Description: Sakura's attempt to escape Taiyo High School grounds is met with a slight hitch from the chairman of the Morals Comittee. An offer to substitute as a training partner is given, and accepted.
Taiyo High. The center of activity for all the "normal" kids in town. And most of the "normal" kids want to get home and play Xbox, from the way they're all scattering for the hills as the bell tower makes the sound of freedom.
But some lucky students get to spend even MORE time in school! Like Sakura Kasugano, who got stuck with the honorable duty of cleaning up homeroom after school. Everyone gets to serve time for a day each month, and today's the day for her.
In typical Sakura fashion, though, the tomboy's trying to rush through it as fast as she can. She's got training to do. Training is a me-time thing. Mopping floors is a non-me-time thing. She'd already stacked the desks up proper-like in the corner, and she'd finished turbo-ploughing the mop across the floor... leaving streaks everywhere, yes, but that stuff dries out quickly enough!
This is one case in which she's =glad= she's been training in martial arts for so long -- the task of repositioning the desks is just that much easier. And thus... quicker. The students might notice when they come in tomorrow that the desks are probably not as straight as they could be, but ... heck. There's never any lack of critics!
And Sakura tears out of the classroom shortly afterwards, the bucket of filthy water on her arms as she takes the quickest route down to ground level -- jumping over the stairwell railing! "Gaaaangway, dirty water, comin' through!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura has started a fight here.
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Sakura 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke has joined the fight here.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke dodges Sakura's Thrown Object.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
It has become perhaps one of Kyosuke Kagami's trademarks in fighting, the refusal to remove or alter the corrective lenses he wore. Here was a case where punching a guy with glasses was acceptable, though by some miracle of the Fate's designs even if the fight went the wrong way for the younger Imawano...the glasses remained intact. There was a secret to this, see. He had more than one pair. It wasn't often he needed to replace them, but when it came to encounters with world renowned celebrities like Billy Kane, lifetime warrenty was tested to the limit. As such, the cracks were minimal, but being the perfectionist that he was...seeing through lines, and his reputation made it unacceptable.
And speaking about Billy Kane, the high profile fighter had caused the teenager no amount of irritation for the damages incurred, the paperwork he had to file, and the incessant questions and whisper mongering about what exactly /had/ happened that evening. Only a few knew part of the story since he had to explain the broken chair-rows in the Auditorium, why he'd require a trip to the hospital, the rest...Only one would know all of it. And that one was still out of the country.
Kyosuke was back to his carefully groomed self, avec minor showing scrapes and one swiftly healing gash to the cheek. Any other bandages were hidden beneath his fitted inner sable shirt, the white jacket of his swirling about him as he navigated the route to the outside. A good thing he was on his way home and not double checking the classrooms that punished students were supposed to be cleaning-- because if it was one thing he strongly frowned upon, okay one of many, it was sloppy work.
Streaks? Perish the thought.
Infact he'd just about stepped onto the inadvertant 'landing pad' of one of his fellow classmates when the hollar overhead alerted him. Pardon while he stared for about a split second in disbelief-- before narrowly dodging the loathsome bubbling grime that frothed and sleuced over the rim of Sakura's bucket. If his expression had been stoic before, the frown and narrowing of his eyes when he glanced at the wet floor was downright...fearsome. That could have been him, and was that, was that a hairball? Was someone bringing pets into the classrooms again?!
"Sakura Kasugano." His voice deceptively calm as if he had never been in danger of getting turned into say, a wet cat. "The stairs are there for a reason..." Looking her over. "You're in a large hurry." What's so important, is what he was asking.
So Sakura was in a hurry! Wha... what, you wanna fight about it?
If Kyosuke is upset about sloppy work, he certainly wouldn't find it in Sakura's form. The Romanian judges would have no problems giving the girl a perfect 10 for her leap over the railing, nor for the way she sailed down to the next landing.
The Japanese and German judges would, of course, find fault with the way she spilled water all over the floor, even though she =had= kept most of it inside that there bucket. ... Well, more than half of it, anyway, as it sloshes into what can be best described as a puddle.
Kasugano seems more threatened than anything though. Kagami had been in the only place she =couldn't= see, a vantage point blocked by the second floor landing itself; seeing him gives her a jolt an instant after landing. Staggering back a half-step, she looks up at Kyosuke, her fist reflexively balled up. She's been trapped in similar situations elsewhere in town by people much more menacing than Kyosuke -- 'fight or flight' is less an analogy than a truism here. But Kyosuke's calm voice has a way of inducing the opposite effect in Sakura.
Mainly because he's an authority figure whose name isn't 'Ryu'.
The implied question on Kyosuke's mind is plainly obvious. Why? And Sakura has an answer. "Because I wanna get home, okay?" Her grip tightens on the handle of the bucket, though her other balled fist unclenches -- now that she knows she won't (necessarily) be beaten up. She glances aside: though there's nothing but cold concrete to stare at, it's less unnerving than Kyosuke's critical eye. Her lip starting to jut out, unintentionally, she adds, "There's trainin' I've been slackin' off on and I wanna get back to it."
