Description: After lengthy experimentation, Professor Alma concludes that dirt tastes bad. Sadly, however, his research had to be cut short due to lack of funds, interference from the Mexican government, and getting knocked the heck out. (Winner: Ramon)
Lost in the jungle for centuries, its ancient hallways echoing with countless stories left untold, this momument to the knowledge and culture of the ancients still stands, the cracked stone of this forgotten city attesting silently to civilization's impermanence...
...at least, that's what the brochure says. Welcome to Mayatown! Souveniers can be purchased out front. Yes, even this crumbling bloodstained city of dead gods has become a tourist trap for travellers from around the world, coming to feel the deep significance of this place and possibly eat some expensive snacks. But today those dead gods shall be graced with some new entertainment, for the first time in centuries. Yes, today there shall be bloodsport once again! Only no heads of our enemies will be thrown into hoops, nor in fact will there probably be any blood. But it's the thought that counts, especially for those extra tourists that are now crowding around the wide pit that was once the ancient people's sporting arena...
Surrounded by shallow and crumbling walls of ancient engraved stone, in the center of this wide space and fairly far from anything historical that might be actually damaged by the fight -- not even the Neo League would save him if he did something like that -- Alma Towazu takes inhales deeply of the breath of the ancients. The damp scent of decaying plant matter and stone fills him with a warm sense of belonging, and when the tall youth casts his gaze to the still standing pyramid-like temple in the distance, his heart swells with the significance of it all. Here is evidence of the end of all things. Here lies the eventual destiny of mankind. And you may despair if you like, but if you contemplate it, perhaps you may realize that understanding that all things must end can make you only more motivated to make something beautiful out of the time you have now...
...at least, you'd realize that if you're Alma Towazu.
Although, under those rules, this young warrior-model, clad in durable cargo pants and Timberlands and a fitted black and tea toned overshirt, might technically already be beautiful enough as is to qualify for having a fulfilled life. Fortunately, he doesn't quite put his good looks in the same class as the beauty of this place. Which is why he's here to fight again.
And put on a good show for the gods.
Indeed, if it's a bloodsport the gods (And contract agents) want, it's one they shall get. One to never be forgotten! All the trappings are in place; A large audience of men and gods, proud ruins of forgotten significance, obstacles galore, and 5 dollar margaritas with those little frilly umbrellas that you try to collect and lose somewhere in the car seat on the 9 hour ride home. Just like in the old days!
But to keep up old traditions, the second fighter remains unspoiled by the modern wonders of the world. There's no trailer for him to rest in, no frappaccinos, nobody to tell him what to do save for his soul. The Yellow Devil himself, Ramon, is here. Having spent the last few minutes in deep thought and recognition of these old ruins, he's all rested up and ready for a rumble.
Back at the circle, it seems Alma's been spending this time waiting on his challenger. A few of the overweight American tourists in contesting shorts and Hawaiian shirts are getting a bit antsy. Eventually, a small Mexican child, separate from the tourists, asks aloud, "Where is Senor Ramon?" To which he is promptly answered, "Here I am, chico!" All heads turn to the luchador, standing atop one of the large sporting walls, grinning wildly.
He takes a short hop off of the wall, touching down on the sandy ground and looking to Alma. "Hola amigo! El tiempo largo no ve, eh?" He asks boisterously, walking up with a hop in his step to extend his hand to his challenger. "It is good to see you again."
Alma smiles.
"Good to see you too, Ramon," murmurs the blond half-Japanese in response, and he reaches out to clasp the Yellow Devil's hand in friendship. In typical Alma style, his arm rises slowly and gently, but his handshake is firm.
The youth only speaks what Portuguese his mother taught him, and while a lot of Portuguese is similar to Spanish, Alma doesn't know enough to actually converse. But it's not hard to figure out what the expressive luchador before him is talking about, and though Alma is much more mild-faced, one only has to look in his eyes to see that he's genuinely pleased to find Ramon is his opponent. This is a man who knows his drama. It's easy to get passionate about fights with people like Ramon.
"Senores y senoras! Bienvenidos a las ruinas de--"
Alma's smile widens into more of a grin, hazel eyes sparkling with inner mirth. "Nice to have you come to me this time," he remarks as he releases Ramon's hand and steps back, shoes sliding across sandy crumbled stone and tufts of dark green grass. "Please, do your best..." His feet shift, his posture grows more poised, his limbs relax--
"Uno, dos, tres... LUUUUUCHAAAAAA!"
