Description: Ice meets fire in a vicious duel at the mall over a medal and a new outfit! Are you ready for mad Kula skills and awesome Saishu tactics? Are you *really* ready? Of course you aren't. Prepare to be blown away. (Winner: Saishu)
Evening-time at the village mall, and Kula diamond is as giddy as ever. With a scoop of ice cream in a cone that she works at with tactical licks to prevent it from dripping (what flavor? Why, cookie dough, of course) and several bags in her other hand, the girl seems to be pretty content. She's still just a little sore from her fight with Charlie earlier, but fortunately that's what the NESTS health care kit back at her apartment is for. It patches people up but good! ...but still leaves them hungry. Hopefully, in the near future, that'll be fixed.
Kula's still wearing her medals on her shoulder as she walks along, and then stops in front of a large glass window to look at the outfit inside. It's cute, and has a big purple butterfly on it, but...does she really need another cute t-shirt? The answer is, of course, yes. However, as she can't take food into the shop, she stands there impatiently, trying to eat her ice cream as fast as she ca-owwwwwwww. Ice cream headache. There's irony in there somewhere.
"Sir, please, if you're going to continue this behavior, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Behind the glass window upon which the adorable Kula Diamond's reflection is currently imposed, three clerks have accosted a middle-aged man dressed, highly anachronistically, in a green kimono, standing with his arms crossed and one hand vigorously scratching an armpit, huge grin gleaming and defiant eyes blazing. The young shoppers stare, some whispering amongst themselves and giggling, others simply stunned.
"What! What!" cries the elder man. As he rises to his full height out of his usual odd bandy-legged posture, a single medal on a piece of twine swings from his neck: it is a medal for the Southtown Medal Tournament. "Ha ha! Discrimination!" he declares, pointing fiercely at a clerk, who flinches back. "I won't stand for it! I'm here to buy a shirt for my wife!"
"Sir, first of all," the strongest-minded clerk doggedly replies, "we are allowed to refuse service to anyone. *Secondly*, I seriously doubt that we are 'discriminating' when we refuse service to a man who shouts at all the clerks."
"Ha ha! What're you blathering about? This is how I always talk!" exclaims Saishu Kusanagi, rather loudly.
"And *thirdly*, Mr. Kusanagi, this is a shop for teenage girls. Are you sure your wife would be interested in clothing from a place like this?"
Saishu's eyebrows, bushy as caterpillars, suddenly lift.
"What's that you're saying about my Shizuka!?"
"I'm... I'm not implying anything, sir..."
"What? What!?"
The standoff continues... but it looks like the medal-wearing Kusanagi elder is winning.
Wobbling a bit from the bit of cookie dough that decided to chill even Kula just a bit too fast, Kula puts a gloved hand to her forehead, and then blinks as she looks inside again. For a moment, she thought she saw a-...she did! Another one of those people with the medal-ly things! Sugar mixed with Kula means her grasp of the English language is somewhat less coherant than normal. The remains of the cone are toss aside to a convenient trash can, and Kula...stares down at her shopping bags.
She /did/ just pay for these...and doesn't want anything to happen to them. So she slips into the store, and waits until one of the clerks comes over to her, more than likely grateful to be away from Saishu. There's a small conversation wherein she asks him to place her things somewhere safe, and in return she promises to buy something from the shop once she's done with...well, the noisy guy.
And it's then that Kula...stands there. Cause she was taught never to interrupt adults when they're discussing business, so she just hops up and down eagerly, trying to contain herself, and hoping, hoping, /hoping/ that Saishu will spot her, and notice the medals. Pleasepleasepleaseplease.
"It has become clear to me," Saishu is saying to two numbed clerks, "that you have failed to learn even a modicum of respect for your elders, and furthermore -- ha ha! furthermore -- you are--"
Jingle-jingle-jingle. The Kusanagi elder's keen senses quickly pick up the sound of SMT medals ringing together, and his gaze snaps over to the young girl wearing them. What! Another little girl in this tournament? Clearly, the *last* one didn't tell the rest of them that they should steer clear! Who do they think they are, going around fighting at such a young age! It's not like he-- well, okay, but he didn't eat ice cream-- well, okay, but he didn't *pay* for the ice cream. And *that's* what counts.
No more time to think, it's time to act!
"Whelp!" he cries, eyebrows rising and grin growing only huger. "You dare to jingle your medals before me!? I, Saishu Kusanagi, will inspire terror in your very soul with the power of my passionate inner fire! To battle!" And charging forward, he leaps--
--over Kula's head, upon which he performs a series of totally awesome backhandsprings, promptly strains himself and collaspes, and tucks into a oddly graceful roll as though he meant to do it, rising and still grinning. He is now outside of the building, at least, and standing underneath the awning. Naturally, people are staring.
"Ha ha! Nice to meet you!" he adds.
