Description: Set before the fight with Vega and Jacob. Ralf gets the superbright idea that hardcore training should be done against Ryu. He and Vanessa start out strong but eventually, Ryu says 'SIT THE #@*)( DOWN' and they're oblidged to do so. T_T
"I'm telling you, this crazy motherfucker is the BEST way to get used to shit like this."
This whole scene is horribly familiar, and not really a pleasant memory for the larger Ikari. Then again, it's been so long, and there's been so many spirits imbibed between now and then that he may have damn well just forgotten it. Rest assured, however, that a couple of kicks from Ryu right in the brainpan wil jar the little rodent running on its PowerWheel to start up again. Lazy bitch.
This time, it's not Clark trudging up the hill with Ralf. It's the lovely Vanessa, with whom he had just finished a couple rounds with before talk turned to things like fights, big fights, some weird fight that she's not being entirely too clear on. In the end, she got the point across easily enough: practice, training, something big, tough, something to kick her ass so hard that the upcoming event will be little more than some flies swatting at her mams. That..would be easy enough to arrange, and in such a fashion as to almost guarantee that she'll live through it, accidents nonwithstanding.
"He's a good guy, just..you know, a bit out there in the social department. Likes to hole up and do nothing but train sometimes, comes down from the mountain for soap, jerky, and cat food or something." Sure, he's exaggerating, and his expression shows it. He means no harm to the guy, despite the MASSIVE FUCKING HEAD TRAUMA Jones should be suffering from. "But lemme warn you..this guy's a fucking beast in a fight, I'll watch your back where I can, but..be glad you've got health insurance, huh?"
Heh!
Well, you know... as it stands, Vanessa -is- familiar with Ryu, but she lets Ralf go on his tirage anyway. Smirking broadly through the entire retelling, the redhead is quick to wave off the commentary, though it's clear she's two steps away from laughing her fool head off about it. "Guy's just not too used to people talking to him, I guess," she replies. "I've sparred with him a few times, actually. In not-too-casual fights and casual ones... had to get teamed up with this completely wigged out chick named Cammy for one of 'em. Was one of the more underground fighting circles, for the sake of shits and giggles, I guess. In -this- case... I'm hoping he decides to go all out."
Despite what that could mean. The BOTH of hem with MASSIVE FUCKING HEADTRAUMA, as it's so eloquently put. "So yeah, I know the drill. Though it's pretty damn funny that a guy like you's makin' a point to call -him- crazy," she adds, jabbing the elder Ikari in the ribs with her elbow, though it's light enough to be negligable. Still enough to be -noticable-, mind. "Get a few drinks in -you- and you're more'n happy to run around with a lampshade and some bloomers as your only claim to modesty. But... to each his own, right?"
A more sly smirk then, as she adds, "Guess I'll be the one to owe you dinner if we come outta this alive. But -you- gotta chip in for the supplies."
Yep, sure. Go to see the crazy hermit for all your bone-crunching needs. Or something like that. While Ralf's assessment of the man himself is somewhat narrow and exaggerated... There's no denying the truth in it, as it applies to the predominant facets of Ryu's life. Training, meditating, eating cat food... wait. He doesn't have to do that last one anymore, since his endentured serv... erm, student, happens to be an excellent cook. It's an infrequent event that the World Warrior gets visitors other than Ken and Sakura out here, and there's certainly a solitude that comes from that lifestyle, residing on the edge of the Southtown woods in a dojo that looks like it might be abandoned at first glance. It's just that weather-worn, though the disrepair has ebbed to some degree, largely due to Ryu's own efforts. In fact, rather than being deep in training or lost in meditation as the pair of fighters make their way towards his humble abode (actually, he's just renting), Ryu kneels near the front steps of the aging building, a hammer and nails accompanying a largely vanished stack of fresh planks which assist him in the process of patching up the steps.
They'd become just a little /too/ creaky and deteriorated, and while this isn't his place, he apparently has no problem putting in a bit of elbow grease to keep everyone a little happier. Not to mention, the simple labor is a method of clearing his mind in its own right. Sure, many of the chores these days are delegated to Sakura... But Ryu was still raised this way, and putting forth a bit of elbow grease for his own subsistance is nostalgic, to say nothing of comforting. Even so, the approach of Ralf and Vanessa is hard to miss, both because they're not exactly being subtle, and because they're both notable enough warriors to ring clearly on the good old Ryudar, and as they cross the clearing, the World Warrior pushes back to a standing position, shifting to face that avenue of approach sidelong, his eyes turned towards Ralf and Vanessa, squinting lightly against the sun as he figures out just who's coming to see him.
He's seen a lot more of the redheaded boxer than the burly Ikari lately, and truth be told he was starting to wonder if he was /to/ harsh on Jones the last time they ran up against one another... Even if the nomad did spring for plenty of drinks afterwards. Ralf's visits have hardly been a frequent thing, however, even before... But Ryu doesn't seem at all adverse to the presence of either, a light smile crossing his face as he stands where he is, and waits. After depositing the hammer to the side of the steps, beside the remaining boards. A stretch of his arms culminates this, waiting for them to close the distance.
"Hah! Leave me up to the supplies, and we'll be going back to that one place in full combat garb, see how Snooty the Wonder Butler likes that shit." The ribbing is let go, after all, he really deserves it with the unkind light he's putting Ryu in. "And hey, the lampshade was hilarious! People LOVED that, 'til I started trying to stuff it into my pants. But I did say I'd pay for it!" Grunt. Folding his arms loosely across his chest, Ralf puffs a snort through his nose, making a big show of being all hurt or something. Or not, he's never really been good at looking serious about those kinda of things.
Then, Ryu comes to greet them! Fancy that, it's like some kind of crazy coincidence that he's here or something. "OI! Nomad, I bring gifts!" Not burgers this time, sorry. Pulling part of his vest up with one hand, he digs through the pockets with enough. A chrome-plated flask is pulled out and set between his teeth, letting him hold into the cap as he pulls out..
Cheetos! Everyone loves Cheetos. If they don't..they're bastards. With a simple flick, the small orange Grab Bag is sent through the air to the gi-clad Martha Stewart, just before he sets his flask back in his vest. "Got a favor we need of ya, old buddy, pal, that kinda thing." The information that they already know each other was silently acknowledged. "Feeling up for a quick rough'n'tumble with the little lady and I for a bit?" Blunt, direct..it's how he usually is. At leat he brought a present!