And his gentle eyes focus with sudden intent and resolve as he lunges immediately out of his relaxed stance, closing the distance immediately in a single bound and lashing out with an acrobatic twisting kick and, if not otherwise interfered with, transiting into a sweeping low kick as he lands gracefully. The wind howls around his quick fierce attack; the applause of the gods.
COMBATSYS: Alma has started a fight here.
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Alma 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ramon has joined the fight here.
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Ramon 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Alma
COMBATSYS: Ramon endures Alma's Light Kick.
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Ramon 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Alma
Ramon can only grin at the young man's enthusiasm to accompany him on this wondrous fight for the gods. Last time he didn't seem to show as much energy in his actions. Then again, how pumped up about a match can you be when you're simply in a subway with your spectators being lifeless cameras? No, this is different. This is in the presence of men, women, celestial beings, and the very eyes of the stonework around them. And for every tourist, there's at least twice as many people of spanish decent who've come to watch the fight. The children sitting on the ruins, their siblings and parents equally situated on the still sturdy construction.
Ramon flashes his teeth brightly and drops into a crouching stance, giving a loose and quick salute with two fingers. "Only if you do too, Alma!" The fight starts and Ramon catches a foot to the chin, much to the disbelief of many of his young fans. But as he twists with it, they realize what he's doing. Before Alma can even drop for the next action, Ramon's grabbed his foot to stop mid-air momentum. If it goes right, Alma will drop to his stomach and Ramon will drop forwards, twisting the clutched leg sharply inwards to sit on Alma and keep him still. As usual, the opportunity to escape rises when he looks up to smile and wave towards his fans. Play it for the camera!
COMBATSYS: Ramon successfully hits Alma with Medium Throw.
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Ramon 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Alma
"Khhah...!"
Alma winces visibly as he finds his attack reversed and hits the ground with his leg bending unhealthily, palms slapping on the ground to absorb the impact of the fall but unable to redirect the pain of a leglock. He glances over his shoulder, squinting slightly at Ramon, but there's only a split-second of recovery time before with a burst of resolve he's attacking from his prone position. The luchador only has time to half-raise his hand for the wave before Alma explodes into action -- literally.
The leg that Ramon is holding suddenly ignites in a burst of white soulfire, traces of pink and purple twisting and coiling throughout... although it doesn't burn his hand, not per se. Well, it burns, but not like fire should burn. More like it's starting to give him a really uncomfortable feeling, so strong that he might as /well/ be holding on to a flaming object. But of course that only lasts for another split-second, before Alma attempts an impropably acrobatic maneuever: with a grunt, he pushes off the ground with his hands, twists with the lock in midair so as to partially break away, and then kicks out with his other leg, which also ignites in a plume of white fire as he kicks out at Ramon's head. What's impropable about the maneuver isn't that, though; that just takes strength, grace, and of course the ability to light yourself on fire. What's improbable is that... he keeps going.
If the first kick connects, Alma will continue rising, twisting, and kicking, aiming a fierce series of Psycho Power enhanced roundhouses at Ramon's face to batter him up into the air and away.
"Uuryaaaaah!"
Alma's eyes gleam with purpose, but... is he smiling slightly?
COMBATSYS: Ramon dodges Alma's Rising Fury.
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Ramon 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Alma
Well it's a good thing that Ramon's a blackbelt in the art of 'waving to random people really fast'. He manages to get the wave off /and/ gives a thumbs up to a camera. However, he doesn't really notice the burning leg until he looks down at it, figuring that looking away isn't too good of an idea. His eye widens considerably as common sense leaves him, "Madre de dios!", causing him to linger long enough to fly up with Alma's maneuver.
He was /supposed/ to remember about Alma's trippy psycho powers, but it's hard when you're posing one minute and supposedly on fire the next. He doesn't fall for it the second time, though, whipping his head to the side of the kick. Normally at this moment, people /stop/. Alma isn't normal. As Ramon sees the second kick coming, he tries to twist his torso away and back-hand Alma in the face before grabbing onto the back of his neck, chucking him face-first back to the ground.
"DENIED!"
COMBATSYS: Ramon successfully hits Alma with Combo Throw.
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Ramon 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Alma
*whap*
"..."
Alma blinks as he is backhanded. This costs him. It costs him one free trip to get his face bashed into the grassy stone ground. Crunch. But when he unearthes his face, coughing as he rolls away to safety, and wipes the dirt from his mouth and nose with the back of his hand, his eyes glint with purpose.
