Match of the Millennium

Description: A few Kyokugen students come back to the dojo beaten and bruised by a silver haired fighter. Ryo goes to investigate, finding the ill tempered K'! When words don't suffice, they speak with their fists! Will they come to a mutual understanding?

[K']
Three wounded members of the Kyokugen Dojo come limping in; the city has been going to hell in the continued lockdown from local police and Heihachi's own forces. Many of them have been doing patrols themselves, wishing to help dissuade rioting or dangerous individuals trying to predate civilians during this vulnerable period, when protective forces care more about securing the perimeter than the safety of the population. With nuclear threat looming overhead, after all, tensions are running high. Supposedly, a silver-haired man with crimson glasses, a red glove, and lots of black leather caused some sort of conflict. Details are rather vague, but the end result was him beating the trio rather savagely.

The incident seems to have only happened in the last twenty minutes, and a location is given for a bar not too far away. If Ryo does make his way over there, he'll find that the man in question is resting against an alley mouth, rubbing his knuckles against his lips where one of the Kyokugen students managed to belt him good. Pretty tough little bastards... oh, well. The unpleasant part of his evening should be done and over with, now...

[RYO]
After hearing his students recount their tale of woe and misery at being bested by a single man, Ryo Sakazaki's blood is boiling. It's not simply pride, in this case, however. It's a tangle of things, that includes pride, but also fear of losing more students at a time when he desperately needs them, and also now having fewer of his own pupils out there, on the streets, keeping South Town safe from those who would take advantage of the lack of authority or control.

So what should be done about this?

Vengeance. Or something. Remember, there is still pride in this matter, after all. So, Ryo sets out in the direction of this bar, not even bothering to dress for the outside world or anything like that. He cuts a striking and imposing figure, stomping down the street in a two-toned gray compression shirt and orange gi pants, with only ankle supports around his otherwise bare feet. The Invicible Dragon of Kyokugen doesn't heed warnings about broken glass on streets. But then, that is the extreme nature of Kyokugen karate. Every limit must be pushed.

"Hey. You," he calls out, his voice deep, and commanding, as he sees the distinctive man nursing his lip. "You're the one who assaulted my students! You have a problem?"

[K']
K' has a slouching stance, hands sunk deep into his pockets. The bearing of him fills the air with a quiet tension, like the edge of a knife. Trouble, one would say. Abrasive. Even had Ryo not been given a perfectly viable reason to start something, there's a hiss of conflict seething quietly from the younger man as if he's constantly picking a fight. And who wears crimson shades at night, anyway? Sun set two hours ago. The march forward eventually draws the slender man's attention, looking Ryo up and down with an expression of distaste. "...Another one?" he finally says. His tone is aggressive. Disrespectful. "Bunch of flies. Do I need to burn your dojo to the ground to see the end of this?" He flicks his hand, dispensing a minute spatter of blood. Despite the scuffle, there doesn't seem to be any meaningful wounds. Although manhandling a few initiates who have yet to even survive the bone-crushing rigors long enough to decide and permanently stay is not a globally impressive feat, K' has no hints of a proper fighting stance. Yet the Dragon would feel instead... the keen instincts and fire of a warrior. "Get lost...!"

[RYO]
Threatening to burn down the dojo is, perhaps, not the best move when dealing with the legendary Ryo Sakazaki, first champion of the King of Fighters tournament. Immediately, his chiseled good looks turn from stern and fierce to seething with anger. His cobalt eyes flare up with rage, and his strong jaw clenches visibly. "So you're one of those types, are you? Self proclaimed tough guys who think that they can do as they please because they have a little bit of raw talent in fighting."

Ryo's approach continues on, his presence like a physical weight crushing down on everything around him. His approach seems almost merciless, unrelenting, as he strides towards the leather clad K', and smirks. "As if Kyokugen would fall to someone who dresses like they're still listening to Stabbing Westward! Did you get those shades from the Bono Catalogue?"

