Match of the Millennium

Description: With the chaos in Southtown settling down, the matter of promotions have come to the surface. Local businesswoman King is invited to the Mars & Venus club in Southtown by charming entrepreneur Katashi Tairyu. There, was they battle out in a fight to the finish, Tairyu has the opportunity to show off the host side of his club.

[TAIRYU]
=== EARLIER ===

"You know, you should do a promotional event when the club opens."

Tairyu's eyes draw up from the documents laid over his desk, towards the teenaged japanese girl in a red hoodie with black hair bunched up into a high ponytail. Tairyu's sister is settled on a wall-lined couch within the office, tapping away at a laptop perched upon... well, her lap -- and her words bring the Yakuza's eyes narrowing slightly.

"We're already holding a big opening party. You know that, right?"

"No no no you need something bigger than that! You know, like... get some entertainment in there. A band, a fight..."

"A fight." Tairyu's eyes blink slowly at Miku. Why is he listening to business advice from his kid sister, anyhow?

"Yeah! You can get the SNF crew in here, get them to advertise for the fight, cameras in... There's that famous bar owner on the other side of town too who'd probably be totally up for it!"

"Wait, how do you--"

"She's a bouncer too! Come on, it'll be exciting!"

Tairyu lets out a heavy sigh, and pinches the bridge of his nose, fingertips rubbing into it. "...Miku," he grunts out, vaguely exasperated. "The club's not supposed to be a fight ring. I'm not really on good terms with SNF's staff anyway, so... I appreciate that you want to help, but just let me handle running my club, alright?"

"Uhm..." The girl gives her brother a sheepish smile. The kind of smile that comes from a little child being caught with their hand way deep into the cookie jar. "So, about that..."

"...You didn't."

"I miiiiight have? ... Don't be mad?"

=== NOW ===

It's a full house in Club Mars tonight. The Host Club in the lower floor of the two-club establishment has filled out all the tables, with singular customers and parties alike -- and all accompanied by well-dressed hosts. Unsurprisingly, the clientele largely consists of women, though there is one table where a host going for a 'pretty boy' look is attending to a male customer.

On the stage, a house band is providing live music for the ambience -- but that's not the focus of the people packing up the house.

Two hands clapping together echoes sharply through the club floor as the band stops playing, drawing the attention of the clientele.

"Thank you for gracing our house with your presence on our first opening day," Tairyu's voice calls out as his clapped-together hands seperate and lower down from the air again. Dressed in his usual black blazer jacket and maroon dress shirt as he might be, he's still putting on the airs of the business owner... despite his apprehensions on this entire event (and the occasional angry look he gave to the SNF camera crew earlier).

He's going to have to come up with some kind of punishment for Miku for making this happen.

"And I do apologize for disturbing your drinking and appreciation of our fine hosts on duty-- no touching, remember! But I believe..."

The Yakuza's form bows over slightly, with a hand extended out in gesture towards the entrance.

"Our guest for our main event has arrived."

[KING]
Stepping through the front doors to Club Mars comes a figure familiar to the nightlife of Southtown: the French-born longtime-local bouncer-come-bar-owner known only to the public as 'King.' Sporting a blonde bob cut and dressed in a dashing purple tuxedo with a crisp white blouse underneath, the young woman's elegant aesthetic belies her reputation as a talented Muay Thai expert. She makes her way into the club, blue eyes scanning the room coolly before falling on Tairyu. She dips her head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Good evening, everyone," she greets the club at large as her long legs carry her further inside toward the direction of the Yakuza in charge of the establishment. "I hope that you're all enjoying yourselves.

Her eyes return to Tairyu as she approaches, and she shrugs her shoulders out of the sleeves of her jacket, taking it off and draping it over one of her arms, giving her ensemble a somewhat more functional air.

"You must be Mister Katashi. I believe it was your sister that I spoke to about putting this event together, wasn't it? Where is Miku?"

Her tone is light and somewhat formal, but there's a trace of warmth to the last question accompanying a faint smile. "I thought I might order a small glass of wine before we start, if you don't mind."

[TAIRYU]
King's dip of the head is mirrored in a much deeper bow of Tairyu's own form, in the traditional japanese manner. Got to put extra weight into that in the customer service environment. "Welcome."