He's not smiling anymore.
Alma might be denied, but his passion cannot. He lunges again, maintaining his aggressive tactics despite how they don't seem to be working too well yet, and as he leads in with a skipping quickstep he draws his right hand back. White energy coils around it as he lashes out -- farther away than one might expect. He doesn't make any physical contact with Ramon; the explosion of mental energy that follows however, manifesting as pale flame, might.
Drama or no... Alma had better start taking this seriously.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ramon with Self Expression.
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Ramon 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Alma
And this is where we see the key differences in the two fighters. Ramon just keeps on grinning, he never stops. As soon as he lands as well, he starts charging Alma. Then Alma's hand ignites and Ramon leans in, running faster, hoping to catch Alma first. Then he throws a punch. Now Ramon's turned and running away as fast as he can, upright and back arched, chest out, just like a cartoon.
He's going for the giant wall, of course. If he can make it, the energy should dissipate harmlessly agai-.oO(... Ow... That would be my butt.) The flame connects, causing Ramon to grab onto his ass and run for the wall at a bit under the Autobahn speed-limit. "Aye yi-/YI/!" He yelps out loudly. If everyone else is laughing with you, it usually doesn't hurt as bad. Right? Wrong. He's going to feel that in the morning.
The luchador bolts straight up the monstrous wall, going at least three quarters of the way up, turning everyone's laughter to awe. A bit to the right of the hoop, Ramon hops up, straightening vertically and managing to slide through the entire hoop, arms shooting up to grab the rim, flip him up, and kick him straight off the wall for Alma.
Of course, he slips and ends up flailing for Alma, screaming incomprehensibly.
That could've gone better.
COMBATSYS: Ramon successfully hits Alma with Flying Body Attack.
Glancing Blow
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Ramon 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Alma
Alma blinks.
Well, he felt his attack connect, at least, but, hmm. The mild but still stoic-faced young man watches quietly through the shade of his blond bangs as Ramon dashes up the wall, and pretty much... just stands there. Yes, it's clear that Ramon and Alma are different men: Ramon is clearly the more expressive one. Yet in their own way, each plays to the crowd, because easy is a very genuine person. It's not hard to imagine a person who's expressive but not genuine; that's just an actor. But a person who's genuine but not expressive... well, you have to look for Alma. Of course, Alma /is/ expressive, in his own way. He expresses himself through the looks in his eyes, moments of oration, and huge explosions of soulfire. But not through overt facial movements.
But by the look of his complete deadpan as Ramon tumbles through the hoop, and the way he just stands there patiently for Ramon to finish rather than prepare some sort of counterattack... well, maybe every clown needs a straightman.
Alma neatly sidesteps the sprawling and wildly flailing Ramon -- harder than it looks -- and gets accidentally backhanded in the face for his troubles, snapping his face to the side. He blinks, and only then does he stumble. The audience is laughing, but Alma doesn't appear to notice. There's a moment of apparent bemusement... and then he shakes his head clear of cobwebs, takes a deep breath, and settles his stance, eyes starting to glimmer again.
"You alright there?" he asks, deadpan. Concerned... or sarcastic?
COMBATSYS: Alma gathers his will.
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Ramon 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Alma
Ramon wastes no time pushing himself up to his feet after all of his troubles, but doesn't start off with another attack. Instead, he kind of stumbles around with a lighthearted grin on his face. Raising a hand to his head, Ramon shakes it off. "Never works like it should..." He mutters quietly to himself, which ends up a booming roar in his ears. He winces as someone whispers softly to him. Looking over, it's Alma. But he looks more like he's talking. What's going on?
Ramon basically takes the next few seconds shaking the sand out of his ears and off his tongue, as well as dusting himself off. Perfect time for a cheap-shot, if you roll like that.
COMBATSYS: Ramon gains composure.
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Ramon 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Alma
"Hey..."
The mild-faced youth calmly draws his right hand back so that it crosses his chest, as though winding up for a backhand throw.
"...snap out of it."
And with a flash of his eyes, Alma slashes fiercely through the air and emits a gout twisting white flame, cresting it over itself and aiming to hit Ramon like a tidal wave. See, that'll wake him up. A jolt right to the brain. Alma's helping.
Well, after all, Ramon asked him not to hold back.
...he is genuinely concerned, though. That was quite a fall.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ramon with Sacred Wave.
