Description: A seemingly limiitless valley of white and towering salt piles as far as the eye can see, the flat also holds one other, very unique property: covered with shallow water, Salar de Uyuni is highly reflective, often perfectly reflecting the skies above it for a truly disorienting effect. This truly bizarre and unique natural wonder has been set as the arena for a match of true skill: the infamous Rugal Bernstein, former host of the King of Fighters, pits himself against the son of Geese Howard himself, Rock, and Pacific student Nadine Kennicot. In a battle to see how far he's come as a fighter, Rock prove his ability against this great tyrant of a man with Nadine's assistance? Or will Rugal end up sweeping both fighters up both fighters in his terrible fury? (Winner: Rugal)
Thousands of miles square, the Salar de Uyuni salt flat must have been a nightmare to cross in ancient times. Disorientingly flat topography, with no sign of shade or any living thing in all directions for miles upon miles, even in modern times it's far from a hospitable place to stage an event. But next to the heavy hitter in this particular venue, the environment may seem merciful in comparison.
Rugal Bernstein stands waiting admist a field of countless salt piles, deposits left by what must have been a gigantic lake many ages ago. The temperature is fierce and in spite recent light showers, the air is as arid as any lifeless desert could possibly be. Standing over six feet tall, the infamous crimelord's feet are hidden half-hidden in an infinite expanse of three inch deep water left by the recent rains. Though his suit is crimson red with black trim, the man's figure seems more like a dark silhouette against against the 'second sky' the liquid mirror creates with its nearly perfect reflection.
A helicopter hovers in the distance. Not just a ride to and from this hostile environment, but acting as reconnaissance as well, in case any individuals, organizations, or governments decide to try and take advantage this rare escapade from the Black Noah as a chance to seize the worldwide criminal. But if Rugal is concerned about any such interference, it doesn't show on his impassive face. A pair of dark sun glasses rest over both of his eyes, a nod toward dealing with the blinding brightness to a degree.
An occasional stiff gust picks up, carrying with it salty dust from the mounds, driving particles against the man who waits patiently for the match to begin. But on the whole, the air is listless, as dead as the ground beneath it. Occasionally Rugal's hand dips into his coat pocket, withdrawing an exquisite, golden pocketwatch that he checks silently. A habit more than necessity. He knows, after all, precisely when the match is supposed to begin. Idly his right hand folds and unfolds the end of the thin black scarf that hangs around his neck. An interesting challenge awaits him this afternoon. And he's looking forward to it.
Nadine has never seen the salt flats before, certainly not salt flats of this size. She wasn't entirely sure how to prepare for them either, other than assuming that the footing would be poor and the heat intense.
Apparently she was right on both counts. Nadine stands ankle-deep in the standing water, wearing slightly higher boots than her usual sneakers to deal with the unusual effect. Her usual glasses have been replaced with slightly tinted lenses to try to deal with the reflection and the light.
Nadine pushes up her glasses with one finger while looking around at the flat (except for the salt piles), featureless expanse. Nothing but salt and water and her opponents - and the copter, of course, but she largely ignores it.
Even /she/ has to admit that it's kind of pretty, though, in a very stark way. She approves.
Rock Howard's the last dude to arrive. He's not very excited about his Saturday Night Fight assignment. He's not sure /why/ he's surprised that he's getting teamed up with a girl he knows rolls with his archnemesis and fighting one of the five most powerful people on the planet. It's his father's promotion. Geese always fucks him when he actually gets the testicles to submit his name into the Saturday Night Fight hat. The fact that he won the championship once was as much luck as it was his ability to understand how Kain fought. He never really expects to get another shot.
The location is more interesting to Rock. He's never been here before and it's one of those rare places you have to see to believe. As the SNF Helicopter circles the chosen battle grid a few times, Rock instructs the pilot to make it a slow landing. He wants to see that famous reflection for as long as he can before his eyes are so bloody and bruised he can't appreciate it. Terry would love this place.
Finally landing, Rock kicks open the chopper's door and climbs down. He's got his duffle bag over a shoulder, his purple coat on, and his usual black jeans, black boots, and black t-shirt. Setting the bag down, he pulls his fingerless fighting gloves out and slides them on, stretching the fingers fully on each hand. It's very deliberate and probably meant to annoy Rugal, who Rock knows is a lot like his father. He wants things to be precise and Rock rebels against any sort of constriction.
Finally ready, Howard stands up. He shoots a look over to Nadine with his red eyes. "Don't die," he says, by means of a token gesture. "And don't let me die." And then over to Rugal, with a step towards the man through the wet salt flat. This is going to be a difficult field to balance on, Rock thinks, squinting in the sun. "Let's go, old dude," he says, drafting a familiar Hakyokusaken stance up.
