Description: Having been soundly defeated at the Youth Center already... Why not try it again? This time approaching the esteemed training center with a modicum of respect.. The youth demands to fight the best they got! A dreadfully bored Frei is on hand to answer the call.. and give the boy an impromtu lesson on Chi, and sage advice.
Lately, the YFCC's been kind of a hotbed of activity. It's mostly increased visibility; some of the more high profile instructors like Hotaru Futaba have been making great showings in Neo League and Saturday Night Fights on TV, for example. Never mind the fact that Alma Towazu has merely but to breathe on something for young girls to come flocking to it. Plus Tran blusters in and breaks down the door on a semi-regular schedule. All in all, a pretty lively place.
This might be why Frei Renard is actually quite bummed out.
Right now he's sitting at the highly visible reception desk with his chin in his hand, twirling a pen with one finger distractedly and occasionally waving to one or two people as they enter. The actual normal receptionist Maaya is off to his left and doing MOST of the official greeting. She's prettier and more upbeat (in this instance anyway). Frei is just here because he was SUPPOSED to be teaching a class in chi basics right now.
This is hard to accomplish with a roster of 0 students.
"I mean, sure, not everyone is going to have the potential to get something right off the bat," the monk rattles off, to Maaya in specific and the world in general. The pen makes surprisingly handy flickers across his knuckles; Frei is more dexterous than he looks. "But it's like, they're not shooting lightning out of their eyes inside of three weeks and they all give up! You're never going to learn anything that way. It's like saying you could pick up a black belt in Tae Kwon Do through a correspondence course like they advertise at 3am on TV..."
Man it is -GOOD- to be able to stretch the legs again!
The Kenpo Kid wanders the outside street briskly. Occasionally jogging in place a few moments to keep the blood flow going in moments where his forward momentum stops. Being laid up in the Hospital for all those days... its taken a number out of his training regimen.
Realistically the boy should be happy he's still alive, let alone ambulatory a few days later, but he isn't going to let little things like.. oh.. bullet wounds and grenade burns get in the way. No no. The boy is on a -mission-, and there's whole Martial Arts Gurus out there, right now, who are going unclobbered.
This isn't to say Kentou isn't occasionally turning his mousey brown eyes skyward every so often. Just to make sure that rumble he -thought- he heard in the distance isn't yet another express freight package from Hell.
That said, the Boy got great mileage last time he went to the YFCC. Meeting Hotaru has turned out to be.. A wonderful thing. And she's only one of the many instructors here. The boy figures, might as well try his luck again. Maybe another famous fighter will be here!
The short, boisterous Youth then pushes open the doors. Mindful of his promise to Hotaru to never disrupt the classes again. Instead, he tries a new tact.
Disrupting the front desk!
The youth, bandages still woven about his arm and shoulder as well as a bandaid affixed to his cheek, immediately plows straight for Frei's desk. Looks the mighty warrior right in the eye and declairs!
%"Hey Mister! ..Where do the Fighting Champions hang out here?" o.= "You know! The instructors?"
Disrupting someone in mid-conversation? What?
It's actually quite comical what happens. Frei had been turned to poor Maaya -- who is becoming quite used to the interruptions by now -- and had his hand raised to make some sort of emphatic statement, which grinds to a total and complete halt when Kentou slams his hands on the desk. There's a certain degree of deja vu here, for Frei, whose mouth is open but no sound is coming out. In point of fact he's wondering if Tran was hit over the head with a shovel and has partial amnesia, since walking in and slamming both hands on the information desk is the good Doctor's favorite attention-grabbing tactic.
Shutting his mouth, the monk turns and gets a faceful of Kentou instead, green eyes blinking in surprise. However, after a moment he cracks a somewhat goofy, even sheepish grin as he rubs a hand idly across the top of his auburn-red hair in embarassment. "Fighting Champions... it sounds kind of like a video game." There's a pause, then he grins wider. "Haha, that would be neat! I'd love to see a 2D sprite of me kicking ass. Or maybe a 3D model..." He pauses, rubbing his chin in thought, Kentou momentarily forgotten.
It's when Maaya clears her throat next to him that Frei suddenly blinks, then puts his arms down and looks at Kentou more seriously, which isn't a long trip to make. "Uh, well, I don't know about fighting champions, but I'm an instructor. Kinda." He carefully avoids mentioning how his class just ditched him to wait in line for Super Mario Galaxy or something. The monk processes Kentou's bandages and squints at him for a moment. "Why? Did one of them beat you up?"
