Description: Takuma Sakazaki learns that not all vengeful old masters are created equal. Somewhere in the background, Todoh watches and giggles like a schoolgirl. (Winner: Geese)
Ah, the Masters Stadium. Such a decadent place, haphazard and all-inclusive, its chaotic yet impressive interior not unlike the man it mirrors, the benefactor of this particular fighting league, Ken Masters himself. Geese can't help but appreciate a good venue, and the Red Arena is just that. He's more than punctual for tonight's challenged bout... and presently waiting on the sandy 'beach' beside the shallow, rock-laden pool clad in his traditional gi shirt and baggy hakama, tonight in a silvery grey and rich navy, respectively. Geese's densely muscled arms are crossed, the Syndicate boss standing at his full, fairly impressive height. A pair of dark blue bracers, etched with silver dragons, and a simple knotted black belt are Howard's only ornamentation for tonight's fight. One he himself requested... no one's challenged Geese yet, amusingly enough.
But his own involvement in Masters' Neo League has been nothing if not singular. One champion bested, the entirety of Geese's newfound standing comes from the rather merciless felling of Kyo Kusanagi. Now the challenge goes out to... an old friend. Mr. Karate himself, Takuma Sakazaki. The master of Ansatsu.... Kyokugen Karate, that's right. Takuma is that particular 'expert'. Yes, there's a bit of a sneer on Geese's face tonight. Yes, he looks just a wee bit smug and arrogant. See, Geese Howard doesn't care much for these 'experts'. ... but one kind of has to expect that of a guy who's spent so much of his life tracking them around the globe, extracting their secrets, and killing them to seal the secrets of their power. His now, hee hee. All his.
It's been a while since Takuma's fought in one of these things. An official one, anyway. Last month's match against Billy Kane was a flub, and as such doesn't really -count-... and he can't even REMEMBER what his fight before that one was. It's a recurring problem with the likes of Takuma Sakazaki. And, as it would turn out, it's this same problem that makes the old fool so -endearing- to the fans. Geese might notice this with the way the crowd virtually explodes the moment Sakazaki makes his appearance in the Red Stadium, clad in his standard, plain, boring, TRADITIONAL gi. He seems to be less than jovial for the moment, however - a bit somber, as a matter of fact.
Because today he is battling Geese Howard.
Sakazaki comes to a standing position twenty feet from Howard, and goes through a few pre-fight stretches while the announcer goes through his token introduction of the warriors. It's a long one, as this is a big fight - Geese and Takuma aren't exactly nobodies, you see. Regardless, while this goes on, Takuma's got his eyes on his foe. "You might be wondering why I accepted to this fight, Howard." He falls into a combat stance. "And I'll cut to the chase - I don't believe the rumors. You and I have a /SCORE/ to settle, so this is where I'm going to do it! Here and now! It's for the honor of my family and my art that I'm going to ram my entire forearm down your throat and beat you silly with your own lungs!" He adds, as an afterthought,
"Besides, I hear nobody's brave enough to fight you lately."
Geese stands rather as he has been while Takuma enters the arena, and does his stretching thing. Howard is already warmed up. But in front of the cameras, he's cool as ice, pale blue eyes levelled evenly on the eldest Sakazaki. He reverses the cross of his arms, and his smirk only widens, "No, that's... just about why I thought you'd accept." Geese muses, his deep voice all too bemused and at-ease, with just that hint of mocking undertone for flavour, "Though I didn't expect such sour grapes, Takuma! Really now."
Geese cracks his neck as his arms rotate a smooth, circular kata that brings them to rest at his sides as his feet slide apart a bit further, "Anatomically impossible, Mr. Sakazaki." Howard cracks his neck the other way, and takes a step forward on white-wrapped feet to steady his own stance, "But you're welcome to try." Geese's smirk returns, his icy gaze never leaving Takuma. The wrath here is subdued, mirrored back on Takuma... but Geese is looking forward to this little bout at least as much. Beating someone to death with their own lungs. .... it might be amusing to try, after all.
