Description: Once more, MotM's very own Hatfield and McCoy duke it out on the world's stage -- for a tie! It's up to a gladiatorial tie-breaker round to decide who goes on to Round Three... (Winner: Kyo)
Red Arena
While the ground-level White Arena is used more often than the
upper-level Red Arena, the Red Arena is where the really spectacular fights
are held. Seating sprawls in all directions around this circular arena, the
high-price box seats providing shade for the lower seats. Shade is important,
as the arena ceiling is retracted almost all the time, even during bad
weather (nets are stretched over the seating at these times). Twenty-foot
high glass separates the spectators from the arena, the glass polished and
protected to reduce glare and other visibility impairments.
The arena itself is a work of art. Fifty yards in diameter, the arena
manages to represent three different landscapes; light forest at one end, a
strip of sandy beach in the middle, and shallow water with stepping stones
strategically placed at the opposite end. All is quite real; this arena is
obviously intended for veteran fighters and those who think they can step up
to the challenge this offers versus a flat arena floor. The open air and wide
space allows for fighting masters to really exercise their talents without
worrying about limited space. The Red Arena is the centerpiece of Masters
Stadium, and it shows.
"The time has come, when the new history is about to unfold!!"
The announcer for this highly anticipated fight works the capacity crowd into
fervor-pitch frenzy, even though they hardly need to be sold any further on the
event that is about to occur. It is one of the greatest rivalries in all of
professional fighting, a feud that goes beyond a simple conflict of style and
instead reaches all the way back 1800 years ago.
"...the road to victory is not an easy one!"
Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami will fight today, and only one will be able to
advance in the tournament to face the rising star Seishirou. There might only be
one still alive after this fight, considering the gravity of their rivalry.
The roar of the crowd is deafening, a cacophony of voices. Yet the focus of one
of the two fighters standing right in the middle of this spectacle, square in
the center of the strange nature-setting that is the ring of the Red Arena, is
so pristinely set upon his opponent that it seems oddly quiet around him. Or at
least, it looks so for a moment. This -is- Kyo Kusanagi after all! True to form
he cracks that trademark smirk of his and turns away from his blood rival, one
hand resting at his side suddenly bursting to life with crimson flame, yet not
burning his hand or clothes. Kyo doesn't have anything to say about Iori beating
up his dad in the last round, or any witty comments regarding the history
between himself and the Yagami heir, just:
"Let's settle this, Yagami."
Cloaked in shadow throughout the announcer's schpiel -- as per request,
obviously - the Orochi halfbreed's expression is nearly unreadable. As the
lights grow in intensity, it becomes obvious that Iori is set for this fight,
nearly every muscle tensing in rhythm with his measured breathing. Taking five
long steps towards his opponent, in the threshold between trees and sand, Yagami
levels an iron gaze back at his blood rival. A bloom of purple flames bursts
forth from his outstretched palm, quivering only slightly from the outburst.
"... Kusanagi. No retreat, no surrender." His gravelly voice trembles ever so
slightly, betraying the incredible control the Yagami scion exercises in keeping
the klaxons of his riotous blood in check. Plenty more could have said between
the two -- but there's no need. The fires reflect from both the fighters' eyes
-- even without words, their communication is clear. Barely able to contain
himself, Iori nonetheless maintains his flames, and the distance, attentively
watching Kyo for the first flinch of movement while waiting for the signal to
begin.
Kyo shrugs and clenches his hand into a fist, extinguishing the flame and
turning around to face Iori in his fighting stance, "Ikuze!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo has started a fight here.
That door hadn't opened yet, the light from the stage set outside for the
two revered fighters had yet to spill inside of the hall leading from the locker
rooms and the world outside, thus it was dark, a lonely tunnel leading to
destiny. And in it, stood K', the black leather-wearing phenom himself. He had
skillfully read the dockets and known which fighter was coming from which door.
He was there for a reason, was waiting to have words with one of them-- but
which? Who would he side with? Who was the wielder of stolen Crimson Flames
throwing his paultry allegience?
-- -- Kyo had walked right past him in the dark before the door opened,
hadn't seen him leaning against that wall, but now he made himself known just as
Kyo shouts his 'Ikuze!' -- "KUSANAGI! ..." -- What the hell!? Was he going to
interrupt this fight like he had the last one? Hardly. "... I only ask one thing
of you. Don't lose to that snake! Fight with everything and win! I won't forgive
you if you lose!"
Iori clenches his palm shut, extinguishing his own flames in kind. No words
need be said -- the audience knows well what's coming next as the last violet
motes of light fall from his fist.
COMBATSYS: Iori has joined the fight here.
"This battle is about to explode!! Ready.... FIGHT!"
At the call of the announcer, Iori wastes no time getting started! Surging
forward with a primal howl, he starts things off swiftly with a right cross to
the chin. It's different enough from his usual style that it just might catch
Kyo off guard.
