Description: It's a gangly pacifist versus a quiet giant, where we learn that hungry people are contortionists and Ikari have the hardest heads, ever! (Winner: Clark)
It's getting kind of chill, but not chill enough in these lands, for people to want to abandon the beach entirely. The days are still warm enough, at least. So it's no surprise that when the match was announced to be held at this place, lots of people showed up to witness it while taking in some sun and fun and that other -un word that everyone knows is the real reason guys come to the beach. As for Clark, he's here for the fighting, as to be viewed on Pay-Per-View via whatever the hell Howard was calling his network. The whole thing was obviously some form of corrupt if it was involved with Howard, but... but... he couldn't deny that such a setup as this to being something fun. After all, he and Ralf watched Monday night wrestling. Wasn't it the same, more or less? So, he wasn't here for the money, but rather... just for the fun of it. Not that he wouldn't take the money.
Stationed on the boardwalk, Clark stands near the railing that prevents one from falling off the aged wooden platform to a grisly... wounding. Not leaning against it, but rather seeming to stand, almost at attention, though the effect is ruined by having his hands in his pockets. Were the mercenary not occassionally glancing around, and were the TV crews not stationed around to pick up the event, one might think Mr. Steel were one of those street performers who gained money from pedestrians by pretending to be a stone statue. And until his opponent showed up, or he just got tired of waiting, he'd stay that way. And being a patient sort, that might mean a few hours.
One could not expect to make much money pretending to be a statue, surely. A pigeon rest, however.. Now that, perhaps, would be a bit more interesting..if only for the humiliation the 'performer' would be forced to endure. But then, spurring such entertainment on would be mean-spirited, and everyone knows how viciously karma can come around to bite one for their actions.
The chill isn't too bad, but for those used to hot, airid lands, it's downright freezing. The dark-skinned yogi, Clark's complement for this fight, has even dressed a bit warmer today. A thin stretch of cloth is wrapped around his form, akin to a dull orange bedsheet looped thrice around him and secured with a knot at the shoulder. On his head is, as with last week, a dirty-looking white bit of fabric wrapped into a tight turban about his bald head. Dhalsim barely arrives on time, having walked the entire way from the outskirts he'd come to use for his habits. The trip would have been better, truthfully, had he not taken his sweet time, but haste and worry are things for less enlightened people.
The crowd nearby parts to let him into the makeshift ring, his bare feet tapping quietly against the wooden planks. As he moves, his toga is untied and folded casually, left on the outer edge of the ring with his turban nestled pristinely on top. Pausing just long enough to gaze out toward the ocean and take in a slow breath of salty air, Dhalsim is eventually pointed to his starting position; he's still unfamiliar with the process of this particular show, after all. "May we each do our best," he says to Clark, pressing his palms together and bowing slightly, "to finish this quickly before any real harm comes to either of us."
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim has started a fight here.
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Dhalsim 0/-------/-------|
As his opponent enters the ring, Clark moves to turn and face the man, which startles the ever-loving white crap from a nearby pigeon who had been resting on the boardwalk railing and had been eyeing the new thing that could possibly be a suitable perch. Clark moves to his own starting position, eyeing the other man in his strange clothes, and odd mannerisms. Well, not like Clark hadn't seen such before, but you normally don't see this man's type in this kind of fight, do you? Still, the guy seems peaceable enough... so, on a whim, Clark bows, just slightly back, to show respect. After all, this was a fight for fun, not a fight for life and limb. Without a word, the large blond man slips into an easy fighting stance, legs braced and gloved hands held outward, fingers slowly curling inward with a series of pops, before they uncurl. This ritual complete, Clark... stands there. Even after the TV crews make the final checks and then shout 'Fight!', Clark doesn't make the first move. Of course, that doesn't mean he's not doing anything. No, for now he's studying his opponent. A man like this... his fighting style would no doubt be unique, and such would be hard to counter, so he was going to have to take this slow.
COMBATSYS: Clark has joined the fight here.
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Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Dhalsim
COMBATSYS: Clark focuses on his next action.
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Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Dhalsim
Slow and steady, that's certainly something that Dhalsim can appreciate. After having his bow returned, the yogi can't help but let his dry lips turn slightly upward at the corners, just briefly. At first glance, he seems a nice enough person, if reserved. There don't seem to be any note of malice or anything of the sort in his emotions, either. It's actually somewhat refreshing, after facing people like Duo Lon. The Indian's hands separate, and the metal bracelets slide slowly down his thin arms, while fingers splay out and directed at Clark in preparation. As the call to fight is announced, his expression fades, becoming absolutely neutral. His breath is slow, and his feet spread, just a little, waiting...
