Match of the Millennium

Description: Having heard about his son's victory against Gouken's student Ryu, Takuma Sakazaki decides it's time again to test his son's progress. KYOUKOGEN MIGHT!

[TAKUMA]
Kyokugen Dojo. It's a gathering place for the strong, because Kyokugen Karate values a strength that's only matched by the dreaded styles of the Mishimas and the deadly Ansatsuken. Unlike either of those, however, Kyokugen has a much less sinister past. It has not produced any true villains, and even it's one blemish was righted from within the school.

And yet, Kyokugen recently tested its might against Ansatsuken and came out victorious. Word of this victory recently reached the dojo's master and founder, Takuma Sakazaki. Some men would have reacted with celebration, with festivities. They would have taken time away from training to party.

Takuma is not most men. He has redoubled his efforts to make sure neither he, nor any of his students--even Yuri--take this as an excuse to slack off. Without constant vigilance, pride in one's fists leads to complacency and laziness.

"Hiii-yah!"

THOOM.

The bellowing kiai is followed by a powerful boom as Takuma drives a chop down upon a stack of cement bricks twenty deep. The bricks split, but Takuma maintains his posture.

Constant vigilance.

[RYO]
Ryo comes walking out from somewhere in the back of the dojo, where the Sakazaki family makes their home. It's clear that the blonde haired Kyokugen fighter is just waking up, as he's wearing only his trademark orange gi pants with a black obi to hold them up on his hips. A towel is slung over his shoulder, and his unruly mane of blonde hair is even messier than normal, with spikey clumps of hair protruding in all directions like some sort of final fantasy character due to bedhead. His mouth opens wide as he inhales a deep yawn, and his half closed blue eyes look barely alert.

"Are you serious right now, father?" he calls out to Takuma who's making a ton of noise. "You should be sleeping, old man."

Still, The Invincible Dragon moves on his bare feet out onto the floor of the dojo and starts collecting more bricks to set up, all the while muttering, "....well, there goes my fence repair project...."

[TAKUMA]
Takuma rises out of his bent stance, taking heavy steps to turn toward Ryo. He puts his hands on his hips proudly as the blocks crumble behind him.

"You know that training is always serious, Ryo! Now you're sounding like Robert. Sleep is important, but diligence is key. A good morning constitution does wonders for the mind and body." Takuma punctuates this last bit with a thump to the chest.

But then Ryo makes his second comment. "Oh, right," Takuma says, thoughtfully. "The fence. I was wondering when we picked up so many bricks."

[RYO]
Ryo, still too tired for his father's antics, side eyes the older man with a look of agitation. Still, he continues stacking up more bricks, piling them high on each other until they reach 21 in number. "Sleep is part of training, father. Without proper rest, your body will break down. That's why you always get sick. A man of your age should be getting more rest. Once you've moved into your golden years, no matter how fit you are, you just wear down!"

Content with his stack of bricks being one more than his father's, Ryo stands before it and focuses himself. He jerks on the ends of his obi, tightening the knot with a snap, which in turn flexes every muscle in his powerfully built body.

"Hyouchuu!"

Ryo raises one hand in front of his face, palm open and turned to the side, fingers upturned and elevated just under his chin. His other trunklike arm raises high over his head. His back arches and his lead foot rises from the ground as he rears back and then snaps forward to bring the full momentum of his entire body down into a frighteningly powerful overhead knifehand attack.

"WARI!"

His thunderous attack drives the ridge of his hand down through layer after layer of brick, kicking up a cloud of colored dust and sending tiny crumpled bits of it everywhere. It punches through each, until he is leaning forward on his lead foot alone, having driven his hand nearly into the ground. Immediately, he stands up and brushes his hands against one another, dusting them off with a smug look on his ruggedly handsome features.

[TAKUMA]
"Golden years?!" Takuma raises his voice and furrows his brown in offense. "I'm just barely out of my prime, or do you need a reminder of how well this old man can still get around?" Takuma says, the older man breaking into a big, cocksure grin.

