Description: Wandering the Dream Amusement Park one night, Mizuki is urged into a showdown with 'Domino', the model and wrestler.
Nightfall in the Southtown amusement park boasts bright lights (usually aswirl on tall rides), and still a flock of visitors mill about. It's actually quite ideal with the open, star-studded sky, full moon, and warm temperature offset by a cool breeze.
Just by the ferris wheel, a small crowd has gathered around two men, forming a semi-ring. Domino isn't here for rides, per se. He's here for street fighting - to make some extra money.
And that's precisely what seems to be about to happen. The other man - a tall, quite robust and balding fellow - looks rather tired out and exhausted, while Domino looks to be fresh as the cool night breeze. With a grunt, the larger man rushes the dark-haired model, swinging with a heavy haymaker. Domino swiftly ducks and weaves to the man's side, one arm hooking under one of his opponent's legs, the other arm around his neck. The larger man is then hoisted up, turned easily, and driven down hard upon his back with Domino landing across his torso in a powerslam.
The model wrestler rolls over onto his back and pulls himself onto his shoulders, only to kip up to his feet. His opponent doesn't bother budging.
"Winner by knockout! Domino!," calls one of the spectators.
The wrestler lifts his fist into the air, nodding to the cheering crowd. He'll collect his winnings in a second, provided no one else steps up to challenge him. But from appearances, no one is really willing.
... well... there is -one-. Normally Kamigawa Mizuki wouldn't go up to the stage to fight; she's a bit uneasy about using her fighting skills for -commercial- use... but she is supposed to be here to, in part, gain experience as a fighter. Besides... she's here with some friends from Justice--a small core amongst the super-elite who -aren't- snobby.
"Go on, Mizuki-chan!"
"Yeah, you can do it!"
So on and so forth... and so Mizuki clears her throat, smiling at the announcer.
"Excuse me," she says, her voice pleasant and high, "But... if it's alright, could I try?"
As she speaks, she draws her weapon, the baton balanced easily in one gloved hand. The announcer looks her over then ehs, "Sure kid, what's your name?"
A few whispers later and then, as Mizuki climbs onstage, the announcer is crying, "A New Challenger Has Come Forth! Our next bout is Drake "Domino" Vyril versus Kamigawa Mizuki!"
Mizuki, for her part, smiles at Drake and tightens her gloves, then bows, before taking up her fighting stance, switching her baton from forward to reverse grip in a slow rhythm, held in her right hand, leading with her left side, left arm up and hand open in a guard posture.
COMBATSYS: Drake has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Drake 0/-------/-------|
Well, since no one else is interested, Domino will go ahead and have at the money-
Wait. What? A new challenger?
The model draws in a deep breath and exhales it in a soft, puffy sigh, toussling the bangs about his eye. The girl is given a soft smile though, and a nod in greeting.
"Evenin', m'lady," he muses to her lightheartedly. "Don't hold back, now. Lots of money riding on this, and you -know- how we American sorts like money."
Domino's feet slide apart into a shallow stance, right foot forward. His left hand balls into a fist and hovers at his chest level, right hand remaining open and angled downwards defensively before him. And to punctuate the shift in his stance, Domino winks an amethyst eye at her in a playfully flirty manner.
"C'mon."
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Drake 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
Actually she doesn't. But Mizuki just smiles serenely and nods. Of course. This is a 'serious' fight, isn't it? Perhaps not in the sense that anyone is out to kill anyone else but... she's already received the warning. Don't hold back. Don't play around. Mizuki... will try.
How ironic that her very first 'real' fight--not a sparring session or training--would be the kind of street fight that her teachers frowned on. Mizuki will not care about the money, of course... she doesn't need to. But the -fight-... that will be important.
