Description: Serim fights Tran, and while doing so, consistently skates the line between complimenting him and insulting him gravely. Watch out for TRAN PUNCH. (Winner: Serim)
Ah, Mother Russia in the early morning. Not such a bad place, despite that whole Communism thing, and all the snow, and the cold, and people with their accents. In a certain field, blanketed with snow and ice, with a cameraman or two watching on, there is someone who doesn't agree. This is because he is entirely too much American Hero to ever enjoy being in Russia. It corrupts Dr. Tran's very soul, eroding at his awesome like the ocean against a rocky shore.
Also he's cold, and it sucks.
Nevermind that it's Tran's own fault for dressing light. Hell, he's dressed like he is in the summer, his only concession to the weather a black woolen scarf he's got thrown over his shoulder in a suitably dramatic fashion. Stamping his feet occasionally, arms crossed, he curses at nobody in particular. "Why can't we just get this over with already? Come on, let's get this show moving, god!"
Oh, it's always been his opinion that communism was one of the better models from which to style a society. A lofty ambition, one easily spoiled by the greedy of course, but the ideal in and of itself.. was ultimately sound. All for all, as it were. He doesn't seem much bothered by the cold, but it is in Serim's nature to dress expecting cold weather, even in summer.
It's probably why when he arrives on the arena floor, a cold steel thing as would be dictated by the Russians, it's with a somewhat placid expression, the thin line representing his mouth not entirely unpleasant.
"My apologies if I'm late, Doctor," the man makes a point of apologizing, "It's been awhile since I've last been here." He is something of a traveller, as may be expected. his sword is one that's clearly visible now, slung across his back into a leather harness, held horizontal at about hip level.
"I trust you're ready," he asks, ambiently pleased.
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Serim 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Tran has joined the fight here.
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Tran 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Serim
Rarely is Dr. Tran so conflicted in regards to his first impression of somebody. On the one hand, this young man is nice, polite, and called him Doctor, with a D no less. That's proper respect. It's only right. On the other hand, he's a total stranger to the doctor, and that makes him eligible for face-punchings. So why is it that he's the first person in a long while to not ridicule Tran in some form or another? Paranoid theories rushing through Tran's mind, he shakes his head and takes a step forward, mouth neutral. "Well, it's not like I've got anything to do today, anyway." He snorts, and turns his head, still thinking Serim over.
Evidently, he comes to a decision, because he looks the swordsman over, and then points at him. "But I'm always ready! A Real American Hero can't be caught off guard!" That said, Tran just runs forward straight at Serim, rears back with one hand, and then tries to punch him in the middle of the face with a shout.
Dr. Tran: Solving internal dilemma with violence.
COMBATSYS: Serim dodges Tran's Strong Punch.
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Tran 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Serim
"Mmm." Serim's expression remains fairly ambiguous, though he certainly seems appeased enough that Tran isn't too off-put by the chill the agent's fairly sure he's feeling. That will pass, most assuredly. Something easily enough confirmed as Tran explodes into action, running directly at him and trying to put a shot right into his face.
A respectable enough start, Serim supposes.
"Simplicity. Certainly commendable."
He'll respond in kind. He doesn't draw that horse-killer, as might be expected. Simply, the robed man takes an positioning step to the left, purposeful stride making a peculiar noise over the metal flooring, and then turns and leans to one side, just out of the path of the direct blow to his face. He won't stray too far, though. Where's the use in that?
Instead, he'll whip out his free hand and try and put Tran to the ground in one head-under-heels whirling flip. Reminiscent of aikido, as might be expected.
COMBATSYS: Serim successfully hits Tran with Quick Throw.
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Tran 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Serim
Maybe it's because the subdued thing is reminding him of Alma, but Dr. Tran is almost one hundred percent certain that Serim is mocking him somehow. Or maybe it's just that calm serenity that's getting under his skin a bit. The details aren't important, but the fact of the matter is that now, more than ever, Serim's face needs punching, whether he actually deserves it or not.
Tragically, however, Serim pulls off that nifty little dodge, and then almost before he knows what's happening Tran's down on the ground because the ground has ceased to be under him. Or so it seems from his point of view, at least.
It's cold. Tran can fix this.
"I commended your mother!" Getting warmed up, Tran rolls backward, slashing his arms in front of him as he comes up. Naturally, he's a bit far to straight-out chop Serim, but the small, twin, steam-compressed boomerangs rushing forward in their wake should have more than enough range.