The boy, hardly more than a foot higher than the desk itself... if that.. Waits with what he would consider to be very soul of patience. Infact, whole SECONDS pass by while this secretary ponders the vast potential his pixelated counterpart would have in the virtual world. As heartbeats pass the boy's lips slooooowly contort in an accute pout. Luminous eyes do their best to stay focused on the topic at hand before abruptly adding, "Yeahsurerightokay Where's the fighters?!" The boy asks urgently again, looming closer as he actually balances himself on his hands on the edge of the desk now. The tips of his toes dangle a few inches off the ground precariously as he half-lurches over the furnishing. o_o
However! As Frei elaborates to his own job here, Kentou huhs. Quirking his head to the side curiously as he squints a bit closer to this fighting pencil-pusher, "...Well... You do have a headband.." The boy sagely comments, feet kicking in contemplation beneath him as he considers this criteria heavily.
"Huh? Whuh? OH!" Hopping back to his feet, pointing to his bandaged shoulder, "Oh no no! Noo no nothing like that! He-heeeh. Actually.. Ah. It was.. um." Okay, how to explain this without sounding like a crazy doofus. Neverminding the fact that its impossible for Kentou to sound like anything ELSE.. but, "You..ah.. wouldn't believe me if I told you." '_';
Clearing his throat then as he -points- directly at Frei, "WELL then Instructor. I CHALLENGE!" Face contorted in the utmost seriousness, throwing down the proverbial gauntlet between Men.
Or.. at least a Boy who tries to act like a Man.
To those who know him, or spend any time around him, it is clear that Frei is a very facial expression-oriented individual. Kentou's declaration does call for some sort of response. Hell, half the YFCC lobby is staring at the desk right now. You'd be amazed how voices carry in this room.
Frei's face has one thing to say to Kentou. It is this:
o_o?
After a brief period of what-the-hell-did-you-just-say, the monk self-consciously brings a hand up to the back of his head, fingering the knot that keeps the russet brown and leaf-patterned headband he wears in place, then dragging down one of the long tails. "Uh, well..." Meanwhile, a voice in his brain is screaming: What is this, a period martial arts drama?! You're not David Carradine!
"I guess I could oblige," Frei says, drawing out the vowels in each word a little too long to stall for time, "and you've certainly got the kempo costume down. I used to live in China, myself. But, uh... how *old* are you? You don't look more than 15," Frei says, being quite generous. He IS in the Young Fighter's Community Center, after all. And Frei himself only LOOKS 19, despite being 26, so it's not outside the realm of possibility...
Chirrup. Chirrup.
Kentou holds that accusatory pose as his finger continues to point unwaiveringly. Eyes burning with the red hot intensity of Fighting Spirit. He is.. shockingly.. serious. Although.. even he is getting self-conscious enough to begin to shift his eyes back and forth. *o.o* ... Uh. Anytime now pal.. Aaanytiime..
"ACCEPTED!" Fwew. Kentou was starting to feel a little like a doofus there for a second. '_'; "Choose your location!"
At the further questions the boy lowers his arm, tilting his head again as he considers, "Its not a costume! Hey.. You think I'm pulling your leg here?!" Giving him a stern look. He.. isn't taking him seriously, is he? =.=
"Oh! You used to live in China? Oo! You must be a strong fighter then!" ^_^ "I'm.. Old enough!" Kentou blurts out in a rush. :< What baring could that possibly have to do with anything! He's fast and strong enough! Planting his fists on his hips.
Kentou gets the o_o? for a second longer, and then Frei remembers a story he'd heard around the YFCC... a challenger that fought Hotaru in exactly the wrong place and time a couple days ago. Of course, given the number of people who bluster in here determined to beat up the teachers on any given day that could be *anybody* (or Tran), but.
Still, he seems determined... and maybe this will be a good way to drum up some interest in his class after all.
Pushing back his chair, Frei gets up, lacing his fingers together and stretching, his arms making an arch over his head for a moment as he does so. "I feel like I should be having you sign some sort of release..." Of course, he could just take it easy on the kid, too. "But you asked nicely... sort of... so follow me."
Turning on his heel, Frei walks downstairs into the training area, finding a few students working out. He whispers something in the ear of one, and they both nod, moving off to a corner. Hopefully, if Kentou followed Frei down like he asked, he'll find the monk kicking off his wooden sandals and hopping on his heels on one of the mats for a moment before getting into stance.
"I dunno about strong fighter, but I do my best. And the challenger should start things off, right? So show me what you got."
COMBATSYS: Frei has started a fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|
"R..Release?!" Kentou blurts. o_o "..You're kidding me. They make you sign releases before street fighting?? What kind of crazy outfit is this?!"
Yes, the boy actually refered to this as.. street fighting. Nevermind the fact that they're both indoors in a fully sanctioned martial arts youth establishment. Or in the presense of an employee of the company as opposed to some rough and tumble street corner to hooting fans. But then, its pretty easy to see the Kid has a very.. Fanciful perspective.