"Of course," she replies... the man is handsome, alright, but Mizuki won't let herself be drawn in by that. The baton is held firmly in a reverse grip and--
--and then she brings the hand to her chin, her eyes closing... as if she were praying. The result is a blue-white glow that swirls around her feet upwards, slowly at first, then faster... the energy palpable, if not tangible.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gathers her will.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Drake 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
An obsidian eyebrow is quirked as Domino watches her. Swirling energy... praying? Something a former partner was doing. Something the model doesn't -want- her to do to get a head start. A slight frown mars his features, and he suddenly is dashing in towards her. A frontal attack is not made, however. The agile wrestler attempts to snake in behind her back, arms moving to hook beneath her arms. If successful, his hands link together behind her neck to lock her into a sleeper hold. Pressure is applied, pulling her shoulders back and pushing her neck downwards to gradually cut down on her airflow.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Drake's Quick Throw.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
Just because her eyes are closed doesn't mean she's not paying attention; over the roar of the crowd, Mizuki can still hear the man's footsteps. And that hand at her neck--it provides just the thing to buffer against the chokehold. Though there's still some damage--sheer pressure against her throat will do that--Mizuki is able to break the hold without much of a problem.
She twists hard, breaking the hold; her baton still held in reverse, she jabs it, quite literally, at Drake's stomach--intending to use it more as a lever point to get her some breathing room and to let her turn to face her opponent once more.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Drake with Weapon Jab.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
Domino feels her slip out of his grip, and he looks surprised for a moment. The jab nails his midsection on target, and he jerks back from the strike. A couple steps back are taken, right hand set to the struck spot on his torso. He is, however, smiling at her. Amused, perhaps?
"Heeey.. not bad," the model lauds. "You're already head'n shoulders above the last guy."
Domino re-enters his stance, though it deepens a little this time. The smile turns more wry, however, and his amethyst eyes narrow on the girl.
COMBATSYS: Drake focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
Mizuki blinks, then smiles a little. "Not really... I'm not that tall." Oh, a wise guy, eh? Mizuki muses on this; she knows that the jab didn't hurt all that badly, and he seems amused by it... her dark blue eyes focus on Drake, watching him. She's less playful herself; as Domino wanted, she is taking this seriously.
But not -that- seriously; a playful smile curves her lips. "Where did you learn to fight?" she asks, idly--wanting to know more about the man, yes, but maybe also trying to distract him a little. Grandfather always taught her that focus and intent were the keys to winning a fight, moreso than even technique or power.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki focuses on her next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
The wrestler awaits her attack, watching her intently. "America. Got a bit of fame in the professional wrestling circuit," he replies while waiting. But when it becomes apparent that she isn't going to make any moves, he decides to take back onto the offensive.
Domino rushes in again, attempting to grapple her head under his left arm in a forward headlock. He then attempts to drape her left arm behind his neck, then grab ahold of the hip of her skirt with his right hand. Without another moment of hesitation, he makes to lift the girl upside-down into the air, suspending her for a few seconds to allow the blood to start draining to her head. But to finish the move, he drops back to suplex her flatly onto her back.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki interrupts Strong Throw from Drake with Koori no Hebi.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Mizuki
And immediately, Mizuki has to deal with what we call a 'situation'. Drake has something bad planned; he's on her before she can even think about it, his hands all over her--and not in a pleasant way. Before she can get her wits about her--she's lifted... and in mere moments she's coming down hard.
But that pause in the lift--it let her get her head together. The moment she contacts the mat she's rolling--taking it across her shoulders and rolling it across her back... and as she comes up she's sweeping her baton upwards, creating a cresting wave of ice chi nearly knee high--a cresting wave that splashes right into Drake's form.
"KOORI NO...!"
Mizuki cries out as she slashes the baton upwards... then back down, sending more chi into the wave, splashing it into Drake where it'll fling him away.
"... HEBI!!" finishes her cry, as she poses semi-dramatically!
It succeeds. Domino is struck as he's getting back to his feet, and he lets out a cry as the ice hits first. The second blast sends him further, tumbling across the 'ring' when he hits the ground. He comes to a stop on his back, looking quite dazed and hurt.
With a quick shake of his head though, Domino curls back onto his shoulders and kicks himself up to a standing position again. "Gawd!," he bawks at her, looking a bit perplexed. "Kudos. Didn't see -that- comin'."