COMBATSYS: Rock has started a fight here.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Nadine has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rock
COMBATSYS: Rugal has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
Of Nadine Rugal knows some. One of Kurow's people, she was helpful during the Suiryuu seige. Out of deference to Kirishima, he'll probably try to avoid breaking her in half. But accidents do happen. Rock, on the other hand, is a fighter Rugal has tested before. He prepares himself almost lazily, letting precious seconds tick past the appointed moment the match was to begin as he draws his gloves over his hands. Bernstein watches him, right hand releasing the end of his scarf to lift up and remove the glasses over his eyes, sliding them into another coat pocket with a deliberate slowness.
Pulling his left hand out of his own pants pocket, the man mimics Rock's preparation by pulling on a pair of black leather, fingerless gloves as well, drawing them taut, as if taking young Howard's urge to get started very lightly. Two can play the subtle mind game routine after all. "Considering what happened last time we met, I'm surprised you're so eager to get this started, Mister Howard."
Drawing himself up into a loose stance that defies any attempt to identify it as a particular style, he looks deceptively open and relaxed, his right arm bent at the elbow, palm up, fingers loosely clenched, his left arm resting against his side. "But very well. Perhaps this is your father's clever way of getting rid of you. The least I can do is oblige an old friend..." The fingers of his right hand uncurl to beckon the other two on.
COMBATSYS: Rugal focuses on his next action.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
Nadine's eyes, behind the shades, flick over toward Rock. Keep him alive? Riiiight.
Honestly, she would rather win than lose, so she'll have to do it for a while, but if it looks like Rugal is going to break her in half to get to Rock, she'll just clear out of his way for a while.
Nadine shifts rather suddenly when the match begins, running forward with her boots splashing in the shallow water, quick-drawing one of the knives from her thigh sheaths and flinging it at Rugal all in the same motion. One of those gusts of wind that often show up around her in the middle of a fight catches it and accelerates it, causing it to curve slightly in flight as it twists toward Rugal's blind side.
While Rugal plays mind games, Rock internally shrugs and bends down at the waist to scoop up some of the salt in his palms. He slams his gloves together and rubs them to give them a little extra grip, rolls his shoulder, and then waits for the pain train to come to the station. He remembers his last fight with Rugal; he doesn't need reminders from the man. "Dad always said I was a sucker for punishment," Rock says. "And they say I've got a thick skull." Maybe he actually /likes/ getting his ass kicked?
Not so much. But he does like a challenge. He likes to push himself to the limit because he thinks that's the fastest way to improve. Each ass kicking puts him closer to kicking his father's ass. Puts him closer to being the best fighter in the entire world. So far that theory has been working; but he'll be dead by forty. That's also part of the plan.
Nadine goes first. Rock doesn't. He lets her move in while he starts pacing the perimeter, trying to line up an opening in Rugal's defense. He hopes Nadine is fast enough to get through it and open Rugal up for something more painful.
COMBATSYS: Rock focuses on his next action.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Rugal dodges Nadine's Zephyr Dart.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
The problem with the knife coming in at an angle is that by simply stepping forward at the right moment, Bernstein is able to avoid the wind sped blade completely; the dart slipping in just missing the back of his coat. "If that's the case," he replies to Rock, "You're at the best place for."
Rolling his right hand behind him, he channels an incredible amount of energy into his palm. Entering the visible spectrum with a white hue as bright as the salt flats atop which they fight, it churns with power struggling to be released. "Well then... perhaps a gift from the old man to start you off on the right foot."
A second step is forward as that right hand swings toward Rock, fingers uncurling as the blast of power is unleashed to tear across the shallow water directly for Rock. Broiling, bright energy, it carves a rut through the salt, on a direct collision course for Geese's boy.
The knife reverses rather abruptly and comes back toward Nadine, still on the gust of wind; she picks it out of the air, looking only mildly irritated at its inability to actually strike solidly.
She continues to move around, shifting her gait to move more quietly, even with the splashing water. Fortunately, Rugal throwing a very characteristic attack means that the sound of her feet is pretty much drowned out as she rushes toward Rugal's back.
Nadine comes in with a low attack, trying to hook her leg around Rugal's foot and yank him off balance. She follows this up with a shove for good measure to see if she can get him all the way to the ground; she probably weighs half of what he does, so there's only a limited amount she can do to try to push him around without him moving in such a way that she can use his weight against him, though.
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Rock with Reppuken.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
A part of Rock was hoping that Rugal would focus on the girl in his face rather than him. It'd let him survive long enough to get some power going and then really lay the punishment on the man. That's the only way he's going to beat Bernstein; he has to hit him when he's unprepared for as much pain as he possibly can and hope Nadine stays in his way between volleys.
That strategy is already failing.
The familiar Reppuken tears through the thin layer of water, splitting it like a boat through the surf. The chi blinds Rock's eyes, mirrored off the flats of salt, and by the time it reaches him he's got nothing he can do. He can't see the cone, the corona, to focus his own defense. All he can do it feel the hurt as it explodes around him, ripping him from the ground and sending him crashing and splashing on his back. The rigid salt hurts as he skids against it.
