Description: The Mall Breakdown Battle features Kaiwei taking a commanding lead throughout the fight until Mizuki finally comes alive and deals some significant damage of her own! (Winner: Kaiwei)
Again! Again with the store and the fighting and the demolishing! When Ma Kaiwei was informed that his own business was to be the starting point of this week's fight-for-pay, he came very close to somply withdrawing. Even if he won, the prize money would barely cover the losses, if Mizuki proved to be anything near as disastrous as that awful, awful Higashi was. But then, as he thought about it...perhaps he could benefit from this after all. The night prior to the match, the store underwent a sweeping, but subtle change. The glass walls separating the mall's hallway from the shop proper couldn't be replaced, no. Besides, that's up for the landlord to repair. The glass shelving is still there, set up on all walls, the ends spreading multicolored light on the cream-colored painted walls. The finer pieces, those glass and crystal works usually priced so high, were taken away last night, stored safely in the back. In their stead are a number of simple, but altogether crummy pieces by comparison. By the time officials and cameras had started coming by, most of the showcases had also been wheeled behind the counter, and the cash register stripped dry of all bills and coins. There'll be no chances, here! In fact, when everything starts, the store is a passable image of an insurer's hell. It's the only reason that Kaiwei himself doesn't look too worried in the pre-fight interviews, as he's safe in the knowledge that everything's insured, to be paid for by SOMEBODY after this is all said and done.
As the shop is relatively small, most of the people have to watch from outside. As the front entrance is nothing but a glass door set in a glass wall, it'll be easy! A camera claims the doorway, acting as an obstacle to keep anybody but the two that are supposed to be in there out.
While waiting for Mizuki to enter and ready up, the older man is behind his counter, doublechecking things, ensuring that he's got everything pulled to the back that he needs to. There's no rushing from him.
Well, Kaiwei might just have a pleasant surprise when he finally does meet Mizuki. She'd been wandering the mall--well aware of her SNF, but she'd gotten there an hour early, had a snack, walked around... Lucid Dreams. She doesn't know anything about the store or the owner--the mall directory map wasn't terribly helpful, except to give the location. Two other stores... it's an odd request but, she supposes, it will make the fight more 'dynamic'.
~Ah... here we are... Lucid Dreams... what a lovely store!~
Mizuki pushes the door open and looks inside, slipping past the cameraman, and looks about.
"Ah, excuse me, this is Lucid Dreams, is it not? I'm Kamigawa Mizuki--I'm here for the Saturday Night Fight bout..." She certainly sounds more polite and respectful than Joe Higashi, and you can bet she won't be mooning anyone during this fight. She has her weapon slung across her back and, as she looks around, she realizes, with dismay, that there are a lot of breakable objects. The fight will have to move out of here quickly.
From behind the counter, all that can be seen is the top of a cloth skullcap and then a hand, bent at the wrist, making a very distinct pointing motion...toward nothing in particular, just OUT. "What does the sign out front say?" he answers testily, rising up and setting his hands on the rear edge of the countertop. His eyes narrow a little, his altogether absurd brows furrowing nearly against one another, separated by a slight gap of scrunched skin. His chest swells up before he lets out a puff, posture straightening as he walks around and into the cleared floor, a few feet away from his soon-to-be-opponent. "Yes, this is Lucid Dreams, all the howling monkies outside can't wait to see my store get smashed." He gives the crowd outside a bit of a glare as he folds his arms across his chest. "I can't believe they'd let such animals in a place of business," he adds, more of a mumble than anything, followed by words of having to spray for fleas later, or something. Who knows.
"But then you know who I am. What is this?" He cranes his neck, looking back behind the girl. "Going to break my store with that, are you? Hmm?" So he's a bit mistrusting. Even if he's prepared for this, it doesn't mean he WANTS to see everything smashed up.
Good lord! Such a testy man. Mizuki takes in the spectacle with a bit of surprise--it seems he's predisposed to think badly of her, or maybe he's just a little pessimistic. The sign... of course. Well, she did see it. The man--not old, apparently, though he acts it--gets the once-over by Mizuki and she shakes her head. Animals? She's no animal! However...
