Description: It's a chance encounter, a roll of the dice. A fight neither planned, but a fight all the same. Rock Howard used to rule the Neo League. But for months, the top spot has belonged to Acacia Gillespie. A challenge is made, a battle fought. Rock and Acacia are teammates, friends - but in a clash like this, there can only be one victor. And Rock Howard doesn't lose. (Winner: Rock)
Rock Howard needed to get out of Southtown for a little bit. Every few months, he finds that his old hometown just starts to feel too claustrophobic. There's too many flags and reminders of why he wants to clean it up so badly there. There's too much that smells like his father's influence. Thankfully, his liberal trust fund and relatively few material requirements means that he can usually just get up and go when he feels like it.
Today, his wandering travels have taken him to Masters Stadium. He hasn't actually ever fought in the renowned rival to Howard Arena but he was in the area and wanted to check it out. There's no scheduled bouts, so beyond the usual security staff and janitorial personel, there's very few people around. Rock was able to use his status as a competitive fighter to gain private entryway and a tour of the facility. He's moving through the lobby presently, one of the stadium promoters droning on about how much money was spent on the unique facade and feng shui-compliant pillar structure. Rock's more interested in actually seeing the arena in person.
"Howard," a voice calls, from across the lobby. A soft mid-alto voice, that of a girl.
A slim figure raises a hand, two fingers lifted in salute. A gloved hand, clad in biker's leather. Acacia Gillespie leans against one of the pillars flanking the large open space. She's got a paper cup filled with soda cradled in her other palm, straw resting near her mouth. And the hand she's waving with is only a vague approximation of a proper greeting, since there's a half-eaten burger in its grasp.
The Masters Arena might be mostly empty, but apparently the food court's still open.
Rock is about to push his tour guide to actually let him /into/ the stadium so that he can see the fighting square, size up the impressive rows of stands, and imagine what it'd be like to KO Ken Masters on his home turf when the name pings off the back of his head. Stopping, he holds a hand up to interrupt his guide's current droning about how many neon signs line the food court's many menu displays.
"Yeah?" he says, head twisting to face in the direction his name came from. "Who's ask--" He stops when his red eyes settle. He doesn't need to continue to ask who -- he recognizes Acacia almost immediately. Breaking into a thin grin, he ignores the tour guide's protestations that they keep to the route and starts crossing towards her. "Long time no see." he says before stopping and crossing his arms. "I've been keeping my eye on you. You're really kicking ass in the League -- that why you're here?"
"Kinda," Acacia replies. She takes a sip of soda, then flicks her tongue, moistening her lips. If she notices the tour guide's ire, she doesn't give any sign. Instead, she just grins lopsidedly as Rock approaches, still leaning against the pillar.
"Though it's Ryohara that booby-traps arenas...I just study 'em."
She gives Rock a rather pointed look as she says that - knowing full well that he's had his own painful experience with a certain ninja of mutual acquaintence, and his unique approach to battlefield tactics.
"Huh," Rock says, looking a little mystified as he traces Acacia's gaze out across the arena's lobby. He hangs his own gaze across it for a few seconds, soaking in how ornate and ostentatious the whole thing is. It's like Ken was directly trying to outdo Howard Arena at every turn. Rock isn't sure if he admires that or hates it. "It's an interesting place," he finally admits, turning back to Acacia.
"Mr. Howard?" the tour guide says, stopping nearby Rock's shoulder and sounding piqued. "The arena isn't going anywhere," Rock says back to him. "Beside, I'm hoping my friend Acacia here's going to challenge me. This would be the best place for it, don't you think, Jeff?" "I uh," the guide tugs at his collar. He's not sure about condoning a street fight; they usually end up destroying stuff and the arena's worth a lot of money.
Acacia snorts, nearly choking on a mouthful of cheeseburger. She recovers her mental balance, however, chewing and swallowing without further incident. She washes the food down with another draw off her soda straw. Then she straightens, pushing off the pillar, eyes narrowing as she regards Rock.
"I'm sure...Ken Masters won't mind," Acacia murmurs to the nervous arena representative, putting faint but definite emphasis on the name of his employer. She doesn't turn to look at him as she speaks, however. Her gaze remains locked on Rock.
Rock tracks Acacia's words into a can't fail look at Jeff, the Arena Representative. He frowns at them both for a few seconds, tugs on his collar one more time, and then takes a step back. "I... I suppose he wouldn't," he agrees, dismally. This cannot end well.
Rock, for his part, breaks into a crude grin when the man relents. Twisting back towards Acadia, his eyes widen some when he realizes she's been staring at him the entire time. "Oookay," he says, exhaling out the last breath of good humor he's got in him as his grin straightens. It looks like she's already mentally prepared... But Rock's /always/ ready for a fight.
