Description: Mike Haggar, incapable of coping with Mr. Karate's harsh lessons, rampages madly through the jungles of Thailand - right into an Ikari camp.
With the events of Bangkok and Thailand's liberation more or less winding down, now is the time for things to return to some sense of normalcy. Aiding in this pursuit of stability are the Ikari Warriors. Their various camps throughout Thailand are slowly being disassembled, save for a few, larger camps, where people - fighters and survivors alike - can go in the case of necessary aid.
At one of the smaller camps, Commander Heidern of the Ikari Warriors stands, long arms folded neatly across his broad chest as he oversees the operation at hand. His single, remaining eyes with a certain bit of scrutiny as soldiers and aides alike begin the long, arduous process of disassembling tents and make-shift command centers, all of which are loaded up onto one of many transport copters.
Despite the hard, rather cold and emotionless expression which haunts his face, the man is contented. Heidern swore to the leader of Shadaloo he would not last, and it would seem his predictions yielded positive results. The tyrant has fallen, and now begins the long process of healing.
But healing is never and easy process. The real work has only just begun.
With the events of Bangkok and Thailand's liberation more or less winding down, now is the time for things to return to some sense of normalcy. Aiding in this pursuit of stability are the Ikari Warriors. Their various camps throughout Thailand are slowly being disassembled, save for a few, larger camps, where people - fighters and survivors alike - can go in the case of necessary aid.
At one of the smaller camps, Commander Heidern of the Ikari Warriors stands, long arms folded neatly across his broad chest as he oversees the operation at hand. His single, remaining eye eyes with a certain bit of scrutiny as soldiers and aides alike begin the long, arduous process of disassembling tents and make-shift command centers, all of which are loaded up onto one of many transport copters.
Despite the hard, rather cold and emotionless expression which haunts his face, the man is contented. Heidern swore to the leader of Shadaloo he would not last, and it would seem his predictions yielded positive results. The tyrant has fallen, and now begins the long process of healing.
But healing is never and easy process. The real work has only just begun.
Healing is never easy.
But it is, at least, better than the process which caused the wounds to begin with.
With the fall of Bangkok and Shadaloo's dictator, there has been much cause for celebration -- but little time to actually -celebrate-. What most don't get to see, is the fact that war is rarely over with the defeat of the enemy. Damages done throughout the entire span of conflict -- even for one (especially for one) as exceptionally quick and brutal as this one -- take a long time to recover from. Remaining Shadaloo forces must be driven off, villages and cities rebuilt, and prisoners rescued and recovered from their ordeals, just to name a few. But still, despite the misery of it all, it comes with a sense of relief, however small it is:
They won.
And winning a war, especially against a megalomaniacal sentient chin, deserves celebration, no matter how small. The sun shines brightly in the skies above today, beating down with a searing, relentless heat as the Ikari Warriors begin to disassemble the tents and command centers, pack up all the equipment. And as Heidern watches on with that lone, stoic eye, he might hear something coming in from behind -- a lone vehicle. The enemy? Likely not. Instead...
Instead, what drives in is a large humvee, being driven by an Ikari soldier. In the back where a gun turret should be, or a rocket launcher, or something to cause some sort of explosion of pain, is a gigantic, metal keg, shining brightly in the light. Sitting atop it? Clark Steel, offering a calm smile to his CO as they drive in. If Ralf was here, he'd probably be whooping and hollering and calling people girl's names. Sadly, all Heidern gets is this:
"... Thought we could go for some celebrating."
Booyah.
The good guys won. The bad guys lost. At a glance, that is the state of things in Thailand. But for some, the story is not so simple.
Mike Haggar, Mayor of Metro City, came to Thailand to do good. If one were to look at his accomplishments here, anyone would agree that his acts were those of a good man - but to say that he made a difference would be self-deception. It was not true arrogance that caused Haggar to work separately from everyone, but rather a stubborn certainty that he could do more alone than in a highly-noticeable group. That is, at least, what prevented him from doing all that he could here.
There were other problems, of course, deep-seated things that the mayor did not even realize were there. Takuma Sakizaki, in the guise of Mr. Karate, met him in the temple of Saraburi, and revealed his own foolishness to him with a large side of complete disassembly. Worse yet, he knows it all to be true... but it was too much, too fast. Haggar's mind is having difficulty accepting his faults, and he unconciously reverts to old habits of stress relief.
The good guys won. The bad guys lost. At a glance, that is the state of things in Thailand. But for some, the story is not so simple.
