Neo League 176 - #188: Hotaru vs Yuri

Description: Hotaru is called out by Strongest!'s Yuri Sakazaki for a league match. (Winner: Hotaru)



A challenge!

That's right, Yuri called out Hotaru - a note passed to her at lunch, from one of the many kids at Seijyun. Simply saying 'League Fight After School: Northern Outskirts : Show how 'Awesome!' you are.' The note is signed with a face sticking it's tongue out, as well as a name - Yuri Sakazaki. Designed to at least interest Hotaru slightly into coming out and testing the waters with a battle. Plus, well - it's rivalry! These things have to happen!

Yuri went out right after school, and plunked herself down at the open copse of trees, kicking back with a sandwich and a tasty apple. She's got at least a little time before Hotaru shows, she thinks - and she might as well prepare mentally and physically. And really, what's more focusing than lunch! *omnomnom*

COMBATSYS: Yuri has started a fight here.

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Yuri             0/-------/-------|


Hotaru isn't used to being called out--but it was done in a nice way, which is pleasant, if a bit surprising, given Xiangfei and Naerose's penchant for being rude. And really--with the reference to her team, it can't be anyone but one of Strongest!'s members... which means there's more on the line than league points. Yuri Sakazaki--not a name she's heard before, but she has the feeling that this'll be an interesting fight.

Hotaru arrives a bit late, having had to work through some extracurricular activites at Seijyun, but she -does- arrive... the area's easy to spot, what with it being all aswarm with Neo League officials and such. Hotaru pushes her way through then--ah.

"Sakazaki-san, I presume? Are you ready?" asks the blue-haired girl, with a gentle smile that possibly belies her skill.

COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here.

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Hotaru           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Yuri


Oh, hey!

Yuri hops up, apple still in mid-bite. She starts to speak, which only amounts in a spray of foodstuffs and the apple falling to the ground below her feet. Oops. She coughs, clearing her throat quickly and trying to buy some time, then nods. "Nh-hn! I wanted this to be straight up. I'm ready when you are!" She gives Hotaru a thumbs-up sign, and then waves to the league refs!

"Are you guys ready?" she says to them, then as soon as they nod, she winks right at Hotaru, and leaps forwards. No rest for the wicked, and the early bird gets the worm! Rar! Her leap is a wide one, a spin that takes her around once, twice, and three times, her left shoe moving in a wide arc to try and clip Hotaru in the head!

"Don't think I'm gonna go easy on ya!"

COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Yuri's Chou Mawashi Geri.

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Hotaru           0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0             Yuri


Some might be startled by the quickness of the attack; Hotaru actually is caught off-guard for a moment, not expecting Yuri to be that fast, but her reflexes save her, as that Converse-sneakered foot impacts not her head, but her forearms--once, twice, three times. She smiles, openly, and, as she seeks to grab that extended leg, cries, "I wouldn't expect anything less, Sakazaki-sn!"

Should she make the grab she'll simply twist and pull to throw Yuri off balance and possibly knock her down--nothing too strong, to start off Hotaru's offensive flow.

COMBATSYS: Yuri blocks Hotaru's Quick Throw.

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Hotaru           0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Yuri


"No proaaAAAAH!"

That was supposed to be a 'No Problem!' but well, Hotaru, we have a problem. Her foot, grabbed and wrenched painfully as she tries to land away from the attack, and pushed as if to toss her to the ground! Difficult to deal with at best! Yuri starts to fall but manages to get her hands out and twist with the attack, landing with one foot on the ground, the other still in Hotaru's grip.

"That's not how ya do it!" she exclaims, then grabs for Hotaru's puffy shoulderpieces. Should she get it, she's going to just roll back, lift, and toss over herself! That'll teach her the proper way to do it, next time she tries! Haaa-AH!

COMBATSYS: Hotaru endures Yuri's Silent Nage.

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Hotaru           0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0             Yuri


Yeah... Yuri's quick. Hotaru makes no attempt to move out of the way of Yuri's hands, sensing that to do so would be more dangerous; instead she prepares herself for landing. She impacts on one shoulder, which still hurts, but gives her the ability to reverse her momentum. The result? Hotaru lunges forward from the impact, closing with Yuri. And as she nears, her arms windmill out, around and down and seemingly everywhere, Hotaru twisting a full three-sixty before striking out at Yuri's chest with a palm strike--which, at the end, earns a quick, efficient, "HA!" kiai from Hotaru.

COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Yuri with Sou-Shou Shin.