That's further cause for Vanessa to start laughing. As if she isn't already impressed with the man's ability to stash food away in random places, the repartee is something she's come to expect (and highly appreciate) from the big lug. Slipping either of her hands into the pockets of her jeans, she's dressed down for the occasion, seeing it fit to choose a t-shirt and scuffed denim for the eventual goings-on. No need to ruin a suit, after all. That, and she's come to expect the whole skidding-across-the-ground-at-30-mph when it comes to fighting Ryu in the first place. Offering a broad smile and wave towards the nomad, she says, "Nothing -too- major," as an addendum to Ralf's sentiments, "And I won't get -too- mad at the use of all those wooshy fireballs this time. Promise."
Yeah, right. She'll be turning the air blue the moment she gets bowled over by one. But at least she's making a token effort!
"To sweeten the deal, you win this one, and we'll drag you along with us to that snazzy Italian joint. Won't have to change or anything, and the food's excellent. Just... don't be too shocked if the waitstaff unanimously decide that rampant dickery is their modus operandi." Heh. "Snooty the Wonder Butler," she repeats, casting a sidelong glance at Ralf. "I'm gonna have to fight tooth and nail to come up with more winning lines."
As the orange projectile arcs through the space between Ralf and Ryu, a practiced hand snaps up and snatches the back out of the air with a gesture that looks to be more reflexive than conscious, considering that Ryu barely looks towards the item until it's held in-hand, at which point he turns it over and eyes the bag of... Cheetos. Alright then. The nomad blinks once or twice, not out of any overt /displeasure/ regarding the gift, but... Well, it's not exactly what he would have expected. Coming to terms with the finger-staining snack-item, Ryu places the big grab behind him on the steps, apparently deciding to leave the dangerously cheezy foodstuff for after the business that brings them here, which Ralf is good enough to get right to. Nope, not many people come out this far just to talk to Ryu, that's for sure. What, it's happened... Maybe two or three times since he showed up in town, if one doesn't count Sakura.
"Thanks." The World Warrior offers by way of requisite appreciation, not adverse to junk-food now and then. But Ralf knows that by the way Ryu wolfed down the burger the last time, right? A nod accompanies the word, towards Jones, and then Ryu answers Vanessa's wave with a second nod, the slight smile returning to his face, "You brought backup this time." He observes. After all, the redhead's been showing up for the occasional training spar without benefit of a skilled partner, but apparently today, she wants to make a /real/ show of it... Or maybe Ralf was the guilty party, there. Dark eyes pan to the Ikari a moment in consideration, and then Ryu amends, "I'm no good at turning down free food, or a good fight." Of course, they come here playing on his weaknesses. Manipulative bastards, "As for your temper..." Those brown orbs turn back towards the redhead, "I'll believe it when I see it." The lighthearted tone and ghost of a smile that lingers more in his eyes than on his face confirm that the nomad isn't particularly concerned about the comments, at this point.
..... So long as she doesn't leave him battered in a back lot again.
"You're so full of shit." Ralf looks over at Vanessa, a smirk on his lips at her self-proclaimed control regarding flying balls of concussive light.
Dusting his hands off with smacks against one another, he looks back to Ryu, standing up at his full height with straight posture. "We appreciate this, you know. And I'll try not to fall unconscious too quickly this time, how about that?" Hands lift, fingers twined between one another as they do so, causing joints to pop and muscles to get used to working again. As the hands part, his shoulders roll back, his right palm falling to his waist as his left arm does a windmill sort of thing, bent at the elbow so he's not simply swinging around like some stupid dorkass.
His motions pause as Vanessa starts talking about IF Ryu wins. If? Is there any doubt? The man gives her a blank stare for a few seconds, one of those things that indicates the recipient is crazy, has some kind of freaky alien creeping out of their nostril, that kind of thing. "Well..whatever, huh? Go ahead, let's get started! I'm hungry!" With his near hand, he just..pushes Vanessa forward. Not hard, you know, not aiming to topple her over or something. Maybe..just maybe, he might be the guilty party here. After all, wasn't it his choice to fight the Ansatsuken prodigy alongside his affiliate? He, himself, though? He stays back, bending at the knees in a sort of sumo squat, still warming up..
COMBATSYS: Ralf has started a fight here.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ralf focuses on his next action.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ryu has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
COMBATSYS: Vanessa has joined the fight here.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Smirking broadly at both of them outright chiding her for lying through her teeth, Vanessa raises her hands in mock-surrender, shaking her head. "Alright, alright-- I'll probably be just as much of a whiny little bitch about it, but I'll at -least- make an effort not to call you a cocksucker this time," she says to Ryu, grinning broadly. She's gotten used to getting bested by the guy, and their last couple of matches havn't been TOO swearing-centric, so... she's got -that- going for her. S'ides, every time she DOES call him that, she gets hit with something brutal.
"An-- OOF!"
Mmkay. She wasn't expecting to get -shoved-, which is made clear by the less-than-graceful stumble that's made, her eyes turning to look at Ralf irritatedly. "Age before beauty, huh?" she quips over her shoulder with a halfsmirk, cracking her knuckles as she watches Ryu closely. Much as she -could- use his particular method of warming up... she doesn't, for the time being. Instead, she moves in for a fast one-two against the Ansatsuken master's chest, the blows quick, and clearly more in the vein of getting into her groove than anything else. But it's -something-. At least she's not being a pussy in HANGING IN THE BACKDROP like -some- people.
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Vanessa's 1-2 Puncher.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Well. Count on Ralf to start things off with an unorthodox spin. Not that Vanessa doesn't move to capitalize on it. Ryu's still standing more or less neutrally when the redhead's shoved forward, but that doesn't mean he's not paying attention... The comment shot over Vanessa's shoulder is telling enough of what's coming, and while Ryu may not be in the perfect defensive stance just now, his own reflexes are honed enough to not /need/ long, drawn-out minutes of warm ups like the old, frail, Ikari. He hides behind his own fists, instead of the boxer's, as well, backing off a measured half-step with the strikes as he raises one hand, and then the other, in a quick upwards half-rotation, smacking the back of his presently-ungloved hands against each of the redhead's punches in quick succession, the staccato thwump of knuckle on knuckle leaving Ryu with a momentary sting.