"I hope you're ready," he says, already shifting into his usual fighting stance. "I'm not going to pull back. This one really /counts/, Acacia, and I've been learning from the best."
Without batting an eye, Acacia pops the last of her burger into her mouth. As she munches, she crumples up the grease-paper in one hand. Then she drains her soda cup, sucking up the drink to the last sugary dregs. That done, she tosses her garbage over her shoulder, without looking - cup and balled wrapper collide against the rim of a nearby garbage can, before clattering into the bin.
She's a fighter, after all. Situational awareness is a hallmark of any martial style.
"Huh," Acacia muses, as she dusts her hands off. She cocks her head at Rock, arching one eyebrow. Learning from the best, hm?
Her face doesn't change, for the most part. There's only a slight, very slight, crinkling at the corner of her mouth.
"So...Dan's student again?"
Rock has to fight the laughter that rises up. If they're about to fight, it won't do to be laughing or breaking his growing focus. But he does crack a thin smile back at the other girl. It's hard to resist the humor in the thought of being trained by Dan... But he knows she's just trying to either taunt him into making the first attack (and mistake), or break his concentration.
Lifting an arm back towards his hand and shifting his weight, Rock's gloved fingers close into fists. "No," he says, finally, coming into the more standard and recognizable Hakyokusaken stance. Maybe that's his answer for the girl. "You ready?" he asks, red eyes hardening.
COMBATSYS: Rock has started a fight here.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Acacia has joined the fight here.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rock
Acacia walks away from the pillar, quite deliberately putting space between herself and the obstruction. It wouldn't do to get caught with her back that close to the massive column. No. Space is valuable. Her footfalls sound against the polished lobby floor, her heavy combat boots giving extra weight to her step. She brings her hands together, cracking her knuckles. She rolls her neck, right, back, left, forward, stretching her muscles.
Her hands seperate, fingers closing into fists.
"Ready," Acacia replies, in a dry, dispassionate tone.
Though there's just a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. She didn't come her expecting a fight. She just wanted to eyeball the arena. Boring. But a fight with Howard? That's a challenge.
As the word leaves her lips...Acacia moves. Lunging forward, slamming an arm in a straight line towards the other fighter. She ignores the tour guide standing near him. If the man knows what's good for him - and he should, in this business - he'll get clear. Because it's down to business now.
COMBATSYS: Rock just-defends Acacia's Quick Punch!
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rock
Rock is ready for what Acacia is going to bring at him. Jeff the Tour Guide isn't. When the teenage girl explodes forward, Jeff explodes backwards -- screaming with his arms in air. He had expected they'd wait until he was clear to start trading supersonic fists. Rock isn't distracted by his guide's fear. His eyes thin over his knuckles, tracking Acacia's own fist in. Just as she crosses into his armspan, he sends a hand crashing down to intercept his forearm and send the fist whizzing by his side.
Planting a foot forward, Howard doesn't hesitate to answer. Immediately, his other arm curls back, his weight shifts, and then he funnels all the force he can into a thrust of his palm forward to drive it straight for Acacia's abdomen and try and drive her back across the lobby.
"Come on!" he yells, feeling his adrenaline kick in.
COMBATSYS: Acacia counters Medium Punch from Rock with Icon of Stone.
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Acacia 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Rock
She wasn't expecting that first punch to land. That was to test Rock's guard. Test the speed of his response. And it was quicker than Acacia expected. Her eyes widen fractionally as Rock deflects the blow...and then retaliates with a strike of his own.
Fast.
But her own response is equally quick, with the swift and effortless fluidity of long-practiced motion. A move so oft-practiced, so ingrained, it's reflex. As natural as breathing. She moves without conscious thought, reacting before her mind catches up with her body.
The soles of her combat boots skid against the lobby floor. Feet apart, legs bent at the knees. Lowering Acacia's centre of gravity, increasing her stability. She spins, throwing an arm up - moving with all her mass, not just upper body strength. She threw a punch, that first punch, with one hand. With her /other/ arm, she intercept's Rock's palm strike. Further up, past his elbow, square in the middle of his thrusting limb.
Her forearm against his, muscle and bone colliding.
"Coming," Acacia shoots back, glibly.
The sound of Acacia's forearm cracking into Rock's echoes through the lobby. The limited staff on hand have long since given up on their daily duties to come out and watch the growing melee.
Shaking his head, Rock lifts a hand to rub the impact point on his other arm, feeling it ruefully. Acacia got the first real shot in. He grins at her with a degree of approval. "Not bad," he says, arms dropping back into his Hakyokusaken fighting stance. The pain rings up it like a stinger but he wills it to the back of his mind. This is for far higher stakes than any normal training session.
