Description: Alma has found a person besides Benimaru to taunt passive-aggressively! Double bonus: Alma can actually *beat* this person. After an insane sausage/bench battle in the middle of the mall, Alma's player suddenly realized that the library was closing in ten minutes, and we had to go nuts. Sorry about that. Even so, this totally sweet battle was a clear victory for... (Winner: Alma)
Alma Towazu is a very intelligent young man, and a very disciplined student. Driven by a genuine passion for learning and completely fearless when it comes to expressing himself, unheeding of his grades (which are inevitably perfect anyway), and tempered only by his characteristic prudence and good-natured patience, he actually manages to enjoy his education, even overloaded as he is. After all, college is self-imposed, for him. He'll barely be able to afford it once he transfers to Southtown U, but he'll keep on trucking all the same, because it's not just that he's a hard worker: he convinces himself -- or rather inspires himself -- to enjoy whatever it is he's doing. He is really quite incredible in this regard.
But even so, he has no choice but to conclude that organic chemistry is a huge boner.
With a quiet, gentle sigh, Alma sets down the large textbook in his hand and moves his notepad to the side as he leans back upon the bench, reaching up to rub his temples with one hand, though that handsome face still looks as relaxed and serene as ever. As usual, it's the eyes that mainly express what's going on in the poor kid's head; he's totally overtaxed. It's freaking orgchem. Not for the first time, he begins to wonder if he really wants to get into medical school *that* badly. He could make a decent living as an artist... he has a unique style...
Perhaps what he really needs right now is some inspiration. From, you know, a genuine representative of the medical profession.
The Eurasian youth runs a hand through his dashingly unkempt blonde hair, only making it yet more dashingly unkempt in the process, and a single gold-toned medal glimmers on a black satin ribbon atop his eggplant-purple rayon shirt...
Ah, it's really a wonderful day to go shopping. Sure, it might be average as far as niceness or enjoyability goes for your average nice guy, but when it comes to Southtown's only secret agent doctor, well. There's one rule that Tran goes by, conceived of during his few month stint training in the woods like all action heroes have to do before coming to Southtown, and for that matter, even a week or two afterward. That rule goes like this: Any day you have the money to go shopping is a goddamn /awesome/ day. Thanks to SNF, Tran has money /every day/.
As such, just /being/ in a mall makes him as happy as a pig in muck. Munching a sausage of some kind on a bun with onions and peppers and some fancy ass kind of mustard on it, chasing bites down with huge gulps of some crazy ass japanese drink that a friend recommended to him, Tran's day couldn't be better. For some odd reason, he's got an itch behind his ear, but whatever.
So anyway, there he is, just walking along, eating his lunch with glee, when what's this? A familiar face! Sort of. It's not all blurry, and the world's not swinging back and forth like mad, but that is definately young...uh...what's his face. Come to think, Tran never did catch his name. Well, that's not important. What is is that even after Tran's awesome inspirational speech, it looks like the kid is /still/ not freaking happy. Considering Alma doesn't really look like he's unhappy on the outside, it's anyone's guess as to where Tran is drawing his conclusions from, but oh well.
Subtly, casually, Tran walks around toward the side of Alma's bench, and then quietly slips on, trying to masquerade as Dr. Ninja or something. He scoots over toward Alma. "So, tell me. What the hell does it take, jesus?"
Alma's eyes narrow, almost imperceptibly.
~ I sense... a familiar aura.
Ah! It's... what's-his-face. The blurry guy... ~
As such, though the youth is lost in his thoughts to some degree, he is completely unsurprised by Tran's pseudo-ambush, and turns his head with his usual mild smile. It's actually even friendlier than usual, but this is only because he's happy to be distracted from his homework. But this smile fades slightly as Tran opens with a question, and a moment passes as Alma's gaze grows much more thoughtful, his clear eyes narrowing slightly as he pauses to consider this statement.
He turns his gaze away for a moment and glances up to the sky at an angle, as though envisioning something before him to help him figure this one out. He really looks like he's genuinely thinking about this, very methodically.
He glances at the ground, now, still looking thoughtful.
Finally, he looks up, and his face relaxes to its usual mild, almost deadpan innocence.
"What do you mean, 'it'?"
Oho, so this is how it's going to be, huh? Playing like he doesn't understand...hah! Tran knows precisely how to deal with people who play dumb! Even though, uh, by all appearances Alma really has no idea. That's how they get you, you know. It's usually a ploy, to lure you off guard!
