Description: Sakura Kasugano has jumped into the first place of the Neo League! And Kyo Kusanagi mercilessly wrests the title from the girl's grasp. What a nice guy! (Winner: Kyo)
Locomotion! The trains popularized in postcards from Southtown are usually those of the "bullet" variety, but in this case, the vehicle which upon today's fight will be staged is that of the freight-hauling variety. The cars on this train are a potpourri of fuel shells, boxes, and flatbeds, with the later kind being the type that Sakura Kasugano and Kyo Kusanagi are now standing on.
"If you think this wind is going to keep my flames from coming out, you're dead wrong!" Kyo exclaims, his voice somewhat overwhelmed by the loudness of the train careening over the rail-line that surrounds Southtown.
Sakura has been fighting back a case of the giggles all day. Why? What's so darn funny? Well... the fact that she'd gone from dead last to the first place in the Neo League in just a few weeks! Of course, she was fighting like crazy, but that's beside the point. It's an accomplishment, as far as she sees it! But what makes her accomplishment even sweeter is the fact that not only is she first... but Kyo Kusanagi is -second-.
She's been snicker ever since she first found out. And every time she looks back at the Kusanagi scion, she breaks into another round of giggles, covering her mouth with a hand. Who would have thought, the little scamp that happened to pull off a surprise win against the former King of Fighters in Strolheim would be here facing him -here- of all places?
And still with the giggling. It's a miracle the girl had even ascended the stairs to the flatbed, let alone remain standing through the roaring wind long enough to hear her competitors bold claim. "I-- hee-hee..." She'd offer a retort, but she's really too busy, y'know, -laughing- at the guy. "*snicker* Okay... then... I guess I gotta give you a shot to defeat me, huh?" Another round of snickering!
Of course... Sakura knows good and well how this battle -ought- to go -- Kyo -is- still undefeated in the league, whereas she's anything but. That's just part of the joke to the girl who's pulling her handguards on, trying to retain what little remains of her composure long enough to step into a fighting stance.
"S-so don't be scared or nothin', Kyo! I know you might be scared, but it's okay! Just... focus on the prize, and do your best!" Well, she stopped giggling, at least. Now it's just a smug, toothy grin.
COMBATSYS: Sakura has started a fight here.
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Sakura 0/-------/-------|
"Man, you of all people is first in this league..." Kyo shakes his head a little, "-If I had known that the level of competition was going to be so low, I wouldn't have signed up." Kyo hooks his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans, standing there with a decidedly not-prepared-for-combat stance, "Oh well, since there's no watermelons around here, I should be fine, right? Let's see if you can live up to that number one ranking!!" He says, snickering to himself a little.
COMBATSYS: Kyo has joined the fight here.
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Kyo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
In response to Kyo's first claim, Kasugano juts out her lower lip in a mock pout. "Aww... it almost sounds like Kyo-pyon is jealous!" Replacing the pout with a stuck-out tongue, it seems like she's only -barely- able to contain her snickering. But... while Kyo may be lounging about, Sakura's making a more serious effort to step into her tried-and-true fighting stance: fists balled, left forearm parallel to the ground, right arm hovering near her chin. She's nervous -- that's the -real- reason she's nearly hysterical, of course. "Right!" she rejoins, nodding briefly. She's far from the first to leap into action though, instead pacing around Kyo in a wide arc, her brown eyes focusing on him while her skirt and headband flap about wildly in the wind.
COMBATSYS: Sakura focuses on her next action.
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Kyo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
Kyo keeps his thumbs hooked in his pockets and his body stationary as Sakura starts to circle him. In contrast to Kasugano, Kyo is far from cracking up; he only maintains a small, confident smirk, which is in plain view as his head pivots to follow Sakura's movements. "Tch, you sounded pretty confident... I was sure you weren't just going to wait for me." He takes his thumbs out of his jean pockets and lets them rest at his sides, "...well, number one or not, I'm not gonna just let you prolong things!"
With that excalmation Kyo goes from standing casually to a full-on dash towards Sakura while one gloved hand recoils back towards his hips, then shoots forward, fingers grasping for her neck.