Shifting weight between the balls of his feet, Rock takes a few hopping steps back from the girl, and starts to move in a slow semicircle through the lobby. His eyes never break from her core, watching her breathing, seeing how discipline and structured her fighting style is. It's a remarkable blending of rigid and fluid styles into something unique. He admires it. But that doesn't mean he isn't going to do his damn best beat her.
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
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Acacia 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Rock
Acacia returns Rock's scrutiny with an impassive look. Her face is a mask, betraying little. There's a few subtle hints, though. The set of her facial muscles, the look of her eyes. A trained observer like Rock might be able to see the small nuances of her body language. To the observers, though, the arena staff watching from around the lobby...the girl is nigh-emotionless, her features hewn from stone.
She spends a moment of her own, just a heartbeat, regarding Rock. Before she charges, the trailing edge of her oversized army jacket flapping behind her, her unkempt silver hair streaming, strands flying back with the explosive motion. Her boots pound against the arena floor, sounding like gunshots against the faux marble. Once again, she drives one arm towards Rock, knuckles first.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Rock with Quick Punch.
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Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Rock
Rock tries a similar strategy to the first strike as he feels Acacia accelerate. Bracing his legs and shifting his weight into a suitable angle to intercept the incoming strike, he moves a hand on another slashing intercept for her forearm. Only... he miscalculates. Eyes widen at the last moment as he realizes the girl was holding back the first time -- she's giving him her /true/ speed -- he can feel the knuckles grazing his arm before the crack against his jaw.
Head snapping back and to the left, Howard twists at the waist and staggers back with the blow's impact. Over his shoulder, his red eyes thin at the girl. When did she get /this/ good? He gives her no more banter. If she wants to be a solid as a tree trunk, as emotionless as a stone in the wilderness, he'll give her nothing of his own to read.
Straightening back out, Rock's fingers visibly curl as they unclench and then clench again. He doesn't say anything though, not even his usual vocal summoning. He simply thinks of his father, takes one startlingly fast step forward, and then cuts his right arm up through the air. A blue-white bolt of chi energy flashes and then crackles off it. A half-second later, Rock's other arm mimics the motion, a second swirling geyser of chi energy churning and tearing across the lobby's floor.
COMBATSYS: Acacia slows Double Reppuken from Rock with Mass Breaker.
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Acacia 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Rock
Energy meets energy. The first blue-white blast of spiritual light -exploding- as it hits Acacia. Or rather, as it meets the space around Acacia's foot. As the heel of one heavy-soled boot slams into the floor, so hard it shatters the floor tile, a spiderweb of cracks radiating out from the impact zone - the kind of destruction bound to give certain corporate representatives a coronary.
A burst of Acacia's own chi, a shimmering distortion in the air...meetsRock's attack, negating it.
But...
...she didn't account for the /second/ blast.
Acacia hisses as the follow-up burst crashes into her body. To her credit, she doesn't stumble, barely even flinches. But the wave of chi washing over her body prompts an involuntary release of pained breath.
"Hn," she grunts, nodding her head. Just a little bit.
Acknowledging the point.
Rock knows from their past encounters a little bit about how Acacia fights. He knows how she likes to control the pace, how she likes to wait for that perfect moment -- that point where her opponents make the slighest mistake -- to deliver a punishing, critical, blow that decides it. He's not going to let that happen. As the reppuken blasts blanket the lobby in a brief flash of light, he can make out her own chi through the light.
"Weren't ready for two of them, huh?" he calls across the lobby, suddenly dropping back into banter-mode. It's hard for a Howard to keep their mouth shut during a fight. How many times has Geese told someone their technique is pathetic? But it's a second-nature thing, Rock keeps his focus poised and prepared even as he calls at the girl. Maybe she'll start to listen -- and then /she'll/ be the one giving him the opening.
Stepping forward from the small sphere of charred lobby floor his reppuken's created, Rock takes on a defensive stance, staring back at Acacia now that he's made his own point.
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
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Acacia 0/-------/----===|=======\==-----\1 Rock
"Mm-hm," Acacia allows, making a small sound of the affirmative. There's no ire in the response, simply a matter-of-fact answer. Yes, the move -did- catch her by surprise. She's not too proud to admit that.
She inhales, exhales, drawing her foot back from the little impact crater. Dust and debris grinds beneath her boots as she shifts her stance, changing her balance. She studies Rock, her eyes locking with his across the lobby.
"Not as dumb as you look," Acacia observes, with just the slightest trace of good-natured mocking.
No, he isn't dumb. He's actually being /tactical/. Acacia frowns faintly. He's expecting her to hang back, to play defensive. Which, admittedly, is the core of her usual method.
"So," she adds, half to herself.
Acacia moves. Again on the offensive. Taking a risk. She runs forward. At the apex of her charge, she shoots a leg up, pistoning one denim-clad knee at Rock's abdomen.
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Heavy Kick from Acacia with Joudan Crack Counter.