Kyo doesn't waste anytime, he dashes off his back foot, leaving a plume of dirt
and dust in his wake as he winds back a fist to nail Iori right in the face.
Kyo says, "YAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
Iori growls back, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo interrupts Jab Punch from Iori with Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Iori
Kyo socks Iori in the mouth right as his destined rival does the same. *BOOM!*
Double impact! The blows send each man flying backwards, seperating them as far
apart as they were just moments ago before the fight started. Kyo kippups to his
feet and wipes off his mouth.
Iori growls, leaping back from Kyo with a clutch at his cheek. It might /have/
caught Kyo offguard, but not without its own share of pain. Landing back at a
distance, he wipes a drop of blood from his lip. "We know each other too well,
apparently." Smirking, it seems some of the edge has fallen from his tremulous
control, knocking him a bit more on the 'sane' side of the fence. But not so
much that he'd totally lost his fighting edge -- once more leaping into action,
Iori takes a higher arc, swinging his arm overhead with a brilliant arc of
purple flame, crashing it downwards at Kyo with a violent roar.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Tsumagushi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Iori
Kyo raises one arm above his head, absorbing the brunt of the physical part of
Iori's aerial strike while simutaniously focusing his aura to dull the effects
of the Orochi-tainted indigo flame. "Don't flatter yourself!" Before Iori's feet
hit the ground, Kyo's free hand explodes with his signature flames, which seem
to be burning particularly hot this day! "BODY... GA AMEZE!!!" He throws another
hook right at the Yagami scion's grill!
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Aragami.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Iori
As Iori lands, he pulls his hand back, shoving his forearm and shoulder into
Kyo's onrush of flames. He shakes his head once, commenting with a low rumble,
"Weak." just before pivoting out of Kyo's path to take a spot at his side.
Whipping his hand over his head once more, he rakes his sharpened nails down at
Kyo's face, following up the slash with the back of his hand for even more of an
impact.
COMBATSYS: Kyo endures Iori's Yumebiki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Iori
Kyo doesn't even mount a defense, and Iori rakes him twice, though it doesn't
seem to have a TOO much of an effect on Kyo, thanks to some clever head weaving.
A small stream of blood does cover Iori's claws from a cut on his foe's cheek,
however. This battle is being fought at a brutal pace; Kyo has already shot
himself up into the air with a mighty leap as Iori's attack subsides, arcing
down onto his arch-rival with a heavy kick aimed at top of Yagami's head!
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's RED Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Iori
Spitting "What the--" as his attack lands with such ease, Yagami almost
overshoots it. But once Kyo angles back and overhead, Iori roars with rage.
He'd gotten a bit sloppy from lack of practice -- but that's not to say he
doesn't recover. Iori adopts a sneer watching his opponent fall straight
towards him. Growling, he throws his arms up in an 'X' to catch the kick. But
in that split second that his rival is still touching him, Iori flings his arms
downwards, aiming to throw his foe off-balance, Kusanagi blood flying off his
talons in the process. That's not the end of the attack though -- whipping
himself to the side, he follows up with a kick aimed to send his foe even
further towards the trees.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Iori
Kyo takes the kick right in the gut and takes off like a rocket up into the air,
heading towards the imposing tree trunks. Sensing that he's about to make his
aqauintence with a nice hard oak tree or something, Kyo manages to twists his
body around in mid air so that his feet, instead of his head, come in contact
with one of the tree trunks, whichupon he uses to spring off of, diving right
back towards Yagami! Before he reaches his foe Kyo generates two swirling orbs
of crimson fire and hurls them towards Iori's position, sort of like a fighter
jet doing a strafing run.
"Tch!" Somewhere in the stands -- close to the ring, however -- stands a
remarkably unharmed individual in a green gi. Saishu Kusanagi barely looks worse
for wear, even after the beating Iori gave him just a week earlier. Apparently,
the old man bounces as back just as hard as he is to keep down in the first
place. Watching the fight intently, Saishu simply spits onto the floor before
him, before roaring at the top of his lungs, "You idiot, Kyo! You're not going
to keep him up with him like this!" Cupping his hands to his mouth, the elder
Kusanagi practically snarls, "How can you lose to someone with his freakin' LEGS
TIED TOGETHER?!" You're one to talk, oyaji.
COMBATSYS: Iori overcomes Yami Barai from Kyo with Yami Barai.
Aerial acrobatics now? Yagami wastes no time after his kick connects solidly
with Kyo, tearing off in a mad dash to follow in Kyo's wake, right fist clenched
and ready to strike him when he lands. Though, when Yagami sees Kyo spring off
the tree, he nods with a faint smirk, pleased that his rival sees fit to
surprise him even then. Flicking his wrist toward the ground, he sends out a
Yami Barai of his own, the purple flames rushing forth to meet the crimson blaze
of Kyo's in a bright flash of light. Yagami's eyes glint with the reflection of
the light as he circles around to close in on his enemy, the remainder of his
own rolling flames continuing onward to intercept Kyo as he lands.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Iori
Kyo doesn't let up, the fireballs may have only been to keep Iori busy while Kyo
continued his dive at Iori, coming at the red-haired man like a cruise missile.
