Description: In the Biggest Ballpit on Earth, Hotaru and Acacia face off against Hokuto and Nagare... and a short and relatively vicious fight ends by the narrowest of margins... (Winners: Hokuto/Nagare)
Truly, mankind has wrought great wonders.
Human hands have constructed magnificent feats of ingenuinity - great monuments to progress and the eternal wonder of the human spirit. The pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, the temples of Angkor Wat...
All leading us to this point.
This milestone, this turning point in human history. This one structure which surpasses them all.
The World's Largest Ballpit.
Or, well, that's what the advertising material claims, anyway. And they've been certified by the Guiness Book of Records people, so it must be true. Because everyone knows that the Book is the /real/ measure of human achievement.
The Japanese, you see, are a people who take play very very seriously. This isn't a simple room just off the department store or restaurant where parents can drop their children and then toddle off to go shopping or eat in peace or something. Oh, no. This is a /real/ ballpit. This is the Grand Emperor of Ballpits, the Ballpit to End All Ballpits.
It's a purpose-built structure nestled just off the heart of the Southtown City Centre, part of a popular recreation complex popular with the city's families...and a tourist destination in its own right. It's all about the kids here, but there's no restriction on age for jumping in the ballpit. Obviously not, because it's a ballpit large enough to swallow a dozen lesser ballpits, and still have room for a playground swing set as dessert. It's a massive chamber at the centre of the recreational hall, a deep room with high walls - windows ringing the top of the room, so people can look in from the outside. Under normal circumstances, that's so parents can keep an eye on their children, so visitors can see what they're queing up for, to just all the better add presentation to the fact it's the World Largest Ballpit, a fact not to be sneezed at.
Today, though, the viewing gallery is packed, with people crowding at the windows on all four sides of the room. Fight fans, shouting and cheering, yelling the names of their favourite fighters. Blown-up photographs of Hotaru and Hokuto, waved over the crowd. A banner in camoflage green with Acacia's name stenciled on it...there's even a whole audience section of enthusiastic men in /speedoes/ (and little else).
The cheering rises to a deafening crescendo as the doors on either side of the chamber open...the PA system blaring with the announcer's voice:
"LAAAADIES AND GENTLEMEN! HOWARD ENTERPRISES, IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE WORLD'S GREATEST BALLPIT CORPORATION...PRESEEENTS...SATURDAY! NIIIIGHT! FIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"
At one end of the room, Acacia emerges from the access door...then pauses at the edge of the platform. She looks past the toes of her combat boots, at the great expanse of soccer-ball sized spheres covering the chamber. Lord only knows how deep they are. She lifts a gloved hand, scratching her head, silver strands of hair falling through her fingers.
"They aren't," Acacia says, flatly, "paying us enough for this."
The men in the speedos she can leave. Even though, technically, they're on her side. Really, chiefly going through Hokuto's mind is -not- 'is my brother here?' or 'I wonder how this fight will go'. It is, quite simply, 'What is -wrong- with these SNF organizers? Just once, she'd like to have a fight that is just a -fight-... but that's what the Neo League is for, she guesses.
The banner being waved with her name on it gives the Mizugami scion pause; she hadn't really thought that she'd have -fans-... but then, these are probably guys who are suckers for any pretty face. She scoped the place out a bit before arriving for the fight, and... well, let's just hope that they removed some of the inflatable balls, or this is going to be more swim than fight.
Then again that might be just up her partner's alley, mightn't it be? Nagare... she doesn't know much about him. But if the men in speedos are any indication... Hotaru is the only element of this fight that is known to Hokuto; they've fought before, of course, and talked as well. So Nagare and Acacia Gillespie are new to her; admittedly that's part of the 'charm' of these fights, staring new people in the face, and owning them. Or not, as the case may be. Hokuto merely waits at the edge of her team's platform, staring down into the ballpit impassively.
Now, Nagare couldn't wait to represent Taiyo High even further than he already has in these reindeer games (given that Geese may or may not be a reindeer in disguise), and he just had to give it his all too. And he even gets to fight Hotaru, which he was scheduled to fight in the last game, but didn't really happen that way.
As soon as he arrives though, he walks up to the pit of balls, a towel over his shoulder on his jacket, clad in flippers from hands to feet, and only wearing a speedo to boot. He show up with a smile, waving to everyone. The other men in speedos just inforce that this isn't just a Nagare thing. It's a fad that's sweeping the nation!
The ball it itself Nagare thinks was pretty amazing. Last time they also sicced Krizalid on him, so he's not too sure exactly what the Saturday Night Fight crew was thinking, but Nagare was thinking 'pain'. So today, Nagare is here again. For Taiyo High!
Stopping next to Hokuto, Nagare gives a nod. "So you must be Hokuto. Nagare Namikawa. Nice to meet you!" The man begins, moving to shake the other fighters hand. "I'm not sure who we're up against, but it's bound to be interesting!" And then Nagare begins his stretching. EVERYONE LOOK AWAY.
Hotaru is used to fans. The girl is a regular contender in just about any /above ground/ circuit she can get into. A crowd charming, quiet smile is offered as she follows Acacia into the pit. The expression is a bit strained though. This is the second time in not too long that the SNF officials have tossed her into a ball pit for a match. At least on both occasions, she had opponents that were significantly older than her, dismissing the nagging feeling that she's being treated like a little kiddie.
"They never do," the girl laughs lightly in reply to Acacia's assessment of the venue. The girl glances in the direction of their opponents. Hokuto she's met and fought before. A chance to match her again is a welcome one. Nagare on the other hand she takes time to study... before glancing toward Acacia and grinning, resting one hand behind her head. "Takes all kinds, right?" Little does she know that the sea of plastic balls might be just perfectly suited to the swimming coach!
Fighting alongside the Gedo student is a great opportunity, which as assuages the annoyance of the ball pit staging a little bit.
"No," Acacia replies, as she eyes the sea of large colourful balls, spread out like a demented spherical rainbow in front of her, "only one kind."
She lifts one finger, tapping it lightly against the side of her head.
"Insane kind," Acacia says, dryly.
With that rejoiner, she continues studying the room full of balls. She's dressed much as she usually is, in heavy combat boots, jeans, t-shirt, and surplus Army jacket. But, as Acacia squints at the ballpit...she's beginning to think that it /might/ have been a better idea to dress for the occasion. In something simpler and one-piece, perhaps, given the fact the fighters in this match are going to be flailing around a lot.
Acacia lifts her head, staring across the room at the other competitors' platform, where Nagare and Hokuto stand.
She kinda hates to admit it, but the guy in the swim trunks may just have the right idea.
Oh God, a world where Nagare makes sense.