... But little beyond that, the impact of the strikes deflected outward rather deftly, as Ryu moves to capitalize while Vanessa's defenses are forced wide, stepping in on his right and (hopefully) bringing himself deftly inside her guard, his right fist lashing out in synchronous force that falls forward with his weight, the triphammer punch thrown light a straight, but angled downward... Aiming to collide squarely with the boxer's exposed solar plexus, and drive her into the ground. It's not often that Ryu fights without the gloves, but really... Their quick-start before he retrieved them has more potential intimidation-factor than actual risk. There's no /question/ that this man is in complete control of every aspect of every move he makes.
"Go, go!" That's Ralf's immediately response when he gets that icy glare, his shit-eating grin quite evident on his face. Sure as hell isn't the mushy type after all, is he? Additionally..she's been upgraded from 'bar buddy' to 'fellow employee' as he had only recently found out, and..well, Heidern teaches tough love. While this may mean that the redhead will be on the forefront of Ryu's assault, it..shit. It builds character or something. Yeah, that's how he'll explain it, character and fighting prowess. The bruises? Why, they're simply marks, rungs on the ladder of accomplishment!
Pff.
Gloves. Whatever. Those things don't do much to stop the trains that Ryu's fists seem to emulate. In any case! Hanging back, stepping a bit to the side..it might be a dirty thing, but Vanessa's keeping Ryu busy is like..strategy or something. He does wince as the woman's opening attack is so effectively thwarted, and Ralf takes another couple of steps to the side, trying to get..well, on his side. He doesn't have much time to watch and wait, but soon enough, he drops to a crouch, smacking the grass with his feet before springing up! ..Up..and, he's actually pretty high for a man his size. He's by no means able to clear a building, but shit, you could walk right under him easily. The approach toward Ryu is only mild at first, until his body turns to the point that he's falling head-first at an angle, his weight letting him get a good deal of momentum..more than what should be really, but that's anime physics for you. His right fist curls up and extends, striking out just before his Supermanesque flight does, hopefully, let him fire an exploding punch at the other man's head, and, ideally, not run into Vanessa. This was timed, see. Yeah. Yeah.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa blocks Ryu's Sakotsu Wari.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Bruises are nothing. If she can take a deep gouge to the chest from Freeman, she can handle the tell-tale burning sensation of this guy's Hadoukens. ...Kinda. ...Alright, probably -not-. Offering up an obvious swear the moment that it's clear that Ryu's blocking her, she's quick to initiate her own defense, the fast nature of her previous attack maknig it easy to bring her arms up to meet the blow. It still -hurts-, of course... like a -bitch-, but she's willing to let her arms take the full brunt of the assault. Taking a couple steps back once her arms lower, she gets out of Ralf's way immediately, her eyes focussed largely on Ryu for the time being.
Surprisingly, she doesn't move in for another attack-- not -yet- anyway. Instead, she makes it a point to gather her wits about her, using the elder Ikari's distraction as a means to do so without too much interruption. At least... here's -hoping-, anyway. Nevermind that she's pretty impressed with Ralf's airtime, a light whistle coming from her in direction response to it, momentarilly distracting her from watching the World Warrior.
"Talk about a stunt that needs theme music," she comments, grinning, though she doesn't expect much of any response. Last thing she wants to do is distract the guy.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa focuses on her next action.
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Ralf 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ralf successfully hits Ryu with Springing Dive Bomb Punch.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Ralf 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Theme music or no.... Ralf crashes in /hard/. It's not that Ryu doesn't /see/ him coming... But with the momentum forward, and Vanessa's deft retreat, he just doesn't have anywhere safe to go, and his attention has to remain diverted between the pair... And it's diverted at just the /wrong/ moment... Namely, when Ralf supermans in, the explosive fist colliding squarely indeed with the side of Ryu's skull, his head snapping violently to the side as he slams to his knees in the grass, digging a rather notable rut with both legs before the force is finally stopped with the flat of one palm to the cool ground, Ryu's teeth gritted from the sheer impact of that. It's not often he gets hit that hard, particularly not out of the blue, but he's got plenty more fight where that came from... And his response is /instantaneous/. Rather than right himself, plot his assault, Ryu's counterattack is pure reflexive instinct, the World Warrior lashing out of his forced crouch and straight up back /into/ the landing Ikari, the nomad's force propelled upwards by a train-wrecking right fist, his force further accentuated by the spring of his powerful legs, the entire affair focused by an echoing, determined shout of, "Shoooryuuuuuuken!!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ralf blocks Ryu's Shoryuken.
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Ralf 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
Instantaneous as the reaction may be, Ralf is right the fuck up on his game today.
Now shoot him for any reference to 'on his game'. Jesus christ.
The strike comes as much of a surprise to Jones as anyone else! Landing in a crouch just beside Ryu, he scrambles up to his feet, thoughts of pulling back immediate in his mind through far, far too many bouts with the big guy. Hit and run, hit and run, standing jungle tactics, wear them down while staying out of harm's way. Unfortunately, harm's way seems to encompass a mile in every direction with that way a fist immediately rises to retaliate. He does what he can though, arms crossing tightly, leaning back and hoping to lessen the pain of impact. It works, too. With a dull smack of knuckles against rock-like flesh, Ralf is indeed spared the agony of having his head knocked clean off. The force was so great that his arms are lifted though, the man taking a step or three back in the process.
And then, the stinging kicks in. "Motherfuckofgoddammit!!" he barks out, shaking his arms, cooling down the red spots on his arms that are quite likely to bruise later on. Usually, this is the time that he would go in swinging again, pissed off. ..But not now, just just yet. Instead, as Ryu starts to descend, Ralf rushes right in again, leaning forward and..christ. He aims to headbutt Ryu right in the gut, or the chest maybe, as he lands. Revenge! ..For revenge. This is complicated.
To her credit, Vanessa resists the urge to give a ch-- Oh, hell with it.
"YEAH!" is shouted out enthusiastically, the redhead's apparent glee at seeing the move land made all too plain. "Atta boy! Now let's see y-- Ooooh, crap," comes out as she sees Ryu gear up for the attack-- of course, she's -doubly- thrilled to see Ralf defend almost instantly, which isn't exactly an -easy- manuever from where he's currently positioned. Nonetheless, the fact that he manages it is encouraging her to move in with her own round of assaults.
Trying -not- to laugh at Ralf's instant whining over the fact that he's been hit, she rushes in for her own attack, planning on laying into the nomad with a fierce uppercut to his chin, a move that's actually... not as telegraphed as it usually is. There's not one, but -two- feints that come of it, the move looking like the same set of jabs that came before. All until, of course, she ducks down and instantly snaps up to deliver the intended blow, her voice raising in an incoherent shout of exertion. And even if it isn't exertion, it sounds more dramatic!
