Description: A shrine in Southtown is the site for this battle between Andy Bogard and Ryu. (Winner: Ryu)
The Neo League, courtesy of the Masters Corporation, and of course, Ken Masters himself, has been in full swing for a good span of time now, and the debut of either of the competition's most recognizeable gi-clad figures has yet to be seen. For Ryu's part, his own entrance is more subtle than anything, a quietly scheduled match, a few keenly-placed cameras, and a small crowd that's mostly gathered based on word of mouth. Not exactly a spectacle, but since when has the World Warrior been all that keen on a spectacle?
Clad in a deep red gi, instead of his customary white, the nomad is apparently giving a nod to the propreiter of the league, and fighting something of a tribute match here in the typically peaceful front yard of the aged shrine here on the outskirts of Southtown. The traditional structure rises behind, a backdrop for lawn and partially overgrown walkways, the spectators gathered back towards the forest edges, and Ryu himself standing, arms crossed, in front of the shrine.
His opponent's arrival into the league caught his eye... after all, Terry Bogard is well known to Ryu, and Andy was in the World Warrior tournament himself, if the champion remembers correctly. It seems like he should have fought Andy years ago, but better late than never, right?
And just where is Andy Bogard? The answer? Look above you. Standing in a tree, the Youngest Bogard - who made an impressive display in the World Warrior tournament before Gen totally whomped on him - dressed in his famous white gi decorated the red flames stands high above the crowd his face hidden by a red mask covering his face. "Hmph!" Andy rips the mask off and flips to the ground, landing with his back facing Ryu, flicking his long hair as he turns Andy faces Ryu and despite his flashy entry gives Ryu a polite bow. Indeed, this is a fight that should have happened years ago - but perhaps the timing is all the better for Andy who has spent the years mastering the brutal art of Koppou and Shiranui-ryuu ninjitsu.
"Greetings, Mister Ryu. I am Andy Bogard - I've heard a lot about you, sir. It shall be an honour to do battle with you."
Gen has that tendency. Ryu himself has been whomped on by the elder master, after all. But the World Warrior has had years to perfect his own style of Ansatsuken, more or less passed straight on from Gouken. It's not Gen's, but it certainly has its own strengths. The nomad's eyes trail up to the tree as Andy makes his appearance, drawn to the ninja's strength, difficult to hide from the veteran fighter's instincts... at least, once the rather talented ninja decides to stop sneaking.
"Your reputation precedes you as well." Ryu responds, returning the polite bow, his dark eyes remaining fixed respectfully on the younger Bogard, "I'm sure that honour will work both ways." A polite response, calm and measured. But he's called Terry Bogard comrade for some time now, and what he's heard of Andy is certainly promising. Ryu's hands clench to fists, which he raises before him, relaxed stance holding his guard high and low, before his neck and midsection. His left leading, he weaves back a step and holds a ready stance, "Ready when you are." He intones evenly, gaze fixed on Bogard.
COMBATSYS: Ryu has started a fight here.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ryu takes no action.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Andy has joined the fight here.
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Andy 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
All of Andy's niceties and pleasantries end, and let's be honest Andy Bogard is the kind of polite, kind, generous and hard working young man that every father dreams of introducing their daughter too, but the minute Ryu get's his fighting groove on Andy becomes a cold and calculating fighting machine. "Very well, Ryu." Andy says cooly, taking up a fighting stance bouncing from one foot to another, but then Andy's off! The young ninja charges at the Ansatsuken master dishing out a combo of lightning fast punches, the final one aimed at Ryu's face.
"Tou! Hah! Shia! Hah!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Andy's Quick Punch.
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Andy 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
In truth, the two have a great deal in common... some would say more than Ryu and Terry, some would say less, but all three warriors have a certain amount of kindred spirit, and the battle is one that Ryu looks forward to joining... nonetheless, he's not overeager, holding his ground as Bogard launches his initial assault, leather gloved fists intercepting the first flurry of strikes with equal, precise bolts of motion, deflecting the strikes as Ryu paces Andy's attack, backing off the ninja calmly, steadily, and not a pace more than he absolutely has to.... the final slam to his face meets a more obstinant guard, the World Warrior stepping back into the hit and twisting sharply as he shoves off the guard, a sudden leap sending him up and in at Andy, that singular rotation culminating in the rotorblade snap of his right foot, straight around and in for the younger Bogard's face, "Kyaaaaah!!!" Calculating fighting machine, redux.