He punches one gauntleted fist into the other, and stops, a few feet away from K'. His posture shifts, his knees slightly bending, and he extends one hand in front of him, motioning towards the other with a curling of his fingers, "Ora! Ora!"

[K']
There doesn't seem to be any recognition from K'. That alone should be rare, especially within Southtown; although the glory days might be a bit in the past, Ryo's performance on the global circuits continues to bring in remarkable results. Someone who is a capable fighter should know potential competition, right? "I never said I was a tough guy. I told those people to back off, or I'd kick their ass. They didn't. Gonna end up the same way with you?" There's an impatient snap to his voice. What can be felt from him isn't so much an intense fighting spirit, but an aura of violence... as if K' is agitated, fighting internally, perhaps with the raging beast of his own twisted spirit.

But as Ryo advances forward and makes that insult, there's a sneer from the more lightly built finger, pushing away from the wall. He runs his half-gloved hand through his hair, crimson gloves gripping the dangling cross before his partially unzipped jacket for a moment. "That's it, asshole. You want to pick a fight, you just won the lottery. Because right now..."

He then rushes towards Ryo, attempting to grasp him by the shoulder and then drive up a knee towards his sternum. He twists thereafter, attempting to hurl the larger man backwards fearlessly in the same motion. "...I'D LIKE TO LET OFF SOME STEAM!!" His own impressive aura floods out, heated, dense, clashing with the focused fury of the Kyokugen's inheritor. Indeed, this random figure is likely to be a peer...!!

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryo              0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0               K'

[RYO]
Ryo feels that aggressive miasma coming from the silver haired fighter, and it, momentarily, takes him aback. Still, he sets his resolve, and only puts on a lopsided grin as K' starts running his mouth. Typical tough guy talk.

K' comes in with a sudden burst of violence, and Ryo feels the solid grip on his shoulder, and knows what's coming next. He brings his hands up, trying to grasp at the ascending knee, and use it to leverage this ill tempered hooligan to face plant into the ground. But alas, it is not meant to be. Ryo's gambit doesn't pay off, as his hands find gaining purchase on leather clad legs to be difficult. It's a bit slippery.

He's punished, feeling that knee burying itself into his chest, and, had he not been a seasoned fighter, he might have had the air knocked right out of him. He doubles over the knee, and stumbles back a few feet, before catching his footing, and reclaiming his fighting stance.

"You're strong," he says, clenching his fists and raising them up before his face. "But you have no discipline. Being wild will only get you as far as your fashion sense does with the ladies!"

Ryo waves him on, inviting him to come again.

[K']
"Tch. Still standing?" K' marvels lazily, when the fierce strike and attempted hurl only staggers the large man. That's an incredible center of balance Ryo has; how many thousands of hours has he mastered how to stand, how to balance, exercised his core...? It might be unfair, in a way. K' never trains, and rather dislikes fighting for multiple reasons. Yet etched into his very genetic code, ingrained into his mind, is raw, natural fighting instinct and power. Lean muscles exerting more force than they should, his sleek speed something one cannot gain from anything but innate ability. Can someone who maximized himself to his utmost potential overcome a man born with everything, yet forsakes it...?

He doesn't comment on how far he gets with the ladies. Mostly since he has no idea how they look at him. Instead he slides his foot forward, coming in low; rearing back his right arm, clenching the gauntleted fist. Heat seems to hiss off him as he suddenly strikes, fiercer and faster than he should be able from his position. Enhancing his physical capabilities with his own internal furnace to offset all of the technical downsides to his movement, and turn it into a legitimate threat!

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryo              0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0               K'

[RYO]
"It takes more than a knee to take down a master of Kyokugen! And more than a simple punk!" Ryo boasts, rubbing, momentarily, at his midsection, before raising his fist defensively again. This guy certainly does have a wild style, and he just feels incredibly angry. What the hell is his deal? Bad parenting, he bets. Maybe, after teaching him a lesson, Ryo will try to offer him a place as a student. There, he can work out his issues, and learn some discipline. And technique. Speaking of...