Kicking up immediately, Rock doesn't wait for an opening this time. With two sharp steps in the salt sand, he cuts his arm forward in his own upward motion, his own blue chi blitzing forward to mirror Rugal's attack moments ago. "You call that a Reppuken?!"
COMBATSYS: Nadine successfully hits Rugal with Medium Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Rock's Reppuken.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/-------|
Unlike Rock, Rugal is plenty ready to deal with the incoming Reppuken. Trying to show him one up, hm? Good luck! The man clenches his fist out at his side and begins to channel strength into his forearm, preparing to repeat the same technique. If Rock wants to test their mastery of Geese's technique against each other, Bernstein is more than happy to give him that chance.
But the opportunity is lost as Nadine slips in under the cover of the previous explosive exchange of attacks, catching the man off guard with a hook around his foot and a shove to the back. It's hardly the end of the world for the tyrant as he goes crashing forward, but it does mean the focus is lost for the return fire that was intended. Catching himself with his hands sunk into the sand, Rugal raises up just enough to brace for Rock's chi to crash against him, smashing against Rugal's forward knee and splashing against his arms.
The combination of attacks is a little jarring, but the man rises back up to his feet quickly, leaving no time to talk and even less time to prepare. Nadine is the closest and he's going to strike out in the process of standing, his right leg aiming a direct kick at the level of her chest before he steps forward, foot splashing through the water in preparation for a follow up horizontal, sweeping strike with his left at the level of her waist that would be difficult to escape. "HAH!"
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Nadine with Medium Kick.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 1/-------/=======|
Rugal's iron boot of injustice comes in too fast for Nadine to do much about it. She starts to leap backwards, and her speed is abruptly increased significantly when he kicks her solidly in the chest, throwing her back several yards to land rather unceremoniously in a roll along the salt flats.
She springs back to her feet a moment later, slowed slightly from the soreness in her torso but doing her very best not to show it, dripping from where she rolled across the shallow water. Nadine keeps her distance now, a knife in each hand, watching for just a moment before she almost casually flicks it right at Rugal's forehead, hilt-first. Against someone of her own skill level, it's pretty much an insult. Against Rugal, just an annoyance at best, but it might encourage him to keep his distance, especially given the other knife in her other hand and the (hopefully) easier-to-target Rock.
With their opponent going for Nadine now, Rock has a moment to catch his breath. He didn't expect the Reppuken would do any sort of devestating damage to Bernstein, but he thought it would be more effective than /that/. At least Nadine got in there and hit him a little. They might not get totally killed by this monster of a man. They'll just get mostly killed.
Shaking his hand out to losen the tendions after the Reppuken, Rock takes a perpendicular step to the side and squints at Bernstein across the salt flat. It's hard to make out his movements and his reflections movements. There is a definite science to fighting in this plateau. He should have prepared better. He could have trained in a dojo lined with mirrors or something. He could have been ready to deal with Rugal; he'd fought him /and/ his son before. He knows what they are capable of and he's never beaten either.
But instead Rock was lazy. So now? He has to get lucky. And part of being lucky is being stupid.
Willing his chi with a swallow of air, Howard slams his feet into the ground and builds a corona of force. His aura radiates visibly with golden light. The energy swirls around his body, building to a peak, before Rock breaks into a blinding run forward. His black boots slam into the splashy salty surface, a trail of energy burning off him with each step. He comes right at Rugal like heaven's gate, trying to literally overpower his defenses with the sheer suddenness of his speed and power. Elbow tucking, chi coils around it as he tries to drive it right through Rugal's sternum. "SHIIIINE KNUCKLE!!"
COMBATSYS: Nadine successfully hits Rugal with Sudden Fling.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rugal stops Shine Knuckle from Rock with Dark Barrier EX.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 1/-------/=======|
Nadine gets knocked back but Rugal doesn't give chase. Getting her back to fighting him at ranged is more preferred for him anyway. It doesn't make her any less the constant minor threat that she is, but it gives him room to deal with Rock when the young man decides to take the fight up close and personal. The knife pings off the man's forehead, but doesn't leave much in the way of a mark. In fact, it does very little to distract him from his focus on the /other/ young blonde.
This is more like it. He can see Rock drawing heavily upon chi now, willing it to obey his command, summoning it forth into a visible aura just before he charges at the suited crimelord. "Heh." comes the grunt of acknowledgement. The glaring reflection would make it hard for most to cope with the incoming attack, but Rugal's second eye filters out the unnecessary interference easily, leaving him more than capable of following Rock's movements with precision.
Salt spray explodes out from the two fighters when the inevitable collision takes place, hiding them from view and camera behind a veil of white. By the time it cascades back to the surface of the lake basin, the exchange has been resolved - Rugal standing with his right hand extended, fingers spread apart, a swirling discus of sickly green energy between him and the outreached fist of young Howard.