COMBATSYS: Andy blocks Ryu's Senpuu Kyaku.
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Andy 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Ryu
Yes, Andy Bogard - despite being caught in his brothers shadow - was a different sort of fighter to Terry. Quiet and polite to Terry's loud and confident personality, but filled with that same spirit...that same burning desire - the inner fire of the Legendary Hungry Wolf! When the World Warrior launches his foot at Andy, the ninja reflexively brings his arms up to block the blow, grunting as Ryu's heel smashes into his forearms. Not stopping for a breather, Andy spins his body around bringing his right fist around in a backhanded strike aimed at Ryu's temple. A brutal blow, but such is the deadly art of Koppou.
COMBATSYS: Andy successfully hits Ryu with Strong Punch.
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Andy 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Ryu
As Ryu lands, he's already in motion backwards, away from that dangerous fist... however, Andy's strike serves to help him along, smacking soundly into the nomad's skull and sending him reeling away from the ninja momentarily, a couple staggering steps brought to a stop with a brisk shake of his head, as Ryu refocuses on the fight, and efficiently re-enters it, snapping an answering strike up and around in the form of a rushing underhand slam to the ninja's ribcage, a substantial amount of power behind the singular impact. Corded arm tensing with the strike, a focusing kiai announces the moment of intended impact, Ryu showing no signs of slowing down this early in the fight.
COMBATSYS: Andy dodges Ryu's Fierce Punch.
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Andy 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Ryu
Andy feels the the blow coming before he actually see's it. Ryu was just as fast and just as powerful as Andy had heard, and he knew it was going to take all that he had to win this fight. But, Andy had fought warriors of Ryu's caliber before, Chun Li was one of them. In the old days a warrior might have been shamed after losing to a woman, but not Andy. The fight was all that mattered, and in the Hungry Wolf respected strength above all else. Shifting to a defensive stance he waits for the right moment, flipping over Ryu's punch he suddenly begins to sink quickly - his body leaving after images - and landing in a roll, the Ninja kicks at Ryu's hip.
COMBATSYS: Ryu interrupts Gen'ei Shiranui from Andy with Joudan Sokutou Geri.
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Andy 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Ryu
As Ryu punches into thin air, his eyes snap up, tracking Andy's rapid ascent, and almost instantly weaving into a fluid twist, stepping around with the momentum of his strike, Andy's kick glancing off his hip mid-turn, though the bruising strike looks considerably more glancing as the nomad retaliates, anchoring his left as his rotation brings his right side in-line with Bogard, leg bent up towards his body, before his foot all but shoots out in a fierce side-thrust, the nomad leaning further away from his opponent's hit, while reversing the momentum rather forcefully by planting his heel in the rolling ninja's face, "Kyaaaaah!!!" Focused, as well... both fighters seem to find no discomfort in the simple, quiet intensity of battle.
It's always disturbing when a foot crunches into your face. There's that dizzying sensation where your senses go into overdrive and numb at the same time, and your nasal cavities feel like they're about to eject an pint of mucus. Luckily for Andy he recovers quite quickly after Ryu's blow sends him sprawling to the ground. Quickly getting to his feet, Andy takes a few moments to recover looking over the world warrior.
"...I can see why Terry lost to you," he admits gingerly touching his nose. "But make no mistake, I intend to win this fight!"
Andy gathers his chi, the great talent of the Bogard line worthy even of great martial artists like Ryu, and channels it into his fist. That fist lashes out in a lightning fast motion sending a fiery ball of chi heading straight for the World Warrior.
"Hishou Ken."
COMBATSYS: Ryu parries Andy's Hishou Ken!