The scion of the crimson flames lowers his shoulder in mid-air, basically trying
to crash right into Iori. "YAGAMI!!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Iori with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Iori
The problem with Iori closing in so quickly is that it left too little room for
error: Kyo's got just enough control over his flight to allow his shoulder to
slam into the red-haired man's chest, sending him reeling backwards. As Kyo
lands, Iori shakes his head irritably, veins on his forehead coursing with anger
with only the faintest smirk at the well-landed blow. "I'd never be able to
tell you and your old man were kin if he didn't say so..." Kyo's just that much
better, and that much more resourceful. It's as close as a compliment as Kyo's
likely to get at the moment -- but the speech is just a distraction, as Iori had
taken two steps closer just then. Suddenly, he leaps forth to close on Kyo,
raking his talons sideways, aiming to plunge into his rival's stomach for
another taste of blood.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Sakahagi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Iori
Kyo isn't going to be led astray by Iori's feints, he keeps his eye on the
Orochi-tainted fighter the whole time; this time Yagami doesn't get to see Kyo's
blood. Bringing up one leg, Iori's strike deflects off his knee, leaving Kyo
standing there on one leg. "That's funny..." Kyo says with a smirk while
reaching for Iori's head, "I was just going to say you and YOUR old man were
exactly alike..." gaining purchase, Kyo attempts to drive Iori's face right into
that knee that's still held up, "Just like him, you're gonna die early!"
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Quick Throw.
It seems they're about equally matched here, with a block for every strike, a
counterattack to match each attack. To put it bluntly -- this is the kind of
fight Iori's been waiting for. Countless other matches had been blown off due to
shortcomings of one kind or the other, but this one's keeping Yagami's interest.
The audience might not notice it, but Kyo would catch the light smirk as Iori's
hand ricochets harmlessly off his knee, and even as that hand reaches for his
hair. Rather than simply let himself be snared by the attack though, he rolls
his head out of Kyo's reach, knocking his arm aside with his trailing hand.
"What's this, you're the Karate Kid all of a sudden?!" Lunging forward sharply,
he aims to take advantage of Kyo's off-balance pose by dropping down a bit,
whirling his foot into Kyo's shin instead.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Kyo 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Iori
With some deft footwork the attack to Kyo's shin is somewhat absorbed, and
doesn't knock him off balance. "What the hell? If that's the best you have...
stick to screaming shi-ne all the time, loser!" Kyo adds the exclamation point
to his insult by lacing his fingers together high above his head, then
attempting to give Iori, in his dropped position, a vicious double axe-handle to
the back of the neck.
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Strong Punch.
Wincing slightly as his strike is blocked yet again, Iori takes a half-step back
in recovery. The retort from his foe twitches his lip up a bit, as he scowls,
"Don't make me laugh!" Chuckling low, he shakes his head, sidestepping out of
the path of Kyo's two-fisted slam, throwing his arm up to deflect it to his side
with a minimum of fuss. "There's plenty more for you!" he rumbles, flicking his
wrist to the ground by Kyo's feet. A flash of purple slips off his fingertips,
rolling at Kyo's feet for what seems like a humble Yami Barai -- until it
explodes into a furious blast, threatening to send Kusanagi upwards into the
sky.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Yami Sugi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Kyo 1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Iori
As that connects, Iori calls out, "DIE!", face embroiled into a rictus of anger.
It seems to suit him better, at any rate. Slinging another wave of flames at
the ground, igniting an even larger explosion to keep his opponent aloft.
Whipping both hands back over his head, he then slams both fists at the ground,
a double purple blast of charring a crater into the ground, before flaring into
a gigantic pillar or flame, sending Kyo high into the air. Iori seems vaguely
amused that Kyo's advice seemed to work so well.
Kyo pretty much juggled by the Yami Sugi technique, each pillar of indigo flame
blasting him further up into the air, a trend in this fight. The last blast, in
fact, has Kyo tailspinning twenty or more feet above the floor of the
nature-themed arena. The crowd lets out a loud gasp, it seems Iori has struck a
crippling blow, and the momentum of the fight has swayed in his direction. In
his dazed state, Kyo looks around him self, at the open air around him, the
blurry faces of the packed crowd. He feels the rush of air around him as gravity
takes effect... and it almost feels like he's not falling, but flying. Why not
just let it end here? Iori has beat him so many times before so badly... why
bother?