"And besides, bricks can't dodge or hit back," Takuma adds. He rolls his shoulders, pulling the white fabric of his gi taut against his muscles when he does so. "Though I did hear that you bested Gouken's student. I'd have to rub it in on the old man if he were still with us, rest his soul."

"But speaking of," Takuma stretches his arm to the side, bracing his forearm against the elbow in a stretch. "If you're gonna tell your old man he's not getting around well, are you up for proving it in a morning spar? The loser is in charge of fixing breakfast."

[RYO]
"Just out of your prime? Tell it to your arthritic knees, geezer!" Ryo says, his lips parting in a lopsided, almost wolfish grin. He leans his head from side to side, slowly, letting his neck crackle and pop, loosening up and letting him sigh with relief. Of course, he's getting a rise out of the old man just for the sake of it. Such is the way of Kyokugen, in a sense. They tend to have a thing about keeping each other ramped up to extremes anytime they're in the same room.

Besides, Ryo has been getting annoyed with everyone's pushing and prodding him about King. Maybe this was a bit more fun because it's a sort of payback.

"Ryu? He was a really strong fighter," Ryo says, nodding his head as he moves away from the pile of shattered bricks left behind by his father and himself. He rolls one arm at the shoulder, stretching and loosening it, and continues speaking. "He has a lot of skill and technique, but I think he's afraid of his own strength. I think he has a hard time controlling himself in combat."

A pause.

"Other than that, he was a cool guy. I liked him. I'm excited to see him fight again. I want to face him when he can believe in himself again."

Ryo stops his walk in the center of the dojo floor, and immediately drops into a deep, wide legged back stance, with both of his arms extended before him, one high and the other low, with his hands loose and open. "I thought you'd never ask. Hope you're ready to make some waffles this morning!"

[TAKUMA]
"Mm," Takuma makes a thoughtful noise. He tightens his belt, tugging at his gi pants to make sure they're secure. "The Satsui no Hadou," Takuma says. "Ryo," Takuma says with a bit more seriousness. "Ansatsuken can be a dangerous art, a double-edged sword in the wrong hands. Ryu's master talked about when I was a younger man." Takuma looks off into the distance, staring at something far away.

"But this old man is rambling," Takuma laughs. "It sounds like a good fight. Kyokugen needs other strong schools! Iron sharpens iron!" Takuma slides his bare feet through the dust, taking a wide stance with one foot in front of the other. One arm is raised high and turned with the pinky toward Ryo. The other is low at his side in a tight fist.

"Come on then, Ryo," Takuma says, "show me how you bested Ryu!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma has started a fight here.

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

[RYO]
"You got it!"

Ryo bursts into sudden action like a pouncing tiger, his feet thud-thud-thuding on the matted floor of the dojo like the sound of a death metal beat. His grin is from ear to ear, and those once sleepy blue eyes are now alert and fiery with an eagerness for the fight. "I hope you're ready for this!"

Ryo draws back one arm, his hand closing into a fist that is all sharp, bony knuckles. Ryo's arm chambers to deliver a massive dashing punch, his bicep swelling into a densely corded knot of muscle and vein. At the last moment, however, he skids to the stop, and instead lets his rear foot come around in a lightning fast, low, sweeping kick to Takuma's front leg, hoping to take the old master off his balance and his game a little.

COMBATSYS: Ryo has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Ryo              0/-------/-------|>------\-------\0           Takuma

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Ryo's Light Kick.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryo              0/-------/-------|>>-----\-------\0           Takuma

[TAKUMA]
Takuma steps forward as Ryo closes the gap with blinding speed. He watches the movement of a punch, seeing Ryo prime the piston-like blow. Too much priming. Takuma knows his son to not be so telegraphed, and that shows in his reaction.

The older Sakazaki turns his leg defensively when the feint shows through, sliding his foot to catch the kick mid-travel against his calf. It impacts heavily, but Takuma stands firm with his block.