The chi meant for his chest is absorbed by the shield, the infamous, almost impervious Dark Barrier he has mastered over the years. Though the man has to flex his right arm a little, willing more of his strength into holding the barrier up until all of Rock's forward momentum has been lost, in the end it suffices. "Ha ha." the one eyed man chuckles, lowering his arm, dismissing the miasmic discus. "Not bad."
Nadine, for her part, is also generally happy when Rugal stays at range. She likes fighting from back here; it's safer all around for her, because she is better-adapted to fighting at range than most people are.
Her knife bounces off Rugal and hits the ground with a splash. Nadine does not immediately retrieve it, but instead flexes her fingers, feeling the air in the region and judging how best to apply her power. She winds up, looking like she's going to underhand pitch something invisible.
Trailing from her fingers is a gust of wind, and when she finishes the underhand 'pitch', a curved tornado of air springs up, blowing sand like a sandblaster and water every which way. It moves toward Rugal, leaving a furrow in the ground behind it, before dying down in an explosion of air and grit. Nadine covers her face from it, just to be safe.
"What ... The fuck --!?" Rock says when Rugal drops the barrier, his red eyes burning bright with intensity. He has never had that happen to him before. He's had people reverse his own attacks on him through counters. He's had Reppukens be reflected back at him. But the Shine Knuckle, his favorite technique, the one he spent his entire childhood teaching himself so he could emulate his hero -- that's never just been /stopped/ like that. Nullified, even.
Recoiling with uncertainty, Rock takes a pair of quick steps back from Rugal before the man can deliver any fresh punishment. He squints at him with a newfound consideration, trying to figure out /how/ he did that. He wants to learn it himself. The remnants of his chi cool around his body, the golden aura fading with slowly twisting whisps like smoke off a cooling fire log. "... Yeah," he finally says, his jaw hardening.
Not sure how to procede, Rock's eyes flick over to Nadine and then back to Rugal. Feeling that she's using her wind chi as it whips through his hair, Howard takes a step forward. His feet grind into the salt and he slices his arms through the air, rotating them across his body like he was preparing for some sort of Hadou attack. The funnel effect aids in Nadine's attack while powering his own variation of one of his father's best techniques.
Suddenly exploding forward, Rock thrusts his hand straight for Rugal, the swallowed vaccuum aiding his strike as he tries to flip the man into the air and then, before he can land, crush him to death with a thrust of his right palm.
COMBATSYS: Rugal endures Nadine's Rolling Storm.
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Rock 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rugal counters Shinkuu Nage from Rock with Genocide Cutter.
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Rock 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
Rock backs away from the well composed, calm crimelord, putting distance between him and Rugal for a moment, giving the monster time to survey his situation. The confidence shattering experience of having a well trained attack stuffed with calm aplomb is just the effect Rugal enjoys having on those who fight him. Real battles take place on so many levels. More than swinging fists with rock hard muscles, or exploding chi with the will of the spirit within... There is also the battle of the mind. One of the most powerful ways of tearing down a fighter is convincing them of their insufficiency. And as Rock backs away, Rugal can tell that his Dark Barrier did more toward that goal than anything else he could have done then. Just as he had hoped.
"You can feel now more of the difference between us. Terry may teach you brute force, boy, but his techniques leave something to be desired in terms of efficiency." His hand brushes idly against his coat, making no move to attack either Nadine at range or Rock who is in a bit closer. But the tyrant is far from passive when the two press the attack.
It may seem at first glance that Rugal is trying to avoid Nadine's tornado by taking the step to the side that he does. If so, he does a pretty terrible job at it, since he only manages to line himself up even better with her projectile. The intent becomes a little more clear when the attack strikes him and drives the man into Rock with preemptive force against the signiture throw.
Before Howard's boy can get a grip on the tyrant, Rugal's right leg swings up with a chi-laced crescent kick into the young man's stomach with enough force to launch them both into the air. "Genocide-" he growls, voicing one of the few attacks he actually calls out in a fight. It's his signiture technique and he desires all to know it's name. Rising up over the salt flats into the dry air, a second strike comes with his left leg, red, piercing, sharp chi trailing behind his foot, water spraying in every direction at the point of impact. "CUTTER!" And the final hit comes, a downward axe kick, driven into Rock's shoulder to drive him back to the ground below. Free fall would have been mercy compared to the speed he drops now.
Rugal lands, legs half bent in a crouch before he stands up straight again, taking a moment to adjust his coat and necktie. That's the Genocide Cutter. Symbolic of his mindset. Representing the swath of deaths he would gladly carve through humanity to get what he wants. And now Rock has been treated to a front row demonstration.
Nadine didn't want to approach Rugal /before/. Now she is absolutely sure she doesn't want to get anywhere near him; that display of power would have splattered her into the salt, something she has no interest in doing. Better Rock than her, teammate or no.
But maybe she can learn. Nadine smiles, just a tiny bit, as she keeps her eyes on Rugal. She doesn't advance /or/ retreat, staying in one spot, one knife in each hand which she keeps up in a vaguely defensive posture. And then she watches, trying to learn even a fraction of the master's fighting style, either to counter it or perhaps to adapt a tactic to her own.