However, when seconds pass and nothing comes to greet him, there's a moment of internal conflict. He doesn't like to rush things, however..sloth accomplishes nothing. That's why, taking a further step behind him, Dhalsim's chest expands with an intake of air, his hands lowering to his sides, the fingers balled into fists and tilted just enough to keep his bracelets from falling. Leaning in, his cheeks puff just before he exhales in a sharp rush of air. Just past his lips, a flame sparks to life and flies toward Clark in a thin, direct stream, coloring the boards with reds hues and causing the air about the gout to shimmer.
COMBATSYS: Clark dodges Dhalsim's Yoga Flame.
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Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Dhalsim
Clark was all about not rushing things. And were this a 'real' fight, he would've been absolutely content to let that period of waiting go on for just about ever. In such battles, the first one to move was, oddly, usually at a disadvantage. But sometimes, rushing those that try to take things slow and steady was good, too! And because this match was televised, it probably wouldn't have been too good to let the period of sizing up go on for too long, which is why he had started to move... just a bare split second before he saw the sudden eruption of flame from the dark skinned man. Well now, Clark thought. That was new. His feet shift, and he steps to the side, ducking and sidestepping at the same time, feeling the wash of heat pass by his side. He knew this guy wouldn't have conventional tactics! Stepping forward, keeping low, Clark moves in to counter the attack, rising to aim a stiff uppercut to the man's midsection, and should that succeed, moving past the man while bringing his leg up in an attempt to sweep the Indian man off his feet.
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Dhalsim with Combo Throw.
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Clark 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Dhalsim
The flame recedes as if run dry of fuel, returning to a mere wisp from Dhalsim's mouth, and then dying altogether. His chest expands again to recover his breath, but it seems the edge of the fire wasn't the only thing to return to him. Clark moves much quicker than he had first been given credit for, and those pupil-less eyes of the thinner man widen. His hands try to move, to hold the attack at bay, but his concentration is stalled by the quiet one's speed, and his strength is nothing compared to his. Hands are pushed forcibly up, the back sof them colliding with his jaw. His head snaps back, perhaps a little more than it should, but it snaps back quickly enough to cause some of the viewers to wonder if it was just their eyes playing tricks on them. His feet are kicked out from under him, and down he goes, his back landing against the boards with a dull thud.
This fight, apparently, was going to be difficult. He doesn't have the crutch of a partner this time, as he did last week. He'll simply have to try to keep Clark guessing. The limber yogi lifts his legs and rolls backwards onto his shoulders, then his feet, with all the grace of a gymnast. As he stands up, his right arm pulls back, then slings out as if to punch the man standing out of his reach. His limb, however, literally extends, as if the joints simply released and his bones were rubber, stretching thin as his enclosed fist aims for Clark's cheek.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim successfully hits Clark with Medium Punch.
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Clark 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Dhalsim
He'd been in hundreds of fights, all around the world, and in various situations, with people who had all sorts of fighting abilities, but never something like this. As the man goes down, Clark gives a push of his feet, hopping backwards a bit in order to get out of immediate counter attack range, and then holding his position, hands up defensively. And then... the dark-skinned man attacks him, but his fist... extends? As seasoned a fighter that Clark is, he just didn't see it coming. The distance between them was too great for a punch to land, Clark's head told him... and yet it does, square on the chin, causing an audible grunt of pain, and his head snapping to the side, though he isn't knocked back, as strong as the punch was. A slight moment of surprise is registered on the big man's face, and then he looks back to Dhalsim... with the barest hints of a smile. Oh yes. Seemed like everyone had a surprise, huh? And this odd character had 'em all beat. "Nice," Clark says, but then he's already moving, rushing in after the man. When he gets close, he plants his feet firmly, ducks down again... but instead of punching, he simply turns his body, and then moves to shoulder check the other man.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim blocks Clark's Tackle.