In the next movement, he steps forward. His foot falls heavily as he uses the forward-step to pivot his hip and throw a strong right punch at Ryo's chest. He shouts a kiai as he does, driving his punch forward with such force one can almost hear it whip through the air.

"A good feint!" Takuma says, "but you lose out on power with the transition!"

COMBATSYS: Ryo blocks Takuma's Medium Punch.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Ryo              0/-------/------=|>>-----\-------\0           Takuma

[RYO]
Ryo grins as his father deflects the blow, and counters. He's not going to be taken off guard so easily, either. He knows Takuma's methods too well. As soon as his foot collides with the meat of Takuma's calf, he's already lifted up his arms, curling them in to protect his chest and stomach, and lowering his face so that any fist might collide with the thickest and hardest part of his skull. Turtle power.

Still, that forceful punch sends Ryo sliding across the mat on his toes, which feel the burn from the friction. He's likely to have some blisters later. His backwards momentum comes to a halt, kicking up a cloud of brick dust that swirls around his feet in spirals, before he drops to one knee, with his opposite hand touching the ground.

"Hien! Shippuu Kyaku!"

He launches himself forward, as if he were coiled like a spring and was just released. Flying through the air with a firce sidekick, Ryo's attack is like a guided missile, his foot pointed towards his target, his toes curled back so that the ball of his foot will be like a knife driving into the solar plexus of the giant older man. Upon connecting, his other foot will come sweeping around for a follow up roundhouse to the side of Takuma's face.

COMBATSYS: Takuma fails to counter Hien Shippuu Kyaku from Ryo with Mokoh Burai Gan.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Ryo              0/-------/----===|>>>>>--\-------\0           Takuma

[TAKUMA]
Takuma grins widely at Ryo's block, apparently pleased with the reaction. Before he can rest on that proof of Ryo's dedication, he finds himself face-to-face with one of Kyokugen's more specialized techniques. Takuma sweeps his arm around, preparing to guard. Ryo is fast, but Takuma seems ready.

The first kick comes, and Takuma brings his forearm around for a block. In the speed of the attack, he underestimates Ryo and his arm goes slightly under the kick. It strikes him heavily in the chest, driving the older man back. The follow-up kick comes right afterward, smashing him upside the head with enough force to stagger even a man as big as Takuma. He takes several steps away, shaking his head clear.

"Not bad at all," Takuma laughs. "Seems keeping up with Robert has taught you some speed!"

[RYO]
"Robert doesn't have anything on me!" Ryo says, his voice filled with a boisterous eagerness that only comes out in the thrill of the fight. But even as he speaks, Ryo is moving in on the advance. The first blood has fallen to him, so to speak, and now it's up to him to keep the tempo going, and control the flow of the fight. That's how Ryo works. He finds his opening and then dominates the flow, denying his adversary a chance to come back.

And so he does just that by blitzing Takuma with a rapid flurry of punches from one fist. They fly so fast, and from different directions that for most, it'd be extremely difficult, if not impossible to mount a true defense against them. For Kyokugen masters, however, the technique is standard fare, and is known as:

"ZAN RETSU KEN!"

After the barrage of strikes, Ryo follows it up with his other fist arcing down and around, and coming back up in a powerful uppercut aimed at Takuma's chin.

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Ryo's Zan Retsu Ken.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Ryo              0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0           Takuma

[TAKUMA]
"Hah! That's the spirit, but don't let arrogance cloud your judgment!" Takuma is quite familiar with the Zan Retsu Ken. Out of all his students, Ryo's is the closest to his own, the "purest" form of Kyokugen. Even so, that manuever is still difficult to block for Takuma.

He backsteps, curling into a defensive posture with his arms raised up to guard. His forearms weather the blows, the old man relying on the sheer toughness of his well-trained body instead of the precision and skill of standard forearm blocks. Each punch slams heavily against his guard, rattling the bones of his arms, but he stands firm.