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Ramon 1/------=/=======|=======\=====--\1 Alma
That'll do the trick. The wave slaps Ramon right in the brain, causing him to bend over and clutch at his head. It's kind of like chemotherapy, really. You get rid of the screwed up stuff by screwing it up even worse and hoping everything goes well. Ramon turns on his heel and rushes Alma.
The general plan is to ram his right shoulder into Alma's stomach, then grab his wrist and turn so Ramon's back is to Alma's front, then simply hurl the young man over his shoulder. Of course, a plan is useless without proper execution. Can Ramon still function after that little shock?
COMBATSYS: Alma fails to interrupt Combo Throw from Ramon with Divine Intervention EX.
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Ramon 1/-----==/=======|=======\=======\1 Alma
[OOC] Alma facepalms.
[OOC] Ramon says, "Woot!"
[OOC] Ramon says, "My gods divine intervention'd your divine intervention."
It appears as though the ancient gods prefer the clown. Perhaps Alma should've known better than to ask for divine intervention in a place like this.
In any case, his timing is off, and his flare of energy sputters and dies as Ramon grapples and hurls him away. Again Alma rolls to his feet, still ready to fight, but he looks about as dazed as Ramon did after that fall. There something about summoning up Psycho Power and then not having it do what it's supposed to do. Alma's eyes appear unfocused.
On purely unconscious reflex, he reaches up with his right hand to brush the dirt out of his hair.
Ramon notices the little fizzle of energy as he throws Alma away, grinning to himself. "There'll be no trickery here, Alma. Not while the gods watch over us!" He looks up to the sky and lets out a laugh, grinning at the heavens. Is it just him or does that cloud look like a big thumbs-up? Either way, Ramon looks back to Alma rising from the sandy floor. "Sorry amigo," says the luchador as he rushes forwards. "But I can't let you," He reaches for Alma's shoulders with both hands, lifting him up and spinning around once, hurling Alma straight down once again. "Get up!"
COMBATSYS: Ramon successfully hits Alma with Tiger Neck Chancery.
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Ramon 1/-----==/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Alma
Man, this is turning into a prowrestling match, and Alma is no good at wrestling. Is it that he just can't seem to focus anymore? Or are the gods refereeing? Whatever the case, the tall youth staggers to his feet only to blink as Ramon grabs him -- and then bounces him back onto the ground. Urrgh.
If Alma thought he was dazed before, he was wrong. /This/ is dazed. He hit his head on the way down, and he feels the strength he needs more than ever being sapped away. Well, that's not allowed. His roll to his feet is a lot less energetic now, and his stance is wider for more balance, but Alma's still not ready to quit. Taking a deep breath, he places the thumb and index finger of his right hand on the bridge of his nose... and tries to /focus/.
COMBATSYS: Alma gains composure.
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Ramon 1/-----==/=======|=======\=======\1 Alma
Ramon perks his eyebrow at the young man. Still getting up, even after that? Ramon shakes his head a bit and runs for Alma once again, though possibly a bit foolishly. "Sorry Alma, but once again..." But this time, Ramon ducks sharply, trying to go through Alma's legs with his arms out, then rise and flip Alma right on his back. "Can't let you get up!" He looks up again. Is that a frowny-face cloud? No, it can't be...
COMBATSYS: Ramon successfully hits Alma with Medium Throw.
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Ramon 1/----===/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Alma
*crack*
Stone splinters as Alma hits the ground again. Dazedly, he looks up at the sky, blinking the stars out of his eyes -- only to see an oddly shaped cloud above up. The mild-faced youth's eyes finally focus upward.
"...heh..."
His lips shift slightly into a little helpless grin, just for a moment. And then... he laboriously gets to his feet, shaking his head slowly, a wounded lion getting the dust of battle out of his golden mane. He doesn't seem to be looking at anything in particular. Just focusing on getting up.
Once he finally gets up, he blinks again a couple times.
Then he sighs gently, eyelids drooping.
And then he reaches out and attempts to clasp Ramon's shoulder.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ramon with Absolution.
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Ramon 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 Alma
And then Ramon explodes.
Or at least, that's how it looks for a moment. All that Psycho Power energy that's been frustrated for so long finally tears a path through Ramon's psyche and establishes a direct connection with Alma's soulfire, so much so that it literally rises up from within Ramon and engulfs him in the blazing light. Alma himself doesn't appear to emit any fire; it's just Ramon's body suddenly jerking as a concussive wave echoes through the arena, both the men's bodies silhouetted by the explosive flash. There's a pause as the silhouette makes a nice freeze frame... and then the two part ways. By which I mean, Alma pushes the injured Ramon away.
