Description: Just off the plane from Strolheim, Sakura finds herself matched against Ken Masters, with former Wild Flower partner Megumi at her side! Only now, they've got special conditions to abide by! (Winner: Ken)
Sakura didn't really know what to expect here. What a crazy week! First Megumi gets attacked, then she and Sagat lose in a thrilling battle, and today, she flies back to Southtown and gets called within minutes to come fight in Howard Arena. Funny how things work!
Even with all that, though, she's glad she didn't get =too= beat up in the Strolheim tournament. Leaves more for this fight! Though she's a bit nervous at having to fight Ken Masters -- someone she knows that, at least at one time, was her own master's rival. (Ken Masters, Master Ryu... yeah. It gets complicated.) But even still, she felt she'd pulled off a pretty good fight against three other competitors, despite losing to them... so it's refreshing to just be fighting one person again. Especially with someone she'd formerly been on a team with, yet, for whatever reason, never got the opportunity to actually fight =beside=. Ironic, ain't it?
Strolling out to the ring as the announcer goes through the usual rigamarole -- which she tends to ignore -- Sakura pulls her vambraces on. These are brand new blue ones, too -- hardly even broken in from her flight home. A perfect match for her blue shoes, and the winter grey school uniform she'd worn just a couple days prior in Strolheim. Sure, she should have been doing two and a half weeks worth of backlogged homework, but that's ... what she should be doing now. Never mind that! There's a fight here, and it's what she's thinking of when she secures the straps on those handguards.
And as the announcer, continuing his schpiel, shouts over the loudspeaker system, "-- From Southtown's very own Taiyo High School -- Megumi Andou and Sakura Kasugano!"
"Let's get this party started! Woooo-hooo!" shouts the exultant schoolgirl, jogging out to the ring and motioning for Megumi to follow suit.
COMBATSYS: Sakura has started a fight here on the left meter side.
Megumi seems to be back on her feet despite that attack. Where Sakura's ignoring announcer hyperbole and running on ahead, Megumi's more casual. Casual, but also quick to play the crowd. Walking over to the arena (rather than Sakura's jog), she's taking the time to wave to various sections of the audience before she gets in, and she's ready. Little foot-shuffles and side-hops to warm up... "Not the kind of match I wanted for my return, y'know...but this is probably better in a way. How you wanna work this, Sakura?"
"How do I wanna work it? Well... I got this strategy, see? This is Ken Masters! He practiced with Ryu, and I fought him before, so... I'm pretty sure I know how he operates." Sakura seems pretty smug about it too, for some reason. "See, this is what happens. We get on either side, right? And we keep hitting him, see, and eventually, it'll wear his stamina down. And once it's down low enough, he's gonna fall over." Sticking her tongue out at Megumi, she flexes her biceps in a bodybuilder pose. "Genius, ain't it? Some real smartaleck told me about it a few days back."
"..." Megumi at first thought Sakura was just being ditzy or something like that, but near the end she understands where this is going and laughs. "Okay, turnabout's fair, I guess. Well, whenever he gets out here, guess we just scramble around with no real plan, see how it goes." She's twisting one of her hands around in her other hand, inflicting various wrist-locks on herself as a way of stretching out while waiting...
Sakura shrugs in reply to Megumi. "Well, it =should= be pretty obvious by the situation, really... if one of us needs a break, take it. And, like, if I'm about to keel over, just use that pink, er, red wall-thingy and make me not keel over or something." Gesturing wildly with her hands, she seems energetic about it, to say the least. "It's just one guy, right? He can only attack one of us at once anyway, as long as we keep a good distance from him. I'll try an', like, get in close and punch him when I can, but we'll see how it goes."
"And there he is... The man, the legand.... the Master..... KEN MASTERS!"
Making his way in only after being given the spotlight, Ken Masters makes his way into the ring, just stretching a little as he does. He looks to the two girls, merely smirking to himself as he does. 'You have GOT to be kidding me' Ken thinks to himself. He could could clean up Tony and Sakura on his own, why are they having him... No matter. Either way, time to see how little Sakura has improved since their last match. Making his way toward the unimaginative ring (unlike HIS Red Arena, which is SO much better than Howard's) he looks around, just making his way toward the start up point, making sure to disgard the little 'twist' that he was given. Fine, he could do that, no problem. Heck, might make it worth while.