And then the burst passes, Takuma knows well that that sort of speed is not sustainable for long. When it's done, He throws his arms to his sides in a tight stance, fists clench. With a mighty bellow, chi seems to surge through Takuma briefly, his belt and gi billowing for a moment.

And then he strikes. Takuma powers forward, setting a foot in front and then pivoting on that foot. Chi surges into his palm in a great sphere, that Takuma drives toward Ryo. He throws his whole body into the push with a great shout:

"KYOKUGEN KO'OU!"

And then, if he drives Ryo back, Takuma chases after him, pushing off on his forward foot to close the gap and continue the aggression.

COMBATSYS: Ryo fails to interrupt Kyokugen Ko'ou from Takuma with Koho Shippuken EX.

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

[RYO]
Ryo is still going to keep pressing the assault, hoping to overwhelm his father with the speed of his attacks, rather than playing the game of block and counter. That's a game that Takuma is sure to win. So, Ryo puts his all into matching his father's chi-infused attack with his own dashing attack.

"KOHO SHIPPUKEN!"

Ryo's body lurches backward, and, as is his style, he compresses in on himself like a coiled spring to use all of the momentum of his powerful body, in order to launch himself forward with a straight, fierce punch, rushing to meet Takuma's own. Unfortunately, he's a bit too slow, and when he rushes in, his fist glides right past Takuma's ball of ki, which collides with his face before his own fist can connect.

Ryo gets knocked off of his feet, landing on his back, but gracefully tucking and rolling into a backwards somersault and rising back on to his feet, even as his father presses the advance!

[TAKUMA]
Takuma lands from his lunge with a heavy thump, the elder karateka then sliding his feet across the mat and resuming his default stance. He works the fingers of his raised, the old bones popping as he does. The bit of smirk on his face implies that he too is enjoying the bout. Apparently he hasn't gotten too old for the thrill of a match, either.

"Pressure is a strong strategy," Takuma says, "but a true Kyokugen master meets strength with strength and speed with speed!" Takuma takes deep breaths, focusing that chi from before. He sweeps his arms out in a circle, then draws them back to clenched fists at his sides. Power seems to surge around him as he channels his energy.

"Is that how you bested Ryu?"

COMBATSYS: Takuma gathers his will.

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

[RYO]
Ryo, seeing his father taking a breather, rises back up and squares off against the older powerhouse. His blue eyes are fierce, his face speaking of pure and utter determination. Gone are his cocksure grins. He's focused now. He's in this. And he's going to push his father to the limit, if he has to. This is a true fight. A test of skill and spirit. This is life.

"I bested Ryu by keeping him on the defensive, and by antipating and intercepting his attacks," he says, as he grips the ends of his obi and pulls them tight with a snap, and then holds his pose in a sort of hulking position, his feet shoulder width apart, his shoulders slightly hunched, with his elbows pointed outward and his chin tucked in. He seems to be focusing himself, gathering up his own spirit, as his Ki manifests as a whirling, heated wind that whips up around him, making his wild hair flicker and wave, and twirling spirals of brick dust around his body.

COMBATSYS: Ryo gathers his will.

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

[TAKUMA]
The wind whips around Takuma as well as his energy swells. Dust floats up in a slight spiral before floating off into the room. He watches his son carefully, assessing his form, his posture.

"Good answer!" Takuma barks, and then he's on the move. He powers forward toward Ryo, stepping in toward the younger karateka. He moves forward, going for what looks like a head-on assault with a punch or chop.

But as Takuma goes in he pivots suddenly, shifting his balance onto one foot. He steps in his leg snaps up in a strong side kick that puts Takuma's whole body into the blow, which is aimed for Ryo's ribs.

COMBATSYS: Ryo blocks Takuma's Kokutou Geri.

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

[RYO]
Ryo keeps his posture, maintaining his focus. As Takuma rushes in, he sees through the ruse. It is, after all, one that he had used to open the fight. A feint. He's telegraphing too much.

