Description: Oh, dear. (Winner: Saishu)
An early spring shower has graced Southtown with a evanescent fog today, tendrils of the grey cloudstuff draping over buildings and snaking through alleys. Here, near the outskirts of the city and touching the ancient forests that still dominate a startling majority of Japan, the fog grows thinner, but a light cloud cover still sends a consistent rain of scattered droplets on the leaves and grasses. Thus have the residents retreated to shelter for the duration of this unpleasantly overcast day, and the streets are filled only by those peculiar individuals with tasks more important than weathering this tranquil damp day.
Normally, Saishu Kusanagi, patriarch of the ancient and legendary Kusanagi lineage, would be out amongst them, attended to his assorted essential tasks like preventing bank robberies, splashing through puddles, fighting ninja, waggling his eyebrows intimidatingly at suspicious-looking teenagers. Yet today the old veteran warrior is cooped up inside his house/dojo, and not even because his soaps are on. In fact, he's doing something he usually only does on the porch during sunny days -- lazing about with his long-stemmed pipe, that perpetual grin brightening his inscrutible old eyes.
He looks, as he always does during this moments, like he's waiting for something.
Unusually, he has a plate of graham crackers and carrot sticks next to him. At least, unusual in that he hasn't idly taken a bite out of any of them.
The weather's not one to scare the young Kasagi! Nor the rain, nor the snow, nor the hail or the fog will stop her from performing her duties! And the young girl has promised that she would fight la creme de la creme, everyone with a name, those that have been seen in tournaments and have some good history past them! She's going to challenge them and learn from the beatdown... Arg... Or something like that. Or just to hope she might get lucky and become incredibly famous due to an unexpected victory coming from an underdog!
And here she comes, the challenger, at long last, striding through the forest to get to the shrine. She stands firm and tall, proud and confident as she makes her presence known by beaming and striking a pose, lifting a hand up to point a finger in the old man's direction, "Ahahah! Make way! I've finally arrived!" Mimiru says.
The girl's lips curl into a wide grin and she rests her hands on her waist and she says, "So... This is the famous Saishu Kusanagi, huh? Master of the Kusanagi-ryuu Kobojutsu, head of the Kusanagi clan?" Mimiru says, arching a brow. She tilts her head back and she lets a soft laughter escape her throat, "Ahahah,"
Well something seems funny but it's hard to tell what it is! In fact, so funny, Mimiru almost sheds a tear, "Huh... Yeah, sorry, I apologize... Didn't expect to see an old timer, gramps," Mimiru says with a few nods of her head, "Hum, bet you were rocking and kicking butts back in the good old days... Hum, maybe I've got the wrong person..." Mimiru says as she takes out a piece of neatly folded paper, glancing over to it, "Alright, so, hum, Kusanagi... Ah, yeah... Put you on the list for real, might have been a mistake... Well maybe you know where I could find Kyo Kusanagi then?" She asks, glancing over to Saishu.
Saishu Kusanagi watches Mimiru idly as she strides in, just grinning slightly at her and apparently unconcerned at her attitude, her comments, and the couple cameramen staggering in under the weight of their loads. And the weight of chasing Mimiru all over the place. She's probably got the Neo League going crazy, using it as an excuse to challenge higher-up fighters. It's really only thanks to Saishu that they got wind of this one in time; although he refused to explain why he had accepted the challenge.
The pointy-bearded man shifts into a mostly crosslegged sitting position, and reaches up to scratch at an armpit as he gazes at the young girl traipsing about. There's an odd look in his eyes: curious in a distant sort of way, with a healthy helping of general mirth and amusement. And yet these only shade a mysterious core in the depths of his brown eyes. What on earth could this crazy old man be thinking?
"Kyo's not home," he finally says, softly and calmly. To most of his acquaintances, this would be pretty darn surprisingly. He's not barking out every sentence? Well, perhaps it's just because this is his home. "He's gone off for another motorcycle ride, I assume. I'm afraid he didn't tell me where he was going." Something in his inflection suggests this is a fairly regular occurance. "I can't help you find him."
A small pause, with Saishu still watching Mimiru quietly.
"Young lady, haven't we met before? After one of my fishing trips... something to do with medals..."
Then, moving for the first time in a while, he leans over and pushes the plate of graham crackers and carrot sticks toward her, in her general direction.