Mike Haggar, Mayor of Metro City, came to Thailand to do good. If one were to look at his accomplishments here, anyone would agree that his acts were those of a good man - but to say that he made a difference would be self-deception. It was not true arrogance that caused Haggar to work separately from everyone, but rather a stubborn certainty that he could do more alone than in a highly-noticeable group. That is, at least, what prevented him from doing all that he could here.
There were other problems, of course, deep-seated things that the mayor did not even realize were there. Takuma Sakizaki, in the guise of Mr. Karate, met him in the temple of Saraburi, and revealed his own foolishness to him with a large side of complete disassembly. Worse yet, he knows it all to be true... but it was too much, too fast. Haggar's mind is having difficulty accepting his faults, and he unconciously reverts to old habits of stress relief.
If you were to ask him, if he could answer you, the wrestler would say he is looking for Shadaloo thugs to smash. The truth of the matter is, he is looking for someone, anyone, crashing through the jungle. The highly-trained senses of the Ikaris will likely reckon his maddened approach as a freight train crashing through everything, on a collision course with the camp.
Mr. Karate helped Mike Haggar last night... but he is not taking it well.
Standing like a mighty redwood amongst men and women, the Ikari Commander just observes. This is their victory, and theirs to celebrate. He, on the other hand, is a man who prefers his a quiet time alone. But times like these are never quiet, and the elder soldier never truly has time to himself. To the casual observer, it would almost appear as if the men and women around him do not even notice him. They are too busy, too occupied to consider their superior officer.
And he doesn't mind it one bit.
The man only moves with a sound emerges from behind. Turning his head, he regards the approaching humvee. He regards the other Ikari with a lazy smirk, before he simply draws that solitary blue eye to a close and bows his head, turning it lazily back toward the camp before him. Celebration? It seems to be Ikari commonplace. He says nothing; instead, the man just lets his mind zone out briefly, a tiny smile still haunting those dry lips.
Until a distant sound gives him reason to twitch.
Lifting his head quite swiftly, that single blue eye swivels sharply toward the edge of the nearby jungle. Peering, that sharp eye attempts to discern what approaches, be it friend or foe. While Thailand's dictatorship may have fallen, it does not mean that everyone is entirely safe. Whatever troubles the Mayor of Metro is unknown to the old soldier.
All he knows is something with a particularly irritable intent approaches...and it is looking for something to smash.
And Heidern is waiting.
It IS a time for celebration. Clark had deigned that now would be the appropriate time for it, since, after all, it is one of the few calm moments in a hectic sea of work, one of the few times he could likely manage to drag the commanding officer of the Ikari away from his deep stoic perhaps internal-monologuing reveries and convince him to have a few beers in celebration. That's the plan. And he thought it was a pretty good one, too, which is why he's gone through all the trouble of getting a giant freaking keg of beer and transporting it out into the Middle of Nowhere, Thailand. All for a good cause.
The humvee comes to a slow, screeching halt just to the side of Heidern as it pulls up to the remaining tent in this makeshift headquarters. With an easy application of his thick, used boot against the side of the keg, Clark pushes off with a slight 'hmph!' of effort, landing with a thud against the ground feet-first. Dust and sand kicks up around him in his landing, and Clark half-assedly waves the thin veil of dust from his eyes as he approaches Heidern, slapping the keg once.
"You should come have some beer, sir," he starts casually, offering little persuasion beyond that. He's not a man of many words, but Heidern knows that; it's a trait they both share. "You should get a moment to relax before we head out--" He's cut off. Not by anything booming or sudden, but by the steady, unnervingly rapid approach of some sound or another. One that not only catches his notice, but Heiderns. Slowly, covered eyes turn, pulling towards the direction of the noise. Behind his shades, he arches a brow, hands slowly sliding up to cross at his chest. His mouth gapes thoughtfully.
"... huh." Something's coming. Something unpleasant. Hopefully not ninja, but then...
... it sounds a lot worse than that.
There is a very nice, old tree on the edge of the camp. It has coconuts or whatever kind of fruit grows in Thailand. They look delicious. Something happens that causes all of the coconuts or whatever to hit the ground.
The tree fucking explodes.
Not in a conflagration, mind you, but at least half of the trunk simply shatters as Haggar, in his unconcious rage, barrels through it. Sweat soaks his body, his breath is ragged, and he is in a brutal mockery of his fighting stance. His face looks like rage incarnate, but not aimed at anyone - in standard Capcom character design, his eyes would be pure white at this point. Behind Haggar is a quite obvious wreckage of foliage. His knuckles are all split and bloody, as though he's been punching /something/ harder than his hands. It becomes obvious what it is in the next second, as his right fist comes flying up, striking against his temple. He barely registers his own blow.