"No, sir! This is a weapon, true, but I have no intention of breaking anything in here!" Mizuki frowns--she'd never! Not intentionally, at least... she can't account for sheer randomness.
"In fact, I was thinking, once we start, we should move this fight out of your store as soon as possible..."
Well, wouldn't anyone be testy if their property was to be destroyed? He's still looking at the 'animals' all pressed against his storefront and looking in. His eyes shift over when she starts talking, and...and she's actually being rather polite about it! His lips curl into a little frown and he cups an elbow in one hand, the other coming up to the side of his face so it can stroke the dangling edge of his unscathed eyebrow. "Hmm." Is he sizing her up? Seeing through her LIES? "Very well!" His frown fades, but that doesn't mean that he's all smiles. "Seeing as how you're much kinder than the last lout to try to ruin me, you can destroy whatever you want."
... What?
The older man turns about and gestures toward his shelves of crappy things even as he moves toward it. "Try to start here, though." From being cross about it to being accepting of it, what...just which one could he really want? "We shall go across the hall to the candle shop, then. That old bat has done nothing but pester me since I came here." Oh, how she will pay. Taking the last large pretzel, buying the last of the strawberry ice cream... No matter what happens today, Kaiwei is a winner. At least, in his mind. "But enough of this, enough." He turns to face Mizuki, one hand tucked behind his hip as the other waves at her. "Come come, let's get this over with."
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei has started a fight here.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|
...what? Mizuki... looks confused. "Ah, well--I will... No, I won't break anything at all!" Sheesh. She looks slightly cross--she almost feels as though she's being tricked or made fun of in some subtle manner. A Howard Enterprises official sticks his head in to suggest they get going, just when Kaiwei initiates the fight himself, so he just ducks back on. Mizuki glances back behind her--to make sure she's got a clear path to the doorway, which she intends to use in a few moments... then turns towards the her opponent.
"Very well," she says, drawing the baton off her back and into her right hand. It's held loosely, the grip switching from normal to reverse; her left foot slides forward, her right back, and her left arm comes up, bent at the elbow, hand open in a defensive posture.
"Here I come!" That said, Mizuki starts off, rushing forward, baton held in normal grip as she fires a three-jab combination of strikes for Kaiwei's torso.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei dodges Mizuki's Medium Strike.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
Well, at least Kaiwei was ready! Facing weapons is something that doesn't seem to faze him overly much, it seems. His one hand stays tucked behind him, but that front hand? That stays out, knifed with fingers straight and set against one another, palm angled upwards and to the side. The first strike is avoided with a slight swaying back of his torso, but there's precious little room to retreat backwards after that. The outer hand curves in and nudges the wielding hand, sending the strike wide to his left and altogether demolishing a cute little log statuette! No worries, though: its list price was something along the lines of five dollars.
Still, it's at that moment that he swings his foot back behind the girl's, pivoting on that foot to slip to her left side, slightly behind, even facing the wall with her. While she's still, ideally, off-balance, his right hand again darts out, fingers taut and flat, aiming to jam themselves sharply at the base of her neck, right where the nerves for her left arm are.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Mizuki with Jade Girl Prepares Feast.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
A perfect strike; Mizuki's attempt to avoid was ineffectual, partially out of dismay for the destroyed statuette, no matter its actual cost; the nerve strike does paralyze her arm for a moment, and draws a gasp from the girl. Wrenching away, Mizuki backsteps--which turns into a hop, which then turns into an actual cartwheel, taking her close to the door. She can't do anything--yet--about the damage, and she needs to prepare herself further for the fight at hand...
Leaving her left arm down for a moment, Mizuki raises her right hand almost to her lips, the baton dangling loosely from her grip, and begins murmuring--and then a column of blue-white chi energy wells up around her, swirling gently, bathing her in light.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gathers her will.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
The older man immediately takes a couple of steps back once Mizuki spins about, finally letting his 'rear' hand fall to hang at his side, loose without being completely limp. His right knee bends as he draws his left leg slightly back and to the side, keeping his right arm crossed out and away from his chest. "Hoooo..." The girl's baton isn't the only thing she's bring to the table, is it? His eyes narrow a little, sparing his eyes the pain of some of the bright display. "Yes, I know what you mean," he answers to apparently nothing in particular.