COMBATSYS: Ken has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Megumi has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Megumi 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ken
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/-------|
Megumi spots that look on Ken's face. "Look at that, he acts like he's stepping into a slaughter in his honor or somethin'." Once Ken's in the arena, she's eager to get things started. Thrusting her right palm forward, sparkling red energy takes the shape of a baseball-sized orb and flies at Ken. Well, in Ken's general direction; it won't hit head on by virtue of trying to act like a proximity explosive; once it's fairly close to Ken it 'detonates', spraying itself in a radius and Megumi's hoping to catch Ken within it.
Aaaannd on that note, we cue the music. "Well, you got the 'stepping into a slaughter' part right!" Sakura shouts, following in the wake of Megumi's attack. For once, it's nice to see the reverse angle rather than its head! But it'd be pretty silly if that was the -bulk- of her strategy -- for just as soon as she's close enough to do so, the Ansatsuken prodigy takes flight, leaping high into the air. She somersaults once in midair, just to control her flight -- when she comes down, though, it's with her legs to the side, skirt in the air, her blue school trunks to the audience, and two big blue-padded fists coming straight down for Ken's lush blonde locks. "KYAAAAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Ken just-defends Megumi's Burst Orb!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Megumi 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Sakura's Sakura Otoshi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Megumi 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/-------|
Ken gets into his fighting stance, merely continuing to wear that smirk of his. "You two have confidence, but that is NOT gunna win you this fight!" As the ki attack comes his way, the blonde battler raises his guard just as the impact hits, his defense so flawless that the explosion does nothing but cause his lush hair to waver in the aftermath. "Impressive... kind-," Ken begins, his words cut off as he sees Sakura coming at him.
However, he just effortlessly weaves to the side, just narrowly avoiding the attack. "Nice Sakura. Still a little slow though," Ken offers with chuckle. "Ryu wasn't too big on the speed either when he started." With that, he just tries to take Sakura by the arm and just throw her to the right of Megumi. "Now... Let's try that again, shall we? This time, with feeling." With that, he digs his feet in, clearly giving the girls another shot before he opens a can on them. They knew what they got themselves into... So he won't hold back. Just the way fighters are.
Megumi won't have to worry too much about Sakura being potentially flung around, since she's staying back, helping from range like an archer might. Or 'like Jinmu might', since he's an actual fighting archer. The point's clear, anyway. Ken's suggestion is taken in full, as she cups her hands in front of her. A larger, basketball-sized energy-orb forms this time, pulled behind her with one hand. Then leaning forward, she zings it at Ken.
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Ken's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Megumi 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
Pulling her hands up as she sees she's gonna miss, Sakura snaps her legs back down, landing in a low crouch with both arms outstretched. This also puts her in a wonderfully crappy position to get the heck out of his way, which results in Ken snagging her by the arm, and yanking her sharply to the side. "Nnf!" she complains -- though she's quick to rechannel her momentum into a quick roll in the midst of her flight, landing in a roll to snuff the damage. She springs back to her feet afterwards, though, rushing forward to slam a hard fist at Ken -- aiming to coordinate the hit so that it knocks him into Megumi's awaiting attack. "HAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Ken with Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Megumi's Crimson Comet.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
"Nice-" Biff! And Ken actually takes a somewhat painful punch in the shoulder as he weaves the wrong way. He then senses the Ki, but while he is off balance, his leg left is bent enough that he has the needed leverage to leap OVER the the Crimson Comet. He lands on one knee, the attempted move not exactly as graceful as he planned.
Still, he got out of it better than planned, so the red gi wearing warrior just races for Megumi, deciding that he has to take it to their court. He lashes out with one fist, hoping to deal out the pain and mix up their tatics of one staying away and getting the free shots while Sakura stays in close.
COMBATSYS: Megumi fails to counter Fierce Punch from Ken with Flood Reversal.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
Here? Already? Well, okay. Megumi waits for Ken's approach, expecting something like a midsection kick. She finds he's punching high instead, and shifts her grip to try and catch i--no. Fist meets face. Megumi's head rocks back, she actually flips over, and tumbles to the ground, stunned. That was some hell of a hit.