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Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Rock
Rock is trying to keep himself composed. Often, he derails himself into fighting off fumes, adrenaline, and emotions. The kid has a lot of angst and is good at channeling that into fighting power. It's part of why Grant has found him such a useful disciple; the raw power and emotion can be harnessed into something devestating with the right techniques and training. But, Howard is a split personality -- sometimes it works for him to fight like his true idol or even his father -- in control. Other times he falls into the world of his uncle and recent pseudo-mentor.
Today, he seems more Terry than Kain. So far. Acacia is forced to come at him again -- that keeps her from maximizing the strength of her technique -- and Rock can use what he's learned from Geese. The leg missiles towards his torso and Rock shifts his weight, twisting his waist to the side just enough to give his one hand the leverage it needs to intercept the leg. Clutching it for the briefest of moments, Howard's eyes lock on Acacia's own before his other hand accelerates straight for her chest -- more fast and surprising than painful -- trying to drive her back.
"Too slow," he says, mirroring her half-quipping nature back.
Acacia's feet crash back against the ground, her arms flung out. She struggles for a moment, trying to get back some semblance of balance. Trying to avoid just -falling-. She doubles over, her ribs, her entire torso aching. But her weakness only lasts an instant. Her head snaps back up, eyes narrowing to lazer intensity. She finds her footing, muscles tensing.
"Fair," Acacia retorts, "enough."
Her arms whip round, her hands making contact. One balled fist resting in the palm of the other, arms bent such that her forearms form a long continuous bar of bone. She slams this, elbow-first, towards Rock's neck.
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Acacia's Mass Driver.
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Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Rock
Rock reacts like a ripcord. His own forearms lift into a cross-slash infront of his body, Acacia's hammerslam cracking as her elbow meets his own arm with a bone on bone noise. It makes several of the onlookers cringe just from the sound of it. Fortunately, Acacia and Rock are highly trained professional fighters. They're used to this sort of thing.
Shooting his arms down to his side, Howard suddenly comes to life back on his own offensive. Launching himself forward and funneling all his strength down his leg to give the bursting charge velocity, he sends his shoulder ducking and his arms forward to try and literally spear Acacia in the ribs with his shoulder and drive her down into the hard lobby floor.
COMBATSYS: Acacia endures Rock's Quick Throw.
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Acacia 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Rock
Despite the fact she fights, by and large, like a brawler...and a successful one, at that...Acacia's still a small, slightly-built girl. Rock's got almost a foot of height on her, and outmasses her by a good percentage. While Acacia's control of her body's chi increases her apparent weight and strength, there's limits. And so, Rock knocks her all the way off her feet, his shoulder slamming square into her ribcage, pounding her to the floor.
It's a painful, brutal slam. Hard enough that when Acacia hits the ground, her upper back actually smashes a fresh crater in the floor, faux-marble tiles shattering in a spray of spinning black shards.
Of course, if Rock's close to her like that, it means he isn't -away-. He isn't keeping his distance. Letting Acacia lash out with a quick snap -kick-, driving a boot heel straight -up-.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Rock with Light Kick.
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Acacia 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Rock
It's a satisfying feeling to drive an opponent so viscerally right into the ground. The fact that the ground gives way to the impact is just more music to a fighter's ears. It doesn't matter if it's a friend or someone you hate (like Kurow), competition is competition. Winning is winning. Rock likes both. When he feels Acacia's body shuddering beneath him, he releases and prepares to follow it up.
He's shocked when it isn't his fist that follows it. It's her foot. Her booted foot. As it cracks his straight in the chest. Driving him up and back, his toes lift off the air about a foot, as he cascades back from her. Landing on his back, Howard skids across the tiled lobby into one of the food court's tables. It topples over and clatters into some chairs.
"Nggh," Rock groans as he climbs back to a knee. Exhaling and inhaling a deep breath, he rises the rest of his way to both feet. He squints across the lobby the half dozen or so yards between him and his opponent. He reads something there behind her eyes, and suddenly his demeanor shifts. Chi energy surging through the roof, Acacia can almost make out a briefly sinister grin -- reminiscent of Geese Howard -- before the younger son is sprinting full speed back towards her.
Booted feet cresting over the cracks and crumbles in the tiles, Rock comes right into Acacia low and hard. But he doesn't deliver any sort of striking blow or specifically targeted assault. Heels skidding the last foot or so, he comes to a halt right at her side. "RAGING!" he yells, arms slamming down for the ground, "STORM!"
The entire arena feels it as the sudden shockwave of pure chi energy explodes out and up from Rock in nearly every direction -- a tremendous crater in the floor splitting off in a hundred directions with Rock in the epicenter.
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Acacia with Raging Storm'.
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Acacia 1/----===/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rock
If Acacia had time to verbalize her thoughts, it would be something like this:-
Well, crap.
