Description: Deciding he needs to make sure he's ready for Rugal's tournament, Shenwoo goes looking for trouble... He finds Ryo, and almost loses to the Kyokugen-ryuu fighter, but things can sure turn around fast.
The park just outside of Seijyun High School may see a good amount of traffic, but due to its sheer expanse, that traffic disperses well. Even when students are released from their studies for the day, the tranquil setting barely suffers.
It is that very tranquil setting that draws the occasional martial artist, drawing upon the gentle forces of nature to focus their minds and bodies. Performing slow, esoteric gestures with simple grace - no doubt derived from a unique combat style - is a young man with spiked blonde hair. Folded neatly on the ground next to him is the tunic of an orange gi and blue tank top, aside a pair of well-worn wooden sandals. Wearing only the orange pants of his gi, the easily recognizable Kyokugen Tiger draws a few stares and smiles, though thankfully (for him) not much else...
The park /is/ a popular spot for martial artists, it's true... Perhaps not so much so in the winter, but that's why Kyokugen-ryuu is Kyokugen-ryuu, right? Right. Now, the /other/ person making his way through the park - who also makes no concessions whatsoever to the cold, with his silk shirt worn open and the sleeves rolled up - would certainly never be called a 'martial artist'. Shenwoo, the self-styled 'God of Battle', would probably be considered more of a /brawler/ than anything else. Still, he's quite good at what he does.
Right now, though, the berserker from Shanghai is just a-walkin', making his way through the park towards, well, who knows? He should probably be preparing himself, mentally and physically, for the Second Victory tournament... But he still needs to find himself a likely candidate to help him do so. Wouldn't you know it, this would be about when he happens upon Ryo Sakazaki, and the few people watching him practice. "Heh," chuckles the tall, blond man of uncertain ethnicity, clearly chewing gum - and towering over pretty much everyone else around, Ryo included... But he does recognise the Tiger, which causes a bit of a glint in his dark eyes. "I guess that's pretty good for show," Shen says, speaking up. "But the real question is... Are you strong?" So much for people just staring or smiling!
The lean and muscular fighter ignores the comment until reaching the end of his current pattern, stalling a full five seconds, before drawing his hands inwards and down. Pivoting to face the impetuous man, he announces, "Strength is relative. The strength of heart of those who truly understand the ways of Kyokugen-Ryuu cannot be denied." Answering without an answer... perhaps his way of showing wisdom, perhaps just a cryptic response for one who would interrupt his training.
Calmly, he reaches down to lift his clothing, pulling the tanktop over his head. "Have you come to learn the ways of the Extreme Utmost Limit?" he asks, all but knowing the response. Still, no reason to be rude...
Impetuous is... Probably a very good descriptor for Shenwoo, most of the time. Still chewing his gum, his broad slash of a mouth pulled into a wide, wolfish grin, the tall young man watches Ryo more curiously than his expression might suggest. "Extreme Utmost Limit, huh? Well, that's a pretty big claim..." Not that calling oneself the 'God of Battle' /isn't/, so maybe he appreciates that part. He tugs his gloves a bit tighter, though, the thin leather creaking, and then he leans his head forward, watching Ryo with those dark eyes.
"I'm pretty much just looking for a bit of practice... Gotta keep myself sharp for that tournament," Shen explains, making it sound very casual, but what he's saying is clear: He has every intention of fighting Ryo. His words, his aggressive stance, they all give it away even though he's not saying so explicitly. "'sides, it's always fun to fight somebody strong. You know what I mean, right?" he asks, fully expecting Ryo to share the sentiment... While he raises his fists, leading with his right hand, in a casual boxing stance.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has started a fight here.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ryo has joined the fight here.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryo
The Tiger smiles softly. "I expected as much," he announces, casually pulling on his gi tunic, tying it loosely with his belt. He moves with all the care of a man who'd woken up on Sunday morning with not a thing to do all day, slowly and deliberately preparing for combat as he might prepare for a walk in the park.
That all changes when he tugs the ends of his belt tight. In his eyes suddenly sparked the feral might present in his martial arts form, the spirit of the tiger surging through him. Clenching his fists, he assumed a slightly defensive posture, nothing like the typical 'tiger' stance he usually used. "Prepare yourself, then," he announces, as an unseen wind begins whipping about him, tossing his gi about wildly... even though no significant breeze seems to be drifting through the park. It could be a freak whirlwind... but more likely, it was the sheer force of his spirit, summoning power for the battle ahead...
COMBATSYS: Ryo gathers his will.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Ryo
Letting out a laugh, Shenwoo shrugs his shoulders at Ryo's response. "I'm always prepared," the Shanghai-born brawler replies. Yes, he's a regular boy scout, isn't he? With merit badges in punching people silly! And headbutting. He watches the Kyokugen-ryuu fighter assume his stance, watches as the other man starts to gather energy... Well, that's not anything Shen has ever had any real experience with. Instead, he starts walking right at Ryo, his hands back down at his sides as he walks casually, that wolfish grin still in place, seemingly dropping his guard... Until he gets in close, anyway, and swings his leg up, trying to smash his knee right into Ryo's jaw as hard as he can. "RAAAAAAH!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryo blocks Shenwoo's Heavy Kick.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Ryo
Staring down the approaching fighter, Ryo watches his actions carefully, looking for the 'tell', the slight hint that he would give away his action a split second before the actual strike. The momentary flinch was all he needed to pull in his arms, bracing against the rising knee. Skidding backwards, he exhales sharply as the strike drops, with a smile.
