Match of the Millennium

Description: After Jae's invitation toward Daisuke to practice together, Daisuke shows up in a state most unsuited for training, but he invited Tsugumi, and Tsugumi was more then thrilled to go for some sparring! Eventually, Rock Howard shows up to spectate and chat with Daisuke.

[JAE HOON]
Let's see...

This looks like the right place.

The directions laid out in the text message conversation were easy enough to follow, now that Jae Hoon is somewhat familiar with his surroundings. Southtown is huge, but by comparison, Seoul is far bigger, which means he's used to having to navigate large cityscapes. A little side note, but not all that important here.

In exchanging contact with Daisuke, the teens decided that an open field area probably was the ideal safe zone to train, lest there be a stir-up of rivalry between schools should either one of them be caught lounging about with a Gorin student. The location is far enough from either one, so no participant had to worry.

Of course, eagerly and excitedly, Jae had informed his best friend of his plans! A friendly invite had been extended between classes, in which the Korean fighter gave all the details to Rock regarding the location, time, and anything else considered important, should he be interested in viewing and/or participating. Whatever suited his fancy.

Anyway, where the dark-haired teen ends up is in a place resembling something similar to that of a soccer field, if not exactly so. There's goalie posts on either end, with markings stained into the grass to denote position placemarks. The day is clear of clouds, allowing the sunlight to beam down bright and hot, although there is a slight breeze that negates the heat. Perfect day for training outside.

Jae Hoon is carrying a duffle bag that he sets on the ground. Bending halfwards to open the zipper, he tugs out a water bottle and a towel. He's dressed in a simple white tank and sweats, but inside the bag, his gi is neatly folded alongside a spare change of clothes. If one peers in further, they'd be able to see a complete first-aid kit, snacks, and several sets of spare gloves.

Jeez. Talk about being a little over zealous!

A little early to the party, it's not unexpected to find that he's the first one here. In order to make up for that, though, he begins to lightly jog around the perimeter of the soccer field. Warm-ups are good, right?

Right.

[TAIRYU]
Granted, the thought might have passed through Daisuke's mind to outright invite the gathering to the Kubo family house, but... maybe it's not really good practice to just bring any given people you happen to meet at school over to the otherwise empty house you have been charged with taking care of.

So the agreement was made for the same field he first sparred with Tsugumi on. Safe enough, right? As long as he doesn't accidentally lose control again, or something...

Surely that wouldn't happen again, right?

Either way, the agreed upon time is just a day after a certain Rising Star match that Daisuke *definitely* is not taking part in. No, not at all. ...Well. At least he won't admit to Jae Hoon as much for the time being, anyway. The whole Blazing Panther identity is still something he's trying to maintain while he's attending that tournament, if only because he's hesitant about letting most people know about the unidentified energy he's able to manipulate.

This would normally not be a problem, but Daisuke perhaps overestimated his ability to do such things back to back.

And when the time came,, he had to ask for some help to get himself somewhere. Granted, he had originally planned to bring Tsugumi along for this particular outing in the first place, but he really does need both 1) help to get there and 2) something else to offer to the korean boy surely expecting an actual workout now that he himself isn't... quite in shape, anymore.

And thus, after meeting up with Tsugumi, him and the wrestling girl from Gorin High made their way to that familiar field, Jae Hoon probably will spot their silhouettes in a distance, but as they approach, he'll find something... wrong.

Namely, the fact that Daisuke is damn near *covered* in bandages. The top of his head is covered in the white gauze, and his nose has some harder support set along the bridge of it, to suggest a rather recent break. And to top it all off, his entire right arm has been pulled up into a sling and wrapped into a cast that even covers up his hand, pulled close to his chest in such a way that he's forced to wear his usual jacket with the right side of it kind of just... hanging loosely along his right shoulder without his ability to slip the limb through the sleeve properly.

"Heeeeeeey!"

But apparently he's in good enough spirits in spite of it all. At least he seems to heal faster than most - somehow - so he's able to walk here without much issue. Even if he is lingering kind of close to Tsugumi's side *just in case*.

"Sorry if we're kinda late!"

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
Tsugumi Sendo had been excitedly chatting with the close-to-incapacitated Daisuke the whole way she'd have supported him; All the way from his house. After giving him a considerably angry talking-too about his reckless behaviour, that is. Although now, she seems to be in as good of spirits as expected of the Gorin Wrestler. When she'd spot Jae, she'd give an excited wave with her free arm while the pair moved closer and closer, onto the soft grass of the familiar field.

She'd lower Daisuke onto the grass, letting him sit before approaching the Tae Kwon Do practicioner, offering her hand for a hearty shake- She has a noticably strong grip. "Heya! Glad to meet, I'm Tsugumi Sendo! Daisuu-Chan invited me for session; I never thought the day would come were /he/ would be the one to offer training! Whahahaha." She roars with laughter, teasing her friend as she makes her introduction. "But uh, as you see he's not in the best of form.. I hope you'll have us regardless!"

Sendo is dressed in her usual training garb of a black bodysuit cut-off at the elbows and knees, wearing a simple blue-and-white sports jacket over it. White shoes with bright orange highlights provide some contrast to the otherwise very sane color pallete. Her hands are envelloped by large, padded fingerless gloves.

[JAE HOON]
Run, run, run in the sun!

What an energetic way to start the workout!

The lithe fighter manages to make a few laps around the soccer field before he catches sight of approaching silhouettes in the distance. They're slow in their advancement, which gives Jae Hoon a moment to slow his jogging down to a brisk walk and eventually into a casual pace over to where his duffle bag sits. Grabbing his water bottle and the towel, the fabric drapes around his neck as sun-kissed skin gets wiped free of any sweat lingering over the surface of his nape.

As he gulps back some water, his eyes glance back over to where the newcomers are arriving, and as their outlines become more clear...

Oh no!

All the eagerness slips away from Jae as he takes in the sight of Daisuke as he arrives. Quickly, he runs over to where the unfamiliar female sets the red-headed teen down into the grass, brown irises wide with horror. In no way should there be any training done if the poor fellow is this mangled! Kubo seems to just keep getting more and more beat up with every encounter he's had with him! Before he can get in a word sideways about it, though, an introduction is thrust upon him. Awkwardly, Jae turns towards Daisuke's companion to offer her a somewhat shy smile.

As a side, he's kind of crap with girls, so... bear with him!

"Um, yeah. It's a pleasure to meet you as well. I'm Kim Jae Hoon," he says while taking Tsugumi's hand and offering her a kind half-bow. As he releases her hand, concerned eyes then flicker somewhat between the two of them. Very clearly, the Korean boy is actually somewhat hesitant to even ask, but... "No worries about being late. I'm glad you both were able to come, it's just... what happened to you, Kubo? You should be resting!"

[DAISUKE]
Daisuke is sure he's going to be hearing more than his share on his state from Tsugumi. She's one of the few people who actually know about the power hidden in him and the identity he uses to attend the Rising Star Tournament.

The only person, actually. Huh.

"Oof," goes the redhead when his left arm undrapes itself from around the support of Tsugumi's shoulders, and he settles to sitting down cross-legged there. With just a bit of a wince of pain from his ribs complaining at the movement.

"I don't think I'm actually going to be the one *doing* the training like this, you realize..." He points out up to Tsugumi with a sheepish smile before shifting his emerald-eyed gaze over to Jae instead. And he looks... a bit ashamed now.

"Yeah, well... It seemed rude to not come at all, so... you know. But I can probably learn something from watching you two, right? ANd, uh..."

Beat. What happened? Quick, think of something! "I, uh..." Anything at all!

"I got hit by a truck."

Somehow he manages to say that in complete and utter deadpan. Like that would be a *completely regular occurence*.

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"......Right. A truck." She repeats, in disbelief at the excuse. You've been reading too much Isekai, Daisuke-Kun. "So uh, yeah. He insisted to go- But this Aho (idiot) really should be in bed, I agree." She is surprisingly casual about this whole situation, which might be telling in it's own right.

She leans towards Jae, invading his personal space. "Okay, Hoon-San! What kinda fighter are you? I do Shoot wrestling! It's like pro-wrestling but like, realer? Yeah- That seems about right!" Seemingly, she somehow isn't all that great at identifying and comparing her own style. "Anyways, I specialize in throwing and striking! Your name sounds Korean- Oh! Do you do Tang Soo Do? Maybe Taekwondo? Or- Hapkido?"

She seems to be what some would call a 'fighting nerd' as her boundless enthusiasm and curiosity pour over Jae- perhaps a little overwhelming to someone not all that used to talking with girls."