His expression twitches ever-so-slightly when he straightens up from the bow, even if he is trying to maintain a subtle smile. "... I am afraid Miku could not be here." He may or may not have locked her in the apartment with one of the Family guards, but that's besides the point. She's too young for this club anyway!

And as for the wine? Tairyu is quick to snap his fingers towards a nearby waiter, who promptly scurries off. Only to re-emerge a few seconds later with a tray holding a wine glass, brought all the way overe to King herself. Filled with what might well be one of the most expensive red wines on stock in the club.

[KING]
King casually hands her tuxedo coat off to the nearest attending member of staff - hopefully, it's someone whose job it is to handle such things, but she doesn't seem to particularly care either way. When the glass arrives, she plucks it up between her fingers and takes a moment to breathe it in before trying a sip.

"Excellent. I see that your hospitality extends even to your rivals," she says a hint of an ironic smirk. "As for your sister, it's a shame; I would have liked to meet her in person. Another time, I suppose." She takes another pensive sip of her wine.

"It seems that your... revitalization efforts are going well," she says, her tone just a little careful. "It's good to see. Perhaps we could discuss business sometime. I could bring Jan to meet Miku."

One more swig, and the mostly-empty glass is returned; though she is a fellow entrepreneur and notorious lover of wine, there are, after all, other reasons for her being here than drinking and talking shop.

"Have you got a space set aside for the match?"

[TAIRYU]
"A man has to have standards, see," Tairyu declares, with a firm nod of his head. Just because you're about to exchange blows with someone doesn't mean you can't treat them with a measure of respect.

A curious arch of one dark brow follows on his part, however. He did not expect this kind of interest in his little sister. "Jan a younger family member of yours? I'm not sure I would recommend bringing one here during business hours."

The man's taking a few backward steps from the bartender, thus, and spreads his arms out. "Right here is fine," he declares -- indicating the wide, open area surrounding him, just ahead of the stage occupied by the band. Perhaps the space is originally meant for dancing... which admittedly seems an odd thing for a club where physical contact is typically discouraged. Maybe there's a special rule.

"Whenever you are done with your drink, King-san."

[KING]
The corners of King's lips turn up slightly. "I was thinking more along the lines of lunch at Illusion," she says as she pulls out and tugs on a pair of fingerless black leather gloves. "Jan is my little brother. I thought it might be nice for them to meet."

With her drained drink left behind, the blonde bar owner steps toward the side of the dance floor opposite from Tairyu, flexing her fingers before curling them into fists and raising them into a defensive stance. She starts to rock slightly on the heels of her dress shoes as she assumes her Muay Thai kickboxing position. A switch seems to flip as she shifts into her fighting stance, elegance slipping and becoming a hidden fire behind her blue eyes and permeating her tone, hints of a past as a Southtown street-tough bouncer coming through:

"But first, let's see what you're made of, slick!"

COMBATSYS: King has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
King             0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Tairyu has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
King             0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
"Eh?"

The woman's little brother. Meeting his little sister? There's not really time right now to ask just how old this particular little brother is, but--

No, now is not the time to think about the horrorshow potentially resulting from Miku being put into a room with a boy close to her age! Not even a little bit!

Thankfully, even the last shadow of that line of thought disappears with the sight of the stance the former bouncer takes on. One corner of Tairyu's mouth twitches upwards, slightly.

"Yeah. Let me show you how we do things on this side of town."

But there's still one thing. "Boys!" The Yakuza's hand on the side towards the stage sweeps up, with two fingers extended. "Give us a beat!"

With the signal, the drummer leads the band off with a quick opening before a jazzy, high-tempo piano joins in. By the time the electric guitar and saxophone have joined in, the owner of the club has already kicked himself into motion.

The distance between him and King crossed in a crouched down motion, Tairyu's quickly springing up again to launch a vicious uppercut at the woman, meant to send her off balance, if not outright off her feet -- only to be caught by one arm with both hands as he comes down from his own upward motion, turning to send her towards the upraised edge of the band's stage.