COMBATSYS: Nadine focuses on her next action.
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Rock 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
Rock gets explodinated. That's the easiest way to put it. The Genocide Cutter he's experienced a few times before. Never with good results. Launched back in a shockwave of chi that is echoed in intensity courtesy of the unique salt plain, Howard lands over a dozen yards from the initial kick-point with his back careening into one of the larger salt deposits. It puffs up around him, stinging every one of the many cuts on his body.
Purple coat trashed, Howard's body smokes as he peels it off his body. Standing up, he crumbles the remnants of the jacket up and takes a step down from the salt bank. Throwing the coat down, he wipes a hand across his mouth and spits. There's some copper in that saliva; he's probably bleeding somewhere inside. Probably a rib. He'll deal with that later. Right now, he wants to feel his knuckles breaking against Rugal's pompous little skull.
Coughing, Rock looks like he wants to kill Rugal. But he doesn't run in to attack. He waits for his moment again. The last time he blitzkrieged he paid for it. No, he has to be smart. He has to resist his evil boiling blood!!!!!!!
COMBATSYS: Rock gains composure.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
Rock drops to the ground and Nadine holds her distance, with Rugal somewhere in the middle of the two fighters. A glance over his shoulder gives the man time to study what the Pacific High student is up to, his expression a neutral, tight lipped one, before glancing back over to Rock as the young man pries himself out of the shallow water.
"Hnnn." The boy's blood rages to strike back but Rugal appears to be as calm as the mirror upon which the trio do battle. "You can't be finished yet," he remarks in Rock's direction. "When we last fight you showed more determination than this. Come, test yourself against my power. Allow it to be a gauge by which you can determine your progress."
His right hand extends, beckoning the boy. Barely scratched as of yet, the man simply waits, not seeming interested in chasing either fighter down. "There's a lot I could teach you, you know. About absolute power. About what it takes to conquer. I'm sure that it would compare favorably to whatever lessons that hobo is teaching you in the gutters." His fist clenches, lowering back against his side. "You can't resist the call of your blood forever. You were meant to be so much more than a nobody's protege."
COMBATSYS: Rugal gains composure.
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Rock 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
Nadine's sharp ears hear every word as she continues to watch, dropping her guard momentarily to push her eyeglasses the rest of the way up her nose. Interesting, she thinks, but she doesn't speak.
Instead she circles around, moving toward Rugal's back as inobtrusively as she can manage. There are positions where it is difficult for Rugal to see both her and Rock and that's the sort of thing she's trying to set up. As she moves, she throws a knife at the side of Rugal's head, the same way she did before.
This time, however, it is a feint. Nadine rushes in after the knife, attempting to come up behind, leap up, and loop her arm around Rugal's neck, squeezing in a triangle hold she probably learned from Kurow. Her other hand, still with its knife, comes up to stab toward the small of his back, as hard as she can manage it.
Apparently speeches are the best time to try to cut someone.
Rock's listened to people bad mouth his choice of heroes his entire life. His father, understandably, hates him. His Uncle, too, is not a fan. People across the fighting universe think Terry Bogard is an underachieving bum because he doesn't spend every minute of his life using his god given talents for his own personal gain. He fights for the competition and to help people. He fights because its what he was built to do. It was his destiny.
Rock can empathize with that. He was built to fight too. His father killed his mother and runs the biggest fighting corporation on the planet. Rock doesn't know why, but he'll find out if it kills him. He has two of the most famous fighters on the planet as Uncles. The long road of his destiny has been paved with the call of the fight. Rather than turn from it, Howard has embraced his destiny while forging his /own/ path with his /own/ champion. "You're wrong," he says, cold and dark, back to Rugal. "Terry Bogard fights to stop people like you, Rugal Bernstein."
"He fights because people like you use what you've learned -- the skill and talent you were given -- to your own advantage. I told you once and I'll tell you again," power starts to pool around Rock again, his aura spiking but in a controlled fashion. Like a volume knob slowly being turned towards max. He doesn't release it yet. "You're just like my father. I don't care what you can teach me about conquering people and worlds! If you can't teach me how to destroy Geese Howard, then you're just as much of a dead man as my father!"
Shooting forward, Rock hopes to get to Rugal at the same time Nadine is coiling her arms around his neck. This should leave him exposed for.... An elbow right to his chest, a pillar of chi blossoming off Rock's body as he strikes.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Nadine's Savage Combo.
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Rock 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rugal fails to counter Hard Edge from Rock with Jab Punch.
- Power fail! -
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Rock 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Rugal
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Nadine 0/-------/=======|
Nadine throws the knife and Rugal flicks it away with a careful raise of his left hand, not taking his eyes off of Rock. That doesn't keep her from trying the rest of her assault though, leaping up to try and get a grip on him. As the man feels her arm come around his neck he grips her wrist with his left hand, prying her back off to deposit her to the side just before she manages to knife him in the back, his attention still on young Howard. Getting him riled up is key to making this interesting to the man, and it seems he's gotten his wish. Whether he cares for the destiny Rock has chosen is unlikely...
