Description: Rock Howard gets his chance to show his hated father just how far he's come. ... now if he could just HIT him. (Winner: Geese)
Rock Howard would be a liar if he said he wasn't nervous. It's one thing to fight his father. It's another thing to fight his father on global television from the center stage of Howard Arena. It's the biggest, grandest, stage of them all. And Rock's determined to make a good impression! He's been training night and day for this moment.
Asking to be introduced first, Rock arrives with no superfluous fanfare. This is one of the biggest matches of his young life and he wants to have zero distractions. Not even his friends -- at least, the ones he could convince not to come anyway -- were given tickets. He wanted to do this on his own, for himself. Once he beats Geese Howard, he can get on with his life and become the greatest fighter in the world.
The crowd is immense, as Rock paces the edge of the arena square. He's got on his favorite red leather jacket, a present from a very familiar friend Rock's hoping is watching in the stands. He doesn't stretch, he's been keeping limber for the last six hours in anticipation, but he does keep himself warm by doing little air punch-jab-punch combos in the air, waiting for Geese's arrival.
Rock would be used to these little check-ups since he struck out on his own... a choice Geese obviously isn't pleased with. But this is indeed a far more public venue, and a much anticipated match among fight fans. After all, Rock has been on walkabout or what the hell ever for quite some time. Being back in Southtown spurred the invitation, and apparently... the younger Howard decided to accept. Geese isn't surprised, really... for all his effeminate son's shortcomings, and Rock has many, the Syndicate boss' only son has certainly never lacked defiance.
Geese shows up with little fanfare, but plenty of crowd upheaval, cheers and jeers and screaming chants of 'Geese!' filling the arena as Howard walks down the aisle to the steps, accompanied by one suited 'manager'. His chest is bare, his shoulders garbed in an ornate, untied kimono worn not unlike a boxer's robe. The rich navy fabric matches the deep blue of his hakama, offset by the grey split-toe wraps about his feet. The King of Southtown ascends the steps gracefully, stepping out onto the stony arena to face his son. Geese's face is calm, his ice blue gaze penetrating as he considers Rock, "I wasn't sure if you would answer my invitation." Geese lies, quite smoothly.
"I'm glad you did, Rock. Perhaps now you can be considered to return to your training? This rebellious 'soul-searching' is not doing any good. Not for your potential...."
Geese sighs, deeply, a somber frown crossing his face, "Not for your family." So sad. What's this now?
This particular match hadn't just caught the attention of the faceless matches. Even people without televisions had heard about the main event fight of the evening, and one possessionless hobo in particular had decided that it might be worth showing up. The fans had been more than happy to make room in the front row for Terry Bogard, and it was there that he rested. His feet were kicked up and propped on the safety armrail with his army-green duffel bag sprawled out on the floor under him. With Geese here to make such an obvious spectacle, it would be worth taking a few minutes out of his day to come and watch.
He sits up for a moment, watching the banter back and forth between father and son with a fair bit of curious head-tilt. But soon enough, he settles back into his seat again, propping his feet up on the railing again. People in the crowd attempt to spark up conversation with the usually jovial fighter, but instead, Terry just remains quiet, hat brim pulled down over his face for shade. Or privacy. Either way.
Rock is showing his own brand of private defiance by not wearing any sort of official fight gear for the match. He's got on the same black jeans, black boots, black tanktop, and black fightin' glove he always wears. His hair is a little bit longer, too, than Geese might remember. Since he went on his solo path of the warrior, he hasn't found much need to groom it.
He stops his movements when Geese emerges from the locker room. He feels the rise in the crowd, feeding of the cheers and the jeers. Rock likes to put on a good show, he likes people to appreciate his hard work, and he's starting to get more comfortable beneath this blinding spotlight of Howard Arena. Those initial butterflies, however, still tug at his throat.
His stare is solid and frozen like a laser, straight into the pits of Geese's eyes with each of his father's steps into the arena. He doesn't break it, determined not to flinch -- to not even lose this smallest of private, personal, battles with the man.