Then he sighs again, swaying on his feet, and reaches up to touch his fingertips to his injured forehead.
"Goodness gracious," he murmurs to nobody in particular.
There's a burst of fire in Ramon's functioning eye as his entire body is engulfed in metaphorical flame. He jerks and spasms involuntarily a bit, causing the onlookers to look to each other in confusion. Who in the world fights like that? Ramon just lies on the ground for a moment, staring up at the heavens. He starts to hear something, rather faint, slowly growing in volume. He glances over to the crowds quickly to make sure it isn't them. Nope, not them. What's he hearing?
He's hearing laughter. "Oh that is /it/."
Pushing himself up to his feet with considerable effort, adrenaline rushes through his veins and clears his mind. Ramon reaches up to his mouth to wipe away some blood, finding a clean hand. He's not bleeding, even after the whole fight? Oh yeah, that's right. Aztec gods don't bleed according to the mythos. He grins to himself and charges Alma with rather surprising speed for someone who should be in the hospital right now.
He reaches for Alma's face, and if his hand should connect, it's all downhill from there. Wasting no effort on flashiness or technique, he simply starts to turn... And turn, and turn. His body increases in speed, still holding Alma with a dead man's grip, holding him up off the ground. Eventually he becomes a whirlwind, a torrent of green and black, before he chucks Alma at one of the sports walls with enough force to break a few bones. Of course, the wall will remain undamaged, which is more important.
COMBATSYS: Ramon successfully hits Alma with Tiger Spin.
- Power hit! -
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Ramon 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Alma
Oh, not the face. Please not the face-- oh, good, he's just holding onto the face. Well, that's alright, then. I guess we can just--
*crunch*
...On the up side, the wall handles it pretty well.
Better than Alma does, anyway.
"...nnngh."
For a moment he just lies there, plastered against the stone wall, surrounded by a cloud of dust. After a few seconds, he's able to open one eye slightly. After a few more... he leans forward, and sort of... keels into a stagger. But he doesn't fall. That much is surprising. He doesn't fall over yet. He's still standing.
With an odd sort of poised elegance, Alma raises his fist to his mouth, and coughs once. Then, still staring blearily at Ramon, he reaches out with his hand. There's blood on it.
"Hmph... hmph..."
Alma begins to make an odd sort of wringing gesture with his hand, as though trying to shake something out of it. He keeps waving it sharply in the air, and every time he does he says "hmph". This too lasts for a couple of seconds, while the audience stares in stunned silence.
"Hmph. Hmph. ...HMPH!"
And then, finally, a gout of white soulfire blasts out at Ramon.
Alma smiles dazedly, looking relieved.
And falls over.
COMBATSYS: Alma can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\ <
Ramon 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Ramon dodges Alma's Sacred Wave EX.
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Ramon 0/-------/---====|
Hands halfway in his pockets, Ramon tilts his head and blinks at Alma. "You okay, chico?" He's about to grin wildly and make a really bad joke before a blaze of soulfire rips through the air, right for Ramon, who...
Turns.
It goes right past him, who's head follows the flight of the fire. Giving a low whistle, the luchador looks back to Alma, who is now grounded. Frowning slightly, Ramon walks over and nudges him in the side with his foot. Sharply. Repeatedly. "Hey, wake up. I thought you loved your camera-time."
Though battered and dusty, Alma's unconscious face remains the face of a sleeping angel. Would you really disturb such a peaceful moment, Ramon? ...well, even if you would, it doesn't work. Alma will not be roused. Still, after an experience like that, the poor kid needs his rest. One wonders, though, what innocent dreams must soothe the mind of this weary youth?
Ramon's foot elicits nothing but a few mysterious murmurs.
"...take it off, Xiangfei, the ice cream'll stain it..."
...
*coughs*
Ramon rolls his eyes and smiles to himself. Ah, the innocence of youth. How he longs for the chance to relive his own childhood without the constant need to find food and survive. These kids and their personal security. And rap music. Damn rap music. Crouching down, Ramon grunts slightly to pick up Alma and sling him over his shoulder. The luchador flashes a peace sign to the audience, who smiles and cheers in response, the young kids all happy for their hero and his friend. Ramon puts his other hand in his pocket and begins to walk off towards the nearest hospital, whistling an old tune by the Gypsy Kings.
Log created by Alma, and last modified on 04:23:53 03/29/2006.