Geese could care less who the fans cheer for, and he's certainly no small favourite himself... the menacing, masterful villain! To Howard there is only him, and this... loud Karate man.
COMBATSYS: Geese has started a fight here on the right meter side.
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Geese
COMBATSYS: Takuma has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Takuma 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Geese
COMBATSYS: Geese focuses on his next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Takuma 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Geese
Takuma's been limbering up for a while(it takes him longer, you understand), and there was a period in the prep room where he'd simply gone into a rather lengthy preparatory routine. Those who know him would be able to tell he's a /little/ worried about the fight. Despite his own stubbornness, he's sure the rumors about Geese come from somewhere, and while he wasn't able to fight the man all those years ago, it was clear even then that it'd be a hard battle.
Regardless, as he is now ready, Takuma waits for the bell to ring before he starts going into any sort of combat-related business. And in this case, the action's a simple, though nonetheless worrisome one: He brings his foot down in front of him in a reaffirmation of his readiness, grunts once, and allows a field of yellowish chi to burst into being around his form. Other than that -- he doesn't really move.
It's a boring start. "I see what you're doing, Geese! And you're never going to see me prove you wrong about that lungs thing if you just stand there!"
COMBATSYS: Takuma gathers his will.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Takuma 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Geese
"And here I was hoping you might have the tenacity to move me yourself." Howard observes rather coolly, the lingering taunt in his voice evident enough. He's been given all the time he needs. All the time in the world. Needless to say, Geese smiles.
Yes, Takuma's power is very impressive. Howard has seen enough of the master's chi to know what Takuma can do with it is dangerous. It is an understanding of Takuma's strength that gives Geese his confidence... and in that, one might worry. Because in the blink of an eye, the Syndicate boss is likely to dispell any whispered rumours starting about his heart or lungs, as he's simply -gone- from the beach. A disturbance of sand, a blur of grey-blue motion topped in well-kept blonde, and Howard is right in on Takuma.
His approach is simple. Howard smiles widely, malevolently, as his left hand reaches for the front of the Kyokugen progenitor's gi. Geese seeks to haul Takuma forward out of his little display of power, and drop his right elbow -extremely- harshly down on Sakazaki's collarbone. At that point Geese would release Takuma to stagger back, just long enough to twist his left side around and deliver a palmstrike that would crush the chest of a lesser man, and likely still carries enough force to blast Takuma to the faux forest floor.
COMBATSYS: Takuma fails to counter Combo Throw from Geese with Mouko Burai Gan.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Geese
The Chinese Boy is worried. Will he even have a chance to shout 'YOU CAN DO IT TAKUMA' or 'YOU CAN DO IT GEESE'???
Takuma has a time-honored tradition of starting things off with a hilarious, effective no-sell of the opponent's attack. Fans would know what it is - they'd make bets on whether or not it'd happen. Today, however, is Geese's day. Or, more optimistically, opening move. Sakazaki moves swiftly, surely, and the movement of his left arm is fluid. Unfortunately for him, it's not the -correct- movement... as Geese simply blows past the defense he's put up, slams an elbow into Takuma's collar, and lets him go. It's still enough to leave the old man stumbling, and one might assume that Takuma has little experience with how Geese likes to run things.
This is ascertained as Takuma assumes he's being left alone for now, and winds up soaring through the air, caught in the chest by one very skilled martial-artist's palm. It's not a particularly harsh blow, but it nonetheless leaves him sprawling in the sand, landed on his chest.
Unfortunately, it takes him quite a while to get back up. He might've been able to use the time to mount a counter-attack, but it'd seem he was caught by surprise - he really expected to be able to deal with that first attack!
"Hmft." is the only utterance Geese Howard offers as he hammers Takuma to the dirt. It's just the way /he/ likes to start things off, and as far as the Syndicate boss is concerned, that's really what matters, isn't it? The brutal one-two falls as planned, and Sakazaki is resilient... even if slow in righting himself... also expected.