Still! As the older fellow relents, the boy nods eagerly while smiling brightly. ^_^ "Great!" The shorter warrior quickly walks in Frei's wake. Eyes surveying the hallway then moving downstairs.. More than few glances are passed his way. A handful of the other younger, newer students throw Kentou something of a series of dirty looks. To which Kentou just razzes them right back. BIIIH. They don't want him here, come and make him leave! :P
Still, the youth hops onto the mat as expected. Looking around a few more times as he rotates his arm quickly. Spinning his shoulder as he quickly judges how far his healing has come along.
Mn..Still hurts like hell. But, Bah! As if that ever stopped him before.
The kid prances in place a few steps, bouncing on his already bare feet as he hops to and fro. Shuffling as he gets a feel for the mats consistancy and his own footwork for a second.
"Alright then!" The boy nods emphatically with a pleased smile! More than a little eager to test out his strength once more as his fists raise. One held out with the other at shoulder height, stands spreading out out but always on the move. "Fair and Square!" The youth declairs, brushing the side of his nose with his thumb, "BEGIN!"
Offering that much warning before -bolting- forwards. Rushing with surprising quickness as he closes the distance in the span of a heartbeat. Hopping at the end of his dash to spin completely around in a bid to plant his heel right upside Frei's temple! "HhhhhAAA-HAT!"
Reckless, over-reaching his balance, but he IS fast..
COMBATSYS: Kentou has joined the fight here.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
COMBATSYS: Frei dodges Kentou's Heavy Kick.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
Fast indeed. Frei himself is not exactly a slug, but he doesn't move quite as fast as other fighters. It has more to do with his wandering attention span than it does with actual footspeed; he's a little too slow on the reaction time for evasion to be a regular tactic.
Still, he does try it now and then... and while Kentou is fast, Frei has the benefit of experience on his side. Still and all, the young Chinese fighter's foot scythes through the air perilously close to the monk's face as he leans backward, the blow shearing by at the speed of kung fu. Or kempo. Whatever.
Leaning back out of his dodge, Frei spins to a standing position opposite Kentou's reckless kick charge. "Street fighters are usually a little older than you... and I don't mean that in an offensive way." The kid does have some skill. Still... no sense going full bore at him. If anything, Frei resolves to plumb Kentou's potential. Who knows, perhaps he'll try to make him his student! "You also sound like an old samurai movie."
Ducking forward, Frei twists and throws a quick open-palmed punch at Kentou's stomach, a little burst of wind chi at the point of impact giving it some extra kick. But the monk is, to the trained eye, indeed holding back.
COMBATSYS: Kentou dodges Frei's Quick Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kentou
Woosh! The boy's foot swings through the air briskly, but Kentou is undisturbed. The battle has only begun, afterall! The boy completes the mid-air spin, twirling about to land before Frei just in time to see that forward duck. The boy only smiles at the seemingly methodical attack, judging the range of the taller man's greater arm-reach and prepares to-..
..-DIVE out of the way as the burst of force from Frei's palm earns a gasp out of the little fighter. Spinning to the side as he baaaarely twirls out of the way of that windblast, rustling the tassles of his kenpo jacket like a micro-hurricane. Wide eyes stare but the boy doesn't stop his momentum, not ever!
Hoping again as he preserves the kinetic force of his dodge into a low sweeping kick. "HUT!" Crouching down as he lashes at the root of Frei's stance. Not speaking as he's preserving his breath for his 110% effort. Goaded, perhaps, by the wisened fighter's stream of Olderness!
COMBATSYS: Frei endures Kentou's Light Kick.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Kentou
There's no problem with Kentou's attack, which sweeps into Frei's legs with a *whump* sound of foot against denim. Probably the biggest problem here, for Kentou, is that the monk doesn't fall over. Sure, it hurts that he basically just took a nice sweeping kick right on the shin, but most sweeping attacks try to unbalance the attacker, make them more vulnerable.
"You've got a good grasp of the fundamentals," Frei says, in a cheery tone, still standing there in extreme close range. "Probably better than me, I never learned..." There's a pause, and for a second he seems to be unsure what to say, before simply continuing with, "...martial arts properly. But..."
For someone who claims never to have learned martial arts properly, the monk does a good job. Hopping over Kentou's outstretched leg, he suddenly twists and spins a kick at the youth at shoulder height, the air behind his leg sparkling blue-white as a shear of ice crystals swirls around the blow. "There's more to life than fundamentals though!"
COMBATSYS: Kentou blocks Frei's Light Kick.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Kentou
Bomp.
The boy's sweeping kick meets with success... Or at least Kentou thought it was success at first. o_o The youth's sweep contacts soundly but the Monk hardly even so much as stumbles. Wow.. He's got good balance!
His over-extended attack prevents him from moving away quickly enough as the monk hops over his swept leg. Only beginning to recover as he spins to his feet in the opposite direction Frei twirls. Quickly throwing up his arms in a hasty forearm block. The physical impact jolting him.. But a different sensation earns a shocked squeak!