Ryo doesn't take the bait, and instead, as that sidekick comes thundering at him with all of the Kyokugen bear's might, he crosses his arms before him and snaps his leading arm upwards and out, catching Takuma's shin to deflect the blow to the side. His arm hurts, the pain ringing through him, but it's better than having his ribs crushed under that mighty blow.

This only serves to make Ryo's resolve grow. He will win. He will overcome. He will show his father that he has the spirit and determination to take Kyokugen to the next level. That he is worthy of his inherited title as the second Mr. Karate.

There's a flash in his eyes, as he recovers from the block, and Takuma's regaining his balance after devoting himself to such a powerful kick. He rushes in past that extended, yet retreating leg and begins punishing his father with a blitzkrieg assault. His punches fly from every angle. A cross. A hook. An overhead pound. An uppercut. His feet and knees enter the mix with the same fast and furious level of unpredictability, kicking high and low, and bringing knees up into Takuma's midsection. Finally, he ducks down low, crouching under his father's massive form. His fist ignites with a brilliant burst of Ki, sparking with blue-white light that shoots off in god ray beams. Launching himself heavenward, he unleashes an uppercut so fierce that the very air parts with a deafening sound that is somewhere between a crack of thunder and a tiger's roar!

COMBATSYS: Ryo successfully hits Takuma with #Retsu Ryuko Ranbu#.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ryo              0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>---\1           Takuma

[TAKUMA]
Takuma does indeed take a moment to regain proper footing. He steps back heavily, taking two good movements back to properly reposition. He does not have that much time.

When Ryo closes the gap, it's with a furious volley. Blow after tremendous blow comes for Takuma, and the older Sakazaki is not prepared. He steels himself as best he can, the man's rock-hard discipline giving him an unnatural resilency even when he does not properly guard. Striking Takuma is like striking stone, his body stiffened by reflex even when his guard was off-point.

But as Takuma staggers back from the flurry of blows, he has no time to recoup. Ryo charges in with a chi-charged uppercut that cuts through the air and creates a vacuum, after which it impacts with Takuma's chin. His head tilts back and he leaves the ground, sailing up high before landing with a heavy boom against the mat.

It genuinely takes the old karateka a moment to get to his feet. He climbs up shakily, resting his hands on his thighs and breathing heavily as he does.

"Oof," Takuma says between labored breathes. "That--THAT," Takuma says more loudly, "Is Kyokugen Spirit!"

He shifts into his fighting stance again, taking deep breaths as he extends his hand, palm up, toward Ryo. He curls his fingers in a beckoning motion between those deep, focusing breaths. The Invincible Dragon seems to have worn Takuma's Demon Fists out.

"But you haven't beat me quite yet, boy! Do you still have the strength to follow up?"

COMBATSYS: Takuma gathers his will.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ryo              0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Takuma

[RYO]
Ryo lands from his seeming Heavenly ascension, on one knee, his fist helping to prop him up. It's clear from his heavy breathing that the attack taxed him, leaving him short on breath and with muscles aching with built up with lactic acid, burning. Seeing that Takuma managed to get back on his feet after such an assault? That only makes the blonde haired, blue eyed Kyokugen master reclaim his lopsided, wolfish grin.

Rising back up to his feet, the shirtless Sakazaki pulls on the ends of his obi once again, his demeanor cocky. He lifts a hand towards his father and curls his fingers a few times, giving a boisterous, "Ora Ora ORA!!!" before dropping back down into his fighting stance, wide legged, with most of his weight on his rear foot, and his arms extended out before him, palms open, as if he were prepared to grapple his opponent.

COMBATSYS: Ryo gathers his will.

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

[TAKUMA]
Takuma's face is a strained grin at Ryo's tenacity. It seems he wasn't expecting Ryo to do such a number on him. Even so, the old man's dogged determination keeps him going anyway, unwilling to quit while he can. When Ryo calls for a challenge in return, Takuma's expression turns a bit more aggressive.

"You cheeky upstart!" Takuma says--not a hint of amusement. "Let me show you how it's done!"