COMBATSYS: King blocks Tairyu's Rise And Fall.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
King             0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0           Tairyu

[KING]
King only smirks faintly as Tairyu offers to show her how things are done on 'this side of town.' The expression fades a little into a more focused one as the music kicks in and the fight kicks off.

The blonde kickboser's arms remain raised, elbows tucking to guard against the incoming uppercut with her forearms. This does leave her somewhat exposed to the follow-up; her arm is grabbed, and she's taken off her feet and thrown. She hits the ground in a roll, though, managing to get back up to her feet with the same motion and slipping easily back into her fighting stance.

"It doesn't matter what side of town you're from in a town like this; you don't get anywhere by being limp!"

King's long legs coil and leap forward, her heel rising and then falling as she aims to drop it across Tairyu's head with a flying kick!

COMBATSYS: King successfully hits Tairyu with Trap Kick.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
King             0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
Tairyu isn't complacent enough to assume he gets a moment to rest after sending the kickboxer across the floor. But even so-- she's fast. Real fast.

By the time Tairyu realizes how close she's gotten herself, her foot is already high up in the air.

"Gh--!"

The bartender's heel spikes into the top of Tairyu's head, sending it recoiling downwards along with his upper body forced to leaning forward slightly.

The blow isn't quite enough to send him knocking over, however. After a brief bracing of his legs, he's already quickly sliding his feet to the side, turning himself spinning around over to the opposing side from King's offending foot. His own sweeps up with that same motion before he even fully straightens up from the recoil of the hit he took, spiking a nasty kick to the joint behind her knee.

COMBATSYS: King blocks Tairyu's Improvised Kick.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
King             0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0           Tairyu

[KING]
It's a quick exchange; King lands from the heel drop, and Tairyu is already swiftly spinning into a retort, going low and horizontal where King went high and vertical moments before. She braces her leg and pivots, catching the kick in the calf rather than the more vulnerable point behind the knee that it was intended for.

"So don't underestimate me!"

The violence doesn't stop there, as well one might expect. With the impact of Tairyu's kick deadened, King is free to continue the cycle of retaliation. She wheels around, bringing her foot up in a spinning aerial kick as she leaps away - but the attack isn't in the kick itself, but rather, the purple fireball of chi that's unleashed as she focuses her energy into her foot and sends it flying toward Tairyu!

"Venom Strike!"

COMBATSYS: Tairyu blocks King's Venom Strike.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
King             0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
It's telling, perhaps, that Tairyu's motion was never intended to end with just that kick to the knee. Even after it's soaked up by King's defense, he continues the sweeping motion of his whole body -- and ultimately bounces himself back away from the range of that sweeping kick just as it begins.

But indeed, that's not what he should be worried of.

He is quick on the uptake too, however. Tairyu's side is turned to facing the impending fireball, his outer forearm held up with the inner hand pressing against it in bracing. The mass of chi pushes his feet to skidding back a bit before it dies down -- leaving the arm it had collided with steaming, the black fabric of the jacketsleeve there charred slightly.

"Always with the fireballs," growls Tairyu, as he turns more fully to King again with a few whipping motions given to the arm to wave off the leftover sensation of heat.

His feet carry him slightly to one side, briefly -- as if intending to circle about King, contemplating on his own method of attack. But it only lasts for a second or so before he's already moving in for her again. He does aim to slide himself along her side, however -- constantly moving himself with the aim of keeping just at the edge of her perimeter, even as he launches a quick hook towards her side, with an angle slightly favoring towards her back.

COMBATSYS: King dodges Tairyu's Sweeping Strike.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
King             0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0           Tairyu

[KING]
Coming out of her spin to land on her feet, King brings her guard back up swiftly. Her eyes follow Tairyu as he shifts to the side; then, as he starts in on her again and slides toward her to strike from the perimeter. She coils, then leaps upward, vaulting over the sweeping attack and swinging her leg around as she spins rapidly. Her right foot glows with the same energy that was released before, but this time, the intent is to try and catch Tairyu with the energy-laced kick, following up immediately by twisting around in the air and delivering a follow-up heel kick with her left foot as she takes herself horizontal.

"Tornado Kick!"