A slight turn of his head informs him that he's standing directly in front of one of the showcases that he hadn't been able to bring to the back yet. So, he takes two small steps to the side, placing himself in front of another shelf full of cheap, awful things that he won't mind getting smashed up. His posture doesn't change once he settles back in again, nor does he make any offensive movement. He's waiting this one out.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei focuses on his next action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
Will she have to do something heartbreaking in order to get this fight out of the store? Maybe... or maybe not. No, she decides against the heartbreaking just yet; this is such a delicate thing, this fight... Mizuki considers her options, then finally suggests, "Kaiwei-san, perhaps we should just move on to the next store... I really don't want to risk breaking anything in here..." She's already by the door... hell, she can just do it, can't she? She pushes the door open and walks out of the store, getting about fifteen yards away from the door before turning around to face forward.
"Come and get me!" she calls--much more confident now that she's out of the Lucid Dreams.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki focuses on her next action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Mizuki
...Well, that's most certainly something that the man wasn't expecting. He was expecting more broken items, more things to claim, more payments from the insurance company. As it is now...it's not even worth making the claim! Tch.
When the door's pushed open, the monkies (spectators to everyone else) spread way out, cameras moved on their rollers to get a better shot. A couple of seconds later, out comes the shopowner, simultaneously relieved and irritated! What a cheeky girl, this is! And after he gave her permission to ruin things! He'll not stand for it. Far from the slow, purposeful movements that he expects of his style, he's actually running toward Mizuki! As the candle shop he was talking about is right behind her (with its doors closed, pff), he reaches out a hand and tries to push on her jaw, hoping to send her toppling back with the speed he'd picked up with his little trot.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Kaiwei's Strong Throw.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
The sheer impact to her jaw does some damage--but Mizuki does not topple backwards. Rather, she turns her stumble into a quick backflip--which actually means that some folks get a quick pantyshot... thank god for bloomers, huh? and lands on her feet. Then she springs forward, bringing her baton to bear as she lashes out repeatedly with the weapon, slashing the weapon at Kaiwei's torso as she did before.
Only this time, the short staff is surrounded with a blue-white glow of icy chi, and each strike, if it hits, will transfer some of that cold to Kaiwei's body. If she hits, there will be a final strike, a forward thrust right to the chest.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei reflects Kouryuu no Renda from Mizuki with Rooster Tail Hides the Sun.
- Power hit! -
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Kaiwei 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
Now, this is where the show really starts for some of the monkies.
After feeling his hand stop, with the slight jarring of his shoulder, Kaiwei takes care to step back once, keeping Mizuki between himself and that accursed candleshop door. At this rate, nothing will be done to that hag's place of business! His lips sputter briefly in a passing breath at the thought. If there was any fanservice to be seen, however? It's lost on him! He's a happily-married man!
When he readies himself, his feet are close, but one ahead of the other, and both of his hands are relaxed, out in front of his stomach, both pointing up and forward. The first baton strike is easily brushed aside by his right hand, but as soon as he touches it, the aura of bluish-white fades, snuffed out. The same goes for any other strikes, and when it seems like she's going to come in for a bit one, so does the old man step in. With an open palm, he thrusts his hand toward her chest, and just before contact, a swell of orange chi all but literally explodes him his hand, the light impacting as if a physical thing in a full 180 degree, but ragged half-circle in front of that open palm. THAT might be enough to send her through the door...ideally.
There's a massive *CRASH* as Mizuki is hurled bodily away by the burst of light; that crash comes from Mizuki going through the doorway and sliding to a halt against a display case. The observers turn to see if she'll come out--but she doesn't. They'll have to come to her--as will Kaiwei--the crafty old man turned her attack back on her and she wasn't expecting that. She... has done terribly so far. Maybe a pure heart -can't- turn 1% into 100%. But she'll try.