COMBATSYS: Serim fails to interrupt Real American Hero Cutter from Tran with Shattering Hold.
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Tran 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Serim
Serim has to think on that a little bit, as Tran rolls away. From his fairly unique, lightened expression, it's clear he's either not cognizant of, or simply doesn't care that he's subtly getting on Tran's nerves. Making fun of the Doctor? Well.. it's a concept that would amuse Serim to say the least.
In lieu of such information, Serim's response to the insult--a faint smile--is not entirely inappropriate for the situation.
He takes a step forward, apparently to try and circumvent the boomerang weapons entirely, but it's not really something he could do. As such, both of the boiling projectiles smash into him hard. An important note. When Serim gets hit.. he doesn't actually cry out in pain. There's merely the hiss of the wind leaving his lungs and the skidding noise of his shoes across the steel. The attack is far from knocking him down, but he did feel that. He rubs his midsection with his bound hand, a peculiar set of wooden spheres clacking together as he does so. He nods, once.
As if he'd entirely expected that result.
"You're the first person I've seen to use steam in such a manner," he remarks, reaching to his side. "... This might be an interesting battle yet."
It's important to note that he does not draw his sword.
He cuts it right out of its harness.
The weapon's edge smashes into the ground behind him. He draws it forward and up, so it points to the sky, gleaming edge away from Tran with one twist of the hilt.
Once again, Tran finds himself at a temporary loss. While his steam boomerangs went well enough...Serim is smiling at his insult. It's good that it wasn't taken too seriously...but maybe it's not being taken seriously enough, either. There's a careful balance to be struck here, and Dr. Tran has the sneaking suspicion that Serim doesn't even know it exists.
And then the boy has to go and /compliment/ him of all things. "Psht. Interesting? What the hell kind of thing is that to say in the middle of a brawl?" Taking a step or two back, paying close attention to that sword, he notes, "But maybe it's my fault, for not keeping you busy enough, huh? Or maybe you're not working hard enough, giving both of us time to chat away like we haven't got a care in the world, huh?" Pulling his scarf off and using it as a towel for his now wet and very cold hands, he discards it shortly afterward. "Well, come on, then. Let's hurry this up, show me what that toothpick of yours can do!" Dr. Tran beckons, grinning, but at the same time he doesn't look particularly happy. It's sort of strange.
COMBATSYS: Tran focuses on his next action.
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Tran 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Serim
"Simple matters, simple solutions," Serim mutters, almost to himself. Louder, he speaks. "Academic interests, of course. You understand." But perhaps it's time to engage in tests of a far more.. direct nature. The blade's point lowers until the edge of Serim's sword is even with his eye, spine resting against his arm.
"To the contrary," Serim offers. He takes a step towards Tran. "You've given me must to think about." The runes of the blade glint underneath the cold sun. Hurry it up?
As you insist.
Serim takes one more step forward.
The exact measurement allows his sword to close the rest of the distance, in an extremely long range stab right into Tran's shirt and, from memory, right inbetween where his ribs ought to be. It's a fast movement, meant to leverage speed over strength, but that doesn't mean its exact placement won't hurt if it lands.
COMBATSYS: Tran fails to interrupt Through the Keyhole from Serim with Strong Punch.
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Tran 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Serim
It's sort of funny, really. Tran stepped back to reasses the situation, to get a handle on things. Specifically, that sword. Swords frequently demand special attention. It's a mystery, then, why he would at all think that rushing forward directly at the sword, ignoring it completely in an attempt to headbutt Serim was a good idea.
Just to make things clear, it wasn't, as Tran ends up neatly impaled. It might have worked, maybe, if Tran hadn't let something wussy like a sword through the ribs distract him. "SON OF A-" Tran doesn't finish that sentence, instead just standing there for a moment, screaming. Not in fear or pain, mind, but mostly of out of anger and shock over actually getting STABBED like that. He's not even hurt all too badly - he's certainly taken worse, but it's the principle of the thing.
.. Hm.
Fortune does favor the brave, doesn't it? Well.. Not in this case, he's afraid. Still, saying anything at this point would probably amount to littlem ore than taunting on Serim's part, no matter what he says.
Besides. Serim wouldn't like to prattle uselessly.
The moment of praxis and all.