Not even appearing put off in the least by his failure to ninja, or Alma's apparent ignorance of whatever the hell Dr. Tran is talking about, the Real American Doctor answers Alma's question quickly. "'It'? 'It'? Don't play dumb, kid, I can already tell you're smarter than you look!" Sort of a compliment, there...
"But, if you really do need me to spell it out for you, I suppose I can play along just this once." Tran takes a big bite of his mystery sausage before revealing the mysterious 'it', chewing and swallowing slowly while watching Alma. A horrible torture, really. "'It' is you looking like a sad puppy every time I see you." Which, uh, has only really been once before, but never you mind that. Science says if something happens once it's trend. Really.
Alma listens patiently, with the sort of patience the workers in nursing homes use with the very, very elderly. It's necessary, to weather this exchange. Fortunately, Alma has a near infinite supply of patience, so long as there aren't any other very attractive people around. Fortunately, there's clearly no chance of *that*.
Thus, the young man awaits Tran's conclusion, looking almost docile, in a mature sort of way. But when Tran *does* finish, a smile immediately begins to spread across the youth's features, and grows wider until he starts to chuckle, shoulders shaking lightly with quiet merriment, hazel eyes sparkling. "Oh. I apologize for that," he says with calm humility. "I'm not sad, not really. I'm just tired, and being tired makes me more reserved..."
There's a pause as Alma placidly studies Tran for just a moment, and then parts his lips slightly as if to make a comment, pauses, and shuts them, as though thinking better of it.
~ That's right, I remember. The last time I asked him whether or not he was really a doctor, he hit me with furniture. ~
Thus, the best plan would definitely be to say something that could not conceivably offend Tran in any way whatsoever.
"So I hear you're in the Southtown Medal Tourney," he says engagingly, with a winning smile, finding his energy returning with the onset of social interaction. "Mimiru told me she beat you. I was impressed. You know, I'I've fought her five times, and she's never come close to beating me? I get worried that she's going to lose heart." His smile widens, eyes glittering. "I'm glad there are fighters like you to keep her happy."
...sometimes, Alma's sense of humor cannot be explained.
Is this Benimaru Syndrome all over again?
He's sorry, is he? Well, Tran supposes that's okay...and surprisingly, despite the horrible backhanded compliments Alma is flinging at him, the good doctor is just nodding contemplatively. He...really doesn't look pissed off at all. At one point, when the tournament is mentioned, he rubs at the medal pinned to his coat, making sure it's nice and shiny.
He does finally respond, though, looking every bit as thoughtful as Alma. "Well, you know how it is. She's just got so much fire in her, I could barely bear to beat on her. I'd feel guilty about it for weeks, afterward." Sure, that's a blatant lie on a few levels, but who cares? At least Tran is smiling! Hell, he's grinning, it looks like his mouth might split his face and send the top half of his head flopping over into the back of his neck because nothing's holding it onto the lower half.
And he's still smiling like that when he moves to take another bite of his sausage, reconsiders, and then attempts to ram it down Alma's throat. After the fact, success or no, he shouts, "Whatever the hell your name is! I challenge you to fight for a medal!"
COMBATSYS: Tran has started a fight here.
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Tran 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Alma has joined the fight here.
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Alma 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Tran
COMBATSYS: Alma fails to interrupt Quick Punch from Tran with Random Weapon.
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Alma 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Tran
Clearly, the most awesome thing to do here would be to counter by flipping backwards, lifting the bench with the movement, and uppercutting Tran with it, in a serious case of Furniture Vengeance. Alma does manage to flip backward, and thus avoid the majority of the actual physical strike, but, psychic or not, he fails to note one key problem: the bench is bolted down. Now, if he were braced and focusing, he could probably tear the darn thing out, but he isn't -- he's in midair and upside-down -- and so the technique fails, not that anyone would really know. Instead, he uses his grip on the bench to rotate fully and land in a crouch on the opposite end of the bench. Still, the bench is not all that long. Alma clearly cannot evade the sausage without some sort of ungraceful stagger.
So he opens his mouth.
It looks extremely natural, really, as though Alma had planned this all along: the graceful 360 rotation to the opposite end of the bench, avoiding the fist but getting the sausage -- and the effect is frankly multiplied by the perfectly serene Zen expression on the young man's face as he consumes the rest of Tran's meal in a single snatch, flashing pearly white teeth before chewing contemplatively.