From the doorway there's a sudden, and indistinct, flaring of blue-white energy--*something* is going on in there. Only the shopkeeper gets to see, though, as Mizuki clasps her hands together and summons a literal wash of blue-silver water chi to cascade down her, relieving some of the aches and pains...
Indeed, Kaiwei will have to follow the girl in, something he's actually more than happy to do! He's always wanted this chance, to mess this place up a bit, but there's the whole thing about it not being quite legal. "Shut up, I know it's not right," is the first thing heard as he enters that store, the smell of scented candles overwhelming. But the person that's TRULY surprised is the owner, who lets out a scream and runs for the back room, screaming things about revenge on that old man!
No fortitude, honestly.
Still, the future war between the stores can come later. The sight that greets Kaiwei causes him to stop. Stop and watch, canting his head. "Odd..." he mumbles, tilting his head the other way. "Is that so? Hm..." Well, thinking it best to stay away, not /quite/ sure what's going on yet, the man reaches to the side and picks up a big, heavy candle. Still, it's probably less than a couple pounds, but for a candle, it's pretty sizeable. And that, that thing, is exactly what's launched toward the baton-wielding lass.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Nagare.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Mizuki overcomes Thrown Object from Kaiwei with Thrown Object.
- Power hit! -
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Kaiwei 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
The healing energy suffuses Mizuki's body and then... well by that time Kaiwei is flinging a candle at her. Looks heavy. Looks painful. And Mizuki's reaction is instinctive, if not exactly proscribed by her school of martial arts. She sidesteps, switching her baton to the forward grip... and -swings-, batting the candle right back at Kaiwei. Seems like the man has no compunction about wrecking other's shops, even if Mizuki does, but the flying candle would've been a loss anyways...
Mizuki has to get her head back in the game, somehow; she can't go down with such a poor showing; she won't learn anything from that.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei blocks Mizuki's Thrown Object.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
The old man doesn't get the chance to voice his displeasure about the candle being returned to him intact! Well, it's not EXACTLY intact. The smack does send a large crack about its midsection, so that when it meets against the palm that Kaiwei sends striking out against it, it splits into two, pieces flying back on either side of him, one of which smacks harmlessly against the woodgrain interior while the other knocks down what used to be a precariously-placed display of sale items! Ah, it'll have to do. But still, he's closer to the door, and unlike his opponent, he seems content to simply stay in here for a bit. There's no running away at all; instead, he steps in quickly, trying to get his leg in between hers to plant his foot well behind her. Sure, it looks like it's the start of something bad, but it's innocent enough! If he can, that leg will pull up and bend, trying to hook behind the girl's left knee as he pushes toward her stomach with both hands. Seems he just doesn't want the poor thing to stay standing!
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Mizuki with Quick Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
And standing she will not remain; she is push and lands--well--face first. She'll definitely need more healing after this... fortunately she can manage that. Rolling away, her pretty face is now marred by several bruises and a bloody nose... but testament to her fortitude of will, she only wipes her mouth with her gloved hand before continuing. This old man is akin to a demon, that's for sure.
She didn't lose the baton, despite the strike--it has a loop around the end that goes around her wrist, for just such an occasion--so she lunges forward, again, reversing the baton and spinning forward for a strike to the side that is followed through with another spinning strike, this one aimed for the knee.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei dodges Mizuki's Fierce Strike.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
A demon? Kaiwei is nothing of the sort! He's simply driven sometimes. In this case, this match is food money! He has children that will be watching this fight, and after the beating that he'd taken last week, after they doted and worried about him so much over the course of the week...perhaps he's just especially inspired.
As soon as he manages to push the girl away, he unhooks his leg from hers and starts to move back with a wide step, only to find that his front leg is now targetted! He's by no means a frail man, but any hit to the knee is going to hurt. The strike is answered with a minimal movement: his leg twists a little, knee now facing partially toward the ground as he lowers his body, the leg bending so that the weapon's arc slices only through the air above the back of that knee. Instead of pressing in, the codger pulls in that leg, favoring it in the rear, and holds both hands out once more in front of him, loose and ready.