As his left hand releases Nadine, he lunges forward, his right fist coming up in a clenched fist, driving forward for Rock's forehead. To say that he underestimated the drive Terry's student has becomes apparent as his clenched fist never reaches the point of impact before Rock's elbow crushes into his chest, shattering any attempt to prepare himself before the piller of powerful chi follows suit. The combination drives Bernstein off his feet in another explosion of salty water, landing hard on his back some distance away. Well, well. The little scraper's got a bite!
Rising to his feet, the crimelord's hands come up to the collar of his shirt. With a single, fabric rending rip, he tears open the dress shirt and sloughs it and his suit coat into the murky water with a splash, leaving his powerful arms bare and his torso covered by a green muscle shirt. "Apparently you do have skill, boy. Too bad it's being squandered so uselessly..."
The conversation is becoming more and more interesting by the moment, but Nadine is a little too distracted to join in. All-out attacks like that aren't really her usual mode of operation, and neither is being pried off and manhandled by crimelords.
Much as Nadine hates to admit it, she knows when she's outmatched. Right now is one of those times; everyone else involved in the fight is better than she is. If she wants her team to win - and she does, because she despises losing, even if it gives her useful information - Nadine is going to have to try something new.
She uses her two knives in a rather complicated-looking display, slashing up and down at Rugal, high and low, coming in from the side. None of them are actually meant to hit - they're feints, although the grab she makes at the end to restrain Rugal's movement is not.
Now's your chance, Rock!
COMBATSYS: Nadine assists Rock.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Rugal
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nadine 0/-------/=======|
There we go. Satisfaction. Holding his elbow extended for a few full sequences of breathing in and then out, Howard lets that harmony of stinging in his elbow that tells him Rugal felt a little bit of revenge for saying those things about Terry Bogard. Slowly, Rock straights, pulling his elbow back to his side and readopting his usual fighting stance. He balances his weight evenly between both of his booted feet, eyeing Rugal for his next move.
"Yeah, yeah," Rock says, rolling his hand through the air. "Get with the fucking program, Rugal. I'm a total screw up. I wasted all of my father's gifts because some woman he killed didn't want me to end up like /him/. So just," now Howard beckons the much larger man towards him with a twist of his fingers. "Shut up and /fight/!"
Nadine does the rest for Howard. She moves at Rugal and finally seems to understand what Rock's been hoping to do. Keep a constant buzz in the man's face so he can't focus on any one of them. It's like a swarm of bees, eventually one squeezes in and stings you. Rock wants to be that stinger.
Planting his right foot forward, more chi pools in Rock's gloved hands as he squeezes his fists tighter. Cutting forward, he takes a strong step towards Bernstein, his palm opening as he swings his arm forward. "DOUBLE!" he yells, power crackling off him as an incadescent blue slice of chi launches from Rock's body. "REPPUKEN!" he yells, planting the other foot and cutting his other arm in the same motion. A second Reppuken tears free, plowing through the salt and water like a steamroller through freshly laid asphalt. The corona of the twin columns of power blotting out the reflection of the sun against the salty sand.
COMBATSYS: Rugal interrupts Double Reppuken from Rock with Genocide Cutter.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Rock 1/-======/=======|=======\-------\1 Rugal
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nadine 0/-------/=======|
Feinting a man who can see the motions others take broken down to almost the cellular level is quite a challenge. His cybernetic eye can feed him information about the movements of others with enough precision to distinguish between a pulled punch and the real deal with micro-second accuracy. And thus that opening Nadine hopes to create ends up not pulling through for her as Rugal charges past her just before her attempt to grab him to give Rock his chance.
While he was content to stand in one place for a lot of the fight, it seems getting smacked back ten plus yards by Rock's crushing elbow to the chest has quickened the man's pace significantly. Maybe it's because he took that heavy jacket off! "A fight you want," comes the low growl as Rock calls for him to shut up and get down to it. Quit stalling, quit antagonizing him. Sure, Rugal can accommodate that. Noooo problem.
The first of the Reppukens barely has time to form before the attack is kicked right through, Bernstein catching Rock just as the boy plants his foot to deliver a second one. No proclaimation this time. Just raw, punishing force, the tyrant's powerful, searing chi-laced kicks taking the two of them into the air a second time. Spinning around once at the apex of their ascent, the finishing axe kick comes again, accompanied by shearing energy that gashes like a dull scythe rending flesh before the two drop down to the ground again.
Landing in a half crouch, one hand planted in the salty surface beneath the no longer tranquil water, Rugal exhales slowly before rising back up to his full height.
Well.