COMBATSYS: Saishu has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/-------|
Thankfully, the ninja tv crew seems to have already cleared the area in front of the shop for an expected battle, and civilians have been spread out to make a nice large ring around the area, save with one end shaved off thanks to the edge of the building.
And stepping out of the building now, scratching her cheek with a gloved finger, is Kula who looks very confused by everything that's just happened. So confused, her cheerful bouncing as stopped as she tries to puzzle this out. ...and why does the name he said sound so familiar? ...it'll come to her.
Never one to enjoy a crowd watching, Kula just says in a small voice, "Um, I'm Kula, and-...." She pauses. Is she supposed to apologize for wearing the medals, or just acknowlege they're there, or...what? She just stands there for a moment, and then says, "I'm pleased to meet you, sir." At least she's polite about it. She shuffles over to a part of the pavement, and then says, "I ... guess we're trying to take a medal from each other then." There's that eh-heh smile on her face that comes with having about as many challenges in her as in most people who are still new to these tournaments. Not many. "Good luck!"
And that's when her hair shifts to blue as the temperature around her dips, and small flakes of snow fall from the ends. The ground around her feet also gets coated in a small layer of ice.
COMBATSYS: Kula has joined the fight here.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Saishu
Saishu looks a bit startled.
"Why, you're freezing!" he exclaims, looking appalled. "Why didn't you bring a jacket?" His eyes wwinkle as a grin begins to spread onto his features once again. "In that case... I'll have to help warm you up! OshAAA!" And slamming his right foot forward spiritedly, Saishu gracefully lunges into a sharp casting motion and tosses a large wave of flame directly at the young girl surrounded by frost.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Kula with Yami Barai.
- Power hit! -
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Kula 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Saishu
Hm-wha? Kula was busy making sure her gloves were on and her shoes were tied. And it was then she heard the comments. "Oh, the ice? No, you see, I-" Unfortunately, it's then that Kula lifts her head up, just in time to see the flame wave come at her. Oh. One of /those/ people.
There's that momentary 'deer in the headlights' look from Kula before she lets out a shriek and takes the flame blast full on. She's sizzling some when the flames die down, and it's a good thing she's got new clothes to change into as she pats out the bits that are still smoldering. Steam's rising from her hair as well. "Ow."
Kula takes a few deep breaths, and then skates forward. Less talking about what she can do, and more demonstrating. Kula reaches out to grab hold of Saishu's arm, and brings a knee over to try to knock him off-balance. That slick of ice that spreads around her should help. And then she's doing her best to throw him over her shoulder onto the ground.
COMBATSYS: Saishu fails to interrupt Medium Throw from Kula with Homura Gasane.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Saishu
Hah, no chance of *that* happening! Saishu spins once as his flame wave takes a devastating toll, and beaming, he continues his surge of flame as he sweeps forward and prepares to bring his arm up in another attack--
--and raises his arm right into Kula's hold. Er, whoops.
The Kusanagi elder goes for a tumble, but again, he rolls in that oddly graceful fashion -- somehow reminiscent of a turtle spinning on its back -- and rises into his low stance, still grinning. "Ha ha! You're not too bad, kid!"
Another pause from Kula, and she beams at the elder Kusanagi. "Thank you, sir!" She's polite, at least. She even continues smiling as she waits for him to get up, and then comes at him again, this time...falling backwards instead of attacking forwards? She's gone into a slide, and is bringing up her feet at his ankles to try to knock him back over and continue sliding on past.
COMBATSYS: Saishu blocks Kula's Slider Shoot.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Saishu
Saishu only has to twist just a bit to deflect the majority of the attack, revealing his experience in a subtle way; he's not going to waste any more movement than is necessary. Which is surprising, considering how his fighting style appears to most. You just have to understand that Saishu has a different definition of 'necessary' from the rest of us...
Preventing Kula from sliding by with the slight twist, Saishu emits a loud "HAH!" and aims up with a fierce kick right at the girl's stomach, planning to send her for her *own* tumble.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Kula with Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kula 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Saishu
If only Kula weighed more. If only she could break the 100 pound barrier. Then maybe she would've had a chance to actually do some damage to Saishu there, instead of just sliding to a stop against him, grinning helplessly, and taking a foot right to the stomach. "Ungh!" Yes, it seems Kula doesn't like being kicked in the guts much as she rolls onto her side, and then keeps rolling as she pushes herself back up. She coughs once and, apparently pleased no blood came up and her mouth doesn't taste like pennies, she brings her hand up to her mouth. Looks like she's going to blow you a kiss, Saishu! If only. Instead, a gust of cold wind comes at him, with small shards of ice and snow also coming to chip away at him.