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Hotaru           0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Yuri


Too many hands!

Yuri tries to play 'guess where the fingers are coming from' and fails, miserably. She puts her hands up high, just in time to take the double-strike right in the stomach. Ugh! She almost doubles over at the strike, and seems to be at a loss for words. Mostly because those words would simply be 'ow' and 'oog, should not have eaten' and those aren't the things you want to say in front of the league officials.

She backs up one step, two, and then covers her mouth, as if to hold back. After a second, she straightens up, and tugs the hem of her gi back down. "Oog. Nice hit, Hotaru. C'mon, let's see what else you have!" she declares eagerly, though decidedly crafty. She's going to take a chance, and give Hotaru an opening - let's see what she does with it! Mweh-heh-heh!

COMBATSYS: Yuri focuses on her next action.

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Hotaru           0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0             Yuri


Ah... yes, soon she and Yuri fall into this familiar dance... no matter who Hotaru matches up against, some things are always the same, such as the infamous 'let's see what you can do'... very well, then. Hotaru is feeling her oats a bit, today, so she does try to give Yuri a chance to see what she can do--she lunges forward, suddenly, twisting her body again--to the left, this time. She comes in with an elbow, but that isn't what's really happening, as Hotaru is suddenly striking at Yuri with shoulders, elbows, and her hands, as she spins upwards rapidly; if she hits, she'll actually be able to carry Yuri up with her.

COMBATSYS: Yuri endures Hotaru's Ten-shin Shou.

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Hotaru           0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1             Yuri


Okay. So Hotaru's best is _really_ good. Yeaaaah. Yuri doesn't have a chance to get out of the way, and she still hasn't quite figured out how the whole 'hit them from every single direction' thing goes. In fact, it's just pretty creepy the way that the attack seems to come in from all over the place. So instead of trying to dodge, she just lets the attacks hit, using each swing that knocks her up to steer her, guide her away.

Faith! Faith that she'll land somewhere safe, eventually, and be able to make a action that will save her. In this case, she lands on her feet, unsteady and wobbling, a bruised forhead and lip and several more soon-to-be forming bruises on places the gi covers. She doesn't say anything this time - instead, she has a determined grimace on her face as she focuses. In her hands, small wisps of red-gold form - and then suddenly burst into life. A giant ball of chifire is formed as she thrusts her hands out towards where Hotaru stands, every ounce of that impact and the spirit she has to suffer through it and stand.. Well - it's a good amount of energy all for Hotaru to get to see! And gets to see it, up close, she does!

"HAOH SHO KO KEN!"

COMBATSYS: Yuri successfully hits Hotaru with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.

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Hotaru           1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0             Yuri


Normally, Hotaru would be more prepared to deal with the projectile; one of her specialties, in fact, is dealing with projectiles, and other various chi attacks. But this--well. A virtual wall of chi is slightly different and it spooks Hotaru enough that she tries to withstand it--but no. The Supreme King Tiger Flash Fist (or... something like that) blasts Hotaru and sends her flying; she's on the ground only for a moment, but when she gets up she's looking pretty worse off too.
"Th--that was pretty good... Yuri-san..." she gasps, trying to catch her breath--once she does, she straightens up... but makes no move to approach the girl... instead smiling and... beckoning with one hand.
"Can you follow it up...?"

COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Hotaru           1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0             Yuri


Can she follow it up? Can she follow it up?!!?

"Er.. not really?" Yuri looks a little wasted by the display of power. But she's perfectly willing to take another swipe at Hotaru, even though she's all prepared and everything. This is going to take skill, style and finesse..!

Or psychotic craziness! Yuri steps in quickly, almost into a run as she closes the distance between herself and Hotaru. As she nears, she pulls back her right arm, and then lashes it out in something that Takuma would probably be happy with - a textbook 'smackdown' punch, aimed right for Hotaru's noggin!

COMBATSYS: Hotaru interrupts Medium Punch from Yuri with Sou-Shou Ten-Ren-Ge EX.

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Hotaru           0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0             Yuri


Hotaru is in motion before that punch is even thrown--which means that Yuri's just a little off-target... though the blow is still pretty stunning as far as Hotaru's concerned. She shakes it off, though--and with Yuri so close, unleashes a flurry assault of attacks; like before, she twists through that three-sixty motion, a rain of blows hammering Yuri. Unlike before, she goes around twice, then changes up--going into another familiar technique, carrying Yuri with her in a rising tempest of elbow and shoulder strikes. The last hit is new, though, a diving double-knee kick that happens to blaze with Hotaru's chi, the first time she's used it in this fight, diving into and past Yuri much like samurai dash past each other with a sword slash in those old Zatoichi moves.