Her chocolate-colored irises turn back to Kyosuke, after a moment. "Unless the Morals Committee's got a problem with that, I mean." Smirk. "Sir."
Despite Kyosuke's outward disapproval of what could have been a clothes-ruining move, there is little in the youth that bespoke any animosity or true hostility. He knew of Sakura, knew just who she idolised and a few of her little eccentricacies-- who didn't have those. On the other hand he hasn't had a chance to truely take the time and well, chat with her. Casual unscheduled socialising had been problematic of late, which is why he's leaving the school ground around the same time as her.
What was curious on the other hand, were the nuances she project. It was likely she was unaware of it, but the small things like her grip on the bucket, the tension surrounding her in the air-- made him wonder. Surely he couldn't have put her off that much? Slowly, Kyosuke arched an eyebrow as he studied her, then lifted his hand to lightly touch the edge of his glasses, ajusting it minutely. "Fair enough." He said finally, then he offered up a small smile. His gaze remained somewhat serious, as if he were considering something privately. "Walk with me for a moment, Sakura." It wasn't a question.
Kyosuke headed towards the exit, nuding open the door to let her pass through if she were so inclined. It hadn't been an overbearing order either, if she wanted to know what he was up too-- best thing to do was follow on through with it. His lips remained curved in a faintly amused fashion, planning something? "We have no problem with your needing to train, infact it is encouraged afterall. Rather we have to remember that there are other responsibilities that likewise need to be attended too-- responsibilities you've already finished I take it?" Cue piercing look.
Well... Sakura has some respect for Kyosuke -- else she wouldn't have called him 'sir'. But the fact of the matter is: he scared the bejeezus outta her! And she's bound to be hostile to just about anyone like that! So sayeth the number of boys who have gotten her lucky Knuckle Sandwich for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, anyway.
But... Kyosuke's voice is just enough to raise her ire. She wants to go home, and he's telling her to walk with him? Grinding her teeth, she nonetheless keeps her smirk on for appearances. Amused, is he? Well... she can play ball there.
"... Yeah, I finished just a minute ago..." she adds, taking slow steps after Kyosuke after she quietly nudges that hairball into the corner with the toe of her sneaker. See, this is one reason the tomboy keeps her hair short. "An' I'm done with the responsibilities as soon as I get this bucket to the courtyard, so if you don't mind, like, walking that way I'll be outta your hair in no time." Lugging that bucket along just got that much heavier with the oppressive burden she's forced to undertake in following Kyosuke! If only there was a way out!
The thought that Kyosuke's a fighter, too, takes a distant back seat to the fact that Sakura's being bossed around by him, of course.
It wasn't Kyosuke's fault she just happened to almost land on his unoffending head. He barely avoided her messing up, and this was the thanks he got! Luckily he wasn't the flappable type, taking it all instride and having many more traits incommon with a feline...other than its inherant laziness. His footfalls are suprisingly silent, the soft soles of his shoes near padding across the grounds, altering his route when Sakura spoke. See how accomodating he could be?
...Don't think he wouldn't be forgetting that hairball she tried to sneak into the corner though. He saw what she did.
"You'll have to pardon my interest, but," and no he didn't offer to help carry the bucket, no doubt she'd take it as an offense if he did implying that she was weak, "exactly how were you going to go about this training?" The hint of his smile, or was that smirk ghosted about his face. He slipped his hands into his pockets, his stance utterly relaxed. Pausing a moment, he glanced out to the rest of the courtyard-- do what you needed to do with the bucket.
It's true that Kyosuke's caught a bit of her matches on television before, like all who were interested in fighting it was a good oppourtunity to learn and try out new tactics. Doing so in person however...you could say that the young Imawano had a sudden resurgence in a desire to better himself. Ignore the scrapes and hidden bandages that influenced that decision.
"If you'd rather, I could save you the time to travel home to get it done." What, wait, did he just offer? The teenager was studying her again, those dark brown eyes of his unreadible.
Exactly how would she practice? Well, what would a pencil-pushing geek like Kyosuke want to know about that? Sakura's brow wrinkles slightly at the question, pausing just long enough to let a brief sigh escape her lips. "Well, I was gonna practice punches, then my kicks! It's all discipline, y'know, it's not really what I do so much as the fact that I work on something every day. Otherwise I get rusty and lose fights an' stuff..." Not really the clearest answer, no... but Sakura's not exactly the most lucid individual.
... But Kyosuke isn't a pencil-pushing geek. Not entirely, anyway. It's easy for Sakura to forget that, until the tall scholar reminds her of such with his rather point-blank question. The Ansatsuken disciple's jaw gapes open at the suggestion that they duke it out here in the school halls... "I... " You... what, Sakura, feel sorry for treating him like J. Random Dweebius? "I mean I--" You... what, Sakura, can't believe you're picking a fight with someone who could easily put her through a locker door?
Gulp. Sakura looks off to the side sharply for a moment, considering her options here.