We're all doomed.
Overhead, the announcer's voice blares through the speakers, coming to the end of his opening spiel.
"...LAAADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ACACIA GILLESPIE AND HOTARU FUTABA, VERSUS NAGARE NAMIKAWA AND HOKUTO MIZUGAMI! FIGHTERS READY?!"
Acacia tightens the straps on her fingerless gloves, frowning - just as the announcer declares:-
"BEGIN!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia has started a fight here on the right meter side.
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|-------\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Hokuto has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Nagare has joined the fight here.
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Nagare 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Nagare has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Nagare 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Insane? Hokuto is far from insane! She's just... driven. Don't call her obsessed. But that's a (relatively) private matter. Not something for public consumption. She won't be insane until -after- she meets Kairi... ahem. Anyways. Rather placidly she meets Acacia's gaze... there's a quick nod to Hotaru, a recognition of comrades in arms, and then she's just left waiting. She, herself, is not ideally dressed for this fight. Heavy hakama trousers do not for easy manuevering make. The call to fight is given and, without hesitation, Hokuto crouches slightly, then hops forward, plummeting off the platform and into the sea of inflated balls.
Ugh. This is... -not- going to be easy. In fact, it's all she can do to keep herself moving; however, this too can be an advantage, as she finds her feet on the floor, finally... and settles. Really, this is going to be pretty terrible... but perhaps the cover of the balls will provide some thing interesting as well.
With the others also plunging in, Hokuto keeps mind her target--Acacia Gillespie. Sure, she'll probably go after Hotaru some, too, but she's mainly, currently, interested in the new oppoent. Moving in, Hokuto pushes through the balls to find Acacia, then lifts her leg for a simple thrust kick aimed for Acacia's stomach. Straight-line attacking is something that she is going to have to use a lot of, today.
Nagare nods to Hokuto. Even as he offers her his hand, that women is really staring across towards th others. She's really focused! Nagare can tell. Drawing back and finishing his stretches, he looks towards the opponents before giving a wave and a smile before they all jump in. Nagare's rather slow, but he takes his time.
Preparing himself by standing at the edge, Nagare looks down towards the abyss of balls! This will be difficult. Looking left, then right, Nagare seems tries to make up for the outdoor conditions. He's friends with every and anyone, but then again he's just a normal Taiyo Coach, albiet a wise one. This doesn't mean the others aren't of course!
Preparing himself, he squats, swaying his arms back and forth, back and forth as he looks to where to two contestants jumped in. Pulling the goggles over his face, he bends once more, swinging his arms before launching himself off the side of the ballpit!
A perfect dive which he spins only to meet the ball pit perfectly, hands aimed in a dive as he attempts to dive...
Right into Hotaru! Balls fly everywhere as he enters, like a rainbow just exploded into skittles.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Hotaru with Strong Punch.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Having already had experience with this kind of environment, albeit it this place's more humble little cousin at the amusement park, Hotaru jumps right into the pit, landing on her feet. Her own clothing doesn't really hold her back as she steps through the sea of colored plastic but that doesn't mean she's as quick on her feet as she'd like to be.
Especially when Nagare makes a flying dive direclty for her! Feeling like there's not much she can do besides leap to the side, the Kenpo artist tries just that. Best to just move out of the way when someone dives at you, after all-
No such luck. Caught a bit sluggish, the girl is driven down beneath the surface of the balls with a surprised gasp as his shoulder impacts her side just above the waist... But that doesn't mean she's completely out of it... Nagare might have to watch out after his dive as the girl he's tackled tries to turn the situation around on him, attempting to get a firm grip on one of his outstretched arms and twist her feet up over his chest while pulling back hard on his wrist - If she sinks it it's a bit of an arm lock, though given her weight she probably can't keep him still for long.
COMBATSYS: Acacia dodges Hokuto's Light Kick.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Acacia feels a little silly.
It's hard /not/ to feel silly, really. Wading through a sea of big colourful balls isn't the sort of activity that adds to one's dignity. It's hard to do such a thing with elegance, flair, sophistication and elan. All of which are qualities Acacia doesn't normally possess to begin with, much less under such trying circumstances.
But she's pushing through the ballpit all the same, floundering alongside her teammate, fighting through the room towards their opponents...
...and then, Acacia's eyes widen in alarm. There is movement close by!
Out of the depths of the pit, from amid a flurry of balls, Hokuto emerges, her leg and heel thrusting towards Acacia.
With a remarkable sense of preservative instinct, Acacia lets herself go limp - no longer fighting against the balls, she collapses and sinks, just as Hokuto's heel crashes into her abdomen. The blow rocks Acacia back, but the ocean of balls absorbs most of the shock, cushioning Acacia's body.
Well, Acacia observes, maybe this match isn't so bad after all.
Then, with that thought, she propels herself forward with a sweep of one arm...
...her other hand curling into a fist, swinging wildly at Hokuto.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Hokuto with Quick Punch.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Acacia
A wild swing is good enough, apparently; Hokuto felt the impact but clearly it didn't do a thing against Acacia. The girl's tougher than she looks, thinks Hokuto... doubly-so when that fist crashes against her head, despite her best efforts to evade. "Nh," she comments, softly. That might've been a relatively light punch from Acacia, but it still hurt pretty bad; Hokuto suddenly doesn't like her chances that much.
Probably, she muses, she wouldn't survive a stand-up fight against Acacia... but with these damn balls in the way there isn't too much else she can do. Fading back, however, she disappears back into the sea of rubber balls. Let's see how good Acacia is at -finding- her...
... and just how good Hokuto is when she's hampered by these silly environmental conditions. If there's another 'ballpit' fight in her future, she muses, she might very well just refuse the fight...
COMBATSYS: Hokuto focuses on her next action.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Hotaru's Quick Throw.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Acacia
"Watch out below, mi-" Pow Nagare's way too slow to give Hotaru a decent heads up. Instead, he just gives her a crash of terrible proportions before flopping aginst the pit floor... but wait! What's this?! Hotaru's trying to turn it over on him! Excellent! Being grappled by the women, she gets a rather decent grip on him.
But no fish can be kept long! Upon his arm being grabbed, he flops terribly, her wrist grab and pull manuever isn't able to fully come into fruition, causing Hotaru's grip to become less and less terrifying, and enevitably, let Nagare escape into the pit off balls, his arm and wrist scratched and grabbed from the friction of the throw.
Once he escapes, no Nagare is completely out of there. Attempting to turn it back on Hotaru herself, he twists himself around, arms attempting to lock about Hotaru as he falls in the pit of balls attempting to drive a hand covered by a hand into her chest.
