Description: The inevitable rematch between Rock Howard and Shingo Yabuki. (Draw Match)
Everything's set up. Not too long ago, Rock and Shingo met in combat -- far away land, not too long ago time. The fight was something else, as anyone who's seen it on TV or watched it in person can tell you. So, it's no wonder that the rematch has received a solid chunk of hype and set-up. The Metro Square station has been dressed up for battle, with cameras on either end. The trains are still running, though. Not even a fight can shut down the public transit of a major city. And it's on one of these trains -- a downtown train that rolls into the station, stops with a hiss of steam and power -- that Rock steps off of, looking around to make sure he's in the right place. "Am I on time?" he asks. "Alright," he says to himself, once reassured. "Let's get this show on the road."
On time he sure is. Shingo, on the other hand, only getting here a few minutes before Rock did. If that long. In other words, they're both here ready, willing, and able to get this spectacular rematch of theirs done. It has to be spectacular. Given how the previous one went. As Rock enters where today's fight will be held here in the subway terminal, Shingo grins and gives the other young man a thumbs-up. Just like he always does. "Yo, Rock!" Doing some last minute stretching with his arms, he windmills his shoulder and adjusts his gloves. "Good luck! I can tell this is going to be even more awesome than last time!" And just to be certain that he learned some things, Shingo double checks his notebook really quick.
Rock's right hand sizzles with prepared chi; it's a customary way for him to open a battle, granted, but whatever works. Stepping away from his train as it pulls out of the station, Rock cracks a swift mock-salute Shingo's way. "Good luck to you, too. I've got a pretty good feeling about this one, too, but... make sure you're on your toes today! REPPUKEN!" Rock makes a 'gun' gesture with his burning hand even as he hurls the wave of energy onto the Subway platform, drawing a bead on his opponent and firing as cameras start to go off and the spectators start to go crazy. The battle's joined.
COMBATSYS: Rock has started a fight here.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shingo has joined the fight here.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Shingo dodges Rock's Reppuken.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shingo
A nod is given in response to Rock's words. There's a grin too, obviously. Such is the way of Shingo Yabuki. Keep on his toes he says. Well then, why disagree with such good advice? Especially when there's a purplish hue of wind-like energy whipping across the ground that looks like it might sting just a bit when it gets close enough to hit. Shingo doesn't even hesitate by taking a big risk and jumps right over the Reppuken thrown at him. And that's not all! Reaching the zenith of his jump Shingo contorts his body in a manner that may seem very familiar to the young Howard. Nevermind they're both the same age. "SHINGO KIIIIIIICKU!" The Japanese highschool student's heavy leg bears down towards Rock's head. This may also sting a bit.
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Shingo's Shingo Kick.
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Rock 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Shingo
Rock's arms rise to his face, each one looking to protect him from the power that Shingo's got powering his blows. And he manages to turn aside a solid portion of the kick, even if his arms have seen better days by the time he's through. As he deflects the power behind Shingo's blow, Rock immediately reaches out to seize one of his foe's legs, sweeping it out from under him before he can recover from his aggressive kick. "Looks like we're both stuck on the same old tricks, huh?" he barks, "Let me show you something new, though..." With Shingo's leg in hand, Rock whips his weight around, attempting to fling his foe right into one of the pillars on either side of the subway platform, tossing him like some sort of human shot put.
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Shingo with Quick Throw.
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Rock 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Shingo
Given the awkward positioning of his body with Rock twirling him around like he is by the leg, Shingo really doesn't have many options and decides that he should just go with the flow as it were to then turn it back around on Rock. The only flaw with that strategy is that Rock lets go of him a lot sooner than he expected. If he had gotten the timing down right what would've happened is that Shingo would then use the pillar to rebound off of to launch back at his opponent. But since that's a bust he instead takes a slam into it with a loud grunt and looking like he may not regain his footing, but managing to do so at the last second. "Ow. That was a nice one," Shingo nods.
Now he has something new too, but he's not ready to break it out just yet so he's going to have to go along with something else. This is basically sprinting from side to side to get back in to close to Rock. Close enough where he can then make use of a one-two punch combination that he picked up from his short tenure training with HeavyD. "Teya!"
COMBATSYS: Rock fails to interrupt Medium Punch from Shingo with Medium Throw.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Shingo
This time, Shingo manages to strike home with a bit more panache that Rock might have expected; the blow nails him, first in the stomach and then on the shoulder, each blow driving him backwards a few places. It's not enough to put Rock flat on his back, but he definitely feels the results of the power behind Shingo's punches. "Yeah--" he manages. "Sameo to you."
Shingo isn't finished there though! Apparently his combo punches were enough to leave Rock open enough for yet another attack on his part. Score. The only thing now is that with being so close to him, what technique to use? Thnking too hard isn't something that is likely to happen, though. He already knows what he's going to do. There's some distance, not much but some, from Rock staggering back so why not close that distance up? Shingo spins around and sticks out a leg to hit Rock right in the gut and send him off balance some more. Why? So that a similar follow-up kick is then able to launch him higher in the air where Shingo is able to give chase without really having to land to leap up again and swing his leg in and upward to smash Rock back to the dirty subway floor with a hard heel kick. "Teya! Toriya! Dosha!" Shingo then landing shortly after in a comfortable crouch and ready to move if necessary.