"Hungry?"
He grins.
"Better luck next time," Mimiru says, mostly to herself, "I'll wait for him another time..." Mimiru simply says, lifting a hand up to rub her nose slightly. Mimiru blinks and she arches a brow, "Have we?" She asks, tilting her head to one side, "Well, I have a photographic memory, I know exactly how things happened," Mimiru says with a few nods of her head.
~~ Cue little flashback, image growing a little blurry for 'remembering's sake' ~~
It was a sunny summer day. Mimiru, as usual, made her way through school, having fun. Of course, she has a big bust and she's slightly taller and slender. And then she strikes a pose, more or less, and there's Saishu in the backgroup, jaw wide agape and fallen to his side, nose-bleeding after the voluptuous sight of Mimiru! Then there were a few camera flashes, a few fangirls schoolgirls that rushes over Mimiru for autographes, "That's right kids, don't do drugs!" She says with a victory sign.
~~ End of the flashback, provided by Mimiru's mind. ~~
"Yeah... Didn't I kick your butt back then?" Mimiru says, frowning a little. Maybe she got hit by the fish a little too hard. Mimiru blinks a few times and she grins at the offer, "Oh! Sure!" She says as she kneels over and she takes the crackers and the carrot sticks, giving Saishu a big smile, "So, hum... Right, I could fight you, but I'd break my heart if I broke your hip..." She says, sounding mostly sincere and honnest in what she says as she takes the snack.
Saishu again remains silent for the majority of this. He just continues to look at her in that oddly curious way, scratching slowly at his beard in thought. It's not a predatory curiosity -- not the look the wolves get when a lamb suddenly ambles into the midst of them, baa-ing loudly -- not really, anyway. But perhaps the look he's gotten could be related to that analogy were the wolf in question an old wolf whose appetite has been sated for some time now, and thus passes the time pondering the nature of lambs. A lamb anomaly such as one so oblivious to danger could be, one could conclude, highly interesting.
But all this is only to be theorized, for Saishu's gaze is inpenetrable, and his grin could equally be disarming or intimidating. Dangerous and mysterious opponent or harmless old man... it's impossible to call it right now.
He rises, stretching. "A kind sentiment!" he declares, his voice reaching some of its usual rough quality. "The youth of today don't care enough about the state of-- oof," he grunts, as his spine pops slightly and he winces. But he ambles over to the center of the wood-paneled dojo all the same, turning to look at the shorter girl again. "But if you're interested in challenging my son, as seems to be the case, I must test you first. Prove your mettle to me, little girl... and perhaps I will tell you where he might be found."
He grins. He does not move; does not adopt a stance.
"If you really /are/ a fighter."
COMBATSYS: Saishu has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/-------|
[OOC] Mimiru Kasagi says, "The coyote was like, trying to approach the bunny and the bunny was leaping up and stabbing the coyote in the face with its forepaw and attacking him that way and the coyote kept backing off."
Of course, fighting the elders aren't really something Mimiru has much enthusiasm in. Which must be the way a lot of other fighters find when they are forced to fight Mimiru likewise. Though Mimiru is pretty much more insistant, and nothing like a punch to the groin to actually arouse the fighter spirit of anyone. Mimiru winces a little as she hears the man's spine cracks a bit and she shakes her head slowly but surely.
"Alright gramps," Mimiru says with a nod. She grins and lifts her hands up to crack her knuckles a little, "But I warned you," She adds with a soft chuckle. She leans down a little and then says, "Prepare yourself..." She adds, bitting her lips some, following after him and waiting for him to be ready for battle!
And with that, Mimiru rushes over Saishu. She lets out a scream escape her throat, chi flaring out of her legs for a moment, engulfing them in flame as she leaps up in the air and spins around on herself to try and deliver a nasty kick to Saishu's midsection, "Super Mimiru Kick!!"
COMBATSYS: Mimiru has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Mimiru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Saishu
COMBATSYS: Saishu Toughs Out Mimiru's Super Mimiru Kick!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Saishu
*thump*
You'd expect his footing to shift. Like, slightly. You'd expect his body to reveal that it's absorbed the force. You'd expect that /grin/ to change. Even a little.
Saishu's kimono ripples slightly from the wind, the only sign that Mimiru's hit him at all. The look in his eyes doesn't change. And he pauses for almost a second, allowing a moment of silence.
