Description:
The rooftop of Taiyo Dome was already opened, letting the cheering escape from the structure. Most of those in the audience were students, having bought their tickets cheaper for an on-school event, but adults helped pack the building tightly, everybody more than happy to spend the money on a ticket since it was all going back into the school. Charity is always more fun when you get to see someone get beat up.
The cheering rises as the first of the fighters appears at one of the entryways, waiting for his name to be called and the school-picked theme song to be played. The robe? A gift from James Brown. The shoes? Custom-made sandals from Nike, with extra sturdiness to support the weight of their wearer. The watch? $6.99 from any given store. When you go through wristbands like a fiend, you tend not to worry too much about their appearance. The man's face spreads into a grin as "Eeeedmuuuund Hooooonnnnnnda!" is exclaimed after his home and weight.
And so it is that E. Honda, raising his arms up to wave to the audience, heads to the makeshift arena that was made out of the baseball field. As he removes his cloak and shoes, setting them to the side, he glances around. He had heard his opponent hadn't arrived yet...which was troublesome. He's had to pull the 'sumo your principal and least favorite teachers as a demonstration' trick before to make sure the place didn't leave the building unhappy...but one can only do that so many times before people get tired of it.
Whenever a late performer finally makes their entrance it seems rumour spreads like wildfire, and thus by the time Terry's announcement begins sections of the crowd are already chanting his name - or one of his many variant monikers. 'This Wolf' and 'That Wolf'.. you know the score. Just why is he tardy today? A heavy bout with Takuma Sakazaki in the small hours of last night, followed by a healthy eating binge, laid the hometown legend down into a long sleep this morning and by the time he woke up he should already have been kicking his heels along to the Dome. Cue a few impromptu stops along the way to encourage the more impoverished local kids, and now he finally turns up to the sound of a garish intro.
"Aaaaand from /this very town/, you know him - yooooouuuuu love him! The Lonely Wolf! Teeeeeerry Bo-gaaaard!" In kicks the theme music - apparently picked out by Taiyo's skater crowd, as the funkrock strains of 'Fight Like A Brave' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers greets the legendary bum's stroll to the arena. His dress? The usual. Red Converse, blue jeans, white t-shirt, red body-warmer, and the eternal cap. His manner? Pumped, a huge grin on his lips and a variety of waves, casual salutes and exaggerated bows going out to the screaming Southtown youth as he makes his way to his opponent. When he finally jumps up into the designated area, he spins about to offer one last, big wave to the assembly... and then it's all business, fighting stance loosely assumed for a beckoning motion thrown out to the celebrity sumo.
"Edmund Honda, right? Sorry I'm late. I heard a lot aboutcha, man - these people paid for a show and I reckon we can give it to 'em. Whaddya say?" Curling his previously extended hand to a fist, the Wolf fixes his opponent with an enthusiastic, piercing gaze - as much looking to gauge the friendly giant as 'stare him down' or any such nonsense.
Well, 'Fight Like A Brave' is a better choice than No Doubt's 'Soundquake' for Honda. E. Honda has never met Gwen Stefani...and now has absolutely no urge to. The 'Fat Man' (he's stopped pointing out to people how much of it is muscle instead of just fat) grins back at Terry, and assumes his stance in the fighting area, and does the typical bow that would come before a sumo match.
As E. Honda finishes his preparations, including a quick sprinkling of rice out in front of him, he replies, "Easy, friend! Catch your breath! It wouldn't do for the audience to think you weren't at your best before the fight began, hm?"
Once the mini-ceremony is over, E. Honda raises a foot, bends his knees, and brings it down onto the grass, feeling the ground surrender slightly as he claps his hands together. "And, I hope you do well, Mr. Terry Bogard. I have heard much about you as well, and hope our show is to these people's liking!"
COMBATSYS: E.Honda has started a fight here.
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E.Honda 0/-------/-------|
On the subject of fat relative to muscle... Terry, himself, holds no misconceptions. How many fighters truly would? A well-trained sumo wrestler can count a speeding freight train among his closest kin, and while the Hungry Wolf himself is far from being a slacker in the power department.. his strength is drawn upon slightly different sources. Should be interesting to see how these two collide, and there's no hiding the excitement in the often subdued warrior as he studes his massive opponent. "I guess you're right," he responds to the first comment, shaking his head and reaching up to adjust his cap briefly - apparently taking the larger man's advice as he does lower his guard in the process.
