Description: In Jamaica for a rum-rockin' New Year's battle--one of these two won't be awake for the new year, however. (Winner: Alma)
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Log start."
Jamaica! whooooosh (plane flying)
The more equatorial climate here is a blessing less late in the winter, with Southtown temporarily enshrouded in a light, chilly rainfall. Preparations for the New Year's Celebrations are proceeding at a relaxed and nonchalant pace, people laughing and joking with each other as a pavillion is raised here, atop a plateau of sandy rock and dry grasses near the sparkling ocean. The sound of chattering and cheerful people emerges from the high-class resort hotel visible in the distance, with a paved road leading toward a city in the horizon. This pavillion, however, is not just going to be used to announce the New Year, but is first going to house a different sort of fireworks -- at the request of the Neo League and one Alma Towazu.
Alma has always agreed, in his mild sort of way, with Lao Tzu's assertion that one does not need to travel beyond one's own village to learn everything one needs to know. Easily satisfied and capable of making the most out of simple things, he does not have an adventurous personality in the more common sense of the word, and travelling is not something that strikes at his passions in the same way as, well, combat. Or art. Or tea. Or petite women. Furthermore, of course, he simply never had the opportunity to travel before he found himself a professional fighter, but this was alright with him.
Yet still, as the youth stands now on the wide platform of hewn wood and gazes up into the warm sky, the sun lazily drifting toward the horizon in preparation to set, he begins to feel that maybe there's something to be said for visiting other places and cultures.
Even if it is only to smack a friend around.
Neo League fights continue to take her to the most interesting places; Hotaru never thought she'd see so much of the world at 16. Greece, Southtown, the jungles of South America, and now Jamaica. What could be next? Fortunately the Seijyun administration is understanding about the needs of its fighting students. Besides which Hotaru does well in school anyways.
Jamaica, being one of those equatorial countries, is not only hot, but sweltering a little, even at dusk, but Hotaru doesn't mind. While she enjoys winter, warmth can be good for the soul, too, and the festive atmosphere, and this New Year's Eve fight, promise to make it enjoyable. As does her opponent... once again, she finds herself facing Alma Towazu. It's been a few weeks since their last fight, and Hotaru thinks to herself, as she climbs up onto the platform, that she just wants to enjoy the fight and have fun.
"Alma-kun! Ganbatte!" she cries as she crests the top and takes her spot, bowing to the model-warrior and waiting for the signal to begin.
[OOC] Alma says, "Mind if I take first action?"
[OOC] Hotaru says, "ok."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has started a fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
Alma glances over his shoulder at Hotaru's arrival and grins winningly, turning away from the view to face his opponent. The warmth has caused him to discard his usual winter scarf and indeed, the majority of his usual outfit, in favor of loose white and gold track pants and a tight black sleeveless shirt, its sole decoration the small silver line that travels halfway down, proving its fully zipped up. "Hey, Hotaru," the youth greets warmly, eyes sparkling as his shifts his stance slightly and relaxes his body while straightening his posture in easygoing preparation. The place has got him in an even better mood than usual. "Good luck to you."
He's grown to quite lik e the blue-haired girl, especially after their little foray into the Louvre after their last fight; she seems like a good friend for Mimiru to have. Hotaru seems a bit more... responsible? A helpful counterpoint, in Alma's opinion. But she's also a more challenging opponent than either of the Kasagis, so he'd better be prepared for a New Year's Eve workout--
"FIGHT!"
And it seems he is, for grin settling, he lunges immediately with a skipping feint, and then lashes out powerfully with one bare foot (the ground is nice here, and it's not a good place for his usual dressy shoes) in a fierce but fast opening kick. "Hmph!" Let's see if he's learned anything about Hiten-Ryu from his encounter with Feilong...
COMBATSYS: Alma has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Alma
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Alma's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Alma
Perhaps Alma did learn from his fight with Feilong; the man is a master of his martial art, after all, and Alma's bound to learn something. But Hotaru's no slouch either, and that quick kick is skipped away from just as Alma skips in; Hotaru grins at Alma. It's true that she was initially skeptical of him--but he's proven himself as a fighter repeatedly, and, yes, as a friend. Whether Hotaru can be that balancing influence on Mimiru's life is a good question--Mimiru has a certain strength of personality that makes her hard to resist--but Hotaru will try.