And then Takuma surges forward, kicking toward Ryo in a low dash. While his speed is considerably less than Ryo's, he still delivers a rapid flurry of blows. A strong overhead right chop. A swift left straight. A sweeping right leg. Takuma unleashes a small burst of furious blows, aiming to overwhelm Ryo's defenses with a similar assault to what he just endured.

But Takuma does not bring an uppercut, if Ryo does not break through the flurry of blows, Takuma launches back with a leap, landing across the mat with surprising agility for a man of his bulk. He sweeps his arms in a circle to gather chi, which he then pushes forward to launch the huge, wall-like burst of Takuma's Haohshokoken. ...but he doesn't stop there. He draws back and shoves again, launching a second. Drawing back once more, he finishes with a third, massive chi projectile.

COMBATSYS: Ryo just-defends Takuma's Ryuko Ranbu EX+!

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Ryo              0/-------/---====|>>>>>>-\-------\0           Takuma

[RYO]
"C'mon, old man!" Ryo shouts out as Takuma rushes in. Ryo's eyes widen, knowing full well what kind of punishment awaits him if he makes even a single misstep, now. The old man has his blood riled, and the assault that's launching itself this way is one Ryo still can't quite bring to bear. Not with that kind of ferocity, at least.

But Ryo weathers the storm. He pushes all thought out of his mind, letting his muscle memory and reflex take over and put his body on autopilot. Takuma's chop is met with an upturned block. The straight met with the palm of Ryo's large hand, and that sweeping kick met with an intentional kick of Ryo's shin to negate and cancel out the momentum of it. Each attack is thusly deflected, blocked and countered with a near perfect precision, until Takuma leaps back. As the three rapid walls of Ki rocket towards Ryo, he draws his fists down to his hips, his elbows in tight and back, his legs spreading wide into a horse stance. Each Ki blast is met with Ryo's fist. Left. Right. Left. Ryo actually punches each of those blasts into oblivion, and when that last is smashed, Ryo stands there with his fist out for a moment.

He's not even sure how the hell he did that.

Can't dwell on it. He's surely surprised Takuma as much as he has himself, if not more so. So, he just rushes in swiftly, giving a short hop at the last moment and letting his right fist piston out in a classic Superman punch with the swiftness of a striking cobra. "HA!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma fails to counter Jab Punch from Ryo with Kosatsu Jin EX.
- Power fail! -

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Ryo              0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0           Takuma

[TAKUMA]
Takuma continues his relentless assault. There's a flurry of blows, but for each one Ryo has an appropriate counter. Even the might of the Triple Haohshokoken fails to overcome Ryo's insurmountable defense, which leaves Takuma just as shocked as Ryo.

"--impressive!" Takuma says, practically having to pick his jaw up off the floor. But then Ryo is powering forward with a piston-like flying punch. Takuma shifts, going on the defensive. He sweeps his arm around to parry and shift for the counterattack--

But his aim is off. Perhaps the old man is getting rusty, or maybe the beating he took earlier is what does it. Perhaps Ryo is just too fast, or his stunning display earlier still has Takuma reeling. Whatever the case, the fist collides with Takuma's cheek, knocking the old man backwards into a stumble that almost bowls him off his feet. He staggers a minute, shaking his head.

[RYO]
"You're getting too slow, old man!" Ryo says, as Takuma stumbles back, reeling from the swift jab to the face. He's not going to ease up the pressure, just because it's a friendly spar between father and son. This is Kyokugen karate. It is about pushing oneself to the edge and surpassing all limits. Even if he respects his father... No. BECAUSE he respects his father, he will make sure that Takuma sees this as a chance to push his boundaries and push through his own walls that block his path to even greater strength.

And so, Ryo's advance comes on, mercilessly, as his feet slide across the matted floor of the dojo. His thick arm rears back, his fist clenched at his hip so tightly that his knuckles bleach to the color of polished bone. His knees bend, drawing his center of gravity in and low. He leaps with the ferocity of a tiger, rising in an impossibly swift ascent towards the ceiling with an explosive uppercut aimed at the underside of his father's jaw.

