Description: Mr. Big and Ryu face off in an isolated clearing for this semifinal bout. It's been kept secret to keep the number of observers down, but at least one finds her way there. (Winner: Mr.Big)
After..numerous setbacks, the specifics of which are anyone's guess, the semi-finals of World Warrior have finally come to begin! Ryu knew of his opponent to some extent by reputation..but none of the exactly painted the Southtown crime boss in a very positive light. Nonetheless, if he was to be his opponent then the vagabond would approach it as surely as any other battle.
Not only was his home territory of Japan chosen as the hosting nation of this particular fight, but the specific location had been kept secret until just a few days prior, perhaps for escalation purposes. The area was a quaint local some distance from the city, with not an onlooker to be found. Curious...but more than palatable to Ryu's more traditional sensibilities. Nonetheless, he's here, stonily silent and focused as always. As soon as his opponent arrives, he'll settle into a proper stance and begin, not in much of a mood to mince words it seems.
The wilderness. The shining sun, the birds chirping, boughs blowing in the breeze...
What a waste.
Accompanied by the sound of twigs and branches snapping loudly under his heavy footsteps as he approaches the clearing, the lubricious Mr. Big sighs in irritation as he shakes the coat on his shoulder by the collar, trying to dislodge the leaves other organic trash that has fallen on him during this unfortunate sojourn. "World Warrior Semifinals, huh? Sure as hell doesn't seem like it..." he mutters in annoyance as he tramps his way into the clearing where a lone figure awaits. Where's the crowd? The fans? The flashbulbs? There better damn well be some cameras hidden away to broadcast the fight to the rest of the world, because this just isn't what Mr. Big had in mind when it came to the fan exposure that comes along with making it this far in the premier singles fighting tournament.
"Great. On top of all this I gotta fight this bum," he complains as he walks up to the man already known as the World Warrior. Shaking out his expensive fur-lined coat one last time, Mr. Big tugs on the bottom of his navy blue vest and slips a pair of shiny black batons from his waistline. "Well, looks like we're on our own," he says aloud in Ryu's general direction as the Platinum Player assumes his usual fighting stance, one baton held in a high guard near his face, the other down towards his waist as he leans back slightly. "Let's get this shit over with."
There was no doubt that the differences between the two fighters couldn't be more glaring, from obvious things like clothing to more subtle aspects such as the mentality they brought to the fight. Then again, nothing seemed precisely subtle about Big as he boisterously announced his distaste for the lack of glamour in this setting the other fights had been pervaded. Ryu however understood the intention fully. The glitz and cameras and screaming fans were fine in the prelims and opening rounds..but once the tournament became serious, this was where more attention was paid to the 'Warrior' part of the title. Surely there was some camera somewhere for the sake of judging the fight properly, but minimalism was the name of the game when it come to the tournament's closing acts.
As his opponent settles into a clear battle stance Ryu shall do the same, habitually tightening his headband and setting those famous fists forward. Seemed Big was a weapon fighter..he'd have to stay on his toes for this fight. "Yes, lets." He murmurs, doing his best to keep his mind focused on the man in front of him and nothing else.
COMBATSYS: Ryu has started a fight here.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big has joined the fight here.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
"Heh," Mr. Big smirks simply as Ryu readies himself. The strong silent type. How boring. It's alright though; Mr. Big is more than capable of talking enough for the both of them. "Loosen up Boxcar Willy; I'm sad to say this is gunna be your last fight in this tournament, so you better enjoy it while you're still conscious!" Springing out of his stance, Mr. Big takes a few quick steps through the leaf-covered grass towards Ryu, raising a baton as if to ready a strike to the other fighter's head, Mr. Big quickly turns away from Ryu while in mid-stride and launches a strong spinning back-kick right at the Japanese man's solar plexus. Mr. Big can do more than just hit people with sticks, you know.
COMBATSYS: Ryu just-defends Mr.Big's Strong Kick!
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Mr.Big 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Ryu
Big can talk trash as much as he likes, but his words will only deaf ears to fall upon where Ryu is concerned. Yes yes, hobo this vagrant that, ha ha ha ha. The most assured way to cut to the meat of things the fighter had found was not with words bit the force of one's fists and feets! And perhaps batons as well, in this case. The trick Big tries may work against beginning to mid-level fighters, but the Wanderer's experienced eye sees the feint for what it is; He doesn't take that bait, but rather anticipates the true blow, intercepting that kick with a striking block of his arm that a deflects most of the impact and absorbs what's left. All without even bruise, one might add.