"Impressive spirit!" he suddenly barks, all of him seeming to surge into action as he raises his hand. Suddenly he seems much faster than he did before. Much, much faster. "But spirit isn't enough! You need a body to match!"
And he aims to give her a ringing cuff to the head. Can Saishu knock some sense into her? Maybe if he had any sense to impart...
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Mimiru with Jab Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Saishu
Who knows, maybe Mimiru broke him with the first kick? That would have happened. A kick so powerful that the old man's whole skeleton got crushed underneath the force of the impact! At least, as far as Mimiru is concerned, she landed a direct hit and that's enough to bring a smile to her lips.
And then all of a sudden, the patriach of the legendary Kusanagi style finally wakes up, as if she had awoken him from a deep slumber and he moves with speed that Mimiru barely has time to actually see exactly what is going on.
Mimiru get smacked over her head and the girl stumbles about, a little attempt to regain her footing and balance. She grunts and shakes her head, bitting her lips as she tries to regain her bearings, "I've got plenty of body to match, you just need a pair of glasses," Mimiru says, sticking her tongue out a little.
Alright! Time to get serious. Mimiru takes a breath and she heaves a sigh as she resumes her combat stance. Time for a take two! It's just a mirage, he didn't move that fast, she was just unprepared. And with a little rencouraging mental words, Mimiru lunges over Saishu and she tries to shove her elbow straight for Saishu's midsection.
COMBATSYS: Saishu Toughs Out Mimiru's Quick Punch!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Saishu
*thump*
He's pretty old, right? I mean, his hair is still almost free of grey, but it's obvious by his weathered face that this man is in his late middle age. He may have many years ahead of him still, but he should be out of the fighting circuit by now, most definitely.
But he seems to have a /lot/ of muscle for a man of such graduated years. That elbow just... bounces off. Again, he doesn't seem to notice. What is it? Is it something about his stance...?
"Perhaps!" Saishu barks, the light in his eyes dancing as he winds up for another blurring slap, this one aiming to catch Mimiru under the chin and knock the poor girl off her feet. It looks a bit rougher than his last one. "But you need to make sure your body and spirit are as one!" A nice old masterish line.
"I think your ambitions outpace your skill, girl!"
Accompanied by the understatement of the century...
COMBATSYS: Mimiru blocks Saishu's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Saishu
Did she break him again? Well, not really... Seems more like she's not actually having any effect on the veteran fighter. That's something to be expected, but every fighter has a weakness! Mimiru just needs to find it! Mimiru blinks and she lifts her gaze up for a moment. Thankfully, unlike last time, Mimiru manages to lift her arm up to block the incoming slap, though it still has the somewhat desired effect of knocking her back.
The girl staggers a little and she actually falls off on her back, unable to keep her balance. She groans a little and narrows her eyes, lifting her gaze up to Saishu, "Oh! I'm just warming up! Just wait and see! You'll see what I can do!" Mimiru claims as she quickly forces herself to her feet and dusts herself up, "I'm young, full of stamina, and I'm plenty good!" Mimiru says, "Just make sure you can keep up the pace!" Mimiru says, a wide smile spreading on her lips.
And then, with that, Mimiru tries to approach Saishu and to get him into a grapple! If she hasn't been able to hit him with physical, she might as well change her tactic! Make her style be unguessable! Like Chizuru taught her, not stay like an open book to be read!
And if she manages to get a hold of Saishu, she'll curl up and move to get behind him and wrap her arms around his waist so that she can suplex him.
COMBATSYS: Saishu dodges Mimiru's Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Saishu
"Hmm..."
There's a gleam in Saishu's eye when Mimiru manages to block the majority of his attack, even though it knocks her back. Of course, as has been stated, it's pretty hard to tell /exactly/ what Saishu's thinking... but it looks like a gleam of approval.
"You're pretty quick, girl," the elder Kusanagi says even as he neatly twists around the shorter girl while she tries to grab him, easily evading her grasp in one smooth step. As though he already knew which way she was moving to begin with. Chizuru's advice may be perfectly true, but perhaps Mimiru hasn't implemented it as well as she's tried.
But hopefully she won't be distracted by this, because if she is, she may miss that Saishu's hand has snuck around as he's twisted and is prepared to gently rest on her shoulder -- and shove her firmly away and to the ground, with sudden fierce power.