"Ah!" The boy hops back, startled as he quickly shakes out his hands, "ColdColdCold!" Blurting in surprise as he spares his forearms a quick glance. Bone-white skin glistens with a few frost crystals as the boy shakes them out for a moment longer before regripping his hands into fists. Staring at the Monk with a certain new-found appreciation. o_o "..What the heck did they teach you in China?! That's amazing!"
Still, the fight is hardly over as the boy is once again on the assault. Hoping to reclaim a bit of the initiative in his lapse of offense as he hops another step and -SLAMS- his heel into the mat. "Shinsoku!" Coiling his body into a tight spring before, -launching- himself. Fist outstretched like a lance in a darting, wide-stanced lunge. The force of his initial springing stomp carrying him across the mat like a hurled spear, "YARI!"
This guy is definitely the real deal. Time to step it up!
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Kentou's Shinsoku na Yari.
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Frei 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Kentou
Speed Frei might lack, but fortitude he has to spare. If he were slightly more arrogant about it, the monk would probably be *despicable* because he is rather lazy and nonchalant about his defensive tactics. Thankfully, his natural charm and friendliness usually defuse such things. Usually.
As Kentou blurs across the mat, Frei crosses one forearm across his face, and threads the other arm under it, the young fighter's fist impacting on Frei's outstretched palm. The mat actually ripples from the sudden deadstop meeting of force and counterforce, before Frei steps back and grins at Kentou.
Ticking things off on his fingers, Frei goes about answering that question. "Oh... bar fighting, how to get out of ramen stalls without paying... a few other things. My former master was... unique. But I'm guessing whoever taught you kenpo didn't teach you about chi, did they?" And to an extent, Frei can sense it in Kentou... awakened by his fiery personality. A subtle but constant reinforcing of his physical abilities by drawing on universal energy. Most fighters do it, without even consciously knowing it.
"It's... sort of a specialty area for me," the monk says carefully, holding one hand up in front of him as he gathers himself, preparing for Kentou's next strike. Energy of all kinds -- little motes of fire or ice or wind -- dance around his outstretched hand.
COMBATSYS: Frei gathers his will.
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Frei 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Kentou
An abrupt -erk- escapes Kentou's throat as his spearing fist -slams- against Frei's prepared defenses. To the boy's credit, his stance does not waiver in the slightest upon impact. Halting with feet spread wide and balanced with his fist held out as straight as an arrow. After a few moments, his wild bangs finally settle at his cheeks as his eyes widen.. o_o
He is good!
The boy, however, is truly over extended now. Having put way too much force into that attack, his footwork is shot to heck.. Kentou reflexively throws up his arms, windmilling them up awkwardly as he hops back another step. .. expecting a counter attack he's ill prepared to recieve..
..Except that it doesn't come.
The boy takes a moment to regain his footing, but only a moment. "...They.."
"..Taught you how to be a deadbeat in China?" -.-;
Although, at the following part, the youth's eyes blink. Perplexed, "Well..I know how to breathe.." The boy knows the fundimentals, as Frei mentioned. Proper breathing techniques while fighting. Moving the body in such a way to generate force and speed. Clearly, the boy's aura is healthy and strong.. Especially for his age. But uncultivated. Like a firecracker pinwheeling about, using all his energy in an unfocused way. His aura is strong, but lacks all but the most basic focus.
"Oh.. Well!" Kentou's grin spreads as his fists clench tightly, "Show me more!" Ah-hah! He can learn a lot from fighting this guy! Lets see what else he can throw at him!
Kentou never pauses for long, never taking stock to compose himself or consider strategy. Always on the move, always on the attack. "HUP!"
Slowing down a little bit now, being a little more cautious with his attack.. Perhaps preserving his energy now until he sees a better openning in Frei's considerable defenses. His fist striking out in a brisk jab, trying to see how the instructor reacts to uncover the core of his defenses..
COMBATSYS: Frei fails to interrupt Quick Punch from Kentou with Quick Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Kentou
That actually causes Frei to laugh a little bit. "Sort of!" he responds. After all, what he was really learning from his master was that random, minor temporal things weren't important. They also conveniently meant that the Master never had to carry cash, but this Frei chooses to view as a byproduct rather than a cause.
So, he's playing a more cautious game. Well, that's fine. Frei decides to do something... well, weird. Weird is his specialty. Making a fist which suddenly glows with a gold light, like sunlight, he aims... well, basically, to punch Kentou's fist. And misjudges by a mile, the young fighter's punch instead bopping Frei in the nose. The effect is... probably less than Kentou might have hoped. The monk looks more briefly confused than hurt.