Then Kyo comes to his senses. "I WON'T FAIL LIKE THIS!!" He screams, and like a
second sun hanging slow in the arena, his whole body ignites into a crimson
pyre! The comet-like body of Kyo Kusanagi does finally land from Iori's furious
attack, holding up his hand near his face. "EAT.... THIS!!" Kyo seems to slide
forwards, instantly covering the distance between him and Iori, while sweeping
his hand in front of him, unleashing a gigantic, hellish wave of fire. This is
the Ougi of Kusanagi-Ryuu Kobojustu, the dragon wave technique, Orochinage!
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Orochinage.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Iori
In most fights, Iori has a lot of trouble toeing the line. Either he's too busy
laughing at his opponent, or too close to completely losing control of himself.
Partly due to the rigorous mental training he'd been going through in
preparation for this fight -- memorizing the arena inside and out, hardening his
control over the murderous intentions called forth by the blood riot -- he'd had
a much easier time than normal. The fights with others in the recent past built
up his endurance -- while he might not have been ready to -predict- Kyo's
swift-moving attacks, he'd been able to have some kind of defense for them.
Such is the case when Kyo comes back down -- shot into the air, the Yagami heir
had little choice but to expect Kyo to come rocketing back down -- though he
hadn't quite expected it to be with such force, or with the most prized of the
Kusanagi-ryuu attacks. He starts to back away from the torrent of flames, but
thinks better of it -- dropping to one knee, he turns his shoulder towards the
blast, bracing himself for the onslaught of flame. That was the other thing --
Saishu had helped him get used to the flames, not just once, but -twice- in the
past match. Which isn't to say they don't still -hurt- like crazy, even though
he'd been able to prepare himself. Iori seems to be tilting back towards the
'crazy' side of the fence, after that attack, shaking the flames loose from
himself, and loosing a feral "GUROOAAAAAH!" as he launches towards Kyo with an
old family favorite -- a left cross, followed up with a right uppercut. If
those prove successful, he'd leap forwards to deliver a two-fisted blow to Kyo's
head in kind.
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Iori's Aoi Hana.
Kyo growls as even thow his Orochinagi connects, it doesn't completely mow down
his nemesis, "Blocked it, huh..." he mutters to himself. Iori dashes right
through the last remaining embers of the serpent wave to deliver a punching
combo, but it seems that the Yagami heir isn't the only one capable of some
defense around here; the first uppercut of the Aoi Hana is swated to the side by
Kyo, and from there he neatly sidesteps the next two attacks. "YOUR BODY'S WIDE
OPEN!" He spins around, aiming a mid-level roundhouse in the general direction
of Iori's liver.
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Iori
"... is it really?" Iori lands in a crouch his back towards Kyo -- but even
then as he rises, he throws his forearm down to the side, wincing slightly from
the pain as he tosses Kyo's foot aside. "News to me..." he rumbles -- though
rather than turning to deal Kyo a frontal attack, he rushes backwards, slamming
his shoulderblade towards the wielder of crimson flames instead, hoping to land
a quick hit before Kyo has a chance to recover.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Iori
Kyo stands his ground, throwing up his forearms just as Iori executes his
unusual attack. He has to take a step back as that back, emblazoned with the
symbol of the moon, slams into his gloved forearms, and decides to turn it into
a full backpedal, foot moving over foot. When he's gotten about two meters from
his nemesis Kyo asseses his situation; a couple dislocated ribs at least,
feeling a little numb in his left arm.. and yet he smirks just a little. It's a
good fight. "Let's settle this once and for all, Yagami." He intones while
bringing his arms in close to his body. A small ring of fire appears around
Kyo's feet, looking similar to the sun crest of the Kusanagi. "Haaaaaaahhhh!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Iori
Iori considers it a good fight as well -- but Kyo's possibly a bit too upbeat
for his liking. He's got his own share of bumps and bruises, most owing to his
shoulders and arms -- but he spends the most of his gym time developing those
regions. He'd need to rest afterwards, no doubt -- but at the moment, the taint
of Orochi in his blood is urging him to ignore the pain, and keep fighting
onward. So when Kyo decides he's going to take a break and gather his energy --
Yagami sees golden opportunity. Sure -- when he sees a Kusanagi wave their
crimson flames around, the man can't help but feel the urge to bring his own out
as well. "I've had about enough of your nonsense!" He throws both hands out to
his sides, a thin frown on his face as purple flames engulf his palms -- though,
in contrast to Kyo, he doesn't just stand there with them. Nope -- he surges
forward, fingers of flame trailing in an arc behind him as he slashes his hands
forward, making a wild grab for Kyo's jacket to tug him closer, a maniacal,
bloodcurdling roar slipping forth from his lips.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Ya Otome.
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Iori
As he gains purchase, he tugs Kyo close, just enough to throw him off-balance.