"Standard lifeguard manuever! I'm sorry about this though, but it's procedure!" He has to, as it is appropriate!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru dodges Nagare's Artificial Respiration.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Nagare proves to be a slippery fish as he pries himself out of Hotaru's hold before she can really cinch her grip tightly enough. Left on her back, mostly buried in the play pit, she's a lot quicker to get out of the way this time as Nagare drives his hand down toward her for another smack. Hey, at least he's quite polite about it. She's had worse.
Rolling to the side, she leaves him a handful of colored spheres to crush instead. Normally she'd roll to a standing position from there but the pit defies much in the way of anything acrobatic as the girl feels more like she's fighting in slow motion than her normal pace.
The other three fighters may be having to come up with their own approaches to compensating for the challenging environment, but Hotaru has her own solution. Get out of them! Bursting out of the concealing mass, a blue and white blur hops into the air before diving right back down toward Nagare. The girl has always felt more control while airborn anyway. "KYA!"
Coming down knee first, she attempts to strike Nagare's shoulder. If she connects, her left leg will follow up with a crescent kick against his chest that she will use to backflip away.
Acacia can't help but look up, lifting her head fractionally - just enough - to track Hotaru's movement. Going aerial, now that's a /good/ idea. Pity she's not quite agile enough to manage the trick. At least not with the same success as Hotaru.
She snorts, while blundering through the balls, pumping her arms and legs, sending herself forward.
Fine. Gotta work with your limits...
...and your strengths.
It doesn't take long for Acacia to figure out she's not getting anywhere just chasing this Mizugami girl around the pit. She doesn't know her from Adam, but it looks like she's either a cautious fighter, or very put out by the weird environment. One way or another, Acacia's finding she can't quite close the distance, with the other fighter trying deliberately to keep away.
So.
Acacia smirks slightly. Hotaru's got the right idea.
Change the rules.
Acacia comes to a stop, flinging out her arms to balance against the balls. She channels her chi, focusing it in her body, building the power...and then snaps one leg in a KICK.
It's an odd movement. But then, this move is normally intended to use the earth itself as a focus medium for the released chi. Submerged in all these balls, though...well, the loose collection of spheres makes as good a conduit for the line of concussive force rippling out from Acacia. Balls fly madly into the air, flinging in all directions, as the shockwave races towards Hokuto.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto dodges Acacia's Mass Breaker.
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Indeed. Change the rules. But which rules? The rules of the fight? Personal rules? Or the rules of engagement? Hokuto's eyes widen briefly as she sees Acacia fling a shockwave for her position. That definitely confirms the girl's strength--that is a power move, right there, in more ways than one. Change the rules. The 'rules'--conventional wisdom--say that trying to jump in this environment would be crazy. And it's true. Unless, of course, you're close to one of the walls.
Taking a quick (well, relatively quick) step for one of the walls, Hokuto stretches her left hand out--and snags a handhold, nominally there for tired kids to hang from or to climb on. She grabs on, and she crouches, and she -pushes- with her legs... and using the handhold to focus her momentum, she literally swings up out of the way of the shockwave.
Balls splash up from the impact the shockwave makes with the wall--but the only impact Hokuto is interested in is with Acacia, as the Mizugami scion quickly modifies one of her attacks, to drop down at the woman with a flying elbow. Yes, she is in fact giving the People's Elbow--just don't ask her to do the eyebrow thing.
COMBATSYS: Nagare fails to interrupt Rengeki Shuu from Hotaru with Breast Stroke Kick.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Nagare's not going to Hotaru use his same tactic against him! Never! But she does, oh she does! Jumping up out of the balls like a flying fish, she leaps into the air, which Nagare attempts to, right there and then, use against her! As he watches the balls split as they come down shaking and being force out of the way of a knee, Nagare attempts to breast stroke right out of there! Using his feet to kick and his arms to swim, water gets all over the balls as he moves throught thm!
But she's too quick. The knee strike blasts right into the small of his back, causing him to flounder (haha) about before the cresent kick strikes right into his chest, causing him to writhe away, awfully hurt by the move, but still relatively good, considering.
"Very nice form!" He states towards Hotaru.
Landing back in the colored spheres with a splash of her own, Hotaru whews, realizing that she just barely avoided a close call. It's only then that she realizes that some of the spheres scattered by Nagare's attempt to both avoid her attack and strike her seem to have ended up wet. Oh boy, another water-chi user. She wishes for a moment she had done her homework... er, her /fighting/ homework rather than her school homework. She'd have worn darker colors.
"Thank you," she replies quietly to his compliment. He really is too nice, it seems. Back in the ball pit for the moment, but she doesn't intend to just stay there. "Your style is quiet unique," she observes, smiling for a moment. She hates getting distracted with words, but when the opponent is one as /different/ as Nagare, it's hard not to get side tracked.
Shaking her head, the girl gets her mind back on the fight at hand. It's still quite early. It could go anywhere at this rate. Deciding to stay on the offense, the girl charges forward. Or, well, shambles forward. Leaping at Nagare from a couple yards away, the girl attempts to secure a hold of both his arms with her hands. If she gets the grip she needs, she'll use his arms as leverage points to deliver a rapid sequence of stomping kicks up the front of the swimming fighter, before backflipping away to try and put distance between them.
COMBATSYS: Acacia endures Hokuto's Chuuhou.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Acacia
Acacia hisses, as Hokuto's elbow crashes into her. She twists into the blow, blunting some of the impact - but not, alas, enough of it to completely dull the pain. The collision smashes Acacia downward into the pit, more balls spraying into the air as she's driven earthward by the Mizugami girl's descending strike.
But while she's hit, she isn't stunned. And, ignoring the pain, Acacia slams her own right arm up and forward, one leather-clad hand racing towards her opponent in retaliation.
Manuevering is difficult in the confines of the ballpit, but there's no need to move when you /let/ your opponent /come to you/. Which was why Acacia held her ground.
Of course, with the sheer speed of Hokuto's attack, and the restrictions on movement the balls give, it's not like she could have evaded in the first place.
Gotta make the best out of a bad situation.
And so she strikes back at Hokuto, now, using their close proximity to reach for the other woman's neck with a rigid palm and iron-tough fingers.
"NOT," Acacia yells, "BAD!"
COMBATSYS: Hokuto blocks Acacia's Stronghold.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Acacia
Unh. It -is- hard to move in here--and Acacia certainly isn't making it any easier. It's even tough to see how Nagare and Hotaru are faring--whether Hokuto might want to switch up or not. Adding to the issue is Acacia's smashing technique. Small movements are easier than large; Hokuto plants her feet and leans hard, to her left. The lean isn't enough to avoid damage entirely, with Acacia's palm grazing her neck, but that's enough to force a cough from Hokuto's lips. "Mmh," she replies--despite Acacia's shout, she's still relatively quiet.