COMBATSYS: Tairyu fails to counter Tornado Kick from King with Dragon's Tail.
- Power fail! -

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
King             0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
Tairyu's swept himself right into a whirlwind of a kick.

The chi-coated foot slams right into the side of the Yakuza's face with a crunchy sound of the impact echoing out even over the live music. As if that alone wasn't enough, the woman bringing herself effectively aerial to deliver a second kick launches the man right off and away from her.

"Ghrk--!"

Tairyu's body slams right against the floor with a bounce -- a bounce that he at least manages to roll himself around from, so rather than simply slumping onto the floor, he finds himself skidding the rest of his momentum out by knee and foot.

There's no words, now. Just a narrow-eyed look of focus sent back to the kickboxer, while he presses his thumb against the outer side of his nose. The nostril pushed closed, a quick exhalation results in a goblet of blood spilling out and splattering onto the floor.

[KING]
The soles of King's shoes land on the dancefloor with a *click*. She's bouncing on her heels now, her elbows swinging out for a moment to stretch her shoulders before bringing her guard back up.

"Nice music you've got goin' here," she compliments Tairyu and the band as the frantic beat continues. There's just the faintest sign of exertion - a quick inhalation through her own nostrils - before she steps in closer and snaps out her right leg, aiming a quick kick toward Tairyu - as much to keep the kneeling Yakuza on his toes and fish for an opening, as anything. Footsies, they might call it in some fighting analysis circles.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu just-defends King's Light Kick!

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
King             0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
A subtle upward twitch in the corner of Tairyu's mouth again. Is it over the compliment on the music, or... is there something else?

Either way, as King makes her approach in and sends that probing kick in--

"Don't discount me yet."

She finds hands grabbing onto the middle of her shin and the junction between her foot and shin itself before that kick finds purchase. The Yakuza's weight pushes down against it with the same push that brings him up fully off the floor -- and ultimatley shoves his opponent back by a pace or two.

And he's right after her once more. Ducking low, nearly enough to disappear away from line of sight -- though a quick peek down will find him right there at King's feet, body wound up like a spring. A spring that nearly immediately after uncoils itself, and carries an open palm aimed up towards the underside of the former bouncer's chin, in a trajectory that nears perfectly vertical so closely that the difference is barely discernable with the naked eye.

COMBATSYS: King blocks Tairyu's Rising Claw.

[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
King             0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1           Tairyu

[KING]
Tairyu deflects King's leg with aplomb, putting her on the backfoot once again as he creates space to duck in close to her. The blonde's eyes drop down to follow his movement, but her guard remains ever-raised - and it's a good thing that it does, because her arms are already in position to come together and catch the swift upward palm strike with both her forearms. While she manages to dissipate most of the force of the blow, she does end up staggering backward.

"I won't discount you. You haven't given me a good reason to, yet."

King cocks her head a little to one side, smirking mostly with her eyes.

"Of course, you haven't given me a good reason not to, either. HA!"

She ducks forward, planting a palm on the floor as she swings her legs out, thrusting the lead foot out and aiming to strike at Tairyu's knees with her heel.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu counters Medium Kick from King with Dragon's Clutch.
- Power hit! -

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
King             0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
"Then..."

Eyes narrowed, Tairyu's gaze locks in on the approaching leg. With a sudden burst of motion, the owner of the club suddenly slides in right towards her leading side, with his hand thrusting out to grab at the offending leg by the high. A slight turn of his own body and a tug to encourage the kick carrying wide past to the point of disturbing her own stance.

"I'll just--"

His other arm's extending out in the exact same motion. Coiling about her back and pulling her in just as his other hand lets go, the releasing fingers closing into a fist that naturally closes in towards her pulled body-- and slams against her gut.

"--Work on that!"

[KING]
Tempting fate, one might say that King's verbal backhand had been, and fate strikes back - in the form of a fist delivered hard to her stomach. She recoils, falling onto her back as she loses her balance. She presses her palms into the dancefloor and kips herself back up to her feet with a faint wince.

"Better," she concedes as she raises her hands back up into guard. "But you've still got a lot to prove!"

Darting back in and ducking, King drops down and slides along the ground on the polished soles of her shoes, aiming to drive her extended foot into Tairyu's and take his legs out from under kick.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu blocks King's Diving Kick.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
King             0/-------/--=====|=======\=====--\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
"Tch--!"