For now, though, the fight: after skipping away, Hotaru lunges forward, grabbing for Alma's extended leg, hoping to catch, reverse, and push, to throw Alma off balance.
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Hotaru's Quick Throw.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Alma
Alma's kick misses and his leg is grabbed, but the young man is instinctively prepared for this eventuality. As soon as his leg is held, he pushes off the ground with his other leg and twists, using Hotaru's own grip as an axis on which to pivot so that he can lash out with his other leg, fully leaving the ground. While this might theoretically leave him even *more* vulnerable, he is aided by the fact that said second leg has suddenly ignited in a forceful wave of Psycho Power, eliciting a grunt of effort from Alma. The shockwave that results, even if the kick itself doesn't impact, is enough to free him from any more danger from the throw, but he's not nearly finished -- that burning thrust kick is followed up by a series of spinning flaming roundhouse kicks. "Haaaahh..!" If Hotaru was caught by the first one, she'll probably be vulnerable to these, too.
"RISING FURY!"
The force of his combined physical and mental effort send up arcing upward, possibly knocking his opponent into the air as well.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru reflects Rising Fury from Alma with Ko-bi Kyaku EX.
- Power hit! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Alma
[OOC] Alma says, "Whoaho. XD"
[OOC] Hotaru XD
[OOC] Alma says, "Slick."
Hotaru knows that she missed her throw--or rather, that Alma was ready for it. So, in turn, she feels that she has to be ready for -his- attack in turn. The moment she knows she's not going to take him down, she's skipping back, and when that shockwave of Psycho Power comes in, it doesn't hit Hotaru. Well, not directly. It does hit something of Hotaru's--a upward-sweeping field of blue chi formed in the path of a high, thrusting mulekick that Hotaru performs. The rest of that attack may not even happen, as the intersection of chi and psi blow out at Alma, keeping Hotaru safe.
[OOC] Hotaru says, "That was incredibly fun. XD"
"Ugh..."
Alma *tries* to perform his series of roundhouse kicks, but what he ends up kicking is a wall of chi that sends a jolt of numbing pain through his leg and sends him flipping back, landing in a low crouch. He hits the ground rather gracefully for someone injured, but he's unable to disguise how he favors his leg -- before with a little smile and another "Hmph!", he slams the foot down on the ground, overcoming the numbing pain with calm and determined fighting spirit.
Still, the recovery has cost him his momentum, so he takes a deep breath and settles himself, reaching out toward that inspiring passion and drawing upon it while he can, taking the time to let it flow, power surging through his veins.
COMBATSYS: Alma gathers his will.
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Alma
Alma got the better of Hotaru last time, but this time may be different. With Alma stopping to try to inspire herself, Hotaru attempts to inspire herself in a different way; she takes a few steps, leaps high into the air, then descends on her opponent, right knee extended. Her plummet is aided and guided by her chi, but the impact is purely physical, and should she make contact, she'll kick out with her right leg, to get a bit of distance before landing.
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Hotaru's Ren-geki Shuu.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Alma
Alma's eyes flash once in the light as Hotaru approaches from the air, and having steadied himself, he lunges forward to meet her, blocking with his hands and fiercely pushing her away so that as she attempts to put distance between them he's still rushing forward. Leaning into his lunge and pushing off the ground fiercely, he surges towards her landing point with a rush of air, and immediately shifts into a powerful twisting rising uppercut, launching himself out to catch her unawares before she's able to gain any footing.
"Haa-SHA!"
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Hotaru with Strong Punch.
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Hotaru 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Alma
And Alma's uppercut catches Hotaru right in the stomach, forcing the girl to expel the rest of her breath in a loud "WHOUF!" as she is suddenly falling in a bad way; but she can take care of that. Putting her hands out, she lands in a headstanding position, but is only there for a moment. Immediately she spins, whirling her legs around, hoping to push Alma away from her, and turn the spin from high to low so she can regain her footing. Precarious, but maybe successful.