2.16 seconds later, she's setting the bucket down and grinning back at Kyosuke. "Ain't gotta ask me twice!" And since Kyosuke's studying her... well, why not give him something more interesting to study? Like a light punch to the chin as a wake-up call? "Haaa!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke blocks Sakura's Jab Punch.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
...What would a pencil pushing gee-- that just went beyond insulting! Kyosuke's not above his pride, and though he excelled in his academics, the teenager was well aware that his skills weren't run of the mill. A good thing these comments remained in the confines of Sakura's head, else her senior would have reason to scowl. As things stood, he listened to her speak to him like if he were daft anyways, without a shift in expression. Patience. He's delt with Batsu quite a bit, and Sakura wasn't utterly unlike Hinata...
"That's right." He reasserted as she seemed to be showing some kind of inabillity to directly accept his embedded offer. This admittedly wasn't out of the charity of his heart, he thought he could pick up a few tricks from her...and this might well be something less intense than his last two battles. Wishful thinking? Perhaps. If they both got into it, who knew where it'd go. Kyosuke when he made up his mind, rarely did anythign half-assed.
Sakura wasn't too slow on the pick up either when she decided something, her fist-- so much smaller yet every bit as deadly accurate flashed up out of seeming nowhere. He'd never let her out of his sight. No distraction there, his arm met her blow soundly, not deflecting it entirely...He stifled a wince, seems his shoulder was still tender. Swift on the turn around though, his other hand was already seeking her arm in return...if grabbed he'd seek to toss her. "Mmm, nice." Sounding thoughtful.
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Kyosuke's Quick Throw.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
There's something to be said for fights amongst friends. Sakura may not know Kyosuke all that well, herself -- but she's fought him before. She =knows= he's capable of giving her a challenge. That he offered it of his own will means a lot more to her, though she isn't =quite= ready to admit the extent of that appreciation. But what's more... she knows that, as a friend, he's a lot less likely to leave her in a bloody heap when the impromptu match is over.
That means something, right?
Regardless... Sakura doesn't quite feel comfortable handing herself completely over to the bespectacled fighter's control just yet. Twisting to the side, she still manages to get caught by Kyosuke's grasp, but wrenches her arm out of the way just before he's able to apply any serious leverage to it!
"Heh, just gettin' warmed up!" Kasugano doesn't waste time, either -- now that the introductory formalities are dispensed with, and she knows her ad hoc training partner is up to speed, she has no qualms about amping up the power a bit! And as she sidesteps away from Kyosuke, she curls one fist into the other, bringing them both smashing up into his chest with a loud shout, enough to attract the attention of the other straggling students in the loud, echoing hallway. "HYAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke endures Sakura's Fierce Punch.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Sakura
It's true the aim of this entire thing wasn't to see who could pound the other into the dirt as an unforgiving mess of blood, broken bones and pride. That didn't mean on the other hand that either of them would pull their blows to the point where they were feather touches. A true training meant that you were willing to accept pain for gain, and in this case Kyosuke didn't want to waste his time...neither apparently, did Sakura.
Kyosuke 'hmphed' beneath his breath, the spry little girl slipping from his grip intime to avoid an impromtu assisted flight through the air and perhaps, even into the ground. "Perfect." He replied in a single-worded summary of his expectations...and he wasn't to be disappointed. Sakura pressed on ahead-- and instead of stepping out of the way from the double-fisted attack...he braced himself. Which, might have been more painful than he preferred, his ribs protested vigorously that he was pushing too much too soon.
Kyosuke cleared his throat once, breathing normalised, "What say we up this another notch?" He had his own methods for training, and to maximise their time here...Well. If he could finish this up within the hour, he'd still have time to get the other duties done on his list. It was all the warning Sakura'd get that she needed to buckle down, because with her range now close to him-- he snapped his hand up, fingers stabbing towards her face. That wasn't the danger however.
It was what was summoned from beneath in its crackling curl of chill blue-white.
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Kyosuke's Lightning Uppercut.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Sakura
[OOC] Kyosuke waits for you to pull out some dodge :/
The thought is definitely appreciated, though, as Sakura realizes from the masterful counterattack. Lightning? Chi? That's about all the confirmation she'd needed that this was a "real" fight, and not just a sparring match! Grinning, she hops backwards, raising her arms to shield her face from that attack. Even if it =wasn't= threatened by Kyosuke's hand, it's enough to keep the free-flowing electricity from lancing directly into her eyeballs or something ridiculous, at least! Her forearms absorb the brunt of the shock... and for the most part, she seems surprised.
"Hey, I thought you were kicking it =up=, not =down!=" she snaps, for once breaking into a more genuine smile. No more is she ticked off from his authoritative stance -- she can appreciate him as a fighter!