Which is certainly confirmed by the sudden laugh he gives as he draws his hand back, cracking up. "Haha... I wanted to do one of those cool things you see in anime! Where I punch your fist and then there's lightning, and a sudden cutaway to our determined eyes! But in reality a little fist is a difficult moving target. I guess no amount of glowy punch makes up for good old fashioned Euclidian geometry and physics." Who the hell are you, Ira Plato?
Eeeep! The glowy golden fist certainly fills Kentou with concern as the boy's eyes quickly squeezed closed and looks away as his own punch looks certain to collide in a spectacular explosion of martial power!
..The boy didn't expect to hear the 'mrph' as he blindly punched the Monk in the face.
Peeking an eye open nervously, looking at his outstretched fist connected briefly to Frei's face. o.=
Beat.
"HA! Gotcha that time!" ^_^;; Trying to take credit for the raw fluke as best he's able, bouncing back on the balls of his feet as he returns to his eager ready-stance.. Although his prancing begins to slow as his wide eyes follow Frei's rolling exposition. Expression lengthening in a puzzled stare that rather neatly mirrors one that the Monk is certainly familiar with.
o_o?
"..R..Right.. Sifu Yu-Kah-Lee taught you that move.. Cool!" Flustering lightly as he.. doesn't quite follow all that.
Still! In a roundabout way, the Boy uncovered and openning, time to retake the initiative and expound upon it! In yet another of his quick dashes of motion, the boy closes the distance between them all but instantly. This time transfering the energy from his feet, up through his rushing legs, twisting into his shoulder into an open-palm double-handed blow. "HaaaaaaaaAAA-HUP!"
COMBATSYS: Frei blocks Kentou's Strong Punch.
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Frei 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Kentou
However bad that failure was, it doesn't stay a failure long. Frei suddenly sweeps a forearm out, the twin palm strike slamming into his defense with a loud *thud!*. However... despite not having a big stocky build, Frei is quite a bit tougher than he looks. He shakes out his forearm from the numbness of impact, of course, but that's about all. "I have no idea who Yu-Kah-Lee is," Frei admits with refreshing honesty. "And wow, I haven't heard anyone called Sifu in a long time."
Ducking back a step, Frei throws his arms down to his sides and grins. A wind seems to pick up as his hands start to glow. "Alright. Enough of the punch and kicking stuff. We are not playing Parappa here. Last I checked, this is supposed to be Fighting Champions!" Bringing his hands to his sides in a stance that might be familiar to Kentou (depending on how much TV he watches), Frei gathers a swirling ball of multicolored energy. "Tell me if you've heard this one!" the monk says, before throwing his hands out palms forward, heels of his hands touching, and unleashing a person-high forceblast of prismatic color. "Hadoooukeeeen!"
COMBATSYS: Kentou dodges Frei's Hadou Souran.
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Frei 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kentou
Erf! Kentou's palms strike Frei's forearm soundly, but again denied. That'll learn him to take too long to counter attack! Momentarily distracted by the Monk's incongruitous comment as he blurts out, "..But.. you just said old fashioned haaAAH! Yu-Kah-Lee taught you!"
The boy quickly recovers from his strike, letting Frei duck back a step if only to get a better vantage point from which to recommence breaking the older fighter's defenses down. Of course, the quickly learns that was a mistake as Frei summons forth whipping winds around his glowing hands. o_o
"...That... looks like it'll hurt.." The boy murmurs as the monk summons forth the famous ball of light.
Time to go!
The youth -diiiiiives- to the side. Just narrowly evading the hurled multi-hued projectile as he twirls in the air. Wide, nervous eyes watching the attack pass him by by inches before landing in a hard roll on the edge of the mat.
This fight definitely kicked into high gear!
"HUT!" A quick shout punctuates the boy's effort as he bolts to his feet. Racing to the side at a zigzagging angle, now wary of Frei's long-range potential as he once again tries to get in closs. Continuing his evasive pattern for a second more before -darting- forth in a burst of speed. Seeking to fully flip over Frei's shoulder bodily, gripping his shoulder and land behind him.. carrying that kinetic momentum in a bid to -hurl- the man, "HeeeYAH!"
COMBATSYS: Frei endures Kentou's Nadare Kudaki.
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Frei 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Kentou
Frei is actually scratching his head in confusion as Kentou drives at him. He does not remember mentioning Sifu Yukari or Ukelele or whoever the hell the kid is babbling about. "I did?" Then Kentou has a grip on his shoulder, which... again, Frei looks more confused than anything else.
Then the whole world is upside down and this is just too weird at this point.
With a gasp of expressed air the monk lands on the mat with a loud "oof!", on his back. That certainly stung a little more than Kentou's physical blows. But unfortunately for the poor kempo fighter, he made the mistake of not throwing Frei at a *wall*. In fact, what happens next is shockingly acrobatic, by Frei's standards.