"Are you all right? Do you need a minute?" he asks, and before she can answer, he snaps out, "Shut up, I know it's not a good idea, but look at her. Bloody nose and everything!"
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei focuses on his next action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
He's a demon. But a nice one, apparently... or at least given bouts of compassion! Mizuki holds up a hand, as she rises from her low slash. The left, of course.
"Thank you, Kaiwei-san, but that's not entirely necessary. I will be alright. This is part of combat, is it not?" She's not moving too badly but... well. There is regret in her eyes as she turns away from Kaiwei a moment... grabbing a rolling cart--an empty one, thankfully--she takes a couple of steps and just -shoves- it at him. It is not something she -likes- to do... but given how badly getting close to him has gone for her, it stands to reason she wouldn't want to do so again.
"I would be very unhappy if you were to treat me as though I were not a fighter," she states, softly, even as she's releasing the beige plastic Rubbermaid cart at full speed.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei dodges Mizuki's Large Thrown Object.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
The corners of Kaiwei's lips curl downward slightly, the frown momentarily mimicking the wide curve that his eyebrows take on. "That's true, but no sense in letting a kind girl be too badly injured." Oh, but she's not too kind! And a bit more serious as he had previously believed. Respect her as a fighter? Well, she's a fighter, true, but the notion of a baton-user having a martial artist's pride hadn't exactly come to him. And when she slings that cart at him? She IS serious! "Very--ooh!" He didn't get the chance to answer properly before he has to move to the side, the entire motion a fluid shifting of his center of gravity before the legs follow, both arms moving as if trying to keep his hands exactly where they were, or close to it. The cart goes rushing past, slamming into a shelf of candles and bases, causing a wonderful cacophony of smashing glass and clattering tin. Oh, the lady here is going to HATE this match!
The old man's shifting movements continue, the body spinning once before lowering, his left leg extending far, toe barely touching the ground before he 'glides' over to put all of his weight on it. Both of his arms cross in front of his chest as the right leg moves forward now, but he moves his upper body much faster, staying much lower. His right arm snaps out now quite straight, but dipping down before curving back up, hand open and aiming to land a simple, sideways palm strike against Mizuki's midsection, even as his other arm moves out in the opposive direction, curved downward past the elbow.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Kaiwei's Strong Punch.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
This has been a very very poor showing for Mizuki--poor in ways she hadn't thought possible. She's beginning to wonder just how much she has to learn before she'll become at all good at the real-world application of her skills!
Kaiwei's palm-strike is blocked, Mizuki interposing forearm and baton, held flat against her arm. And then she's off again--leaving the candle store. It's been wrecked enough, after all. The trail is easy to follow as the next, and final store possibly, is ducked into without Mizuki even looking at the name--but it turns out to be a women's clothing store that specializes in undergarments. Fortunately, there's a relatively clear area in the middle, and that's where Mizuki awaits...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki focuses on her next action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
Well, the girl's defenses are finally up to snuff! When Mizuki runs right by him, he turns on his pinned foot, arms crossed before the left pushes forward, ready for-- Ready for nothing? For a few seconds, the old man stands there, blinking once. Why did she run off? There's no running off in a sanctioned fight...is there? "...Oh! I know very well, will you stop bothering me??" He'd gotten so caught up in fighting that he'd forgotten all about the match's stipulation! Oh dead.
By the time he exits the store (and is pointed to where his opponent fled with the cheers of screaming, pointing fans (pointing, chattering chimps to him,) the lass should have had plenty of time to prepare. While the environment does cause him to pause a step and open his mouth in mild surprise, he gets it: this is to throw him off! Is that it? "Hnph! To think a grown man would be deterred by these harlot-things," he spouts out, again stepping quickly toward his foe. The last step is more of a lunge, left foot aiming to plant behind her, then the right turning and kicking toward the back of her knee. While this is going on, IF this is going on, his right hand would be at her throat, but pushing up and back on the underside of her jaw. The expected outcome? A baton-wielding girl being flipped fully before landing.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks Kaiwei's Pushing Hands.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Mizuki
Actually, had Mizuki had time to consider she would've picked a different shop as well! The manner of the boutique's items is not lost to her, however... she simply is choosing to ignore her embarrassment for now. And a good thing as well, as she is kicked--but interposes her baton between right hand and her throat.