Of course, once she's -in-, she's right back outta there, skirting back a few paces and, alternatively, shaking out the hand that delivered the punch, regardless of whether or not it hits. Well... if it whiffs, there'll be more cussing.
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Ralf's Strong Throw.
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Ralf 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Vanessa's Dash Puncher.
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Ralf 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
Ryu twists through a graceful spin at the apex of the mighty Rising Dragon punch... It's been said that this motion is entirely superfluous, needless flair that delays the nomad's descent. But... Most people miss the fact that it gives him a moment to survey the full three-hundred and sixty degrees around his landing zone, and slows his descent with the upwards force by design as much as anything. Now, one might think that means he's dropping right into Ralf's bull charge without a prayer... But the nomad's been taking a few lessons in aerial improvisation with how much the Shoryuken has bitten him in the ass lately, and as he drops, his arm stretches out towards Ralf....
Palm meeting the Ikari's shoulder moments before the nomad touches the ground, a firm but hardly painful shove carrying him cleanly away from Jones and landing him with a subtle twist that sees him weaving away from the feints, eyes holding to Vanessa as the actual strike comes, the unfooled Ryu swinging his body forward into an angled horizontal forearm which intercepts and pushes the redhead's strike forward, the bruising impact dulling into hardened musculature. Vanessa's quite retreat seems almost a favor to Ryu, as rather than work at pursuing the boxer just this instant, he has the opportunity to turn back towards Ralf, attempting to put a dead stop to the man's forward momentum as his arms sweep forward from a point by his waist, hands shifting as a voluminous blast of fiery red chi blooms forth from both palms, the surge brought together as the heels of his hands meet before him...
Sending a searing, swirling conflaguration of superheated wrath across the short distance between himself and the Ikari, the very tips of the grass between them searing beneath the passage of the rampantly luminescent ball of napalmy ouch, "Hadooooouken!!!!" Hell, Ralf already used that explosive chi against the side of Ryu's head... Maybe it's Jones' turn to be asploded?
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Ralf with Shakunetsu Hadouken.
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Ralf 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
Ow. Ow. WORLD OF HURT. JESUS. OW.
And so it is that Ralf is caught right in the back as he is sent stumbling past, feet clomping against the ground sloppily as he tries to keep control through the loud yell of searing chi. Fireball whore!
But really. His left arm pulls back, hand quick to touch the afflicted area. Sure, he wears a nice, thick vest..but damn if that didn't burn through all the time. The clothes are mostly intact, simply a lot of black, charred bits in a large circle, and that hand stays there even as Ralf drops to his knees, bent over and using the other hand to keep him up. "Haha, yooou..god, you little bitch," he utters, not TOO loudly, and the words are choked by a short chuckle in the middle. Yeah, it's been a while since he's had something like that happen to him, and he remembers how it FUCKING HURTS YOU WHORE! "Mmph, christ, boy.." he yells, finally getting up, but still bent over to accomodate the burning sensations in his back. "You're supposed to be helping HER, hit HER!" Chivalrous, isn't he?
COMBATSYS: Ralf focuses on his next action.
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Ralf 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/-----==|
Terribly so.
The insistance causes Vanessa to blink noticably, the wry temptation to smack the man upside the head certainly -there-, but she's got another primary target to focus on. As is, there -is- an empathetic wince that comes with the nomad smacking the living hell out of her colleague, but that's to be expected. Even if the out and out power that's thrown into it is something she wasn't quite expecting this early on.
Oh well. All's well that ends well.
"Christ almighty Jones," she snarks at him, seeming to pay most of her attention to the elder Ikari, "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you left your goddamn balls at home. An' here I thought you were all good to cowboy up-- after all, s'just a crazy hermit, right?" Her eyes go back to Ryu, a broad smirk coming before a "No offense," is uttered, her movements taking her closer to the world warrior as she studies him.
Once again, there's a similar tactic-- more feints. Light punches at best, all of which seem like they're a prelude to the furious rain of blows she usually pummels people with-- in this case, however, she takes a couple steps back if they're deflected, which should be easy for Ryu considering, her tongue lashing over her lips as she gives what -looks- like a genuine expression of frustration. Until, of course, there's that tell-tale burst of speed, one arm coming around in a left hook, a bright arc of amber following swiftly behind it, while the other comes up to greet his chin with a merry HALO THAR, the motion trailed by the same cutting energy. Seems she's been honing it a bit more than last time-- as is, it's coming across as quite a bit brighter than before.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa successfully hits Ryu with Forbidden Eagle.
- Power hit! -
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Ralf 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Ryu
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Vanessa 0/-------/---====|
Unf. Even as Ralf is launched backwards, Ryu is left with a rather unwelcome barrage to deal with... Most of the feints are seen for what they are, a couple of the lighter strikes deflected lest they turn into something more dangerous... But his guard isn't so effective once the redhead lashes out with her real strength, the barrage of fists with their energy-backup slamming through a raised block and into his face, head again thrown to the side by the strike, this one accompanied by a spray of blood, a cut that only intensifies as the boxer's uppercut crashes home. Reeling backwards, Ryu spits blood into the grass reflexively, a nasty-looking cut raised on the side of his skull that took both that last hook and Ralf's initial strike, skin already colouring a rather angry mix of darkened hues. Despite this, the nomad grits his teeth and once more launches himself directly back in, fighting Vanessa's forward momentum with a quick leap in and up, his right leg snapping out before him in the ascent as his entire body twists a full three-hundred sixty degrees in an instant. The violent twist stirs a gust of wind beneath Ryu, and carries a rotorblade of a kick in and around for Vanessa's skull... But it doesn't stop there. Again and again the nomad's foot comes about, hurtling him into the boxer in gravity-defying, forceful flight.
Also, he totally yells, "Tatsumaki Senpuuuuu Kyaku!!!!!!"
"Shut up! It's tactics!" ..Sorta. You know, distracting a guy one way so you can CLOBBER THE FUCK OUT OF HIM from the other. After all..it worked in the beginning of the fight, right? Right. Besides, give him a little leeway, he just got nailed REALLY HARD in the back, if you hadn't noticed! Sorry he's already in pain from having the equivelant of a MOON-SIZED SUPPOSITORY! Jaysis. Arching his back a little more, shifting his shoulders to issue a dull crack of a popped joint, Ralf then heaves a small sigh of relief. The burning is okay, that'll die down, but joints being jarred from the force of the hit is something else entirely. Those're things that'll make you wince in the middle of an attack, make you lose your footing, or any number of things that you really don't need.