Geese merely paces forward, unhurried, approaching Takuma's new location as the eldest Sakazaki rises on the edge of the beach. His smug smile now firmly affixed, and as yet undaunted, and Takuma does give him a good bit of time to calmly advance. Even so, Howard may not be rushing onward, but he is relentless, and before Takuma can fully right himself.... he may find the process helped by the Syndicate boss' rather powerful hands.
Once more, Geese grapples for Takuma. This time, however, the intent is to lift Sakazaki, rather effortlessly should the clinch succeed, right off his feet. Howard's attack is one of those moves that's oh so difficult to fully describe, or emulate. People are never quite sure what they saw, only that it looked rather amazing. ... Geese seeks to sharply bicycle his grip as he truns about, the flexing of his arms adding to the leverage in an effort to /heave/ Takuma free, heels over head, in an uncontrolled flying flip over towards the hard standing stones in the beach's cute little pool.
... Oh, and should Takuma go flying? Howard will grace him with a deeply sincere shout of, "Pathetic!"
COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Geese's Shinkuu Nage.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Geese
This wasn't going to be a particularly proud fight. Takuma, even after the first exchange of blows(well, OK, it wasn't really an exchange at all), realizes that he will need to rely on cunning, opportunistic battling, because the rumors he so liked to believe as -false- are looking to be increasingly -true-. Such is his thinking as he brings his arms up in front of him to deal with Geese's next attack, regardless of whether or not it's a punch or grapple, and is simply GRABBED.
To Takuma's credit, he doesn't go flying very far at all. It's a show of his own experience in fighting as the old warrior uses a bit of his own knowledge to lash out halfway through Geese's bicycling grip, grab the man's own arm, and /halt/ the spin, which ultimately deposits him at Howard's feet in an unceremonious and still undoubtedly painful drop. But, and here's where he has a bit of a chance, Takuma's quick to get back on his feet.
He comes up with one grin-grimace, seemingly bearing the pain as best he can, and brings his right fist upwards at Howard's face. "FUNGAAAAAH!" Rather than punch, however, Takuma OPENS his hand at the last moment - while there's still a bit of reduced contact between his palm and Geese's cheek(if, of course, it hits), the real damage comes from the sand Takuma's released into the crimelord's face. Sand! It's unheard of from Sakazaki!
COMBATSYS: Geese overcomes Thrown Object from Takuma with Double Reppuken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Geese
Ah, that cagey Takuma. Improvisation in the face of frightful pain is always an admirable trait in a martial artist, and the Kyokugen creator's skill at it is impressive indeed. Still, Geese is far from one to fall face-first on a feint, and as Sakazaki rushes in, Geese's response is already prepared. He barely moves to advance, this time... Howard lets Takuma come to him, and as the fist flings out sand, Geese... laughs? "HAH!"
And the ground before him /erupts/ in a geyser of dark blue and rippling purple, the dark energy all but consuming the spray of sand, "DOUBLE...." And mirroring the whipping uppercut of his first hand, the right follows suit. Dark tendrils of chi shear from his curled fingers, and more and more power suddenly rushes in on that wave of force, which then erupts point-blank right back over Takuma... if he's not very, very careful, "REPPUKEN!!!"
Many fighters can summon impressive chi... few can do it on the sudden, immense level Geese can. The Double Reppuken is easily as tall as Sakazaki himself, roiling along the ground and cleaving in on itself in a chaotic mass of reaving, icy flame.
COMBATSYS: Takuma overcomes Double Reppuken from Geese with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Geese
Cagey, and paranoid! The second Takuma notices Geese's reaction to his clever sand trick(disintegrating it), he's falling into a backwards rolling somersault, intent on getting as far away from Howard as possible. And as that first DOUBLE! booms out from the man, Takuma just continues rolling - he knows what DOUBLE must mean. Bad things. So way to go, Geese "Shouts Out The Names Of His Attacks" Howard! Takuma has a chance to react now!