[JAE HOON]
Um? A /truck/, Daisuke?

"I appreciate your desire to be polite. I wouldn't have been offended if you went to the hospital instead, though." Rightfully so, Jae! Being concerned about the Japanese teen's well-being is a little more important than some workout!

But, well, maybe his worries are a smidgen bit unfounded. Clearly these two are unphased by this dangerous run-in with a vehicle. In fact, they don't even seem mystified or bothered by it.

Weird.

Well, anyway. The fire backs of banter exists between them in a way that is reminiscent of how Jae Hoon interacts with his older brother (perhaps on a level that is a little less friendly), or even Rock, at times. A playfulness that brings about an air of genuine companionship, which is something he can always appreciate. As such, Tsugumi's comments don't make him uncomfortable at all. If anything, it helps to set the tone as he gets familiar with her general presence.

Although, she is... rather insistent on making it known in other ways. Such as getting right into his personal space. And /that/ makes him a little uncomfortable.

Almost as if his back snaps in half, the Korean boy leans away in an attempt to escape her sudden invasion. Even though I said he isn't great with girls, it doesn't quite mean he doesn't know how to talk to them. After all, he has met a large number of them through his father's dojang and even had to train with them. What he isn't really all that used to is having conversations with them that don't involve fighting.

Which, I guess today is his lucky day, because that is what Tsugumi is here to discuss!

"Oh! Well..." he begins by taking a step back to create a bit of distance between them. Jeez, she talks fast. The poor fellow doesn't even know where to start! "I do know of your style. It's based on the previous idea of unpredicted moves in scripted wrestling, yeah? I've seen some professionals using that style on television but I've never sparred against it myself." A grin starts to form now as the shyness ebbs away to a passionate disposition clearly fit for that of an advent martial arts fan. "You're right about that - I am Korean. I practice in Tae Kwon Do, specifically. I also have experience in teaching, as I have worked as a teaching assistant under my father's dojang, which is obviously why we're getting together today."

Way to get him talking, Tsugumi!

"Also, I don't want to be rude or anything, but before I forget -" because he most certainly did during his fight with Juliet, "My last name is actually Kim, if you don't mind addressing me with that." For some strange reason, everyone seems to think his last name is Hoon!

The lithe fighter's torso shifts slightly as he brings his hand up behind his head, somewhat bashfully, to rub at the dark strands there. "A-Anyway. I guess it's you and I training today, then? I'm looking forward to it." Inwardly, he does hope the Howard scion will make an appearance. At least in that event, Kubo would have someone to sit and talk with. Brown eyes glance down to the red-headed teen. "I did tell Rock about our plans, so he may show up at some point."

[DAISUKE]
"Oh, no, I *was* at the hospital," Daisuke informs Jae Hoon with an awkard little laugh on his own part, waving his good hand in a somewhat dismissive gesture there momentarily. "But I got out of there! It's fine, it's fine. I couldn't miss this for anything, you know?"

This is probably not a terribly good sign though, is it?

He can't help but look a bit amused by how Tsugumi approaches Jae Hoon, at that. No matter how much he might try to hide it, even resorting to covering his lower face with his left hand for a moment. "Just so you know," he murmurs past that concealing hand. "She's pretty much always like this."

His head tilts slightly when he's addressed, hwoever, and the matter of Rock is brought up. "That right? I wasn't sure. Rock-san seemed a bit... I don't know how to put it..."

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Oh- Apologies, Kim-San! And- yes, that's right- That's what my style is! You are very well-informed, Kim-Kun~ And, you teach at your age? That's really impressive! I train mostly at the Gorin High club for mixed martial arts! We uh, don't have any club specialized in my discipline; It's a bit of an old-fashioned style! But practicing against and with mixed martial arts is a great experience." She explains further, taking a step away from Jae in a surprising moment of self-awareness, after seeing him lean back. "Who's Rock? That sounds like an English name! It's a really cool one though- Like, Rock'n Roll!"

"Anyways, uh- I already stretched earlier- And I'm pretty pumped to go for some practice; You mentioned sparring earlier? Do you want to go for a bout?" She asks, excitedly- Seemingly very interested in seeing Jae in action, before turning towards Daisuke. "You're OK with that, right Daisuu-Chan? We can't have you feeling /too/ left out!"

[JAE HOON]
In Jae Hoon's opinion, Daisuke probably should have /stayed/ at the hospital, but... well, he's not going to get into a lecture about it. At the very least, the guy has been seen and had his wounds dressed. That has to count for something.

And anyways, he is mostly distracted by Tsugumi's lengthy and excitable rambling.

It is clear she is very passionate about martial arts, just... in a way that Jae himself can't quite get into, if only because the speed of which she is chatting makes it incredibly difficult for him to interject sideways. Otherwise, he'd probably be right in there, making all sorts of comments as he normally does.

Though with the conversation briefly switching to the topic of Rock and his overall well-being, the Korean boy is reminded of his concerns for his friend. Not once has he vocalised them to anyone, and he plans to keep it that way, but Kubo's murmuring confirms that he hadn't been the only one that day that noticed the young wolf pup was off.

"Yeah..." his voice trails as he addresses them both with a slight faltering of his expression. "You'd definitely know Rock by face, if not by name. He's a pretty advent and dedicated fighter too, but... he hasn't really been fighting very much lately." Probably why Tsugumi might not be so familiar with the scion's name alone. It generally has quite the reputation about Southtown, Jae Hoon has noticed.

Either way, this comment may inform Daisuke of the mild confusion Jae is having over his best friend.

Or it may not. Who knows? Depends on how perceptive he wants to be.

As Sendo speaks more directly at him, the lithe fighter pulls from his mild stupor to look at her with a considerably brighter disposition. "I mean, so long as Kubo is all right with hanging out for a bit, I am definitely down for having a sparring match." Something friendly and light-hearted would surely pick up his spirits again, right?

After all, while he is quite anxious about Rock's choice to abstain from fighting, that doesn't mean he needs to bring himself down with said worry.

Padding away from where Daisuke is seated, Jae Hoon lightly tosses his towel and water bottle to the duffle bag on his way to the center of the field. Perching himself into a spot in the grass, he waits patiently for Tsugumi to follow suit. Once she is ready, it will be then that the match will begin.

[DAISUKE]
In the end, while he watches over the interaction between Tsugumi and Jae Hoon, Daisuke ends up needing to fight back the little jitters and smiles of amusement, still. Even if it does get mixed with a vaguely apologetic look in his eye directed at the korean boy, for having subjected him to the overly-energetic geeking out.

"Don't worry about me!" He insists to Tsugumi then with a dismissive sidelong wave of his hand. "I am quite fine to just watch! Like I said, I'll probably learn something just from watching you!"

Daisuke likes to watch, apparently.

As eager as he might be to see how Tsugumi manages against Jae Hoon, the subject of Rock coming up further does bring the boy's crimson brows to knitting together. He can... *sense* the worry in the korean, certainly, and that just makes *him* in turn worry more.

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Yosh, Awesome! Anyways, I hope I get to meet Rock-Kun- I'm sure I will recognize him!" She takes a few steps away from Jae to make sure both fighters start at a fair range, spreading her arms with the hands open. "So, how far should we go? We probably don't wanna start knocking eachother into unconciousness!"

Setting boundaries, probably a good idea. Even though she is still talking, the girl seems more then ready to start the brawl. Seemingly, she is oblivious to the slight worry that both boys are caught up in. "Im sure you will, Daisuu-Chan! Try to spot some of the moves we've practiced, to see how they can be applied in a real fight!"

"Alrighty, Kim-Kun, I'm all ready to throw (you) down!"

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Tsugumi Sendo    0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

Confirming that her opponent is indeed ready to throw down, she finally rushes into action; Sprinting low towards Jae until she's nice and close, and rising up to attempt a strike on his chin using her elbow!

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon just-defends Tsugumi Sendo's Tsugumi Elbow!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
All right. With Daisuke safely out of the way (and the hope that Rock will show up at some point), and Tsugumi taking a stance across from him, Jae Hoon is pretty well ready to engage.

"We can treat it like an in-dojo sparring match, save for some adjustments," he told her. "Let us fight until we are no longer able to continue fighting, and perhaps try to avoid knocking one another unconscious, if at all possible. This is meant to practice our skills in a friendly fight, after all!"

A slow, deep breath is drawn in as Jae politely bows as he would in a dojang. His lithe form shifts into a defensive stance, brown irises peering through the narrow space between his fists. Bouncing loosely on the balls of his feet, he nods to his opponent, confirming that he is absolutely ready to begin.