But she doesn't. She barely has time to react. Her hindbrain screams a warning. Before her rational mind can even process the information, she's already rolling into a crouch, lifting her arms to shield herself.
To no avail. Spiritual energy crashes into her like a furious apocalyptic hammer. Acacia goes flying, only coming to a halt when she slams into a pillar at the other end of the expansive lobby - smashing into it so hard it shakes the cathedral-like space to the rafters overhead. She slides down to the floor, wisps of smoke and tendrils of residual power rise from her battered form.
Acacia groans, hauling herself upright. "Jeez...anger management classes," she quips.
COMBATSYS: Acacia gains composure.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rock
Rock exhales several sharp, hard, breathes after the Raging Storm subsides. The chi smoke curls off his flesh, his red and white Terry-jacket torn and clinging to his skin in certain places. It takes a lot out of him to will that technique into being -- especially without the usual build up of raw emotions. He usually reserves it for special occassions... He hopes Acacia is okay.
Trying to erase the memory that helps him call it, Howard takes a step to the side. Then another. He has to climb out of the crater in the tiled floor he created. Jeff is comatose from the damage over in the footcourt. Stopping on the divets perimeter, Rock drops to a knee, sends a gloved hand through his blond hair and uses his still remaining sleeve to wipes his eyes clean, before standing back up. "O-kei," he says, shoulders rolling.
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rock
Acacia almost, -almost- groans, when the 'O-kei' leaves Rock's lips. She already knows he's Terry's student. Does he need to channel the man's catchphrase too? She doesn't give voice to that thought, though. She just gives a firm shake of the head, clearing away the cobwebs and mental fuzziness. Her vision's still a little blurred from that last hit, but she can see well enough. Besides, it's obvious where her opponent is. Hard to miss the blond figure in the shredded jacket. He kinda stands out from the crowd.
And there's no faint whiff of urine around him, not like that Jeff guy.
"Okay," Acacia responds, echoing the word in her own soft alto.
Once more, she bursts forward. Slower, this time. She's beginning to tire, sweat slicking her dusky skin. But hopefully she's still fast enough, as she straight-lines another punch at Rock. This isn't over yet.
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Acacia's Quick Punch.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Rock
Howard backpedals suddenly when Acacia comes at him yet again. He knows she doesn't like being forced to do this -- but he isn't given her much option by staying in a defensive stance for most of the fight, except for the Raging Storm. As he takes a pair of steps back, her fist whistles towards his chin and he smacks it aside with an upward cut of his opposite arm.
With Acacia in close to him again, Rock feints like he's about to deliver his own return haymaker. Only instead of delivering the punch, he tucks it into his body on the forward swing and performs a diving forward roll off to Acacia's side. Coming out of the roll, Rock does a front handspring and lands another half-dozen yards away from. He spins back around to face her, still not being as aggressive as he might like. "I know you've got more than this, Acacia," he says.
COMBATSYS: Rock gains composure.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rock
Acacia snorts, her nostrils flaring. It isn't exactly a ladylike gesture, but then she's never really cared much for notions of traditional feminity. She tosses her head, shaking her bangs from her eyes. She stands her ground, pulling her arm back from the follow-through of her punch. Tightening up her own defensive stance.
"Maybe," she replies, with wry sarcasm, "I suck."
She remains where she is, for the moment. Watching Rock, warily.
COMBATSYS: Acacia focuses on her next action.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rock
"Yeah, right," Rock says, all but rolling his eyes back at the girl. He knows better. She's in that state where she's waiting for him to make a critical error. He's not going to give her that satisfaction. This is a Neo League match. He used to rule the Neo League. He wants to be back on that top spot. Swallowing a gulp of air, Howard steels himself, his red eyes locking onto Acacia.
"I'm not going to give you the opening you want, Acacia!" he calls across to her, taking another harsh step forward towards her now. He goes back onto the offensive, his muscles tensing as his body burns to summon a swirl of chi energy. With a roar, he slices his fist forward through the air, sending another reppuken barreling forward across the distance between them -- the lighting in the arena lobby distorted by the flash of the solo reppuken.
COMBATSYS: Acacia negates Reppuken from Rock with Mass Breaker.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Rock
"Mn," Acacia grunts, in response. Coolly, she stares down the approaching mass of chi. The chaotic illumination from the spiritual energy casts the lobby into crazy-quilt patterns of light and shadow, throwing her own face and hair into harsh relief. She doesn't flinch, though. She just gauges the speed and distance with a clinical eye.
The floor -shatters- beneath Acacia's feet, a plume of shattered tiles and concrete shards spraying into the air. Cast by the near-invisible explosive force of the girl's own chi. A discharge at the very absolute last moment, a mere split-second before the Repukken would have crashed into her form - meeting Rock's low-travelling projectile with a wavefront of her own.