This lull does not last long however, and after watching and feeling the impact Honda's body has upon the earth, he falls back into his stance, hands tightly curled and entire body beginning to shift in a light rhythm. Before giving himself over entirely though, he gets in one last say before the exuberant announcer makes the battle's beginning all nice and official, "I'm sure we can pull this off. Now c'mon - gimme your best shot!"
COMBATSYS: Terry has joined the fight here.
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Terry 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 E.Honda
A momentary shift of weight, and then E. Honda is already charging forward, hands reaching out towards Terry. "Allow me to show you...the power of SUMO!" The large man lumbers forward, gathering speed as he draws clsoer. When he gets within arm's reach of Terry, the wrestler shifts his weight slightly, aiming to get his right arm underneath Terry's left. With that in place, Honda would then twist his body slightly to force Terry to stumble forward a step, and then bring his other arm down onto his shoulder. If the whole move comes off like planned, it's a nice little sumo maneuver that should flip Terry over and onto the ground. If it works.
COMBATSYS: Terry blocks E.Honda's Fast Throw.
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Terry 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 E.Honda
Terry merely nods in response to the opening cry, gaze intent upon Honda as he rushes forward. The techniques of sumo aren't something he's studied in great depth, nor has he faced any practicioners in recent memory... but he knows well enough to be expecting some form of grapple, so by the time Honda's closed the distance the Hungry Wolf is more than prepared. Twisting his body slightly into clear acceptance of the grip, he seems to be doing little to resist - and there lies the secret. Loosening his body completely once time comes for impact, the effect is rather like hurling a light cushion. Curling his back once he's landed with relative comfort, the blonde rolls off his shoulders to flip back to his feet directly in front of his opponent.
"Not bad, but-" Beginning somewhat breathlessly after his manuever, he also cuts himself off in mid-sentence, dropping down low and suddenly bull-rushing forward in a speedy shoulder tackle. "HAH!" Aiming to forcibly impact with the massive man before him at a critical point, his blow should stagger Honda enough for the two-fold follow-up. A lightning fast twist brings enough torque for a second less damaging shoulder before a second turn of his torso sees Bogard aim a swinging roundhouse punch for the cheek of his staggered opponent. "HUP! HAA-AH!" Regardless of relative success, he takes a hopping step back as he retracts his extended fist, reaching to rub the back of his neck as he finishes his sentence, "Sumo really oughtta try harder. Let's see if ya can /really/ hit me."
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits E.Honda with Power Charge.
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Terry 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 E.Honda
See, now why'd Terry have to go and mock sumo? You don't see E. Honda talking trash about /his/ fighting style...at least, not in a charity match. E. Honda was all set to keep it friendly, and provide witty banter back and forth between the two. But to insult sumo like that...well, sumo's about to get, how to the school kids say it, 'all up in Terry's face'.
The blows impact against the large man and send him staggering back, but Honda doesn't even pause as a hand reaches out again for Terry, face still wide in a grin as he aims for the man's collar on his jacket, using it for his attempt to pull the other man close. When Terry's in, Honda twists around, wrapping an arm around Terry to pin his arm in place, and then uses it to drive him backwards and into the ground. "HEEEYAH!"
COMBATSYS: E.Honda successfully hits Terry with Tawara Nage.
- Power hit! -
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Terry 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 E.Honda
Aw snap. This is why you should never rag on another man's fighting style! Though in this particular case, it's not entirely welcome... Terry's not one to hurl idle jibes at opponents unless he truly has reason to hate them, or he simply wants to get the absolute most out of them. Brash? Perhaps. Rude? Sometimes, if perceptions are swinging in the wrong direction, but ultimately there is no hard feeling intended. Though there might as well be, given how 'up in his face' Honda really does get. Snagged out of his smack talk with a single huge limb, he gets scant opportunity to prepare, though he certainly tries.. once more attempting to 'roll with' the impact...
To absolutely no avail. "Ooof!" Breath knocked so effectively from hiis lungs, it takes a moment before the Wolf rolls into one shoulder and comes up in a crouch just a short distance from his opponent. Now that's he managed to grab a sneaky lungful of air, a grin once more plays upon his lips - was that exactly what he wanted? Seems like it. "Ha! Way to show me how it's done. Seems we're about even!" Hopping up to his feet, Terry glances back toward the crowd as he takes a few short steps back, raising a guard and rapidly switching his attention back to the Japanese juggernaut. An action which heralds quite the change in tactic, the man's who's been happy to play the waiting game now launching himself into full momentum...