COMBATSYS: Alma interrupts Light Kick from Hotaru with Divine Intervention EX.
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Hotaru 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Alma
[OOC] Alma says, "NO MERCY."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Fine, fine."
[OOC] Alma XD XD
[OOC] Hotaru says, "The problem with fighting you is that you attack my two worst defense stats."
[OOC] Alma says, "Well, if you just took more advantage of *my* worst defense stat, I'm sure you'd do much better."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "I'm not savvy enough to figure out what it is without just asking and I don't really want to yet. :P I'll muddle on through somehow."
[OOC] Alma sighs. "You were supposed to say 'What stat is that?' and I was going to say 'Libido.'"
[OOC] Hotaru pokes. :) Pose, you goof. :)
Alma's uppercut connects, but he immediately drops into a crouch as Hotaru begins her counterattack of buffetting kicks, avoiding anything more than a few glancing blows -- but the young man isn't finished yet. Every single attack is not a single attack but a flowing part of a single combination attack, and that combination attack is the entire fight...
With a grunt of effort, he lunges at the ground, and punches fiercely, causing the caked sand and rock to splinter and crack -- and a small geyser of Psycho Power blasts up from the ground, catching Hotaru in the head in the middle of her headstand kicks and blasting her up and away once again.
Alma rises, and calmly dusts a bit of sand off his knee.
Hotaru goes tumbling, and ends up facedown for a moment, before rising to her feet. She... well, she doesn't look happy about that. It was, to say the least, -not- very nice. Nor is she overly eager to go running in again; she dusts herself off, her face settling into a visage most serious and intent. She has no intention of letting Alma beat her -again-. She beat Juli, and she's felt that sting of Psycho Power before. If she beat Juli, then she should be able to beat Alma. Hotaru's thoughts narrow, like a knife blade, focusing only on the here and now--on Alma.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.
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Hotaru 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Alma
Alma sees Hotaru preparing herself for his next attack, but the momentum is on his side now, and there's no time for him to hold back. A field of tension suddenly surges around the youth as he channels the flow of battle into himself, the air around him shimmering and glinting a rosy gold color as a sparkling white-pink halo starts to radiate from the young man's coppery skin -- and then, giving the girl no respite, he immediately lunges again, blazing a white trail behind him as he blurs forward, almost vanishing in his sudden speed.
A blur of jabs highlighted by white-pink light immediately burst out at Hotaru's face and chest as Alma manifests directly in front of her, face equally intent but eyes mild in his usual unique manner -- but then those eyes narrow and flash as a second burst of power ignites his spirit, and he attacks with a series of strong punches and low and medium level flaming kicks before finishing with a powerful blazing uppercut and a cry to the heavens:
"Uuuuryahhh!"
There's no holding back now!
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Another super huh. :o"
[OOC] Alma says, "I haven't used a super yet!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru stops Destined Duel from Alma with Ko-bi Kyaku EX.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Alma
[OOC] Alma says, "Ohsnap"
[OOC] Alma says, "Now *that* was stylish."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Well piff, that sucked. Though not as bad as getting hit."
[OOC] Alma says, "Yeah, combat wise it did kinda suck, but it *was* stylish. XD XD"
[OOC] Hotaru will pose this oddly, since it was a stop and not a reflect. So it won't be Ko-bi Kyaku exactly.
[OOC] Alma says, "Hey, whatever works. ;)"
And the setting sun highlights the flashes of energy as--as Alma's flurries of Psycho Powered jabs, low strikes, and all that are--parried, Hotaru's forearms and hands glowing with her summoned chi. It's like fireworks, drawing applause from the crowd, Hotaru working frantically to fend off Alma's assault; the last blazing uppercut is met with the blue chi field, but of just enough strength to cancel out, and then Hotaru wheels back, panting, but still sound for the fight.
[OOC] Alma says, "Definitely stylish."
Alma himself is forced to stagger back after expending all that effort into his ferocious series of blows, and pants for breath quietly, muscular chest heaving -- that's what you get when you're a big model wearing a tight shirt -- and gazing at Hotaru with eyes slightly more widened than usual, perfect eyebrows slightly raised.