"Cry." That Orochi blood screams even louder in Iori's head -- animating his
arms with primal rage as they unleash a blistering assault onto the man standing
before him. "Scream." One, two, three crosses, then uppercuts, flames, and
finally -- he slams his hands onto Kyo's head. Grinning for just a brief
moment, he leers close, drunk with rage. "AND DIE!!!" Slamming his forehead
into Kyo with a burst of blood, he then reels back, letting the emotion soak in
for just another moment, before triggering his hands to explode in a blaze of
fury.
Kyo is annihilated! Iori is just to fast for him, all Kyo sees are afterimages
before the carnage begins. Suffice to say... he bites the Ya Otome, getting
slashed up all eight times for all eight heads of the Orochi beast then taking
the forehead shot, complete with a huge explosion of indigo flame that sending
the young Kusanagi flying, whereupon he lays in a heap, face-down in the
artificial river of the arena. He lays there for a moment. Stupid. Stupid.
STUPID. He could feel the fight going his way, finally, until his happened. He
won't die because of this error. He refuses to.
So he stands up; jacket is trashed, white t-shirt is tattered, bruises and burns
litter his body. He is bleeding freely from eight slashed gouges. "hnnnh...
hnnnh..." his breathing is heavy, vision is hazy again, but still he charges the
blurry figure that is Iori with a warrior's courage, another powerful right hook
aimed at Iori's ugly mug.
COMBATSYS: Kyo has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Iori
COMBATSYS: Iori dodges Kyo's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Iori
Smug? Well, that might be the word to describe Iori -- except that it doesn't
really apply with how feral the man looks right now, maw hanging open as he
pants heavily for breath. Even though it hit Kyo and not him, the physical
exertion of slamming so many attacks into Kyo still took a lot out of the man.
It's enough to make a man laugh, really -- and so he does, raising a hand to
sweep the hair out of his eyes as he cocks his head back for a tumult of
laughter at Kyo's expense -- and all this before Kyo even hits the ground!
Still... if there's one thing Iori learned from his last battle, it's never to
underestimate his opponent's staying power. Chortle fading to a snicker, he
levels his gaze back on his prey, hands slipping back into their practiced
fighting stance. And when his zombielike opponent rushes back at him, a gruff
chuckle is all that escapes the crescent moon warrior as he steps off to the
side, letting him rush off without an attack. Even then, he shakes his head.
"You Kusanagi just can't stay down, can you?" he taunts, taking a wary step
backwards and keeping a sharp eye on his opponent.
COMBATSYS: Iori focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Iori
Kyo whips around as soon as his hook punch whiffs Iori, a fiery look in his
eyes, "If you think you have time to crack jokes against me, you're dead wrong!"
Kyo isn't satisfied with trying to beat Iori up around the head and shoulders
any more, no, he displays some of that mean streak he occasionally exhibits,
trying a nasty punch to Iori's gut with his left fist, now.
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Strong Punch.
Well, considering the state he's in, anything Iori could say in response to Kyo
would be little more than elementary playground banter -- so he opts not to say
a word. No -- even though Kyo's launching a punch at him, Iori's in 'the zone'
as it were -- one arm shifts to block the punch, the other clapping itself over
top of Kyo's hand. Glowering at the blow, Iori just shakes his head -- as if
that wasn't good enough, maybe. That hand atop Kyo's launches forward sharply,
more of a boxer's strike aimed at bloodying the nose up more than it already is.
May not have been the most classy counterstrike, but Iori's not trying to win on
style points.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\ < > ////// ]
Kyo 1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
Kyo gets hit right in the bridge of the nose, staggering him back a few steps
and causing a trickle of blood to run down from one of his nostrils. It's just a
slugfest now; stand toe-to-toe with your foe and see who falls down first. Kyo
responds in kind to Iori's attack, pivoting on his heel to give the redhead a
standing sidekick to the gut.
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Kyo 1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
Prying his toes away from Kyo, he throws his hand down again to block the kick,
the blow sending shockwaves down his arm. Howling from the pain, diminished
though it may have been, he lunges forward at Kyo, aiming to smash his head
against Kyo's. If it's tit-for-tat Kyo's after, Iori's bound and determined to
deliver.
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Iori's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\ < > ///// ]
Kyo 1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
Iori's head.... gets palmed. It stops, right in Kyo's grasp. A grip that
tightens painfully, fingers digging into Iori's skull, holding him there,
letting the other man get a good long look of the fire in Kyo's eyes. Yagami
wants to butt heads, mano-e-mano? Fine. Kyo lets go of Iori's head, then tries
his own version of the headbutt.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Iori with Quick Throw.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\ < > // ]
Kyo 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Iori
Grimacing as Kyo's head slams back into his own, Iori reels backwards --
apparently, he hadn't planned on quite /that/ much power coming back at him.