Like some kind of Samus wannabe, the old man continues rolling backwards, and at the sound of REPPUKEN!, has a giant wave of evil chi chasing after him. But fans might have noticed that Sakazaki's begun to glow halfway through his roll, and at the critical moment where the wave of Reppuken is about to overtake him, Takuma springs out of his backwards roll, thrusts his arms -into the projectile- and lets out a defiant "HAOH SHO KO KEN!" With a sudden burst of golden chi, one large enough to totally overwhelm the dark energy of Geese's own attack, Takuma releases an equally enormous wave of his own chi. Maybe a little smaller after having beaten through that first huge wave of hurt, but it's still enough to pack quite a punch!
COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Geese with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Geese
The tidal wave of force crashes squarely into Takuma's (patented) BIG FUGGIN' FIREBALL... and it's not unlike water hitting a dam. Sure, the Haoh Sho Ko Ken lurches forward, but it's in a rather chaotic flight now, at least half its mass simply missing after the explosive confrontation with Geese's Reppuken. Still, the rampantly flaring, gasping mass of golden power explodes over Howard's guard quite admirably, blasting the crimelord back... a step, then too, as a sweep of his arm clears the remnant energy, and Geese throws his head back and lets out a hearty chuckle. A deep, amused thing by the sound of it, though it likely rings a bit hollow in Mr. Karate's ears.
"Is that it, Takuma?" Geese asks, a bit condescendingly, as he levels his eyes on Sakazaki once more, just taking the passing moments in the aftermath of that massive charge of power, exploding with another massive charge of power, to gather his breath... and shrug off the searing sting in his skin, with fairly remarkable results, "All that effort, and just look at you. Maybe you should give up now?" Geese is trying to be helpful! Really he is. The smirk is just... reflex. His arms once more rest at his sides, and he looks ready to start all over again.
COMBATSYS: Geese gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Geese
Takuma stands tall, though he's a little bruised. At least, his hair is mussed up, which is a good sign that there are some problems in Takumaville. Secret problems. Problems that Geese is well aware of. Regardless, Sakazaki doesn't -look- tired, and that's the important thing. He rears back a touch, and regards Geese stonily. "You know, Geese, you tell me -I'm- tired, but you're the one just standing around! Of course I'm going to be panting if you make me run around like this!"
That said, Takuma feels he has explained himself well enough to run headlong into another attack. Namely - not running at all. Because unlike normal battles, battles against Geese Howard are battles you need to think for, and since Takuma is validly worried about being destroyed by some blend of chi and wrestling, he sits back and bolsters his defenses a bit more. Another stomp to the ground, another wave of chi flying up and bathing him in a golden light. He simply regards Geese, another standoff initated.
"Now you run at me! I just did all that rolling and chi - and you KNOW the Haoh is a nasty thing for my heart. So I'm standing here. Hmph."
COMBATSYS: Takuma gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Geese
"Hah. So you do have some fight left in you." Geese emulates surprise, but he's obviously not. Of course, a veteran like Takuma is just starting to fight... but then so is Howard himself, "Your hospital bill!"
The rather dismissive taunt is once more accented by Geese's offensive momentum. His style can frequently be rather stationary, as Takuma seems to be well aware of... but forced onto the offensive, instead of the dismissive, defensive offensive, the Syndicate boss is still a force to be reckoned with. And it's sheer force he seeks to show Sakazaki now. Both hands grasp in as Geese's rocketing sprint ends in a weaving lunge, and Howard's next motions, should he find his grip, would make even Raiden proud.
Geese seeks to grip Takuma with windpipe-crushing force about his neck, haul the Kyokugen creator up, and in the same fluid motion, spin about with g-building force one would find on NASA simulators, rather than amusement park rides. Takuma would only get one and a half quick rotations before being -heaved- full bore at the tree clear over in the arena's 'clearing'. With enough force to go right /through/ the trunk.
COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Geese's Rebound Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Takuma 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Geese
Takuma, fight left in him or not, is rapidly realizing that this might be a rare moment wherein he is entirely out of his league. Simply put, Geese is absurd with these throws of his, and at the rate things are going, Takuma won't last much longer than a scant minute or two. Even so, he flings his arms up as Geese brings his own down, manages to get the pointer and middle fingers of each hand between his throat and Geese's grip(which avoids incredible trachea damage). The rest, though, is exactly how it should be, and Takuma is picked up, FLUNG OVER HALF OF THE RING, and slams into a tree. The tree explodes at Takuma's collision with it, and leaves the old man slumped over its now-broken trunk. Begrudgingly, he gets to his feet and turns to face Geese.
In a show of defiance, he scowls. "My pockets are as deep as the oceans!" Garcia's pockets, anyway. But he doesn't feel a need to explain. "Do what you will -- I'll be back sooner or later! But for now..." Takuma is shouting at Geese while he drops into a crouch, and, without further exposition, the man lunges forward in a suspended flying-kick position, seemingly shooting through the air as though shot from a cannon. "Hien Shippu Kyakuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
Watch out, Geese! Takuma may have gotten some blood on his feet from one of the painful throws, and could be carrying some form of blood-borne illness. Maybe he has a cold or something.
COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Geese with Hien Shippu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Takuma 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Geese
Geese watches Takuma go flying, smug and confident. In fact, he's so confident, that he more or less just waits where he is while Sakazaki picks himself up, almost as if he's not really concerned /what/ Takuma does about it, just now. Instead, Howard brushes down the front of his gi. Which leaves him all too lazy in moving, when Takuma comes in like -that-.
To say the Hien Shippu Kyaku is an impressive flying kick is like saying Fruit Loops are kinda sweet. Geese gets kicked in the head, over and over, and reels backwards. A thin trim of blood drizzles from one corner of the crimelord's mouth, and the fire in his ice-blue eyes just burns brighter, "There, you see? That wasn't so hard." The smile spreads once more, echoing the rather predatory intensity in Geese's cold gaze. Eyes narrow, smirk widens into a challenging show of teeth, and Geese once more just waits, "Too bad not knowing when to give up isn't an asset, just now."
COMBATSYS: Geese focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Takuma 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Geese
Takuma isn't really listening to Geese at this point, since he's regaled himself during the half-second trip from the tree to Geese's face. During the series of kicks to Geese's face, he reasserts this new belief on the battle, and ultimately winds up on his feet while Geese goes reeling back, wiping blood from his face, all that. Sakazaki isn't even staring at him while he smirks and grins and all that -- no, he's moving. MOVING. Like the Takuma train he is!
He /sprints/ at Geese, right arm flung back in a rather clear lead-in to a running hook punch. The Kyokugen master comes reeling to a stop a few inches before Geese and flings that hand -forward-... if he hits, he's going to follow this up with a lengthy series of kicks and punches, elbows and knees, perhaps even a headbutt or two. Geese might recognize it as the move that inspired him to the Deadly Rave -- the one, the only, Ryuuko Ranbu. Takuma finishes the series with two roundhouse kicks to the face, an uppercut that should send the crimelord flying, and finally a one-armed Haoh Sho Ko Ken meant to intercept the man as he falls to the ground.
And this is all happening, of course, provided Geese does not do something we're all expecting him to do.
COMBATSYS: Geese endures Takuma's Ryuuko Ranbu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1 Geese
Yes, Takuma is now the relentless one. Geese seems to realize it fully, and even so... he waits. Like a kid poking a hornet's nest, only much, much more deadly. The hook punch rings true... so does the flurry that follows it. Geese may be hard to pin down, but when he willingly takes it, well. Mortality rings true, and Howard is simply /pummeled/ backwards, blood spraying from several of the palpable, cracking hits, which ring almost as one with the intensity they're thrown. He flies skyward with the uppercut, but despite the cracking hits....