But the wrestler seems persistant in his attacks.. and he doesn't seem to be taking the fight entirely too seriously, as attested by the return of the grin.
"Heads up!"
And Domino is springing.. to the audience. Perching upon a bystander's shoulders first, then hopping to the next one's head, balancing with surprising finesse and grace. His right fist thrusts up to the crowd (excluding the man he's standing atop) along with a bright, winning smile. He then suddenly leaps high into the air, turning a slow backflip to slam his body against hers upside-down in a moonsault - aiming to bring her down to the ground beneath him flatly.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Drake's Darkside Slam.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
An impressive use of the crowd! Points for style, plenty of them. However--Mizuki's head flashes up, watching her opponent, and her eyes widen; the man is descending almost lazily, and yet she feels that there may be quite a bit of power in that... she braces herself. Grasping her baton in both hands--one at either end--she thrusts it upwards, meeting his bodyslam. The power is still pretty immense; she sinks to one knee from it. But it isn't enough to take her down.
"... Oof!" she cries, as she's hit; she forces Drake away then leaps backwards.
"You're pretty strong too," she comments... her friends are cheering her on, of course, but she can't make them out too distinctly over the crowd. Then she's lunging forward, her baton whipping out in a short arc, hissing as she targets Drake's right upper arm with a quick two-strike combination, betting on her reach advantage.
COMBATSYS: Drake counters Medium Strike from Mizuki with Solar Eclipse.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Mizuki
The acrobatic wrestler takes the push of the baton in stride, reversing his momentum to take back into the air in a slow forward flip. He lands in a crouch and looks over his shoulder to the girl, wry smile still playing on his lips.
When she rushes him, Domino quickly raises to his full height and turns to face her. As the strike is made, he swiftly ducks under the baton. The very second it's cleared above his head, his arm lashes out to grab her arm by the bicep. He then raises up to his full height and hooks his other arm between her legs to hoist her off her feet. The girl is lifted, then he turns quickly to aim her for the ground. And that's exactly where she's driven, backfirst, hit augmented by Domino's abdomen powerslamming across her own stomach.
*HURK* That was unpleasant! She hadn't expected something like that to happen... but she'll certainly keep it in mind for next time. She reaches the mat and gasps, rolling away quickly; that was ... unpleasant, to say the least. Mizuki rises to her feet, and looks a bit unsteady... then closes her eyes again. Both hands are clasped together, the baton dangling from them... and once again.. she begins to glow.
The glow is different, though; more blue than white, and it has an almost liquid sheen to it; it sweeps over her body, from toes up to her head, rather pretty, for all that...
Domino rolls off the girl and smoothly rises back to his full height, the whole movement almost a meticulous glide. "You're really not bad," he compliments. "What'd they say your name was again?" Why he's choosing to carry on small talk is unclear. He's not particularly trying to distract her. He's aware that his looks can distract much better than words during a fight. Could it be that he's just -that- sociable? That he really isn't giving the fight much credit? Or is he just that cocky?
Either way, the moment the energy starts to manifest itself, the pleasant conversation is derailed. Domino closes the distance again, this time aiming a reverse knifehand strike towards her collar area with his right hand. His body turns with the momentum, shooting out a left straight punch for her cheek.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Mizu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Drake 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Mizuki interrupts Strong Punch from Drake with Kouryuu no Ranbu.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Drake 1/--=====/=======|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
Naturally, when one starts glowing like that... the opponent is well-served to take the fight to their opponent. The flow of energy is cut short, by the necessity of having to deal with the knifehand strike; thus the healing isn't as much as it could have been. However...
Mizuki bursts into action just as the chop connects. In a burst of speed, suddenly, that watery chi effect is surrounding her baton as she lashes it across Drake's chest again and again--slashing at him maybe ten times--and then gripping the baton in both hands and cranking the baton around in a uppercut slash that is going to take Drake right into the air.
Mizuki crouches and leaps, following him up into the air; there she slashes at him four more times then sends him back to the mat with an overhead smashing attack--before touching back down lightly.