The way he advances, coupled with Ryo's own instinctual assumptions about the unorthodox nature of K's style, practically broadcasts K's intention. Ryo braces himself for the impact, but ultimately, he lifts one of his large, calloused hands, and catches that ferocious punch in the palm of his hand, his fingers clasping around K's fist as he utters a simple, "Heh."

His other fist chambers itself back at his hip, his biceps bulging and veins rising up to strain against his tawny flesh. Suddenly, that fist flies out, not in one punch, but a series of punches so fast that it's nearly impossible to even track them all with the human eye. A blitzkrieg assault, in the attempt to brutally pummel him, and follow it up with a fierce uppercut to knock the offensive fighter on his butt. "ZAN RETSU KEN!"

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Ryo              0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0               K'

[K']
"Kyokugen...?" That sounds familiar. K' might have no interest in the international fighting community, but that doesn't mean he's completely ignorant. Although most of his information involves the like of the Kusanagi, and countless martial styles are hardwired into his body subconsciously, there isn't a long list of legendary fighting styles passed around the globe. What was it...? Giant balls of energy and ridiculously long strings of attacks, or something? Doesn't matter. Won't change how he fights in the slightest.

Ohhh...? Ryo took the punch seriously. The right call to make, of course. That doesn't mean the gloved fist didn't impact with surprising force, and might be uncomfortably hot to the touch. When Ryo suddenly rears back to begin his assault, there seems to be a shimmer of energy through the strange combatant...

In a literal blur, his free arm snaps up, deflecting the series of attacks. He weaves here and there, shoulder shrugging away some of the sharper hits, before teeth grit. The brutal uppercut is caught in /K's/ hand this time... but unlike Ryo, it lifts him a foot off the ground, muscles straining through his taut leather jacket before he lands on his feet thereafter. "I felt that one... just a little bit, though..."

And then his held fist begins to burn. Glowing bright hot, a moment later K' snarls, causing a point-blank explosion to whirl out like a spiraling wheel, trying to overcome Ryo and blast him backwards. "HAAAA!!"

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Ryo              0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0               K'

[RYO]
"I'm still getting warmed up!"

Ryo's blue eyes fall to that fist when it alights with his fiery aura. Kusanagi? He certainly doesn't look like a Kusanagi. He doesn't have anywhere near the discipline or technique, though. Rule that out. But Ryo doesn't flinch from the fire. He doesn't fear the flame. Instead, he simply muscles through it. The Kyokugen way!

Ryo, seeing the explosion imminent, and he ducks back for just a second, to help give him more space to launch himself forward. His entire body works in perfect unison, starting with his feet, then his knees, and hips, to the end result of his arm. Kinetic linking, perfectly executed so that his throws a punch with the power of not his arm, but the entirety of his mass. It causes him to lurch forward, dashing, almost, right into that explosion. The force of his fist disperses the flames, and continues through to square between K's eyes.

[K']
If Ryo's ever felt the flames and heat of Kyo in his life, this is identical. Although such a sacred and limited bloodline definitely doesn't have some random asshole wandering the streets like this, so it's liable to be a coincidence. Having focused all his efforts on erupting the power, distracted by the flash of pain even the gauntlet-shaped flames causes, he then sees the fist rocketing through. He manages to twist slightly, and is slammed in the chin instead. His entire body whips backwards, skidding almost a meter, instantly dispersing his generated attack before it can inflict greater damage. Blood spatters heavily on the sidewalk, as the many bystanders to the abrupt street fight scatter further to watch from a safer distance. "Litte... better..." K' says after a moment, before snapping his fingers. Flames whirl around his gauntlet, seething, building up in strength. "But not good enough!!"