..Wait, though. For whatever reason, Ryu is taking his advice! Shit, not doesn't he feel like a heel for running his big mouth? Tactics, hell, he's just talking bullshit. "Fuck me," he mutters, already breaking into a full-on run for the meat-blender that is Ryu. "Crazy bastard is actually doing it!!!" See? Exclamation points for POWER. Once more, it's a simple rush, fully telegraphed. Instead of a headbutt this time, his arms spread out in front of him, putting all his weight into a hopeful collision with the other man, wanting to literally tackle him out of the air and down to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Vanessa with Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 1/-------/=======|
Too little too late, though. At least, to save Vanessa from her poor fate of nomad-feet across the face. ..But remember! It builds character!
...
Yelling ferally as the kicks woefully collide with the redhead's facemeats, it's all Ralf can do to tackle Ryu down like some sort of meaty tackle dummy. Both men hit the ground hard, a grunt coming from Ralf as he scrambles up to..to..uh. To straddle Ryu's ribcage, immediately going into a flurry of hard, quick strikes toward his face. He's tough, he knows he can take it, and as opposed to the 'ORAORAORAORAORA!' he usually spouts, his jaw is clenched, forcing out a quick "Shit!" in the middle. Pausing for only a moment, he rears back with his right fist, winds up, and plants one more heavy swing into the man, the point of impact igniting with a brilliant flash of fire and smoke. Payback, if you will. A second after that, unless Ryu is ungodly quick on the whole 'vengeance' bit, Ralf will get up, but not away, unfortunately.
(>^^)> _>.>/ />.>/ <.</ I~K~A~R~I D~A~N~C~E P~A~R~T~Y >.>/ <.<\ <.<_ <(^^<)
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Vanessa's Dash Puncher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 1/------=/=======|
When Ryu lays eyes on Ralf again, the World Warrior is already summoning up an absolutely epic level of raw chi... A brilliant flash centeres on the void between his cradling hands, fingers splayed by his side in opposing directions as a tremendous, swirling rush of luminescent blues cascade together, the blue-whites touched by dark swirls of near-black cerulean, the vortex drawing fiercely on the air about it as it builds to ever greater potential in mere instants, threatening to consume the fluttering edges of Ryu's gi, the long tails of his headband similarly reaching for the potent mass at his side... Until it's swept forward, the dense wave driving a straight line for the Ikari, consuming dirt and grass in its dramatic path for Ralf's chest, a deep scar dug in the landscape as the all-consuming, ultimate Hadouken threatens to envelope Jones, "Hadooooooooouken!!!!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Ralf with Shinkuu Hadouken.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ralf 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 1/------=/=======|
"Aw fuck."
At least, that's what Ralf WANTS to say. His jaw merely drops, the first sound barely coaxed out of his larynx when Vanessa, in all her glory, goes flying in...and flying past. It does draw Ralf's eyes for a moment, and when the blur is gone, there's this HUGE MASS OF DEATH swirling about in Ryu's hands! Maybe if he had been further back, he might have at least a snowball's chance in hell of getting away from the blast. Right here? Shit. Doing all he can to brace himself, Ralf WANTED to cross his arms in front of him, steel his muscles, generally prepare himself for the nice gout of pain he can expect.
Ryu, of course, delivers. And how. The shot, hell, more of a cannon shell fires right into Ralf's entire upper body, the man's limbs too slow to do anything to quell the ridiculous force. He doesn't even get the luxury of digging his feet into the ground to skid back, simply lifted up and back, travelling with the projectile as it slams him...right..into the house. Those new boards are wrecked under his bulk, the dainty little shack shaking with the violation. The boy probably didn't mean to wreck his home, but..what was that about keeping everything in check?
Ah well. At least Ralf's good enough at heart to offer to help fix the house. HELP. Not totally do it. Half of this was Ryu's fault, after all. ..Sorta. In any case, once the clatter and splintering sounds cease, there isn't really any sound coming from inside. Maybe..maybe Ralf has been killed! For a man that boasts about his ability to survive nukes, he's proving to be quite fragile today.
Stumbling past Ryu as he casually sidesteps her attack, Vanessa is quick to issue up her usual response to such occurance. "SHIT!" comes out first, followed by, "Motherfucking... sonuva-- -CHRIST-!" all of which is quite obviously shouted throughout the sudden buildup of power, which is enough to cause the redhead to whip around and get her out of her momentary temper tantrum. Blinking at the sudden charge the air has to it, she's most interested in keeping -herself- out of harm's way, though a peripheral glance is lent towards Ralf in the interim-- what she ends up seeing, of course, causes an obvious grimace to come over her features, either of her arms still raised in a defensive posture.
Well, then. Now that we know where we all stand...
That, however, tears it. The second that the energy leaves Ryu's hands, the woman doesn't waste any breath on insults or smart talk. In this case, it's all about moving in as fast as possible and tearing into the world warrior with the same battery she's delivered on him in earlier times, her fists swinging at him at a devestatingly fast pace, ranging through all manner of standard attacks before the last four land with as much energy as she can possibly throw into it. Every single punch she hits with, or -doesn't- hit as the case may be, there's another stream of rather... -interesting- insults, though it's mostly to keep her mouth occupied in lieu of incoherent shouting.
Really.
Honest.
But wait!
"RRAAAAAAAH!"
Exploding with power, Super Saiyajin Ralf comes back from the grave!
...Alright. So it's just Ralf, busting out of the house, splinters and pieces of wood still clinging to him, with large stretches of his skin marred with the blood that comes from tearing through wood with your body..unvoluntarily. The pause gives LOTS of time for Vanessa to get in and to her thing, for Ryu to..whatever. Ralf's approach is slow, marked by heavy clomps in the grass, with his right arm raised for a simple, but strong punch, swinging in a roundhouse with enough force to bring him whirling in a half-circle as he passes Ryu, hit or miss.
COMBATSYS: Ryu parries Vanessa's Champion Puncher!
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ryu parries Ralf's Exploding Vulcan Punch!