COMBATSYS: Saishu blocks Kula's Diamond Breath.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Kula 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Saishu
"Ha ha ha ha!" Saishu squints in one eye, and cackling like the crazy old guy he is, he waves a hand dismissively -- except on close examination, he's not flapping his hand, he's quickly and deftly parrying a series of ice chips that might otherwise have gone right into him. He continues to chuckle even after the attack finishes, and then promptly sinks back into his fighting stance, waggling his eyebrows and grinning.
"Is that all you've got!? You'll have to show me more power than that! Witness! HaaaaAAAAAHHH!" And with a kiai so loud it makes the windows shudder, Saishu lets his flames ripple in gathering waves, grinning hugely as his fearsome aura begins to accumulate to oppressive levels...
COMBATSYS: Saishu gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Kula 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Saishu
Kula lowers her hand, and hrms a bit to herself. This fight isn't going as she had planned, and now...her oppponent's on fire? Well, there's only one thing to do about that! She has to put him out! And that's what Kula attempts to do, charging forward and sliding across the ground as she gathers up speed. Her coat slides off, and she coats it with ice before she tries to press it against Saishu and spin around behind him. What's her intent here? Flip him over her back onto the ground so she can put him out, of course! Stop, drop, and roll!
COMBATSYS: Saishu interrupts Strong Throw from Kula with Oniyaki.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Kula 1/=======/=======|=======\=------\1 Saishu
What's this!? Strange nubile young women trying to wrap articles of clothing around him? This is highly suspicious, if not entirely unusual! Well, Saishu won't stand for it. With a roar of fury he lunges, ready to strike even as the girl closes in, and rises up with a fierce uppercut, a gout of flame exploding around him as he sends the girl into the air. He spins once as he rises, and then lands easily, grinning hugely.
"Ha ha! Still cold!?"
Owowowowowow. Kula sizzles as she lands, and remains still for a moment. She's not eager to speak, and as for her coat...well, it's pretty much gone. There's one roasted sleeve still smoldering on the ground a short distance away. Kula's clothes...well, there's no wardrobe malfunctions at least, but she's going to need a very large vat of bactine later for some of those burns.
Slowly, climbing onto her hands and knees, Kula stays there, breathing deeply, and then seems to stop and hold her breath as she focuses. Nothing happens for a second...and then maybe it's just the crowd, but it gets a bit colder. Luckily for Kula, it seems there's a water pipe of some kind under the ground where they are, as suddenly a column of ice erupts out of the ground under Saishu, in an attempt to knock him off balance and into the air.
COMBATSYS: Saishu endures Kula's Freeze Execution.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Saishu
With the column rising, that's when the winds start to blow. It's just a cold breeze at first, but then it gets darker, and the real wind hits. A miniature gale, compacted down into one windstream that's completely directed at keeping Saishu aloft comes from nowhere, bringing with it arctic chills and shards of ice and snow to tear at him. Kula simply raises her arms as the winds blow over her, and even her frozen hair blows in it.
After a minute of this, the larger shards fly at Saishu, and then the wind starts to die down. Kula's arms lower, and she flops a bit back onto her hands and knees as she gasps for breath. Unsteadily, she stands back up, and wobbles on her feet for a moment. In what might be the most uncharacteristic moment Kula's had yet, she pushes back some of her hair, and says, "...cold enough?"
As the ground starts to rumble, Saishu looks up and blinks once. He appears to have been checking his fingernails. They are satisfactorily chipped and mangled. "Hmm?"
And then the geyser hits and lifts him up into the air, after which he is assaulted by wave upon wave of icy gale-force winds. It's impossible to see his expression, but surely this cannot be his best day yet.
As Kula slumps, the mist clears...
...and Saishu is lunging out of it, kimono torn, bleeding slightly from shallow cuts, and grinning with genuine enthusiasm.
"Not quite!"
He lunges forward, and reaches out with one burning hand to grasp the girl by her collar...
[OOC] Kula AUGHS!
[OOC] Kula says, "...oh god this is gonna be overkill."
[OOC] Saishu says, "Hey, it's not orochinagi. :D"
[OOC] Kula says, "...well, not much else I can do but pray."
COMBATSYS: Kula dodges Saishu's Koto Moon Infinity.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Kula 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Saishu
[OOC] Saishu says, "MADNESS."
[OOC] Kula says, "HOLY COW."
[OOC] Saishu says, "Nice. XD XD"
Long ago, in a time long-since greyed by Kula's memory (well, okay, just a few months ago, but Kula was watching tv at the time), she learned an important lesson from a friend. Never underestimate other people underestimating you. This is why, when Saishu lunges forward, Kula seems to be the perfect sitting duck for his attack. Until, that is, her legs straighten and she jumps, much like a certain opponent of hers, and flips over Saishu's head to land on her feet. NESTS doesn't make them quite /that/ breakable. Spinning around on the patch of ice that forms, Kula smiles cheerfully. "I'll do my best, then!" Kula charges forward again, and this time completely ignores throws and everything else, and forms claws of ice over her hands. Lashing out with one arm at Saishu's back, she spins, extending her arms to hit him not just once, not just twice, but three times. He's shown he's not holding back, so neither is she, and those claws are very, very sharp.