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Ryo              0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1               K'

[RYO]
As K' goes sliding back and skidding to a halt, Ryo rubs his shoulder, rotating his arm and rolling his head on his shoulders, which elicits a series of dull, wet snapping noises as his neck cracks blissfully. "There we go. Now things are getting fun."

He paces back and forth, one pass, looking like a stalking tiger, eyeing his prey as K' gathers up his flames. Finally, preparing for what is to come, Ryo crosses his arms before his chest, in the shape of an X, before he drops into a wide legged back stance and extends his arms with his hands open and outstretched, one raised high and the other lower. There is a surge of energy from him, as if his fighting spirit pulses from him in a wave that can be felt as a hot breeze sweeping through the area.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Ryo              1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1               K'

[K']
"You think this is fun, huh?! Fighting's a sport for you... that's why I hate people like you. For me..." K' opens his hand, and then rears back his fist. Flame bursts out before swirling to condense, until his forearm is glowing white hot, hissing and sizzling into the air. "It's been for my goddamn struggle to stay ALIVE!!" Kicking off the ground, he advances on the awaiting Ryo. Heat begins to billow out of him, swirling through the air, pounding like a desert at high noon. Muscles seem to slightly expand, veins bulging along neck and bared chest, even the mild smell of burnt leather wafting out as he opens all the chambers to the wild, barely tamed energy within... attempting to slam his flame-enhanced fist into Ryo's face, unleashing a small but violent explosion at the point of impact!

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Ryo              1/-======/=======|=======\==-----\1               K'

[RYO]
Ryo doesn't seem phased by K's outburst about fighting. It's a hollow insult, borne of misunderstanding. K' has no idea what fighting means to the man known as Mr. Karate. Fighting isn't a sport. It is life. They may just have more in common than K' realizes.

Ryo has started to get the feel of K's style. His attacks are wild, sure, but not chaotic. He fights with anger, and it makes him sloppy, and not entirely unpredictable. As the fiery fisted fighter lunges in again, Ryo is prepared, and his arms rise up, taking the brunt of that flaming punch. His wide back stance and low center of gravity help him remain on his feet, though he does slide across the pavement from the sheer force of the blow.

He reaches out, and much as K' had when starting the brawl, he reaches for the leather clad man's shoulders, sending a knee up into his solar plexus, setting him up for a swift one-two combo of straight, powerful punches to the chest, followed by a swift uppercut to the chin.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Ryo              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1               K'

[K']
There's a mild bit of annoyance when Ryo still manages to defend himself. With a body not inferior to K's own genetically perfected one, the different between a man who consciously fights with technique and skill, and someone who flows without much thinking, is beginning to become apparent. Bearing too much force in an attempt to plow through Ryo's iron guard, he's abruptly grasped by the shoulders, and then slammed in the chest. His mouth gapes open in a spray of spittle, before both fists strike imprints on his torso, and the last sends him flying backwards. He lands poorly, skidding slightly before rolling to a crouch, dizzy and light-headed.

"Enough... of this...!" He stands up then, shimmering with energy. His hands come up to grasp his sunglasses, as he slowly exhales, focusing himself. Before abruptly, he flicks his sunglasses right at Ryo's face. The intent is to smack him, and distract him for a split second. In the same motion, he performs a complicated speed maneuver, seeming to teleport forward. In the same motion, quicker than one can blink eyes, he reaches up to grasp his sunglasses and flick them back on, aiming to drive his fist right into Ryo's stomach.

And then begin unleashing a storm of his own punches and kicks, roaring out his defiance. Heat continues to hiss and build up, before each attempted strike bursts out flames, building up more and more. At last he rears back, crimson gauntleted fist summoning a last boil of power, to unleash a dashing impact that flows K' past, building up a great, whirling eruption of stolen Kusanagi flames!

