Description: Girlfriend and boyfriend clash for the first time in the Neo League, just outside gate 31 of the Southtown Airport! (Draw Match)
The Southtown Airport, just outside gate 13, is a pretty good place for a Neo League fight this evening. There's no need for borders to keep the fighters contained -- it's pretty obvious that the planes are going to give them wide berth, and Sakura's Hadoukens don't often travel far enough to hit anything of import, what with Gates 11 through 15 being bereft of aircraft at the moment. Pretty much the only thing to worry about hitting is the cameras and the league officials.
Of course, an airport makes for crappy conditions for the fighters. Concrete is not the most forgiving of floor surfaces, for one -- and the constantly blowing wind makes for a bit of a hazard as well. Not to mention the stinging cold of a January evening. Sakura Kasugano is a trooper, though, showing up for her fans in her usual, regulation-short uniform, blue handguards, and her trademark headband of unlimited ammunition. And... from the distance most fans will have to maintain, the goosebumps and chattering teeth probably won't be terribly obvious to most. But... just the same, she's folded her arms up, shivering in the cold waiting for Shingo. What a day to be -early- for a fight!
To be fair, Sakura isn't the only one that is early for the fight. Shingo is here too. Been here for a while in fact. It's just that he's not specifically at the exact location the fight is to be held. Well not yet anyways. He was waiting in line inside for some hot chocolate. It's not really his fault that it took longer than he expected. He figured that he still had enough time. Which he does technically as he steps out the airport doors closest to the gates, tossing something into the garbage right before he does.
Bowing with his deepest apologizies to everyone, Shingo gets into position wearing his usual outfit and tightening his gloves. It sure is cold. But that just means that when he shoots flame it'll be easier to see the effects. Really. "Hey...Sakura-chan? Aren't you a little chilly?" He asks eyeing the fuku-clad girl with some concern.
COMBATSYS: Sakura has started a fight here.
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Sakura 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shingo has joined the fight here.
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Sakura 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shingo
Well, at least he's perceptive! It just so happens that this was something the schoolgirl had faulted Shingo for in the past. Though... naturally, if he were -really- perceptive, he'd have seen the girl's plight and brought some hot chocolate out for her as well. The heartless bastard! ... Though it's more because Sakura insisted on coming to the fight venue separately, she'd never admit that.
Nodding back to Shingo, she offers a friendly smile as the referees move into position. Her headband starts flipping into her eyes at the moment, so she lifts a hand to rectify that issue, slipping into a more ready fighting stance. "Y-y-yeah... it-it-it's a b-b-bit c-cold..." she stammers, pulling her jaw shut as she slides her left foot forward. "L-let's get s-started, huh?" She offers a tight smile, keeping her fists clenched so tight her knuckles are white. And... she waits there, brown eyes fixated upon Shingo!
COMBATSYS: Sakura focuses on her next action.
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Sakura 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shingo
How was he to know that she was going to come to the match dressed like that when she fully knew well where the venue was to be? She knows that he would've brought her a cup too if that was the case. He'll make it up to her after the fight anyways. So he's not too concerned about it. Though he agrees with her on getting started. If she stays out here for longer than necessary she may end up catching a cold or something.
A nod. "All right." Shingo holds up a fist and switches into his fighting stance. "Here I go!" And just like that he hops in at Sakura with a super fast but not overly three punch combination. One from the air when he hops in and two more when he lands before ducking to the side to hopefully escape any immediate retaliation she has in mind.
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Sakura with Jab Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Sakura 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Shingo
It seems the cold is getting to Sakura, for even though she -sees- the attacks coming close, her legs aren't really all that keen on obeying her command to get the heck outta the way. That is to say: she gets decked pretty hard, reeling back as -each- of the three punches lands true. She flies backward, falling onto her rear. Have we mentioned that concrete isn't the best? Yeah...
"Kyaaa..." notes Sakura, pushing back to her feet. "Well, =someone's= nice and warmed up!" she notes, spreading her feet wide as she curls her hands to her side. But rather than charge right in with a punch, she tries something a bit warmer -- a nice bloom of bright red flames swirling about in her hands. Intense colors flicker across her features for the instant before she lurches forward, thrusting the blaze at Shingo with a cry of "... Shakunetsu... HADOOOOUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Shingo blocks Sakura's Large Hadouken.