COMBATSYS: Rock endures Shingo's Oboroguruma Mikansei.
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Rock 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Shingo
Rock hits the ground when Shingo comes a-chargin'. It's a strange move to make, given the fact that he could instead be dodging to either side or trying to establish some sort of counterattack. Instead, Rock sweats the blows, knocked backwards and backwards and backwards... but all the while, red eyes are trained on his opponent, waiting for something. Something... like an opening. Something like /that/. Breaking Shingo's forward momentum with one swift movement, Rock's hand lashes out to his ankle, seizing it with upsetting speed and power as his entire body becomes a massive machine; Shingo is both payload and counterweight, and Rock is one small, human catapault meant to hurl Shingo far away and right up into the ceiling, fearsome velocity applied to Shingo's flight as he goes.
COMBATSYS: Shingo counters Shinkuu Nage from Rock with Tsuki Hiji.
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Rock 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Shingo
Except -somehow-, either through insane luck or impressive skills, Shingo is able to upset Rock's counter attack with a counter of his own. When the blond grabs his ankle he knows he has to move quickly. Hitting the ceiling sounds like it would hurt. So with some fancy manoeuvring Shingo turns the whole experience around on Rock and rather then flying upward as much as the crimson-eyed fighter would've liked, Shingo comes hurtling down on top of Rock with a solid elbow drilling into his trapezius. "Hiji Otoshi!"
Rock's constantly confounded by Shingo's ability to deliver a Tsuki Hiji under any circumstances and in any situation -- it's maybe the most versatile counter ever designed. Either that, or Shingo makes up for his lack of flames with the ability to defy physics Something, perhaps, that Rock would benefit from learning how to replicate. But not now. Instead, after enduring the recoil of Shingo's blow, Rock's hands begin to each blaze with collective chi. "Yeah," he remarks, staring Shingo down. "You're as good as you were last time. I won't make the same mistakes with you twice. There's one thing about your kobojutsu, Yabuki. It's tough, but there's something missing... lemme see if I can illustrate it for you. Double Reppuken."
COMBATSYS: Shingo endures Rock's Double Reppuken EX.
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Rock 1/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Shingo
Is that kobojutsu is missing? Large, powerful bursts of wind-chi to be sent gliding across the ground? That's all fine and dandy if one likes a cool zephyr. But Shingo is all about the burning determination of flames. That is what he's going for by studing Kusanagi-ryuu kobojutsu. Once he has that he doesn't need to be able to hurl around any other type of projectile chi. Until that day, though. He's going to have to deal with things in this fashion.
Much like how he handles almost any other form of chi missile, Shingo blitzes right into it without much care for his own safety. Mostly because he knows that while the Double Reppuken is going to hurt like getting hit by a car, he'll live. He's hoping that it's enough to surprise Rock and catch him totally off-guard. Particularly when he clears through the turbulent winds and seems to increase his pace in what appears to be a head-on straight collusion. Rock should know what's coming next. One hell of a shoulder tackle, that's what. "Burning Phoenix Driver!" It's his technique, he can call it whatever he wants.
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Ge Shiki - Kake Hourin from Shingo with Joudan Crack Counter.
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Rock 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Shingo
"Your style--It's built around fire," Rock comments, holding in his combat stance as he awaits -- eagerly -- Shingo's assault. It's coming, inevitably and rapidly. "You don't have any..." Rock steadies himself, braced against the subway platform. The entire crowd falls silent as Rock makes no effort to evade Shingo one way or another, simply standing at the ready. "And all you try to do is be like Kusanagi. You've got the potential for it, Yabuki, but as long you keep trying to shoot flame instead of finding your own way..." Rock drops to one knee, his hands splaying upwards. There's force and power in this -- Shingo's got more than his fair share of it -- but Rock endures not with power, but with the grace of a matador. Turn aside this much momentum... push away that much. And stop the remainder.
"Why don't you start trying to walk your own path?" Rock says, in the brief instant where he holds Shingo at bay. "You've got more talent than Kyo. Flames and talent aren't the same thing. Maybe it's time you went your own way, and fill in the gap on your own! CRACK!" Rock immediately swings forward, delivering a kick to Shingo's neck. It's not much; it's just meant to knock him to the side, and leave Rock in a position to pick up what comes next.
Ok, yeah. Shingo would be lying if he said that didn't hurt. Not only because he got one swift kick to his neck that sends him tumbling to the ground but also since Rock stopped one of his stronger attacks like it was nothing. Then again, it's not like Shingo hasn't done the same to others. What goes around comes around it would seem.