"I'm a goddamn... HRAAAAGH!" Normally one has to smoke a carton of cigarettes a day to get a voice as ragged as Mike Haggar's - perhaps he has been roaring for quite some time now. Snarling, he rakes his gaze across the camp, finally settling on the most imposing man there - Heidern. Haggar thrusts a finger, bellowing, "SHADALOO PUNK!" and wastes no time just launching himself at the Ikari commander, right hand trying to seize him by the head to rip him off his feet and hurl him into the humvee.
COMBATSYS: Haggar has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Haggar 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Heidern has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Heidern 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Haggar
COMBATSYS: Clark has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Heidern
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Haggar 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Heidern blocks Haggar's Quick Throw.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Clark 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Heidern
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Haggar 0/-------/-------|
It's true. Heidern should have some beer and celebrate, but, frankly, he has far too many things he should concern himself with. As far as the elder soldier is aware, there is still a lot of work to be done on his end of things. His subordinates, on the other hand, have earned this time. They should enjoy their hard-earned victory.
But for all his encouragement, he receives little more than another lopsided smirk.
Swift it is to fade, however. That solitary blue eye is fixed on the distant horizon, toward the jungle's edge. While the rest of the Ikari camp might not notice it, Heidern and his trusted Ikari do. For a long moment there is an odd stillness in the air, a silence only the two, seasoned Ikari can feel.
Then movement. More specifically, an explosion of wood, leaves and coconut.
Far from startled is the commander, however. Glaring across the way, Heidern watches as a large, burly man emerges, looking particularly enraged. The soldier knows many faces, and this is no exception. For a moment, the commander seems sincerely surprised. What on earth..?
Something is amiss. It becomes apparent when Heidern is singled out not as an Ikari, but as a Shadaloo enemy. Dry lips suddenly cut into a harsh frown, that solitary eye hooding a touch. Before the man can even speak he's being LUNGED at, hand first with the intent to just chuck the aging soldier into the humvee. Old, he may be.
But slow, Heidern is not.
Jerking a hand out, the soldier grabs Haggar's meaty arm by the wrist, long digits curling particularly fierce around that appendage. "Mike Haggar," the man states, his words cold and frighteningly composed. Already the pair have earned the gaze of every single man and woman gathered.
"What is your damage?"
The other gloved hand curls into a tight fist before it suddenly jerks forward, intent on just punching him in the abdomen.
All that...
... all that -coconut-.
Despite the fact that his sports cap and shades provide an almost perfect cover for the expression in his brows and eyes, that doesn't stop Clark Steel from going a little slack-jawed in shock from seeing that entire tree EXPLODE in the wake of what has to be a T-Rex or some sort of horde of communists rampaging straight through into ther jungle clearing. Surprised is expressed in the way Clark's mouth hangs open, at a loss for words. He leans forward. Squints. At this point, he expects to see something like the Incredible Hulk swinging a tank angrily through the air, or perhaps some kind of train that makes a path through the jungle. He doesn't really know. He's prepared for whatever it is, though, and as he looks to see what kind of monstrosity is bearing towards him, what he sees is...
"... Mike Haggar?"
Anything else would have been less surprising. Anything else, he could handle with a straight, stoic face. But the fact that -Haggar-, Mayor of Metro City, is stampeding across the ground with rage clear in his eyes and murder in his voice, well -- it takes Clark aback for a moment out of simple -surprise-. Haggar crashes towards his commanding officer, and though Clark knows the other man can take care of himself, he still tenses in preparation.
"... Man," he begins as Haggar's hand launches straight into Heidern's waiting grasp. Things really are crazy down here. The moment that Heidern intercepts, though, Clark springs forward across the ground, making a sudden rush towards Haggar. The intent is simple; use his momentum, combined with Heidern's own unnervingly fast blow, to carry Haggar off his feet and then -slam- him into the ground to pin him there, and hopefully -hold- him. Wishful thinking, probably. "HMPH!"
COMBATSYS: Clark has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Haggar 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Clark
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Heidern 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Heidern has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Haggar 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Heidern successfully hits Haggar with Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Haggar 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Clark's Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Haggar 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Heidern
Heidern's return blow strikes cleanly, making a loud thump and forcing the wrestler back a few steps, right into Clark's grip. However, fighting is in Haggar's blood. His soul. Even while operating on a completely reptilian level, he still moves and reacts like the skilled champion that he is. The wrestler folds with Clark's momentum - the hit is still hard, and he feels it cleanly, but he tenses up and /curls,/ rolling right over Clark's shoulder to land on his feet.