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Clark 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Dhalsim
Dhalsim's arm, immediately upon contact, retracts, the limb growing thicker as it snaps back to its normal state. The compliment is heard, but unfortunately, not answered, either in words or motion. His lips are loose and lack any expression whatsoever, as do his eyes. For all intents and purposes, his body may as well be a lifeless puppet pulled by ethereal strings, such is his attempt to remain focused. His hands move only slightly in little circles, keeping his movements slow and fluid, prepared..and this time, it pays off. As Clark comes rushing in, he moves only slightly to face him, planting both feet down as soon as possible. The bulky shoulder collides with his stomach, and it gives, but..not at all in the way that bodies are supposed to. Independant of his chest and hips, his stomach arches back in an almost nauseating fashion, giving the yogi ample time to turn further and let the attack slide of fof him. As soon as his stomach moves back in place, his body moves forward, left leg lifting sharply to try and drive a knee into Clark's midsection. The movement sets his trio of skulls spinning once around his neck, the eerie clattering betraying notions that the necklace was simply a false decoration.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim successfully hits Clark with Strong Kick.
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Clark 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Dhalsim
Again, the surprise is evident on the man's face - which, really, surprising a guy like Clark, much less making him /show/ it twice in a row? - as the stomach snaps backwards... freakily independant of the rest of his torso. Not used to dealing with such a response to his attack, he's fairly easy prey to the knee that suddenly finds his midsection, another of those sharp grunts of pain that didn't really sound like he was in pain issuing forth. But Clark's not about to just let this go... he's still a fighter, after all, and he'll make do with any situation, even one like this. His hands move, and one arm then attempts to wrap around the man's thigh. Should that happen, he'll then haul upwards, his other hand catching the man by his necklace, and then... simply lifting him up, over, and then down onto the wooden platform.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim endures Clark's Medium Throw!
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Clark 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Dhalsim
At least Dhalsim is easy to move. Clark should have no trouble whatsoever in lifting the unhealthily light man. The fling sends him actually spinning a bit, the extremities whirling about as if he had tossed a rag doll into the air. When his necklace is caught, there is, just for a moment, a flash of emotion on his face. His mouth forms a slight frown with a moment of weakness and ire, and Clark may not even catch it. Still, there's another pressing matter to deal with: the ground, coming up underneath him. Dhalsim's eyes close and prepares for the inevitable impact. When it does, it's harsh, setting the wood creaking despite his lack of weight.
The moment he's allowed, his toes jut out and his arms pull up, elbows pointing skyward with his palms on the floor, fingers pointing backward. It really looks at though his shoulders had dislocated themselves, allowing his odd stance. A quick push against the floor sends him sliding toward sir Steel, his half-pants serving as his only protection against splinters as he slides in, aiming to kick the heavier man's feet out from under him.
COMBATSYS: Clark dodges Dhalsim's Yoga Trip.
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Clark 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Dhalsim
Well, seems like the mercenary had better luck with throws than actual physical attacks, but you sometimes had to go with what you can work with best. The toss is satisfactory, to say the least. The rubber man was difficult to get a hold of, but easy to throw, at least. He doesn't precisely catch the flicker of emotion on the other man's face, much too preoccupied with getting the Indian man from Point A, to Point B, which consisted of the hard wooden floor. Once that's done, Clark steps away again... but isn't quite prepared for the swiftness of the counter that comes, and especially not from the odd angle. Getting a feel for the man's moves, however, Clark is able to actually keep up this time, and instead of doing much of anything fancy, Clark... uses the railing on the side of the boardwalk to lift him up and out of the attack's range. Swiftly, he attempts to follow this up with an old tried and true attack. A good ol' bodyslam. Foot catching on the top banister of the railing, he stands with his back to Dhalsim, who should've stopped sliding by now... and then jumps backwards, flipping in midair, and then landing, face down, hopefully on top of the yoga master, using his weight as the weapon in this case.
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Dhalsim with Fierce Punch.
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Clark 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Dhalsim
Coming to a gradual halt, Dhalsim's plan /was/ to get up and simply try again. Failures are inevitable, and Clark's skillful dodge is simply filed away as that. It doesn't bother him in the least, and he was about to push himself up, then the shadow appears overhead. His face lifts up, and white eyes widen again at the vision of a rain of meat plumetting toward him. The downed fighter is by no means a fast man, and is apparently helpless to stop the crushing effects of Clark's bulk. His breath leaves him in a rush, thankfully without heat this time around, and his entire form grows limp. Beneath Clark, he can feel bones shifting to the point that they would normally snap, and it's all the yogi can do to keep himself from being broken in two. There's no counterattack, however; Dhalsim needs to catch his breath, and his opponent is free to get up, free to attack while he's on him, anything, as shattered concentration is restored and sensations of pain are pushed from the forefront of consciousness.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim focuses on his next action.