He swallows.
And smiles.
"I accept."
With another nod, Tran's answer is simple. "Good." If he's at all nonplussed about Alma neatly devouring his sausage like that, he's not showing it. As a matter of fact he's sort of impressed, because that is some high-impact eating, but letting your opponent know that sort of thing in the middle of a fight? Madness!
In any case, it seems like he has a moment now, so he sucks down the rest of his drink, belching loudly as a result, and then tosses the empty cup into a conveniently placed garbage can. God, but malls are awesome like that.
In any case, however, Tran's already had a bit of a sneak attack, so he'll just stand there a minute, stretching, but more importantly keeping his eyes on Alma. And this just wouldn't be a fight if Tran didn't start in on some talk before things really got going. And...after things really got going. And after everything's done. But for now, the first one. All things in due time! "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say you had practice doing that sort of thing." Gasp! The implications! Maybe.
COMBATSYS: Tran focuses on his next action.
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Alma 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Tran
The punch and crazy backflipping action has gotten people's attention. Once they notice the glittering medals, they start circling around -- but not too close. Ninja cameramen from the aether prevent them from doing so. The Kanzuki Corporation is just that fast. Still, that's one thing you can count on when you're fighting Alma; people will notice very quickly.
For reasons such as: a) he's got that bishonen aura, b) he's about as sexy as an eighteen-year-old can be to the general public, and c) he does stuff like stand straight on the inch-wide space offered by the wooden side rail of the bench, looking poised and relaxed, eyes bright and ready to fight, e.g. the way he looks right now. Alma gazes down at Tran, and, taking a deep breath to center himself, already definitely enjoying himself and making his immersion into the flow of battle that much easier, he doesn't really pay much attention to Tran's comment.
"Practice eating sausages," he murmurs thoughtfully, as though to himself. A short pause. Then, in patented bishonen dark tones: "Interesting."
Smiling the mild but genuine smile of one touching on inner peace, the brightness in Alma's eyes begins to focus into pinpoints of pink-purple light -- the same light is beginning to coil around his forearms, flowing in a constant, sparkling cycle as wind from nowhere ripples his tight shirt and designer jeans.
COMBATSYS: Alma gathers his will.
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Alma 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Tran
The realization of Dr. Tran is sudden, profound, intense, and a total, blatent rip-off of Alma's tendancy to inner monologue. ~...oh, hey. What's his face is even more of a fancy boy than I realized.~
Of course, maybe there's a little bit of envy, there. After all, for someone seeking the public spotlight like Tran, well. Seeing people substantially more good-looking than him, doing amazing feats of balance and grace, and most importantly doing most of the crowd attraction here...and Alma makes it all look so easy! It's sort of disheartening, really. Well, someday, Dr. Tran! Someday!
But today is a different matter entirely. Today, the truth is that Alma's handsomer, more graceful, and probably just overall stronger than Tran. And that means Tran has to kick Alma's ass. If the colorful light show is any indication, then Alma's ready, and that means it's officially Go Time. Dashing forward at Alma, Tran proceeds to punch the /hell/ out of the ground in front of the bench.
Of course, what's more interesting by far is the huge geyser that pops up right in front of the spot where Tran punches, going and totally wasting the bench. Maybe Alma, too!
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Tran's Dr. Tran Doles Out the Harshness.
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Alma 1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Tran
The tempo of the rhythm of the fight increases, and, bobbing his head once to the sudden beat that only he can hear, Alma... lunges. He leaps forward like a hunting cat, his image blurring behind him thanks to the residual effect of his summoned Psycho Power, and when the geyser comes up, his enhanced senses allow him to be ready. But he does not deflect the attack, nor does he even assume a guard position as he hurtles through the air; rather, right foot igniting with pink-purple flame, he lunges forward and lashes out with his leg, aiming a fierce flying hooking kick right at Tran--
--or rather, right into the attack. Alma's body and psyche respond as one; a barrier of pure aura, white and pink and gold, flares into existence around his outstretched foot, making Alma into a sort of prettyboy comet as he tears right through the geyser attack, and aims to plant an explosive kick right in Tran's face.
COMBATSYS: Tran fails to reflect Engeki Shooter from Alma with Dr. Tran Doles Out the Harshness.