Whether this is cause for gawking or not, Ryu won't wait for Big's reaction, following through instead with one his own: A fast punch, aimed right across the platinum fighter's jaw.
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big blocks Ryu's Medium Punch.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Ryu
Spinning back around to face Ryu as Mr. Big feels the force of his kick turned away, the Diamond Don is barely able to raise his own forearm in time to turn away the brunt of the punch that was headed straight for his jaw. Frowning slightly as the strike hits, it seems that unlike his own kick, that punch will, in fact, leave a bruise. Disengaging himself from Ryu, Mr. Big retreats a couple of steps to a distance barely out of striking range. "That all you got Willy?" Mr. Big replies as a predatory grin breaks his frown, his pearly white canines glistening sharply as he runs his tongue over them. "I was kinda expectin something more out of the World Warrior. I'm starting to understand why they didn't bother with a crowd this time." Chuckling at his own joke, Mr. Big spins his batons in his hands before swinging them a few times, the sticks humming as they slice through the air. "Hah!" Mr. Big shouts with a grin as he bounces from foot to foot lightly, "Enough foreplay, let's get to the action!"
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big gathers his will.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/--=====|-------\-------\0 Ryu
Whatever Ryu's opinion of the flamboyant crime boss was, he couldn't deny that the man was no slouch. Built, too; His hand swelled just slightly with brieft twinges of pain in the immediate aftermath of landing a technical blow on him. Not wanting to give Big an opportunity to counter, the current holder of the World Warrior title bounds back a few paces, setting enough distance that the other would have to close some in order to get a hit, even with those behinds. Coincidentally, it also plays into the fighter's next move.
Big was planning something, but Ryu didn't aim to give him the time to do it. With both hands clasped together, the vagabond immediately sets about to gathering and focusing of will of his own, bright blue chi spurring to life in his grasp as his opponent continue with taunts. If it was action the man wanted, then he ought to find plenty in the form of a streaking hot sphere of condensed chi as the wanderer unleashes his trademark attack, along with the familiar cry, "Hadoooouuuken!"
The choice of venue for this battle has posed a slight logistical challenge for observers. This fight is Serious Business, after all, and the fighters are so far in the zone... they really wanted no interruptions. Sakura Kasugano is not one to be chased away, though. There's enough cover for her in the surrounding forest to approach close enough for line-of-sight. Sneaking in on fights is a technique she'd pioneered many, many years ago, after all. But this time, she's not here as a fangirl, nor as a student of Ryu. No... she's here on a mission.
The newly-minted Shadaloo agent leans back against the tree providing her cover. She'd normally sigh at the fact that she's so far away from the battle, but the need for such displays of emotion has vanished. She glances around for a moment, making sure she stays off the radar of anyone about, before raising the binoculars back to her eyes. She mumbles to herself, under her breath, "Over-confident as ever..."
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big blocks Ryu's Hadouken.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Ryu
Mr. Big says, "I got the motd, the room desc, the mail, bboard, and log recording notice... then me muttering and Sakura talking about check, then the motd, room descs and notices again. :P"
Ah, Hadoukens. Gotta hate 'em.
His knuckles whitening slightly as his grip on his batons tightens, Mr. Big's upperlip twitches as the orb of cerulean energy blazes towards him. "Hnn... not yet," Mr. Big mumbles to himself as he loosens his death grip on the sticks in his hands, just itching to match the blast with a flare of his own fiery chi. Standing his ground in the face of the attack, Mr. Big grits his teeth softly as he waits the achingly long milliseconds that it takes for the hadouken to finish it's journey.
"Haaaaaaa!" Mr. Big shouts as the chiball comes within two feet of his chest. Swinging a baton at the blast, the force of which seems to tear at the cohesiveness of the attack, the sphere of blue chi buckles and pops, washing Mr. Big's arm with its azure chi, but doing a fraction of the damage that it would have done had it slammed full-force into his body. "That tickled," Mr. Big says with a grin as he charges at Ryu, though his smoldering sleeve might disagree with his dismissal. Raising his baton once more as he closes the distance, this time Mr. Big makes good on his telegraph, swinging down at Ryu's chest with his right baton before cross stepping and shooting the baton in his left hand straight at the bum's nose.