Which is why she sees fit to hop past= him, hoping to lariat her arm around her senior's neck and secure a proper chokehold on him! If she manages to keep his airflow blocked for a few seconds, she'd of course let him go -- but not without a firm chop to the shoulder for his trouble! "Haaaa!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke interrupts Sakura Strangle from Sakura with Leg Launcher.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Sakura
Any students attracted by the sound of Sakura's poignant focus-yelling might have been treated to this unexpected sight. Kyosuke was inwardly suprised by her abillity to nimbly avoid most of his chi-attack, though this only further heightened his anticipation for this fight's progression. This wouldn't be some push over one on one, but trying enough to completly make this worthwhile for him.
"You'll have to excuse me, I'll be sure to rectify it shortly." He returned smoothly without breaking his stride, just barely finishing his words when she literally darted past him-- her arm set to snag around him like some errant cattle. He was unable to prevent her from it too. His air-way constricted with the impact, and he stifled a cough being pulled offbalance. In response he pushed foward, grabbing onto her arm and lunghed down, twisting as he did so in an attempt to wrest her grip from him, and place her at just the right angle that his foot would connect with her body...
Sakura was pleased when she'd gotten her arm around Kyosuke! ... But she certainly didn't count on him finding the strength nor the leverage to jerk down so sharply, let alone mule-kick her right in the stomach! Never mind the solemn promise of a 'kick' of some sort...
Kasugano goes flying backwards! 92 pounds of tomboy is no match for Kyosuke's boot in this case, but at least her flight backwards is brought to a sudden end by that wall in her path. Pesky things, walls are.
Stepping forward, arms swooping out like wings for balance, the Ansatsuken disciple shakes her head out, dizzily. Cough, cough... "... Heck, you weren't kiddin' =there=, were ya?" But with her balance recovered, and her new position quite a bit away from her opponent, Kasugano thinks it's time for a change of tactics.
That is, she curls her hands to her right, grinning brightly. And her hands are kept bright as well, by an orb of brilliant cerulean-blue energy. "We can keep kicking it up, y'know! No reason to stop there!" But there's no sense in keeping that for herself -- Ryu's number-one fan shares the five-foot-wide vortex of concussive force with Kyosuke! "HADOOOOOUKEN!"
Kyosuke felt the impact of a confirmed hit, straightening in time to see Sakura sail through the air and embrace the flat of a wall. He would wince, except he didn't think that it'd hurt that much, not for one of her stamina and skill. "I did say I would, didn't I." No apologies there, his amusement filtered into his voice when he spoke. That amusement would quickly drain away in the short second after however. Keep kicking it up was it? Seems she'd only be returning his earlier favour, it was as much warning as any.
There was something to be said about certain minature harnessed sun-like projectiles that screamed pain. A bit of a miscalculation on his part, Kyosuke neglected to factor in his earlier injuries and the strength of it period. The result was a failure to adequately block the blast which soundly crashed right on into the Chairman of the Morals Comittee, and knocked him unceremoniously onto his rear. That was certainly upping the ante.
Dust, some burns, more importantly the invisible physical force was what hurt the most. Kyosuke coughed a few more times, levying himself back up onto his feet not as gracefully as he would have liked. He grimaced when he lightly touched his chest, but there was no anger hidden therin. Rather he carefully readjusted his glasses, turning his gaze on the girl who'd made valuable use of the distance between them.
"Touche, Sakura. Remind me not to try that again next time." He didn't immeadiately respond, he was taking a moment to gather himself after that attack.
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke focuses on his next action.
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Kyosuke 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Sakura
Well, that's more like it! ... Not Kyosuke falling on his duff, but rather, the level of intensity is exactly where Sakura enjoys herself most! That... and Kyosuke's talking more. That's cool too! Sakura flashes him a smug grin, brushing the tip her nose with the back of her hand. "Heh, maybe!" Why should she remind him?
She sidesteps closer, commenting with a faint grin, "Y'know... I keep forgetting you're a fighter too. Y'don't exactly fit the mold or nothin'..." But... she has more in store than casual conversation: she plunges a foot towards Kyosuke, her skirt billowing out from the sudden movement! "Hyyyyyaaaa!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke fails to interrupt Medium Kick from Sakura with Shadow Cut Kick.
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Kyosuke 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Sakura
think .
Whether or not Sakura bothered to remind him about it later didn't really matter, Kyosuke wouldn't forget. Depending on the situation he was faced with however, he may well attempt it again...if he thought it might be worth it. But not too much in a hurry, his breathing remained somewhat laboured now, each inhalation carrying more than a twinge of warning that the bandaged ribs beneath might well think another blow would be the perfect oppourtunity to snap. Maybe Kyosuke was just a glutton for injury...or this was all just another reminder how lax he himself had managed to get.
Whatever it was, the teenager would have to deal with it, and soon.
That last Hadouken he'd not have enough time nor chance to recover from, not to mention he hesitated when Sakura moved in closer and...flashed her kick. Yes, flashed, that split second of distraction would cost him because his step up to follow through with a kick of his own was utterly, and totally side-swiped.
Kyosuke staggered, he felt a definate crack there-- no witty come back at the moment.
...And what he saw extra, no comment.
... Well. Sakura hadn't known about Kyosuke's earlier fight, much less the injuries sustained from such. He's good at not making a show of either his weaknesses or strengths, after all. Great for poker, one can be sure.