Scrunching down on the mat, the monk suddenly leaps *skyward* and backwards and upside-down, as if he's moonsaulting in rewind through the arc Kentou just put him in... and reaching out a hand to grab the boy's clothing or arm as he flies by. "When, exactly?" Frei babbles on, as if the conversation had never been interrupted.
And if he can get a grip, Frei casually and one-handedly slams Kentou face-first into the floor. The boy may even feel suddenly as if he weighs a lot more than he really does... the effect of earth chi in the mix, driving local gravity up just a twinge for fun.
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Kentou with Daichi Kudaki.
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Frei 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Kentou
As the taller fighter is hurled and successfully slams against the mat, Kentou feels a rush of elation! Ha-Hah! ^_^ He's doing it! He's doing it!
Woosh.
The boy blinks.. Wait. What was that passing infront of him?
Kentou slooowly turns his gaze upwards as a shadow quickly eclipses over him to the tune of rustling cloth. "...Oh crap."
The boy's arm is -snatched- and flipped over and -SLAMMED- into the mat with enough force to rustle the edges of the thick cushions far out.
"...Mmph.." Kentou muffles into the floor. Laying prone for a moment as the shock of the extra-heavy impact takes the wind out of his sails.
Down, but not out, the boy plucks his face from the cushion. Eyes rolling in opposite directions a moment before shaking his head vigorously. >.<! Dispelling the dizzy confusion with a cleansing shout, the boy pushes up and twirls his legs about in a spinning kipup. Getting to his feet as fast as he can and throwing an off-centered kick in what he assumes to be Frei's direction. A fairly wild blow, but strong should it land as he puts all his momentum into it!
COMBATSYS: Frei interrupts Heavy Kick from Kentou with Hyoushou Rengeki.
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Frei 1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Kentou
Perhaps part of Frei just wants to take this a little more seriously for Kentou's sake. Another part of him may just be that he wants the young fighter to understand what's out there for him should he ever decide he wants to learn more about chi. Either way, his response to the kick is actually more 'serious' than his earlier wacky tricks, though the monk's face is still smiling. After all, if he were Kentou, he would want to believe the other fighter wasn't toying with him, and Frei has tried his best not to do that. Of course, the best intentions and all that...
The kick isn't particularly guided but it has the benefit for *force* behind it, for sure. In fact, there's a nice *WHACK!* sound as Kentou's foot connects nicely... with the side of Frei's head. "Everyone's got their own style of fighting, after all. I guess the flashy special effects are mine."
There's no room to sweep his hands around, like normal, so instead Frei gathers the icy blue-white chi that is his trademark move, one sphere in both hands, and then just crashes them together *physically* at point-blank range, a massive burst of ice crystals knocking Kentou back from the monk in a chilly spray.
Though the solid kick almost miraculously strikes Frei's noggin, the fact remains Kentou was so off-balance after that devastating throw that there was little authority behind the strike. Enough to be noticed, but the boy hangs in the air as his defenses are non-existant. Mousey eyes widening in slow motion as the moment hangs, jaw dropping as Frei employs a speed and precision he wasnt displaying moments ago. As those ice spheres are generated and -collide- together, it's all Kentou can do to hastily throw his arms up before he's completely overrun in a tidal wave of ice!
"AGH!" The boy squeaks as he flies back, crashing at the edge of the mat and rolling to a halt a short distance away. With every skidding bounce a small blizzard of ice falls free from his form, leaving a glittering trail in his wake.
A moment passes as Kentou slooowly pushes himself up a little. Eyes blinking out of sequence as he shakes a few snowflakes out of his bangs, "...Wow."
The Kenpo Kid definitely senses the end of this fight is drawing near. Just one or two opennings was all the Monk needed to punish him in a huge way. This guy is definitely strong! .. Strong enough to be worthy of facing his best shot.
"..Alright.." The boy states as he slowly drags to his feet. Arms slinging outwards briskly to dust off the layer of frost from them, "I am Kentou Ondori." The boy states firmly as he regains his footing, "Ready for my best shot?" Managing to edge his pained lip upwards in a lopsided grin.
"HaaaHUT!" The sharp shout immediately pushes away his exaustion and pain, channeling all of that needless emotion away to clarify his purpose. Beyond his Opponent and his Fist, nothing exists. No pain, no fear, no self.
This mantra runs through the boy's mind over and over as he tightens his stance. No extraneous movement at all. As still as a stone.
To Frei's senses, the boy's spirit brightens significantly. Unlike all his other unfocused attacks, THIS is a different story. A germ of greatness lies there, the one genuinely refined technique this kid knows.
"Haaaaaaa.." Kentou's lithe muscles tense, "HUP!" Then spring. Launching himself into the air as he tightly spins about, cultivating all of the kinetic momentum from that leap and magnifying it. Twirling tightly, "Teeeenchiiiiiiii..."