COMBATSYS: Ryu interrupts Medium Strike from Mr.Big with Tomoe Nage.
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Mr.Big 1/----===/=======|====---\-------\0 Ryu
The fact that Big was able to simple -tear through- the blast with sheer force is a tad..unexpected, on Ryu's behalf. He still didn't quite grasp his opponent's fighting style, but he could at least surmise that raw power and agression played a significant role. He might need to get more defensive..particular taking care to remain beyond the reach of those menacing batons and-
Wait, what was that?
It's slight, -very- slight..almost enough to completely unnoticed, but the wanderer could swear he felt something..familiar? Or was it that someone was watching? Uncharacteristically, his glance breaks slightly off to the side, away from the Southtown criminal and towards the forest.
And of course, that opening is taken advantage of. His first hit finds its mark peerlessly, jolting Ryu back to reality. From there he reacts almost halfway on instinct, catching the second blow before it connect and using the momentum to roll himself back and toss the other man clear overhead in a technically effective, but sloppy Tomoe Nage.
Rising to his feet, the Warrior shakes his head furiously, reminding himself to focus, focus no matter what. Whatever that was..it was probably just his imagination.
Grinning triumphantly as his first strike hits, Mr. Big's smile soon turns to a look of panic and confusion as his second strike connects and he is send flipping up and over the Ansatsuken master to land in an unceremonious heap on the dirt. "Nnnnhg..." the Chrome-Dome Don groans as he reaches under his back and pulls a large stick out from underneath him, which he tosses away in irritation. Rolling over onto his hands and knees, the Southtown Syndicate lieutenant pushes himself up into a crouch from where he regards Ryu wearily as he attempts to catch his breath.
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big gains composure.
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Mr.Big 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Ryu
Rather than attack, Big seems to take the opportunity to have a quick breather. Ryu takes advantage of the time as well, putting those other concerns out of his mind and getting back 'in the game' so to speak. However, it would seem his recovery time is markedly less than underworld mogul's, and he'll quickly close the distance between them, springing up and out with a fast, forward kick aimed for the man's stomach. Not much of a fight if all you do is stand around, after all!
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big interrupts Light Kick from Ryu with Blaster Wave.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Ryu
His eyes glinting sharply behind his dark shades, the Platinum Player makes a show of panting exhaustedly as he crouches and waits for Ryu to make a move. Barely containing a grin as Ryu springs towards him, Mr. Big's calculating plan is only betrayed by a slight glint of light on the tips of his batons as the so-called World Warrior closes the distance between the two. Finally allowing his mouth to break into a wolfish smile as Ryu's foot flies towards him, Mr. Big finally bursts into action. The glint quickly grows into large sparks, the sparks into a large arc of electricity that dances between Mr. Big's weapons as he raises them and thrusts at the offered appendage. The moment the electricity makes contact with Ryu's flesh, energy contained in the rope of lightning detonates, probably with enough force to send the Ansatsuken fighter flying backwards in the direction from which he came.
Any satisfaction the be gleaned from Ryu's hit is surely smashed by the force if the blow Big manages to make upon him in turn. Indeed, the wanderer is knocked back several paces, not quite -flying-, but very solidly hit. He still manages to keep his feet about him nonetheless, quickly regaining himself and settling back into a solid stance. He turns his eyes towards the Diamond Don then, looking at his posture, considering the moves he's shown thus far and how best to react. He'll give him the opportunity to make his next move, and then see what he's able to do from there...
COMBATSYS: Ryu focuses on his next action.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Ryu
Frown. From her binoculars, Sakura can tell that she'd inadvertently caused a tactical error on Ryu's part. That was =not= part of her mission parameters -- nor is it something the agent can readily accept. But what's done is done, including the retaliation the Ansatsuken warrior had visited upon his opponent in exchange. The agent in dark grey only hopes that she does not cause further indiscretions... at least until the combatants are finished. She sticks to her cover, holding position for now. Judging from their progress, Kasugano assesses the fight could still go either way.