But... Sakura's in too much of a good mood to know when to stop. He'd asked for the ante to be raised, and... she's still got plenty further to raise it if he likes! "Not bad there... but I know what you're really after!" She'd seen his electricity before, and while her prior attempt at a fireball was lacking in any particular element... there's a very clear one now, as she brings her palms back to her right side. Why is she making a big deal about it? Why, the crackle of electricity, the faint scent of ozone, the intensely flickering lights emanating from her hands might have something to do with it. "Shinkuuuuuuu..." she starts, squinting her eyes at Kyosuke, and hoping he can find something equally impressive to show her!
But failing that, she'll huck this four-foot wide, concentrated mass of of lightning-charged chi at him. "HADOOOOOOOOUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke slows Shinkuu Hadouken from Sakura with Super Cross Cutter.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Sakura
Flaunting any sign of weakness wasn't something Kyosuke was all about. Flaunting any sign of strength, it was something he also preferred to understate more with presence than any overt displays and posturing. He left his actions to speak louder than words sometimes, though his actions thus far today weren't exactly up to snuff. If his brother were to be watching this, there would be some measure of embarassment to be felt. Luckily he wasn't, so instead all of his failing's he'd note to himself. Perhaps by the time he'd manage to secure that long over due 'talk' with him, he'd have some kind of...plan.
Sakura whilst a challenging opponent even on his best day, was just the tip by comparison to what trouble that was stirring in Southtown.
And speaking of trouble, that's exactly what Sakura was working up too. The shift in chi was clear enough to Kyosuke, he felt it gathering about the younger girl way before it started to coalesce into view. He bowed his head slightly, almost smiling. What he was really after? Kyosuke exhaled slowly, ignoring the resulting stab of pain from his broken rib. It was like a clearing of his mind, a focusing of his own energies.
She wanted something equally impressive to see? So be it. Sliding a foot foward, in one continuous motion he drew himself down, then up as his hands sliced through the air, drawing all of the crackling chi together into a quintet of crescents. "Cross CUTTER!"
These arced as if drawn to each other forming a speeding ressitence to her Shinkuu Hadouken. Despite their speed however, they weren't strong enough to do more than just slow the other projectile's path. A good show, but not good enough to avoid all damage. Kyosuke was beginning to harbour a strong distaste for blood on his tongue, his lungs more so for having to endure.
Sakura scratches the side of her cheek. She knows Kyosuke's normally pretty spot-on with his defense -- seeing him falter actually gives her some measure of pause at this point. "Hey, Kyosuke, you sure you wanna keep going? I mean... sure, you're a *little* better than me wailing on a training dummy and all that, but..." The tomboy may be practicing humility and avoiding overconfidence, but she can't help but slip in a verbal jab every now and then!
She walks closer, but she keeps her guard up just in case. She's shown concern... but she doesn't want to call off the fight if he still wants to fight, after all! She knows she'd want to keep fighting if the sides were reversed.
Hence, she keeps a critical eye on his condition, from a fair distance that should provide just enough time to react, should he decide to attack again!
COMBATSYS: Sakura focuses on her next action.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Sakura
One slip up might have gone by unnoticed by the short-haired girl, but Kyosuke's had more than one since they'd started their little training bout, the last three standing out the most. His aggravation managed to bleed into his expression, the slight tightning of his jawline, the narrowing of his eyes behind the reflection of his glasses. It wasn't posed to Sakura on the other hand, that fault, he found with himself. If fingers needed to be pointed, Kyosuke was an honest individual. Blame was placed where it was due. Who'd started this?
When he straightened, he felt his chest constrict, "Tch" a soft muttered sound beneath his breath. There was no immeadiate move to advance another attack, and he seemed to otuwardly consider her offer. It was obvious to him, he'd lost and any attempt to continue this would only see a further exacerbation to what he'd already accumulated, this afternoon and prior. On the other hand...
"Your assessment of my viability is truely reassuring, Sakura." The dryness in his tone was clear as was his sarcasm. It wasn't meant in illwill however, his small smile was ironic. But she was right, he wasn't giving much of a challenge. The comment cut, but he shrugged it off. He staved off any further reply with a short cough, turning his hand so as to keep any flecks of red out of view.
Kyosuke slid his foot foward again, moving into a ready stance as he shifted his balance so that he would be ready to dart foward or back as needed. "I think I can handle a bit more, after all. A little better is still...better." He was going to regret this, wasn't he.
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke gains composure.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Sakura
It wouldn't have taken much for Sakura to lay down the gloves, figuratively. She knows -- or at least =feels= -- that she's been incredibly lucky in this impromptu match.
Maybe that's her confidence talking. Maybe the past few days of serious training are paying off; a chance encounter with Sagat is =always= good for her training regimen. After all... the Muay Thai Emperor all but =demands= improvement.
Whatever the cause, it's plain to see Kyosuke needs a moment to catch his breath, if nothing else. Fists curled lightly, her stance fluid and open, she smiles distractedly as Kyosuke takes a moment to regain his bearings. ... And acknowledge her little jab. "Well, don't force yourself!" She'd pick on Kyosuke further, but that'd just be *mean*.