Nadine can honestly not say that she wasn't impressed by the show of both power and skill - from both parties, to be honest, although Rock was a little less skillful, and certainly a lot less lucky. She clears out of the way when she sees that her feinted assault is no longer working and her grab is certain to miss, putting about ten feet between her and Rugal in a long backwards jump, just in case he explodes with chi.
He doesn't, but this was probably more impressive. It also appears to leave him open for a moment when he lands in his crouch, and that's when Nadine - sparing not more than a glance for the possibly badly wounded Rock - moves forward. This time when she reaches for Rugal's back, it's without her knives, which are back in their sheaths - instead she simply tries to pick him up and spin, letting an immense gust of chi-assisted wind spring up to help her th row with more force. "Howard," she says, possibly inquiring about his condition.
Rock gets explodinated part two. There really is no other way to explain it. This time he lands a lot closer to where he got 'upper-kicked', water splashing into the air as he craters through the crust of the salt flat to the layer beneath. The earth splits around his impacted back; ripples and cracks forming from the severity of his landing. And Howard is still for several seconds; maybe he's dead?
Finally, Rock lets out a haggard wheeze as he regains consciousness and the air rushes back into his broken lungs. Clutching his chest, because a split rib is punching against his throat, Rock rolls over onto his side and starts coughing blood. This is a familiar feeling for him. Being obliterated by a much stronger man to the point that everything sane and logical within him is telling him to stay down or prepare to die. He answers Nadine's 'concern' by...
Rock chooses to prepare to die.
Still coughing, he crawls back to his knees with fistfuls of salty sand. He manages to stand up, forcing his legs to stop shaking, his hands opening to throw the clutched sand to the ground. He tries to look ready for what might come next, but there is that buzzing, ringing, thumping sound in the back of his skull. He's not sure if it's the onset of a concussion or something else. But it's insistence. The noise can't be stopped. It bubbles and boils until it's banging through Rock's body.
The song can't be resisted.
With a roar of anger, Rock forgets about the lessons of Terry Bogard. He forgets about the teachings of the enigmatic Grant, of Kain, and of Her. He remembers only one name: Geese Howard. Reaching Rugal like an released demon, Howard's body is a beautiful harmony. It moves to an unheard rhythm; an ancient technique only two men on the planet have ever mastered. It comes in a fury of fists and fire, punches that melt into elbow strikes that melt into upper-cuts that turn into spinning, slicing, kicks. Each one is faster than the next, a tremendous fuel that powers the culmination of it all. A right, a left, and then Rock's hands collide together at his side. His eyes fire red as fire and he thrusts the two of them forward to extend the length of his body. And with it, all that energy charges and collides, shunting and shot down the length of his arms into a gigantic chasming beam of golden light shot straight for Rugal Bernstein's core.
COMBATSYS: Nadine successfully hits Rugal with Twister Toss.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/-----==|=======\=------\1 Rugal
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nadine 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Rugal counters Deadly Rave Neo from Rock with Scorpion Blow.
[ \\ < > //////////// ]
Rock 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Rugal
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nadine 1/------=/=======|
Nadine's catches Rugal just as he's rising to his feet, hands getting a tight grip on his shoulders, the power of the wind she beckons allowing her to hurl the man further than anyone could possibly have expected coming from a girl her size and build. Rugal takes the fall fairly well, rolling back up to his feet just in time to turn his unliving eye toward Terry's proud student.
The song probably didn't steer Rock wrong. Going for Bernstein with a ridiculous combination of strikes and chi blasts was likely not in error. Giving it his all is the kind of committment it requires to defeat one of the fighting world's very few elite. Anything less than everything he has would never be enough. Not digging deep, to pull off attacks most of the world could never dream of, holding back in fear of what might happen... All of those would be a mistake. Plowing at the monster with everything... that is not a mistake. That is what it takes to topple Titans.
But sometimes it just isn't meant to be. Not yet. Bernstein is in top form as Rock strikes for him. Swing after swing gets deflected with expert skill - a chop to the arm, a palm pressed against his shin at just the right moment, a small pulse of chi to repel a burst of energy meant to shatter through his guard. For each strike, Rugal has an answer, drawing from literally dozons of styles of martial arts with each defense. He always has an answer. And when Rock finishes, attempting to plow through the man with a final torrent of chi the likes of which could very well fell even someone like Rugal, a thick, powerful right arm slams forward, catching Rock by the neck, hefting the young man off his feet and turning him around in time to disrupt the gathering of powerful chi.
The pressure is crushing as Rugal holds the youth out at length, suffocating the life out of him. He could kill him now, perhaps. Were it in his interests. And with the quiet, seething way his lone human eye bears down on Rock, he may very well be considering it. The boy is powerful. Not quite a threat to him yet, but someday... someday he may join the elites and be a viable obstacle of future plans. Why not prevent it now? Why not put an end to the potential; a destiny derailed.
