to freeze up stiff as a board.

Then, he is gone.

The Kunai blast through the spot he had just been occupying, burying themselves deep into the trunk of an ancient hardwood. At the same moment, the razor edge of a glowing blue katana touches Scorpion behind the left ear, tickling whisper soft across his ninja hood. Slowly, the pulsing energy that surrounds Sento drifts apart, revealing the gently waving patterns throughout the dark steel blade.

"I think, this means I win." Kenshi tells the kneeling spectre in a light, friendly tone. The effect is somewhat ruined by the raspiness of his voice and his heavy panting,as well as the blood that still drips from the front of his battered armor. But he is up, able to fight, and looming over the ninja in a clear stance of supposed victory.

A short ways off amidst the trees, SNF staff hurry forward to begin dousing the fires left behind by their struggle, doing their best to prevent this place from going up in flames before the firefighters are ready to start the true controlled burn.

[SCORPION]
The kunai were buried nearly to the chains in the far away tree, but Scorpion didn't have long to worry about that. In his haze of pain, his head dropped in fatigue and he didn't realize that his foe had vanished, into he felt a sword right at the top of his jawbone underneath his ear. He did not move for a long time until it was pulled away, and then and only then would he respond by wrapping those chains around his fist once, and ripping his kunai violently from the tree they were embedded in. He caught them without even looking at them, as he slowly worked to his feet. He wasn't as agile and spry after being cut up and hurled around telekinetically, but he still managed all the same. Left hand still nusing his midsection where blood seeped down, he gave the slightest of bows, one that wouldn't cause large amounts of pain.

"You fight with honor, swordsman. There is no shame in losing at your hands."

Then, much lower, the shadow of a voice unheard by the panicking civilians all around them.

"We meet tomorrow night. Be ready, and bring the skill you have shown today."

With that? Scorpion was gone, vanished in the air as ash drifted to the ground.

Log created on 16:01:26 07/25/2016 by Kenshi, and last modified on 23:55:02 07/26/2016.