Oh, and Ken's focusing on Megumi now? Ah, well -- more fun for her! She decides to throw caution to the wind now, figuring that whatever damage she might take from getting all close and personal with Ken would be mitigated by the fact that White Mage Andou over there would be around to make the hurting go away. As such -- well, let's just show Mr Masters how well she's been working on her technique! It's not quite as =powerful= as the Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku -- but the wind kicked up from the furious spiralling midair kick she launches at Ken sure has a lot of the same trademarks as Ryu's superior version now -- though the flight's still a bit erratic. "SHUNPUU KYAKU!" ... Technically, it's Shunpuu Kyaku Mk.II, but who's counting?
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Sakura's Shunpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/-----==|
Ken shakes his head. "Shouldn't have have been cocky there, Miss Megumi," Ken replies with a thumbs up before he ducks under the Shunpuu, just waiting for her to sail over just like Ryu does the few times he zigs when he should have zagged. In response, he just tries a Flying Dragon Punch, giving a loud "Shoryuken!" as Sakura passes over head. Hit or miss, it is CLEAR that Ken is doing anything but target one of them. While it might put him at a little more of a disadvantage, he wants the kids to learn from this... And well, give him as much of a challenge as possible. And they can't do that when he beats the snot out of one of them in five moves, can he?
Megumi doesn't say anything back to Ken, not one word. She's managed to push herself up onto her knees and one hand, the other holding her forehead since she has a terrible headache now. In fact, that's...all she's doing, even as Ken turns to take on Sakura. A little at a time she's starting to get back up, but that single punch must've really messed her up somehow...
COMBATSYS: Megumi takes a breather.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Sakura with Shoryuken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 1/-------/=======|
Glancing over at Megumi as she spins by, Sakura growls a bit at the long-distance approach. . o O ( Of all the things to... OH MY GOD HE SAID SHORY--) The thought is cut abruptly short by the fist flying right through her spinning hurricane kick, diverting her mostly horizontal flight into a sharply diagonal one. "GNNNH!" she sputters, gritting her teeth from the pain, but more or less keeping her balance, even as gravity once more takes effect. Wind drag is also an effect, but it's one that's relatively moot -- for Sakura, if not her flapping skirt -- as she quickly lands on her feet, one hand tapping to the ground. "Sounds like a good idea, Ken! Mind if I try?!" she shouts back with an unexpectedly exuberant grin. Why? Because the schoolgirl's got her =own= bag of tricks, thanks! Charging full force at Ken, practically bleeding an intense blue aura, she aims to sweep in low and nail him before the full rush of his Rising Dragon Punch can wear off -- delivering her own uppercutting Cherry Blossom Fist at his flank: "SHOOOOOOOOOU'KEN!"
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Sakura's Shou'ou Ken EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 1/-------/=======|
Ken just has a big smile on his face. Nothing better than when his flaming fists strike true. Of course, Ken gets a bit of guilt when he sees that he is beating up two girls. Yeah, real tough challenge, Ken. How about you kick around four old ladies when you are done and call it a night? Either way, they stepped into the ring, but at least he isn't going all out on them. Even now, he holds back, letting Megumi get her little rest in, despite how easy it would be to just pound the stuffing out of her about now. There is a reason why Ken can't stand people like Iori and Geese, throwing around their power not for kicks (which Ken could understand), but against people that don't stand a chance against it? Totally unacceptable to just out and smash them. Unless they really PO you. Like hitting on your wife, or saying that you're not as good as Ryu...
Thankfully, Ken's musings are brought to a close as he puts out an arm to block Sakura's attempt at a Shoryuken. "Close kid... It had some power to it, but well... Still got a WAYS to go before you catch up to Ryu and myself there. Now, I let you get away with surrending since I knew I could smash you even working with Tony... But well, this time, I have an audience." With that, Ken just gives a firm kick for Sakura's side. "You got some heart though, kid! You and your friend both!"
Megumi gets up finally, looking a fair bit better for her time off. "So what is this, anyway? A fight, or an interactive, televised karate lesson? All those critiques..." She runs in towards Ken's side, trying to tackle him down and apply a quick wrist-lock. Something to pull him off Sakura and let her take the forefront for a few moments, which she encourages even as the kick's going out: "Sakura, back off a sec!"