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Sakura 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Shingo
Ooooh, fire. To be more exact, fire-like chi. The projectile heating up the air between Sakura and Shingo as it flies in at the latter intent on assisting him with the chill. Which is strangely enough something Shingo isn't looking forward to. Hadoukens themselves are objects that should be avoided at all costs. Moreso when they're that big and with a reddish-tinge. If only he were a little quicker on his feet. Good thing he's got his hands. Shingo tucks his head in and raises his arms to absorb the brunt of the blast. There's a nice tingly warm sensation that goes with it.
"Yeah, well -now-," Shingo calls back to Sakura about her comment on being warmed up. Luckily the hadouken isn't powerful enough to cause him to spontaneous combust. It does slow him down just a bit, however. "SHINGO KIIIIIICKU!" It's better than just rushing in again. Got to love how it helps him close in distances rather quickly at other fighters. He would love it even more if it could actually hit this time around.
COMBATSYS: Sakura interrupts Shingo Kick from Shingo with Medium Hadouken.
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Sakura 1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Shingo
Grinning as her flames slam into Shingo, Sakura nods quickly. "Well, yeah, that was the idea!" Winking back at her boyfriend, the fangirl arcs around to the side, closing in for the kill! Or at least a better position for the attack.
Shingo may take some solace in knowing that his trademark kick does, in fact, hit the Ansatsuken prodigy. He may not, however, appreciate the fact that Sakura had returned her hands to her side after her last attack, conjuring forth another raging ball of flames. This one's the usual blue hue, though; when Shingo's kick comes swooping down at her, Sakura raises both hands, unloading the concussive wave right into the descending Yabuki. "HADOOOOOUKEN!" It doesn't stop the Shingo Kick from crashing into her shoulder, but as she pivots sideways and away from the boy, it seems she's still pleased with the outcome. "Heh heh... moetarou?"
Woo! Shingo Kick hit! Those were the words going through his head just at that moment. Then his eyes go wide as he realises that he fell perfectly for her trap. Uh, oops. In such a situation the options open to him are next to none and the boy goes hurtling back from the point blank burst of energy that erupts in his face. Shingo bounces off the floor and pops onto his feet taking a couple of deep breaths with a grin. Even as Sakura taunts him. Or so the perception might be to the onlookers who can actually hear her. The young man doesn't think much of it since he knows that's just she is.
"Sure did," he replies in between breaths. It could be that Sakura is on to him and his fighting tactics. Possibly, but he won't know for sure till the conclusion. Until then he's going to give it his best. Even it means he's going to have to end up charging at Sakura at a decent speed to grab her and slam his shoulder into her upper-body to send her flying. Or falling into another trap. These things happen. Preferably the former more than the latter though. "Oriyaaaaaa!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura fails to interrupt Hatsugane from Shingo with Large Hadouken EX.
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Sakura 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Shingo
Well, it wasn't Sakura's =original= intent to lure Shingo into such a trap, but she seems to think she'd have a pretty good shot of nailing him with a third Hadouken when he comes close. For one thing, she knows firsthand that Shingo's rushing shoulder slam hurts like -crazy-. For another... well, her hands are nice and warm from the last fireball, so why not throw another? They're toasty.
Unfortunately for her, she's not quite quick enough to level the concussive blast onto her boyfriend just yet. He's... fast, after all. And it's a really bad angle, as made evident by the way Sakura's wrist slams against Shingo's shoulder. If it'd worked, there'd be no risk for such a collision. But it clearly didn't -- and Sakura flies backwards from the sudden impact, tumbling hard on the concrete. "Oof..." she comments, but springs back to her feet in no time. "Hee-hee." she offers, the tip of her tongue peeking out. She's not cold -now-, not after receiving mild road rash from the concrete!
Shingo's Hatsugane doesn't really hurt as much as people think...or feel it hurts. Really. It's all in their heads. Seeing that when pain is inflicted on someone's person the nervous system relays the message to the brain. Get it? All in their heads. Cough. Anyways. Shingo grins, as though he ever stopped, and rubs the back of his head with a gloved hand. "That was a close one," he remarks. It really was in his opinion. Just thought he'd let her know. You know, right before he launches into yet another attack.
This one, oddly enough, being slightly more succesful in fights than his signature attack is. Crazy, eh? "SHINGO SLIDAAAAAAA!" There's a quick burst of speed from Shingo. His legs carrying him forward to give him enough momentum that he can continue moving at Sakura when he drops his body to the ground and goes into a sliding technique right at her legs.