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Alma 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Tran
Hah! ...Tran would be lying if he said he exactly planned to do what he tries to do, and that probably explains...so much. At least the bench got wasted all nice like, but then Alma...ow, man. Ow. In response to seeing Alma's foot rushing foward toward his woefully inferior face, Tran just tries to pump things up, getting ready to fire off another geyser even closer to him, with madcap results!
While he's thinking of doing it, Alma connects and sends Tran sliding across the mall floor a short distance, where he has opportunity to rub his face in more than a little pain. "Good shot, good shot...But don't think that means you've got the advantage here, or anything!" Even though Alma's advantage already equals very yes. And maybe Tran will just...stay over there for a minute. To...uh...reasses the situation! Yeah! That's the ticket!
Meanwhile, Alma, rotating in midair as he spins off the impact of his own powerful psycho-kick, lands in a graceful half-crouch, and swaying once in an odd but natural feinting motion, part of his adapted style of Hiten-ryu, he lunges again: except this time, the lunge is more of a long lean forward. The lunging movement is a bit of a feint in itself. His feet don't leave the ground; but his hand is cast forward, and with a flash of his eyes, Alma casts a gout of flame toward Tran, just to keep up the pressure. Reassess THIS. Or rather: You reassess the situation, and I'll reassess your FACE! Ha ha, yeah, that one's better.
"Kuuuu... SEIHA!"
COMBATSYS: Tran fails to reflect Sacred Wave from Alma with Dr. Tran Doles Out the Harshness.
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Alma 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Tran
Oh shit! Energy...rushing...at Tran! What can a mere, simple, secret agent who is a doctor who is from America do? The answer: try to bounce it the hell away! Clearly, however, this doesn't work. Like, at all. Possibly answer: Maybe, being sober, Tran's lost his good sense, and is doing stupid things! Or maybe he just doesn't really know how to deal with psycho power all that well.
Whatever the case may be, bam! Impact. Once again, Dr. Tran leaves his feet, knocked backward onto his ass once again, where he just lies there for a moment. That...that really hurts, you know?
The wind shifts. The branches of a tree sway, casting blinding light onto the battleground, just for an instant. Before it, a shadowy figure leaps. The light is blocked out...
...and Alma comes zooming down at Tran foot-first, unignited but still continuing with his own momentum by preparing to plant a fierce stomp kick into Tran's solar plexus, in a dramatic bone-cracking wind-knocking-outing finisher move.
"SAN!" is his deep-voiced battle shout.
COMBATSYS: Tran dodges Alma's Heavy Kick.
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Alma 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Tran
Whoa there now Benny! Scrambling backward on his hands and feet like some kind of man-crab, Dr. Tran gets the hell out of the way of Alma's kick. Poor ground, taking a hit like that. It doesn't deserve that kind of treatment. Not that Tran really cares, he's got other things on his mind. Like Alma and his propensity for kicking Tran in the face.
Regrdless, having scrambled backward, Tran drops onto his back and holds his hands up in a 'T'. "Whoa there, hang on, hang on, time out!" And then he just sits there for a minute, hopeful.
COMBATSYS: Tran takes a breather.
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Alma 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Tran
Alma is a merciful and compassionate person by nature, but he is also an extremely passionate one, a fact belied by his usually composed expression. The fight is not a fight unless both opponents are giving their all -- and Alma feels the wind beginning to shift already. He's taken it easy on fighters before, to await when they were ready to change the tide of battle and cause a true collison of fighting spirits. But you know what? Tran shoved a sausage in Alma's face. The collison has already occured.
Eyes blazing in eerie contrast to his calm expression, Alma smiles.
"You're right."
He lunges, fists igniting.
"Your time *is* out..."
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Tran with Sacred Rekka Revelation.
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Alma 0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1 Tran
Alma becomes a blur -- so much of a blur that he seems to lose any substance, flowing forth in a roaring torrent. The rushing gale of his blazing fists, however, is substantial indeed. Very substantial. Oh yes.
Multiple trailing images of Alma lash out in a blindingly fast series of heavy jabs to Tran's upper and lower torso, before the tall youth finishes with an explosive -- and, to be completely honest, sparkly -- uppercut.
"Uuuuuryaaaaahh!"