"Heh. Heh. Heh." Mr. Big chuckles darkly as he rises to his feet from the crouch. Stretching languidly as Ryu watches him silently, the Pimpcane Papichulo returns the stare with amusement. "How'd that taste /World Warrior/?" Mr. Big says, the title spit from his mouth with disdain. "There's more where that came from," he promises as a cool blue glow seems to flash from behind his dark shades. "So I hope you haven't had your fill." Flexing the muscles in his forearms slowly, Mr. Big seems to savor the sound of the batons as they creak under the pressure of his grip. The faint blue glow seems to grow in strength as he builds himself up, promising to take the fight to another level.
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big gathers his will.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Ryu
Okay, so Big wasn't biting. Once more, his taunts go without reaction Ryu's behalf, though the sterner fighter -is- starting to think the man talked too much, a case of bark over bite. And his bite wasn't to be trifled with, either!
But very well, if that's the kind of game that was going to play, Ryu would up the stakes himself. Thought one hadouken was annoying? Ha! It's only just begin as the Ansatsuken fighter again assumes that familiar position, this time accumulating a flaming orange chi in lieu of the more familiar blue. "Shakunetsu.." The words come, and once more he'll extend his palms, letting Big have a taste of Hadouken's more powerful variation, "Hadouuuuken!"
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big endures Ryu's Shakunetsu Hadouken.
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Mr.Big 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Ryu
Orange huh? Well damn. The last one was blue. And if Mr. Big knows anything about temperature maps that means that THIS hadouken is about 25 degrees hotter than the other one, or does it mean it receives around 50 less inches of precipitation a year? ...Either way it's bad.
Holding his ground yet again as the fiery ball of chi burns towards him, Mr. Big grunts in amused resignation, a corner of his lip twitching up into a humorless smile.
"Ah, why the hell not," Mr. Big asks himself before lurching into action and running straight at the orange hadouken. Rather than hanging back in wait, the gangster seems to have taken a more 'heads on' approach this time. "Ahhhhhhhh!" Mr. Big bellows as he charges the projectile and bursts right through it! His coat charred and smoldering as he emerges from the other side, Mr. Big quickly leaps at Ryu while he still has his forward momentum flinging him forward. Lashing out with the baton in his right hand, the crime boss attempts to smack the hobo's face with it solidly before following it up with a shoryuken-like reverse-gripped baton uppercut strike that will hopefully make contact with his chin and send him flying into the air with Big.
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Mr.Big's California Romance.
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Mr.Big 1/------=/=======|=======\==-----\1 Ryu
Kurow l
Even knowing the power of the attack, the fighting don just went ahead and plowed right through the thing anyways, all in an attempt to get at Ryu? Really, he couldn't tell if the man was determined or simple insane, in that regard. Still, if the idea is to catch the wanderer off-guard, it won't quite succeed at that. It's not the first time someone has forced their way through one of his attacks, so he's not unprepared. Tilting his head, the fighter will manage to evade the first blow meant for his head, then succintly holds his ground against the follow-up with both arms. Bruised for certain, but nowhere as bad as it could've been. Plus? It puts him in perfect position to strike back! And strike he will, rising into the air in a powerful series of spinnig kicks against the bald crime boss, "Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku!"
Sakura's frown fades back to a neutral expression as she watches Mr. Big run through the Shakunetsu Hadouken. She's well aware, from personal experience, just how much those things hurt.
As a direct result, though, she can sense the tide of the battle. Staying longer would jeopardize the young woman's chances of escape. And she can already rest assured that she was spotted, considering Ryu's earlier reaction.
It just wouldn't do to depart the scene without leaving a calling card, though. The Shadaloo agent pulls out a bright yellow scarf -- one she'd had upon her person the day she was kidnapped by the Seven Days -- and discreetly ties it to the tree. Anyone who looked this way would notice it... and anyone of Ryu's caliber would surely recall it wasn't there at the start of the fight. There's a slight pull at the corner of her lips at the notion of leaving a fight before its conclusion... but she was told something very important recently.
If you see them, run.
She discreetly slips away from the scene with no further incident.
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Mr.Big with Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.