So she isn't flipped--that's alright by her. She shifts her weight, suddenly--attempting to lean into Kaiwei's body with her back and, as she does so, attempting to grab the older man by the right leg and upend -him-. Of course... given the way the battle has gone so far, it's not likely. But one must try. Giving up is not an option.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei interrupts Medium Throw from Mizuki with Pushing Hands.
- Power hit! -
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
The elder of the two gives a wince as his hand smacks against a baton, directly on the edge of his hand! He immediately pulls it back, shaking the things slightly when he's jarred again. As he's only on one leg, he's got his weight on the other, so he's actually able to slip his leg out of the woman's grasp with a pulling twist. The fact that she leans against him only proves to work in his favor, as instead of having to forcibly push her over, he sways back, now pressing a hand to the back of her head, pulling in such a way as to increase her momentum, to overexert herself. His lifted foot crosses in front of her shin, using it as a fulcrum with which to send her flipping over like he'd previously intended...right into a big rack of silky negligee.
And then, no sooner is he out of the tangle of bodies than he takes a half step back, only keeping his left hand out and forward, the other back with the forearm pointed toward the shiny, tiled floor.
Mizuki pops out of the rack of negligees and just... she doesn't know what her opinion of 'SNF' is--somehow she got thrown in with a monster demon of a fighter who has methodically broken her in nearly every way he's chosen. Though it is a last-ditch effort, Mizuki once again gathers her chi around her, the power building until it breaks above her head, that silvery-blue chi literally 'raining' on her for a brief moment. It is perhaps unwise to attempt this... but there isn't much choice anymore.
Deep breaths are drawn in, and for the moment, Kaiwei doesn't advance. Surely he's not a demon: he's got no fangs, no wings, no fiery might; just the simple movements of his martial arts, the use of the girl's own movements against her. But still, compared to how she looks compared to his relatively unscathed visage? Perhaps there's something evil about him after all, especially considering the fact that she passed up the opportunity to smash his store.
Perhaps she should have taken him up on that offer after all.
Again, that bright light swells, and Kaiwei's eyes narrow. This is what she did earlier! Well, it's similar. Actually...what IS that? His head tilts a little, ready to lean back in case that chi (or whatever it may be) comes flying at him...but it doesn't. It simply falls over her. Is it refreshing? Is she recovering?? Oh, no. No no. If that light is HELPFUL for her, it will only prolong this match, and he's sure that she'll only get hurt further. So, to prevent that, he steps in, dropping onto a knee next to her and, with gravity's help, attempts to drive a palm into her stomach again.
One has to be cruel to be kind.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Mizuki with Iki no Mizu.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Mizuki interrupts Strong Punch from Kaiwei with Koori no Hebi.
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Kaiwei 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
Why yes, that light -is- healing her. Quite a bit, actually; desperation often fuels power, as any Anime Hero(tm) can tell you--not that Mizuki's one of those. She'd be more of a side-kick... at least for now. Regardless, she does look and feel a lot better once that's done... and finally she decides to just take the bull by the horns. Kaiwei is attacking again, not much she can do to stop that.
But she -can- retaliate. His fist makes contact--but as it is, Mizuki's baton is sweeping upwards. Normally she might shout something here but--well, fist in stomach means lack of air so she just shuts it. But as that baton sweeps upwards a knee-height wavecrest of blue-white, icy chi forms right where Kaiwei is--and then she sweeps the baton down and the wave explodes to waist-level and just -blasts- into Kaiwei.