"Let's go!"

Tsugumi is the first to move. There is no hesitation, which the Korean fighter can appreciate.

Keen eyes watch as she closes in on him, an elbow aimed right for his chin. In a swift movement, his forearms glide up to block his face from the impact, while simultaneously his feet take a single step back. When the elbow smacks into his arms, he deflects it away entirely, like he was batting away nothing at all. In that same moment, he takes another small pace forward, closing the distance a little between them.

"Nice strike! You almost got me!" His front foot then kicks out, aimed right for Tsugumi's chin in return. Chin for chin!

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo blocks Jae Hoon's Shou-Kyaku Hou ES.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Did I? It did not look like it, awesome block!" Tsugumi says, as she in turn catches his foot with her padded gloves, the impact redirected to her both her wrists as she gets pushed out of grappling range. "Uf- You kick hard!" She seems to be the chatty type of fighter; A talent in it's own right, to be able to split that concentration.

It'd come as no surprise then, that Tsugumi prepares her own attack right away, *leaping* for Jae with her arms wide, attempting to take hold at the sides of his chest with both hands- Using impressive strength to turn the korean boy up-side-down, head pointing downwards as she leaps upwards, moving her legs to enclench his head with her thighs- A uncomfortable position for more then one reason! Jae or Daisuke might recognize the move as a piledriver, should it every come to fruition.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon fails to interrupt Tower Drop Driver from Tsugumi Sendo with Hishou Kyaku EX.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
Swiveling so that he may break from the grip Tsugumi has on his foot, the lithe fighter plants himself firmly to the earth, the dirt shifting under the impact of his toes. A rather excitable grin extends across his face as Jae Hoon nods approvingly to his opponent's choice to block. "You have a decent grip to be able to catch and hold my foot like that. Good work!" Praise all around.

He's the chatty type, too, Tsugumi! Don't you worry. It comes with the territory of teaching.

Fists clenching now as the wrestler begins her advance once more, Jae waits for an opportunity to sneak in an attack in an attempt to deflect her away. As she begins an aerial assault, he roots himself with his right foot while the left leg raises, held in position to aim a flying high kick to her midsection ... except, that as he launches himself into the air, his leg is simply batted away, leaving his body wide open so that her hands could get to him first.

A fierce grip holds his chest, almost effortlessly turning him so that he is suspended upside down. Jae Hoon's brown irises are wide with surprise, and then he is disarmed by thighs that wrap tightly around the length of his neck. Ah. He knows this move.

He also knows that this is going to hurt, real bad.

Into the earth he slams, a pained grunt emitting passed his lips, as Tsugumi's weight crushes him. There's even a slight crunch in his neck as the bones of his spine crack slightly from the force of which he had been brought down. Big ouch.

For a moment, the lithe fighter lays in the dirt to endure a shooting spike of pain that radiates all down through his nape into his shoulders. It takes a few, but eventually he lifts his head to look up at his opponent with a pained smile. Handsome features are somewhat caked with dirt, but it can be easily brushed off once he has recovered some.

"That was a good one..." he says, pushing his palms onto the ground so that he may rise up his torso, and slowly, onto his kneecaps. "I'll have to hand it to you - I wasn't expecting that. Well done!"

[DAISUKE]
And meanwhile on the sidelines, Daisuke very visibly and audibly winces when he watches Jae Hoon get driven down onto the ground. Just by instinct alone, he finds himself scooting back juuuust a little bit, too.

"H-hey hold on, Tsugumi, don't go breaking Kim-san now, would you...?" Nevermind that his complaints probably will not do all that much to discourage the female wrestler's energy banks. ... And also nevermind the fact that he is definitely not in any kind of position right now to talk about avoiding things breaking.

But beyond that, his green eyes flicker rapidly between the two fighters while they move along that field. He's only had one actual 'spar' with Tsugumi, so far, and that didn't really involve either of them getting... well, at least too serious, partly on account on the lack of his own skill. Maybe he's actually interested in seeing the wrestler go all-out, in spite of his own earlier verbal complaints?

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Thank you, Kim-Kun!" She responds to his friendly praise; Right as she takes hold and executes her technique succesfully. Even though distance between the two is momentarily greatened, the wrestler continues to pressure Jae- running close to him as he gets up to tackles him to the ground, grabbing him around the torso and pushing him forward in an attempt to get him to land on the ground with his back.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon blocks Tsugumi Sendo's Medium Throw.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

"Thank you, Kim-Kun!" She responds to his friendly praise; Right as she takes hold and executes her technique succesfully. Even though distance between the two is momentarily greatened, the wrestler continues to pressure Jae- running close to him as he gets up to tackles him to the ground, grabbing him around the torso and pushing him forward in an attempt to get him to land on the ground with his back.

If successful, she would shift to his side, sitting on the grass while moving her legs to fold over Hoon's chin and stomach; A position that's prime for clenching his upper arm between both her knees, as she takes hold of his wrist with her own hands in the meantime- Leaning, and leaning back, stretching out that arm painfully with her own weight as it risks getting pulled further then a arm should be able to stretch. Unguarded, it might've been enough to break the limb of a lesser opponent- Against Jae it'd likely just put on considerable hurt and strain his arm

After tormenting his arm like that, she'd roll backwards, letting him go while getting back on her own feet.

[JAE HOON]
Aw. Thanks, Daisuke!

Jae Hoon really appreciates the concern, but trust me when I say it takes a lot more than this to break him.

The pressure is on! Tsugumi barely allows him a moments recovery, which is fine. Steeling himself, the Korean fighter prepares for the impact of whatever she has in store for him.

Honestly, it probably isn't smart for a kick-heavy athlete to be on the ground with someone who is proficient in the art of wrestling, but luckily, Jae knows how to improvise. The hope is that he may get himself back on his feet as quickly and efficiently as possible, should everything go in his favour. It is all about timing, though, and he is not one to squander an opportunity to drive his own forceful foot into the gut or face of someone else.

Anyway, he allows her to outright tackle him straight into the earth, the force of her weight stinging on his shoulders. That's kind of an ouchie! Since he just got slammed down on his neck, this movement doesn't feel so nice. In that second where he is distracted by the pinch of pain, his arms are maneuvered in such a way that one gets completely stretched away from him; likely, the intent is to cause strain. Jae flexes his arm muscles to ebb that effect, finding that most of his discomfort really is just sitting at his nape.

Instead of casually getting to his feet in the seconds Tsugumi takes to roll from him, the lithe form rapidly rolls in the opposite direction from her to a spot where his feet could find purchase on the ground. Popping up like a Jack-in-the-Box, Jae pushes forth with determination, dust kicking up behind him as he is launching himself toward her. Front leg propped up once he is within her proximity, he flings it out in an attempt to barrage her midsection with a flurry of side kicks.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon successfully hits Tsugumi Sendo with Shakka Shuu.
- Power hit! -

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
Presumptuously, she turns to Daisuke in the belief that she had a moment to talk- "You see that? We practiced that move- It's the armbaAAAaaahr"

*prapapapapa*

The rapid barrage of kicks impacts wonderfully, each extension of Jae's knee causing a downright satisfying sound of impact as his foot sinks deep into the wrestler's unprotected side- One even catches her square in the stomach, while she was attempting to turn away from the nlows. Tsugumi wrenches over in pain- "Owowow.. Daaarn it."

But as soon as it seems her morale had gone down, it /surges/ back stronger then before. "Fantastic kicks, Kim-Kun! But I can kick too!" She says, getting a running start towards Jae; Jumping as she turns her body sideways with her legs facing the Korean Teen. She aims to barrel his feet into his torso, a dropkick!

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon dodges Tsugumi Sendo's Super Drop Kick Lite.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

And as she flies past, Tsugumi tucks into a roll, away from Jae. Making the distance between the both of them a uncomfortable one to close for Hoon.

[DAISUKE]
"AH! TSUGUMIBEHINDYOULOOKOU-!"

Unfortunately Daisuke's warning to Tsugumi comes just a bit too late, apparently, and the redhead briefly covers up his lower face upon the sight of his friend getting punished for turning her back on Jae Hoon. Granted, she's taking it pretty well in stride, all things considered, but *still*! "Ah sheesh..."

[JAE HOON]
"You took that like a champ!" the Korean fighter compliments.