"Good," he laughs. "To see strength, you must show strength." Dropping into a more combative stance, he quickly lunges forward, eager to plant his elbow into this overeager braggart's jaw... the Mouko Raijin Gou, often a precursor to the rising uppercut so popular amongst fighters these days.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo endures Ryo's Mouko Raijin Gou.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Ryo
"Heh," a faint chuckle, along with the sound of that chewing gum, escapes Shenwoo when his high knee is blocked. And he's pulling his leg back when that lunging elbow comes his way... But rather than sensibly trying to avoid it, or trying to put up his own guard, the berserker simply stands his ground, taking the full force of the blow and rocking backwards, whirling around with a laugh. "Hahahahahahaha!" That's a funny reaction to getting elbowed in the jaw, huh? And he whirls around with the force, raising his leg again - isn't he supposed to be a /boxer/? - and trying to stomp Ryo right in the side of the head. "ORAAA!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryo interrupts Fusen Kyaku from Shenwoo with Kohou EX.
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Shenwoo 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Ryo
So... this man wishes to experience the full onslaught of Kyokugen-Ryuu? So be it! After slamming the elbow into his opponent, Ryo pivots, angling his attack in and upwards, setting up the Kohou. As the kick rushes towards him, he shifts his stance just a little, catching the blow on his shoulders instead of the head.
It certainly hurt... but not as much as his now wide-open foe was about to! Squeezing his hand tightly closed, he thrusts the fist upwards, drawing upon the reserves of chi he had prepared just for moments like this. The Kohou uppercut lashed at Shenwoo's jaw, a subtle, almost imperceptable afterimage trailing behind it...
And of course, Shenwoo gets pretty solidly blasted by that uppercut. His head snaps back, and his whole body rocks backwards with it, but even that's not enough to dissuade the tall man, who stops himself with another laugh, flashing that wild grin at Ryo again. "Well... You've got power, that's for sure," he says, tensing for a moment... And then he springs forward with surprising speed, snapping off a trio of blurring-fast punches from the elbow, individually not too powerful, but...!
COMBATSYS: Ryo endures Shenwoo's Quick Punch.
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Shenwoo 1/-------/=======|=======\======-\1 Ryo
Settling to the ground as the Kohou finds its target, Ryo takes stock of the fight at hand... his opponent rocked, but still fighting bravely. His own power rising, despite the constant barrage this young man had inflicted upon him.
He was ready to see this man's true strength.
Standing tall as Shenwoo launched into his new attack, he lowered his arms, bracing himself for impact... and accepting them fully, letting the pain and kinetic energy fuel his own inner power. Losing balance as the sheer velocity of the blows impact him, he took a single step backwards, inwardly cursing at his show of weakness. Time, then, to show the meaning of true strength. "If you wish to see power," he announces, "then be prepared to witness it!" A sudden flicker of blue light forms around his fists, which he draws backwards smoothly. Forming within his cupped hands, a blue sphere of pure chi begins to glow. Then, in the blink of an eye, his hands lash forward, sending a mighty burst of pure chi energy towards Shenwoo... the mighty HAOH SHO KO KEN!
COMBATSYS: Ryo successfully hits Shenwoo with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
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Shenwoo 1/--=====/=======|======-\-------\0 Ryo
Shenwoo has never been a fan of chi attacks. Either it's Ash's bubbly green flames, or it's Duo Lon's wailing creepy ghostly chi, or it's Hadoukens or Haoh Sho Ko Kens, or whatever... Either way, it sucks a lot! And Shen doesn't have any tricks like that at all. Blurring a bit, he tries to get out of the way of Ryo's attack, but his timing? No good. The immense fireball blasts him, searing pain making his teeth grit, smoke rising off of his lean figure as he gets back to his feet. "Heheheh... Good!" he declares, and then he /just freakin' vanishes/.
It's only for a second or two, though, as Shenwoo launches himself at Ryo so fast he briefly disappeared from normal human sight. He blurs still as he rockets towards the Kyokugen Tiger, his left fist with the big metal ring thrown forwards, a shockwave of his own spirit surrounding him, enveloping him, turning him into a crazy human bullet as he roars at the top of his lungs. "SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Ryo with Zetsu Gekiken.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Ryo
As the fireball rips across the landscape, Ryo slumps slightly, somewhat drained from the burst. He watches Shenwoo's hapless attempt to avoid the strike, noting that a skilled counterattack would likely find himself in the same situation.
Indeed, the counterattack comes, much faster than he'd expected the other fighter to be able to muster. At first, Ryo endeavors to lunge out of the way, but upon realizing his fatigue was starting to reduce his own reactions, he instead braces for the impact, rolling as best he can with the blow.