"But it's just getting' started!" Breaking into a short sprint to close the created distance, Bogard waits until the last possible chance before collision, hurling himself into a tight forward flip that causes a couple of the nearer schoolboys to start marking out - /this/ move is a little more flashy, and a little more famous. At the apex of his small aerial journey, Terry's right leg snaps out to cut a whirling slash through the air, his Converse-clad heel coming in for devastating collision with Honda's collarbone. "CRACK SHOT!!"
COMBATSYS: E.Honda endures Terry's Crack Shot.
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Terry 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 E.Honda
Yes, that foot looks like it /might/ just hurt a bit. But, E. Honda isn't the type to run away. Instead, the behemoth steps /in/ to the attack, even reaching up a hand to catch the leg and hold it against his collar bone. "Not bad, young man...but, you shouldn't leave yourself so open!" His other hand reaches to grab Terry's jacket again, perhaps leaving the audience with an explanation of why sumo wrestlers typically wear their standard uniform. Less clothes, less chances to have them used against you. If it works, E. Honda actually pulls Terry /down/ onto his knee, aiming it at his opponent's side, and then twisting around, pulling him by the leg to go over Honda's head, and slammed down onto the ground. "HYA!"
COMBATSYS: Terry fails to interrupt Rebound Throw from E.Honda with Rising Tackle.
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Terry 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 E.Honda
...well. That's twice in as many fights that Terry has found his opponent just that little too hardassed to simply accept that being smacked that hard in the collarbone /really hurts/. Against Takuma, it wasn't too surprising.. though the manner of the follow-up was, and with the world-renowned sumo it is hardly that shocking either. Just seeing the scale of the guy is enough to dispel any surprise. And never mind his sheer physical strength easily equals his fortitue, because the Wolf decides to try something risky anyway - aiming to wrench himself free with an extension of force right after that crushing knee, to invert his body and aim a nasty heel up into Honda's chin.
"RISING-!" Instead, his voice is cut off with a wet grunt as he's almost effortlessly hammered into the surprisingly unaccepting grass, landing heavily on his back and only managing to roll onto his side through some deep-lodged instinct. "...jesus..." Coughing up a mouthful of bloody saliva, Terry pushes himself to a crouch with some effort and simply stays there for a moment, watching his larger opponent with a gentle smirk and blazing eyes. "You're pretty strong." Talk about understating the fact, and he knows it.. his lips tugging further upward once he's spoken his piece. This done, he rises slowly to his feet and slips back into that familiar stance, saying nothing else while he prepares himself for the next onslaught...
"I eat right, I don't do drugs, and I keep in shape." It's the sly response from Honda as the other fighter gives Terry a moment to stand up. If it was a sumo match, it would already be over...but as Honda learned quickly, a 'fight' goes entirely different ways. The wrestler nods to Terry again, more out of habit than anything, and then charges forward again, reaching out a hand like before. This time, however, Honda leads the attack with his -other- foot, extending his other hand out quickly with an open-palm strike aimed for Terry's chest. "HA!"
COMBATSYS: E.Honda successfully hits Terry with Quick Punch.
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Terry 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 E.Honda
Terry's only barely recovered by the time the deceptively thrown true attack comes in, and he makes the foolish mistake of assuming he can simply spin around it - receiving a grating palm to the ribs for his troubles, the blow from such mighty hands no doubt causing a fair aesthetic bruise to well up later. "Ngh." Gritting his teeth against the uncomfortable sensation, the Wolf all the same continues into the motion he originally intended - reaching up with both hands to secure a firm grip upon the over-extended limb. Meeting Honda's gaze, the determination in his eyes is obvious as he attempts the manuever's next stage, /throwing/ himself into using the titan's momentum against him to bring him hammering face-first into the grass.
"RRRGHAAAGH!" Screaming at the top of his lungs to somehow kiai the movement, Bogard will waste no time should his gambit pay off - releasing the arm to spin back up to a full standing posture and then directly off his feet into a flying leg drop, left leg extending to land with full force across his opponent's shoulders. It's about time Bogardmania started running wild.. he's losing this fight and he knows it!
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits E.Honda with Strong Throw.