COMBATSYS: Sakura fails to interrupt Koto Moon Positive from Kyo with Medium Hadouken.
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Kyo 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Sakura
Kyo snatches Sakura by the neck with an iron grip, fingertips digging into her windpipe as he lifts her up off her feet. At first it seems as though Kyo might just throw Sakura from the train, since they're pretty close to the edge of the flatbed car, but instead he pivots and points her towards the center of the flatbed before the inevitable happens: "MOERO!" He cries out whilst ushering forth a large burst of flame that gives the appearance of Sakura exploding.
Well... it's not like Sakura expected the scion of flames to go easy on her! Nor did she -want- him to, really. But while it looks like she's just biding her time... she's actually plotting something! "Yeah, you wouldn't think that, would'ja?"
Of course, when the time comes to actually -execute- her plan... well, she falls a bit short. Her hands glow with a brilliant blue light... that conveniently fizzles as soon as Kyo grabs her and chokes the life out of her. "HRRRK!" Writhing about in Kyo's grasp, there's little she can do until the explosion rips forth, blasting her back and sending her tumbling across the railcar, clear to the other side! Panting, she rolls forward, placing her hand on the deck...
And the crazy girl is =still smiling= as she pushes back to her feet. "Heh... I'm ... I'm makin' ya get =serious=, ain't I?"
Kyo tilts his head a little at his opponent, "Serious?" he asks incredulously, while shaking a few small flames off his hand, "...that little flame? You're easily impressed!" Again he advances on Sakura, attacking more conventionally this time with barrages of punches and kicks that attempt to push Sakura even further into a corner.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Sakura with Quick Punch.
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Kyo 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Sakura
Sakura's still in the midst of brushing the charred bits off her sailor uniform. Real flames: they kinda hurt and all! "Just keep talking, Kyo-pyon! I'll show you who's boss!"
Sakura seems to be having a bit of trouble making good on that promise, though, for when Kyo closes in, Sakura finds she's run out of room. She curls her hands before her to take the hit, but she's spending at least half her time trying to make sure she doesn't run out of railcar! And it's the wrong half, for she gets -nailed- with the punches and kicks, falling flat on her bum in the process. "Gnnh..."
Though her low vantage point gives her an advantage -- throwing her weight hard to one side, she rolls towards the inside of the car, effectively placing her on safe ground again! "Haha... tricked ya, didn't I?" It might be a Pyrrhic victory though... but Sakura doesn't seem to mind! Bouncing right back to her feet, grinning despite the bruise welling on her cheek and various others hidden from view, she nods back at Kyo. "C'mon, let's kick things up a notch!" And she charges for Kyo, starting with two punches, and whirling herself into a hard kick to the gut. "Hu! Hyu! HAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo counters Medium Kick from Sakura with Nue Tsumi.
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Kyo 0/-------/-======|=======\=====--\1 Sakura
Kyo smacks Sakura a couple times, a straight punch then an elbow with the other arm, then turns as she rolls back towards the interior of the flatbed, now finding himself in the same position Sakura was just in: on the edge of the railcar, with not much room to manuever, unless you consider jumping off a speeding train to be an option.
He backpedals until he's at the very edge of the railcar while ducking his head out of the way of the first two punches, grinning the whole time, and when the kick to the gut threatens to send him flying into the second background sprite layer, he's ready for it. He captures the leg by it's ankle, then twists it violently, sending Sakura spinning a few times parallel to the flatbed before she makes aquaintance with the unyielding metal surface, "Huh. Don't tell me Ryu taught you those slow moves, weasel girl!" He teases.
Oof. Spinning to the deck with a twisted ankle... yeah, that might hurt. Biting down hard to keep from screaming from the pain, Sakura knows the -right- way to take a beating -- with dignity!