The words come and Rock's jaw hardens into a rigid trap, teeth crushing teeth. He doesn't believe what Geese is saying for an instant; but his cheeks spike with color despite himself. The anger behind his eyes in unavoidable. "...S-spare me," he manages, voice sounding small compared to his fathers, but full of all the edge his teenage years can muster. Once the first pair of words is out, his voice gains in strength. "I'm... I'm here for one reason and one reason alone, /dad/, and that's to kick your ass!"
The crowd cheers. It's an easy pop.
Geese holds his position on his 'side' of the faux mountaintop, simply meeting Rock's gaze steadily, coolly, full of confidence and self-assurance that come rather easily for a man in Geese's position, and relative power. He listens to Rock's brief diatribe, and notes the loss of composure without a great deal of outward reaction. His frown remains, his features sorrowful. It's an impressive and relatively convincing display, nonetheless, "Still harboring all that anger..." Geese shakes his head slowly, and takes a single step forward, slipping out of his robe and letting it drift lightly to the ground. Bracer-clad arms flex, and then drop to his sides, and Howard's frown becomes a slight, almost wry smile.
"You could be great, if you did not let the rumors and misconceptions of youth distract you. Come on, then. Let's see what all your "training" has accomplished." Geese beckons Rock forward, but otherwise remains unmoving. Waiting.
COMBATSYS: Geese has started a fight here on the right meter side.
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Geese
COMBATSYS: Rock has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Geese
Rock's teeth grind. God, he hates Geese so much. Why's he being so patronizing and seeming like he /cares/? It's just another one of his acts, he tells himself. Another one of his quiet, private, games he's playing on the entire world. He's trying to make it look like you're wrong for running away from /him/. The younger Howard's fingers clench, fists grinding into his black leather gloves.
Rock has to control himself. He has to tell that boiling blood running up the back of his neck to calm down. Don't play into Geese's hands here. Don't give in to the anger and make a critical mistake he'll capitalize on. Be smart, Rock. He exhales audibly through his clenched teeth, inhales, and then exhales.
"Okay," he says back across the fighting square, starting to pace the perimeter, his eyes still staring holes into Geese's chest. He illustrates what he's learned by virtue of /not/ leaping straight in to lay fist to bone on Geese. Rock keeps himself steady. He keeps himself focused. He shows that he's learned how to be /patient/.
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Geese
"Hmm." Geese intones, smile widening slightly as Rock hangs back. He can see, or at least sense those grinding teeth, though. The rage is tangible in Rock, the hate... but yes, he controls it, he centers his will. He focuses it into that vengeful desire. Much as his father before him. Howard is pleased, and it shows on his face. No haphazard charge, but it doesn't earn the younger Howard much of a reprieve, "Don't hold back now, Rock! If you're so powerful back up your tantrum!" Geese whips his left arm up and around, sweeping a cleaving arc through the air, as a geyser of rampant power explodes from the stoney ground. The roiling eruption of chi is synchronized with a fierce, "DOUBLE...." and then Howard's right palm also rips the air, dark tendrils of chi flame burning from his splayed fingers as the geyser erupts into an all-out tidal wave, man-high and furious. The blast seems the culmination of an entire sandstorm of shearing chi blades, a tumultuous blast of fire that seems to burn even as it freezes, "REPPUKEN!!!"
... and it's all barreling down on Rock, full bore.
On the other side of the arena from Terry, yet another blond takes an interest in this fight. It wasn't hard for Kain to get a front row seat to the event. He usually just watches recordings of the fights he doesn't participate in, when he pays attention to them at all... but this one is special.
Rock is blood, for what it's worth. And while Kain may wish an untimely and painful end on Geese, he also has to admit that Rock gets good genetic stock from that side of the family as well. And it wouldn't do to discount Rock's potential just because of the sins of his father. The boy bears watching... And a fight against someone of Geese's level should be a good indicator of just how far he's come.
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Geese's Double Reppuken.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Geese
Rock knows what is coming. He knows how to perform the reppuken and the double reppuken, but he's not in anything close to the same league as Geese Howard. The man invented the technique. He's the master. Rock's just trying to hang on. But it at least let's him be prepared, able to read the suddenly surging in chi power, and know what is coming. It probably saves him from being obliterated in the first two seconds of the match.