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Terry 1/----===/=======|=======\======-\1 E.Honda
There are few people in the world who try to throw a sumo wrestler like that. Even fewer still who aren't sumo wrestlers themselves, and even fewer -still- who would try such a move on Honda. The large figure seems almost amused as Terry pulls, but amusement turns into surprise when the grass under his feet slips, and Honda finds himself unable to stop himself from landing on the ground with a thud that's heard all the way at the dollar seats. The foot also drives a grunt from E. Honda, but the large man doesn't seem willing to stay down just yet. He rolls over and pushes himself up, dusting a grass stain off of his arm, and then the smile returns. "Not bad...but let me show you the REAL power of sumo!"
With a sudden burst of speed that no man that fat should have, Honda rushes forward, waiting until the last second to grab at Terry. It looks like a throwing move, smells like a throwing move, and quacks like a throwing move...three guesses as to what kind of move it is!
COMBATSYS: Terry fails to interrupt Orochi Kudaki from E.Honda with Power Geyser.
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Terry 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 E.Honda
When the fist grabs, Honda becomes almost a blur of motion. There really /is/ no way a man that big should move so fast. Terry is pulled down, Honda's arm spinning like a pinwheel as he brings the man around once, and then slams him down to the ground. However, he isn't done there, as Honda then JUMPS, pulling Terry up, and adds his own momentum back to the ground to slam Terry once more. It's then that Honda pulls off a move no person would have expected, and crouches to JUMP high (for a sumo wrestler) into the air, and pull his legs up to him to land, bodily, down on the Wolf. It's a painful attack, yes...but, it is sumo's true power.
This time around, everyone makes it up off their feet at just about the same instant; Terry taking a moment to recover after hauling such a load, and consequently procrastinating just a little longer than Edmond. Fortunately the blonde brawler is substantially quicker - enough that it levels out the playing field here - and though a little unprepared for the full speed he's then presented with as denial of the former comment.. that last attack was accompanied by a healthy surge of adrenaline. That initial grab works well enough, but the Wolf then drops downward, aiming to forcefully drag Honda off his feet and into his own expression of power... but it is not to be, and with eyes snapping wide open the living legend knows he's fair game for what follows.
When it's over.. 'knowing it' would be quite the understatement. Being flung toward the ground that many times is no picnic, but having the Japanese juggernaut land full upon your chest is something else entirely. By this points his eyes have flickered shut, and he struggles to breathe in through constricted lungs - only having the remotest chance at doing anything when the famed sumo finally removes himself from Terry's chest. By that point though, he leaves himself wide open; stumbling upright and falling into what is quite possibly the loosest stance he's assumed in the last year or so. "Okay... I'm still alive..." Barely.
When Honda pulls himself up, he seems prepared to give the Wolf a hand. However, it's not to be, and Honda looks both surprised and pleased to see that Terry isn't throwing in the towel yet. Catching his arm in mid-extend, Honda steps back and slaps his hand to his thigh, stepping back and assuming another sumo stance. There's no honor in attacking a foe when they're getting up, and so Honda's more than willing to wait until Terry is back in his fighting stance. "Good! You are a more than worthy foe, and I am honored to have faced you here today. Now, prepare yourself!" E. Honda moves forward again, reaching this time simply for Terry's arm, not going for the complexity of the earlier move, and instead aiming to simply twist him around and flip him over a shoulder onto the floor again.
COMBATSYS: Terry endures E.Honda's Fast Throw.
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Terry 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 E.Honda
"Feelin's mutual," Terry returns with a slight grin, weak though it is as he goes through the last motions of recovery. "I'm prepared." Which actually rings true once Honda's hand slaps about his raised arm - the slight lull has bestowed the Southtown champion with all the time required to drag back his all-too-necessary resolve and gather in that even more essential thing known as 'oxygen'. So when he finds himself flipped neatly around, he once more rolls with it, actually twisting himself enough that he lands with a shoulder tucked in and all but /slides/ up into a half-crouch direct from his impact. Looking oddly re-invigorated, the Wolf rises to his feet with a light 'hmph', reaching up to adjust his cap with one hand as the other reaches out toward Honda...
But he does absolutely nothing with it, a lightening smile smearing itself across his lips as he pulls back from what a seeming attempt grapple - instead throwing himself forward in a lunging step, both hands coming up to each side of his midriff, where they swing out in close succession to hammer the gigantic sumo with two heavy strikes to the gut. Should these manage to stagger him back, Terry immedately follows through with a third from the recovering right fist, moving in after his stumbling opponent to deliver a searing straight knuckle. "HAAAH!"
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits E.Honda with Fierce Punch.