And, much like those samurai movies.. Eventually, one samurai falls down, goes boom. In this case, it's Yuri, wobbling, and dropping to one knee in slow motion, eyes half closed from the flurry of elbows and knees and other pointy protusions of Hotaru's form. Ugh. As she's there, Yuri puts one hand to the ground.. and then laughs. Mweh-heh. MWEH-HEH!

She wheels around, pushing herself back up to her feet unsteadily giving Hotaru a thumbs-up, applauding her tactics and skills. "Al.. alright! But I'm not down yet..!" She takes two steps forwards, and then with a burst of speed, comes up with a mighty fist! A fist full of Strongest!

"YURI.. CHOU.. UPPAAA!"

COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Yuri's Yuri Chou Upper.

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Hotaru           0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0             Yuri


Whenever someone says, 'I'm not down yet', that usually means... pain. Hotaru doesn't like pain. And she doesn't take hits well... at least not of the fistual and footual kind. Even that first uppercut looks painful, and so Hotaru is scrambling to get away, that fist missing by mere inches; trying to calm her beating heart, she also attempts to capitalize on the miss, reaching out to try and grab Yuri's outstretched arm and pull her forward, past one of Hotaru's outstretched legs.

COMBATSYS: Yuri dodges Hotaru's Quick Throw.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Hotaru           0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0             Yuri


Coming down from her jumping motion, Yuri dances away from the attempt to grab her. "Nuh-uh, never on the first fight!" she says with a grin, then gives Hotaru a waggling finger-warning - this time, she's not going to be sloppy! No, not her!

Another hop backwards, and then, well.. Yuri runs forwads! She attempts to go for a poofy thing again, and if she can get a hold of Hotaru, she's going to get a taste of the slappity slappity! Because slappity slappity must be done!

COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Yuri's Hyakuretsu Binta.

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Hotaru           0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0             Yuri


Hotaru has -no- idea what Yuri really intends; all she sees is a brown-haired girl bearing down on her. Hotaru sets herself, considering the possibilities for a moment, then shakes her head and slips the grab, ducking under the leading arm and slipping past Yuri's shoulder. As she goes she twists, attemping to strike with an elbow to Yuri's back, meant more to give her additional distance while she turns to re-face Yuri.

COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Yuri with Quick Punch.

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Hotaru           0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0             Yuri


"Waaaaaaugh!"

This is the sound of someone slipping as their intended target is no longer near them. The THUNK sound is the sound of a elbow connecting quite nicely with someone's neck. Ow! Ow! Yuri stumbles and staggers, down to both knees this time. In her head, she hears ringing, bells, and 'ten thousand pushups if you fall now!' She doesn't want to do pushups.. so with a herculean feat of effort expended, she gets back to her feet.

"Y.. You win, Hotaru.. But I'm not.. not done yet!" With that, she ducks her shoulder, dashes in _again_ and tries to bring that brutal uppercut of hers into play.. The signature move of the young girl, the Yuri Chou Upper! Too bad this time, she doesn't have enough energy to shout it out. Shouting makes it faster, don't you know!

COMBATSYS: Yuri can no longer fight.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Hotaru           0/-------/---====|


COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Yuri's Yuri Chou Upper.

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Hotaru           0/-------/---====|


As tired as she is, Hotaru bets Yuri is more so; that uppercut doesn't really seem to have much on it, giving Hotaru the chance to avoid what might have been a rather powerful hit, all things considered; still, she's ready and watching as she dodges, in case Yuri should show signs of stumble or fall. If she does, she'll catch her. Just because she's Awesome! and Yuri's Strongest! doesn't mean she doesn't think Yuri did absolutely amazing and it doesn't mean she won't aid the girl. The whole team thing's gotten a little out of hand... but she's not going to let it get that way for her. Meanwhile, in the background, the Generic Announcer is announcing Hotaru's win.

Caught! Yuri gives Hotaru a big grin, and then gets back to her feet, offering Hotaru a firm handshake, even though her legs are unsteady indeed. "That was.. whoa. I need to practice before I take you on again, Hotaru. You're good!" She's babbling a little, but the respect is there - the other girl's niceness also helps a lot - it makes it really easy to be able to take the loss. Besides, she'll win someday! With that - she should head off to the dojo. After all - pushups await! Augh!

Log created by Hotaru, and last modified on 21:38:53 02/11/2006.