He draws his sword free from the wound in an instant. He handles the unwieldy-looking weapon easily, rotating the edge up and to the sky again, stepping forward with the motion, allowing Tran into his range. This is enough for him to heel-kick out with his forward leg in a light chest-stomp to push Tran away.. right at the exact point where he stabbed the good Doctor. It's a swift followup.
After all. One wouldn't begrudge him some directness in this affair, right?
COMBATSYS: Serim successfully hits Tran with Light Kick.
- Power hit! -
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Tran 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Serim
Make no mistake, Dr. Tran is at this moment pretty pissed off. This is mostly because he's been stabbed. At least Serim isn't making it worse by talking, though. He's not making it BETTER, either, but there's probably not much that would at the moment.
As a result of this, Tran just moves forward, not even caring that Serim's trying to kick him again. As it turns out, he SHOULD care, quite a bit, because at that point the foot lodges itself in his not-so-gaping chest wound. Tran freezes with a grunt, and topples over backward. His face is locked in a grimace, and he's bleeding pretty profusely from that spot on his chest- which, as it happens, looks terrible. Like it needs immediate medical attention.
Pulling himself together, Tran staggers away from a moment, bringing one hand up under his shirt. His knuckles can be seen through the hole, and steam comes rising up through it, but the actual details of what he's doing...well, it's probably not for the faint of heart, as he winces several times throughout the course of whatever he's doing.
...Serim.. blinks at that, with little care whether it's seen.
"Fascinating."
As he mentioned, this is the first time he's seen techniques that leverage steam. It can, therefore, be extended logically that he hasn't seen such a technique that leverages steam on one's own body. He considers, briefly, what that might mean. .. is he trying to cauterize the injury that his keyhole pierce caused? .... hm.
It's honestly enough to make him want to stop and take notes.
Unfortunately... given how Tran looks at the moment, it would probably be a measure of disrespect if he were to so blatantly let Tran get away with it. Therefore, he'll show him a special technique. As before, Serim will step forward. But unlike before, Serim will then dart directly for Tran, blade point-first, robe flailing in the wind behind him.
".. But it would be honorless of me to let you do that blatantly, Doctor."
One straight thrust, right underneath Tran's elbow at kidney level will be the culmination of his approach. The strength of this thrust, apparently no stronger or more forceful than previous, is apparently they the edge faces Serim's left, so that attempts to get around his sword would be difficult.
Of course, if Tran evades, Serim's sword will lower, arresting his charge by digging its way with a rasping hiss into the ground. And an instant later, cause a significant portion of the arena to fracture and crumple, steel plates and all.
COMBATSYS: Tran successfully hits Tran with Dr. Tran - Hot Lovin.
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Tran 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Serim
COMBATSYS: Tran blocks Serim's The Mirage.
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Tran 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Serim
Honestly, Tran doesn't even really care that Serim's interested in what he's doing. This is only mostly due to the fact that he has no idea whatsoever, conveniently ignoring the one, relevant word that might clue him in. He's too busy trying to fix his bleeding parts.
Surprisingly enough, he's actually fixing them pretty well. It's hard to tell, naturally, but when Tran's hand comes away, the wound, while not sealed, is certainly clean, and it looks like the sides of the cut have come together, haphazardously healed until Tran can actually get someone else to stick it up maybe. It's a temporary solution at best, as is proved when Dr. Tran suddenly has to move into action when Serim comes at him again.
At least this time, he defends against that sword - the thrust comes in, but instead of being sensible and getting out of the way, Tran instead brings his arm down in a position to take the blunt of the thrust. He's rewarded for this move by neatly having his arm impaled, too. It's not pleasant. "Screw you!" His response to both the attack, and Serim's words neatly wrap into a short, succinctly roared phrase. His follow-up is more impressive, certainly.
Building up chi, while simultaneously trying to twist and flex his injured arm so hard Serim has difficulty getting the sword out, Dr. Tran may seem to be losing it. He actually grins with genuine mirth for the first time all morning, and then swings his other arm, barely visible for the steam boiling over its length, as hard as he can, right at Serim's face. With contact? Say hello to a bigass steam-explosion.
COMBATSYS: Tran successfully hits Serim with Here Comes Dr. Tran!.
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Tran 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Serim
...Hmm.
As might be expected, he seems to have his sword bound if Tran's arm. A foolhardy maneuver for most, but given what he's observed of Tran's tactical plans so far, it's not entirely uncharacteristic of his mindset. And the resultant punch to the face (that, coincidentally, feels like a small freight train) is even less suprising.