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Sakura with Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 1/--=====/=======|
Sakura would -love- to back off, honestly, but she's in the midst of getting the crap kicked out of her. Thankfully, there's no literal truth in that, aside from the mention that she's getting kicked. And when a man twice her size delivers a kick to her ribcage, the Ansatsuken prodigy is kinda bound to notice. Exhaling sharply as the kick lands home, she... finds it terribly difficult to acquiesce with Megumi's request. "I'm afraid I can't do that right now, Megumi!" she shouts back -- though with any luck, she'll land this in the -midst- of Megumi's quick takedown. 'This' being a rushing elbow, as Sakura completely dispenses with the burning need to recover from her accelerated onslaught: "SHIN!" And then follows up with another rushing uppercut, this one hopefully blasting upward past Ken's guard: "SHOOOOOOO'OOOOOOOU-KEN!"
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Megumi's Flood Reversal.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Sakura's Midare Zakura.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Megumi 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
"Fine... I was trying to be a good sport about this, girl, but if you are going to be a snobby JERK about it-" Ken pauses as he pulls the hand away from Megumi, breaking into a roll to make sure that he is clear of Sakura's uppercut. Just breaking into a run, he makes sure he has a nice clean shot of Megumi as he runs a twenty foot long half circle with Sakura as the 'center', his feet skidding a couple of inches on the stone when Sakura isn't blocking Megumi in any way. He can be a speedy bugger when he wants to. He's no Balrog, but still, agile and quick just the same. Putting his palms together, he channels the Ki between them. With a mighty "Hadouken!" he lets the shot fly at Megumi. He took her comments as a 'raise the bar, please, Ken' and he intends to do just that.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Megumi with Hadouken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
Megumi stumbles at her missed tackle, and tries to backflip to get some distance. That part works. It's the fact Ken's already sending a Hadouken at her that's a problem; it catches her in mid-air and sends her crashing to the ground. "I wasn't...being a jerk. You're the one going on and on about criticizing us, why don't you shut up and finish this? If I wanted you making fun of every shortcoming we had this match..." She gets up, wobbily. Red energy surrounds her right hand as it clenches into a fist, then Megumi launches herself at Ken. Diving right at him head first, body twirling and spinning through the air, energy-surrounded hand heading at his chest.
WHEW. After her uppercut rushes up through missed air, and Megumi stumbles underneath, Sakura... could probably use a breather after all that. Though there's really no telling whether she'll get another chance at this -- she just takes a step away from the fray, a faint smile still playing across her features as she backs away. Enhance your calm, Sakura Kasugano -- for the next attack is really gonna have to =hurt=. "Megumi, I'm counting on you..." she states, possibly alluding to their earlier rapid-fire treatise on strategy. Now what was it she'd said, again? Maybe her ragged breathing and the way she's leaning forward, about to fall over, would be a clue...
COMBATSYS: Sakura focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Megumi's Crimson Spiral Knuckle.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
"So, accusing ME of being the jerk? Well, /excuse me/ for trying to be nice and giving some pointers!" Ken shouts out, narrowing his eyes and raises his long arm in defense as the energy laced fist crashes into it. The ki lashes about him, but with only some light bruising on arm showing the move connected at all, Ken remains standing.
His tone lowers since Megumi is right there, almost a whisper. "Sure, I admit they might sound a little harsh if said in the wrong tone, but I really admit the guts for you coming out here. If I waited to say your shortcomings, I could list them... If you wanted me to be like Bison or those like him, I could tell you that you're weak or a pitiful fighter. But I DON'T. I am just telling what is, and if you want me to tell you how you could improve a little, I could do that to." He pushes off the arm if Megumi hasn't retracted it already. He takes his foot up once there is distance between him and her, just taking the leg up almost to his chest before arcing it a little so when it comes back down, it will crash onto Megumi's shoulders. "...But first things first."