As the flurry of blows settles and knocks Tsugumi a short distance from him, he steps back and finds purchase in the ground once again. Toes curl slightly into the dirt, rooting him to his spot, though only for a few moments time. This girl is not easy to keep down. Truly, she has a fighter's spirit, and he really has to admire her for that ambition!

In comes a flying drop kick of sorts! Looks like we can all do a good swing of the leg or two! However, quite simply, Jae steps off to the side to avoid the kick entirely. His opponent goes soaring passed him, unable to land her hit. Her body rolls from him, and between them exists a distance that could be considered somewhat difficult to traipse through in order to close the space.

You see, Jae Hoon is a bit of a problem solver.

Even though he isn't quite able to tell the exact distance from where he stands in comparison to Tsugumi, he can guestimate that in a short burst of running, he'd get to her in short time. It's a good thing he did all that jogging before his companions arrived!

Setting his jaw as he once again kicks off the ground, his legs carry him across the field toward the other fighter. A step, skip, slight jump, and then his leg is thrusted out in a powerful burst of energy that is aimed straight for Tsugumi's chest.

This one might sting a little, should it hit!

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo Toughs Out Jae Hoon's Thrust Kick!

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1    Tsugumi Sendo

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
The thrusting kick lands, sure, But seemingly, it landed on Tsugumi's terms and conditions. She *pushes* herself through the kick, gasping in pain as it collides with her chest- But she doesn't get knocked back, leaving the kick to slide of as she gets into her perfect distance; Point Blank. Both of her arms reach out; One upwards, hand planted on his chest, the other down, seeking grip with his ankle.

"YOSSSHAAAAA!"

Dear god, that's a loud yell. And a telltale sign that she has reached her full levels of pumped-ness. Regardless, if she would find his ankle, it'd be lifted up- Leaving the Tae Kwon Do Practicioner to balance on one leg while she /pushes/ him down by his chest, risking to forcefully slam his back into the thankfully fairly soft grassy ground.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon fails to interrupt Rebound Throw from Tsugumi Sendo with Hien Zan EX.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Jae Hoon         1/------=/=======|=======\=======\1    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
The fighting spirit is contagious!

Jae Hoon finds himself absorbed in his own excitable fever, despite his kick being endured with a level of skill that impresses him. Love it when he has a good challenge! And, actually, Jae is so amazed, in fact, that he doesn't quite register Tsugumi's hands maneuvering around the width of his ankle so that she may obtain a rather tight grip on it. This type of grapple is difficult to escape from, and it's a lucky thing he is rather flexible, otherwise this sudden uplifting of his leg into a vertical splits would cause a certain amount of distress in the nether regions.

Even though his opposite foot is firmly planted to the ground, it falters the moment Tsugumi is able to find purchase on his chest and, with a fierce push, forces him to buckle. Her strength jabs into his torso; with that kind of weight on him, his leg needs to bend lest he snap himself at the hip. As such, his entire form loses balance as he is sent down into the dirt once again. The sheer impact and brute force pushes all the air out of his lungs, thoroughly gutting him. A slight splatter of spit flies from his mouth as the air leaves him, and only a few seconds later does he start gasping for breath. Once again, his shoulders ache from another round of floundering on the floor.

Note to self: probably should stop trying to interrupt. These hits are ouchie!

Through the pain, young Kim quirks a bit of a smile. Deep brown orbs peer up to his opponent, in which he nods his approval, since he's not quite able to get the words out just yet.

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
Surprisingly, she steps back from the prone fighter. Is she giving him time to rest? Maybe that's part of it. But in addition to that, she is.. stretching? Stretching out manical speed, keeping her blood flowing- In addition to this, the small scrapes and bruises she had been accumulating during the fight seem to start fading at unrealistic speeds- Her internal chi seemingly doing work to preserve her bodily health. Getting it ready for more, you guessed it- Fighting! "Alright! Come at me, Kim-Kun! I'm ready for anything you have to throw at me, give it your best!!"

She punches the air, before pumping her arms enthusiastically. "Cause you haven't seen the best of me yet!"

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo gathers her will.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Jae Hoon         1/------=/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
Augh. Okay, that hurt.

The ground feels like a nice place to rest, but Jae Hoon knows better than to stay down here for too long. While Tsugumi has shown expertise in a variety of moves, she seems to prefer keeping him as close to the earth as possible. Potentially, this could be something he might use to his advantage, if he can work a way around it.

Right now, though, the aches prevail, and so he lays sprawled out for a moment or two.

Breathe. Breeeeathe.

Nimbly, the lithe form of Jae turns so that he may roll onto one side. The pads of slightly deft digits press in so that he may bring himself into a cross-legged position. Since his opponent seems to be taking a hot second to stretch, perhaps to circle through a round of chi-infused healing, this Korean boy thinks about his options here.

With his breath returned to him, he could rise up to the occasion of barraging Tsugumi with some more kicks. Or, he could pause. Recalculate. Reassess.

"I am honoured to have the opportunity to see what else you are made of, Sendo." As he says this, the length of muscled forearms rest upon the tops of his thighs. Handsome features assume an expression of calm, with minimal lacking connection to the present.

Warm chi swirls within his belly, igniting an internal heat that radiates throughout the entirety of his lithe form. This power touches on the bruising at his neck, along with some of the minor cuts he has sustained thus far. Overall, his aim is to aid in his own well-being, while keeping a general awareness of his surroundings, should Tsugumi choose to pursue another attack on his person.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon enters a meditative state.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Jae Hoon         1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    Tsugumi Sendo

[ROCK]
Crap, crap, crap! He's late! So late!

Is the fight over? Did Rock miss everything?

Even though he wishes he could have been here sooner, truly, the American teen... kinda did this thing. A 'spending lots of money'... thing.

Yeah, sure, it was over a year ago or something, but it's not like purchasing a high-end motorcycle at his age can be paid off in a day. He ain't rich. Rock scrimped, saved, and continues to bust his ass to make payments, on top of his tuition to Taiyo, and any other small luxuries.

Just consider, a single missed shift at the Spilt Bean could be the difference between Cup Noodles for dinner or prime rib!

No, Terry isn't allowed to just pick up the cost of groceries, if you're aware that he's the ward of the Legendary Wild Wolf. Rock lives rent-free, so the least he can do to repay the favour is not be a financial burden on his legal guardian. The kid's got his pride.

He rolls up with a roar, eventually, when he's able. Sitting astride the crimson beast that he has worked so hard for, the Howard scion cuts the engine, collecting his keys from the ignition. A long leg is swung over and off the bike to dismount smoothly. Once the kick is down, only then is it left next to the field. Not to worry, as there's little traffic at this hour, Rock isn't blocking any sort of passage through.

Guiding a plain helmet of black from his head, the boy's blonde hair is as messy as ever. Rock attempts to comb out his matted fringe, and while that restores some of its body, he's honestly just wasting his time. Scarlet eyes scan the area, but hardly need to search far and wide for Jae -- his friend is easy enough to spot. Where's Daisuke?

Hm, some guy all bandaged up...

... Wait, that /IS/ Daisuke. What the.

Rock slips his helmet under the left arm, the aged leather of his jacket creaking in protest. Making haste to join Kubo on the grass, it seems like a lot of concentrating is going on around here. Maybe if he wants to announce himself, the wolf cub can just hold his horses. Any shouts of encouragement will happen soon enough.

"Hey." His greeting is as friendly as he gets, as is his expression, but there are traces of concern that he's not very good at concealing. Now that Rock is closer, what he sees is pretty rough. "Hope whoever you were scrapping with looks worse." Terrible joke is terrible, but beyond it are many sympathies. The Angel of Taiyo High knows a thing or two about getting shit-kicked and being utterly broken.

[DAISUKE]
As focused as Daisuke might be on the display of fighting prowess employed by both Jae and Tsugumi, the rumble of a motorcycle engine is hard to miss. The bandage-wrapped teenager perks his head upon noticing it first -- possibly thinking first that some biker gang or another he may or may not have pissed off a week or so ago decided to come wandering this way out.

But no, it's just Rock. The realization brings out a faint sigh of relief from the redhead (even if several completely different questions may run through his head now). He keeps quiet, though, until the american is approaching -- and a few paces away, he lifts the hand not bound in a cast up in a gesture of greeting accompanied by a "Yo."

But of course the matter of... *his* current condition has to come up. At least Rock doesn't barrage him with questions. But still, he does have to clarify, "Oh, um... no, was... uh, hit by a truck, actually..."

Repeating it doesn't make it any more true, unfortunately, but he's not inclined to admit to that.