"KOHOU!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Ryo's Koho EX.

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

[TAKUMA]
Takuma stumbles back another step before planting his feet firmly and steeling his resolve. He turns his head in a circle, working the crick out of his neck to face Ryo again. He rubs a dense forearm across his jaw, wiping away blood and spittle, but he stands resolute once more. Staggered and on the last of his stamina, but still steadfast.

Ryo comes in once more with a powerful, jaw-rattling uppercut. Takuma goes on the defensive, throwing up his guard to catch the blow against his forearm. With what little stamina he has left, the punch still rattles him enough to slide him back, but he does not fall. Not yet, at least.

"Hah! It seems like I've let myself get rusty," Takuma says proudly. "And I've let you outdo me on training. You're doing quite well for yourself, Ryo, but keep climbing! This is real Kyokugen! Haaaaah!"

Chi surges around Takuma, his aura flashing blue for a moment as he gathers power. He slides his feet across the mat to plant himself firmly, then he thrusts forward while taking a step. A giant, wall-like "HAOHSHOKOKEN!" erupts forth at Ryo, bringing with it a matching yell.

"HAOHSHOKOKEN!" Takuma steps again with the other arm and foot, launching a second.

He steps once more with the initial right, launching a third: "HAOHSHOKOKEN!"

COMBATSYS: Ryo just-defends Takuma's Triple Haohshokoken!

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Ryo              0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0           Takuma

[RYO]
Ryo feels, more than sees, that his raging uppercut has connected only with the solid steel of Takuma's defense. Good. The old man is catching on. Denying Ryo control of the tempo of the fight. As Ryo's Koho reaches its zenith, the large, but surprisingly agile fighter does a backflip, descending down onto one knee, a balled fist pressed to the mat.

"There you go!" he exclaims, his ruggedly handsome face adopting a lopsided, almost wolfish grin once again, his dark blue eyes glistening with the passion of the fight. Takuma's boy grew up, in some ways, the spitting image of his father. "Bring it!"

And bring it he does. Takuma's rapid fire Haohshokoken barrage wasn't what he was expecting, but Ryo seems to be zen about it. As before, he rises up, and throws a powerful punch into each wall of ki that assaults him, shattering it motes of light and force that spiral off and become fizzles of nothing. After that last, he crosses his arms and stomps back into a back stance, while executing a stiff armed downward blocking motion, and resets himself into a ready position.

Sometimes, to take control of the fight, you don't need to be the aggressor. So, for now, Ryo simply focuses his will, gathering up his fighting spirit as he roots himself into the ground with that low, wide legged stance, connecting himself with the flow of chi in the earth itself to help replenish that which he has spent.

COMBATSYS: Ryo gathers his will.

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

[TAKUMA]
Takuma maintains his posture after the third Haohshokoken. When Ryo breaks through them with another offense block, Takuma wipes sweat from his brow. He plants his palm on his shoulder, working the joint to loosen himself up. His breathing is heavy and stressed. The older man is exhausted by this point and running on fumes. Even so, he's a diehard who refuses to give up until he can't keep fighting.

As he finishes working the shoulder he launches forward, swinging a powerful hook punch over his shoulder at Ryo. He pivots into the blow, putting all the strength he can must into it. It's far less impressive than his previous attacks, but considering that he can even keep going at this point is something in itself.

COMBATSYS: Ryo endures Takuma's Oni Guruma.

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

[RYO]
Ryo watches his father seem to fret after he bats aside the trio of giant, powerful ki blasts. But he waits patiently. He knows that Takuma's feeling the burning in his lungs and muscles. He's feeling it too. His heart is pounding in his chest, wanting to rise into his throat. The adrenaline is doing little to keep him from feeling the aching setting in to his muscles. But he remains focused, and patient.