Shaking his head woozily from side to side, he raises a hand to his head. "It
.. It won't end like this, Kusanagi..." Staggering back for a moment, he
gathers his wits about him -- and then lunges forth at Kyo, flinging himself
bodily into a vicious dropkick.
COMBATSYS: Iori can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Iori has left the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Strong Kick.
COMBATSYS: Kyo takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Kyo can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Kyo has ended the fight here.
Kyo takes the drop-kick, full-on. He goes flying back towards the bank of the
stream, bounces once on the sand, then lies there. Still for the moment. He may
look unconcious to the crowd, who have been standing on pins and needles for the
last few minutes, but he's still clinging to lucidity, just barely. "Nnnhh..."
.oO(Well, at least I didn't get beat...)
Surprisingly -- Iori really ought to have had a lot more fight in him than that.
But no -- as soon as his feet contacts Kyo's head, Iori can feel his eyes
flutter closed before he falls prone to the arena floor. It hadn't happened so
abruptly in any fight beforehand -- at least, in his earlier losses against Kyo,
he knew when it was coming. Apparently, though, the huge expenditure of energy
blown in bringing a rushed end to Kyo took its toll on the red-haired one.
Either that, or the sudden move sent all the Orochi blood rushing away from his
head, which actually kinda needs it the most. No matter what anyone says
though, it was a close match; the fact that his final, desperate dropkick
managed to even the score ought to remove all doubt from the matter. He opts
not to push himself to a standing, or even seated position -- either he's
playing dead, or he's just too spent to do anything about it, aside from a low
growl of disappointment.
Saishu mutters on the sidelines at they BOTH go down. Shrugging his shoulders,
the old man sits back down. "Guhhh." . o O (Well, at least he didn't get beat.)
And K', who had been watching from that doorway to the Arena from the beginning,
faded into the shadows of the hall, mumbling under his breath, "Bah... well...
at least he didn't get beat."
"IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A DOUBLE KO! Neither Kyo Kusanagi or Iori Yagami are able
to continue this fight! This was truly a dream match!" Blares the announcer. The
crowd roars for the spectacular fight they just witnessed, "YOU KNOW WHAT THIS
MEANS! We're having a PLATFORM MATCH!" Another swell of noise from the crowd.
(And not all of it cheerful noise, either.)
It's not long after before the medics roll into action, toting all-terrain
stretchers with fat wheels to roll smoothly on sand and packed dirt alike. Not
that they'll necessarily need them -- or even accept the assistance. While one
squad of three heads to Kyo, the other finds a bit of resistance as they try to
help Iori to the stretcher. He's regained awareness, apparently, as he shrugs
them off -- opting instead to lean on the stretcher rather than rest fully upon
it. People with good hearing might catch him mumbling "won't be caught on my
back with him around...", but the long and short of it is -- they're both going
to different medical stations, for obvious reasons.
Kyo protests the medics as well, forgoing any type of help as he shoots the poor
EMTs a glare and limp/stumbles towards the opposite exit. They'll finish this
another time... soon.
Iori growls a curse at his own body. ... o O ( Soon. )
==============================================================================
White Arena
Though the inner arena is the smaller of the two, the White Arena is no
less impressive than its brother the Red Arena, meant more for smaller, more
traditional fights. Spectator seating ranges around the oval fighting arena,
stretching up to top box seats which are built into the ceiling, giving those
that want to pay extra a rare bird's-eye view of the fighting. The lower
seating doesn't suffer though, the architecture carefully designed so that no
seat is too far away. (If you've ever been in an IMAX theater, this is much
the same.)
The fighting arena itself is completely bare of any obstacles or marking,
the floor sanded wood to resemble a dojo and to give fighters proper
traction. As Ken Masters is quite familiar with the power many fighters can
exhibit, the arena is separated from the seating with glass coated to reduce
glare, affording the spectators an excellent yet safe view. At the far ends
of the arena, doors which look like part of the wall when closed allow the
fighters to enter.
Kyo stands on one corner of the series of raised platforms, hands shoved in his
pant pockets. His clothes are repaired now, artfully sewn back up by fair Yuki,
but he still has other mementos of the epic fight with the man standing across
from him; namely adhesive bandages in several places on his body. He gives Iori
Yagami, his arch-rival, a long stare, one gloved hand coming out of his pocket
to clench into a fist. A supernatural redish aura starts to glow around Kyo as
soon as he balls the hand up into a fist, "This is the end of the road for you,
Iori, you won't get a lucky shot in at the end again."
COMBATSYS: Kyo has started a fight here.
COMBATSYS: Kyo gathers his will.