"You too," she says, her voice audible if not quite in 'back of the theatre heckling' mode. She's honestly been very impressed at the caliber of fighter she's met here in Southtown. Wins, losses, they've all been good fighters and, for the most part, good people. It's heartening.
Bringing her arms in low, she doesn't really have far to go--but she lunges anyways, drawing her left arm back, bent at the elbow, reinforced by her right as she attempts to plant said bent elbow into Acacia's chest. "HA!" is her kiai, coinciding with the thrust of her elbow.
COMBATSYS: Nagare endures Hotaru's Shin-Jou Tai.
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Nagare 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Acacia
Nagare is no fool! This is why he says in school! And don't worry, Hotaru, Nagare isn't going to try to get water on your nice clothes. He has no reason to be interested in little girls anyways! You're safe away from Nagare. But he's not giving up yet either, so he's going to give it all he can! Taiyo Spirit! And such like that.
"Thank you! I call it 'swimming'. I've been working on it for a good long time now!" Nagare states, and he has too. You don't get to be like Nagare without being like Nagare, or at least being rather talented, or prone to work for it.
For now, Nagare lets the girl charge through the balls, grabbing him with her arms, stomping on him and then kicking him into the away.
And he is. In fact, he begins to swim higher into the air now that Hotaru had sent him. Water chi drips as he actually swims out of the ball pit, over it, before turning and diving right back down towards Hotaru, aimed to impact at any moment! "Watch out!" He calls to Hotaru as he lets himself free fall, heading right through the balls once more!
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Hotaru with Concrete Dive.
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Nagare 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Acacia
Watch Out, he calls, but the smaller fighter is finding it harder and harder to stay out of the way of Nagare's 'Swimming' Jutsu. A desperate scramble to the side proves ineffective as High Diving Nagare smashes her back down through the sea of balls again. *crunch*
Thank goodness for the plastic lining at the bottom, she supposes. "Your dedication is evident," Hotaru notes through gritted teeth. Worming her way to the side to try and get some distance between them, she slams one shoe-clad foot out backward to try and force Nagare off her and give herself a bit of room to work with.
Nagare's pressure is certainly keeping her from providing any backup to Acacia, but she knows the Gedo student is tough stuff. She's probably not doing bad on her own anyway.
COMBATSYS: Hokuto successfully hits Acacia with Chuugeki Hou.
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Nagare 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Acacia
Breath hisses through Acacia's lips. She can't -quite- keep that expression of pain, as Hokuto's elbow pistons into her ribs. She tumbles through the sea of bright balls, the colours blending into a crazy-quilt of blurred shades as her world spins. But she focuses through the brief spark of agony, drawing a breath, and ignoring the ache building from what will no doubt be a bruise very shortly. Her balance is off, but there's no time to really think about recovering. She snaps her head back up, her eyes locking on Hokuto.
In her peripheral vision, Acacia can just about make out the indistinct shapes of her teammate and the other fighter clashing. Is that speedo guy actually /swimming through the air/?
The sheer impossibility of the feat, and the powerful chi manipulation it /must/ involve...would fill Acacia with trepidation.
It would.
If she dwelled on it.
She doesn't, though. Instead, the fact just flashes across her mind as she considers the task ahead of her. Engage the woman. Continue /this/ fight, for now. Disable her...or seek an opportunity to assist Futaba.
As it presents itself.
Acacia balls one fist. She spins round in the ball pit, then shoves her feet off against the unsteady footing. Rising up, powering a straight-line punch directly back at Hokuto.
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Nagare 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Hokuto fails to interrupt Quick Punch from Acacia with Shinkyaku Geki EX.
- Power fail! -
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Nagare 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Acacia
She has a plan. The lunging elbow strike has long been Hokuto's favored move; it is the underpinning of much of her strategy. Its usefulness cannot be denied; she uses it as a setup, allowing her to prepare for the next step in a myriad of combinations--a combination she's preparing right now.
But undoubtedly the balls in the pit are making her a touch slow. As she spins, prepatory to sweeping Acacia's legs from underneath her... impact. Acacia's fist shoots out like a battering ram and takes Hokuto right in the forehead, at the most vulnerable point of her turn. The end result is that Hokuto gets tumbled to the flooring and the only good thing about it is that she can then roll away before rising to her feet.
"... you hit hard," she comments, wryly. And Hokuto notes to herself--do NOT engage Acacia directly. It promises to be a beating, and not a beating of Acacia.
Just as Nagare meets Hotaru, Hotaru is surely to get a rather painful reminder that Nagare is a human missile born on the missile hills of somewhere in Japan. And when the stork dropped him, he did the exact same think. Crashed through the roof, onto the cement floor and wasn't hurt at all. This is how the Namikawa's knew their kid was different. It was really subtle.
Just like there, when he hits the plastic group, he flops like a trout, back and forth, his arms and leg almost like fins as they flop back and forth before Nagare can get up again. "As is yours! I'm glad that you were able to make today's event!" Nagare states with a smile as Hotaru moves after Nagare, but Nagare once more proves he's rather slippery. Up and over the foot, Nagare is missed completely swimming up over and dropping down rather slow, the pool of balls heping him slow down. And from there, he attempts to kick Hotaru in the face with flippers.
Yes, as he falls in the large hall full of balls he doesn't stall and he kicks though the balls towards Hotaru's... upper chest? With flippers. That doesn't rhyme at all. This is why he doesn't teach english!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru interrupts Heavy Kick from Nagare with Hakki Shou EX.
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Nagare 1/------=/=======|=======\====---\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Acacia
Though her kick misses it does buy her time to come up on her feet, facing Nagare as she starts to back away. The girl is really looking for a bit of distance by now before she gets dive-bombed /again/. "Thank you," the girl replies, still completely caught off guard by how genuinely friendly the experienced swimmer/fighter is about this whole thing. She'll have to get to know who he is when not trapped in a giant ball pit of doom sometime.
But thanks or no thanks, she isn't holding back. The girl braces herself, her right arm rolling out to her side as she begins to charge her forarm with a vibrant, shimmering blue aura at the same time Nagare comes at her again. She isn't ready by the time his fin comes in for her face... Faced with abandoning the attack or getting flipper-smacked, she opts for the latter, taking the hit. "YA- ow!"
At this close range, it's nearly impossible to miss as her right arm slams forward, discharging the pure force against Nagare's chest. The two are blown far enough away by the traded impacts that the second kick never has a chance to land. But the girl was clearly phased by that trade, hand coming up to rub against her mouth, brushing away a thin trickle of blood from her lip. Flippers or not, his feet still hurt!