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Terry 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 E.Honda
Both blows strike the large man, and actually make him take a couple steps back as his face grimaces in pain. "Hrn!" The wrestler actually pauses there, panting for breath as he smiles back at Terry. "So, there's still spirit in you after all! Good! But it's time to end this!" The wrestler (slower than at the start of the fight) braces himself, and then rushes forward, arms held out. It looks like another attempt at a throw, but instead the wrestler extends out one foot to catch himself, and slides across (and in) to the ground some as a hand darts out. Faster than the eye can see, the hand strikes out to deliver blow after blow against Terry's body, E. Honda taking slow steps forward the whole time to keep up the assault.
COMBATSYS: E.Honda successfully hits Terry with Hundred Hand Slap.
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Terry 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 E.Honda
Terry's ready for just about anything at this stage, his jaw visibly setting in resolute determination as Honda speaks his challenge. End it? No. Not yet.. he won't go down without giving damn near everything he has, and so on raising his arms to deflect the mighty flurry that descends upon him - not fooled for an instant by the faked grapple, not after he so recently performed the same technique - he finds his guard hammered aside but weathers the assault regardless. Knocking back repeatedly by those musclebound arms, the Wolf finally manages to get himself far enough away that the last couple of thrusts miss him entirely, and he's given a moment of respite in which to both mentally and physically steel for what he attempts next.
And what could he do? The young legend has a wide range of attacks he could call upon with view to making some attempt at saving this match, but given the manner of man he is facing... another thought occurs, mind drifting back to his youth spent getting hobeat upon Southtown's wild streets. Shortly before he cares to spot an opening, a crazy thought descends and Terry spins away to face the crowd, hurling both arms into the air and giving an unrestrained shout; one which is returned in similar incoherent kind by those cheering him on tonight. Grinning like a madman, the Hungry Wolf turns back to his opponent, arms remaining half-raised in what is very obviously a wrestler's stance.
"Okay, Honda, you wanted to see an end to this match? I'll show ya... The End!" Running forward with intent to catch the hulking Jap before he can make a full recovery, Terry seems for a moment to not particularly have anything in mind - he keeps running, not showing any sign of stopping ... until suddenly his arms are reaching out to loop about Edmond's neck, securing a speedy front headlock as the blonde passes by, hurling himself then into a leap that should carry both combatants around, into a relatively textbook swinging DDT - Terry's shift in momentum bringing Honda's head into groundshaking contact with the earth.
COMBATSYS: E.Honda blocks Terry's Strong Throw.
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Terry 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 E.Honda
It is a poor sumo wrestler who gets thrown /twice/ by someone smaller than them in the same fight. Honda seems ready this time, and the man's feet spread apart as he crouches, letting Terry grab him...and simply refusing to budge. Yes, it still hurts a little, but Honda will endure through it! The fighter simply grins at Terry, and says, succinctly, "I do not know the name of your fighting style, friend..." And then Honda reaches to grab Terry and...lightly toss him away from the fighter. "...but you need to try harder, if you wish to defeat sumo!" And that's when Honda simply decides to defy the laws of physics. The fighter crouches and then launches forward, flying parallel to the ground at the Wolf. Should the first impact of flying fat man hit, Honda lands, and then immediately launches into another, point-blank attack of the same move, followed by Honda landing, and immediately launching into another flurry of blows aimed at his opponent. The crowd, needless to say, is cheering itself hoarse for both fighters.
COMBATSYS: E.Honda successfully hits Terry with Oni Musou.
- Power hit! -
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Terry 1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0 E.Honda
Remind us again why there's no specific wrestling manuevers in Terry's arsenal? Oh right. Because he's not all that amazing at them... but damn if that wasn't close, and on spinning back up to his feet and backpedalling away from Honda, the blonde's blood is pumping through his veins, his heart practically palpitating. Are all of his fights gonna be this intense from now on? It's certainly something he could get used to, what with each battle only teaching him exactly what he needs to improve further as well as entertaining the absolute hell out of him. When his opponent offers his judgement, Terry can only shrug faintly, too busy attempting to pull himself together for the next one. Try harder? Maybe. Perhaps he just hasn't been focusing enough on working to his own strengths, but this /is/ for charity - winning is the merest footnote. Still.
"Ha!" The Hungry Wolf barks out a short laugh as he watches Honda's subsequent approach, the thing he has supposedly prepared for. But he doesn't laugh at the attack itself nor anything more than the simple, inescapable knowledge that he's been bested yet again.. not that he doesn't try, already moving before his amusement is fully expressed, but it proves as futile as might be hoped. One shoulder's mass hammers him right back into the central flight path, setting his tenderised frame up for impact after juddering impact. By the time it finishes, there's little more that Terry can take, and he tumbles away to bounce three times off the sports field before coming to a rest. "Ugh..."