Particulate debris swirls round Acacia's leg. Dust settles round the battered leather of her boot, as she pulls it from the miniature ravine left by her defense.
"Everyone makes mistakes," she observes.
"Wow," Rock says, as Acacia negates his reppuken with her chi attack this time -- some of the debris churned up by the intersecting pattern of the chi projectile and the negating energy wave sprinkling down around him. But the first taste she had of the chi assault? She wasn't ready for the follow up. He'll have to keep that in mind for future assaults.
"You've really gotten stronger," Rock says to her in a completely complimentary tone, swiping one of his black gloved hands through his blond hair again to clear it from sticking to his eyes. He's not being sarcastic of chiding this time. They're at a sort of stalemate in their fight and he can be honest for a moment with his /own/ observation. "Thanks for fighting me with your /best/," he adds. "Now let's push it to our limits!"
COMBATSYS: Rock gains composure.
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Acacia 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Rock
"'Limits', huh?"
There's a strange look on Acacia's face. In fact, there's something subtly wrong with her body language. The way she's standing, that's not natural for her. The set of her head, even the tone of her voice. It might take a moment for Rock to realise... because it's not every day you someone mimics /your/ voice, and /your/ smile.
The moment doesn't last. It passes quickly.
Right as the sound of grinding, shifting debris fills the lobby. But it isn't just damaged flooring settling down. No. It's /new cracks/ forming, spreading from under Acacia's heel. Right as she BLASTS forward with a pounding shockwave, tiles ripping up behind her as she rockets like a sprinter from the starting blocks.
In fact, it looks remarkably like...
She doesn't /shout/ it. She doesn't actually perform the move, really. She simply closes the distance between her and Rock before unleashing her own burst of chi, her aura erupting in an expanding spherical blast of concentric concussive force. No light, just /force/, distorting the air with a bone-shattering sonic rumble.
But she sure does a fair /impression/ of Rock's pose...
COMBATSYS: Rock blocks Acacia's Ground Breaker.
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Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Rock
Actually, Acacia might be /astonished/ to find out that Rock Howard has intimate familiarity with people MIMICING HIS COMPOSURE AND SMILE. It has literally happened to him like six times in the last month and a half. Plus, he's been hearing rumors that someone who looks a lot like him has been doing terrible things to people he considers friends. When Acacia shows a momentary flash of this -- Rock's eyes widen. Why does this keep happening?!
Thinking it /must/ be a trick of his mind -- maybe he's going insane -- he squints through the sudden spike in Acacia's chi level. He can feel the energy boiling off her as she streaks forward. He can see each segment of marble tiling crack and crumble beneath her hyperaccelerated charge. He can all but taste it in the air when she's on him like a panther, and though her chi is invisible to the eye -- he can feel it in the air.
Immediately, Rock slams his boots into the floor and shields his body with his forearms. The wall of force slams into him like an eighteen-wheel truck. It swallows him and shoots him back; his heels grinding against the floor as it drives him back into one of the lobby walls as it buckles from his impact. But it he keeps his balance, he doesn't get bowled over by the force and the power.
When the wash finally fades, Rock's arms lower and he breathes long and deep. His coat and favorite black t-shirt are long gone, just leaving a bruised upper body exposed. Thin but sinewy, toned like a swimmer, Acacia can see how much he hungers for air. But his expression is one of pain. It's impressed.
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Rock
And Acacia might be impressed too, given the fact Rock's upper body is now unclad. Certainly a lot of the female bystanders are, a couple ladies in office attire fanning themselves. Hell, some of the /male/ arena employees watching the fight are rather overcome as well. There's definitely one dude in a food court worker uniform giving Rock an appreciative eye. It's a pity they've got to stay at a safe distance from the clashing titans - hiding behind pillars, overturned food court tables and benches, whatnot. Such a pity.
Sadly, the only person up close, Acacia...doesn't really notice. She's still intent on inflicting /more/ bruises on Rock. She breathes heavily, gasping for air, the effort of unleashing that chi blast taking a distinct toll on her stamina. Unlike other fighters, she's not terribly good at drawing chi from the environment. No. Her chi's largely from -her body-, forced outwards. That's why it's so very explosive.
But that same chi control gives her remarkable strength for her size and build. Strength which she once again puts to effect, as she attempts to simply slam a palm into Rock, just -shoving- him towards the ground...
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Quick Throw from Acacia with Gedan Crack Counter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Rock
Over two months ago, Rock Howard fought Geese Howard on International Television in the Main Event of Saturday Night Fight. It was broadcast live from Howard Arena to millions, if not billions, of people worldwide. It was one of the single most embarassing moments of his life. He barely even scratched his father. Almost a solid year of training since they last fought and he hadn't gained /any/ edge.