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-------|
Hell. From the first instant of this fight, these two have been /all over him/ with everything they've got. Not that Ryu didn't expect that, but the fervor of it is still a hard thing for anyone to entirely parse before actually /seeing/ it first hand. Still, one of the nomad's most notable strengths is his ability to play catch-up, to analyze and adapt, regardless of /how/ battered he may be, or how hopeless the situation may seem... As such, his answer to tremendous force with tremendous force is built upon, Ryu quickly twisting to face Vanessa as the Vacuum Surge Fist deals its full force across a nice, broad Ikari target. He's well aware that she's coming in hard with something big... He hasn't seen Vanessa really go all-out yet this fight, and it's no surprise that it comes in answer to his own potent technique. Still, the powerful flurry of punches is met with expert precision, Ryu matching Vanessa's pace punch for punch.
Ryu barely sacrifices distance at all, weaving with blurring alacrity from side to side as her fists sail towards his face, his palms rising in perfect alignment to catch and simply shove aside each of the body shots or strikes he can't quite move away from. The motion of his hands in answer is absolutely fluid, diverting the force of the redhead's punches off to the side, rather than absorbing the force into his guard as per usual. It's a roll that's compounded as the World Warrior instinctively turns to face Ralf, snapping a hand to the side of the powerful Ikari's wrist as the potent punch sails in, diverting that singular, brain-jarring strike to the side as Ryu simply leeeeans in, away from Ralf and in towards Vanessa....
Then it's his turn to snap his right around, that fist coming down to his side as he drops to a crouch, and launching straight upwards out of it, a forceful right aligned with the underside of Vanessa's chin at point-blank range, the nomad's entire frame carried skyward with a rocketing, dramatically fast ascent with rather infamous power, echoed by the trademark, focusing cry of, "Shoooryuuuuuuuken!!!"
Swing, and..a miss! Dammit!
While lacking the brute force of his favored Phantom, the punch was still meant to connect cleanly, to slow him down just enough to keep him from swinging past and around in a full circle before finally falling down flat on his ass.
Which, of course, is what he does now. Gracelessly landing on his kiester with a harsh grunt, he has to take a moment to smack his forehead with the palm of his hand, shaking it much like Ryu did earlier. The difference, however, is that his reason is just to keep the world from spinning around. Being thrown into a shack and then spinning like a damned fool does that, you know!
Though, that familiar cry, the mark of Ryu's damnable rising punch, THAT rouses Jones quickly enough. Surely he wouldn't hit him with that when he's this low, right? It'd be stupid! One eye opens, and while the nomad is still right there, he's facing away, and..shit. Vanessa is in for some horrible punishment if she doesn't do the smart thing and GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY! ..You know, assuming she can.
Issueing a groan, Ralf pushes himself up, grimacing as his battered muscles rebel against his decision. Rising from a crouch, his right hand balls into a fist, streaking upwards and ahead as he stands, aiming for Ryu's back on the way down, if not on the way up, immediately pulled back for another string of fast blows aimed semi-randomly, each swing marked with another fiery explosion, hoping to marr the godly fighter much the same way his fireball did to Jones himself.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa fails to counter Shoryuken EX from Ryu with Parrying Puncher.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
Oh yes. That stream of obscenities. It's only getting louder the more that Vanessa's blows are bitchslapped straight outta the air by the man in front of her, her every wish focussed on simply -trouncing- this guy. "Goddamn -piece of shit- son of a -syphallitic whore-!" is shouted, though it's unclear as to whether it's actually aimed at Ryu or if it's just... frustration coming out in the form of momentary tourettes. It's not fair! It -isn't-! They were doing -so well-! Of course... -now- is around the time that the redhead starts -seriously- losing her cool, and that means... the moment that she sees that attack coming at her at a breakneck pace, she's obligated to do -something- about it. Sadly, with the world moving in slow motion, there's only so much one -can- do, especially when they're as -royally pissed off- as she is in the first place.
Time to give it her all.
Which, unfortunately, turns into a fat lot of nothing the moment that she lashes out to catch the man off-guard, the connecting fist sending her sprawling without much effort needed on Ryu's part in the first place. Every possible cuss that's come out of her is staved off in lieu of a pained yelp as she skids across the ground, her vision -once again- set to guassian blur mode. It's like a photoshop filter, only ten thousand times more annoying, and just as agonizing. Really, these days, she's surprised she still has all her teeth.
Rolling to her side at first, the poor girl can only look... stunned, really. Propping herself up on her elbow and further to a sitting position, she can only hope that Ralf's own assault will do them both some good. After all, passed out isn't a great way to enjoy an Italian dinner.
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Ralf's Vulcan Punch.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
Ryu drops back earthward with a subtle extension to his twist that brings him down in-line with Ralf's charge, leaving the Ikari with hardened forearms to contend with rather than the World Warrior's comparatively vulnerable back. The forceful strikes against his guard sting, and sear, thanks to that fiery, explosive chi summoned up by each, but the nomad holds firm against the barrage, backing up only slightly as the strikes rain in, angling his guard to deflect as much of the pain as possible /away/ from his more tender spots. That Vanessa is down for the moment is as much sensed as observed - He felt his fist connect squarely with her chin, after all... There aren't two many people who rush right back in after eating a full-on Shoryuken. Luckily for Ralf, that makes him Ryu's priority just this instant, the nomad launching himself up and in against the Ikari's forward momentum just as the onslaught ends, a lightning-quick singular turn accelerating his twirling momentum to impressive heights in that half-second of twist, his right foot snapping out before him, aligned to drive a single, efficient kick cleanly into Jones' face. He's not backing off his momentum yet. Not by a long shot.
COMBATSYS: Ralf blocks Ryu's Senpuu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
Ryu's fortitude is something monstrous to behold, surely. Ralf's teeth grit again as the other guy just..jesus. Pulls things through in the home stretch and swing the bar in his favor, absolutely EMBARASSING the two mercenaries in the process. With his bandana nearly having slipped off the side of his head, his bangs stick to his face, slightly damp from the sheer effort of trying to keep up with the Ansatsuken bastard. It's rough!
So punch after punch is swatted, taken in more durable parts, or just flat-out miss, something infurating indeed. His arm simply drops at the end, his posture slightly slouched, heaving in a breath just as he..god. He still recalls how bad those kicks hurt, and Ralf has rather been enjoying his non-near-concussion state as of late. With a slight lurch to his right, his left arm rises, stopping the kick cold against his heavily-muscled forearm. His eyes lift, looking directly at Ryu, a slight grin creeping across his face as if to say, "Look! Look what I did!" His parents would be proud.