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
Tsugumi notices Rock with a sidelong glance. "Heey! I'm Tsugumi Sendo!" Before rushing back towards Jae, attempting to get close enough for her preferred grappling range, attempting to take hold of his arm, tripping him with her foot and tossing him over her shoulder in a judo-esque throw. If she manages this far, she would roll over the now prone Jae- Before mounting him, sitting on his stomach with her knees tightly pushing into his sides. Ready to punch, or transition into different follow-up holds and grabs.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon blocks Tsugumi Sendo's Grounding Throw.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Jae Hoon         1/---====/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
The sound of the motocycle edges on his senses, but it is Tsugumi's off-handed greeting that alerts Jae to the arrival of someone - most identifiably Rock, from the concerned mutterings he can hear some distance away. His meditation remains undisturbed, however, as he retains focus on gathering his strength and mending minor scrapes by way of his inner chi.

Sensitive to the rustle of sound around him, he hears the shift in the grass as his opponent takes off like a bullet once more in his direction. Brown irises flutter open, with dark brows hanging to cast a slight shadow, the Korean teen steels himself. Until the last moment, he is rigid on the ground where he is seated, and does he only move once Tsugumi is within range of him. As she dives in to tackle him, his lithe form maneuvers quite suddenly so that he begins a rolling motion. He takes the brunt of her weight against his chest, which pangs slightly from the impact. With his arms does he entrap her momentarily, the two of them tumbling together, until the perfect opportunity arises. A strong push of his arms deflects her into a direction away from him, and with another roll he is brought back up onto his feet with a bright spring, arms raised at eye-level for combat once more.

"Almost had me there." Another praise. Truly, his opponent is certainly worthy of his efforts!

Midnight strands trickle down into his face, shielding an eye, as Jae Hoon composes himself. Inhaling sharp, steady, he uses the energy gathered from his meditation to pad in large strides toward Tsugumi. Fast approaching, with a fierce cry bellowing, his right leg swings upward with the intent to launch her in the air. Should he succeed, he will follow suit. His body will fly up some inches above Tsugumi's, and using his foot he will bring a flaming crescent kick atop her skull to smash her earthbound.

[ROCK]
You know, whatever Rock had been expecting to hear, it neither began nor ended with a truck.

Seriously, the hell?

Like how do you expect him to suspend disbelief, given the absurdity of Kubo's excuse?

Sigh. Rock feels conflicted. He assumes Daisuke wouldn't just lie for no good reason, but the Howard scion doesn't know the guy from Adam. Maybe, possibly? Intuition still says no.

Polite adherence to a personal code that respects the privacy of others no matter what, the red-headed Japanese boy can keep his secrets. Surely they are important. Eventually, there is a nod of that blonde head. It's more acceptance than actual understanding. Rock wonders aloud, "Did they just drop you off here? Wouldn't you be more comfortable on a bench?"

Shuffling on his feet, the young wolf is able to help Kubo, should he want to relocate, but waiting for a decision to be made, crimson eyes briefly return to the fight. Tsugumi shouts her introduction. It's not returned only because, um, kinda awkward to yell his name at someone who might be in the middle of getting booted at the sun. Rock starts to grin, an expression rarely seen, "Seems like it's been a good match so far?" Bet Jae's happy, at least.

Kinda makes Rock miss it, a little.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon successfully hits Tsugumi Sendo with Ryuusei Raku.

[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Jae Hoon         1/-======/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2    Tsugumi Sendo

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Woh- Nice escape!" As Tsugumi gets up, she tries to roll away; But instead Jae's kick launches the girl skyward as it connects with her chin. Only to be met with Jae's flaming foot moments later- Slamming cleanly onto the top of her head, the flames licking at her brown locks.

As a result, she shoots downwards, her back /slamming/ into the grassy floor as it craters out some with a sickening *thump* She lays still for but a moment. That hit seemingly really hit home, a significant blow both to her body and morale. "Uguuuuh, darn it-" But she does stumble to a stand yet again, her stance still strong- The flames of her motivation not yet quelled. "But have a taste..."

Leaning forward into a cartwheel, the wrestler launches back towards Jae- Wheeling two-three times, kicking her feet into his body at every opportunity she'd get, before transitioning into a swift flurry of kicks and punches- The end of them being marked by a final, rising shoulder-check aiming on knocking the martial artist skyward. Tsugumi jumps after, her legs seeking to wrap around Jae's torso before crashing into the ground with a final spin, all of Tsugumi's weight planting him- And hopefully keeping him onto the ground firmly.

"OF THIS"

Belatedly, she finishes her sentence as she aims to prepare her next attack.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon blocks Tsugumi Sendo's Flying Tsugumi Drop.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Jae Hoon         2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|>>>>>>>\-------\1    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
Sturdy toes splay as Jae touches down from his aerial assault, evenly distributing his weight back into another defensive stance. Patiently, he awaits Tsugumi as she takes a moment or two to recover from that knock into her skull, which probably stung a fair bit. Sorry about that!

While he does so, earth-coloured irises briefly glance up across the field to where his friend is standing, having just arrived and making conversation with Daisuke.

Inwardly, he is glad for Rock's presence. The scion is always welcome to his matches. On the outside, though, he is steely. A piercing gaze fixates back on his opponent in short time, however.

Good thing, too, because she is cartwheeling towards him at a speed that rapidly closes that distance.

It is a wonder the Korean teen is able to keep up with the next round of flurrying blows, but somehow he manages to deflect the majority of those intended hits. Save for one or two here and there that sneak through the series of blocking techniques. Since Tsugumi isn't successful in dropping him, his lithe form twists around hers with a speed that matches the pressure the wrestler naturally wants to overwhelm him with. Well, two can play at that game.

Anyone witnessing the fight from the outside probably can see the fierce resolution that embeds itself into the handsome features of the young Kim ward. A calm resolve takes over. If Jae Hoon didn't mean business before, he certainly does now.

"I'm afraid you'll have to try harder than that to knock me down, Sendo." Cool as a cucumber, but the kicks to follow most definitely are not.

In a fraction of a step, likely unseen by the untrained eye, Jae allows a sliver of space between them as he harnesses a deep-seated power swarming within his core. It surges forth, and should this barrage succeed? It'll launch Tsugumi into the air by way of kick after kick after kick. Multiples building upon multiples until the climax of this power is reached, in which a fiery explosion bursts from his hip all the way up to the very tips of his feet. A phoenix will rise from the burning ashes, so massive and hot that it would engulf his opponent and the air around her in one wholesome flame.

"Chou Hou'ou Kyaku!"

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo blocks Jae Hoon's Chou Hou'ou Kyaku ES.

[                    \\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/---<<<<|>>>>>>>\>>>----\1    Tsugumi Sendo

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Hngggg- I'll get you down on the ground eventually! You just watch!" She quips, as Jae once again manages to wrestle free from her entangling ground-grapples. But unfortunately for her, the finish of her last attack has granted the teen his own opportunity for a rapid flurry- Tsugumi has to steel herself for even the first barrage of kicks using a tight peek-a-boo guard.

*Brrraaaa*

"That- So fast!" Indeed, Tsugumi. But that's not the end of it- While she manages to avoid getting sent airborn- This does not mean the attack goes mitigated. The second set of heavier kicks slam against her tight guard with rythmic *thumps*- Only for the attack to finish in a fiery finale.

*Crap, how do you deal with energy again?*

But- She manages! Perhaps it is due to the training she had against Daisuke's violent bursts of energy. The phoenix licks it's hot flames past Tsugumi's guard, a steady amount of chars and burn marks showing on her clothes and skin- Yet, the hottest center of the fiery bird is met just with Tsugumi's forearms as the energy slowly fades and dissapates. "D-Darn."

Even after her fairly successful guard, she looks much worse for wear. Quite ready to collapse into the soft, soft grass, in fact. But the wrestler gears herself for assault one that she expects to be her last- A stumbling, yet surprisingly fast run towards Kim- Feinting a punch into circling to his back to wrap her arms around his sides, her hands meeting in a strong grip at Jae's stomach. She would attempt to bend her upper body backwards from there- A fairly recognizable move for anyone a little familiar with wrestling; The suplex!

Jae's head would collide with the floor, but the pressure on Kim does not wane- It only gets stronger! She starts /pressing/ her arms with great strength, risking to significantly bruise or even crack a rib as she keeps up this hold.

[DAISUKE]
"W-what...?" Daisuke does sense the dubiousness from Rock over his answer that's... pretty considerable even compared to Jae Hoon's earlier reaction. A nervous bead of sweat drips along the side of his face with it, all but just hoping that he does not get any further line of questioning on that.