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Clark 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Dhalsim
Well, that worked a little too well, he thought. Feeling the man be simply *crunched* into the ground below him was almost enough to make Clark feel bad. Almost. But the yogi was, simply, a trained fighter, as much as the mercenary was, so he knew all about the risks of battle and what pain was to be expected, great or small. Clark hops to his feet expertly as the attack is completed... but unlike what most fighters in this situation would do, he doesn't press the advantage, and instead backs off a safe distance, adopting his fighting stance again, and doing much the same as the Indian was: regaining concentration and focusing his will.
COMBATSYS: Clark focuses on his next action.
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Clark 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Dhalsim
And if Clark knew that Dhalsim wasn't really trained, would he feel better? All of his experience is with small fights and defending himself; this is only his second foray into the world of top-rank fighters. Still, it was his decision to sign up, and as a man, should be expected to abide by whatever stems from his actions.
He is, inwardly, thankful for the time to recover himself. His thought of Clark being a decent person seem to be correct; he could have easily taken advantage of the situation, finished him off..but he didn't. This time, Dhalsim gets up as a normal person would, and slowly, letting joints and bones realign themselves properly. It takes a tremendous amount of willpower to keep from letting the pain from such actions surface, and it's so obvious that even one of the commentators, well...comments on it. All that done, the thin fighter extends his hands forward again, his fingers stretching out once more. It should look familiar. Again, his chest expands, ribs separating clearly under his thin skin, and when he leans forward, his cheeks puff out. With hands in fists once again, Angi's flame springs to life, shooting out toward Clark much more quickly than before.
COMBATSYS: Clark blocks Dhalsim's Yoga Flame EX.
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Clark 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Dhalsim
Watching as Dhalsim gets up, Clark shifts into a slightly lower stance, watching the yogi's moves carefully. And well... had he known the man wasn't trained, he probably would've been surprised. Dhalsim wasn't exactly bad at this fighting stuff. Clark edges forward slightly as the dark skinned man prepares his attack... and then, is met with that odd, but familiar attack again, but this time it's all up in his grill. Dodging this time wouldn't be all that easy, so instead of exerting energy with little chance of it succeeding, Clark simply does what he thinks would be best - he raises his arms in an 'X' and then takes the attack straight on. Arm hairs now singed and largely burnt off, and the skin reddened most handily, Clark gives a low grunt, before he rushes in, covering the distance between the two, and holding arm out as he gets close. If successful, he'll hook said arm around Dhalsim's middle (it was hard to throw a guy with not many clothes on), skid to a halt while spinning in place, and then using the momentum to simply send Dhalsim to the floor once again, in a rather stronger version of his earlier throws.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim dodges Clark's Rebound Throw.
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Clark 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Dhalsim
The distance afforded him by the wall of flame is precious indeed, as this time, he has the opportunity to recover from the effort of forcing Agni's gift to live so quickly. A rush of blessed air presses his near-crumpled lungs against his ribcage again, though his mouth stayed closed, and his chest retains its normal (or what passes for normal for him) appearance. His left foot takes a half-step back as the Ikari comes rushing in again, but this time, he's ready. Without moving his feet, he bends slightly at the legs and lifts one arm, the other staying low. His entire torso simply bends out of harm's way, and his upper hand just..it's difficult to imagine, really. His arm makes a perfect half-circle, as if the concept of rigid bones were more a mere suggestion than truth, and the man's large hand tries to push down on the back of Clark's head. At the same time, his other hand tries to grab his wrist as he steps in, attempting to use the larger fighter's momentum to not only flip him over, but launch him skyward with a push of his hips.
COMBATSYS: Clark fails to interrupt Yoga Strike from Dhalsim with Running Three.
- Power hit! -
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Clark 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Dhalsim
Despite Clark's best efforts to grab him, Dhalsim evades grabs in the msot bizarre fashion, and the gamble of fighting in close pays off. Sending Clark skyward is, admittedly, a little more difficult than was anticipated. He's in motion the moment he's airborn, however, starting a mild arc with his body flipping end over end. His weathered, rough feet smack against Clark's shoulders and snap inward, catching the mercenary's head between them..but Dhalsim's own body keeps turning. Bending over his head, a strange momentum sets the pair spinning more quickly; Clark should be able to see the sky, the ground, the sky, then the ground again, until finally, with a loud cracking of wood, his head is slammed heavily into the floorboards.