"HOOOREAAAAAAAGH!" is his only response to Heidern, spittle flying from his mouth. His hands both come up again, one slamming into his head, and then the other. The strike seems to cement him, and he goes from roar to scowl. He isn't really seeing Clark and Heidern - if he could, he would stop his attack right now. The two are featureless blobs to his vision. Haggar is completely incapable of commanding his own actions, but that doesn't blunt his ability in the least.
The astute observer might notice that the top of the tree has not come down yet. The observer would be immediately shown wrong, as it slams heavily to the ground right behind Mike Haggar, losing the two coconuts it still had. "LET'S... LET'S SEE YOU... HRAAAGH! COME ON!" He bridges back, a movement nobody in their right mind would do in a fight, gripping the tree and lurching forward. Muscles strain and bruise, but he's far past pain at this point. The tree-top comes flying forward right at the last person to get his attention.
A gloved fist bites cleanly into Haggar's waiting abdomen, knocking the Mayor back a few steps. Unfortunately, and perhaps to the surprise of Heidern himself, Clark is there, waiting to intercept the man and hold him at bay. It was a good plan, but it fails to see any real fruition. Driven by anger and more base, primal emotions, the raging man only bellows in response to the Ikari Commander.
Heidern frowns. Haggar has gone mad.
The tree falls, but Heidern pays it no mind - not immediately, at least. Instead, the soldier squints that one, good eye of his, watching as the man simply turns and grabs the tree before he hurls it at his fellow Ikari. Clark is a capable soldier - he can handle it just fine, and it would insult him to step in the way, after all.
With that in mind, Heidern just slides into his stance, an odd, hazy red glow crawling to life around his lanky form.
"Haggar," he says, still employing that frighteningly calm tone. "Stop this. Now."
COMBATSYS: Heidern gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Haggar 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Clark endures Haggar's Random Weapon.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Heidern
Oh, no. This is no good. Haggar has clearly gone crazy, and somehow thinks that Clark and Heidern are -- Shadaloo officers? This fact alone is absurd enough, but it's obviously Haggar is not in his right senses. And when someone like Haggar goes on a rampage, there's typically only one way to put a stop to it: beating them until all that adrenaline runs out. Otherwise, Haggar's going to do a lot worse than blow up coconut trees in Thailand. Clark can only be thankful that Haggar plowed through -here- before he came across any innocent villagers.
Clark can feel free to not be thankful when he feels Haggar give a bit too easily under his shoulder-rush, and can only look startled for a moment when Haggar literally rolls -over- him and lands opposite to his still-running form. With a surprised stagger, Clark comes to a halt, pivoting on his right foot before he spins around bodily to stare at the mayor. "... we don't want to hurt you, just stop--you really can't hear what I'm saying, can you?"
'HRAAAGH! COME ON!' And then Haggar grabs a tree.
"Ah, crap."
And then comes that tree top. Instead of trying to get away, or blocking against the brunt of that damage, though, Clark simply rushes -through- it. The tree top crashes STRAIGHT against his shoulders with an explosive splintering of wood and leaves, but somehow Clark manages to find the strength to keep through. He grips solidly onto Haggar's shoulders, seeking to lift him straight up into the air. From there? He'll lift, and then bring the man DOWN in a sudden blur of motion, dropping to one knee as he seeks to -slam- Haggar right across his knee. Free from hollering or noise, Clark simply seeks to bend Haggar's back forcefully against his powerful leg, before flipping him over in a roll -- straight towards Heidern. Beat sense into him.
This could be painful.
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Haggar with Arabian Burglary Backbreaker.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Heidern
As Heidern is not doing anything to him at this moment, Haggar does not even "think" about him as he smashes the treetop right into Clark's upper body. He casts the shattered end of the foliage aside an instant before Clark gets to him, and tries to instinctively roll backward. It... doesn't work. The big man thrashes, but Clark is a master at these short, dynamic moves, and Haggar finds his spine heavily knee'd.
Sent rolling, he comes to a stop prone somewhere halfway between Clark and Heidern, back arched with his hand pressed against the point of impact. For a moment, clarity swims before his eyes, and his face returns to sanity as he rolls away. His brows furrow in confusion as he glances around almost wildly... but then everything crashes back down. Mike Haggar has always been a proud man, and the simple fact of the matter is, he's never /screwed up/ this much in his entire life. "I'm such a goddamn... IDIOT..."