Coming out of that fight, however, Rock learned one very valuable thing. He learned how to really use the countering techniques Geese had driven into his skull for so many years when he was younger. Crack counter, crack counter, crack counter. He had grown to hate those damn words.
But today? It serves him well. He emulates, nearly perfectly, the same crack counter Geese used to stop his Shine Knuckle. Palm snapping out to meet Acacia's oncoming strike, Rock literally claims it with his palm -- shunting all the forward momentum from Acacia through his body and down into the ground -- webs forming in the marble floor around Rock's heels.
With the momentum of the strike neutralized, he shoots forward with blinding speed to follow it up with a variation of his own Hard Edge attack -- his elbow spinning with a flourishing twist of his waist to drive itself towards Acacia's sternum. Without the running start, it's not nearly as painful as the normal attack, but it's effective nonetheless.
Acacia grits her teeth, her mouth drawn back into a grimace. With an effort of will, she keeps herself from crying out. She doesn't waste the breath. She also ignores the spasm of pain running through her nerves. She balls it up and shoves it to the back of her mind. She'll groan later. Right now she has more pressing matters to deal with. Far, far more immediate concerns.
She sways, but remains upright, on her feet. She trembles, but forces her way through the weakness and out the other side. She's in close. Toe to toe, face to face, precisely the kind of fight she wanted. This should be working well for her. But it isn't, not really. Rock's got the upper hand. She's gotten good hits in, but Acacia can feel herself tiring.
She's got to end this.
Her eyes harden.
Redoubling her resolve, she balls a fist, unleashing an uppercut, propelling it with her legs and back. Leather-clad knuckles racing at Rock.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Rock with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Rock
Rock eats the uppercut like an over forty heavyweight. Acacia's follow-through is where the real power comes from and it's a strong and pure one. It lifts Rock up off his feet for the second time that night, sending him sailing back a good eight feet in the air. He slams into one of the food court tables that was overturned, landing roughly on the edge and hanging there in some awkward, vertebrae breaking, position for a few seconds. It looks like misery.
"Arrruugh," he moans, rolling off the edge of the table to slump forward to his knees. His back is beat red with the line of the table, but that's not his concern. His concern is when he lifts his hand to his mouth and feels the blood. He spits and it's red, spits again, still red, and then he roughly stands up.
Fatigue burns in his blood but the desire to win burns hotter. Ignoring it all, Howard refocuses his eyes onto Acacia. He doesn't charge forward, but instead, he does what he knows worked against her before. One foot slams into the ground, "DOUBLE!" he yells, slicing his arm upward, "REPPUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia interrupts Double Reppuken from Rock with Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1 Rock
Fool me once...
Energy crashes against Acacia's own jacket. The garment's still intact, unlike Rock's. It's actual US Army surplus, and they make camo fatigues tough. Which isn't to say that it weathers the assault entirely intact, but it certainly does so -better- than Rock's clothes. A good thing for Acacia's modesty. Because the girl doesn't try to intercept the Repukkens. No. She's already done that twice. This time she doesn't hold her ground. Instead, she plunges directly into the storm. The ground-based waves of slash into her jeans and boots just like her upper-wear. They too remain intact as she emerges from the other side. Slamming a fist straight to his gut.
Rock buckles from fist to chest, air shooting out of his lungs. He swallows hard, stumbling back from Acacia.
"Man," he says, starting to look like the one at a loss. This girl just will not quit. She won't stay down. She won't die. He's frustrated. The optimism is gone from his eyes and it's replaced by a visible frustration. He really wants to beat Acacia -- if she's managed to surpass him, he's not sure what that will say about his skill as a fighter. It'll just be yet another indicator that he needs to listen to the unsettling will of Grant and Kain if he's going to reach his alleged potential...
Fighting is not time for such thoughts. Banishing them, Rock just settles on his frustration. This fight has been a merry-go-round of repeated techniques of disagreeing success. There's always one technique that has never failed him before. He's already used it once in this fight but he has no other options. He can feel the creeping death of fatigue -- being held at bay by his chi stores. He has to use it all, all that power he can summon and channel. It's decided.
Without word, warning, or fanfare, Rock stands abruptly to his full height. His body elevates and his arms raise and then he brings it all slamming home back to the ground. Again, the arena shakes. Again, the ground splinters. Again blue-white chi explodes outward in all directions.
COMBATSYS: Rock successfully hits Acacia with Raging Storm'.
[ \\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Acacia 1/------=/=======|-------\-------\0 Rock
She's still on her feet.
Still upright.
Every inch of her body screams bloody agony, all the way down to the bone. But still she stands, consumed by the maelstrom, hair, clothes, whipping round in the hellish wind.
One step.
Two.
The contrast couldn't be greater, for when Acacia releases /her/ attack, there is no catastrophic blast of power. She simply -slams an arm- at the other fighter. He's been a teammate, in the past. An ally. For now, though, he's simply an opponent. To be defeated. This is a /real/ fight. She can't do any less.