There was a mistake made, which was probably in assuming that he was more flexible than his opponent. Or some other such nonsense. The first attack is failed, but that doesn't mean he can't still do some damage. His other hand snaps around... but no. Dhalsim's just in control of this situation, and in fact, Clark's attempt to come out on top just puts him into a better position to be thrown, which is done most handily. Sky, ground, sky, ground, thud. The landing impact happens in three stages: his head, then his shoulders as his neck cranes at an unnatural angle, and then the rest of his body thudding down on the boardwalk. A hell of a throw, that, one that Clark himself, a man of much throwing, couldn't have done better himself. To his credit, Clark manages to stand back up a few short seconds after being thrown, but his stance therein is... wobbly. He's obviously dazed, and can't quite see straight, just at this moment. Yeah, he'll... get back to the fight in just a sec. As soon as the floor stops moving, as it's wont to do - though usually only on Friday nights.
Immediately upon impacting with the ground, Dhalsim sort of bounds off of Clark's head. He's not heavy enough for it to be much of a burden, but still. His vault is slow, and it seems that, even though he can jump fairly high, his arc is amazingly /slow/. It's unnatural, as so much about the yogi seems to be. As he lifts upwards and back, his body flips once, legs bent slightly at the knees and rising up, over, and behind him.
...And then, the most peculiar thing happens. As if pushing off of the air itself, Dhalsim's body lurches forward in the air at a slight downward angle! He travels head-first, and his arms and legs press against himself and each other while he spins lengthwise. His eyes remain closed and his limbs start to twist around himself as he decends, his billiard-esque skull on a collision course with Clark's own.
COMBATSYS: Clark dodges Dhalsim's Drill.
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Clark 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Dhalsim
If Clark could see straight, he might've been more impressed at such a move - literally /bounding/ off the air itself, eh? Or at least it appeared so. He'd seen that somewhere before, however, so the attack isn't entirely unexpected... or maybe it was just the dizziness forcing him to crouch down to gain his bearings, and letting the yogi sail over him, where his head once was a moment before. Feeling rather than seeing this, the Ikari shakes his head to try and clear his vision, and then wheels on the thinner man, bringing about his hands in an effort to grab him before he can regain his balance from such an attack... and then, if all goes well, simply lifting him up, and tossing him into the air. He'll then position himself under where the Indian will fall, raise his hands... and simply catch the man, excepting that he'll also catch the man's back on his /head/, before depositing him back down to the floor, none too softly.
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim fails to interrupt Super Argentine Backbreaker from Clark with Drill EX.
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Clark 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Dhalsim can no longer fight.
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Clark 0/-------/--=====|
Balance? Clark manages to grab Dhalsim by the foot before he even touches the ground! His body is whipped like a wet towel, his leg actually elongating a little to lessen the effects of being so forcibly grabbed and tossed skyward. By this time, he's already a bit tired, having put most of his effort into ignoring the effects of being slammed to the ground, hit directly, etc. His mouth opens in a flash of surprise as he's sent upward, and while turning, he can see Clark beneath him. It's a fine opportunity, that, to try his previous attack once more. Again, he falls, faster than gravity would allow unaided, and his body straightens out as he falls head-first toward the Ikari.
...It's his mistake, of course. Clark EXPECTED to catch Dhalsim with his head, and the former's skull is astoundingly hard! There's a hollow clunk, or a crack, as the yogi's skull meets his counterpart's, and for a moment, he simply stays balanced there. Soon, his entire body grows limp, and like a doll, he simply tumbles off of the mercenary to the ground and in a rather unconfortable-looking heap of splayed limbs and odd angles, his mouth open and white eyes dull, while his chest rises in only shallow breaths. It seems that the impact actually knocked him out cold!
Well, that didn't work /exactly/ how it was supposed to, but it still got the job done, it seems. His head impacts with Dhalsim's, and then the latter is sent spiraling to the ground... in a bad looking position. Clark, therein, is named the victor of the match after much applause and such. Clark, however, isn't so much concerned about this. Even if he had lost the fight, he'd have been happy - the match had been pretty fun. So, as a show of sportsmanship, he gives a wave to the audience, and then moves to pick up the light man, supporting him on his own shoulder, and then moving him towards the medics who usually stand by in these matches. They'll get him patched up. As for Clark, he doesn't much stick around for spectators to mob him and cheer him on and ask for autographs - he's totally out of here.
COMBATSYS: Clark has ended the fight here.
Log created by Dhalsim, and last modified on 15:41:56 12/02/2005.