Unfortunately, that's all he manages to choke out before his fury at himself overtakes his reason. Mike Haggar's fists pound at the ground, and he rolls back toward the haze-glowing Heidern. He rockets up in what is very much an uppercut, hands knitted together. Most uppercuts aren't that damn fast, though.
COMBATSYS: Heidern endures Haggar's Violent Axe.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Clark
> ////////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Heidern
It would seem that, for all their best efforts, Haggar is too far lost in his rage and self-loathing to pay mind to the Ikari soldiers. As he attacks Clark, who otherwise insists Haggar stop, as they do not wish to hurt him, the older man just stands his ground, that odd red haze still hovering about and around his tall, lanky figure.
As the tree slams into Clark, Heidern offers the faintest wince of sympathy, but otherwise remains cold and composed. The counterattack proves successful, and as result Haggar is ultimately sent rolling. Unfortunately, this puts him on the path for Heidern. The old soldier just frowns.
Again. But does Heidern move out of the way? No.
He just takes it.
Sent sailing up, the old soldier is airborne, by not entirely by the sheer force of Haggar's blow. Instead, the man has a reason for taking to the skies; twisting his body midair, Heidern suddenly dives toward Haggar, with the intent of crashing into him forearms-first for a particularly staggering blow.
Haggar is certainly -- at the very least -- attempting to wrestle with whatever enormous rage seems to be brewing inside of him. That, in itself, is a relief for Clark. It means they won't have to beat him too hard in order to knock some sense into him.
However, whatever internal conflict is boiling within Haggar is completely beyond Clark, and it seems that it's beyond Haggar's ability to control. He watches as the mayor struggles, and then surges -forward- with that uncanny speed, seeking to sock Heidern straight into the air. And so he does; the instant the blow connects, Clark knows, Heidern meant for it to happen. Probably for the best. It might help Haggar to vent.
As soon as Heidern launches through the air, Clark is already scrambling across the space between himself and Haggar, sand kicking up from his sudden spring out of his kneeling position. His intent is pretty simple: Steel attempts to come to a stop just under Haggar, throwing up his hands to catch the man by his sides. He'll grip, throw, and then... jump UP to headbutt him right in the face, to send him soaring even higher -- straight for Heidern's mighty aerial blow. "HUP!!"
COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Clark's Combo Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Clark
> /////////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Haggar counters Fierce Punch from Heidern with Hammer Thru.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Clark
> /////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Heidern
This night, that last surfacing of sanity... it's going to be Haggar's last, at least until the Ikaris inevitably put him down. He's not going to make it easy, though.
Clark manages to manhandle the big man, hurling him up into the air, but Haggar twists at the last instant to catch Clark's headbutt with a forearm. He's still hurled up higher at Heidern, but now he's spinning, too. "HRRRAAAAAAAGH!" His hands come around like a damn sledgehammer, and he simply smashes right through Heidern's skilled attack, twisting him around. The apex of the wrestler's fight finds him right over the commando - and he balls his fists together and slams him down, following soon after.
His weakness is starting to show, though - when Haggar hits the ground, he stumbles to the side, crashing into a tent. It falls, wrapping him up, but he bursts through in a matter of moments. "HRAAAGH!"
The problem with an aerial strike is maneuverability. Descending on the bulky mayor, Heidern's given precious few options in regard to properly defending himself from any potential counterattacks. Clark makes good of his freedom, however good a defense the other man provides. It was a good attempt. But clearly it wasn't good enough.
For either Ikari.
Those beefy hands suddenly cleave the air, swinging up and fiercely, right into the face of Commander Heidern. Struck, the man's graceful descent is marred, his form squirming midair, but given precious little time to DO so. Suddenly Haggar is above, and those massive fists crash against him, driving the soldier into the dirt. He rolls once then, in a display of odd grace and fluidity, handsprings off the ground and lands with a muted thud on dry dirt.
Haggar is clearly mad, drunken by his rage. Shaking his head once, almost pitifully, the soldier's lips pull tightly across his weathered face. At first, Heidern employs a slow, patient gait as he moves near the tent the mayor is rolled up into. Soon, however, the Ikari commander breaks into a short sprint, before his form suddenly twists; lifting a foot high, he attempts to bring his heel down onto Haggar, hopefully to knock the mayor out.
Or knock sense into him.
Ooh... that's not good. That's not good at all. Clark can't help but wince as he bears witness to Haggar just punching the crap out of his Commanding Officer. Though he knows Heidern can take it, and take it like a man... it still looks ungodly painful. He winces slightly to himself, lips curling a bit in recognition of how painful the assault must have been.