"Whew." The girl shakes her head a couple of times. She can't really take too much more of this.
A fact that Acacia doesn't miss.
Her eyes harden, half-slitting through stray strands of silver hair. Her pupils dart to the side, taking in Hotaru's condition. Then she flicks her gaze back to the other female fighter in this match - Hokuto Mizugami - across from her.
Aside from the movement of her eyes, there is no indication of Acacia's intent. When she speaks, her voice is calm, her tone nearly inflectionless.
"Thank you," she says, simply.
Then she wheels, balls crashing out in a spray as Acacia spins violently. Her boots punch into the sea of balls, jarring them loose, her legs struggling to find purchase. Then she's away, leaping in a shallow arc across the room. It's nothing but a simple violent tackle, heading straight for Nagare, as Acacia tries to simply body-check the swimmer - while he's still recovering from being blown away by Hotaru's last move.
Wh-- ... well, that isn't exactly kosher! Except, well, yes it is. Target switching is all too common, as is ganging up. It's the way these things work. Fortunately, Acacia is providing, with her hasty exit, a cleared path, as her passage through the air causes sympathetic movement... a depression of sorts, one that Hokuto uses, proving surprisingly quick when she wants to be. Only, her path veers and she lunges for Hotaru.
"So," she muses, a measured tone, "we meet again, Futaba-san..." Of course she's not just talking; she's lunging forward, struggling through the balls, headed straight for the young kenpoist. Should she apologize? Of course it is the polite thing to do, and Hokuto is nothing if not polite, but in this instance... well, she's sure that Hotaru knows what's what.
So as she closes in, the girl in the hakama pants reaches for Hotaru--intending to grab the blue-haired girl by the shoulders, use her left leg as leverage, with an upraised knee, and try to toss Hotaru into the wall of the room. Back-first, of course, not face-first.
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Acacia's Strong Punch.
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Nagare 1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
Nagare goes in for the kick. But he's not ready either it seems! As soon as Hotaru sees whats going on and charging her ball, Nagare's too slow to notice it as well. After all, charged energy has to go somewhere. And this time, it does go somewhere! Righ into Nagare's chest! Oof! The Taiyo Swimming star and coach is shot backwards in a quick progression, hurled though the multi colored balls before striking the plastic.
Yeowch! Getting up from the shot, Nagare takes this moment to breathe. But he cannot. Even as the energy burns his chest and genuinely hurts like energy should, he's already going to be assaulted again. He would say welcome to Hotaru! But he has to save his breath, at least for now.
But thn Acacia LEAPS at Nagare. The swimmer cannot react quick enough to get ut of the way, but he can raise his hands in defense. Arms up, he's able to stop himself from being driven into the wall by a body check. He still is thown once more, but by pure luck he's able to raise his hands in defense and brace for impact. Breathing heavily himself, he chuckles.
"Wow. You women are sure rough!" Nagare states, knowng fully well everyones a fighter here. "I'm going to take a breather." He exclaims, resting against the plastic lining of the ball pit.
COMBATSYS: Nagare gains composure.
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Nagare 1/------=/=======|=======\====---\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Hokuto successfully hits Hotaru with Quick Throw.
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Nagare 1/------=/=======|=======\======-\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
"Nn," is the greeting Hokuto gets from Hotaru as the Futaba girl is having a hard time hearing over the ringing in her head after Nagare's kick to the face. The grab to her shoulders and the fling over the knee doesn't help affairs much either as she collides with the wall of the pit with a light thud. Shaking her head as she keeps her footing, she rests her hands against the wall behind her for support.
But now she's not attacking, staying in place, blue eyes focused back toward Nagare and Hokuto. She's lucky Acacia joined the frey to keep the swimming fighter busy for a second. But she can tell her own condition is slipping fast and she's going to need to try and make a difference before it's too late.
Inhaling, the girl takes a deep breath, pushing herself further against the wall as she gets ready to use it to launch a faster attack. She has to compensate for the infernal spheres /somehow/.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.
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Nagare 1/------=/=======|=======\======-\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
"We try," Acacia says, flatly, in reply. It's not an unfriendly retort, there's no ire or sarcasm in it. But there isn't any particular enthusiasm either, certainly nothing like the sheer over-the-top cheeriness of the Taiyo Swim Hero.
She's got other things on her mind. Witty banter just isn't a high priority.
Acacia's crouched in the ballpit, her spine curved. She's kind of resting on all fours, partially sunken into the shifting surface of brightly coloured spheres. She didn't land well from that tackle - rebounding off Nagare, that's how she ended up, rolling to a somewhat ungainly halt. But she's not out to win points for elegance. She regains her balance, clawing back up, balls bouncing aside as she moves.
Out of the corner of her eye, Acacia notes Hotaru's distress. She grits her teeth, jaw clenching. But she can't assist Futaba right now. For the next few moments, she's on her own.
No, Acacia locks her eyes on Nagare. Keep the swimmer off Hotaru, and maybe she'll be able to deal with their remaining opponent.
Maybe.
Acacia clenches her fist, once again, the black leather of the motorcycle glove drawing tight across her knuckles. A surge of chi builds in her body, rushing through bone, muscle, and sinew, pooling in Acacia's arm. She builds the charge until it begins to seep from her skin, successive waves of force distorting the air. A low whine builds, rising to a rumble, then a full-out roar, as Acacia lunges towards Nagare, slamming one chi-charged arm at him.
With his back /literally/ to the wall, the swimmer's defensive options must be limited.
At least, that's what she thinks...
Hotaru sure hasn't had much success in avoiding damage this fight, has she? Hokuto almost clicks her tongue; but it would be condescending to the younger kenpoist. You steps up to the plate and you takes your licks, that's what Hokuto was always taught. She could pressure Hotaru more... but honestly? She thinks the girl will keep, so to speak. It's obvious she's getting ready for something but whatever that something is... well, actually, Hokuto can guess.
But there's nothing to be done about that now; Mizugami turns, and heads back for Acacia. Just as the girl is lunging forward, so is Hokuto--aiming to crash a palm strike into Acacia's back. Yes yes. Striking from the back is dishonorable--for some. But Mizugami-ryuu Kobujutsu, while upholding tenets of honor, also teaches the value of not wasting an opportunity. Does she -like- it? Not particularly. Will she -take- it? Sure she will. With all the ruckus of the balls it's not even a particularly stealthy attack.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Nagare with Mass Driver.