And he doesn't! For now, anyway. FOR NOW.

"Nah, I'm good here," he assures the american, though, with his attention turning more fully on Tsugumi and Jae Hoon again, his feet idly tapping their bottom sides together. "I have a good view, you know?"

The fiery phoenix colliding and licking along Tsugumi's arm does draw another wince from the boy, though-- especially since he knows Tsugumi's particular strengths and weaknesses himself, too. At least he has the decency to not even try getting up and running to help at the cost of interfering the perfectly legitimate spar... not that he really *could* do such a thing in his current condition.

"T-tsugumi no!" He suddenly yells out when she moves in for the suplex, though his advice may very well be too late to be provided already. "Play defensive! Tire him out!"

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon endures Tsugumi Sendo's Rainbow German Hold.

[                      \\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/-<<<<<<|=======\===----\1    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
"Depends of the type of energy," Jae Hoon responds in kind to the wrestler's question, though perhaps it needs not an answer. She very well could be talking to herself, for all he knows! He's just trying to be nice, okay?

And even though the niceties are exchanged, there is a hint of seriousness that carries intensely through his tone. The fight isn't done yet, therefore any light-heartedness could be reason for an overthrow of power. Not one to sit lightly and take that sort of thing, the Korean fighter remains defensive, eyes keen on his opponent as he awaits her next move.

As expected, the attack begins. A rather charred Tsugumi launches towards him, charging at a speed that is surprising given her current state of affairs. No matter. With his feet planted firmly to the ground, he braces himself. The grip she manages to get on him is tight, and it is rather shocking that she is able to lift his weight entirely. Really, he's not a heavy dude, but still solid muscle regardless. She brings him earthbound, surely meant to collide his head there but he flexes part-way through the motion so that he is able to endure the meeting he has with the ground. Any further pressure she forces down on him likely won't cause much damage, although there is probably a scrape somewhere on his neck.

Daisuke's advice is sound, though, and he has to give both these fighters credit for their sheer dedication and tenacity.

It may or may not be enough to defeat him. Only time and luck would tell.

Since Jae is pretty much resting in the dirt, he takes this opportunity to firmly plant his palms down beside each ear, digits splayed to distribute balance. Muscled thighs attempt to force the wrestler's grip off his midsection, and if he manages to get free, he pushes his weight up off his shoulder and rotates his lithe form as far as his spine would allow. On his fingertips he would rise up, and once balanced on a single hand, he swings himself back around to perform a low spinning kick right for Tsugumi's temple.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon successfully hits Tsugumi Sendo with Spin Kick.

[                     \\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Jae Hoon         0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1    Tsugumi Sendo

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Oooooh- You-!" *Thwap*

He slips away, again- Though atleast Tsugumi got her hands onto him for long enough that he might still be a little unbalanced or weakened. Yet in her anger, she failed to register the kick that is now firmly planted into the side of her head- She reels, reels, stumbles on one leg and...

Remains standing with the little amount of balance she has left! "I'm sorry Daisuu-Chan, but can't do! I can't give this pretty-boy time to relax" She shouts back while running in and peforming her technique; She shoots out her hands towards his shoulders, attempting to find solid grip on both of them before leaping and -vaulting- herself over, only to land on his shoulders in a piggy-back sort of deal. A quite uncomfortable one, however. She puts pressure on his neck by clenching with her knees, trying to have him lose his breath while she raises her arm- *POW*

Only to smash it into the side of his head, a rather heavy haymaker. *POW, POW, POW* Three more, each alternating arms and side, and then, in a comedic yet undeniably dangerous motion, spins her arm counter-clockwise, quite literally winding it up before hammering it into his skull a final time. If she'd be able to connect cleanly, the entire combination would be finished by the wrestler pulling her dazed opponent away from the ground, flipping him over before again planting him into the ground stomach-down with their combined weight. The ground, truly a grappler's best friend. She finally peform a unrefined roll off of him to rise to a knee. Surely, that would be enough to end this spar?

[ROCK]
Must be one helluva secret, if it's something to be nervous about. Daisuke's quite fortunate that no matter the transparency of his bold-faced lie, both Rock and Jae Hoon are respectful.

In fact, the only reason Rock even reacted is because he's not always great when it comes to concealing his thoughts and emotions. For better or for worse, he generally wears all but the heaviest of his burdens on his sleeve. A very broody sleeve.

There are twinges of lingering guilt for having made Kubo uncomfortable, but he welcomes a change in topic. Rock clears his throat, crimson-eyed gaze returning, "All right, no problem." Nodding once, the sun reflects off his fair hair, forming a soft halo of gold. "Hopefully you don't mind if I join you?" It sure ain't a bench, but primo seating is still good even if it means finding grass later in your shirt. The American teen begins his descent upon invitation to do so, casually throwing one arm over a bent knee as it's drawn to his chest. At his side, the black helmet.

If Daisuke's cheering for Tsugumi, that means he absolutely should throw in his lot with his friend, right? "C'mon, Jae!" A gloved hand cupping his mouth to project the booming tenor of his voice, Rock Howard is surprisingly loud for someone so soft-spoken, "You better not go down without giving Sendo a good fight!"

Neutrality is supportive, I think.

Despite his relative distance from super casual throwing down, the distinctive clap of foot meeting skull still manages to reach the young prodigy's ears. O..ouch. "You can do it!" To whom Rock speaks, that is between him and the nearest available Higher Power. The blonde almost whistles, but chooses to reconsider at the sight of his worn gloves. No thanks, leather tastes gross.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon endures Tsugumi Sendo's Loop Line Crash.

[                             \  < >  ///                           ]
Jae Hoon         1/--=====/=======|>>>>---\-------\0    Tsugumi Sendo

[JAE HOON]
"I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Truly, Jae Hoon is up for the challenge. The pressure Tsugumi puts on him is welcome, simply for the fact that it forces him to think and act with immediacy. Improvement is a stagnant process should if a person is constantly catered to by a controlled environment. Like Rock is saying from the sidelines: he will not go down without swinging!

Although, Sendo is about to make it rather difficult for him to do so.

The Korean teen is barely back on his feet when he is grappled back into his opponent's grip, who flips clean over him and gets muscled thighs clenched tight around the base of his skull. Naturally, the two of them go tumbling. Definitely a rather discomforting position to be in, considering his wind pipe is being squeezed a smidge. Not being able to breathe properly... kinda sucks. In no way is he going to be able to block these blows, so with hands bunching into the back of Tsugumi's uniform, he braces for impact.

As the hits land their marks, Jae takes them like a champ. One of the arm strikes slices open his cheek, smearing it and the wrestler's flesh with blood. Another knocks into his temple, serving to dizzy him a tad. The final attack gives him an immediate splitting headache over his temple and will likely leave a nice shiner over his other cheekbone. Here's hoping it won't swell into his eye over the coming days!

Well. This young ward knows when to call it even. Despite that, he is kind of a go-getter, so he won't just stay laying here in the brief seconds after Tsugumi has rolled off him when he knows he has the energy to pull off one last run. Pushing himself back up, an intensely focused yet praising gaze overcomes his features. "I am absolutely honoured to have fought you, Sendo. If there is anything for you to take away from today, it is that not every opponent will stay glued to the ground. You've most certainly problem-solved around that." His dark head nods in acknowledgement. "You have been an exceptional adversary with admirable skill and determination. Thank you for indulging me on this fight..."

Clods of dirt fly up behind him as he suddenly zips towards her. Leg raised, he shouts, "... and this final attack!"

The side kick swings around, aiming for her head. Should it land? Tsugumi will be hit by a follow-up spinning back kick that will soar her up into the air, up and away from him, to land quite some distance into the grassy field.

COMBATSYS: Jae Hoon can no longer fight.

[                           \\\  <
Tsugumi Sendo    0/-------/---<<<<|

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo blocks Jae Hoon's Hou-yoku Ten-Shou Kyaku ES.