"Hotaru," he murmurs, in a tones of deep respect. If he wasn't in the middle of this fight, he'd be applauding too. This is the sort of spirit that the best examples of combat reach toward...!
After a couple of seconds for the both of them to recover but before the cheers have completely died down, Alma skips in again, and raises his hands to jab out in a series of questing opening blows, aiming to get around the girl's defenses. His momentum has been halted and reset. It's time to start Round Two.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Alma's Quick Punch.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Alma
Hotaru's defenses remain solid for now. In this case, it means duckin g and weaving and mastering the ultimate defense: don't be where your opponent is attacking. She backflips away from the last of the jabs, again opening up a little distance between herself and Alma, and summons up her chi again, focusing the energy into her right palm, thrusting it out at Alma; the lighting is becoming poor, so, in the midst of her Hakki Shou, just as the ball coalesces and pulses away at Alma, floodlights snap on, throwing the fighters' shadows into sharp relief.
[OOC] Alma ponders. :o
COMBATSYS: Alma slows Hakki Shou from Hotaru with Sacred Wave.
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Hotaru 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Alma
[OOC] Alma says, "Argh. XD"
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Yay yellow. :O"
Oh yeah? Alma can do that too. Instinctively reacting to the projectile assault with a quick surge of his own energies, Alma thrusts a hand out and unleashes a quick blast of Psycho Power -- "Kuuseiha!" -- that spirals through the air and collides with Hotaru's own attack in a flash of white, blue, and pink, sending fading sparks shooting throughout the pavillion impressively.
Unfortunately, most of those sparks are chunks of Alma's own attack as it is shattered by Hotaru's more powerful maneuver, and the remainder of her strike connects, sending Alma staggering back.
[OOC] Alma says, "LTO would've been smarter, but that was cooler. e_e"
And then Hotaru is off and running, once again attempting to close with Alma, reaching out to try and grasp him by an arm. If she gets the grab, she'll pivot and throw him over her shoulder--but also follow him down to bury her shoulder in his sternum before flipping up, off, and away.
[OOC] Alma says, "I'm..."
[OOC] Alma says, "I'm so tempted to interrupt with a headbutt."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "You'd headbutt a girl? ;.; I'm not Tran here, y'know."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Alma with Strong Throw.
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Hotaru 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Alma
[OOC] Alma says, "Argh."
[OOC] Alma says, "I knew I should've done it."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Yay girl power :o"
Alma's still reeling from the blast, and he doesn't quite recover in time enough to react successfully to her attack, so her grab is successful, around her to toss him around and plant her shoulder in his chest, eliciting a stranged cough from the poor boy before he's hurled bodily away. He still manages to roll, however, but it looks like Hotaru's reversed the momentum of this fight...
Which means he'll just have to re-reverse it! Lunging to his feet, Alma is already attacking, shifting into an Engekishu style strike as he leaps forward with a quick front double-kick, aiming to batter Hotaru away and pay her back for that throw.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Hotaru with Light Kick.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Alma
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Woo, missed on a 75. :)"
[OOC] Alma says, "Sheesh. XD"
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Which means, I think, I should've interrupted, but who knows. :)"
[OOC] Alma says, "You know, if Hotaru flutters her eyelashes at Alma and blows him a kiss, I promise I'll pass my next turn."
[OOC] Alma says, "I'm just sayin'."
[OOC] Alma XD
The double-hitting kick strikes true, forcing Hotaru back, the second hit snapping her head back; no sir, she odesn't like it, but nothing broken yet. She tries to take advantage of Alma's closeness by striking out at his legs, snapping a series of shuffling kicks at his shins, hoping to force him back and to take control of the flow of battle.
[OOC] Hotaru <-- NOT B.Jenet.
[OOC] Alma laughs.
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Alma
Alma winces as he takes the first kick on the shin, but immediate moves to jam the rest of the kicks with his own leg, stepping up and over to block her feet from getting off the ground as he lashes out with his right hand -- and aims to tap the girl on the forehead with his index and middle finger, the digits suffused with white-pink glimmering light.
If he manages to make contact, he'll unleash that power directly into her brain, stunning her synapses and attacking her sense of self with a blast of raw battle passion...