Clark lands silently in a crouch, breathing out a bit as dust settles around him. He lifts, looking towards the clearly weakened Haggar. Lifting his hand, he peels his sports cap from his hand, wipes sweat from his brow... and then slaps that cap back on, blonde brows noticeably furrowing in concentration and -- more important -- determination. Heidern is still keeping things relatively light. Clark though?
The moment Heidern whips forward to slam his booted foot into the Mayor, Clark runs forward. His right hand cocks back next to the side of his face, and flares with blue-white flames of chi that spread down along the length of his arm. In one singularly powerful movement, Clark -twists- as soon as he's close enough, hurling his fist bodily forward in a vicious right hook aimed to clobber Haggar across the face before the chi around his arm simply EXPLODES -- the intent being the same as Heidern's -- just a bit more explosive in action.
COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Heidern's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Clark successfully hits Haggar with Vulcan Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Heidern
It won't be long now, especially after the incoming assault. The big man is finally wearing down, his moves growing more sluggish, mad eyes occasionally unfocusing. He's still "there," though, and will be until the moment he drops.
Mike Haggar's arms shoot up, catching Heidern's foot in a cross and pushing it to the side. For a moment it looks like he's going to once again follow up with a titanic axehandle, but after his in-step, Clark explodes onto the scene. Haggar bellows like a wounded animal when the chi explodes against him, ripping through his physical defenses as it always does, dropping him to a knee. "YOU'RE... NOT GONNA..." His hamfists slam into the ground, slamming tiny craters. An angry caterpillar is unearthed.
He's not quite finished, though. His next bellow is accompanied by flecks of blood as he surges back to his feet, conveniently located practically between Heidern and Clark. Old instinct kicks in, and without any warm-up whatsoever, the mayor goes into a ridiculous spin, arms jutting out to either side like some kind of delicious tornado.
"OHHHH-WHOAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
COMBATSYS: Heidern counters Spinning Clothesline from Haggar with Killing Bringer.
[ \ < > //////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Clark dodges Haggar's Spinning Clothesline.
[ \ < > //////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Heidern
His move made, Heidern's harsh foot is intercepted and thusly cast aside by a swift Haggar. For a moment, the vaguest look of surprise haunts the soldier's face, and only fades as Clark comes barging in, to blast the angry mayor with a particularly fierce blast. Pausing, Heidern spares the other Ikari a brief glance before his hardened features turn back onto Haggar as he holler and makes a particularly imposing display to everyone.
And the poor, angry caterpillar.
"Not going to what?" the Ikari commander asks, sounding almost genuinely bemused, if not for the perpetual tone of coldness he oft employs. Watching carefully, Heidern observes as he rises and, with a sudden and interesting display of brute strength, sails for the pair of soldiers with arms flailing.
Heidern is having none of this.
Briefly, his eyes flicker to Clark. Deftly, the other man gets out of dodge. Perfect. This gives Heidern a chance to make his move. Rather than dodge like his compatriot, however, the old Ikari intercepts the initial blow against his forearm. Twisting his hand swiftly thereafter, he grabs Haggar by the wrist and tosses him airborne.
Sliding beneath as the mayor descends, Heidern's hand shoots up and otherwise impales Haggar on his long, deadly fingertips, an odd haze glowing about his entire arm. It's a gruesome and particularly nasty display, but then again, Haggar isn't precisely in his right mind. So desperate times call for desperate measures.
Unfortunately.
Ultimately, Heidern rises and gives his arm a shove. Haggar is tossed aside, just as the old Ikari commander turns on his polished boots, tossing his hand out to his side. Flecks of red stain the dry earth, but Heidern is neither proud nor disappointed. He just stands, his features stern.
"Stop this. Now, Haggar. Do not make me exercise desperate measures to make you cease and desist this insane behavior unfitting for a mayor of Metro City."
Haggar is on the rampage, like some sort of natural disaster of meat. A meatticane, if you will. And the tornado of massive mayor might isn't going to stop, it appears, even when Clark applies a heaping helping of explosive chi to the edge of his punch. No -- no, it seems that Haggar is intent on powering through like a maniac, crashing back towards Clark and Heidern like an unstoppable force. But --
--not too unstoppable.
Clark knows instantly, though -- if that attack swings in full, it's going to hurt like hell. Rather than stand around and bear the full brunt of it, though, Steel is surprisingly quick to react.l Bending backwards at the waist, Clark falls -just- underneath Haggar's spinning fury. He falls backwards in a sudden, swift roll, maneuvering out of the way of that uncontained mass of caterpillar-like twister hatred. Landing in a crouch, he watches -- and winces. Heidern stops Haggar's attack cold... and Clark knows what comes next.