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Shingo's Medium Kick.
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Sakura 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Shingo
Smirking faintly at her boyfriend's compliment, Sakura pauses for just a moment to dust the concrete kibble from her skirt. It's a bit annoying, after all. But when she sees Yabuki barreling towards her with a sliding kick, Sakura just raises an eyebrow. Dropping to one knee, Kasugano throws her right forearm in front of her, bracing with her left hand. "What the heck is -that- s'posed to be?" she asks -- but already she's leaping backwards, skirt fluttering about in the wind as she alights a good few yards back.
Locking her elbows at her sides, Kasugano grins back at Shingo. "Is that some kinda Luchadore move or somethin? 'cuz... there's a lot better moves out there!" A whirlwind springs into existence around her, yellowish-green wisps of flame swirling around her. Presumably, it's a bit hotter than the cold air, due to the color and the faint clouds of steam rising from the torrent. "Haaaaa...."
COMBATSYS: Sakura gathers her will.
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Sakura 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Shingo
A hand is used to push himself up after Sakura skillfully guards against his low attack and again he rubs his head. This time a bit more with a sheepish grin. "Probably! But it has sort of grown on me, you know?" He shrugs and moves to the left, "It's sort of fun too!" He can only say this because he wears long pants when doing that technique. If he were wearing shorts, it'd be a whole different story.
Hrm. Sakura's getting ready for something big, is she? Maybe. Or perhaps she's getting ready for a whole bunch of somethings small. Both instances would potentially be bad for Shingo. This means he'd do best to keep up with the offensive. At least until he gets his opening for his own something big or somethings small. From his sidestep to the left he next leaps in at Sakura and throws out a feint with his left hand. Only a diversion from the low punch to her gut with his right hand, "Teya!"
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Sakura with Medium Punch.
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Sakura 1/--=====/=======|=======\-------\1 Shingo
Sakura concedes, "Well, yeah, but it's gotta sting..." It -would- hurt to try something like that in a skirt, too. Just don't count on Sakura 'borrowing' the Shingo Slider any time soon.
Of course, she's here to fight -- criticizing his techniques is just a bonus! And... she's really got no room to criticize, considering she doesn't even -really- have an adequate defense for the feint, =or= the punch that slams into her gut. Staggering backwards as the torrent of energy fades, Sakura gives her boyfriend a hard smirk. "Heh, good one..." But now that she's taken a moment to catch her breath, it's time for another onslaught of attacks! Though instead of favoring her Hadoukens, she instead leans in close, making a wild grab for the boy's collar. If successful, she'd lean backward, planting her foot on Shingo's chest and using her leg as a lever to toss him back over her shoulder! "Yuttaa!"
COMBATSYS: Shingo endures Sakura's Medium Throw.
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Sakura 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Shingo
There's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Sakura's sacrifice throw is indeed succesful against her boyfriend. Of course that would absolutely have nothing to do with him deciding to let her throw him. Oh wait. Maybe it would have to do with him doing that. Go figure. Must be because he saw his opening rapidly approaching. And through the air he flies, where he lands? No one knows. But they are pretty sure it has to be somewhere close by!
In fact, very close by. Her form is excellent, but there's a slight weight difference and Sakura isn't that powerful enough to send Shingo the entire way across to the other side of the airport. Yet. Where he does land is a few feet behind her. The fall somewhat broken by careful placement of his arms that allows him to minimize the amount of time he spends on the ground. This is done by redirecting his momentum to get on his feet and launch himself back at Sakura at a very fast speed. "Burning..." A straight run. Can't waste time with darting. "SHINGOOOOOOOOOOO!" A lunging hook punch strikes out at her shoulder to begin the assault. What ends it is his shoulder driven home at her gut. In between would be a few more punches including a an uppercut to her sternum and a downward fist to her shoulder. The latter being what leads into the final shoulder charge.
COMBATSYS: Sakura endures Shingo's Burning Shingo.
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Sakura 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Shingo
It probably wouldn't matter to Sakura what order the punches and shoulder strikes come in, for she's already beat up pretty badly and all, and really... well, it's near impossible to stop the Burning Shingo! So Sakura tries the next best thing: standing and waiting for it!