[OOC] Hotaru says, "I have a bad feeling about this. However."
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Hotaru with Self Expression.
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Hotaru 1/---====/=======|=======\===----\1 Alma
[OOC] Hotaru says, "And: Bad feeling confirmed."
[OOC] Alma says, "Getting hit was probably a worse feeling."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "I should've gone for the interrupt."
[OOC] Alma says, "Hahah, that would've been hardcore."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "I was seriously thinking about it."
[OOC] Alma says, "I still wish I'd've gone for the headbutt."
[OOC] Alma says, "Since my dodge missed, I think my strong punch interrupt would've worked."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Man, and I'm like 1% super away from MAX. :)"
[OOC] Alma says, "Awww, weaksauce, I thought you had enough."
[OOC] Alma says, "Punch yourself to get enough!!"
The battle passion feeds into Hotaru's brain, causing a shriek of agony as her synapses are overloaded; Hotaru pulls away from Alma, staggering, looking extremely unhappy; she pushes away from Alma, shaking her head, trying to bring herself back to the here and now. It isn't easy; Hotaru takes stock of the way her arms and legs are shaking and she knows she's almost done. The only question is, can she at least take Alma with her? Slapping her cheeks a couple of times, she takes a step or two forward, and just tries to haul off and palm-thrust Alma in the chest. Simple and... well, it probably won't work, but she has to try.
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Hotaru's Strong Punch.
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Hotaru 1/---====/=======|=======\===----\1 Alma
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Feh. :)"
[OOC] Hotaru says, "A real man would have endured!"
Alma lunges. Eyes intent, he weaves around Hotaru's fierce strike and brings up his right hand once again -- and it appears the glow from his previous attack has not dissipated. In fact, it appears to have redoubled in strength! His eyes glow with gathering warmth as, arm blurring with the sheer velocity, he lashes out once again, in his own palm strike at Hotaru's chest--
"Surrender."
And, in a finishing and climatic blow, unloads and unleashes all of his gathered fighting spirit, all of the energy derived from this fight, focused on this one moment... and attempts to engulf the younger girl in a wave of overwhelming and invisible mental energy.
Dust blasts into the air and several dried grasses are ripped from their dead roots and sent spiralling into the air as the ground around the pavillion suffers the wake of his attack.
[OOC] Alma says, "Pfah."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "That's a MAX?"
[OOC] Alma says, "Yes'm."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "... alright. What the hell."
COMBATSYS: Hotaru fails to reflect Absolution from Alma with Ko-bi Kyaku EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Alma 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru can no longer fight.
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Alma 0/-------/------=|
[OOC] Alma heaves a sigh of relief.
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Damn. Well, it was a slightly better than even chance."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "I still don't quite understand why I have so much damn trouble with you when I owned up on Juli. e.e"
[OOC] Hotaru's league rankings will take a beating. Probably back down to 0 points now. :)
[OOC] Alma says, "To one point, actually, I think. e_e"
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Hmm."
[OOC] Alma says, "Also, a lot of people have done well against Juli, I think, even though she's supposed to be kinda solid. Gabriel beat her."
[OOC] Alma says, "I'm not really tempted to fight Juli, I'm pretty sure she'll trash me. ;)"
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Juli's hardcore, that's for sure. Ah well."
"Surrender." It would be so simple, wouldn't it? But Hotaru doesn't surrender. She doesn't back down, and she doesn't... well, she doesn't survive Alma's attack. It quite literally blasts her off her feet; the power of it such that she is guaranteed to be out for at least a day, her body showing no signs of consciousness even as she tumbles through the air, quite possibly to land badly on a shoulder. She doesn't even have time to think that she should have tried something else. But surrender? To Hotaru, surrender means giving up on yourself--on your heart, your spirit--and that's one thing she can never do.
[OOC] Hotaru shakes her fist. Some day I'll actually beat you. -_-
[OOC] Alma says, "I'm tellin you, just use your feminine wiles."
[OOC] Hotaru says, "Hotaru doesn't -have- any. :P"
Log created by Hotaru, and last modified on 11:36:32 01/01/2006.