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Nagare 1/--=====/=======|=======\======-\1 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Acacia
Nagare is hurt. I pains him so, and rightfully so as Acacia sends a clenches fist of stengthright into Nagare. His first reaction is to get out of the way. He's being double teamed, or at least he was before hand, and he's just trying to stop it from happening. At least, by not lurching out at one of them. But it doesn't matter.
The woman's clenched fist strikes straight into Nagare's chest. Unable to escape, it hurts, and it hurts a lot. Clenching his teeth once getting struck, Nagare still can breath, so he can sill fight. And he'll keep in this one no matter what. As Acacia seems to try to get the upper hand, Nagare just attempts to take it away. Even if she's already being attacked by his ally. Taiyo Spirit wouldn't allow him to fight back against some one who wasn't fighting him.
As such, Nagares actions are swift, even after being crushed against the plastic, balls fluttering out. Gritting his teeth, he lays back against the wall, leaning against it instead of going agains Acacia. He just braces himself as he pushes his body to the limit, lifting up his feet and quite amazing, attempting to kick Acacia in the face with the flippers!
And it's not just the many flippers that are going one after another, but the load of water chi that comes with it, like a wave of water and flippers right into Acacia's chest! Stuck being a rock and a hard place, after all, is the worst place to be!
Okay. Breath catching time is done. Now it's time to back up Acacia as both fighters turn on her partner. "Yosh," the girl murmurs, pushing off from the wall, tearing a path through the balls as fast as she can manage. Making a beeline for Hokuto as the other girl tries to get in an attack on Acacia's turned back, the other fighter might have precious little time to prepare for the incoming Kenpo artist.
A leap forward is made, Hotaru diving head first into the balls just behind Hokuto - The explosion of brilliantly bright blue chi and the rising flip kick of Hotaru begins the attempted attack that she'll probably remember well from their last fight. No one really ever forgets it... "Tenshou...!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Nagare's Super Splash Kick.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Acacia interrupts Strong Punch from Hokuto with Unyielding Stance.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Acacia
Acacia's situational awareness screams bloody murder, all her senses shrieking warning. But there's nothing she can /do/. She's well and truly flanked, with Nagare in front of her, Hokuto behind. A classic pincer attack, with both her opponents coming at her, trapping her between them. No, it's not a good place to be.
Rock and a hard place, though?
This is Acacia.
She's like stone.
The flippered foot slams into one raised forearm, with the crack of faintly sodden rubber against rigid flesh. The blow rocks Acacia, causes her to /almost/ lose her balance in the shifting ground of the ballpit. But almost isn't good enough. Without flinching, her /other/ arm comes up, intercepting /Hokuto's/ attack. A second gunshot-loud CRACK rings out through the arena, rising above the sounds of the crowd - as Acacia stops the palmstrike dead.
Spinning, she disengages from Nagare, her eyes flashing to the Mizugami fighter. Acacia makes eye contact, just for a moment. Before just setting that blocking arm and -thrusting- forward, ramming her limb further on into Hokuto. Driving her back.
And into the path of Hotaru's oncoming onslaught.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Hokuto with Ten-shou Ranki.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Acacia
Timely teamwork. Hokuto's defenses against Hotaru are limited thanks in large part to Acacia's limb driving the Mizugami girl into the attack. "Ranki!" Rising along with her opponent, the Kenpo artist drives the two of them back into the pit in a particularly large mound of the colored balls.
It's pretty much left to everyone's imagination what the heck happens then, because outside of the rumble of an incredible amount of chi being amassed and the culminating blastwave that scatters colored debris in every direction, the entire sequence was hidden from the cameras, disappointing, ah, fighting afficionados around the world.
As the balls come to rest, leving the two girls in the clear again, Hotaru sighs, exhausted, starting to rise back up on shakey feet.
Ah, pain. It's an old, familiar friend--no martial artist, however good, is unfamiliar with it. The sturdy defense from Acacia is more than enough to throw her into the path of Hotaru--and so she's pummeled several times over. It isn't pleasant and it certainly means that Hokuto isn't long for this fight--not with blows like those being thrown around. She staggers back to her feet, and... well, one can imagine that she's looking a bit worse for wear.
She rises, and she doesn't look particularly happy. In fact, there's the beginnings of a dangerous light in her eyes, the shadow of something a bit darker hiding there... like Hotaru before her, Hokuto elects not to press the attack, knowing just how much her body's been battered.
But while she looks like she's taking a breather, perhaps she has other motives in mind...
COMBATSYS: Hokuto focuses on her next action.
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Hotaru
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Hokuto 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Acacia
Well, that didn't work at all, Nagare states. At least it got the woman off of him. He's happy for that at least. Now, back to Hotaru who quite literally strikes his ally with an immense amount of chi right into her. Well, Nagare thinks that just isn't right at all. Balls scattered at first and now at rest, seeing Hotaru weak in the knees makes Nagare feel sort of bad that hehas to do this.
But! A fight is a fight after all, an Nagare has to do this.
Moving back towards Hotaru, he gives the women a nod. Well, sory of. He doesn't mean any of this. He has to fight, but he's sort of weak righ now. He's beat up and hurting. He'll just have to do what he has to do.
Leaning back on his hanks, through the balls and everywhere, Nagare's kicks erupt, sending more water chi breaking off of his feet, attempting to smash into Hotaru, along with the flipper kicks he sends!
Everyone's a winner!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru fails to reflect Splash Kick from Nagare with Kobi Kyaku.
- Power fail! -
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Nagare 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Acacia
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Hokuto 1/----===/=======|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru can no longer fight.
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Nagare 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Acacia
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Hokuto 1/----===/=======|
Having pushed herself hard to deliver the attack to Hokuto, Hotaru is definitely on borrowed time. Trudging along against the spheres the whole time and being attacked almost relentlessly with little success in avoiding getting struck, she decides to stand her ground as Nagare comes at her again. Trying to jump away in her condition isn't viable.
There's a glint in her eyes as she kicks right back at him, attempting to meet his chi with her own ability. But rather than trade blows like she had earlier, this time she intends to drive his own energy back with some of her own to boot!
Her leg swings out as the girl tries to channel one last surge of chi from the world around her. But the strength just isn't in her to do it and the intentionally wiffed kick ends up being just that. A wiffed kick. "KYA- aaaah!" The girl crashes into the wall of the pit, crunching a lot harder this time as she's unable to make any attempt to reduce the speed of impact.
Quietly she slumps to a seated position, her head bowed, clearly out of the match.
Well.
That's not good.
Acacia's eyes widen in concern. Hotaru's more than just someone she's been thrown into an SNF with. She's a friend. But...
...no. She's alright. Well, probably not /alright/. But just out of it. Not dead or anything. The pit of balls has not claimed a life today.