Blocking isn't exactly easy when it comes to kicks that low. But damned if Tairyu doesn't make the effort anyway. In this instance, it manifests in him quickly lifting one of his feet up -- and then thrusting it in a kick of his own right against her invading one. He's quick to give up trying to keep his other foot on the floor with the force of her momentum pushing in, as well, and willingly bounces it off.

This does ultimately result in him not so much soaking the attack as him intentionally leaning into the direction of it's force to send him flying back and slightly to the side from King. Coming back down, his back thumps against the floor, drawing a low grunt from his throat before rolling further into the momentum again to turn himself around and bouncing up onto his feet.

--And up into the air he goes again. In a much more intentional, offensive motion this time. Swooping through the air towards King, with one leg snapping up as he closes in to aim his heel for her head. "D'rya!!"

COMBATSYS: King blocks Tairyu's Diving Kick.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
King             0/-------/-======|=======\======-\1           Tairyu

[KING]
Skidding to a stop on the dancefloor, King rises up, raising her arms as Tairyu dives through the air at her. The Yakuza's leg collides with the ex-bouncer's forearms, driving her back along the smooth surface. As she winds up with some distance between herself and the other club owner, King shakes her hands out, then steps back in - throwing a quick pair of low, feinting kicks at the gangster's shins, before twisting around, drawing back and opening up with one of her more rarely seen but no less powerful punches, a hard boxing right aimed at Tairyu's upper body.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu blocks King's Fierce Punch.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
King             0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\1           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
Tairyu's form might seem momentarily suspended in air in that instant his foot collides with King's intercepting forearms. The short distance created by her skidding is taken immediate advantage of by way of letting himself land on the floor smoothly with a brief bending of knees followed by a slight bounce. It's enough time for him to prepare himself for his opponent closing in on him again.

And back and to the side he steps and weaves along the kicks, seemingly in tempo with the band's leading saxophone. "Now this is dancing, huh?" He grunts out in the middle of it all-- right before his eyes widen slightly with that powerful punch coming his way.

It's only just in time that he manages to bring his arms up and brace against the incoming blow. Needing to lean his own weight back to help further dampen the force of it -- and even then, he's visibly gritting his teeth from the strain, and ultimately, he has to make a backward leap away from her.

Far enough back that he nearly ends up smacking right against one of the tables. "Pardon me--"

...Where his hand reaches down over to grab a stool that was brought over earlier for an additional member of the party occupying the table (thankfully not currently sitting on aforementioned stool!). With the piece of furniture hoisted and flipped over to be held by the leg of it, he dashes across the dance floor -- guiding the stool in his hand as a weapon brought up towards her in a upward-arcing blow.

Nearby, the floor manager groans about needing to mark up the cost of a likely-soon-to-be-broken stool.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu successfully hits King with Random Weapon.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
King             1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Tairyu

[KING]
King continues to approach Tairyu as she drives him back. When he leaps away, she lowers her guard just a little, moving to pursue more aggressively - right into the swinging barstool. She tries to get her guard back up in time, but the swung furniture cracks her across the head, and she drops down to one knee, shielding her head with her arms as she gathers herself for a moment.

"Oh, it's /that/ kind of fight now, huh?"

It's far from the sort of thing that King is unfamiliar with, given her history. There's a faint smirk still on her face - maybe it's a smile, but somehow the woman's tone just seems to suggest a smirk even when a smile is what's intended. The fact that she's wearing a tuxedo might not help.

"That kinda behaviour would have gotten you the bum-rush back when I worked the door. Do I have to give you the heave-ho from your own club, Tairyu-san?"

Risen back to her feet, she stays on the periphery for now, circling around Tairyu as she bounces on her feet, kickboxing guard raised. If anything, she seems a bit energized by the breaking of the barstool over her head - perhaps the effects of adrenalin.

COMBATSYS: King gains composure.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
King             1/----===/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
The stool breaks from the impact, and the remaining piece of it's leg left in Tairyu's hand is nonchalantly tossed off to the side while he backs up a step from the Bouncer.