Bracing himself, both of Rock's forearms slam out infront of his body, making an 'x' across his chest. Red eyes focus and lock onto their path, time slowing for a second as Howard's natural dexterity gives him the slim edge to perceive the true path of the chi-strom. At the last second, he gulps a breath, slams his eyes shut, and prays.
The twin reppukens scream across the arena and swallow him in an explosion of light. It's blinding for the people in the stands, who erupt in astonishment that Geese was able to open the fight with such a decisive blow. Many of them immediately think that Rock is destroyed right then and there. There's no way the kid could withstand that kind of an attack. But as the power cools, the chi flames fading to smoke, tendrils of smoky mist rise from Rock's body as he remains stationary -- still with his arms crossed before his chest, his own dwindling chi energy melting away from the block.
His red jacket is half-incinerated, but he's stil alive. He rolls his neck, looking confident, because once you've survived it one time, you can survive it a hundred times, right? "Nice," he says, famous last words, as he slowly peels the scraps of his coat off and tosses them to the side.
Retaking a fighting stance, Rock locks his eyes again. "Now it's my turn!" he yells, suddenly exploding with speed. His feet carry him across the arena in a blur, each fall of his boots increasing his velocity, until he's a screaming and streaking blurr of chi -- his own elbow supercharged as he drives it straight for Geese's sternum.
It's his favorite technique, his best technique, and he learned it from watching one man and one man alone... A man Rock knows that Geese will recognize.
COMBATSYS: Geese counters Hard Edge from Rock with Chuudan Atemi Nage.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Geese
Ah, yes. The Double Reppuken has never seen better days. Most fighters would have to strive all match to bring forth that level of sheer chi. For Geese Howard? It's second nature, a wave of his hands, a smirk of his lips. And that's just what stays as the tumult of chi washes over Rock's guard, Geese observing his son's plight rather indifferently. This is, after all, a test. And Rock's already set the standard with his initial, angry, crowd-stirring threat. Ah, the drama! It's perfect, as far as Geese is concerned, and made all the better when the younger Howard comes charging out of that explosive dissolution of windy chi.
Howard sets one foot forward, flexes his left arm back, and unfolds his palm. Rock's charged elbow meets that palm even as the youth begins his last forward leap to land the strike. It all but abates the momentum before it begins with one mightly flex of densely corded muscle, and any offense that's left? Well, that's thoroughly gone when Geese's right palm lashes in, a pinprick of vibrant energy shimmering between flexed fingers as it's delivered to Rock's chest, exploding fission-quick in a brilliant sphere of blue-white power that envelopes and blasts the lither blonde to the core.
"Predictable!" Geese intones as Rock is blasted back, drawing himself back up and cracking his neck twice to one side, "This is disappointing, Rock. For you to be gone so long, and learn so little...." in fighting, or in living, is the obvious but unspoken implication there, as Geese's gaze once more levels on his wayward son, "But I can sense the strength within you. It's not too late for us."
Rock realizes about a half a second too late that his attack is about to be denied. His eyes widen, red irises expanding as his elbow is swallowed by Geese's perfect countering technique. Feeling his palm for that half instance, the ripcord of muscles constricting to deny his wall of momentum, Rock can't do anything more than feel the return as his father's fist slams into his chest.
Geese can feel Rock's own muscles shuddering with the impact, the bones beneath feeling like a sheet of plastic fiberglass as they bend, but thankfully, don't break with the concussive force of the counterstrike.
It sends Rock barreling back from his father, both arms spreading open, until he ends up on his back skidding across the arena. He comes to a slow stop near where he stood less than ten seconds previously and is slow to roll onto his back.
He looks straight up. Through the ringing of his ears, he can make out the cheering of all the people in the stands. He tries to keep it in his mind, he tries to not let that creeping blackness of unconscious penetrate that. He clings to it, he holds onto it, and he slowly -- with a supreme display of willpower and effort, manages to climb to first a knee, then one leg, and then finally back to his full height.
Holding his chest with one arm, Rock tries to keep his intensity high, keeping his eyes -- even as the pain burns -- locked onto his father. He'll die defiant if he has to. The words mean nothing to him; he's heard them all before. He's not going to buy into Geese's games. He remembers what it was like living with that man after his mother died.