Now, that might seem like a =bad= way to go, but the catch here is that Sakura's curling her hands to one side, amassing a great deal of blue-white energy accompanied by that telltale crackle of electricity which can only lead to one thing. "Shinkuuuuu...." And then Shingo touches down, crashing into her with a blisteringly fast series of punches. True to form, Sakura -doesn't- seem to mind, due to her singular focus on the surging energy in her palms. Sure, she -takes- the blows, but it's on her own terms. And even though the shoulder strike comes plowing through, ramming her in the midsection, just as expected... well, the blo that comes afterwards comes out just as easily. "HADOOOOOUKEN!" she shouts, whipping her hands forward and unleashing the concussive blast out towards the boy, in the midst of saaaaailing backwards from the blow. Eyelids flutter in mid-flight, but it'd be a tough feat indeed to tell whether the girl's getting up after this!
COMBATSYS: Sakura has reached second wind!
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Sakura 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Shingo
COMBATSYS: Shingo blocks Sakura's Shinkuu Hadouken.
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Sakura 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Shingo
The clash of Burning Shingo and Shinkuu Hadouken forms a powerful shockwave of force that causes a visible disturbance in the atmosphere between the two fighters. Most of it coming from the firing of Shinkuu Hadouken cannon. Which at a closer range than from it was fired would be extremely unhealthy to Shingo. It was all but a gamble in his eyes that he was able to protect himself as admirably as he did by digging in to hold his footing and using his arms as a make-shift shield. The roar of the hadouken drowning out the grunting of deflecting the chi projectile.
It should be over now. It would be too if he were fighting anyone -other- than his girlfriend. He watches her sail backwards from his barrage of blows and instantly breaks into a full out ran. Or the best he can manage. Taking off at a somewhat top speed so soon after blocking an attack like a Shinkuu Hadouken is generally not recommended. But Shingo just has this feeling that Sakura is still ready, willing, and able to finish this. This is why he's giving chase after her hoping to catch up before she can recover. His chances of doing such aren't looking good, but at least he's making an effort. Once close enough he gives it once last lunge forward at her and swings his fist in a wide arc, "This is it!" Or so he hopes.
COMBATSYS: Sakura dodges Shingo's Fierce Punch.
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Sakura 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Shingo
Sakura hits the ground pretty hard, bouncing once, then again as she tumbles backwards, head over heels. Though she doesn't bounce a =third= time, because she lands on her feet, curling into a low crouch as she beams back at Shingo. If nothing else, Sakura's doggedly persistent and willing to push herself -well- beyond her means -- any sane person would stay down!
And when that punch arcs in, Sakura's ready -- this time! She dives hard to the side, tumbling on her -own- command to get out of the way. Snapping back to her feet once more, she wags a finger at Shingo. "Hey, that mighta left a mark!" But her =other= hand is busy preparing something for Shingo -- a present she'll need two hands to wrap. The blossom of blue flames spirals at her side until she cradles it with both hands, at which point it suddenly balloons to twice its size. And it grows even larger as she thrusts her palms at Shingo with a cry of "HADOOOOOUKEN!" -- large enough to possibly engulf the boy whole as it rushes towards him!
COMBATSYS: Shingo fails to interrupt Large Hadouken EX from Sakura with Aragami Mikansei.
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Sakura 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Shingo
Engulf it does. Like some sort of giant energy monster with maw wide open ready to devour Shingo's entire body! As though the youth is going to stand for that. He isn't going down with out a fight! Even if that means leaping into the jaws of the beast! "Body ga...!" Is all that he can get out. His swinging fist impacting the dead centre of the Hadouken intending to have enough power behind his punch to disrupt the flow of energy within it and break through thereby nailing Sakura with an ambush. But as durable and determined he is, in his current state he's no match for the trademark projectile of Ansatsuken and is blown back. A loud primative grunt escapes his mouth and he hits the concrete floor hard. So hard that he rolls a short distance, eventually coming up in a crouch and breathing rather hard. "Oh well," he manages a grin, "It was worth a shot, eh?"
"Heh... yeah, it almost made it!" Sakura grins a bit, wiping her brow -- that was close! She may even retract calling him a chicken a few weeks back, after a gutsy show like -that!-
Nodding slowly, it's not to say the battle's over... but Sakura's fairly certain it =is= in the final stretch. Or at least... it's about to be. She takes a few steps back, clenching her fists before her. The cold isn't so much an issue now, but a little more fire couldn't hurt -- so she summons a small blaze into existence, letting the chi-flames whirl around her for some added warmth. "Haaaaa...." ... Or is this just another one of the girl's traps?