"Call it Owner's Privilige," he declares casually while he shufles on his feet to keep himself facing the circling woman. Eyes narrowed on her, watching her for a second or two -- and then something lights up in his eyes.

An ethereal heat wafts over and behind the Yakuza. An illusion of blue, transparent flames. It turns into a trailing afterimage -- for in a blink of an eye, he's no longer standing there. In an instant, the Yakuza has brought himself right in front of his rival(?) club-owner. Arms reached outwards at his sides, hands tightened into fists while bright, blue flames seem to coat both of those limbs without burning away the fabric.

And as those fists are brought swinging inwards, both aimed for King's head, the flames nearly seem to create another image. FOr just a split second, she might swear she sees a completely different ethereal image laid over that of Tairyu's attack.

A blue, glowing japanese dragon, lunging towards her with it's head held sideways as it's sharply-fanged jaws close towards her from each side.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu successfully hits King with #Sun Dragon's Bite ES#.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
King             2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0           Tairyu

Thankfully, for King, it's not actually razor-sharp fangs that rend into her. But the impact of the flame-wreathed fists against each side of her skull is a powerful one nonethless.

But rather than immediately drawing his fists away after the impact, Tairyu keeps his knuckles pressed in tight against her head. So tight, that when he jumps up in to the air, he actually hoists her up with him by that hold on her head -- and down again with the power of gravity, right down to his upraised knee. And it's only with the collision of his knee to her face when she's allowed to slip free from that truly unorthodox hold.

[KING]
This is what the crowd - and the audience at home - came to see, whether they knew it or not. The double-fisted draconic assault is sure to make highlight reels and put the fight in the conversation for Match of the Week. There are two particular reasons for this.

The first is the power of the attack itself. It smashes through King's guard, causing her to cry out in pain as she's struck and locked into the burning hold until she's silenced by the devastating follow-up knee.

The second is that, as King sits up on the part of the dancefloor where she's landed in the aftermath, it's revealed that, somehow, the front of her crisp, unisex-style dress shirt has been blown open from stomach to collar by the assault, revealing the now-unrestrained and well-filled black brassiere underneath.

"Ugh... not again," the battered blonde bouncer-turned-bar-owner groans as she picks herself unsteadily up to her feet.

Rather than looking flustered, King just looks angry - or perhaps, determined. Her eyes narrow as she picks her arms up, breathing heavily through her nostrils.

"Not bad, sparky," she concedes brashly as she wipes smouldering cinders from her wrists. "Now it's my turn!"

With that, King springs up into the air, her body twirling as an enormous corona of bright blue energy gathers around her outstretched leg. As it's released, it comes not in a ball of fire, but in a wave, washing down over the dance floor and threatening to engulf the Yakuza in the ensuing blast. It's a lesson to be taught by one of Southtown's veteran businesspeople to a newcomer to the scene.

And that lesson is, always buy property insurance.

COMBATSYS: King successfully hits Tairyu with #Venom Shot#.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
King             0/-------/-------|>>>>>--\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
If the hit itself didn't bring out some cheers, then perhaps the sight of the front of King's shirt getting obliterated does... or, at least, from the hosts attending to the customers (which likely earns them some looks from some of the female clientele at that).

Tairyu doesn't seem to keep much mind to such things right now, even if he would have the time to appreciate things in the couple seconds that it takes for King to get herself back up and on the coutnerattack.

Whatever intention the Yakuza might have had, then, on a followup, is taken away by her sudden athletic ascension. His initial approach is brought to a skidding stop and a backward bound...

Only to be met by another ranged attack.

"--!"

The wave of energy washes across the dancefloor, and envelops Tairyu with it, and cracks the floor. Renovations will, in fact, be required right after the first day of business.

Once the energy dissipates, the figure of Tairyu becomes clear again -- albeit knocked over onto his back on the floor. And as if the forces of fate have made some kind of attempt at equivelant exchange, the front of his own dress shirt has been burnt off to expose his firmly-muscled chest and abdomen to the club and the SNF cameras.

"Ugh... I didn't think..." He growls in between panting breaths while rolling himself over and pushing himself up to one knee. "...We were turning this into a strip show..." A rumbling sound that at first is meant to be one of laughter turns quickly into a grunt of pain from likely-damaged muscle being strained.