Well, dignity in the sense that she's not, y'know, openly weeping. But not the sense that she can fully choke back her insults. "C'mon, Kyo, I thought you were better than that! Rugal had me down for the count by this point!" she calls back, cupping her hands over her mouth as she limps back to her feet. Shakily, she swaggers, buffeted back and forth by the wind, hands hanging limply before her. She's determined, that much is true. "C'mon, is that all you got?" she calls out, snickering -- clearly delusional, and about to tip over already.
But while she might be a little out of it, the same can't be said for the flare of blue flames sprouting from her hands, taking form, first as petals, before coalescing into a bright blue orb, curiously unperturbed by the rushing winds.
Blue, until they turn -red-, anyway, with the girl's cocky (but weary) smirk growing broader. "Shakunetsuuuu..." And then she shoves her hands forward with a loud cry, "HADOOOOOUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo slows Large Hadouken from Sakura with Yami Barai.
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Kyo 0/-------/=======|=======\======-\1 Sakura
Standing there with one hand on his hip, Kyo peers at Sakura with a bored expression on his face. "Man!" He exclaims, running a hand quickly through his brown locks of hair and generally sounding exasperated at Sakura's rediculous taunts, "Only you would critique somebody for not kicking your ass quickly enough..." he shakes his head. Lazilly, he generates a plume of crimson flame in one palm and collases it into a ball which he throws against Sakura's hadouken technique. It is with moderate surprise when he finds that he's only able to slow down Sakura's projectile with his fireball, taking some of the kick out of it when it strikes him in the chest, making a small scorch mark.
"Yeah, well... sorry if you can't handle the truth, Kyo-pyon!" She winks back smugly, but quickly regrets it, considering the shiner she'd gotten from that last barrage. She's most delighted to see her flaming red fireball crash into Kyo -- =most= delighted. "Ha ha.. how'd you like them apples?" Sakura doesn't waste much time before charging right towards Kyo, lunging into what seems to be a wild left hook -- but instead she whips around to try and land her elbow across Kyo's throat in a flying lariat! The goal here would be to put her momentum to use taking the Kusanagi scion crashing to the deck of the hurtling railcar -- and if she manages it, she'd hit the deck beside him, pinning him for a moment! "HYYYYAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Sakura's Medium Throw.
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Kyo 0/-------/=======|=======\======-\1 Sakura
Ducking under the hook punch, Kyo doesn't really even get a chance to see Kasugano's clever feint, since he avoids the attack completely and the schoolgirl simply just flies over him. He stands up quickly and pivots slightly to reach behind him, hopefully latching onto the back of Sakura's fuku. With that hand hold he'll attempt to toss her over his back and to the surface of the railcar.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Sakura with Quick Throw.
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Kyo 1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Sakura
Whoops! Sakura gets snagged and jerked back sharply, flying through the air like a ragdoll before slamming down hard upon the railcar. Wham! Sakura may have been biting back the screams before, but she can't help but yelp -this- time. "Gyaaa!" Coughing as she doubles over from the pain, she rolls over to one side, pushing back to her feet, and once more dashes to the center of the railcar. "Okay, Kyo... you asked for it! Go ahead... get the watermelon cart ready, 'cuz this one's gonna be it!"
Sakura sucks at poker, by the way.
But that's not to say she doesn't have a surprise of her own. Grinning, she clenches her fists by her side, the winds kicking up ferociously as the girl adopts a brilliant blue glow. It's not just the wind glowing, either! "Haaaaaaaa!" She may not have been attacking as much, but the girl's got to be up to something.
Right?
COMBATSYS: Sakura gathers her will.
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Kyo 1/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Sakura
Kyo stands there while Sakura makes a spectacle out of charging up her chi in the middle of the railcar. Once again, he hooks his thumbs into his pant pockets and stares at the schoolgirl with a blase expression, "Any time you're ready..." he says.
COMBATSYS: Kyo focuses on his next action.
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Kyo 0/-------/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Sakura
"Ahh... well, then! Since you're chicken and everything, I may as well!" The schoolgirl curls her hands by her side, the blue energies swarming into her open palms. Taking a step towards the Kusanagi scion, the Ansatsuken prodigy curls her hands by her side, the blazing chi coalescing into a bright, white-hot orb. And with a nod, she takes off running at Kyo, stopping only to screech to a halt a fair distance in front of him, slingshotting the blue blaze forward at him. "HADOOOOOUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Kyo dodges Sakura's Large Hadouken EX.