Dashing forward and twisting around for a full-strength Sokutou Geri kick to the abdomen would be =pleasant= in comparison, after all! As far as Sakura knows, Kyosuke's just winded -- not still weak from an earlier battle... "Nnngyyaaaaa!!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Kyosuke with Strong Kick.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Sakura
It's true some might harken to a gift call luck, but what may be thought of as such may well be in truth...the careful laying of plans and the assiduous repetitive training that merely provides unexpected results. What was the case here, maybe it was the Goddess, maybe it was all the latter, or just maybe, a combination of both. Sakura's little comparison had been most apt, Kyosuke was certaining feeling a bit like that dummy-- the girl was wailing on him for certain.
His reply was silent, a 'come hither' flick of his fingers when she gave him one last opening for respite. And she did. He saw it coming, and moved to flat out side-step and twist out of its careening way-- problem was he neglected to factor in just how far his mobility was compromised from the waist up and the result...well. If his hiss of pain was any sigh, doubling over slightly was noticable enough.
His left hand was curled protectively about his chest as if to ward off further attacks, the right however flashed up as if to let her know that he hadn't given up yet. A swift fist to the chest as he stepped up through the gap.
COMBATSYS: Sakura dodges Kyosuke's Quick Punch.
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Kyosuke 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Sakura
Well... he's taking it in good spirits, at least! That's what matters most to Sakura, really -- she doesn't feel happy wailing away on someone unless they're in the mood for a fight, y'know? And it seems Kyosuke is, even if he may be having misgivings!
Sakura draws back after her kick, feet shuffling about slightly. He's not saying anything at the moment -- but he =is= striking back, which is at least as good a sign as his understated words! But when he lunges forward with a punch, Kasugano's quick to sidestep it, allowing the punch to sail right past her shoulder. "Close!"
Originally, she hadn't planned on acting, but Kasugano sees inspiration in the oddest ways. With Kyosuke's punch whistling past, the Ansatsuken disciple suddenly reverses direction sharply, moving to grab that outstretched arm -- and with any luck, sweep out with her foot and knock the Morals Committee chairperson's feet out from under him. No more words for her at the moment -- she's trying something crafty!
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke blocks Sakura's Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Kyosuke 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Sakura
Close, yes, but close wasn't necessarily good enough. He'd not only missed his mark, but he'd also overstretched placing his center of gravity too far foward without any resistance to balance it off. It was an opening she couldn't resist, and in truth he had to commend her choice of actions. It would have worked quite well too, if he hadn't already started moving to correct this realised oversight.
Kyosuke wasn't fast enough to avoid being grabbed at all, but he wrested his arm up and out to the side of him, his feet no where for her foot to sweep from him because he'd already kicked on off the ground and embraced the weightlessness of the air.
A gamble. But his strength for continuing this was fading quickly and let's face it. He couldn't just falter into becoming as good 'as' the dummy right? Oh reputation, how you were in shambles.
It was a throw that Kyosuke was known for, a particularly vicious one that combined his agility in the air with a lock about the neck that caterpaulted the victim into the air...and harshly into the ground with the follow through. Problem was it may not be as perfect as he'd like, he was by no means in perfect health.
COMBATSYS: Sakura fails to interrupt Hurricaranna from Kyosuke with Shou'ou Ken.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Kyosuke 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Sakura
So Sakura missed her chance at a throw. Biiiig deal! She's more than adequately prepared for that sort of thing, with her reignited focus upon the teachings of Ryu! Sure, she was away from the fighting realm for a while... but it didn't take long for her to get back in the swing of things. And really, one missed attempt is no more than a drop in the bucket.
Except when that shifting of weight leads her into taking one misstep towards Kyosuke. He's in the air, she's not -- and he's completely vulnerable! Or at least that's Sakura's impression as she goes with her intuition, pressing her momentum forward and rocketing an uppercut right at the airborne Kyosuke!
... That would've worked brilliantly if Kyosuke weren't already wheeling about to practically trade places with the girl. Her momentum used against her, Kasugano finds her world spinning! "Uwaaa-aaah!" she howls, caught in Kyosuke's snare, and unceremoniously churned out at a high angle! Flailing like a damp cat, she doesn't quite manage to correct herself in mid-flight, landing in a piteous heap upon the floor!
... She's quick to snap out of that tangle of limbs, though, kipping back to her feet with a determined glint in her eye. "Good! I was beginning to think I'd lost ya!" She seems in good spirits, at least!
That last move must have shifted something that shouldn't have, because what had only been a sporadic stabbing pain had shifted to a continuous throb. Back on his feet, his shoulders moved with each inhalation of breath, but he didn't immeadiately appear to be inclined to back off just yet. He stayed in this fight to see how it'd go, and by no means was he fooled into thinking that with that last successful throw...he could completly turn this around.