He can't feel anything other than sorry for Haggar as the poor man is hurled into the air and impaled with Heidern's knife-like hand. He knows, of course, given Haggar's reputation and his strength, it won't kill him. But it probably won't be pleasant... and it'll probably put the man down. That's what he hopes, at least.
For now? Clark waits in a crouch, taking a moment to catch his breath. Even outnumbered as he is, a raging Haggar is a scary, scary thing.
COMBATSYS: Clark gains composure.
[ \ < > //////////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Heidern
The Spinning Clothesline is Haggar's original. It is the move Zangief copied from him after watching tapes of his fights. Mad Gear learned to fear it, as he could easily knock out five men at once with it.
Heidern completely disassembles it.
Haggar is also known for his Power Swing, and the method in which the Ikari leader throws him into the air is quite reminiscient of that. His other arm flies wide, making it that much easier for Clark to duck under it. He comes back down roaring, hands balled above his head as if to smash Heidern into the ground. It doesn't happen, finders driving deep into his chest, punching through muscle to scrape against bone.
Still Haggar does not falter.
He's flung to the side, but his face is still a rictus of rage. His chest should be in complete agony, but it doesn't stop him from coming to his feet once more, charging once more. Everything is a blur to him, his running wavering but still as fast as it needs to be. Haggar doesn't even look to see who he's grabbing at - but he's definitely grabbing at someone.
COMBATSYS: Haggar can no longer fight.
> //////////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\0 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Clark interrupts Market Economy Buster from Haggar with Rebound Throw.
- Power hit! -
> ////////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Heidern
Clark is the gripped one!! It would probably have been better for Haggar to get Heidern, but no matter. As against Duke (rofl) the grip is imperfect, this time due to Haggar's inability to be precise. Once he has Clark, the wrestler bridges back once, slamming him headfirst onto the ground. He starts to roll back for a second...
Wham! Down Haggar goes -- or so Clark would hope. Instead, he finds himself facing down a very severely upset Haggar who probably doesn't know -who- he's swinging at, let alone where he is or even what time of day it is. It's clear that, unless thoroughly knocked out, the man is going to become a big problem. So, as Haggar comes crashing in, Clark prepares...
Haggar lashes out. Grips onto him, but as a grappler (and professional backbreaker), Clark knows when a technique is sloppy; loose; unfocused. And Haggar's strike out is all these things and more. As the man slings forward, seeking to lift and slam the Ikari lieutenant commander into the ground, there is not much in the way of resistance at first. He is slammed, HARD, into the ground, letting out a grunt of pain before his body rolls up. And as Haggar seeks to come in for a second... Clark's legs simply untense in one massive -shove- of his feet into the mayor's gut.
The intent is to launch the man into the air before he can get a clean grasp, and so Steel does. Airborne as Haggar is now, Clark is quick to get into a crouch, legs tensing before he, too, leaps into the air, seeking to snake out his right hand and get a solid grip onto one of Haggar's legs. He spins once, twice, three times, rotating around and around in a dizzying series of movements as they fly upward, meant to disorient and make breathing a bit more difficult for Haggar, until finally... he builds up enough momentum, and -RELEASES-.
Like a cannonball, Clark slingshots Haggar into the ground, aiming to deliver such force behind it that the impact alone will be enough to knock the wits out of poor mayor Haggar, and hopefully knock him out in his very own MayorCrater.
Despite Heidern's efforts to shut down the enraged Mayor completely, it would seem that still, even after that particularly painful and punctuated threat, the man is willing to move. Unfortunately for Haggar, it's apparent to the Ikari the man is operating on his proverbial last leg here. He's sloppy in his movements. While Haggar's vigor and odd persistence may be impressive, it is a hindrance at best. He's not operating at his utmost capacity.
Quite unexpected is the sudden charge forward - but he does not aim for the commander. No, his trek leads him right for the other Ikari. Pivoting on his heel, the soldier watches with that single good eye of his, as Haggar gets a grip of the man and attempts to heft him up and slam him down. But things go particularly different, and quite suddenly so.
Launched into the air, Heidern can do little more than watch as Haggar is repeatedly spun in Clark's grasp before he's launched back toward the earth below. Before impact, Heidern is mindful enough to leap back swiftly, avoiding the impact altogether. It's only brief; the moment Haggar has touched down again, the Ikari is moving in, his pace swift and sure. Only when he is near does the soldier crouch and reach out with a gloved hand, grabbing the man by his head.
Lifting it from the dirt, he will attempt to look the man in the eye, presuming he's still conscious.