Acacia swings her gaze back to the other two fighters. Her lips settle into a thin line, as she stares across the battlefield of small round rainbow shapes.
She spends a half-second tilting her neck, stretching the muscles.
And then, without fanfare, she makes her move.
Around her, balls dance and shake in the pit, stirred by an unseen force. And then...a great surge of chi blasts forth from Acacia, Forward, forward, a tidal wave hurling balls in all directions as the pure concussive attack pounds straight for Hokuto. Her intent is clear. If she's alone, her only chance of victory is to finish one - and then the other.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Hokuto with Ground Breaker.
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Nagare 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Acacia
[ \\\ <
Hokuto 1/=======/=======|
Hokuto certainly recognizes the basis of this move. She avoided something very similar not too long ago in this very same fight. She thinks to do the same as before... but she misjudges. It's not something that happens often, with her. But it -does- happen. She misjudges the speed of the wave, and its size. She's caught off-guard, her legs taken out from under her, in mid-air.
She lands with a *THUMP*, her fall cushioned not a whit by the rubber balls. But whatever that dangerous light in her eyes was before... it's there full-force now. Who can say what it is? Perhaps it's just her frame of mind, it's just an expression of her desire to win, or at least to retaliate... perhaps its something more. It's only visible for a split-second.
But it's enough to have Hokuto up on her feet and charging for Acacia, even as the red tendrils of unconsciousness are flooding her vision...
COMBATSYS: Hokuto can no longer fight.
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Nagare 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Acacia
Well then! Nagare finds his own ally distraught as well. That's no good at all! But Hotaru, poor thing, just was launched. It seems that there is a balance somewhere in the world! Well, somewhere. He's not really sure where to find it though.
Standing still, but poorly, Nagare isn't sure ow much of a chance he has anymore, but he's still going to give it his all. Looking sraight towards Acacia, he nods. He's not sure who she is, but chances are if the schools know each other much, he's heard of her.
Well, in his own chance, Nagare looks about for something. Anything that he can find useful. And then decides to go for the most plain and simple object. Grabbing one of the multicolored balls, Nagare looks towards Acacia. And winding up, he hurls it towards her, in her direction. A small orange ball! Just for kicks, really. The fight? Win, lose. He's still having fun.
"Catch!" he calls with a smile!
COMBATSYS: Hokuto successfully hits Acacia with Renbu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Nagare 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Acacia with Thrown Object.
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Nagare 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
Hokuto is being driven by a single purpose--to achieve retaliation. And she does so swimmingly. (Though the swimming is really Nagare's thing). Hokuto pulls up short as she reaches Acacia--then her left hand snaps out, grabbing Acacia's right wrist and pulling the arm wide. It's the opening she needs to begin a combination of strikes--palm strikes, low kicks, a rapid series of nine such attacks alternating between hand and foot--all setup for the final strike.
Acacia should consider herself fairly lucky; Hokuto doesn't pull out the -real- finisher for this attack unless the fight is a serious one. So instead of Hokuto thrusting her right hand through Acacia's chest in a spearing arm, instead she strikes with a final palm strike--though that dark flaming chi is still there and the palmstrike contact lets that dark fire burst through Acacia's form.
And thereafter, Hokuto sinks to her knees, as her consciousness briefly just... turns off.
A moment ago, Nagare threw a ball. All in the name of fun, perhaps, but it nailed Acacia in the side of the head at a crucial moment, a critical moment - distracting her terribly...just as she was faced by Hurricane Hokuto.
So.
That brings us to the here and now.
The wall of the ball room are faintly padded. This is necessary, for a space that's meant to be a giant playground. A child-friendly playground, at that.
That padding, however, doesn't do much when you're being slammed into it in the wake of an assault that would put pneumatic vehicle-mounted piledrivers to shame.
Acacia lies embedded in one wall, shredded padding mixed in with the balls in her vicinity, along with debris and flecks of concrete. Wisps of smoke rise from her body, patches of charred fabric dotting her jeans and jacket. She gives a low hiss as she slumps forward, falling out of the crater. She nearly lands on her face, just barely managing to break her fall with her hands and knees.
"Catch yourself," she replies, eyes shut.
COMBATSYS: Acacia gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Nagare 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Acacia
Well, that was intersting! Nagre just watches as Hokuto's final action adds too his own ball. He blinks, looking towards her. "Hum... sorry about that miss. I didn't know!" He states, blinking for the moment, unable to really move at the moment. She looks pretty bad, half of him wants to just get up and walk out, but his Taiyo Burning Spirit (tm) won't let him.
"Huh?" Nagare states as he moves towards Acacia slowly at first, making sure she's alright. She does look pretty beat up. But the Taiyo Swimming star would be lying if he saying he wasn't, and that he didn't feel anything from it.
And so, Nagare moves even as she's on her hands and knees, and attempts to move righ towards her, and under her while he rests, attempting to pick her up as he swims underneath her bridge like formation, attempting to flip her upside down like a flap jack, and jack her into the ground.
He feels terrible about this.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Acacia with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Nagare 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
That, Acacia reflects, as she arcs gently through the air...
...has to be the weirdest attack I've ever experienced. In my life. And that includes the time Seishirou pulled a giant shield out of thin air and smacked me with an extending piston out the front.
Never had someone /swim under me before/.
She hits the ball-covered ground, vanishing -completely- below the surface. There's no trace of Acacia to be seen, just an expanse of cheerful coloured spheres.
And then the balls geyser into the air as Acacia rises from the depths, coming up in an /uppercut/ directed firmly at Nagare's jaw.
"FORGIVEN," she yells.
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Acacia's Quick Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Nagare 0/-------/--=====|====---\-------\0 Acacia
Nagare's jaw is a mythical beast to hit. It's definitely there, but it's never been hit successfully! A least, asides from people like Geese.
Nagare is full of surprises. All his attacks are hard to make sense of. Some of them even leave him in a weird position. You could almost imagine what one of his normal attacks are. But there's certainly one thing for sure.
As Acacia rips out of the ball pit with an uppercut, Nagare has already gotten to his feet, and prepared himself, fists coming up to block the strike she throws. His arms are really beat from all th attacks he's stopped, but sometimes that's better than nothing. And it sure is. Skidding back from the strik, he looks right towards Acacia.
And then he relaxes. "Oh! Good! For a moment I thought you were going to hold it against me." Nagare states, "Alright then!" And then Nagare begins to swim towards Acacia. Yes, swim right towards here. Hands and feet going, quickly, water chi dripping as he moves. This has to be one of the most nonsensical things you've ever probably seen. And he's attempting to move right into Acacia, to batter her as he swims towards her, and by her.