"But are you sure /you/ can keep up with /me/...?"
He grins.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Mimiru with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 1/--=====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Saishu
Mimiru tries her best to use her size to her advantage and squirm away from Saishu but unfortunately, she doesn't manage to escape the incoming hand that grabs her and shove her to the ground. Mimiru doesn't quite have the time to softening her landing, and so, she simply falls hard on the ground with a loud -thuds-. Mimiru groans a little and she sticks her tongue out a little, glancing up over to Saishu, narrowing her eyes almost into a glare, "Huh... Watch me," She says.
And with that, Mimiru raises up and she intends to catch Saishu again with another sort of throw, reaching out for his clothes to get a hold of him and trying to use her short height for balance while she attempts to trip him.
COMBATSYS: Saishu Toughs Out Mimiru's Quick Throw!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 1/--=====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Saishu
"Pretty tenacious," Saishu murmurs, as Mimiru rises again. And again, he simply stands his ground as she reaches out, grabs ahold of his robe, and tries to trip him--
You'd think that, you know, he'd be moving. Even a little. At least his muscles would tense up noticably, or his feet would scuff against the wood paneling of the floors. But he simply doesn't move. He's like a tree. Her efforts are completely ineffective.
"Since you've been so persistent," he says as she finally shoves Mimiru away with a quick reversal, grabbing her hands and pushing her back, body finally coiling in slightly, "I'll honor you with a Kusanagi-ryuu technique!"
If she was expecting flames, she'll be disappointed. What she gets is a startlingly spry hop and two blurring roundhouse kicks, the old man again moving shockingly fast. The kicks are highly practiced, but what's most noticable about the technique is his tight stance when he lands... assuming he lands.
"Ha HA!" accompanies his twin kick attack.
COMBATSYS: Saishu successfully hits Mimiru with Nata Guruma.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 Saishu
Well, there's little Mimiru can do, despite her best efforts, alas! The reversal works well enough to keep her at bait and Mimiru gets rather soundly kicked about by the double kicks that comes her way. Enough for her to get knocked off back some a little.
Mimiru whimpers a little and she groans as she forces herself back to her feet, shaking her head a little. She spares a glance over to Saishu and she bites her lips a little. There's nothing she can do aside from giving him what she thinks is the best of her own style! She rushes over Saishu and she shouts, "Super Mimiru Punch!" And with that, her fist bursts into flaring white chi as she swings it straight for Saishu's midsection.
COMBATSYS: Saishu interrupts Super Mimiru Punch EX from Mimiru with Oniyaki.
[ < > //////////////////////// ]
Mimiru 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=====--\-------\0 Saishu
Saishu's grin... takes on a new quality. A quality he has heretofor neglected to utilize. A quality that quite often graces his fights with other, more experienced fighters; a quality that often seems to bring him victory.
A /manic/ quality.
"Super Mimiru Punch!?" he exclaims loudly, eyes widening and eyebrows lifting as the girl rushes him at a high speed. "Then it's time for..."
And then he's gone from a standing position to a sudden lunge, literally exploding into action as he crashes forward, right hand igniting with the flames of the Kusanagi bloodline... and twists into an incredibly fierce uppercut that's more explosion than punch, most likely sending Mimiru spiralling into the air.
"SUPER SAISHU PUNCH!"
Oh, great, now you've got him all excited.
Unfortunate, the old man's excitment may be a little short lived it would seem because after Kusagani shows him the real power of his flame, there's not much energy left in Mimiru to do much of anything. She does get knocked back flying off some distance and she falls down on the dojo ground, completly unconscious after that rather solid uppercut, with little stars and birds over her head, totally knocked out.
Seems like Super Saishu Punch > Super Mimiru Punch.
But in her heart, Super Mimiru Punch will always be the best.
And in her photographic memory too.
COMBATSYS: Mimiru takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Mimiru can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Saishu 0/-------/--=====|
"Ha ha!" barks Saishu merrily, to no one in particular.
Then he glances down to Mimiru's fallen body, and after a moment, his normally jovial features begin to take on a very, very worried cast.
"...oh, dear."
He scratches his beard, but nervously rather than thoughtfully.
"Shizuka's not gonna like this..."
Log created by Saishu, and last modified on 16:26:35 03/28/2006.