"Mayor Mike Haggar. I do not know what has possessed you to act in such a wonton fashion, but it is unsuited for a man of your standing. What would your daughter think, if she were to see you acting like this, unnecessarily loathing yourself?" Frowning, the man's cold features are distantly sympathetic. A part of him can truly sympathize.
"Whatever has drive you this far, you need to drop it like a bad habit. Hate will only seek to corrupt and ultimately destroy you. Then what will you have?" He pauses.
"Nothing. Focus your anger in a different fashion. Stop being self-destructive and pick yourself back up. If you cannot beat them, fight to improve. There's always another day."
Rising up thereafter, the soldier will motion for an on-duty medic to collect the massive mayor and see to it the poor man is patched up and given the best treatment. Heidern's blue eye swivels to Clark briefly thereafter, offering him a stern gaze. "Thank you for your aid, Steel. I apologize your celebration was cut so short. However, when he's in better condition and, hopefully, spirits, please feel free to include mister Haggar in your booze-laden revelries." Pause.
"That's an order."
COMBATSYS: Heidern takes no action.
> ////////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Clark
> //////////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Heidern
COMBATSYS: Heidern has left the fight here.
> ////////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Clark
Clark whips Haggar down, and he smashes hard into the Thai dirt. The ground craters under him, and he creates a massive cloud of dust. Enough dust to kill a mortal man. The plume billows several feet into the air and spreads outward just as much, causing lesser men to cough. Surely this much dust has suffocated the raging mayor!
Next episode, the cloud finally clears. Rank and file soldiers watching the fight gasp as they behold the outline of Mike Haggar, slumped, but standing. This time, however, he doesn't charge. His legs simply do not move, though his hands clench and unclench a few times. Heidern's words fly at him like shuriken from the Ikaris' natural prey, and they seem to bounce off of his bleeding form. Finally, Haggar takes once more step.
Then something seems to give way. The mayor sags back, color slowly draining from his face as his furious expression relaxes. He lets out one mighty cough, and staggers back onto his behind. He stares, slack, at Heidern and Clark for what seems like an eternity before letting out one great groan, hand moving to his forehead as his upper body wavers. Now, on top of Mr. Karate's words, Heidern's are floating around in his skull, bouncing off the walls of his mind. Somehow, though, they serve to bring some order to him. In that moment, the past several minutes crash back into his head, and he stares at his hand aghast.
The last thing on his face as he starts to fall back is sorrow. Intense, bone-deep sorrow. He manages to wheeze one incomplete thing: "I... I'm... s..." before fully collapsing in the crater. One again, he's out.
Swing, swing, swing, slam, and there goes Haggar. The fact that he can still -STAND- after something like that is a testament to the man's tenacity, but it's clearly taken him no further than a proud, bull-headed and short-lived act of defiance. Ultimately, the Meaty Mayor of Metro falters and crashes to the ground, bruised, beaten and bleeding. Clark lands in a crouch besides Heidern soon after, exhaling noticeably as he rubs the back of his neck. Even when he keeps Haggar from hitting him full on, the man -still- hurts like hell.
The Ikari merc says nothing as he comes to a stand and Heidern begins his small, meaningful speech to the battered Mayor. Rubbing the back of his neck, Clark shoves both hands into his pockets, looking off towards the sky. He's not quite involved at this point, after all -- and he certainly can't provide any words that mean much more than the ones that Heidern provides. He's not one for speeches.
Instead, Clark rolls his shoulders, and waits out the last few glimmers of consciousness in Haggar. As the man finally passes out (he's like some sort of -robot-), Clark focuses his attention in on Heidern, blinking and considering the man's words.
"... Yeah, got it." He finally says, giving a casual sort of salute before his attention returns to the big man in the crater. "... You four!" He shouts out, gloved hand directing itself towards four of the Ikari grunts. "Pick him up and bring him back to the tent. And you..." His thumb jerks, to another nearby soldier, who stands at attention with a rigid salute. "... get Mayor Haggar a cup of beer when he comes to." A pause. Clark looks at the keg. Looks at the massive frame of Haggar being clumsily hefted by the mercenaries. Back to the keg.
"... Actually, make it a bucket." "A bucket of beer, sir--?" "Just do it."
And with that, Clark will walk off to get his own cup. It's time to relax. Lord knows he needs it after Haggar blew everything up.
COMBATSYS: Clark takes no action.
> ////////////////////// ]
|=======\=------\1 Clark
COMBATSYS: Clark has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:39:50 07/02/2007 by Haggar, and last modified on 00:08:58 07/08/2007.