COMBATSYS: Megumi dodges Ken's Inazuma Kakato Wari.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
Megumi lands in a handstand on just one hand, after her diving punch. "...You're right." As hot-headed as she was seconds ago, Ken's defense seems to have convinced her. She jumps up using that hand, flipping upright to land on her feet, just in time to watch Ken begin his overhead kick. She dives out of the way, rolling sideways and coming back up standing in one smooth evasion. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to compare you to guys like him. You're right."
Suitably admonished, Megumi's a lot more quiet now but still fighting, making a long step in to try and grab at one of Ken's arms, make a pivoting side-step, and use it to flip him sideways to the ground. Lots of circular motions involved there.
Her chest still heaving from the recent overexpenditure of energy, Sakura seems to be recovering -- albeit slowly. She would have much rather used the opportunity to rest and regain what little she could from the insane beating she'd just received, courtesy of the Masters Express Lines... but this =is= still a fight, after all. Narrowing her eyes, she cups her hands by her side, summoning a bright blue bloom of flame into existence between them, and tensely watching for an opening. It's that attention to detail, the pulse of adrenaline, that's prevented her from really taking advantage of the respite -- but at least she's hoping to make extra use of her additional focus before she's called into action again. "HADOOOOOUKEN!" She doesn't bother to warn Megumi, figuring the shout should be enough warning -- and if it wasn't, the mailbox-sized orb of cerulean energy hurtling her way ought to be!
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Megumi's Aikido Techniques.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Ken with Medium Hadouken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/----===|
"All's forgiven. Ten years ago, would have been the same way if I fought myself," Ken replies with a wink, just giving another roll but while he THINKS he can just casually block Sakura's attack, he didn't realize she was so 'into' right now, the conversation distracting him from noticing. So for the first time tonight... Ken takes a tumble. Just flipping back to his feet, he gives a thumbs up to the two. "There you guys go..." He runs his hand though his hair, the pounding from the pain, mixing with the blood rushing through his veins and when it combines with the shouts of the crowd? Man, it almost compares to the 'alone' time with Eliza when the two are feeling a rush of a different nature.
Offering out his arms like displaying a field to sell to a farm, he says happily, "Now, get ready ready you two... This was just round one... Round two is coming up and I won't hold back!" he exclaims cheerfully. He gives a smile and a thumbs up to the crowd as his fan club cheer wildly. Hey, at least the girls have an opening now, right?
COMBATSYS: Ken takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/----===|
Megumi comes up empty-handed, again. But that doesn't stop her from trying again. She's nice enough to let Ken say his piece, though. "Ehh...I hate it when some guy says he's holding back. I ain't all that amazing yet, but c'mon, that's like beating a videogame on difficulty one only to be told to play again to face the real boss."
With that in mind, Megumi leaps at Ken sideways, hoping to grab an arm between her legs and drag him to the ground that way. If she gets it, she'll apply an arm-bar, and then release it to sit up, lean over, and deliver a downward chop at Ken's chest. A chop surrounded by that same sparkling red energy of hers, but a chop nonetheless.
Oh... well, if at first you don't succeed, try try again! It goes doubly so if you succeed in this case, though, especially since Megumi seems to be getting down and dirty with Ken. She doesn't take personal offense to his smugness -- heck, =she= gets smug herself from time to time! If he's going to just sit there and present an even bigger target, though, Sakura's going to take another few steps forward. "Megumi!" she shouts, with a grin. "First aid to aisle 6!" she cries, her voice gradually reaching the same excited pitch she'd begun the fight with. As for Ken, though... mmm. Just look at that big ol' bloom of blue chi she's cooking up between her palms now! Apparently, Emeril isn't needed to kick things up a notch, for as Sakura closes in towards melee distance again, she shouts, "HADOOOOUKEN!", loosing a second swirling ball of flame at Ken. Double your pleasure, double the concussive fun!
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Megumi's Crimson Grapple.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Ken just-defends Sakura's Medium Hadouken!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Megumi 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/---====|
"Sorry to be a clique," Ken replies with a wink as he slaps away the hands and weaves to the side, where the less battered arm is used to defend from the fireball just in the knick of time, his stance actually seeming to gain a little strength afterwards than lose it. "Well, that was nice... Time go for a whirl, little girl!" With a mighty cry and Megumi still near him, Ken leaps into the air, starting to spin like a top from hell and hopefully taking the rather talkative schoolgirl up and around as he tries to kick her over and over with in a matter of seconds.