Before -SLAMMING- into the ground a few feet before Frei, Landing in a deep crouch with enough impact to send a small seismic tremor throughout the training mat and the floor beneath. All of that energy from the bound reaching its fulcrum in the Earth. Then rebounding three fold. Like a tightly coiled spring, Kentou -unleashes- all of that mechanical strength. Transfering all of that kinetic power cleanly through his body and outwards in a lightning fast close-fisted strike. The force of the blow sending a clear ring of force outwards from the impact point.
"SHUUEN!!"
COMBATSYS: Frei just-defends Kentou's Tenchi Shuuen!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Frei 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Kentou
If anyone ever asked him what Frei Renard thought the most important thing for a fighter to cultivate is, he'd probably reply: perception.
The truth is that Frei is not that fast and not that strong. He's gifted with chi but he doesn't put out gigawatts of power or anything. His particular specialty is hidden underneath his jovial exterior, and that is razor-sharp perception, and good intuition. The result is really good judgment. Of course, sometimes his body or his powers don't live up to the promises his judgment writes, but usually he can figure something out.
A collective gasp, a holding of breath in the gallery represents spectators truly impressed with Kentou's strike. And there IS a core of true power and grace in there. There are, after all, many 30 year olds who can't do what that 13 year old just did. But sometimes, the monk reflects, the best way to improve is to learn that there's always a horizon beyond what you think is the best.
The kinetic power of that blow roars behind it like a mountain, which is probably why it is so stunning that the closed-fist strike leaps forward like lightning... and impacts on Frei's outstretched right hand. Or more particularly, his index and middle fingers, which he drives forward and lays on Kentou's hand, almost gently. But it's *precise*. Kinetic force is just another form of energy, really, with its own lines of resistance and force, one of which Frei just interrupted oh so slightly.
The resulting backblast knocks nearby mats into the air, and Frei's longtailed headband flutters behind him like a pennant for a moment, his eyes closed.
When he opens them again, it's with a genuine smile. Kentou probably won't ever be a fighter like Frei, flinging energy left and right... but he's got his own potential. "That's not bad at all," Frei says encouragingly, stepping back. "I hope we can do this again, and next time you can show me how much you've improved."
And then without any windup, he suddenly thrusts his hands forward and unleashes another shockwave of multicolored energy, at point-blank range and with no preparation whatsoever. "Hadouken!"
COMBATSYS: Frei successfully hits Kentou with Hadou Souran.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Frei 1/-----==/=======|======-\-------\0 Kentou
Kentou's strike once more is clean. In his world.. his execution was flawless. His injuries don't matter, this was truly his best effort. He can feel it. The springing energy was true, his form was perfect. His speed incredible. His power infused with authority.
Once again..the boy is -shocked- to see his attack dissolve right before his very eyes. Just like Hotaru before.. His knuckles nudged -just- so. Sending a chaotic, cascading failure throughout the execution of his assault. The energy, the force, unraveling like a thread yanked from a tapestry. His balance over extending as the boy -stumbles- past the Monk. His defenses in complete ruins as he flails, completely out of control.
Before he can even begin to reassemble his stance, the point-blank rainbow of force strikes him cleanly in his torso. Earning a YELP as the boy flails through the air and -slamming- to the ground a distance away. Rolling sideways until finally coming to a halt..
"..Ngn.." Even now the youth doesn't admit defeat so easily.. Shaking hand reaching out as he grits his teeth. Slowly.. slowly forcing himself up..
...Until his body informs him that it isn't going to cash that check. As Kentou's arm gives out and the boy just collapses prone to the floor in a grunt.. "...Erf.."
COMBATSYS: Kentou takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Frei 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Kentou can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Frei 1/-----==/=======|
Hmm. Frei hadn't really intended to hit the boy QUITE that hard. He just went for the biggest, shiniest thing in his arsenal. Putting a finger to his cheek in thought, he beckons a watching girl over and whispers something to her, then slowly walks over and kneels down next to where Kentou is lying on the ground, having picked up his wooden sandals on the way over. The footwear dangle off his outstretched finger as he smiles at Kentou, then slumps down on the floor next to him, stretched out his legs.
"You know..." Frei says carefully, trying not to sound too much like an old man and probably failing a little bit. "When I first started training I was 20 years old and I didn't know a damn thing about... martial arts," he says, with that curious pause once again. "I really didn't. I learned everything backwards. I think you're very lucky that at such a young age you learned how to fight so well."
And when he turns to Kentou, it is with a smile that radiates a genuine nature rarely seen in the modern age... the type of person who says trite things and yet somehow, coming out of his mouth, they sound perfectly natural. "Because, see... I didn't really find my path for a long time. Not that I'm *old*," the monk adds, hastily. "Not that I'm old. But there are so many years I could have been chasing that which just went... wasted because I was staring the wrong thing in the face." Apparently it's Frei's day to open up to Kentou.