When Takuma comes in with that punch, something in the look in Ryo's eyes is an unspoken challenge. He braces himself, but he doesn't even try to raise up a defense. He merely powers his stance, rooting himself further, and keeps his eyes focused solely on his fathers, defiant and proud. The punch connects, and despite his best efforts, Ryo flinches as the fist collides with his jaw, distorting his face and sending his head snapping to the side. He almost loses his balance, his feet leaving the mat only to stomp back down into place, sliding just a few inches, but still maintaining. Now, with Takuma closed in and open.

"Shin," Ryo says, his rumbling voice seeming calm and composed. His stance shifts into a back stance, his weight leaning further away from Takuma. He places his forward hand, palm flat and sideways, against Takuma's broad chest, while his other fist draws back. Stepping forward, Ryo pivots with his hip, sending that fist hurtling with near superhuman levels of strength towards the Kyokugen bear's solarplexus. The sheer speed and force of the blow is enough to kick up a whirling spiral of gale force winds, but he enhances it even further. A bright orange blast of Ki is channeled through his fist, directly in to Takuma's body and out his back with a brilliant and blinding flare. "Tenchi Haoh Ken!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Ryo's Shin Tenchi Haoh Ken.

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

[TAKUMA]
Takuma grins a wide, almost dopey grin when he punch connects. That is the kind of satisfying hit that he was looking for. He seems to think, for a moment, that he's gotten the edge that he needs.

But Ryo endures. Ryo endures and shifts his positioning to unleash a devastating counter-attack. Chi whips around and focuses into the singular impact of the Tenchi Haok Ken, which smashes into Takuma's chest with a satisfying boom. Takuma staggers back a few steps, then falls back onto his backside. He flops unceremoniously onto his back and lays there for a moment.

"Hurrgh," Takuma grunts. "You win this one Ryo, but don't think that means you've completely surpassed me. When you get to be my age, you too will have some off days."

With a struggle, Takuma sits upright, breathing heavily and resting his hand on his leg. He takes several moments to catch his breath before he says anything further.

"I'm proud of your progress though. You should be too. Keep striving for that sort of dedication and the sky is the limit."

Takuma pointedly does not mention his wager.

COMBATSYS: Takuma takes no action.

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

COMBATSYS: Takuma can no longer fight.

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

[RYO]
As Takuma falls, and Ryo is left decidedly the victor of their extreme sparring match, the younger Sakazaki lowers his fists and relaxes, at last. He cranes his neck from side to side, eliciting the sound of bone crunching as his vertebrae pop and crackle. His shoulders slouch, and he shoves his bruised and scraped hands into the pockets of his orange gi pants.

"No sweat, old timer," Ryo says with a bright smile. "It's still early yet, and you just weren't properly warmed up. Everyone has their off days, regardless of their age. I know I've still got a mountain or two to climb before I can reach your level."

He does, excitedly, slip his hands from his pockets to deliver to straight, swift punches, "But man did you see how I just demolished your Haohshokoken?"

Walking over, Ryo leans forward steeply, letting one hand press to the matted floor, before he lowers himself to sit next to Takuma. Resting his weight back on his arms behind him, the Kyokugen Dragon looks up at the ceiling of the dojo as he contemplates his father's encouragement. He nods his head in silent agreement, looking distant and pensive.

And then, he lifts a hand, curling it into a fist and letting it collide with the top of Takuma's arm. "You better get to cooking."

[TAKUMA]
"I did," Takuma says with a huff. "I'm going to have to figure out a way around that. It was unorthodox. Very unorthodox," he pauses. "But very fitting for the Kyokugen way."

Takuma smiles widely. "That's the spirit. When you reach the summit of a moumtain, use it to look for your next challenge." But then Ryo reminds Takuma. He chuckles, rubbing the back of his head.

"You don't give an old man a break, huh? Well, I did make a wager..." he says with a laugh.

COMBATSYS: Ryo has ended the fight here.

Log created on 00:07:28 12/03/2017 by Takuma, and last modified on 13:14:30 12/07/2017.