Maybe with training YOU could do stuff like this, Sakura!
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Megumi with Shippuujinrai Kyaku.
[ \ < > ///////////////////// ]
Megumi 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=------\-------\0 Ken
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/---====|
Whirls? Yes. Megumi tenses, trying to dive out of the way...only to be caught by the edge of one of Ken's spinning kicks and basically sucked back in, rising up with him, bam, smack, pow, biff, wham, crying out with each hit taken. As the blows end though, Megumi...uses Ken as a springboard, jumping off of him to go even higher into the air. It's not a very graceful leap, as she's still spinning every which way from being beaten like that.
But...she flicks her wrist to the side, causing a line of red energy to form on it. It goes up her arm, shoulder, down her chest, hips, over her right thigh...and down to the bottom of her foot. As she falls, she's still twirling randomly, but the energy shoots down at Ken, still in the form of a thin ray. As it gets near him, it expands into a wide cone with the tip pointed at him, the open end facing the ceiling, and it hovers in place. And Megumi's falling right at it. She's already unconscious from that exertion, but she was trying to line herself up so that she lands in the cone feet-first, driving it down towards Ken's head. Hit or miss, the cone will smash her into the arena floor, where she lies in a KO'ed heap.
COMBATSYS: Megumi can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Ken
Staring incredulously at Megumi, Sakura's mouth gapes open. Here she was, asking for help, and... "Oh, =crap!= The =conditions!=" Sakura realizes that Megumi may have been honor-bound to =not= use her peculiar healing capabilities in this match, as much as Kasugano may have been tanking in expectation she'd be revitalized. Oops. "Oh well... " she notes, breathing a silent prayer that Megumi's blow lands. Just the same, she's already closed to impact range -- so she may as well start off with another fan favorite! Charging forward at Ken, she shouts while unleashing a series of rapid-fire punches aimed at dizzying speed, mostly to disorient Ken while he's still feeling the aftereffects of Megumi's attack. And -then-, with a quick flip of her skirt to reveal the blue gym shorts underneath, comes the real attack -- an overhead axe kick, crashing down from above! "HRIII-HAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Megumi's Exceed Charge.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Ken
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Sakura's Flower Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Ken
Ken would normally just try to block or take the hit to try and catch Megumi, but the blond fighter is unable to do so without taking a beating from Sakura. So he just rolls under the final attack of Megumi, just putting his arm again to block the kick. Man, there is a REASON why Ken needs new gloves after fights like these. Deciding that his arms need the rest, he just leaps into the air again, this time giving the weaker verison AFTER the super. His leg extended again as he spins around, Ken cries out, "Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku!"
Sadly, he isn't wearing a skirt, so ladies can't see his gym shorts. Yeah, I know, they're heartbroken.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Sakura with Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Sakura 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Ken
Sakura thought for sure that Megumi would be able to keep Ken occupied long enough for her strike to succeed -- no such luck! But not only that -- as soon as she steps in, she finds herself once more in range for one of Ken's brutal assaults -- and oh, is it ever brutal! Drawn into the whirlwind of kicking fury, learned under a true master over several years' time, Sakura learns firsthand the difference between her own techniques and those of Ryu and Ken. The critical difference? PAIN. Literally SCREAMING with pain as kick after kick rams into her, Sakura finds herself battered, bruised, and quite nearly knocked down... "... But not quite!" The shout comes while Sakura's still spinning, oddly enough -- for though she's spinning on her vertical axis, she's also trying to harness the angular momentum of the dizzying pirouette for her own ends. Those ends being... dropping to her feet, and firing a hurricane kick of her own, in a low ground-based version, right back at Ken's shins once he lands. "ANSATSUKEN SPECIAL TECHNIQUE! FIRST WINDS OF SPRIIIIING!" she shouts, to no one in particular, as her dizzyingly blurred form wheels about towards her opponent, leg pivoting around like a battle mace. "HAAAAAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Ken with Haru Ichiban.