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Andy 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Ryu
Ryu's foot snaps back beneath him, with a final fluid half-turn, his defensive stance righted almost immediately as he faces Bogard sidelong, eyes focused on the talented ninja, the upsurge in Andy's chi unmistakeable... as is the fiery red burst that follows. An admirable fireball, to be sure, but if there's one thing Ryu knows... it's fireballs. Stepping into the barreling blast, the nomad slams his right palm out and around, a wild flare of bluish energy conflicting with the fiery hues of the ninja's chi, as the World Warrior all but catches that blast, momentarily. After that instant, which hangs in time as conflicting energies crackle, reds and blues flaring outwards in a brilliant shockwave as Ryu sweeps the blast aside, the excess power exploding outwards and dissipating in all directions as Ryu's left hand joins it on his right side, both hands cupping at his sides.
The deflected energy doesn't really seem to have /gone/ anywhere.... in fact, if one's /really/ observant, a whole lot of it was channeled, centered, right back into the flaring, angry fires that swirl between Ryu's cupping hands, subsequently sweeping the flaming wave forward, as it cascades into a sphere of searing chi, which chars the grass as it burns a quick path in at Andy, orbitted by flame and echoed by a fervent, "Hadoooouken!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Andy with Shakunetsu Hadouken EX.
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Andy 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Ryu
Andy's eyes go wide as the World Warrior literally plucks his Hishou Ken out of the air and fires it back at him with a burning ferocity that despite Andy's best efforts to dodge it, completely overwhelm him. Andy flies backward as the powerful chi blast knocks him off his feet and literally sets his body on fire. Perhaps it was Andy's amazing talent with chi manipulation that kept him from downright losing the fight then and there, or perhaps it was Andy's sheer tenacity but don't be fooled...as far as Andy Bogard is concerned this fight is far from over.
Andy stands, his body still smouldering. He needed to focus, to channel his energies and gather his strength. The Hungry Wolf violently smacks his left fist into his right palm, and then there's a sudden upsurge in chi as Andy slowly spreads his arms apart and loudly expels his breath.
"Shi! ...Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" And it's as if the floodgates suddenly open as golden ki begins to flare around Andy violently. "HHhyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
COMBATSYS: Andy focuses on his next action.
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Andy 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Ryu
Ryu doesn't immediately press the attack as Andy is blasted away... not as relentless as some masters would demand, but Ryu's patient tenacity is certainly not to be underestimated. As Andy seeks to regain his bearings and gather his energy, the nomad does much the same. The golden ki is absent, but the tangible upsurge of power is unmistakeable, the wind about Ryu gusting steadily more fiercely, sweeping in a fervent whirlwind about him, the very air touched by glimmering bluish energy, the crescendo steadily building as the World Warrior concentrates his own inner chi, the tension in his muscles as the power builds suddenly releasing along with the outrush of wind, blasting in all directions, with Ryu standing in the eye of the storm, his already-tousled hair fluttering softly, the gathered chi focused through his form, "As it should be." Ryu belatedly responds, now that he has a moment, "Don't hold anything back, and you'll receive the same respect." After all, the younger Bogard is a master in his own right, even if he hasn't travelled quite so far down his own road.
COMBATSYS: Ryu gathers his will.
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Andy 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\1 Ryu
Andy nods in reply to Ryu's encouragement, his face becoming a fierce embodiment of the true spirit of the Hungry Wolf. Andy's vision was consumed by Ryu's red gi'ed form now, it was the only thing he saw - no distractions, nothing else on his mind. The wolf had its prey in it's sights and it intended on biting it's foe...hard. Andy charged forward leaping after a few steps he violently thrust his right foot out at Ryu as hard as he could aiming to boot the World Warrior in the face in repayment for the past blow, and to live up to his promise to fight as hard as he could.
"HAH!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Andy's Heavy Kick.
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Andy 1/--=====/=======|=======\=------\1 Ryu
With a powerful whack of foot meeting muscle, Ryu's forearm intercepts Andy's flying kick, the force of it sliding Ryu backwards in the grass, though the centered and resilient Ansatsuken master holds his guard steady, arm flexing with the strain as he deflects the powerful strike. His mind clear, and energy steady, he pauses, giving Andy a moment to descend...