COMBATSYS: Sakura gathers her will.
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Sakura 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Shingo
To Shingo, however, it's not over till it's over. As long as his body can still move then the fight is still on. He may not be able to get back up after taking some serious damage like Sakura can, but he makes up for it with guts. And flames. But that comes later. He rises from his crouch now that his girlfriend isn't advancing on him. "Yep. Almost." He inhales deeply and lets it out. "So. Ready?" Rhetorical question but it sounds good for the cameras. Or so he'd like to believe. "Because..." Shingo starts trotting forward. "Here I come!" The trot becomes another one of his charging runs. One with darting from side to side into a high jump up. "Oriyaaaaaaa!" Like a comet streakng through space ablaze, Shingo's body becomes almost like a dead weight as he falls in at Sakura with one singular and powerful foot held out in front of him. His angle is enough that he won't hit her in the head though. Thank goodness for that.
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Shingo's Strong Kick.
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Sakura 1/----===/=======|=====--\-------\0 Shingo
And, likewise, Sakura's still got plenty of fight left in her! "Ready!" she chirps in response, eager to see what her boyfriend's got cooked up for her. And she sees it's... a falling kick! But, lucky for her, she's in a prime opportunity to deflect a strike like that, so she risks staying in one place -- using the whirlwind to her advantage as she raises her arms as a shield. It pays off: she takes the kick hard to the handguards, and even still it ends up knocking the girl to the ground, but she can at least throw herself into a roll.
And once she snaps out of it, her hands are curled back to her side again. "Heh... I know better than to try punching you!" And, true to her words, a ball of blue flame spins about in her hands. She doesn't waste any time though, plunging her hands forward with a loud cry as the spinning orb rockets forth: "HADOOOOOUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Shingo with Medium Hadouken EX.
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Sakura 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Shingo
Obviously she knows better than to punch him. Or else she wouldn't be throwing hadoukens all the time, now would she? Not that he complains or whines about it. That's just the way she chooses to fight him. Got to stick with one's strengths, right? Can't fault her for that. He has no one to blame but himself when he makes an attempt to avoid the most recent hadouken sent his way. For one he should've known better than to do something so foolish. But not like he had anything to lose really. More like he had everything to gain. Except in this case. WHAM. Chi energy splashes against his chest. Could this be it for Shingo Yabuki? Has Sakura defeated him once and for all?
Nah.
Not yet. He still has enough umph in him to get back up from having one knee down. But does he have enough to move? Just enough. Though how he accomplishes this is by leaning his body forward to the point where it looks like he might fall over. "Last one! Burning Phoenix Driver!" It's -yet- another charge at the schoolgirl. This one simple and basic. A shoulder charge to plow into her.
After completion, even if she gets hit or not, he grins and asks, "Better than Flaming Phoenix Forger or no?" This of course said as he slumps with both of his knees on the ground.
COMBATSYS: Shingo can no longer fight.
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Sakura 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Shingo successfully hits Sakura with Ge Shiki - Kake Hourin.
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Sakura 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Sakura takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Sakura can no longer fight.
Shoulder charges. They ain't somethin' to be shrugged off... and even though Sakura clearly has the advantage at this point... well. Sometimes, it's impossible to escape Shingo's singleminded determination, especially when the girl's already forcing herself well beyond her physical limits. And... well, taking the blow head-on pushes her much further over that line.
She bounces once before skidding to a halt, quiiiite a fair distance away. No words, though, as she sits up -- just a laugh, as the girl flops over to one side, forehead creased in agony. This... well, it'd be =stupid= to get up now, wouldn't it? "Ha ha ha... That was fun, Shingo..."
Shingo leans back, still sitting on his legs, and brings them out in front of himself using his arms as supports. "Yeah, it sure was! Bet you're not as cold as before now either, huh?" Because he shot flame and not due to the fact that her blood was pumping faster to warm up her body from increased activity. The medics on hand already make their move towars the fighters to treat their bruises and wounds. "Hey, Sakura-chan? Let's go get some hot chocolate."
Log created by Shingo, and last modified on 20:44:08 01/15/2006.