[ \\\ < > /////////////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Ken
Ken sides his foot out a little before pushing off to roll to Sakura's right, but it is a little TOO close before it gets him beaned in the head. Rolling to his feet still, Ken rubs his head. "That really hurt... Kinda," he replies to Sakura before running up to her... And trying to kick her in the head with a swift jump kick.
COMBATSYS: Sakura dodges Ken's Light Kick.
[ \\\ < > //////////////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Ken
KINDA? KINDA? One of her strongest combinations, and it only 'kinda' hurt? Oh, man! Sakura's a little nonplussed at that response, but the fact that a martial artist's foot is flying at her head aborts any attempt at applying logic to the situation. She drops to her knees, letting Ken's leaping kick whistle harmlessly overhead -- though by this point, she should know he has practically =no= chance of dodging the blow she has planned next. Especially when it's a sneaky little fireball aimed at taking the bite off his attacks, formed in only a heartbeat's time and hurled at Ken's retreating form. By the time the word, "HADOOOOUKEN!" fully reaches his ears, the blue fireball ought to be slamming into his back.
COMBATSYS: Ken fails to slow Small Hadouken from Sakura with Hadouken.
[ \\ < > //////////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Ken
Ken misses, but that's okay because he has a Hadouken ready for her so-Bouff! And Ken gets hit with a fireball filled with love and sunshine. "What the crap? Ken, losing it in the endgame. No way!" Flipping back to his feet, the American martial artist just decides to end this fight right. Rolling a couple of times toward Sakura, he just rises into the air, his fist as flaming like the Olypmic torch. Save without that dumb mascot the Olypmics had that one year. The Wazzoot or whatever they called that blue thing. Whatever it was named, the "Shoryuken!" is coming right for Sakura... What is she going to do?
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Sakura with Shoryuken.
[ < > /////////// ]
Sakura 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
A-buh? Sakura was fast enough to nail him with a small fireball before he could send one back her way? All RIGHT! But ... then somehow he sneaks a blazing uppercut back her way, sending her flying up high into the sky, her beautiful new school uniform now charred with flame...
And yet, even as Sakura's tumbling over backwards, she still finds the time to land with both feet on the ground, charge =back= at Ken, and try to take him down to the ground with a flying lariat? Oh, what speed! What determination! What... what a fight! Because Sakura's more than likely to fall over unconscious after such a gutsy maneuver, right? Right?
COMBATSYS: Sakura has reached second wind!
[ \\\\ < > /////////// ]
Sakura 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Sakura's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\ < > /////////// ]
Sakura 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
Ken is thrown, but the man is able to break fall as he stands up, just in awe for a short time. "Holy crap... I was right, that kid really does have potential," Ken offers, just recovering from his last attack as well as the OMG SAKURA ROCKZOR moment. Well, at least he knows that his advice is great. After all, Sakura is a kid with potential, so Ryu should have taken her in and well, considering that Ryu and Chun-Li haven't say anything to him, they must to too busy 'endurance training' to thank him. Ken, you truly are a selfish helping man. At least, Ken thinks so.
COMBATSYS: Ken takes no action.
[ \\\\ < > /////////// ]
Sakura 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
Well, truth be told, Sakura =has= been getting training from both Ryu =and= Chun-Li -- though apparently they haven't had the frame of mind to mention it to the matchmaker in the red gi. Not that she really =minds=... for as much as her attempt at a running clothesline failed, she still has a lot of energy left in her. Buuuut... if Ken's going to stand there looking cool, Sakura wants a shot too! "See? See?! I've been training a whole lot for just this moment, Ken!" She takes a moment to collect herself, spreading her feet shoulder-width apart, just like Ken said, raising her palms into an enhanced version of the standard pose, and sure enough -- her hair and headband start blowing up from the torrent of blue energy swirling around her. Grandstanding helps? Well, OBVIOUSLY. Scream the whole name of the move and it's bound to pay off, right? Right now -- the move is all that counts. She then moves her hands to her side, the flow of energy eddying, then reversing to the void between her hands. "SHINKUUUUUU...."
COMBATSYS: Sakura gathers her will.
[ \\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Sakura 1/--=====/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
Ken does nothing. That right, nothing at all. He never really got to see the kid at her peak and now here it is. Wiping his mouth free of the sweat and even the slight trickle of blood, the martial artist just waits eagarly. "Let's see what my good friend Ryu has done for ya," Ken says as he steels himself, almost jumping at the bit to see it.