[                                <
Tsugumi Sendo    0/-------/-<<<<<<|

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
Too late, too slow. Tsugumi is extraordinarily impressed by Jae's ability to remain so.... cool when getting his skull absolutely pummeled. And when he afterwards praised her as a fighter? She shines with a bright smile-

Yet, too late, too slow. She hadn't yet risen to her feet when Hoon's final attack came. She made a panicked attempt to put her arms in the way of that first kick- It breaks open her block entirely, only for her cheek to be met with that launching kick. She flies a few feet in the air- Landing on her back with a muffled /thump/ as she gasps out a bit of blood. "Oooow-" She stirs once, twice- But finds herself unable to move for the time being, while she looks up at the blue afternoon sky. "Uuh, yeah. Everything that you said before kicking my stuff in, I agree. It was a great fight, Kim-Kun! You are amazing at what you do." As she rests her body, she uses her arm to wipe away some of the crimson on her face. "But maaaan, that was so close. I can't believe that you managed that final attack after all that punishment, Kim-Kun!" When it comes to Tsugumi's view, Jae had won in her eyes- Simply for the fact that she didn't see him go down when being launched away. She might have missed something though.

"Anyways, you're really strong! Maybe you should teach Daisuke something about-" WOOPS, they aren't supposed to know that. She was going to mention something about his energy-based outbursts, but thankfully cuts herself short. "Uh- Nevermind!"

[DAISUKE]
After the last blows are exchanged, Daisuke winces again where he sits. But at least neither of them has been knocked unconscious as a result, no matter how worried the redhead might have been about all that.

"H-hey, you guys..." He calls out, grunting with effort (and a sprinkle of pain) as he forces himself up to standing from the grassy ground, so he can come approaching Tsugumi and Jae Hoon both. "You both okay? That got kind of intense towards the end."

COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo takes no action.


COMBATSYS: Tsugumi Sendo can no longer fight.


[JAE HOON]
The blow just makes it landing! Jae staggers back, and though he is able to balance himself, he does nearly fall flat on his backside.

Heaving deep breaths now, the two fighters simultaneously recover their stamina. Somehow, he manages to meander over to where his duffle bag sits, and bends halfwards to retrieve the towel he'd tossed away earlier and drape it across his nape. Exposed skin glistens with the sheen of sweat that gets wiped away, though Jae has half a mind to swap out his dampened and muddied shirt.

After being tossed to the ground, the white fabric is stained green and brown as evidence of the match. Good thing he brought a spare change of clothes!

Guzzling down some water, Adam's apple bobbing with the effort, the Korean fighter listens to Tsugumi's compliments from a short distance away. A bashful chuckle emits from his throat as he pulls his mouth from the water bottle's lip. "I've had to take a good beating or two to the head to get to where I am at my father's dojang."

"That being said, I never underestimated you by any means. I went at you with some of my most powerful moves and your ability to tough through them was quite good. You've got some pretty intense power under your belt, Sendo. Ahm, excuse me..." Praise, praise, praise, but also his back turns to face her. As he appreciates her skills, he is also swapping out his white tank for a grey one, once he has properly dried himself and bundled the used towel and shirt away into a plastic bag. A bright smile graces his handsome features once he is finished. "Nice job!"

As Daisuke - and presumably Rock - approach the worn fighters, Jae extends his esteemed, and very exhausted, grin onto them. There is this slight concern over what Tsugumi mentions, regarding Kubo specifically. Being the type not to pry, he would await the red-headed boy's invitation for that sort of conversation instead of jumping the gun as he had last time.

He is most definitely curious, though.

More than anything, it really makes his day that his best friend had come to witness the match. It doesn't even matter that he was late. The fact that the scion cares enough about him to make the effort is what is most important.

"Hey, yeah. It was neck-to-neck there, so I'd say it was a pretty even match. You are well served in training with her, Kubo." A padded hand smooths back the dark fringe hanging over his face, revealing earthly-coloured irises as they meet scarlet. "Glad you could make it, Rock! Good day at work?"

[ROCK]
Things are about to wrap up, and Rock's not just gonna sit here on his backside while Kubo is hobbling over to congratulate them... Or fret. Congratufret? Fretulate? Anyway, the Howard scion makes a small grunt of effort, dropping a hand on the dome of his helmet, both using it as a point of balance in his rise and gripping the smooth surface once it's no longer required. He returns the encumbrance to the place at the crook of his arm. Good to go.

His company isn't difficult to catch, and for the sake of helping the shorter Japanese teen should he stumble, there's a match of pace. They reach the two combatants in due time, long after Jae has swapped his shirt and Tsugumi cuts her energetic babbling short. Reassurances begin, but Rock remembers he still hasn't introduced himself to the rival school student. Vibrant eyes of scarlet pass by to settle on her.

The Angel of Taiyo High, as he's known by members of his fan club, shuffles a bit. Believe it or not, talking to girls isn't as easy as his good looks would suggest. Playboys scoff in disgust at how he doesn't use his attractive face to his advantage. "Er, Rock. Hi." To his credit, he doesn't look away, but it's debatable given his height if he's using the crown of Tsugumi's head to avoid actual direct eye contact. "Nice to meet you..."

Awkward.

Saved from further pleasantries, not that he was being unfriendly or anything in his greeting, Rock is relieved. "Wouldn't miss it, man, thanks for the invite! Sorry I was so late." The prodigal son of Geese Howard smiles. It's nothing big, bright, or even a well-worn expression, but he's entirely genuine. "Sendo gave you a pretty good run for your money."

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Nice to meet you too, Rock-Kun!" She says, as she looks up at the american boy that's standing over her- She is still prone, after all. "Better late then never. Glad you could /ow!/ join us." the wrestler forces herself to sit upright, much to the dismay of her body. "Owowow, that's gonna be sore for a few days. Worth it though! Whahahaha."

The girl erupts in her signature roaring laughter, as she looks between all three of the boys. Thanks for cheering me on, Daisuu-chan~ I'm sure it made me fight better!"

She uses her hand to wipe away some sweat on her forehead, before glancing towards the trio with a pleading look. "Could one of fine men you perhaps fetch me my, or share their water with me? I uh, it'll be a few minutes fore' I can walk normally. My bag's over there." She gestures to around the place Daisuke was sitting, as that's also where she dropped off her sporty, small backpack. "I think I've seen one of your fights before, Rock-Kun! Though I didn't link the names until now, you're awesome! I remember like, the purple stuff you shoot out! Been a while though~ I'd love to fight you sometime as well!" Tsugumi beams a genuine smile towards the american teen.

[DAISUKE]
Daisuke can *sense* the suspicion slash curiousity welling in Jae Hoon as a result of Tsugumi's brief almost-slip of the tongue. Akwardly, he shuffles his feet along the grassy ground in turn, and he doesn't quite manage to look straight at the Korean.

"Y-yeah," he says, with an akward smile. "I'm sure I could learn a lot from you, too... Once I'm fit enough to throw a punch again, anyway..."

He does end up giving another concerned look down at the girl from Gorin again, however, with a deep frown and lips pursed even in spite of her continued good nature. "You... you're sure you're alright, Sendo?" He asks... completely ignoring how ridicilous it is for him to be asking that when *he* looks like he's been hit by a truck. Which may not actually be the case, in spite of his own claims, but nevermind *that* for now.

"O-oh, sure, I'll get it..." He offers quickly, without even thinking, when the request for fetching water for her comes, and the red-haired boy is quick to turn over and set to... well. Let's be honest, *hobbling* over towards the backpack she left on the ground. It's... very obviously an effort. And so is reaching down for the pack, for that matter. He's trying his best to hide it, but the hiss of air past his teeth as a result of the complaints from his damaged ribs while he tugs at one of the straps of the backpack in effort to lift it off the ground may very well be noticable.

Daisuke, why are you like this?

[JAE HOON]
"No harm done," a gentle flash of a grin at Rock. "You got to see some of what Sendo threw at me, so it's all good!"

There is so much giddiness floating about here that Jae Hoon feels positively alight with energy. A strange thing to occur after engaging in a fight, but, well... it can't really be helped when he naturally gets so fired up about any discussions specific to martial arts. Even in this exhausted state, and despite his hyper awareness of Tsugumi's particular statement about Daisuke, he soaks up everyone's comments like a sponge.

"Well, we'll definitely have to do a raincheck on that," he tells Kubo with his tell-tale kind smile, regardless of whether the redhead can meet his gaze or not. Whatever is going on with him is not his business.

What IS his business, though, is Tsugumi's request for assistance, specifically for her belongings. The Korean teen swivels to his once-opponent, finding her somewhat uprooted into a seated position on the ground. Since Daisuke is able to provide some service in helping her (by some miracle, given how banged up the guy is), Jae realises his great offense here.

A real gentleman wouldn't just leave a lady on the ground, even after he has just sparred against her!

He steps towards her, offering a hand in case she should want help getting to her feet. "Sorry about that! Let's get you up?"