"My apologies for being slow to keep you captivated." Kyosuke was equally up to light banter inbetween blows, and he pushed the bridge of his glasses higher up onto his face with a finger. That said, having come this far the young Imawano pushed himself even further. He inwardly braced himself, and darted foward with a burst of speed-- aiming to once more caterpault himself into the air and in a wheeling saumersault, lash out with a foot to her upperchest.
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Kyosuke's Shadow Cut Kick.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Kyosuke 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Sakura
think .
... Okay, Sakura's got no particularly witty comeback for a statement like that. She bragged a bit, and she had it turned back onto her -- that's fine by her! She admits it with a grin and a nod, for what it's worth. "Hey, apology accepted!" she acknowledges, taking a moment to recover from her spill.
Doesn't seem like Kyosuke gives her =too= much recovery time, though, as he's whipping into a flippy kick thing! Once more, Sakura sidesteps -- though this time she raises her arms up to block! Her arms shudder from the blow -- this is one time she wishes she'd worn her handguards!
As it's apparent Kyosuke's caught a second wind, Sakura too seems a bit more enthusiastic! Grinning, she waits for Kagami to float back to the ground before hauling off with an unerringly direct punch, straight out of the Ryu playbook! "Haaaaaa!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke blocks Sakura's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Kyosuke 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Sakura
It wasn't the first time in this fight that Kyosuke'd managed to twist her words about into some sort of physical equivalent of a rebuttal. At a glance it was clear who was ailing more though, but neither was out for true blood. If they had been, there'd be a lot more damage to the school grounds...and lets face it. Kyosuke realyl didn't want to have to clean up another mess so soon, it'd look poorly on him for being not only a member but the chairman of the Morals Committee.
He returned her grin with a mock salute, touching down lightly. How gracious of her! Perhaps it was this guesture that gave him enough of an edge from fluke positioning to literally block her punch without her vicious fist landing another hit on his already beleaguered body. Instead of throwing another one right back at her though, he peddled back, slipping free from the brief locked stance.
His lips parted and he slowed his breathing, pacing what just might be the remains of his abillity to carry on with this sparr with any kind of competitiveness. Dark brown eyes remained intently upon his foe, not daring to blink lest he miss that opening...or barrelling assault.
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Kyosuke 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Sakura
Sakura, even though she's =hurt= less, is now starting to show signs of fatigue. Her expression may be enthusiastic, but her body just isn't moving =quite= as fast from all the hits she's taken. But, like Kyosuke, she also doesn't want to leave the school building in a mess. Grinning back at Kyosuke, she nonetheless presses with her assault. A prudent move may have been to back off and mirror her opponent's caution, but Sakura feels the time to strike is now! "Here I come!" She jumps in with what starts as a punch -- but is actually an attempt to grab Kyosuke by his lapels! If she manages that, she'd fall onto her back, planting her foot in Kyosuke's stomach as a fulcrum by which to fling him backwards in a seoi nage! "Haaaaaaa!"
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke dodges Sakura's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Kyosuke 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Sakura
That would have been most unpleasant. He'd already been knocked down onto his rump earlier, much less if he rose to the top of the count again! So far Sakura was in the lead for that, not that it mattered. He was ready for her this time even without her warning, watching her closely to see the first tensed muscle that indicated movement forging on ahead...
Kyosuke side-stepped much like how she'd done for his earlier shadow kicks, avoiding her grasping hands which he'd aim a sound rising lash at with his leg. No earth tremoring attack here, one almost wondered why he held back, especially when he had so little to lose.
COMBATSYS: Sakura fails to interrupt Light Kick from Kyosuke with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Kyosuke 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Sakura
Well... there's merits to holding back. His cool, analytical mind has stayed in control even as Sakura's tempestuous moods have wavered from quick and light, to heavy and slow, and back again. It serves him well, and Sakura's getting just a =bit= more frustrated from it!
So much so that she's prone to strike back at the slightest provocation. Kyosuke snaps forward with a kick -- and Sakura looks like she's about to kick Kyosuke's foot right back at him! But it seems Kyosuke's initial strike wins out over the unbalanced retaliation, leaving Sakura without a leg to stand on as she topples to the ground!
Catching herself with a palm, she roll-flops to the side, springing back to her feet ... but she clearly looks shaken just the same. But at least she realizes it -- perhaps because she's focusing on taming her wild mood swings. "How do you manage to stay so calm, anyway?" she asks with an impressed smile.
There was truely very little that would cause the the youth to want to ever lose his control. He had shaped and tested his method of fighting with this as a key component, and indeed it wasn't exactly a feature of his personality. Unlike the fiery Batsu, his emotions weren't allowed to run wild and force which decision to make...It wasn't infallible, but Sakura hadn't even come close to disturbing the monolithical weight that chained down any sort of rash impromtu behaviour. If there were risks in the moves he made, they had been measured, and the repercussions accepted.