And it all goes flawlessly. Not quite something Domino would've expected. She seemed perfectly vulnerable as she was! By the end of it, the model is left supine on the ground, quite stunned, and possibly out. Though after a couple seconds, he pushes himself back to his feet.
Slowly.
Shakily.
With a final stagger, the wrestler model straightens himself, and his amethyst eyes narrow further on the red-head. He suddenly dashes towards her with renewed vigor, attempting to grab her by the shoulders. He then goes to lock her head between his legs and hooks his arms around her stomach from behind to hoist her body upside-down into a piledriver position.
COMBATSYS: Drake successfully hits Mizuki with Total Eclipse.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Drake 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
And once the femme is hoisted up into position, Domino's arms become like steel bars around her abdomen, crushing her in an inverted bearhug. The grip tightens fiercely for a few seconds more, then one arm releases her to thrust into the air - a signal to the audience that his finisher is coming.
Both arms loop around Mizuki's abdomen again, and Domino leaps high into the air. He pulls into a forward flip with his prey, the speed of the aerial picking up steadily. On their descent, the flip picks up enough speed to blur the two fighters into a swirling ball, right until Domino delivers the full force of the momentum upon the girl's head and shoulders. Of course, as it's a piledriver, the both of their weight is added to the hit.
Tres painful. Hence why the Total Eclipse is Domino's finisher. And as such, he tries to pin the girl down by hooking his ankles over her shoulders and keeping his arms locked around her stomach. He calls for a count from the audience, smiling brightly. Though really? Quite worn out and beaten. -Quite-.
And as a finisher it is -quite- good. Mizuki tried to get out of the way--a fraction of a second too slow. And that fraction of a second causes nothing but pain. She is manhandled--there's no other way to describe it. But is she down for the -count-? Not -yet-. It's a desperate struggle but Mizuki breaks the pin, rolling away from Drake... she doesn't rise to her feet but rather to one knee, her baton helping to support her.
Then, once again, she is calling upon her own energies... internally this time, shoring up her resolve. She remembers his counter-technique; and so she tries something unorthodox--she reaches into her pocket...
... and flicks a coin at Drake's head.
COMBATSYS: Drake dodges Mizuki's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Drake 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Domino tries to hold the pin. The crowd counts.. but they're notably slower than a referee would be in the ring. He could've at least gotten a two-count! He's sure of it! In fact, he was sure he'd get a full three-count!
Instead?
The crowd only gets to one before she's broken free.
Domino scoots back away from her, crouching as well. "Resilient!," he commends with a grin. The hand in her pocket is noted.. and the object is as well. He doesn't take the time to identify it. He simply bobs to the side to cleanly evade it.
From there, Domino attempts to manuever in behind the girl quickly, trying to push her down onto her front. If successful, he mounts atop her lower back, facing her lower half. He reaches out for her left leg to pull it back and hook it under his right arm, left hand setting just above the knee to secure it in place. And once locked, he pulls the leg back towards her shoulders in a half-boston crab hold.
COMBATSYS: Drake successfully hits Mizuki with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Drake 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Mizuki
Getting low on her endurance and still feeling the pain after all that's happened... Mizuki is easily caught. And the pain from the boston crab is enough to make this probably the end of the fight... but perhaps it isn't just yet. She doesn't break free totally--but she does break her arm free, the one holding the baton... and she sweeps it around in a wobbly circle.
The next thing Drake might know is a flaring, circular lens of that icy chi flaring up around him... on the mat. Who knows? Maybe he'll be caught by it; either way, afterwards Mizuki will break free of the hold and sit on the mat for a few seconds, catching her breath.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Drake 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Drake dodges Mizuki's Kongou no Kagami.
[ \\\\\\\\\ <
Drake 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Drake has ended the fight here.
The boston crab hold is locked tight, and Domino glances over his shoulder to study the girl's condition. He has precisely no interest in breaking her back. The crowd, however, is loving the wrenching hold, and waiting most expectantly for a submission or dramatic breakaway.