Four raised platforms. Personal space: None. A small gap between them -- just
large enough for an unlucky person to fall between if they weren't quick enough
to catch the edge. But neither of the two gathered here is in any danger of
falling, right? The best of the best? The pressure is at its utmost maximum,
the fans clustered around watching both of the fighters as Kyo's aura casts dark
shadows onto the floor so far below. Yagami, on the platform diagonally
opposite his blood rival, isn't threatened -- if anything, he's visibly,
viscerally angry at the showmanship that went into this. "It only takes -one-,
Kusanagi." Chuckling, his palm extends to Kyo, the purple flames a mere trifle
against Kusanagi's flame -- but that's probably because Iori came here to fight
and put action to the words, rather than preach to the choir with empty
promises. "This battle means -nothing-, you realize." he rumbles. It's just an
obstacle to him -- a mockery of the true fight that happened last time.
Shaking his head, Iori flicks his wrist at Kyo's platform, sending the flame
forth. It should be fairly obvious -- he's trying to knock his foe off and get
this over with as quickly as possible.
COMBATSYS: Iori has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Iori successfully hits Kyo with Yami Barai.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kyo 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Iori
Kyo mounts a valiant defense against Iori's projectile, but the purple flames
still engulf him momentarilly, causing him to take a step back... a step that
almost sends him over the edge of his platform. "Whoop!" With a little artful
balancing, Kyo manages to regain his balance on the platform while the last of
Iori's indigo flame wicks off his clothing. "Close one..." he mutters to
himself. The red glow around Kyo's body still hasn't diminished, however, in
fact it seems to increase in intensity, heating up the air around Kyo.
COMBATSYS: Kyo gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Kyo 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
Iori shakes his head, laughing at Kyo struggles for a foothold on the platform.
"Your flames will do you no good as you go DOWN in them, Kusanagi..." Kyo might
think it's artful to catch himself in midair like that, but that belief requires
one to forget that Kyo was the one who almost fell in the first place. Iori's
hands once more ignite the purple flames, his hair blowing upwards from the rush
of hot air. Seeing that Kyo is making no sudden move to strike, he lets loose
another mocking rumble: "If you're going to whip it out --" Half-striding,
half-leaping to Kyo's platform, he arcs his hands overhead, bringing them
crashing down at Kyo's chest with a trail of flames. "-- make it quick!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Tsumagushi.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kyo 1/----===/=======|==-----\-------\0 Iori
Kyo raises an arm, intercepting Iori's attack so that forearm strikes forearm,
while the fiery aura around him blunts the effect of the Yagami heir's own
flames. In that split second before Iori's feet touch down on Kyo's platform,
Kyo's other hand, the one that has been in his pocket the whole time, suddenly
breaks free of it's confine and lashes straight upwards, hoping to connect it's
kunckles to Iori's chin and give the redhead the nasty taste of copper in his
mouth. "Yeah, whatever."
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Kyo 1/----===/=======|===----\-------\0 Iori
Iori grimaces as his hand is blocked -- but the hand in the pocket comes as a
bit of a surprise. A low growl comes forth as Iori's other hand whips out,
catching the punch just as it hits, so that the fist only grazes his chin.
Narrowing his eyes to slits, he stares Kyo in the eye. His very being flares
with the essence of his purple flames -- flames that threaten to outshine even
Kyo's own aura. "You -always- think you're better than me."
Throwing Kyo's caught hand off to the side, he takes a step back -- coming
precariously close to the other side of Kyo's platform -- but not without a
surprise. He'd had to let go of Kyo's hand because of the flame held there -- a
flame which drops at Kyo's feet, exploding into a blazing fury. "You're WRONG!"
Iori, already thinking ahead, sidesteps to the other platform, only to hurl
another flame at Kyo's feet as a followup -- a flame which, too, ignites into a
blast of superheated gas upon contact. "FALL!" His hands reel back over his
head in preparation for the followup-- whether it comes, though, depends on Kyo!
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Iori's Yami Sugi.
"I don't live at your behest, loser!!" cries out Kyo Kusanagi in response to
Iori's demand that he falls. No matter what, Kyo isn't going to allow himself to
be beaten here on these platforms; and after having fallen victim to many of
Iori's hidden techniques throughout the years, he seems to finally come up with
a good counter; he takes a page from Iori's book and gets up in his rival's
face, inside the range of the first plume of indigo flame, "And by the way, I
just don't think... I -know-!" he says while putting one of his legs behind Iori
then executing an elbow strike to the Orochi-tainted fighter's sternum in a
combination tripping/striking attack.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Iori with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Kyo 1/----===/=======|=------\-------\0 Iori
Of all the people Iori expected to get in his face like that, Kyo was the
longshot. Eyes narrowing once more at the sudden move, it's just enough to
catch the red-haired fighter off guard -- even as tense a battle as this is.
His arms still reeled back for the final piece of the pie, the Orochi halfbreed
is just enough off balance for Kyo's trip and strike to gain purchase. His legs
flying out towards Kyo, it's all Iori can do to grab desperately at the front of
Kyo's shirt, pulling the taller fighter just close enough to sit on the edge --
rather than fall off it. Not the most defensible position, to be sure -- though
Iori makes the most of it, whipping his knees up towards his rival in hopes of
bowling him over instead, using his grip on Kyo's shirt as his handhold.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Quick Throw.