Skidding to a stop, Ryo rises to a knee, rubbing a thin line of blood from the edge of his mouth. "Yes," he announces. "You know the meaning of strength. Now... show that you know how to use it!" In a flash, the wounded animal that was the Kyokugen Tiger bounds into the air, whirling feet-first towards Shenwoo in his ever-familiar flying kick... the Hien Shippu Kyaku!
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo endures Ryo's Hien Shippu Kyaku.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Ryo
Once again, though... Shenwoo doesn't even /try/ to avoid Ryo's attack. Maybe he's worried he's been letting himself slack off lately, who knows! But he stands his ground and gets hit with the whole of Ryo's flying kick, a quiet pained sound escaping him at every strike. But before Ryo can get his footing, Shenwoo grabs at him, grinning that madcap grin and trying to barrel the Kyokugen Tiger right at the nearest tree, using his weight - and one forearm resting across Ryo's throat - to crush him between berserker and the solid trunk. "THIS IS FUN, ISN'T IT?!" he yells. You know, he might not be entirely, uh, balanced.
COMBATSYS: Ryo fails to interrupt Saikouhou-Geki from Shenwoo with Tenchi Haoh Ken.
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Shenwoo 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Ryo
As Shenwoo takes the blows, Ryo realizes that he could be in significant trouble - no one in his right mind would accept such an attack so late in the fight, unless...
The other shoe suddenly drops, and Ryo finds himself hurtling towards a tree. Feeling the wood slam into his back, he grunts, summoning all his might to focus on one solid strike against Shenwoo. He begins to thrust that hand forwards, sheathed in the blue-white chi he's known for, when the arm suddenly smashes his neck against the tree trunk. Gasping for air, stars burst across Ryo's face, as he fights to merely remain conscious, let alone in the fight...
"Ha ha ha!" laughs Shenwoo, stumbling back a bit from Ryo. The tall, lean brawler is clearly weary, and he's taken a lot of damage from Ryo's powerful attacks... They're certainly nothing to scoff at, but fighting conservatively just doesn't suit the self-styled 'God of Battle'. Where's the fun in playing safe? Spitting his chewing gum out finally, Shen rubs the back of one leather-gloved hand across his mouth, still grinning that wolfish grin. It's all in good fun here - at least, it is for /Shenwoo/ - but the former street tough has certain instincts that are often hard to ignore, and one of those is to seize on your opponent's obvious weaknesses... Which would be why he launches himself at Ryo again, despite his tiredness, for another one of those chi-empowered rushing punches. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" It's not as fast as it would be otherwise, but what's Ryo gonna do?!
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Ryo with Zetsu Gekiken.
- Power hit! -
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Ryo
The continual flurry of blows had left Ryo weakened, and his last failed strike had left him drained. Without the power or the speed to avoid the next punch, the Tiger finds himself caged, and eventually humbled, by Shenwoo's might.
But no wounded animal ever goes down without a fight. Even as the blow races towards him, his hands begin to accumulate chi, preparing for one final alpha strike - putting everything he has into a single burst of blue-white soulfire, an effort to teach the young punk that true strength is what comes from within. Surging outwards from his hands is his Kuuchuu Ko'ou Ken, travelling at incredible speeds...
COMBATSYS: Ryo can no longer fight.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo blocks Ryo's Kuuchuu Ko'ou Ken EX.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/------=|
Really, Shenwoo would be disappointed if Ryo just /gave up/. That's no fun at all. He bounces back off of the force of his Zetsu! Gekiken landing so very solidly against the Kyokugen Tiger, taking a few stumbling steps back... And then there's another chi blast headed his way. He's still not a fan of those, you know. Gritting his teeth, Shen throws his arms up in front of him, taking the blast on his tattooed forearms, dispersing the worst of the impact as he skids back a few inches. "Heh... Hah..." Shenwoo breathes heavily, his shoulders stooping a little between the damage he's taken and the weariness of it all. "You're good," he says, with a tired laugh... Stepping forward to offer Ryo a hand up, if he needs it.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo takes no action.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has ended the fight here.
Slowly looking up, Ryo accepts the hand, wincing while rising to his feet. "Not good enough," he mumbles, obviously HIGHLY disappointed in his showing. He shivers slightly, the first sign of the weather getting to him. Propping himself against the tree, he wraps his arms around his midsection - whether to sheild an injury or simply warm his body is not obvious. "The Kyokugen way is to devote every aspect of your being to a goal until the goal is attained, or lost. Today..." He ponders his words for a moment, before continuing, "Today, my goal was to train my spirit in the cold of winter. I consider my goal attained..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Shenwoo doesn't seem to have much to say about Ryo's disappointment. To him, it's the fun of the fight that's most important... Winning is good and all, sure, but it's not the /point/. "Spirit's good," the berserker says. "Without it, what does the rest matter, right? Aah... I'm no teacher, though," he adds, working his shoulders as he takes a few steps away, glancing back over his shoulder at Ryo. "'sides, who knows what'll happen next time? Best to just swing as hard as you can, and don't sweat it." And that's about as close to philosophical as he's likely to get, as he starts walking away.
Log created by Shenwoo, and last modified on 15:22:00 02/18/2006.