Slowly, ever so slowly, easing himself upward just when the crowd seems to have fallen silent in awe at the Power of Sumo... Bogard proves himself to have beyond human reserves, staggering upright and pausing only to adjust his skewed cap before directing a respectful nod to his opponent. "You beat me... I guess that proves who the better man here is, at least today. But.. I'll get a rematch, someday. Yer a damn good guy, Edmond Honda. But..." A lopsided grin pulls his mouth into a jagged slash, and the Wolf's bright blue gaze flickers sidelong to take in a section of the audience, just for an instant. "One more thing."
*whoomph* There's a visible and audible upsurge in chi around Terry Bogard as one hand clenches to a tight fist at his side, exploding into red-gold fire that streams the length of his forearm, throbbing with tangible force. "BURNING..." Drawing back the fist, he takes a single stride toward Honda and then springs forward off his next step, thundering in with blazing hand suddenly leading the way - a set of raging knuckles set to tear the sumo champ clean off his feet. "KNUCKLE!!" The violent backwash of energy that follows the flying warrior gathers an intake of breath from the crowd. Suddenly the outcome doesn't seem all that obvious...
COMBATSYS: Terry can no longer fight.
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E.Honda 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: E.Honda endures Terry's Burn Knuckle.
[ <
E.Honda 0/-------/-======|
If Honda could sense chi very well, he'd be an even more exceptional sumo. As it is, the step forward is met with a grin from the sumo wrestler, who knows he has no chance to get out of the way. So, deciding to give the audience one last impact. E. Honda steps forward as well, fully bracing himself to take the impact. Does it burn? Oh, yes. Does it hurt? /Hell/ yes. But, is Honda going to let it show? ...more than likely, yeah. He grunts in pain, feeling himself actually slide /backwards/, tearing up the grass under his feet as he moves back. "Very...impressive." And with that, Honda's knee bends, and the sumo wrestler stumbles back and collapses onto the ground.
There's a few moments of silence, and then as the audience bursts into applause (no matter how Terry landed) as Honda slowly pushes himself up. In the sumo style, there's still one more thing he has to do, a final show of respect for his opponent. Neither of them won, but neither of them lost, and the school has something to tell people about for years. Honda waits for Terry to stand back up, and then once more bows to him, before he stands up and walks over to smack Terry on the back. "C'mon, let's get checked up, and then the first round is on me."
COMBATSYS: E.Honda takes no action.
COMBATSYS: E.Honda can no longer fight.
How does Terry land? Not as gracefully as he usually might. Once his shrouded fist plows into the solid structure of his opponent, he prepares to set down in Honda's wake, drawing back sore knuckles and bending his knees for their inevitable alighting with the soft grass. All this goes as planned - but what /isn't/ planned is that his knees continue to bend, until there's nothing to stand with and the Hungry Wolf topples onto his side, only having the prescence of mind to roll over and onto his back, briefly spreadeagled as he takes a moment to stare up at the sky. "Thanks..." comes the distant response to Honda's compliment, though it rings faint indeed. So that was.. a draw? This changes nothing in what the meaning behind his uttered words though - if anything it strengthens his resolve to one day rematch the mighty sumo. That.. that was a fight to remember.
It's that precise thought which succeeds in so strongly reminding the elder Bogard that he's just done a good thing for charity and for the future of Taiyo High; were it an official match, bookmakers would be having a wondrous field day but instead.. it's the audience that gets to celebrate. Nobody has reason to argue with another over who deserved the victory and who beat who for what reason, because /nobody/ beat /anyone/. So forcing himself up to a sitting position, Terry manages another grin, looking about at the clamouring crowd with a feeling only of exhilaration and.. well.. of achievement.
His spike in mood perfectly greets Honda's subsequent words, and after returning the bow with a seated version of his own - hands brought to his chest and head inclined as far as a seriously sore neck will allow - he clambers to his feet with an answering pat to the sumo's shoulder. Though it likely rings a little weaker than the comparative hammering the juggernaut's huge hand dishes out even in a casual gesture. "Sounds good to me... I might be achin' all over, but in Southtown that doesn't mean a thing. I'll show you how the natives party, buddy!" ...sounds like a date.
Log created by E.Honda, and last modified on 18:09:01 03/13/2007.