COMBATSYS: Ken takes no action.
[ \\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Sakura 1/--=====/=======|=======\=------\1 Ken
Well, the middle of Howard Arena might not be the best place for it -- but just the same, Sakura's already committed herself to this one attack. Nodding, she continues whirling the white, cerulean, and electrical energies into a gigantic maelstrom -- if it were a lead weight, she'd be tipped over in a heartbeat. But no -- it seems to be completely weightless -- and she's hoping Ken gets to find out just how powerful it's become! "--UUUUU... HADOOOOOOOUKEN!" she cries, loosing the torrential fireball out at Ken. Here! Catch!
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Sakura's Shinkuu Hadouken.
[ \\\\ < > ///////// ]
Sakura 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Ken
Ken blinks as he sees the build up, then just puts his arms up.... Both of them, to take the blast. He skids back about a foot or so, his gloves history after the attack is said and done. Taking a moment to release a big sigh, Ken claps a couple of times. "Very nice, Sakura... I'll be sure to tell Ryu that you are doing REALLY well. Now so good night, Gracie!" And with that, Ken puts his own palms together and unleashes his own Hadouken, which much less flash and suspense than Sakura's. Which doesn't suck. It is just... Smaller and less powerful than Ryu's. But it's not the size, but how you use it. Really.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Sakura with Hadouken.
[ < > //////// ]
Sakura 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Ken
Pssh! She's more likely to see Ryu first than Ken would! Except for the fact that he's still in Germany watching a particular Tai Chi fighting queen in her competitions. Yeah, she ditched 'em all -- darn parents!
She knows better than to try and counter the Hadouken head-on, so she really does try to get around it. Unfortunately, it's coming a bit faster than she thought, and the schoolgirl gets nailed in the shoulder with the lukewarm concussive blast. "OWW!" she howls, but it only causes her to stumble sideways a bit, clutching her arm. "Well... good night, Gracie!" she shouts, only slightly deterred in her attempt to put Ken down -- though this time, rather than lariat him from the front, she's going to try and catch him from the side with an extended arm...
COMBATSYS: Sakura can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Ken 1/---====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Sakura's Sakura Strangle.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Ken 1/---====/=======|
A final weave, and Ken is out of danger for the night. Though he is a nice guy and while he couldn't help Megumi because she was the first one out, he does try and grab the back of Sakura's shirt, figuring that if she doesn't drop out now, that she will in the next few seconds. Whether he can grab it or not, the concerned tone remains the same "You out or do I need to let go and kick you a few times?" Okay, well, there is a smile at the end, but clearly Ken enjoyed himself, despite the decent beating the two girls gave him.
"Heh... y... yeah, I'm out..." she mentions, the sting she'd gotten from the Hadouken more than enough to sap her final reserves. She starts to hang limply from her shirt, but realizes that might not be the best move, considering the looseness of the garment. And so she forces herself to stand up, chuckling. "Still, it was fun! Thanks for the fight, Ken!" She waves to Megumi as she gets hauled off by the medics, slapping her cheeks lightly to keep from fainting. "Man... I thought we woulda had you for sure, though..."
Ken merely hrmms as he looks out to the stands, noticing a guy selling Billy's staff replica's. Just shouting out for one, it gets tossed down, Ken racing over to where it landed to take it... Then offer it toward Sakura. "There you go... It's just hard plastic, but a weak cane is better than one at all, right? And hey, it's a reminder that with your friend Megumi, you almost took down the mighty Ken Masters," he offers with a wink.
Sakura takes the cane, with a weak shake of her head. What a pompous a-- "Thanks!" she exclaims, before her brain can catch up with a suitably snarky response. If she wasn't mistaken, that was pretty close to what she'd heard from Masters the -last- time the two fought, so... eh. Leaning on the staff a bit, she waves off the medics -- "I can walk with this, thanks..." she notes. "Thanks, Ken..." But then she covers her mouth for a broad yawn. She looks =exhausted!= And so, off she walks to the medical suite...
Log created by Sakura, and last modified on 08:13:55 04/24/2005.