The breakaway comes in the form of the baton-waving. The dark-haired model sees the energy begin to manifest, and he decides it best to release the hold in favor of not pushing his own endurance beyond the limit. So he tumbles aside, letting her leg drop to the ground again while he cleanly evades the attack. Domino raises back to his feet and turns to face the girl again, watching her closely. Though.. she doesn't return to her feet.
The elected announcer leans in to check on Mizuki's condition, asking if she's capable of going on.
The announcer is awarded a smile from the young woman--and a shake of the head. She isn't able to go on. But she isn't -terribly- injured, either... Drake's no heel, after all.
"You can declare him the winner. He did win, after all." Mizuki rubs her back, sore from all the pounding it took, and realizes she's going to need a nice long soak in a Justice High School tub to take away the aches... and she rises to her feet.
"You're a good fighter, Mr. Domino," she says to the wrestling model; forgoing the bow she might otherwise award her opponent, as she slings her baton across her back again.
"It was very educational..."
"Laaadiiees aaand gentlemeeen! Your winner by knockout! Domino!," declares the announcer, who steps up beside the wrestler. He takes ahold of Domino's right wrist and lifts it into the air in a show of victory, then steps away. The wrestler lifts the other fist with the first, turning and nodding to the crowd again, cocky smile tracing his lips.
After a few seconds of soaking in the praise, the model turns to Mizuki and finds her on her feet and looking well enough. That's good. He smiles more warmly at her, thumbs casually hooking on his pockets. "I aim to please," he quips playfully. "You're pretty great, yourself. I don't run into many fighters who use chi quite so much." He takes a moment to glance about himself. No one else is stepping up to challenge him, so the crowd is starting to disperse. Amethyst eyes return to Mizuki. "Are you okay? Not hurt or anything, are you?"
Right gloved hand leaves his pocket to extend to the female, palm turned skywards - obviously not meant to be shaken.
Mizuki smiles; she gave a good fight, and earned some valuable experience. That's more than enough in exchange for the 'loss'. The hullabaloo and all the posing and stuff... that must be part of a wrestler training program or something, mustn't it? Mizuki glances at the crowd, a little grin quirking her lips, then turns back when she's addressed again.
"Oh, no, I still have a long way to go," she protests, then shakes her head. "I'll be sore but there's no lasting injury. Anyway, I can heal myself if necessary..."
... and then the palm. She stares at it dubiously... from palm, to face of Drake... back to palm... back to face... and then she puts her left hand out over it... and that's it.
Domino rolls his bare shoulders in a shrug and smiles. "You seemed pretty good to -me-," he compliments. "And seeing as I had the vantage point of getting blasted and beaten around by you, it doesn't seem right of you to say otherwise." The playful smile returns to his lips.
Right hand turns about beneath the females, thumb slipping over her fingers to taper them gently downwards. "The name's Drake," the wrestler model offers. "Drake Vyril. Charmed." And unless she pulls back or protests in some way, he lifts her hand and tilts his head down to present its back with a soft ghost of a kiss. With or without a glove on her own hand.
_That_ earns a blush from Mizuki; she lets her hand be lifted and kissed before pulling it away--not abruptly, just when the time is right. "Kamigawa Mizuki," she replies, softly--abruptly and immediately aware the crowd, particularly her friends, some of whom are staring in shock, some of whom are cheering and whistling.
"I, ah--I should be getting back to my friends," she says, recovering her composure. That said, she begins heading back to them, off the stage, though at the edge she turns and smiles, "We should try this again sometime!"
And then the redhead is off, her ponytail bobbing as she begins walking with her friends...
Drake casts a flirtatious smile over her hand when she introduces herself, then permits her had to be taken back. Before he can add much more though, she's making her hasty retreat. Well, that's a little disappointing. Drake flicks his right hand, two fingers lifted. "Peace," he offers coolly, albeit slightly awkwardly. Did he embarrass her? Silly schoolgirls.
But with the crowd mostly gone and no challengers left, the announcer delivers Drake's fairly sizable cut of the money.
Log created by Mizuki, and last modified on 02:43:44 04/19/2007.