Kyo is grabbed by the neck as his arch-rival falls, "Hhnk!" And he stuggles a
bit in Iori's desperate grip. "Nnngh..." He feels himself losing balance, about
to be roll-throwed out of the platform arena, and out of this fight. Just before
that happens, however, Kyo's whole body bursts into flame, the young
Kusanagi-ryu fighter excersising the limits of his powers by driving up the
flames around his whole body. Iori's hand has no choice but to let go, as if it
were holding on to the iron of a stove. No doubt Yagami knows what's coming
next, though this has the chance to be quite a bit more damaging, as the fiery
aura around Kyo may do as much harm as the technique that will proceed it.
COMBATSYS: Iori blocks Kyo's Orochinage.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ]
Kyo 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Iori
Kyo lets his flame aura engulf Iori, then sweeps his arm in front of his, hoping
to nail the airborn Yagami with a massive wave of fire, "EAT.... THIS!!!"
*WHOOSH* He unleashes the serpent wave.
Oh, he knew it was coming -- it was just a matter of time. Yagami just knows
when to brace and hold on for the end. Blasted up into the air by the burning
freight-train of 1800 years of Kusanagi training, he pitches his torso forward
to stabilize his fall. Desperately, he finds himself about to fall -- but at
the last instant, his knee thrusts out, his foot landing soundly on the lip of
the platform, the knee directly over it. The toes of his right foot land also
-- only to slip off. For anyone else the slip might be fatal, but Iori's
already thinking of the future -- socking Kyo with a driving punch just as the
Orochinage ends. And as he slips, he rocks forward once more, hurling all the
weight of his scorched upper torso into that one punch, saving him from the
embarassing fall -- but leaving him wide open to Kyo's mercy should that punch
be rebuffed.
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Iori's Fierce Punch.
Kyo jukes left, Iori's heavy punch sailing just over Kyo's right shoulder, close
enough so that Kyo hears the rush of air being displaced by the powerful blow.
It only succeeds in blowing a few strands of Kyo's hair around though, and puts
the scion of the flames in a very advantageous position. "Give it a rest,
Yagami." With that, Kyo just... backhands his rival.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Iori with Quick Punch.
Good news for Iori -- that punch landed him squarely back upon the platform.
The bad news, of course, being that Kyo's simple backhand just propelled him
back -off- it. "NO!" he screams, but by that point, it's much too late.
Slammed in the shoulder, Iori makes a mad grasp to try and catch Kyo's hand --
aiming to pull him off the platform as he falls. It's a last-ditch effort with
incredibly improbable odds -- but if he manages to upset Kyo, that's enough for
Yagami.
COMBATSYS: Iori can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Iori has left the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Kyo blocks Iori's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Kyo 0/-------/-------|
There's no denying Kyo. He twists his wrist out of Iori's grasp, preventing
another tie. Iori falls. Ringout. Kyo wins. Exhale. Catching his breath, Kyo
walks towards the edge of the platform that the last minutes of the blitzkreig
battle were fought upon, looking down at his arch-rival laying on the ground. He
stares for a good long while, "Are you satisfied now, Yagami?" He whispers.
Kyo then turns to the crowd, "Ore no.." shoves one hand in his pant pocket and
his other in a fist, hoisted up towards the heavens, "-Kachi da!!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo has ended the fight here.
Iori doesn't even bother to howl his outrage -- the ten-foot fall to the ground
is too short for him to say anything that matters anyway. Landing on both feet,
planting his hand on the floor for extra cushioning to the fall, Iori is clearly
not pleased. Trembling with suppressed rage, he lurches back to his feet with a
low chuckle, closing his eyes... and just as Kyo is starting to reach to the
heavens, Iori shoulder-rams the support to the platform upon which Kyo stands.
Kyo may be tough enough to take such an impact, but the cold, unfeeling steel
sure isn't. The platform starts to buckle, with Kyo atop it -- there's three
other platforms he can jump onto after all -- but by that time, Iori's already
hooked his thumb into his pocket, glowering as he strides out of the arena. He
doesn't even need to voice his reply -- no, it -isn't- over.
Kyo looks a little bit annoyed as the platform he's on starts to sway, no doubt
Iori getting a little bit of aggression out; but Kyo isn't about to just let
Iori get the last laugh. He stands on the platform with a smirk, and as it
starts to tip, he grabs hold of the edge with one gloved hand, riding the
falling tower all the way down until just before it hits surface, upon time he
hops off, landing smoothly on both feet (and one hand).
By that point, though, Iori's already out of the arena. He's done enough damage
for one night.
Log created by Kobun, and last modified on 18:19:17 04/27/2005.