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Kyo 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Sakura
Standing his ground, Kyo watches Sakura charge up a huge Hadouken in both hands, all the while smirking at her confidently. He waits up until Sakura starts to run towards him, then springs into action as well, running straight for his opponent. The sound of sneakers and boots tromping across sheet metal can't even be drowned out by the combined roar of the whipping winds, humming train engine, or the distinctive noise of metal wheels moving over tracks.
At the same moment that Sakura unleashes her large blast of chi energy, Kyo spins around, taking a final, large step forward. This movement not only dodges the projectile, but it also provide momentum for Kyo's next technique! One of Kyo's arms come around for a massive haymaker punch punctuated by a burst of crimson flame, hopefully only the beginning of a devestating punching combination.
COMBATSYS: Kyo successfully hits Sakura with Dokugami.
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Kyo 0/-------/----===|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Sakura
Kyo smashes his fist right into Sakura, "KURAE!!" He follows this up by splaying both arms outward, hitting both low and high, while generating another swath of flame. Lowering his shoulder, he jumps up into the air, taking his opponent with him and to top it all off he spins his body in mid-air, arms held up as two tendrils of flame spiral around him.
Sakura grits her teeth once she sees what's coming... she knows it's gonna hurt! There is a token attempt to get the heck outta the way, but there's no chance for that with how fast Kyo's attack is coming towards her. While in the midst of her roll, Kyo catches her with his initial punch, before unleashing the burning techniques that follow!
And Sakura saaaaaails upward, choking up a snicker in the midst of her flight. Like she'd had a chance against Kyo in a fair matchup! She's having fun with it just the same though.
Of course... what comes up, must come down. And while she's still conscious, she whips around, curling her hands up for another strike -- this one aimed diagonally downward at Kyo. Nearly impossible to hit from this angle, but Kasugano seems to think the four-foot-wide plume of blue flame is worth it! "Hadooooouken!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura can no longer fight.
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Kyo 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Kyo with Large Hadouken.
Glancing Blow
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Kyo 0/-------/---====|
Kyo drops to the ground while Kasugano hangs up in the air, "Hmpf," he remarks while peering up at her, what does she have planned now? Then there's that tell-tale blow glow coming from her hands. This again, irritating! The angle of the shot is indeed difficult, and made even more difficult by the fact that it's being attempting while falling. Kyo is able to backflip away from the Hadouken, but what he doesn't count on is that the blast shreds the metal surface of the flatbed railcar, tearing a large hole in the middle of it and sending a few scrapped pieces of jagged metal into the air. One of those shards careens towards Kyo's face... and he sees it just a little too late.
He seems to be unaffected by it, until a thin line of blood appears across his left cheek, a small cut. "Heh..." Kyo says, his eyes closing and his head dipping a little. Fight's over.
And... as Sakura is pretty exhausted from her fight, she takes a pretty rough landing from that aerial stunt. She curls slightly, but it's not enough to qualify as a "good" landing, or even a "decent" one, as she pretty much stops dead on the floor of the railcar, grumbling lightly. "Nnf..."
Lifting her shoulders off the floor, she shakes her head at Kyo. "... Guess this makes you champ now, huh?" A faint smirk crosses her lips, as gravity's pull seems to be inordinately strong on the young Ansatsuken fighter. "Guess that'd make me the first to congratulate'cha."
After a brief wink... she slumps back down to the deck. Naptime!
Standing, Kyo moves over towards Sakura, looking down at her thoughtfully, "...but you're not done yet." He sumises while touching the cut on his cheek and then inspecting the droplets of blood that collect on his fingertips. Of course, immediately after he says this, Kasugano decides to take a little nap. Kyo smirks a little, "I guess that's just you're nature, weasel girl."
Log created by Sakura, and last modified on 18:10:10 01/22/2006.