There's a pause, then the monk nudges the kempo fighter with the tip of a sandal. Meanwhile, the girl he whispered to reappears with two bottled waters, which she hands to Frei before wandering off. He keeps one, and sets the other near Kentou's hands. "So I think as long as you keep doing it because you love it, and not because you think it's something that ought to be done, you'll be fine. And you can always come here to test yourself." There's a beat, then Frei grins wryly. "We just need to work on your dialogue a little, it was like listening to a Kurosawa film."
COMBATSYS: Frei takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Frei 1/-----==/=======|
COMBATSYS: Frei has ended the fight here.
The boy lies on the edge of the mat, more knocked senseless then in any true agony. Certainly the beating he just took isn't pleasant, but he'll be okay enough to stand up again in a few minutes anyway. The youth touches his brow to the mat yet again, thoughts going over the last several seconds as the Monk strolls over and takes a seat beside him.
How did he do that? He was so sure the Tenchi Shuuen was perfect this time.. More perfect than with Hotaru. He really thought he worked out the flaws that time.. But clearly its still there. Somewhere.
Now that the fight is properly over, Kentou is actually listening a little more carefully now. Lifting up his head and tilting just enough to better regard the older fighter, squinting out of the corner of his eye.
"..Heh.. Coulda.. fooled me.." Kentou murmurs out at the first comment before genuinely listening to the latter. His eyes drift a moment.. truly weighing those words in his head as he nods slowly. "..I do... I do love doing it.." Kentou admits. While he is trying to fill some awfully big shoes, its not that its just a chore for him.
His eyes fall upon the water bottle beside him, managing a slow smile as he states, "...Thank you.. for showing me.." Giving thanks. The frustration stings but.. there was a little progress there, he thinks. And he learned more.. about what he still doesn't know.
Reaching out to accept the cool refreshment carefuly, "..I..I'm sorry I.. didn't catch your name?"
HMPH. His Dialogue was perfect. ._. This Old Guy is just too stodgey to know!
It's almost as if Frei knows exactly what Kentou is thinking as he stands up, taking a long pull from the bottled water and then favoring the kempo student with a gracious smile. "The other important lesson is that you can do everything right and still fail." That was probably the hardest lesson of all to learn and one Frei himself is still learning, every day. "That attack of yours... there's not really anything wrong with it. Understand? A fight is something that happens between two people, so the other person... well, they might do something as unexpected as you might try. That's all."
Stretching, the monk pauses and actually holds the bottle against his forehead for a moment, letting the refridgerator-chilled bottle and condensation cool his brow a little before he looks back at Kentou. "I'd say some call me 'Tim' but you're probably too young for that... my name is Frei. There's a big long full name with my Japanese birth name and my hyphenated last name and blah blah blah. Just 'Frei' is fine. Renard-san, if you're like Mizuki, and I don't think you are."
There's a *clop-clop* noise as Frei drops his wooden sandals to the floor and slips his feet into them, wiggling his toes in the straps a bit. Around him, the noises of the regular YFCC activity drop back into place, the 'show' now over. "Are you gonna be okay? I should probably go help Maaya with the books."
While the Monk's wisdom is indeed sagely, that particular truth is not one Kentou is ready to give in to yet. Exhaling slowly as his head lowers. No no.. Even if that's true, there's still a lot more he needs to get right first.
"I'll.. try to keep that.. in mind." The boy finally admits after a fashion. He can do it better though, he knows it. He just needs to train a little harder and get a little faster.. He's so close, he can feel it!
"Tim huh?" Kentou murmurs, finally regaining the strength to slowly push himself up enough to sit on the floor. Legs folded beneath him as his back arches, working out the kinks in his spine. Erf, landed pretty hard there. Hands moving over his middle a moment, feeling the tingling sensation from where that last blast of energy hit.
At the long, extensive explaination.. the boy blinks precisely once, "..Frei then." Though he doesn't know who this Mizuki is, he'll admit his language is not nearly so.. er.. polite as someone his age should be.
Thats okay. Kentou is always lookin for a fight anyhow.
"..Yeah.. I'll be fine.. Mn. Just knocked the wind out of me a little is all.. Oof. That technique.. sure is strong!" Giving credit where it's due as the boy looks up to the departing Frei with a bit of a sincere smile of his own, "..Thanks for the advice. I learned a lot. You're a good teacher." Pretty obvious to see why the Youth Center hired someone like him. His class must be pretty popular too!
Ahwell. For now, time to recover a bit and think over the Monk's words. There's a whole lot of work to be done, and he better get to it! Still a ton of strong fighters to challenge.. No time to be lazy!
Log created on 21:19:16 08/23/2007 by Kentou, and last modified on 02:30:29 08/26/2007.