While Serim's sword wrenches free from TRan's wound fairly easily with the sheer force of Serim's passage, it goes twirling across the arena along with the man, whom hits the arena hard, and only comes to a stop a moment later.
"Snrf," is about the long and short of what he manages immediately.
This is primarily because his face is lucky not to be entirely caved in, so Serim doesn't mind it bleeding openly from the nose, his skin split and cauterized instaly with the force and heat of Tran's explosion. This blood he wipes away on a wide brown sleeve, once he recovers enough to stand. Stars fading from his vision, it'll probably be thirty seconds or so until he can even consider what just happened.
"You seem to have quite the self-sacrificial style, Doctor..." he finally coughs out, before clearing his throat and getting ahold of himself. "I do have to admit.. it has its uses, from time to time. Tell me, Doctor Tran..." Finally hitting his full stride, it occurs to him enough to open his left hand towards his sword. The weapon shudders briefly, before it lifts into the air and returns to his hand without so much as a second thought.
"For my own curiosity...what would you think of the Hippocratic oath?"
His attack comes in the form of a shoulder charge, fast and abrupt. Serim intends, very clearly, to launch himself right into the middle of Tran and knock him down right there, his sword straight out behind him as he runs. He's going to break through right here. Or, such is the hope. It would be interesting if that self-sacrificial attitude came to bear again, wouldn't it?
COMBATSYS: Tran dodges Serim's Strong Punch.
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Tran 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Serim
That felt good. That was damn satisfying. Dr. Tran is feeling smug, cracking his knuckles afterward, ignoring the flashes of pain that come with every movement and the blood streaming down his arm, staining his nice white coat a dark shade of red. At the moment? That doesn't matter a bit. Even his chest wound, reopened by the violent punching motion, can't bring Tran down from this.
The doctor knows it's not complete, match-ending victory. He can see that even though Serim's taking his sweet time with it, the thoroughly face-punched man isn't out yet. Something probably needs to be done about that, but for the moment Tran waits patiently. He's not in a hurry anymore. They're finally at the good part. Why rush it?
Though his reaction to the incredible flying sword is minimal - a good thing to keep in mind, but not terribly important right now, Tran's reaction to the question posed is much more robust. He laughs, not answering until Serim comes rushing at him, at which point he simply ducks to the side, moving more swiftly than he's had cause to this entire fight. By this point, his mirth has quieted down enough for him to chuckle out not an answer to the question, but another question directed right back. "Which one are you asking about? The original, as put down before you or I were even born? Maybe one of the variants you see today? I'll tell you what I think of each one in turn, if you want!"
As Tran rubs at his arm briefly, steam gathers again, behaving strangely even as the doctor slowly approaches this battling seeker of knowledge. It starts gathering at the end of his hand, pressing in on itself until its form isn't like steam at all - it's like a metal plate, somehow managing to be both shiny and dull at once, kept intact by the sheer force of Tran's will. "But you'll have to wait! I'm going to end this, whether you like it or not!" That said, Tran jumps the remaining distance and tries to ram that plate right in Serim's Serim. Anywhere will do, really. Tran's not in a picky mood.
COMBATSYS: Serim dodges Tran's Operation - Dr. Tran.
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Tran 0/-------/------=|=======\=------\1 Serim
"I'd like that."
Just before he has cause to say that, the man skids to a stop after Tran ducks and covers away from his charge, skidding to a stop some ways away from the good (bad?) doctor. To face him, he only needs to turn his head to look at him--his sword is already positioned in a perfect guard stance from some schools of kenjutsu, held low, point levelled on the man. Despite the size of his blade, he doesn't seem fatigued by it any--certainly aware of it on some levels, but he could be wielding a long thin stick, for all anyone knows of it.
When Tran charges at him, Serim responds similarly--he sucks out of the way, and from his crouch, jumps back into a whirling motion, turning his blade away from Tran.. and then flinging it clear up into the sky, the curved blade spinning into the cloudy Russian sky.
He dusts off his robe, bits of steel falling out of the fabric from when TRan punched him. Yes. Why rush it? "But.. birth.. is a highly relative term," Serim mentions idly, reaching out for Tran, one hand open. The sword in the sky slowly begins to cant down, and whirl back around towards Tran from behind. Oh, Serim absoltely expects Tran to know what's going to happen. He'd be disappointed if he didn't.