"Hh--!"

In a potentially-defiant burst of motion he hops up the rest of the way from that kneeling posture, and crosses towards King. Arms brought up defensively while he makes the effort of circling around the woman, one knee soon rising up and foot snapping down again for an attempted quick blow for the woman's heel.

COMBATSYS: King blocks Tairyu's Light Kick.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
King             0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0           Tairyu

[KING]
Landing on the floor from her aerial bombardment, King crouches for a moment before rising back up to her full height. She lets out a sniff as Tairyu comments on the mutually assured destruction of the pair's respective shirts. When he tries at her heel, she steadies herself against the attack, deadening it with resolve.

"Well, we're not done yet!"

One might question the implications of the statement, though it seems unlikely that she was referring to the context of the strip show - rather, she makes a fast step forward to try and latch her hands onto Tairyu's arms. If she can manage to do so, she'll pull backward, attempting to roll back and push her feet into Tairyu's body to launch him with tremendous force behind her.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu counters Hook Buster from King with Tiger Drop ES.

[                                < >  ////////                      ]
King             0/-------/-======|-------\-------\0           Tairyu

[TAIRYU]
"Yeah..."

Something else flickers in Tairyu's eyes now. The effects of the adrenaline, the heat of the fight are all still there. But when his green gaze focuses on King's face even while she's reaching to grab at him, there's something else. Respect? Affection? Something.

"...I receive you."

Just mere centimeters before her fingers reach the fabric of his jacket's sleeves, Tairyu turns into a blur of motion.

A flash of blue fire along his arm, and in an instant, he's dropped his left knee down nearly to the floor, and that fire-wreathed arm is held out, fist clenched tight as it impacts dead center into King's body. A powerful sound, akin to a sonic boom, echoes out through the club, over the still-playing live music, with the punch powerful enough send a fighter flying back.

"Haaanhh..." Sweat beads along the Yakuza's forehead, the remnants of his jacket fluttering upwards behind him briefly before settling back down against the still-intact backside of his shirt. "Been a while since my body has moved like this, King-san..." He calls out, with a smile much more obvious than what he's allowed until then. "It's a good feeling..."

[KING]
The punch strikes King dead centre, and there's a sound that's cut short -

"Ffff-"

- as she is sent flying backward off the dance floor and into the bar with a *crack.*

The blonde businesswoman groans as she lifts her head up off of the floor, placing one of her gloved hands against it. Her teeth grit as she shudders, then forces her way up to her feet. She sways, not even able to bring her guard up, a glossy look in her eyes. There's determination - there is little hope for victory, consciousness is rapidly fading - but there's determination as she forces her body into one more spin, gathering purple energy as she brings her foot around.

"D-double... Strike!"

One fireball flies forth, then as she spins again, another - and with the expenditure of what little she has left, King wobbles, then collapses sideways to the floor.

COMBATSYS: King can no longer fight.

[                      \\\\\\\\  <
Tairyu           0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Tairyu blocks King's Double Strike.

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

[TAIRYU]
"Gh--!" Tairyu doesn't even have time to fully straighten up before the blasts of energy are sent his way. THere's just barely enough time for him to move his arms up into the way -- taking a fireball into one each.

"GAH--!" The impact sends Tairyu flying back, thus, and bowling over. He thuds to the floor side-first, with a groan, and for a brief few seconds as he's left laying there, it may very well seem as though a double-knockout has taken place. The band even finally stops playing (credit to them for keeping up with all the chaos though).

But then the Yakuza rolls over.

"...Fucking hell..."

A loud groan rumbles out while the fighter forces his shaking body up to one knee, first, and then the other. Left there for a moment to catch his breath before forcing himself the rest of the way up. Wobbling, uneven feet carrying him towards the bar and the prone body of King.

"..." A scowling look sent to one of the cameras aimed over, before he rolls his shoulders back - slowly - and draws his jacket off, so that he might toss it down to cover up what her shirt no longer does.

COMBATSYS: Tairyu has ended the fight here.

Log created on 20:35:34 01/26/2021 by King, and last modified on 22:58:19 01/28/2021.