But as the Hungry Wolf lands, it's a left fist that's waiting for him, slamming up and under in a triphammer blast to his ribcage. That attack is followed up quickly, as the gathered energy reaches the boiling point, rushing through his frame and surging into the follow-through, Ryu swinging in low, his right fist seeking Bogard's chest as a legendary rising uppercut launches the World Warrior skyward with rocketing force, all but bolting up from the ground, looking to carry Andy up, up, and away on that uppercutting fist, the nomad's voice sending an echoing, "Shooooryuuuuken!!!!" over the clearing.
COMBATSYS: Andy fails to interrupt Shin Shoryuken from Ryu with Chou Reppa Dan.
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Andy 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Ryu
Andy is however, caught completely between a Shin Shouryuken and a Mountain as the Nomad's first fist smashes into his ribs. Then the second fist knocks him into the air, and then the third and final fist SMASHES the Youngest Bogard high into the air, and into a painful bone wrenching crunch into the earth headfirst. Ow, totally ow, ow and owwier. For a moment, it seems that Andy can't possibly still have the strength to fight...can he? Can he possibly have survived that? Andy's head rises, then his arms and then his legs. Shaky, weak and battered Andy Bogard rises, wiping blood from his mouth. "Hah...hah...hah...I'm not going to lose!"
"Keep your guard up." Is really the only warning, or apology, that Bogard gets just this moment from the World Warrior. The ninja is standing, and there's no shortage of will to fight left in the Hungry Wolf.... in a different setting, a spar might go differently. Here, though... there are only two professionals, honed in their art. The Ansatsuken master promised to give his all, and holding back now might insult that remaining will to fight.
Stepping in once Bogard regains his footing, the World Warrior weaves quickly forward, trying to slip past the aforementioned guard, and tag Andy with a potent left, snapping straight out for his solar plexus as the nomad steps in sidelong, "Haaah!"
COMBATSYS: Andy endures Ryu's Medium Punch.
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Andy 1/---====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Ryu
The Youngest Bogard knows that for him the fight is lost. So he took Ryu's punch, and while it crushed what little remaining strength he had left in his body Andy had angled his body with a purpose; to make one great final strike at his foe that would make him remember the name Andy Bogard! The ninja falls backward, rolling into a crouch Andy channels his chi throughout his entire body, saturating himself with it. "...this is it!" Andy puts both his palms to ground and then launches himself at Ryu feet first. Then something spectacular happens...Andy his body immolates as he flies through the air, arching toward's Ryu's chest like a burning arrow. "Chou Reppa Dan!"
COMBATSYS: Andy can no longer fight.
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Andy's Chou Reppa Dan.
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|
The remarkable rush of chi is certainly noticed by Ryu. As well as memorable. Of course, the Ansatsuken master isn't overly inclined to just stand in the path of it, and as Bogard launches up and around, Ryu throws himself to the side, clearing the trajectory at the last moment of Andy's descent, landing hard in a shoulder-roll away from that landing spot, and coming out of the tumble in a crouch, several quick, deep breaths following. Yes, he'll remember that attack... well aware of the intensity of the energy surging through it, even if the fighter channeling it doesn't look to be coming in for the most stable of landings.
Pushing back to his feet, the nomad approaches the spot where Andy touched down, offering the younger warrior a hand, "You are indeed skilled." He congratulates, despite the apparent outcome. He knows a talented offering when he sees one, and staying a step ahead of it doesn't inspire Ryu to look down on Andy's abilities, "I had to see for myself." He explains in calm tones, "Come by and train with me, if you have a chance. Your brother knows how to find me." A chance to observe Andy's fighting under other circumstances is a welcome one, apparently.
COMBATSYS: Ryu takes no action.
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Ryu has ended the fight here.
Andy missing Ryu is vexing, but flopping unceremoniously to the ground is a fair bit worse, especially after a warrior of such great caliber just owned you. Battered, bruised and a little bloody, Andy sits crosslegged and nods in reply to Ryu's congratulations and offers of training. To be frank, receiving such high praise from the World Warrior was flattering - far too flattering.
"Thank you, Mister Ryu. I'm...ah...already looking forward to our next meeting," Andy stands with a silent groan. "Whew...and I thought Chun Li kicked hard." He joked, smiling as best a beaten up man can.
Log created by Ryu, and last modified on 05:47:09 12/08/2005.