Oh god oh god oh god he's not stopping that's totally not fair I called timeout holy shiiiiiiiiit
Suffice to say, Tran is shitbeat. Knocking up a solid distance into the air by Alma's final uppercut, he lands with a heavy thud some distance away. That...that really hurt a lot. And still hurts. Can Tran go a day in public without getting the living crap beaten out of him? Doesn't look like it, no, considering the way he picks fights.
Still, there's yet life in these bones! With a groan, he comes up first to his hands and knees, and then to his feet, hunched over and barely standing. "Asshole! I called timeout! What gives?" Yeah. He's not really in much condition to move just yet, so he'll just...stand there for a minute, waiting on Alma's response, and anything else Alma might do. Yeah.
COMBATSYS: Tran focuses on his next action.
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Alma 0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1 Tran
Alma's so pumped at this point that pinkish-purple flames are rising off his shoulders, and his shirt and jeans are doing the rippling thing in an even more pronounced manner than before. "I apologize," he says, in exactly the same calm tone of voice as he had used before. "I took you literally." But then he grins. Usually, this is a gesture that finally reveals the mirth sparkling in his eyes, and makes more obvious whatever deadpan joke the kid has been mildly playing on at your theoretical expense. However, it's hard to have sparkles when your eyes are pure fields of glowing pink and purple...
...so his grin just looks fierce.
The energy he's gathering into an orb in his hands looks pretty darn fierce, too.
Especially after he throws it.
[OOC] Alma says, "Aww *crap*."
[OOC] Alma says, "The library usually closes at 2am, but because it's a holiday tomorrow, they're closin in fifteen minutes, and I don't have the net at home. o_o"
COMBATSYS: Tran overcomes Two Heavens Harmony from Alma with Oh Crap Its Dr. Tran.
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Alma 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Tran
[OOC] Dr. Tran fistpump, fastposes go!
And as the ball of energy comes at him, Tran exhales, preparing, and then he just lets lose with what's essentially a small, very hot, flying through the air river. It's steam, but it's really thick, and it just /obliterates/ Alma's energy ball, rushing onward toward the young man.
"Took me literally...Hmph!"
COMBATSYS: Tran successfully hits Alma with Oh Crap Its Dr. Tran.
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Alma 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Tran
Well, at the very least, Alma's fatty Psycho Power blast helped soften the blow, cuz Alma ain't doin any softening himself. Not to mention his flow has definitely been jostled around. Back to square one, it looks like...
So he lunges forward, not even showing any particular disappointment, and attacks with a series of quick jabs, trying to press Tran back, and buy a bit of time too.
[OOC] Dr. Tran says, "Anyway, clearly, at this point we have no choice but to do nothing but attack each other with random weapon and endure."
[OOC] Alma laughs.
[OOC] Alma says, "Crap, you're right. Okay, next turn."
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Tran with Quick Punch.
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Alma 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Tran
Ow ow ow jabs hurt! Tran's really on his last legs, here, and he can feel it. And that's why it's time to get really freaking desperate. Driven back, Tran seizes upon opportunity. Opportunity has come today disguised as a garbage can, which Tran steps toward, grabs, and then attempts to bash over Alma's head really hard!
COMBATSYS: Tran successfully hits Alma with Random Weapon.
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Alma 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Tran
Alma is hit with a trashcan. This is probably not good for his hair, and calls for desperate measures. So, with a roar of primal fury, he tears the bench from its sockets, and, just to be awesome, *lights it on fire*, before trying to swing it around and home run hit Tran into the stratosphere.
COMBATSYS: Tran endures Alma's Random Weapon EX.
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Alma 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Tran
And oh boy, does Alma's bench of power sting. It breaks over his face, in fact. Tran goes flying upward, holy craaaap! Half a minute later, he comes back down and lands in Alma's general vicinity, falling down atop the trashcan like a stinky meteor. Of death! He's unconcious, though, so it's not aimed very well.
COMBATSYS: Tran can no longer fight.
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Alma 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Alma endures Tran's Random Weapon.
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Alma 0/-------/--=====|
Alma blocks with his face. Or rather, a geyser of pure Psycho Power aura that encompasses his face and his entire body, with a shout of "Haaaaah!" A flashy and awesome finish.
Alma's player would pose more, but there is one minute till the library closes aaaaarrrggghhhh-----
Log created by Alma, and last modified on 21:07:00 11/11/2005.