An unexpected event! Kaiwei fully intended to end this match without serious injury, but one should never think little of a person on the edge. Had he moved faster, had he stopped her before she could restore herself, this could have been over now. But instead, he takes a swatch of that chilly energy in his unguarded leg and midsection! It's not at all a pleasant experience. He lets out a small cry as his knee is smacked, but has no time to nurse it before getting slugged in the gut, summarily blasted back and away from the retaliating girl. What a turnaround!
But Kaiwei doesn't stay still, not yet. Sliding to a half (and under a display table), he crawls out from under it, trying to keep it between the two people. From there, he picks up a hand-sized bottle of what seems to be some cheap, nasty perfume. It'll do! Sticking back, he lobs it Mizuki, trying to keep back and recompose himself, to get back into the proper mindset.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Kaiwei's Thrown Object.
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Kaiwei 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
It's a bit of a turnaround. But no one is ever counted out unless they count themselves out--and Mizuki is not in the habit of doing so. The bottle of cheap perfume is dodged, Mizuki ducking low underneath the arc of the object; seemingly feeling at least somewhat revived, she's lunging forward once more, closing the gap between Kaiwei and herself.r
The dashing run is turned into a quick hop as she tries to plant a sneakered foot across Kaiwei's forehead, throwing a classic flying kick, her kicking leg (the left) angled downward from her body about twenty degrees.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei blocks Mizuki's Light Kick.
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Kaiwei 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
The pause was just long enough for the man to gather his wits (such as they are) and take a ready stance (such as it is) and stay behind the shield of the table. The way that Mizuki jumps, at first, isn't what he was expecting, but his style is like water, it can adapt. An open hand meets the kick head-on, jarring his arm a bit and causing an uncomfortable pressure on his wrist joint, but with that point to move around, he can sway to the side, avoiding further damage.
And, while his hand is there...he tries to curl his fingers around the girl's foot and pull it toward him, looking completely throw off her landing. Imagine how much it hurts to land on a hard tile floor from head height!
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Mizuki with Quick Throw.
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Kaiwei 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
Well--it -does- hurt, that's for sure. Mizuki narrowly avoids actual head trauma; she lands on her shoulder. Still just as painful, she just doesn't lose any IQ from it. Tumbling again, Mizuki rises to her feet... considering her options. She could, of course, try to heal herself again... but she feels as though perhaps this fight has gone long enough. Win or lose--and Mizuki has no illusions about what she is likely to be doing--she will go down fighting.
To that end, once again she charges forward, baton held low, trailing behind her... and as she reaches Kaiwei she ducks low, snapping the baton around for Kaiwei's leading leg, then up in a two-handed staff uppercut.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei interrupts Fierce Strike from Mizuki with Pushing Hands.
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Kaiwei 1/-----==/=======|=======\===----\1 Mizuki
There's only a mild puff of relief when Mizuki doesn't hit her head directly, and seems to roll out of it pretty well! He edges slowly around to the side of the table, wanting to put it to good use again...but she's quick to get up, quick to retaliate. She's certainly inspired! What spirit to come at him like this! The voice heard only to him has to agree and comment it, but the man replies with a quick, sharp "Not now, not now!"
The distraction is enough for the baton to smack against his leg with a heavy, dull clunk, the muscles totally unable to protect his shin from a direct blow. There's a cry of pain, his voice high-pitched even as he jerks that leg back, and a good thing, too. The uppercut just scarcely nicks his jaw, leaving behind a verticle red mark that will be the garden for a puffy batch of bruising and welting later. But that's later. Right now, he's still in this match! His right hand reaches up for one of the hands holding onto that awful baton as he steps in and to Mizuki's left. The pull on her hand, back and over her head, along with his knee pushing against the back of hers, is enough to flip her horizontal in the air. But he's not going to simply flip her again. His left hand rises and comes down, merely pushing against her stomach, ensuring that she hits the ground on her back and not her head.
Somehow, Mizuki's found a wellspring of energy within herself; if not actual energy or physical energy, something else, something intangible. So even though she's thrown down, she rolls right back to her feet... well, rolls backwards, first. And despite the hurtings of her body... she's smiling.