Geese is still fully cogniscent of his surroundings, and the battle. He's got his wits, and in a flash they're back with him, and he descends -fist first- into the blast of chi Takuma unleashes to finish the onslaught, -blasting- right through it, bodily, ignoring the pain with a gutteral, rage-focusing shout.
It's the kind of shout that all but screams 'Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you.' ... but Geese isn't in a singing mood. He's in the mood to clock Takuma SQUARELY in the face before the Kyokugen progenitor can recover one bit, and unleash his /own/ flurry of unending agony. Left elbow follows right fist, right knee follows that, with a punishing strike to the ribs. Geese steps forward, as hopefully Takuma is doubled over by now, and lifts his right forearm rather abruptly for Sakazaki's jaw. Good thing his head is firmly attached. And moreso as left and right crosses fly in, a left knee leaping up for Takuma's chest, followed by one, two, three alternating palmstrikes that end in a fourth double-strike that veritably /explodes/ with chi.
A searing, yet icily chilling blue-white nuclear fission explosion of chi, the sphere blasting outwards, as if threatening to simply /consume/ Sakazaki, should he be found anywhere near.
COMBATSYS: Geese successfully hits Takuma with Deadly Rave.
[ \\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Geese
"Glmf," goes Takuma, as Geese's fist erupts from the tail end of his Haoh Sho Ko Ken and pastes him in the face. He reels back, clawing at his injured mug, and then ELBOWS are hitting him, and KNEES, and it's like... exactly what he just did! Except /more/ painful. Truly, Geese is an epic warrior. And truly, Takuma took the hit like any surprised old man should have - hard. He's essentially Geese's rag-doll for the next few seconds, caught in the jaw, cross-punched in the face, and then there is a series of PALM STRIKES that end in yet more of that damn killer chi! Takuma flies backwards, landing on his back in the water -across the ring- from Geese... and it looks, very much, like he shouldn't be getting back up.
But, epically, Takuma manages to find his feet. It's a slow process for him, but he does get back to a standing position, sets his jaw, and glares at Geese through half-lidded, bleeding rather heavily from his forehead. "I shouldn't be up right now, should I, Howard?!", he shouts from across the arena. "But I am! And you know what that means, you old fool?!" Takuma's running again. Quickly, given his age, injuries, and, well... injuries. But he's got his hand right back up over his shoulder, preparing to launch another right hook.
"I DON'T CARE IF YOU WANT TO COPY MY MOVES, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO PAY THE PRICE FOR USING THEM WITHOUT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHO THE REAL MASTER IS! STRENGTH ISN'T ANYTHING IF YOU CAN ONLY DO IT ONCE! HNGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" And the fist is flung forward --- if it hits... /oh/, if it hits... there will be a miraculous, devastating series of punches, a heavy uppercut again, and a very satisfied, tired Takuma flinging yet ANOTHER Haoh Sho Ko Ken forward. It's the most the old man's been pushed in a very long time... and it's clear by the way he's presenting himself.
"YOU CAN DO IT, TAKUMA!" The Chinese Boy bellows.
COMBATSYS: Geese counters Ryuuko Ranbu from Takuma with Gedan Atemi Nage.
[ \ < > /////////// ]
Takuma 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Geese
Geese may be haggard by the flurry of punches, but there was a degree of control throughout... and that, if nothing else, lends Geese the right to keep the arrogant, superior air even now, as the fight comes down to the last, epic moments, "The real master? Please. I gave you your shot, and it didn't even matter." Howard has expected most of Sakazaki's strategies so far, most of the Kyokugen master's surprises... but not the fury with which Takuma re-enters the fray. It doesn't stop the deadly Syndicate overlord from quickly adapting his game, and shutting it down, however, "Don't expect me to be so accomodating twice!" With a mocking cackle, Howard steps /forward/ and as Takuma's might right flexes back, and begins to shoot forward... it's simply caught, absorbed into a flexing arm before it can ever truly be thrown. Geese's fingers clinch, a flex that would crush most men's hands, and yanks down and back on that arm, pulling Sakazaki off balance.... right into a rising bitchslap, the back of Geese's right hand snapping up into Takuma's face, as the gripped fist is shoved harshly away.