Immediately, or at least, as quickly as the battered Ikari can handle, he reaches out in retaliation with both arms, one hand moving to clamp down on Ryu's arm and the other, the front of his gi.
That's just the thing. Embarassment. Unfortunately, what it comes down to is the fact that Vanessa's still in the midst of losing her temper. What this -means- is that every move she's making is telegraphed thanks to the sustained injuries. Seems to go like this in most fights-- she starts to win, she starts to lose, she gets pissed, she tries her level best to Fuck Shit Up in the most immense way possible. In this, regardless of whether Ryu dodges, blocks, or is caught by teh hold that Ralf gets him in, it's in the same instant that he's pulling away from the other mercenary that she moves in for her own assault.
There's nothing pretty about it. There's no zig-zagging or weaving around the guy in some remarkable pattern. No, what she's looking for is a good old-fashioend curbstomping. Except, well. In this case, it's punches. Four of them, each one coming at the world warrior with a fair bit of strength put behind it.
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Vanessa's Puncher Weaving.
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Ralf's Super Argentine Backbreaker.
[ \\\\\ < > /////// ]
Ralf 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
Ryu lands out of the less prodigious version of his imitation of an upside-down helicoptor lightly, already pushing off backwards as Jones reaches for the front of his gi, a sweep of his hand knocking one of the Mercenary's hands away as he glances aside at Vanessa's charge... This.. is going to be tight. Timing it carefully, Ryu twists away from Ralf, answering Vanessa's violent series of weaving punches with weaves of his own, dancing away and aside of each strike, ducking the ones that sweep across from the side. It's a careful task to maintain his proximity - The World Warrior has no desire to get out of the fray just yet. Rather, as he finalizes his evasion with a last half-step back from the redhead, Ryu plants his left foot and twists once more, swinging his body around clockwise. His intent in this is twofold - One, as his right side turns by the dangerously close Jones, the nomad's corresponding foot veritably /shoots/ out and in, snapping in a powerful, simple, precisely executed side-thrust that launches in the most direct path from ground to face, attempting to reverse Ralf's charge rather forcibly... Hit or miss, the twist continues, Ryu utilizing his own momentum to bring him right back to facing Vanessa, hopefully aligned for whatever the redhead throws his way next. His dark eyes reflect not temper, not even pain. No anxiety, no hesitation - Only a fierce, intent focus that burns with passionate clarity.
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Ralf with Medium Kick.
[ < > //////// ]
Ralf 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Ryu
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|
There it is. Asshole couldn't go the entire fight without hitting Ralf in the head, and..there it is.
It's a simple thing, really. Ralf's head snaps back, the big man stumbling back a couple of steps, very nearly teetering right over. A firmly-planty, clumsy step keeps him from doing so, but he's obviously reeling, his eyes scrunched shut and the start of a healthy trickle of blood inking his skin under the nose and mouth. That mouth opens, meaning to issue some curse, some ...something, but nothing really makes it out of his brain. A stark contrast to the clarity that Ryu must be experiencing, Ralf is just...bwuh. That sums up all of his thoughts: bwuh. No elegence or planning here! Soon, the pain breaks through the haze to tap against the part of his mind that registers pain, and there's a very, very belated "FUCK!" Yes, fuck! Sure, you know, picking on Ryu MIGHT'VE been his idea, but time kind of washes over memories of how much the fucker actually hurts! Spitting out a small glob of blood onto the grass, his stance already shaky and bobbing, Ralf does the smartest thing ever!
He slaps his face.
The scream from doing such a bone-headed, idiotic thing can probably be heard over that damned rush hour traffic, but it serves a small purpose, at least. With teeth gritted and his already-hunched state, he..runs. At Ryu. Again. Poor bastard really should learn, and it's a bit hard to make Ryu himself out through the blurs and squinted eyes. Thank god Vanessa didn't wear white today, as he has to follow the color to home in on where to tackle.
COMBATSYS: Ralf can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Ryu
Oh, for the love of...
Facepalming once the attack hits Ralf dead-on, Vanessa's cringing noticably behind fanned fingers. Making a muffled growling sound into her palm, it's a wonder as to whether or not she's biting in the leather of her glove. This has, by and far, turned into one of the most -aggravating- fights she's ever been in. And while she waits for Ralf to do whatever it is he can, given how staggered he is by the kick that's thrown at him, the redhead finds herself face to face with Ryu once again. Yeah, yeah. She knows. She's well aware. And with her anger going overboard, this is exactly the right time to do something Really_Stupid(tm).
Regardless of whether or not the attack from Ralf lands... regardless of whether or not Ryu can see her attack coming from a mile away... all she needs is for him to be on his feet. In this, she all too casually strolls up to the gi-wearing Sir Dodge A Lot, her expression steely as ever. And, in a moment of childishness that regresses her back a good thirty years, she doesn't throw a punch. She doesn't make a feint. Oh no. She just stares at him.
And then?
-Then-, she kicks him in the shin.
-HARD-.
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Ralf's Umanori Vulcan Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Ryu
COMBATSYS: Ryu parries Vanessa's Strong Kick!
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Vanessa 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Ryu
Here he comes to save the day? At the least, Ralf's final rush makes Ryu divert a bit of attention to the Ikari once more, eyes narrowing between Jones and Vanessa, left with no choice but to dart aside and away from the burly mercenary, giving him little except proximity as Vanessa saunters up those last couple steps. Her expression is just about unreadable, her body language masked even without the feints... But there's enough sheer /force/ behind that shin-kick in the windup to tip off the intuitive World Warrior, and running as much on that innate, reflexive sense of the rhythm of battle as anything, Ryu drops low, his hand encircling Vanessa's leg just above the ankle as it comes forward. The nomad's powerful arm first absorbs the momentum fluidly, and then presses back against the kick with plenty of force to send it right back underneath the redhead... And perhaps set her off-balance for what follows. Ryu rises, and with a quick continuance that makes the entire defense and offense seem like one technique, his right hand darts for the front of Vanessa's shirt, seeking a steely clinch on the fabric, or chest at collarbone level.
... Should he find that grip? Well, she gets one more instant upright, and then suddenly, Ryu drops his weight backwards, dragging the redhead down above him to the grass... Though she doesn't get to stay there, his right leg snapping out at her midsection as his back drops to the dirt, combining its force with the leverage of his arm to hurl Vanessa clear, at an angle that means her reunion with the ground will /not/ be fun.