"Kaiwei-san, I have to thank you for showing me an excellent fight... I really appreciate it!" And how does a fighter show her appreciation? Oh, well, like this:
She lunges forward, baton poised at the ready--and begins smashing it at Kaiwei's chest, rapid, thrusting stabs with the baton once again surrounded by a field of energy--though this is more 'watery' than 'icy', less cold. She stabs out--high middle low is the pattern--nine times and then winds up for a powerful uppercut...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits Kaiwei with Kouryuu no Ranbu.
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Kaiwei 1/=======/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
... and the uppercut knocks Kaiwei up into the air; Mizuki crouches, leaps, and follows him up. They seem to hang there for a second--a trick of the light, surely--as Mizuki follows up with several more jabs of the powered staff and sends Kaiwei down to earth, as it were, with a final overhand slash, before landing, herself.
Oh, this isn't good.
This is so very not good.
"Oh? You're welcome, I supp--" And that's when it starts. Piston-smashes against his chest, faster than before. The snapping lash and driving force of water, beating against his body. Thick cloth proving helpless to lessen the attack, sending him back with each hit, the man fighting to keep his balance only to have it rent from him every step. Try as he might, his hands lift up, anything to stop that uppercut. For a moment, he looks scared. Absolutely, one hundred percent frightened! Too slow to guard, too naive to think that this girl would come back so FORCEFULLY, he's taken on an up and down right, nearly biting his tongue as he clenches his teeth, letting out little hisses of pain. When he hits the ground, it's a glorious respite. The torture is over, finally. In the end, he couldn't come back to his kin safe and sound; he's going to be bed-ridden for another couple of days for this. At least his oldest son can cover for him.
No, no. His oldest son has school. He's got to go to class, to make money. And what is he doing here? He's trying to make money!
Despite the protests of aging bones and battered muscles, the man rolls onto his side, his left leg snapping out toward Mizuki's, the momentum continuing to spin him onto his shoulders, until he can push off of the ground onto his feet.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Mizuki with Lightning Scatters Horses.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
And it's not enough to just trip Mizuki up, not yet. He gets up in time to 'help' her down, pushing on her back, ensuring that she's grounded. Both of his hands lift up, palms toward each other before they swing down, leaning his whole body forward. When his hands are low, the palms point downward, toward the tripped opponent, and another blast of that same orange color bursts from each hand, the effect easily doubled in force as it all but crushes her into the tile, just for that moment. And such is the force against him as well! His body is lifted up, legs kicking up and over as he makes a very odd-looking flip over her, landing and facing away.
And then he squats down, panting. Too much effort! Too much!
Nh. She miscalculated, again; tried to get away but was crushed for her troubles. Mizuki twitches in the little crater she's in, then rises to her knees... and shakes her head.
"You win... Kaiwei-san," she gasps, leaningon her baton as she rises to her feet. It won't do much good once she's up but by that time she'll be able to stand.
"Again... thank you for a most educational experience. I'm just going to... I just need a moment to sit down now," she mumbles, and staggers off... leaving Kaiwei the victor. But 'winning' isn't what Mizuki's focus is... she's already won her prize, so to speak, in the experience this fight gave her.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki takes no action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki can no longer fight.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/---====|
Oh, thank...thank god. Kaiwei looks back over his shoulder, turning on his body, remaining up on one knee with his arm laying across it. He was fine through most of the assault, but that last attack of hers really did quite a number on him. When she says that he wins? He's skeptical, of course. But then she leaves, and--and it's official if the opponent just walks away, right? Can he lay down? Oh, it...no matter, he falls onto his rear and lays out across the cool tile, taking shallow breaths to keep from agitating his battered chest. "Thank you for...for not wrecking my shop," he says before she can get out the door, but that's IT. He's not moving anywhere, not getting up to answer the cheers, until one of the more medical-types comes to check up on him.
And when they do, you can be damned sure that he'll give them a hard time about treating him like a crippled old man.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei has ended the fight here.
Log created by Mizuki, and last modified on 16:52:33 04/22/2007.