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Mr.Big 1/--=====/=======|=======\===----\1 Ryu
Battered and bruised by the hurricane of kicks, Mr. Big falls to the ground with a thud amidst a cloud of dirt. Perhaps sensing his energy is running thin; Mr. Big takes no time with trash talk or rest before rolling back to his feet. Gritting his teeth as he rushes towards Ryu, the Southsynd Gangster roars unintelligibly as he begins to weave the baton in his right hand in a figure eight motion, attempting to beat against Ryu's head, neck, and chest like a Taiko drummer beating on his drum. If he's able to hit Ryu cleanly a couple ten times, Mr. Big will finish up the barrage with two powerful rib-crushing double-baton slaps against each of his flanks.
COMBATSYS: Ryu fails to interrupt Drum Shot Typhoon from Mr.Big with Shin Shoryuken.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Ryu
Perhaps his mind is still elsewhere, or maybe Big just found the right opening, but Ryu is caught entirely off-guard by that attack. On several occasions he attempts to shore up a defense, or exploit an opening in Big's attack pattern, but the bald-headed fighter will have none of it, smashing through each attempt with a powerful blow of that baton. It's staggering, and for the first time in the fight the wanderer begins to -really- feel the heat as his stumbles back several paces in the aftermath of Big's fury.
Grinning wildly as he FINALLY feels the sensation of his batons smacking sickly against soft human flesh, Mr. Big almost seems to draw energy from his success as he finally begins to feel the momentum begin to swing towards his favor. Pressing on after Ryu stumbles, Mr. Big keeps his batons blurring as resumes his deadly drummer-like barrage. Strike after strike will fly towards Ryu's head and chest as the gangster advances, determined to crush Ryu's bones to powder.
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big successfully hits Ryu with Crazy Drum Dram.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Ryu
It just goes to show that the battlefield can change at even a moment's notice. Big's attack once more finds it's mark, and the anasatsuken fighter finds himself pushed past the brink..but not before he can wedge out one more strike in the form of a lesser version of his triple spinning kicks. He'll leap up, leaping forward with one last, spinning kick before collapsing to the ground.
Just before he fades out, however, Ryu spies in the distance an object that shouldn't be there..a yellow scarf tied to a tree.
He...must be seeing things... *thud*
COMBATSYS: Ryu can no longer fight.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Mr.Big with Senpuu Kyaku.
Glancing Blow
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Mr.Big 0/-------/----===|
The blood pounding in his ears, Mr. Big senses the end of the fight looming before him, but it might not be the end for him this time. Laughing sadistically as his batons find flesh yet again, the lubricious Mr. Big is somewhat caught off guard by the spinning kick. "No..." Big gasps and the foot flies towards him. His vision blurry, Mr. Big quickly falls to his knees as the foot passes harmlessly over his head. "Ye-" Mr. Big begins to say with relief, that is, until Ryu's nearly unconscious form crashes into him and knocks Mr. Big to the ground. "Gnnnh... Not... out yet..." He groans for any cameras that might be watching before dragging himself to his feet. "Damn..." Mr. Big mutters as he looks down at Ryu's limp form. "Feh. World Warrior." Mr. Big spits out again as he nudges the man with his foot contemptuously. "You never had a chance," he informs the Ansatsuken Master before turning to limp out of the clearing. Right Mr. Big, and you're in such pristine condition.
Dragging one of his feet behind him as he trudges through the leaves and dirt, Mr. Big squints through the waning light of the woods, attempting to locate his ride. "Hmm... what's this?" Mr. Big asks himself as he notices a yellow scarf fluttering in the breeze. Plucking the scarf off of the branch, the gangster holds it up to his nose and takes a long sniff. "Ahhh... cherry," he states a little dreamily. Pulling his own bloody and singed scarf that is tied in an ascot around his neck; Mr. Big tosses the ruined piece of clothing to the ground and replaces it with his newfound prize. "Much better," he says before making his way to where he remembers his car might be parked.
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big takes no action.
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Mr.Big 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Mr.Big has ended the fight here.
CSYS: Your final tallies for that fight were: Health: 1% Reserve: 61% Super: 23%.
Log created on 17:47:36 06/12/2007 by Mr.Big, and last modified on 09:51:34 06/13/2007.