[                          \\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Ryo              2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0               K'

[RYO]
Ryo isn't so much caught off guard by the flicking of the sunglasses. He doesn't try to be like Superman in the old tv serials and dodge them. And when K' comes in, Ryo braces himself, gritting his teeth as the assault of punches pummels him. He feels the full force of each one, but he's making a stand here. And a point. And though he feels his muscles knotting, his bones straining, on the verge of cracking, he endures. And when that rush of fire and fury envelops him, he stays rooted in place, willing himself to take it.

"I don't fight for sport..." he says quietly, standing there with K' behind him after that vicious assault. His voice is calm. Quiet. Spoken between heavy, wheezing breaths. "I fight to survive. I fight to protect those I hold dear to me.... I have fought since I was a child... tooth and nail, not just for my own survival, but for that of my sister... my family name... my dojo... I have fought for everything I've ever had..."

He turns around now, slowly. It's clear that he's hard pressed to remain standing. His shirt is smoldering, charred and leaving a large portions of his chest and abdominals exposed, the flesh bruised and blackened. Blood runs down his stubble lined chin, dripping off of the coarse hairs of his beard. But he grins, nonetheless. "Let me show you the determination of Kyokugen Karate. It is the fist of an iron will to survive! It is the ultimate expression of one's dedication to overcome all obstacles! To drive past your limits and become something greater than you are!"

He suddenly rushes with a renewed vitality at K'. His fists are like lightning, pounding like thunder with each forceful blow. They come from all directions. Hooks, jabs, uppercuts. Kicks to the legs. Kicks to his ribs. Punches to his gut. It seems like it might never end. In the end, he ducks down low, and launches himself upward with a might uppercut. His fist erupts with brilliant, fiery ki, and the deafening roar of his punch sounds disinctly like that of a raging tiger!

[                             \  <
K'               1/----===/=======|

[K']
"..." K' listens to the words of the other man after the brutal strike phases him through, panting lightly. "...heh. Is that so? Maybe you're different than those mass-bred excuses you have for students..." the false Kusanagi states, smearing blood off the corner of his mouth once more. He's no fool. He knows that the other person took every single blow from him on purpose. "You fight for everything you have. But I have nothing. Just my life... and my freedom... and even that, people're trying to take away from me... so do it!!" K' suddenly spreads his arms wide, as Ryo surges forward for the final assault. "Let's see if my determination is weaker than yours!!"

Long story short, it's definitely weaker.

Perhaps just utterly allowing Ryo to pound on him like a meat sack wasn't the best method. While Ryo still tensed muscles and grit teeth to bear it, K' is knocked senseless after the first blow. With absolutely no defense offered, the ruthless onslaught of strikes bear into him, driving him backwards further and further. He blacked out a few seconds before it was all over. The last uppercut roars like a lion, and deep inside he wonders why it wasn't a dragon. His shattered glasses fall away as he's launched spiraling backwards, crossing the street and hitting the hood of a car. The windshield shatters inwards, and the entire vehicle skids backwards and upon the sidewalk.

Although Ryo also cannot fight, the onslaught of injuries from K's attack likely having surged forward, there's a difference between just barely being pushed over the line, and slugged somewhere outside the stadium. He's utterly dead weight, head hanging forward and a respectable amount of blood dripping here and there from his seared body...


[RYO]
Ryo lands from the super powered Koho that tops off his ultimate technique, and collapses to one knee, buckling and barely holding himself up on his fist. He pants, deep, heavy, as the blood flows from him, and every muscle in his body aches and throbs. Every joint is on fire. Turning his steely blue eyed, half lidded gaze up, he looks at the other man, laying their, solidly unconscious, half planted in the front of a car.

"Hey..." he mutters, standing up and staggering, slowly and clumsily, towards the other. "Hey, get up! ... I'm not done with..."

He reaches the car, and K', and reaches out a hand as if to grab him, before finally, the pounding in his head darkens his vision, and he simply falls forward, slumping his massive weight on top of K'. Determination can take you far, but sometimes, it's only delaying the inevitable.

Log created on 23:26:30 11/17/2017 by Ryo, and last modified on 03:20:46 11/18/2017.