Takuma is... is.... he's CAUGHT. Just like that! As his upraised right arm is simply /grabbed/ by Geese, Takuma's face contorts into a tired, accepting grimace. "Mmf...", he says, even as Geese tugs him downwards and gets him stumbling, mutters something along the lines of, "Alright, fine, I'll give you the damn rights! Pretty good, grabbing my hanmfhn!" Unfortunately Takuma is unable to finish his generous permission of usage to Geese, as the Syndicate boss is simply slapping him hard enough to send him stumbling a few feet back and ultimately onto his back.
HOWEVER:
Takuma Sakazaki is a ridiculous old man, and he gets up ONCE AGAIN. In his arms, grabbed while he gets to his feet in an almost-daze, is the same tree-half that Geese's third or somethingth throw had forced him to shatter in half upon collision. Sakazaki rushes forward, tree held high, and attempts to bring it down HARD on Howard's form before simply stumbling past the man, tripping over his own feet and eventually coming to a still, utterly unconscious heap on the sandy midsection of the Arena's floor. There's a good deal of blood around the impact-site of his face, and it's clear poor old Taks is probably going to need some time in the hospital.
COMBATSYS: Takuma can no longer fight.
> /////////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Geese
COMBATSYS: Geese counters Random Weapon from Takuma with Joudan Atemi Nage.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
> ////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Geese
It's very accomodating of Takuma to hand over the rights to his prized "original" technique so easily. But of course, the Deadly Rave is not only inspired by such techniques... but also an evolution of one of Geese's own 'copies'. The Jaeiken. These lethal attacks are so much fun, aren't they? Of course, Sakazaki survived it, even battled on, and now he's barreling in with... half of a tree trunk?
It looks like Takuma can barely lift the thing, let alone attack with it, and Howard can afford to be a bit lazy this time as he watches the assault, and when Takuma gets in range... that 'weapon' comes crashing down. One of Geese's palms smacks into the side of it with a step aside and forward... and the tree shifts. It crashes /hard/ into the ground, splintering further and reverberating in Takuma's grip... in the same motion that the counterattacking Howard relieves his arm from the tree. One wrist is gripped, jerked, and wrenched into a twist. It's meant to extend and agonizingly reverse Takuma's arm from it's normal position, before a fervent forward palmstrike lodges itself squarely just below the shoulder joint, with dislocating force.
Sakazaki is flipped /up and around/ with his own torn and possibly broken arm as fulcrum, Geese turning a half-spin and hammering down like one would hack with a garden hoe, right into the forested grass... head and back first. Geese lodges his foot squarely against Takuma's ribs, and shoves him away. Only the latter hit is likely not to hurt, as it's meant to simply send Sakazaki rolling a fair distance off... but then, he /is/ rolling over his arm, isn't he?
COMBATSYS: Geese has ended the fight here.
Well, Takuma's not exactly animated at the moment - he's more out of it. Tired, hurt old man, that sort of thing. With a sickening CRACK, he's flung around like a ragdoll, spun around(this is shockingly familiar to this one move in Virtua Fighter 4) with his ARM, his poor ARM being the fulcrum, and then kicked off and into the lawn like a child's plaything. And while Takuma's arm might not be broken - his muscles are a little staunch for that - it's certain that there are serious issues with the way it's currently working, and were he conscious to make the noises, he'd presumably be whining about some kind of aches and pains while he rolls away from his tormentor.
Regardless - this fight is OVER. Sakazaki lies on the grassy carpet of the forest, unconscious, while Geese, though presumably in poor shape, stands tall.
Log created on 00:53:50 03/30/2007 by Geese, and last modified on 20:27:52 07/25/2007.