"Every fighter has their own style, even if it follows no set path. We learn what works and what doesn't, and the wise ones realise how turn any weakness into strength." He answers her sure enough, not too willing to let her put too much distance between them. Kyosuke shrugged slightly, as if he may not come up with a better answer than this, "This is how I fight best." Offering up a mild twist to his lips. "Here I come." Throwing back her own earlier warning, it was a fair courtesy he'd not have ventured were this a real fight with unpleasant outcomes for failure.
Maybe Kyosuke was just blooming late in this confrontation here, but he still felt he had something to prove-- not to Sakura, but to himself. He'd shown how he was able to claim the air, make it's ethereal realm his own and tame it into supporting his attacks. This one spun through the air in a duet of wheeling flashed kicks, ending with arms gracefully outstretched like a bird in flight-- but not before sissoring through the air in a wicked concentration of chi that hurt far more than any impacting footfalls.
COMBATSYS: Sakura dodges Kyosuke's Super Shadow Cut Kick.
[ \\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Kyosuke 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Sakura
Sakura is... unusual. Unusual is a nice, polite way of stating it. She's capable of incredible feats if she sets her mind to them. But just as easily as she can succeed, she can fail -- and it's all tied to her impetuous mindset. If she sits patiently for five minutes, then suddenly six may become unbearable.
Consistency? It's just not how she rolls.
Couple that with her desires to pop people in the jaw and to serve up Hadoukens like crazy, and... well, she =thinks= she's being wild and unpredictable. The fact of the matter, though, is that she fails almost as much as -- if not more than -- she succeeds in her wild, perhaps overly ambitious attempts.
But this time, when she sees Kyosuke preparing, the Ansatsuken disciple just grins. She keeps her left arm forward, her right fist balled and at the ready. This time she won't fail, and she'll uppercut him right in the jaw, you just watch.
That confidence stays on her face until the instant Kyosuke's foot whips close, at which point Sakura's plan gets tossed right out the window. The girl leans back, performing a twist and a tumble to the side to get out of the way of that terribly powerful attack. And... when she kicks back to her feet, her eyes are =wide= open.
After one brief gasp for breath, Kasugano recovers from her shock, hinging her agape jaw shut. "That was close!" she announces -- just before whipping forward to capitalize on her opponent's temporary opening. Whipping her foot upwards, she spins around to bring a scything kick descending down onto Kyosuke's shoulder as he falls, nearly exultant in her rush: "Hriii-HAAAA!" Never mind the swish of her skirt just then, it shouldn't be a problem if Kyosuke's back's turned, right?
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Kyosuke with Flower Kick.
[ < > //////////// ]
Kyosuke 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Sakura
Not quite what he had hoped for, but Kyosuke took it all instride. That last move served to push him to his limit, and he was unable to react quickly enough to block, much less avoid Sakura's retalitory strike. The force was enough to knock the teenager down to a knee, a hand whipping out to prevent himself from face-faulting into the hard granite. Whether or not he had the luxery this time of being graced with a fine display of just why Japanese school girl uniforms were a threat-- it didn't matter.
This close, he had just one more in him. His voice pitched low before rising in timber, a yell that focused his energies into a distinct form. A signature move if one willed, the snaking bolt of lightning that he'd used earlier-- this time though with its use he'd become spent.
COMBATSYS: Kyosuke can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Kyosuke's Lightning Uppercut.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Sakura 0/-------/-======|
"I--" For a moment there she had the smirk of someone who was going to taunt someone else mercilessly for a few minutes straight. But no, she resolves... not to. And the look just melts into a warm smile, as the tomboy bows respectfully to her sempai. "Thanks for the training session. Learned waaaaaay more than I would've at home!" She reaches her hand out to Kagami -- hoping to at least shake his hand, if not help him back to his feet!
COMBATSYS: Sakura has ended the fight here.
Punch him again? If Sakura hadn't realised that the fight was over, he'd have called it a second after. Indeed, with that last summoning the weariness fell upon him like a leaden weight, dragging him back down with a stagger. He didn't appear to be paying attention to her either at first, his head bowed as if his gaze were locked on the ground beneath his feet. What he was doing was gathering himself again, shoring up his remaining strengths to not only look up-- but take her proferred hand for help to rise.
Even then, the strawberry blond is unsteady. Kyosuke does manage to make it look like if he'd be no worse for wear-- that is unless Sakura was being particularly perceptive to notice the careful way with which he positioned himself. The kind of pre-thought that ensured his injures wouldn't be further aggravated, and to lend support where he could. He should be able to just make it to have himself checked out...Kyosuke saw no need to involve or worry Sakura.
...He may just find a comfortable spot somewhere first to sleep off some of it, though after the last fiasco he had a distinct preference to not do so in the open again so soon.
"Then that makes it worth it." Keeping his tone light, he seemed to consider something, "If you'd like, we can have a rematch again sometime." His smile reappeared, making his somber face more inviting, "I've descovered some areas I need to improve upon myself." Inclining his head, he waved her off. "Don't forget to put away the bucket." A teasing reminder of instruction.
Whether she listened to him or not, he wasn't about to inforce it...he needed to rest.
Log created by Kyosuke, and last modified on 18:18:02 03/10/2007.