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Saishu with Claw Bites.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Kula 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Saishu
Aha. *This* is what he was looking for.
Despite his best effort, the girl genuinely somehow gets out of the way. Now *that's* fighting spirit. Lookit her. She's not holding back at all. It's comforting, really, seeing this sort of thing in the youth today. He wasn't expecting to see it right off, but, well... he's got to hand it to her. He wasn't nearly as strong a fighter as her when he was her age. Not out of a lack of talent; but he was proud and aloof and, well, a lot like a certain other Kusanagi, except he had a little pointy beard. And this girl isn't. She's just not holding back.
Saishu grins...
...and, overextended, is unable to avoid the fierce claw bites that tear into his back. He staggers forward, seems to nearly stumble, and then sweeps around in a sudden terrifying lunge. "Wah ha ha ha!" he cackles, but there's a new glint in his eyes, and his grin looks slightly different. It is revealed as not so much infinite cheerful enthusiasm as a good-humored and pleased respect. "Well done! However--"
He rears back with his right hand to prepare for a punch--
"--you're outta tricks now!"
--and slams his forehead into her face instead.
COMBATSYS: Kula blocks Saishu's Jab Punch.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Kula 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Saishu
The scary thing is? There's a part of Kula that's truly enjoying herself. For months she's been pondering why people fight; and now, with the adrenaline rushing through her system and the feeling that /this/ was the kind of combat NESTS had intended for her to take part in. She was finally living up to some of her potential! ...now if only she could figure out why people fight for /sport/.
Kula's head dips and spins slightly, bringing her ice-covered hair around to block her sight for just a moment, but it also acts as a nice hard helmet for Saishu's head to impact against. Several shards of ice fall down, and Kula crouches. Then she pushes off with one foot, skating in a tight circle behind Saishu, and a sharp shard of ice appears on one hand that she slashes at another part of his back with. Not as deep as the claws, but Saishu's going to want to definately buy a new shirt after this. ...just not in the same store Kula shops in.
COMBATSYS: Saishu dodges Kula's Behind Slash.
[ \\\\\\ < > //// ]
Kula 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Saishu
But there Kula makes a fatal mistake, for Saishu isn't wearing a *shirt*, he's wearing a *kimono*--
This may or may not be the reason why Saishu, apparently not minding in the slightest that he's just smacked his face into a friggin wall of ice, gleefully sways out of the way of Kula's slash, showing unprecedented agility. "Oh ho ho! You just don't know when to quit, kid!" He lunges once again in his fierce adaptation of Kusanagi-ryuu, and aims a flying kick right at Kula's face, finally going right for the knockout blow.
"Time to teach ya!"
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Kula with Medium Kick.
[ \ < > ///// ]
Kula 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Saishu
Sure enough, the knockout blow connects, as Kula seems to have a severe weakness to kicks. "Umph!" Kula falls down, and barely manages to get back up. ...and after she felt so proud, too. Darn. Kula wobbles a bit, and steps forward towards the smirking Saishu. Yeah, there's not much she can do, and it's weakly that she raises her arm, balls her hand into a fist, and attempts to weakly just *paf* it onto Saishu's chest. Hopefully, he'll think she's just being stubborn as she drops down to her knees and holds the hand there. Hopefully he won't notice the sudden drop in temperature, or the water starting to condense around him, or...well, hopefully he won't realize she's trying to encase him in a cage of ice before it's too late.
COMBATSYS: Kula can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Saishu 1/-------/=======|
[OOC] Saishu says, "Hmmm. Interesting."
[OOC] Saishu says, "However."
[OOC] Saishu says, "There is something you've failed to realize."
[OOC] Saishu says, "I fight... with SAISHU TACTICS."
COMBATSYS: Saishu endures Kula's Ice Coffin.
[ <
Saishu 1/-----==/=======|
[OOC] Duo Lon says, "You are the best man alive."
Oh, he notices. He notices, alright.
And he *laughs*.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha! Ha ha... ha..."
*cough*
"...ha..."
COMBATSYS: Saishu takes no action.
[ \\\\\\ <
Saishu 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Saishu has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\\ <
Saishu 1/-----==/=======|
[OOC] Kula says, "Oh you're KIDDING me."
[OOC] Duo Lon says, "..."
[OOC] Duo Lon says, "..."
[OOC] Duo Lon says, "..."
[OOC] Duo Lon stands in awe.
"...HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
And he does not fall.
"That's right, fool."
COMBATSYS: Saishu has ended the fight here.
Log created by Saishu, and last modified on 04:10:23 11/08/2005.