It's a simple move. A backhand. Hitting with not the fist but her whole rigid forearm. Just...lashing out.
The only thing remarkable about it...is the sheer ungodly speed.
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Stonewall from Acacia with Gedan Crack Counter.
[ \\ < > ///// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Rock
Rock's held something in reserve; 15 years of the most rigid and abusive training a prospective fighter could endure. Fifteen plus years living in the shadow of Geese Howard. Hatred for each other, each blaming the other for the loss of the one they really loved. Taking it out on each other. Training until the bruises burned through to the bone. For all of Rock's hatred, he should thank the man for what his lesson are earning him today.
Never surrender. Never give up. Never settle for losing.
Acacia comes at him like a tornado. A tempest. A hurricane. One minute she's half-way across the broken lobby, the next minute she's at his side. He can feel the strength peeling off her but his vision is surprisingly lucid. It's tranquil and clear. He can see where the strike is coming.
He wills himself to act. His hand shoots out again -- like it did before -- and it intercepts the streaking backhand right at the base of the wrist. The power explodes from the impact point, channeling through both of their bodies and exploding in a hail of debris from the splintering foundation below... But her hand never strikes Rock Howard. Red eyes locked like fireballs, he twists to yank Acacia's arm down and to bring her barreling in towards his body. And his other hand's fingertips curl as they skyrocket straight up to meet her jaw on it's downswing with his own fist's terrible upswing.
The impact's like a gunshot, ringing across the devastated arena lobby. Acacia's head snaps round, her neck extending in a fashion that -must- put an awful strain on her muscles and vertabrae. The flesh of her face distends round her jaw. Her vision blurs into an unrecognisable haze, her world nearly eclipsed by a new existence of pain.
However...Acacia and Rock have at least one thing in common. They had childhoods that taught them to never give in. But in Acacia's case, she was /rescued/ from that - by the man who trained her, the man who became her father in all ways that mattered. And it's -his- teachings that let her control the wheeling revolution as her body spins, propelled by the force of Rock's counter. Turning it into a /second/ backhand strike with her other forearm.
Only then, that last gasp of defiance made, does she collapse to the ground, fighting for breath. Only then.
COMBATSYS: Acacia can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Rock 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Rock counters Icon of Stone from Acacia with Gedan Crack Counter.
[ \\\\ <
Rock 0/-------/-----==|
Mirroring techniques are the name of the game. Acacia puts everything she has into firing a second backhand at him. But Rock mirrors his same technique as moments before. The same hand streaks out to cast the backhand by the wrist, stopping it with another explosion of force channels through their bodies and down into the ground. Only this time Rock doesn't lay another upper-cut to follow the interrupt up with. He just locks his eyes onto Acacia, feeling the last breaths of energy fading out.
He holds her wrist as she staggers down into the ground, helping to slow her collapse. It's only when she finally hits the broken lobby floor that he lets her go. Squatting near her, he's not sure if she's conscious and just exhausted or unconscious from the same exhaustion, but he says, "Thanks for giving me your all," for the second time that night. Then, abruptly standing, Rock wipes a hand through his sweaty hair and searches for his Tour Guide.
"Jeff! Stop pissing yourself and bring her some water, man. Come on!"
"You're...welcome," Acacia says, in a weak voice, from floor level. She's still lying on the floor, her eyes closed, head pillowed uncomfortably against debris. Sweat soaks her skin, her hair plastered to her brow, cascading in a messy fall.
"And," she adds, after a moment, hoarsely, "prefer...isotonic sports drink."
She wrinkles her nose.
"And not...from someone who smells like urine."
Acacia cracks one eyelid open, a slow and labourous effort. Even more slowly, she props herself up with one elbow, turning her head in Rock's direction. Or the blond blur that she presumes is Rock, anyway.
"Good point," Rock says, glad that despite the loss, Acacia hasn't lost a sense of humor. He reaches a hand down to her to help her back to her feet, if she wants to take it. "Man, you almost had me there. I don't know what happened but I just somehow knew when you were going to bring that backhand. I think it reminded me of something Kurow tried on me so I was prepared."
"Hn," Acacia mumbles. She brings her free hand to her face, rubbing the ragged chi-savaged remains of her leather glove against the bridge of her nose. Oh, a part of her is annoyed that she lost. But she's more irritated at /herself/ than her opponent. And objectively speaking, she knows Rock is better than her. Has been for a while. If anything, the level she's at now is worlds better than their difference the first time she saw him fight.
Defeat is still vexing. But she can't hold it against him.
Acacia coughs, then continues, dryly, "...next time...something different. Like a Gadouken...or something...."
Log created on 21:24:35 05/18/2007 by Acacia, and last modified on 09:18:14 05/27/2007.