--His mother. Rock's eyes widen, he spikes with anger, and again he blitzkrieg's straight for his father. Only this time, he doesn't let himself get so close before he makes his move. He leaps into the air a pair of strides away from Geese, twisting his body to the side, like he's about to perform a jumping kick. Only at the last second, it isn't his booted foot that comes swinging around, his rather his fist; it explodes outward with a shockwave of chi energy to it's full extension, aimed straight and pure for his father's forehead.
"SHUTUP!" he yells, somewhere in flight.
COMBATSYS: Geese counters Rage Run Dunk from Rock with Joudan Atemi Nage.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Rock 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Geese
Rock doesn't seem to be listening. It's not as if Howard is surprised at that, however. The teenage warrior never was particularly understanding of the.... unique demands necessitated by the role of Geese's heir and student, "You could have gone to the very top." Is all that Geese offers in the passing moments that Rock's red eyes center on him, the icy blue of Geese's own meeting that gaze squarely. Yes, Rock gets all the angrier. Howard's hate is different... inward. Fully suffused through his style, and answering to his very whim. His son has the audacity to use /Terry's/ attacks against him? Oh yes, Geese can tell the telltale leap, sense the charge of chi, and despite the feint, as the imbued fist crashes in....
Howard steps forward fluidly, one palm clutching to Rock's fist as it descends, the other snapping up on the underside of his forearm securely. In an instant, the forceful gesture snuffs out his son's energies in a brilliant white washout, even as the King of Southtown steps forward once more, leveraging Rock up and around, essentially switching places with the younger Howard... while using his arm as a vicious fulcrum to hammer Rock full bore into the unforgiving stone of the arena floor, the whipping motion providing not only whiplash... but the pleasant feeling of hitting the ground back first, and suddenly snapping into it with the rest of one's body from the sheer force of the slam, "Instead you come back here trying to emulate a sucker-punching bum! Pathetic!"
If Rock were any other man he'd be giving up now. Geese appears untouchable. Immortal. Possessed by something Rock could never understand; a power beyond his wildest dreams. But he's waited for this day for so long, the big stage, the world watching. He's not going to let his father man-handle him, beat him both physically and emotionally. He's going to fight. He's going to fight and make Geese understand.
A terrible noise echoes from his impact with the stone floor of the arena. A spiderweb of crackling segments ripples out from the younger Howard's back, his body cracking from the force of his father's counterattack. A half a degree in any other direction and Rock's back might have splintered and broken.
From below, Rock squints up at his father -- so close but so far away -- his eyes cloudy from the pain. He stares, reading the contained emotion behind his father's blue eyes; a mirror image of the uncontrolled anger spiraling off his own being. And there he thinks he, for a very slim moment, pinned beneath Geese Howard with millions of people across the world watching live... He thinks he understands why his father does what he does.
The understanding brings suddenly tranquility and focus, the pain disappearing for a few fleeting and precious seconds. Rock is suddenly in harmony with his self, he feels that Howard core, that ability to will the chi energies of his own essence forward like a leaf through a breeze. It starts in Rock's eyes, then shoots out across his body, as he suddenly tucks his legs in towards his chest, kick's up off the arena floor into a crouch, and then explodes upwards.
With the extension of his body, power comes like a hurricane; Rock is the eye. "RAGING!" he yells straight at his father, golden energy radiating in a suddenly explosive wave outward and upward. A terrible cyclone of shuddering strength shakes the foundations of Howard Arena, Rock's arms slamming back downward, adding a secondary pulse that shoots the power outward in all directions. "STORM!"
COMBATSYS: Geese overcomes Raging Storm' from Rock with Raging Storm'.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Geese
Dudley leaves the arena through the large main entrance.
Ah, Geese almost has to wince at that impact. But Rock's made of resilient stuff, right? He can take it. He sure was spouting off about being able to take Geese just moments before. But that seems to have passed... to tranquility? Peace of mind was not the passage of emotion Howard expected in his son, here, lying rather crumpled looking on the cracked arena. But there's no missing that wellspring of chi, and the Syndicate boss smiles broadly, a predatory grin, "More like it!" He exclaims as Rock utilizes one of his own trademark techniques. "RAGING..." Rather than holding his stance, Geese actually drops /downward/ into a crouch as Rock stirs up the hurricane, his palms slamming to the rocky ground...