Of course, knowing how he's going to stop it from happening is another matter entirely, Serim expects. As the sword angles in towards Tran's back, still spinning like a boomerrang .. it .. warps. The blade is almost like a spinning flying snake, abruptly changing its pattern and /method/ of flight to do what .. can only be described as trying to /ripple/ past and through Tran, aiming to slice red-hot slashes up his chest and over his shoulder and down his back as it .. well.. wriggles back towards Serim, hilt-first.
It's his supreme technique.
Albeit a tad unfinished, Serim will admit.
COMBATSYS: Tran fails to reflect Eclipse Blade Incomplete from Serim with Dr. Tran Doles Out the Harshness.
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Tran 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Serim
Birth is highly relative? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Tran ponders that for a minute, which might be a mistake. He might be better served thinking about how to deal with the incoming sword, because as he delays, waiting for the last minute to deal with it, he realizes. He's not sure HOW to deal with it. He tries, sure, summoning up some more steam, but it's too little and too late, as he gets cut bad. Still, what's a little more blood-loss? He didn't need that stuff, anyway.
Afterward, Tran's down again, kneeling as he tries to combat both exhaustion and pain. It's not a fast thing, but he's managing it - slowly. The odd thing is that he's still grinning, looking forward at Serim expectantly. Like he's waiting for something other than the strength to stand.
The sword twirls after it ripples past Tran, presenting itself /perfectly/ for Serim to catch it. The reality warp that the sword seemed to be caught in subsides as he does, turning back to its normal length and curve. One shake takes the blood off of the runescript inscribed on the sides. Truth be told, Serim looks almost sad. Albeit, in a respectful way, similar to the reverence those display around graveyards.
But beyond a slow, methodical blink, beyond the nosebleed and what appears to be a fairly big welt growing across his face.... his breathing is perfectly even. Wet? Certainly. But even. To Tran's expectant glance.. he simply nods once, curtly.
His next thrust, a charging attack executed from a short leap into the air, is aimed at a very specific point on Tran's chest, right underneath his right shoulder. It will cause, if it lands just so, significant damage of the nerves connecting his arm to the rest of his body. Serim's intent... is to drive Tran into the ground, numb his arm and /run him across the arena on the point of his sword.
How the Doctor might handle that... well. Let's wait and see.
COMBATSYS: Tran endures Serim's Carry Thrust.
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Tran 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Serim
Dr. Tran knows it's a bad idea. Really he does. But you know what? He really just doesn't care anymore. He'll let fate decide whether or not it's a loss or a draw. Allowing the sword to once again pierce his flesh, this time in an unexpectedly nasty spot, Tran just goes along with things, unresisting. This includes being turning into some sort of human sword-mop. However, midway through that, he grins again, building chi, and then twists, further damaging himself and bringing his free, not-numbed to the point of being useless arm so that the palm is right in front of Serim's path, facing downward, slapping against the ground just once.
The cool part is when steam geysers up from that spot a few moments later. It's delayed, and Tran's not in any condition to be able to reliably get the timing right, and he's about to pass out, but it's still everything he's got left in him today poured out with the intent to harm.
Then Dr. Tran just passes out.
COMBATSYS: Tran can no longer fight.
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Serim 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Serim dodges Tran's Dr. Tran Doles Out the Harshness.
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Serim 0/-------/----===|
He unbinds his sword from the nerve, once the damage is done. He's very careful about this, because he doesn't /want/ to damage the nerve cluster any more than is necessary for it to affect someone of the Doctor's class. Plus, if he's not careful, he might just kink it back into working order again. However, the care taken in this is something that allows him to see Tran's arm smack into the ground.
Believe it or not, Serim actually manages to jump back in time to avoid getting scalded by the ensuing blast. He'll watch Tran for a long time after that, not saying a word, almost absent. After some time, he cants his head up, seeming to come to a thought, before nodding briskly. "It's done," is the last of what he says, before sheathing the entire 5 foot length of sword into the side of his robes, stuffing his hands into their opposite sleeves. He'll cough, once and spit blood.
He'll turn and walk off the stage with relative little fanfare, though there may be some scattered cheers from onlookers (American Heroes don't get much love from Russia, sadly) But to one of the aides, he'll mutter something and perhaps pass her a folded bill or two.
Log created by Serim, and last modified on 05:42:14 02/10/2006.