Whether she refuses or not is up to her, but in the meanwhile, the foreign fighter address the group to say, "Anyone want some snacks, by the way?" A thumb is jabbed in the direction of his duffle bag. "I dunno about any of you, but I'm usually starving after a good fight. I brought plenty of extras." Padding in the direction of his bag, the zipper splits open to reveal a small stockpile of healthy goodies like obviously-labelled Korean protein bars, some fruit, multiple Ziplocs of cut vegetables, and the like, all of which gets brandished to everyone in front of a wide berth of a smile. "Dig in!"

[ROCK]
I know it SOUNDS like Rock is utterly incompetent, that chivalry is dead, but this isn't his fault. The blame lies solely with the player...

NOTE: Rock's player just so happens to be three monkeys in a trenchcoat, and none of them are literate.

Can we backtrack a little? Let's say that the American kid was about to extend his gloved hand. It was a thought, an offering that almost made it to words, but died before breaching the barrier of pale lips. He realises, perhaps Jae wants to be the one to assist? As the Korean teen knocked Tsugumi to the ground, he gets first crack at helping her back up.

A muted creak of leather, the squeak as the material drags against polished polycarbonate. Sendo requests water, but Rock stands useless. He cares enough to retrieve the item, as uncomfortable as it would be to search through someone else's belongings, yet Daisuke staggers off. The ward of the Legendary Wild Wolf watches, forehead creasing while brows knit together in concern.

Brushing away golden featherlight strands of spun silk, the Howard scion can understand Kubo's inability to stay put.

...?

Huh? What? There's a female voice that registers, and it can only belong to a very specific person. Crimson orbs find their way, blinking as he's bombarded. Kinda hard to interject, honestly. Heh. Rock does endeavour to try! "I..."

One beat.

"Uh..."

Another.

"Sure..." He finally relents, finishing lamely.

What just happened? Rock's really not good at dealing with women.

However, the consenting to a match doesn't sound like the blonde prodigy has any intention to follow-through. A keener could detect it's completely hollow lip-service. How is Rock supposed to explain that he doesn't fight, in a way that will won't lead to further questioning?

Kim Jae Hoon, the supplier of healthy snacks, interrupts before Rock can get all broody and introspective, or Tsugumi proposes a date for punchings. Politely refusing, a hand is up to decline. The young man laughs softly, "Can't go spoiling my appetite before dinner, house rule." He'll be full and won't want to cook! Terry will get takeout! Oh, the humanity!

Rock does spirit away a protein bar, though. "I haven't had one of these in ages." It is appraised before disappearing into a pocket. "I'm going to save it for later." He says thanks without actually saying it, nodding in the direction of his long-time friend.

[TSUGUMI SENDO]
"Yesss, I can use some filling up!" at Kim's offer of snacks, she greedily takes a protein bar and a piece of fruit, before chowing down- Only realizing moments later that Daisuke is doing something he /really/ shouldn't "Oh- Noooo, Daisuu-Chan, I didn't mean that you should.. Uh- well..." she blushes a little, before looking up to take the water from him. "..thank you."

Seemingly despite her protests, she really appericiates the length's that this 'aho' went for a little water. She does then, however let herself be pulled up by the korean. "Thank you, Kim-Kun! No worries, the grass was comfy enough!

"Yay! I can't wait, Rock-San!" Oh no, rock. You have just created a difficult situation for yourself- This girl is /relentless/. "Could I have your numbers, Kim-Kun and Rock-San?" Just like that, she casually asks -that- question.

"Will help us schedule that spar, Rock-San!" Oh, no.

[DAISUKE]
"In a bit!" Calls Daisuke back over to Jae Hoon's way over the offer of snacks and such. He's a bit busy with... very inadvicable fetching of things for someone else, right now, afterall.

Even if just leaning over to maneuver through Tsugumi's pack to get the requested water bottle was... clearly an effort, he manages to keep up a well-spirited smile up in spite of it all when he staggers his way back to Tsugumi and holds the bottle out for her, with locks of hair so red they could easily be accused of being dyed (but Daisuke himself assures they are actually his natural color) shift and flow in the idle spring breeze, only slightly constrained by the dressing wrapped around the top of his head.

"Hm?" He gives a somewhat confused look at his friend after she's taken the bottle, though, cocking his head sidelong in a canine-esque show of curiousity. "Are you... sure you are alright, Sendo?" He asks, with a faintly concerned frown. How strange. Either his psychic/empathic sense can't get a proper read on her right now, or he has no idea at all what that sensation he picked up is. Eh, it's probably nothing to worry about though, right?

Thankfully the korean boy is the one who helps her up instead, because let's be honest, he sure as hell couldn't... and he probably would have tried anyway if he was given the chance to, and probably ended up hurting himself worse by doing that.

But then she pops that particular question that holds so much weight among teenagers, when it's done between people of opposing genders (and sometimes same genders, depending). And lo, Daisuke's crimson brows lift up slowly while he looks from Tsugumi to the other two boys, back to her, back to the boys again, rinse and repeat several times over.

"Hmmmmm...."

[JAE HOON]
Ah, he and Rock are one in the same when it comes to addressing women, although the blonde teen is considerably more awkward. Now that he has sparred with Tsugumi though, it is much easier for Jae to speak with her in a way that showcases comfort. But, quite honestly, he really feels for his friend.

Thus, snacks are a very welcome distraction for all! Brilliant plan!

While everyone partakes in the selection of food items, the Korean rises to the occasion of sweeping his eyes over the wrestler to his friend once again. Yes. Jae Hoon IS that keener, Rock. Most certainly, there is a hint of curiosity that follows his gaze, because even though consent is being given to a friendly match, in those crimson orbs sits a deep-seated hesitation. And yet another confirmation of Jae's concerns.

This is not something he is able to focus on for much longer, though. Not when Tsugumi is stepping up to ask for contact details. Brows rise up into his forehead at the sudden stiffness this question brings to the atmosphere around them. Still, he remains kind and offers her a smile, along with a slow bob of his dark head.

Nothing weird about exchanging numbers when it is purely for the sake of training, right? "Yeah, sure," he says, dipping into a pocket on the side of the duffle bag to retrieve his cell phone.

With information exchanged, the lithe fighter stretches his limbs upwards in a circular motion until they eventually fall back at his sides. "Well, I think it's time for me to head off. I have a bit of a walk to get home and I'd really like to catch a shower before it's too late for me to grab some quick groceries." Earthly brown irises glimmer as Jae Hoon offers a bow to Kubo and Sendo. "It was a pleasure. Thank you for coming and for indulging me in training. I do look forward to meeting up again." He straightens only to bend himself down to where his belongings sit in the grass and begin collecting them. Another bright grin is stretching across his face, which gets turned onto Rock when he stands once again. All sparkle-eyed and cheery, he says, "So happy you came, man. Really. Tell Terry I said hi for me?"

[ROCK]
Ah, Rock will come to regret this.

Even more so than he does already.

With great trepidation, the fair-haired Angel of Taiyo High slowly recites a number to the phone not currently on his person. He keeps it in his bag while riding, lest the handy little device wind up the casualty of a particularly sharp turn. "If you forget, Sendo, Jae can text it to you." Meaning, his friend need not ask permission if this should occur...

But still he sounds suspicious.

Like there's vain hope Tsugumi might suffer from a tragic but selective loss of memory, wiping out all knowledge of Rock and his feeble agreement.

Oh, Jae Hoon is leaving? If the Howard scion wants a good start on cooking, it'd probably be best if he excuses himself, as well. "Yeah, man, will let Terry know, but make sure you stop by soon, so you can say it yourself, hey?" Rock waves off the Korean fighter with the faint beginnings of a smile, the corners of thin lips creeping upwards.

He becomes the dedicated third wheel in Kim's absence, but not for long! Rock's awkward enough for someone as good looking as he is, and won't emphasise it further by hanging around. "Hopefully you heal up quick, Kubo." The nod is familiar, easy, and far less rigid than the repeat of the gesture for the Gorin girl. "Again, was nice to meet you."

What he wouldn't give to have had a normal childhood, because the only woman he ever knew growing up was his mother...

And Geese not being his father? Sounds spectacular. A dream come true.

Rock sends gloved fingers into the tangle of flax, combing threads back. Through movements graceful and borne of muscle-memory, he replaces the black helmet on his head and fastens it in place. The visor is up -- only the bridge of his nose and both eyes are visible. They're like two ruby red gems, bright and serious. He softens the corners of them. "Catch you both later."

Log created on 13:51:51 04/27/2021 by Tsugumi Sendo, and last modified on 16:03:23 05/05/2021.