Yeah, welcome to Nagare's ultimate attack.
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Nagare's Dog Paddling.
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Nagare 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Acacia
"Don't hold grudges," Acacia starts to reply. Then she stops.
Stops dead.
Acacia's eyebrows go all the way up. She doesn't even /try/ to hide her surprise, her mouth opening in an 'o' of shock...and perhaps, faint horror. Her conscious mind refuses to process what she's seeing. Absolutely refuses. It's just numb. Thankfully for Acacia, her instincts seize control, just in time - and on autopilot, she brings her arms up, bent at the elbows, and meets the...dog-paddling man as he crashes into her. Amazingly, he /does not stop/, and Acacia finds herself pushed backwards, bowled completely over, and bounced on her back into the ball pit.
Finally, her mind catches up with what she's seeing. And she asks the question that's been on her lips all throughout this fight.
"How the HELL do you DO THAT?!"
Yes, yes, the answer's obviously mental discipline and the reality-defying deus ex machina of chi.
That's not good enough. Acacia can figure out THAT much.
Doesn't answer the question.
She gives a firm shake of the head, though, pushing the question aside. Answers can wait. Getting a hold of herself, Acacia goes on the attack again. She's tired, battered, but she's not giving up.
Steeling herself, she lifts a foot - and slams it down, her heavy booted heel smashing into the balls. Another shockwave radiates out from around her, as a large section of the ball pit just BOUNCES - hopefully that'll send Nagare flying as well.
Hopefully.
Given the man can /levitate/ though, that's far from certain.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Nagare with Aftershock.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Nagare 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Acacia
Well, Nagare can sure fly for short distances. But he can't fly. It's more like a specialpower that he's learned, here and there, that he uses now and then. But for the craziest part here. "Well, I've swimmed so much in my life that I've learned how to use the water, and chi to give me the lift I needed!" Nagare states as he teeters a bit. Well he certainly didn't expect the ground to start moving.
But it did! And it hurled Nagare into the air as well. Whoops! The ground literally breaks up into him, and send him FLYING into the air. Just hurdled by the blow. But he comes down, like any other time, connecting square with the ground undereath the balls.
And as he does, Nagare simply lays there at first. Owch. That hurt a good deal. But he can't give up yet. Not quite yet, anyways. The balls seem to begin to shudder, only for Nagare to begin to swim underneath them?! Impossible. But he does. Moving across the ground at Nagare breaking speeds, he attempts to get right at Acacia's feet and legs.
And there, right there, trap her as the swimmer once again becomes visible again. Kicks, many of them begin with water chi washing out and back towards her. He's attempting to get out of the way, but as well, stop her from getting out of the way as well.
He looks sorta serious now! Sorta. We'll see how long that lasts.
COMBATSYS: Acacia interrupts Breast Stroke Kick from Nagare with Unyielding Stance.
[ \\\ < > ///// ]
Nagare 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0 Acacia
Water splashes against Acacia's jacket. It's been badly abused - first flame, now streaks and spots of water soaking the garment. Thankfully it's a sensible camo pattern, mottled greens and browns, and a dense fabric besides. There's no wet t-shirt for the fans.
Not that Acacia even considers that. She, unlike Hotaru, just doesn't stop to worry about such things.
No, her attention's on the fight. The first kick batters against Acacia's raised arm.
The second kick doesn't land.
Because she's -caught- Nagare's leg, her slender fingers closing round the ankle, stopping him in his tracks. It takes obvious effort, and the strain shows on Acacia's face. Her right arm trembles as she fights with the swimmer's massive lower body strength. But she makes it.
And she brings her /left/ arm round, slamming her elbow into the trapped limb.
Nagare is pained. Pained completely as Acacia gets the upper hand of him. Or should we say, lower leg?! Definitely lower leg. As she grabs it, Nagre cannot do really anything but swim. Or attempt to swim away. But none happen! Instead, Nagare becomes a pincusion of sorts, and then, bam, the elbow strikes right into his arm. It hurts, a lot really, but Nagare moves through it pretty hard. Very hard. He grits his teeth as it hurts.
But all swimmers are great with long distances. Aren't they? This one is no different. Just as if he's gotten a second wind of sorts, he's ready for the long swim again. "Wow, excellent job!" Nagare pants, rather pained. And as he's not too far from Acacia, he reaches for her, arms around her, as he tries to pump her stomach with two fists. In the famous words of a doctor, Breathe, damn you!
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Acacia with Artificial Respiration.
[ \\\\\ < > // ]
Nagare 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Acacia
Acacia does, indeed, give a spluttering gasp. But it's not one of life, it's the sound of air being forcefully /expelled/ from her lungs, along with a few flecks of spittle. Laced with blood. Her eyes bug out as her ribs smash against each other, as her organs are compressed into a mass of...well, best not to think about it too hard, really.
Her vision blurs, swimming dangerously. And not swimming in the way that our Taiyo hero friend does, either. She sees dancing spots of colour, more than the balls in the pit can account for. Her vision starts to go black, as consciousness slips from her grasp.
But she's not finished...not.../yet/...
With the last of her strength, Acacia gives a loud ear-splitting /cry/. She pistons her arm forward, fingers splayed, aiming an iron-hard palm at Nagare's throat. Aiming to just GRIP him by the neck, wrench him round...before consciousness finally leaves her, before she collapses from the exertion of that last act of defiance.
Slumping into the pit of balls.
COMBATSYS: Acacia can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\ <
Nagare 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Acacia's Stronghold.
[ \\\\\ <
Nagare 0/-------/----===|
Nagare's blows are hard. His own arm hurts due to the problem that, well, she had just struck it pretty hard not too long ago. But he manages to, through will and sort of stupid luck that seems to follow him, get it to connect this time.
But after he lets go to move away, Acacia cries. It pierces his ears from so close to her, sending him to actually put his hands up to his ears in an attempt to block out the cry. He manages, somewhat to do it. But it still hurts his ears. And then she leaps at him. Attempting to grip him with the palm in the through and just bash him around.
Well, Nagare without thinking... leaps into the air and starts swimming. And swimming. And swimming. Acacia misses him by inches, unable to get a real grasp. Nagare, after the few seconds of float, just falls. Falls and falls and disappears into the pool of balls, breathing heavily. And then he floats to the top once more, victorious. "Hah..." He breathes more, "Good fight everyone."
And then the balls consume him?!
Yes they do. Nagare tastes like fish.
COMBATSYS: Nagare has ended the fight here.
Log created on 02:15:04 12/08/2007 by Hokuto, and last modified on 15:22:07 12/10/2007.