Lifting himself up off the ground, the brown-haired boy shrugs and grins at Rock, "You've got your own goals and dreams, right? Would you give them up so easily if someone told you that you shouldn't follow through on them because they don't think it's the right path for you?" Shingo steadies himself and takes a cursory glance around. Hrm, that could come in handy. "I've already started on this path and I intend to see it all the way through. I don't think I could turn away now." Another grin and he kicks the trash can next to him with enough force to lift it up and send it flying at Rock. Fortunately it's not that full, as evident by all the litter around on the ground near it. "Heads up!"
COMBATSYS: Rock overcomes Large Thrown Object from Shingo with Double Reppuken.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Rock 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Shingo
"Being stubborn's no reason to follow a path. Rock sweeps one hand to the side, a hissing aura of chi more than enough to repel -- and annihilate -- the trashcan. It falls onto the tracks, where fight technicians swiftly go to take it off the tracks before the next train steams through. "I learned that the hard way. Maybe you'll have to, too. Double Reppuken." Even as the remains of the trashcan -- reeking ash and shrapnel -- falls through the air, Rock drives twin Reppukens across the floor at Shingo, each one screaming across the floor in one massive wave that consumes much of the subway platform.
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Shingo with Double Reppuken.
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Rock 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Shingo
Again no escape for Shingo from the Reppukens skating towards him on the station ground. They're coming in with a bit more briskness than he remembered. A hasty block is thrown up to buffer the blast but it's too late and both strike him to bowl him over like ten pins. Insert some more grunting and wincing. "Stay cool, Shingo." He says to himself getting back up once again. It's getting close to the end. He can feel it. So better make this one count.
"We'll see!" Shingo dashes forward and not unlike the Reppukens slides across the ground, probably soiling his pants in the process. Dissimilar to the chi projectiles thrown at him, a leg is held out to sweep Rock's legs from under him and give him a taste of what the ground feels like. Shingo is all about sharing the fun after all. "SHINGO SLIDAAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Rock interrupts Medium Kick from Shingo with Raging Storm'.
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Rock 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Shingo
Rock's demeanor has gone cold -- or, rather, serious. Somewhere along the line, this fight became less than just a fun match. There's too much of Shingo that reminds Rock of Rock, too much of a difference in philosophy and mindset. And, as Shingo approaches, Rock's jacket and hair begin to flutter, a breeze from somewhere pushing them aside, and disturbing bits of litter on the subway platform. It's not a coming train, either. It's bigger. Rock drops into the crouch the moment Shingo closes in, face contorting with effort as he roars: "Raging..."
The ground explodes. Two columns of the Subway platform -- the ones adjacent to Rock -- are blown out, though fortunately not enough to upset the structure of the station in the slightest. Still, the entire platform shakes and shudders as Rock explodes into a torrent of energy, sweeping blue waves consuming Shingo in the middle of his slide and directing him up... up... and into the ceiling, fulfilling a promise previously broken. "STOOOOOORM!"
"Burning..." A word that would be barely audible over the roar of chi that ascends from Rock as Shingo's body is battered about the the fierce winds of the Raging Storm. It was all so fast and unanticipated, there wasn't anything he could do. But at least he will be able to make up for it with what he has planned next. WHAM. His back slams into the ceiling and Shingo grunts out in pain as he weathers the storm, so to speak. Somehow coming to terms that this must be what a trailer park feels like when a tornado comes through. Or reasonably close. When it all ends his body seems to float for a few more seconds before starting to drift then plummet back down. His eyes begin to close...
"SHINGOOOOOOOOOO!"
Suddenly the cry fills the terminal. Shingo's eyes opening wide, his teeth and fists clenched. He knows this is it for him in this fight. But he can't let it end with so much of a difference from the last one. This is his last ditch attempt. His desperation move. One might even say for Kusanagi-ryuu. But that remains to be seen.
Once close enough to Rock a fist flies out at the other young man's head to see if he can knock him down and out with one serious punch backed by the momentum of a rapidly falling body that's not exactly light. Shingo having just enough energy to let loose another punch for a grand total of two. One is bound to hit, right? Right.
COMBATSYS: Shingo can no longer fight.
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Rock 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Rock fails to counter Burning Shingo from Shingo with Joudan Crack Counter.
COMBATSYS: Rock can no longer fight.
The two fighters collide with what might be described as an explosion -- tremendous physical force hits Rock before he can react, sending the fighter sailing backwards and onto his back, where he tumbles over and over again until he eventually comes to a halt, flat on his back but unable to get up. "Heh," he rasps, still down. "And you know what? That technique... that's yours. Just think about it. You've got your own style, just waiting to come out. I'm gonna take a nap, now. We'll do this again sometime, eh?"
"Heh...yeah," is all that comes out of Shingo's mouth before he himself falls over from exhaustion and giving it his all. Though one day he's going to tell Rock that technically 'Burning Shingo' isn't his since it's just a flameless version of Kyo's Mushiki. But that's a story for another time.
Log created by Shingo, and last modified on 14:52:48 01/12/2006.