"... STORM!!!" And then golden waves are joined by shearing blades of darkest blue, the cruel arcs touched by deep purple as the storm erupts all about Geese, as well. Sunlight touches shadow, and chi shockwaves in all directions with a vibrant, wildly fluctuating detonation. So close, and yet so far. Yes, Rock is nearly point blank to Geese, yes, he's pouring his very /soul/ into that rampant storm of raw power... but his father's is made of the same stuff, and the dark hurricane, after those tumultuous moments of trainwreck conflict, reaves through the golden gale, threatening to envelope Rock in the remaining power as the very ground beneath his feet erupts with chi.
COMBATSYS: Rock slows Raging Storm' from Geese with Double Reppuken.
> ////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Geese
COMBATSYS: Rock can no longer fight.
> ////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Geese
Batsu leaves the arena through the large main entrance.
Dudley leaves the arena through the large main entrance.
Rock feels the sudden spike from his father just as his own Raging Storm explodes outward. It took almost all of his strength to muster that attack. He presses his reserves, burning through nearly everything he has. It isn't enough. The encroaching darkness is starting to penetrate. Rock stumbles back from it, fighting against the wall of pure chi power.
Memories of nearly a decade of training come flooding back to Rock. Tennants of the Howard legacy -- strength, discipline, and endurance. Never surrender. Never relent. No mercy. The memories are mixed with a sense of a lossed childhood, a lifetime training and listening to a cruel father who never showed an ounce of compassion or understanding. The hardest master on the planet.
It was his mother that made him what he is today. In that instant, Rock remembers her face. He finds reserves of power he never thought he had. Staggering back in the chi tempest, he braces himself, his blond hair whipping and swirling behind him.
Roaring forward, storming the face of the maelstrom, Rock forces his right arm to sweep forward, and then his left. He screams with the exertion, power burning off his body, twin Reppukens slicing off his body to impact the Raging Storm.
The added golden strength swirls, exploding outward in a thunderous exclaimation. It looks like, for a moment, it'll endure and split the dark energy. The reppukens burn like swirling suns, churning and spinning at the crucible... And then they melt, they supernova and fade.
"Never surrender!" he yells, as crystalization of his defeat washes across his astonished and agonized face. A moment later, Rock Howard is consumed and then blown back from his father. He slams onto the edges of the arena, curls of smoke rising from every area of his burning body. His jeans are torn, his tanktop missing, his eyes closed to embrace the familiar bliss of unconsciousness.
For a moment, even Geese wondered if Rock would snap back from the jaws of oblivious. The charge of that Reppuken is nearly as impressive as the elder Howard's own, in its own right, but not nearly as impressive as the Raging Storm. Geese simply pours more of his seemingly unstoppable power into the gale surrounding him, focusing the power forward to take Rock down with that last burst of rampant chi. It may not be as complete as it might have been, but it proves effective nonetheless. The King of Southtown rises gracefully from his crouch, brushing his palms against one another with a slow breath, and a quiet 'Hmf'.
"You did better last time. But that is the way with prodigal children." Geese hangs his head, giving a slow, dramatic shake for the cameras. It's tragic, but unavoidable... much like many of the lessons in Rock's life, if one thinks about it too hard. Of course, with Rock succumbing to blackness, it gives Geese an opportunity to further entwine his son in his snare once more. Or at least, leave one more lasting impression. In full view of the audience, the viewers at home, all of the cameras of Howard Arena, Geese does something he's never done before in the memory of... most anyone.
Geese walks over to Rock, and carefully lifts the younger Howard. His intention is pure genius, at least in his own rather warped mind. Howard seeks to carry Rock, carefully cradled, right out of the arena in his arms. It's a Kodak moment, one that the lither blonde will certainly want for his family album. Poor kid. The audience audibly 'Awwwws'.
COMBATSYS: Geese has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:45:55 04/02/2007 by Geese, and last modified on 06:31:08 08/28/2007.