COMBATSYS: Vanessa blocks Ryu's Tomoe Nage EX.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Vanessa 1/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Ryu
Nah, though. Ralf goes flying past and just..plants down on his frontside. No way in hell is he getting up, but he's breathing, and thus alive. Now and then, one can hear "Kick his ass, sea bass!" now and then.
[OOC] Whip blinks... and points towards Vanessa, "Sea Bass?"
It's not loud. In fact, it's kinda mumbled, and you have to strain to hear it.
[OOC] Ralf :|
Vanessa's brought low, sure-- with an audible *OOF*, at that. Thankfully, the fact that she -was- made to fall is just enough to give her leverage to get the hell out of the way for the grab he makes at her, though that fall -hurt-, especially considering the compounded injuries that are running her ragged. Sneering noticably as she looks up towards him, she, once again, doesn't say a damn thing. Right now, it's all a matter of at -least- landing a worthwhile blow against the guy, and really... well. While it's not looking -hopeful-, since when was she ever one to outright give up?
Save when she's laughing her fool head off on account of bloodloss. But that, friends, is a good day into the future, so we'll forget about that for now.
At the -immediate- moment, there's more pressing matters at hand. Like, say... outright -launching- herself at the world warrior with just as much gusto as she's put into this fight to begin with, intent on grabbing hold of the front of his gi in much the same fashion that he tried to take hold of her shirt. Whether or not it's -successful-...
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Vanessa's Crazy Puncher.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Vanessa 0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1 Ryu
"You -GODDAMN PIECE OF- --"
She said she wouldn't yell at him! She did! And despite the fact that Vanessa's -furious- at every motion Ryu makes to deflect her blows, every insult that COULD be carried through is utterly lost once it gains a foothold on her tongue. Now would be the time to let loose a classic Charlie Brown AUUGH for the sake of blowing off some steam. Instead? Instead! The flurry of punches ends with her turning and smacking the living HELL out of a nearby tree. Nevermind that the tree wins, hands down, and causes her to shake the injured limb rapidly, a hissed breath pulled in through her teeth.
"That just.. -tears- it!" she shouts, to no one in particular. "How the -fuck- am I supposed to hit a guy that's faster than a fucking cheetah on crystal meth?!" More wild gesturing to be inserted <here>. "This is -crazy-! If I can't even land anything against you, how in -god's name- does that old geezer think I can help him take on -Vega- or all people?!" Snarl, gesture, etc. Instead of, you know, calming down and realizing that hitting the tree again would be a bad idea, she just... kicks it this time. Frustrated?
Heavens, no.
Really now. She's going to hurt his feelings, at this rate. Not that it stays Ryu's hands... He's shifting even as she gains a handhold on him, and her grasp proves to be rather finicky at best as his upper body twists and leans, arms brought around in-line with punch after punch, one or two slipping past to painfully graze the still-bleeding gash that graces his cheek, though thankfully, his nose seems to have stopped leaking, and he manages to deflect enough of the strikes not to get /that/ started up again. The backs of his hands, the hardened muscle of his forearms, and the absorbing sways of his body prove an effective deterrent to Vanessa's strikes, though he's saved the initial concern about how to answer it by the woman's sudden release, and retargetting of... the tree? The tantrum certainly diverts his attention, Ryu drifting back a couple steps despite the redhead's apparent preoccupation with the woodlands.
He's not in any condition to completely lower his guard, but he does take a moment ot ease back, letting go of the unrelenting pace he set for the latter portions of the fight and just... Breathing. Letting some of the aches and pains register and ease with a slow stretch of his body. Whatever Vanessa's frustrations about their performance, one look at Ryu's face - and the multiple sources of his own blood, dried and still-seeping - is enough to prove that the two of them certainly managed to land a few good whallops on him. To say the least. Vanessa's words stay Ryu further, however.
"Vega?" The World Warrior echoes, rhetorically, and just a bit incredulously. Part of him wants to follow that with 'Have you lost your /mind/?' But... That question shows clearly enough in the look Ryu fixes on the redhead for a lingering moment, and then he just shakes his head, letting out a low sigh, "I hope by old man, you mean the one in the park...." The expression on his face is nothing but dead serious now, "Though even with his kind of backup..." There's a million questions he could ask, a million lectures he could offer, but for the moment, all that comes out is, "I can't interfere in Gen's battle." Something in Ryu knows that, even if his facts are purely conjectural, "And if you want to live, neither will you. Do not draw Vega's strength down on you. Whether you have your reasons or not."
COMBATSYS: Ryu takes a breather.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Vanessa 0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1 Ryu
"I don't have -reasons-!" Vanessa retorts sharply, failing to take any further action against the man, despite the fact that he's an open target at the moment. "Gen wanted to fight me, he -did-, and immediately thereafter said, point blank, that I'm helping him. No questions asked, no -nothing-. What the hell am I supposed to do? Sit around and let some old guy beat the crap out've me for saying no? I've got my pride, but for god's sake... I don't know the guy's -reasoning- at all, but getting clobbered by some Big Evil Menace or -whatever- the hell that Vega guy sure as hell sounds better than getting my face kicked in by some old kodger who's gone gonzobonkers enough to wanna face him. He wants -me- there to deal with whoever Ye Olde Crimson Nazi decides to choose as backup."
Huff. Huff.
"Trust me, I'd -really- prefer not. But I'd -just- as soon not have that rickety old shithead following me to the ends of the earth trying to kick my ass for wimping out. I've already got -enough- people looking to skin me alive-- I don't need -him- added to the list." Another huff. There's more to it, obviously, but from the sound of it, she was legitimately badgered into it. And she was. "Thanks to him, I won't even have the time to let the gouges Freeman left behind heal properly. Ten bucks says the motherfucker cross'd my chest'll turn into a scar, the way -it's- looking. If not for him reopening it through all of that..."
A hand raises to the bridge of her nose, pinching at it fiercely. "Worse yet, he tells me I'm -gonna- do this when I'm already halfway bleeding to death, and the only way I figure I can get him to drag my sorry ass to the hospital is by saying 'yes.' I mean... come on. Why -me-? What the hell did I do other than give him a little information? ...Shit, why not -you-?"
And like, the conversation continues and crap. And TO BE CONTINUED, etc, because goddamn is Vanessa tired. z.z
Log created by Vanessa, and last modified on 11:49:38 04/29/2005.