It would be hard to guess at what stays the tyrant's killing intent as eventually the release comes. His right hand relaxing it's crushing, vice like hold, his left hand slamming forward, a clenched fist drilling into Rock's chest with rock-powdering force intent on sending the young man flying away. Rock must be deemed to be worth the risk, for whatever reason.
Rock gets explodinated part three. Picked up mid-awesome combo, he has a brief flash of panic before it all goes white. He thinks about Marie as he loses consciousness, his body husk crashing into the ground and skidding a few feet against the salty sand. He comes to a stop near his duffle bag. Ukee pops his head out of the zippered bag and makes a sad noise, looking at Rugal with very large eyes.
You made the monkey cry, Rugal. You made the monkey cry.
COMBATSYS: Rock takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Nadine 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Rugal
COMBATSYS: Rock can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Nadine 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Rugal
The wind continues to swirl around Nadine after her throw, picking up velocity and angular momentum and forming itself into a whirlwind around her, a shell of fast-moving, slightly thicker air. It picks up salt and water to about waist height on the fairly short Nadine, with sprays reaching all the way up to her face.
She sees Rock go down. That's - well, that's not fine. But it's something she's going to have to deal with. She realizes that she barely has a chance, unless she gets ridiculously lucky and Rugal is incredibly distracted by Rock's mere presence, even unconcious.
Nadine darts forward, the personal tornado around her blasting up more water and salt as she moves, leaving a trail behind her of disturbed ground and spraying water, strange eddies going every which way. She reaches for Rugal again, just like last time, attempting to pick him up again.
This time, though, the tornado is likely to help her spin him around several times, rasping away with the debris from the terrain, before she finally lets go. The tornado appears to explode, sending wind out with enough force to blow Nadine's glasses off; she grabs them as they go.
COMBATSYS: Rugal blocks Nadine's Twister Hurl.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Nadine 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Rugal
And then there were two. Rock's gasp as the young man sinks down to enjoy a break from the violent battle in the salty water tells Rugal it's time to turn his attention back to the other fighter who managed to get a few hits in on him throughout the fight. She's been creative in her attacks, seeking openings and making others for her partner. Slipping into his blind spots or operating under the cover of sound created by louder, more explosive attacks flung by Rock and Rugal. She's had plans to recover the weapons she's hurled, making sure to not lose options by reducing what she has while also preventing her opponents from putting her weapons to use against her in an attempt at retaliation. A clever girl. He can tell why she's one of Kurow's own.
With time she has the potential to become formidable for her age. But for now it's a matter of wrapping up this match. When the girl reaches for him, she gets a grip on his arms but the man pulls himself free, defending himself against the buffeting wind chi swirling up around her, fighting back against it with his own aura, reducing the chance it has at being a threat.
And then comes the retaliation, a fist slamming out toward Nadine's cheek with a right hook, his left hand slamming forward toward her stomach with an open palm press intending to send her flying back. Her style lends itself to ranged combat, apparently he's willing to let her get distance for a moment!
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Nadine with Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Nadine 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Rugal
Nadine likes range. Anyone watching her fight for long can't help but notice that - which is why she is inherently suspicious whenever anyone gives it to her without difficulty. Normally she uses her mobility to get it; she isn't just handed it.
Maybe that's why she doesn't expect to be shoved like that. The blow to the side of her head dazes her for long enough for Rugal to damn near throw her across the flats, landing in a somewhat messy heap a few yards away. The salt water in her scrapes burns, but she makes no sound of complaint - although part of that may be because she is struggling for breath after that last stomach hit.
Nadine pushes herself up to her knees first, retrieving one of her knives from its sheath. She flings it without benefit of wind assistance toward Rugal, hoping it distracts him for long enough for her to finish recovering. Wind /does/ bring it back after impact either with him or the ground, although much less strong; it slides rather than flies back.
COMBATSYS: Rugal overcomes Medium Fling from Nadine with Reppuken EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Nadine 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Rugal
"You fought well, Miss Kennicot. It's time to end this match, but your participation was worth the opportunity to see your style in action. You have interesting potential."
Unfortunately, that poor knife is probably no longer part of this world. The moment Nadine is at range, Rugal lowers his right arm down to his side, charging up another one of his stolen techniques. It's not exactly retaliating with equal force, but Rugal is not really the kind of man to show softness even when a match is winding down to what he belives is its inevitable conclusion. "Reppu-"
The knife speeds through the air, intent on delivering a small hit to the monster of a man, but it never gets its chance. "-ken!" Another trough is carved through the soft sandy surface was the world famous projectile plows through the water with a disgusting amount of speed.
Even as he unleashes the attack, the man begins to turn, his left hand raised toward the chopper in the distance, a slight beckoning motion indicating to the co-pilot who is watching through binoculars that it's time to come pick him up.
COMBATSYS: Rugal successfully hits Nadine with Reppuken EX.
[ \\\\ < > /////////// ]
Nadine 1/--=====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
"I feel rather the same way about yours," Nadine says, which probably sounds a lot more cocky than she meant it to, coming from a high school student and addressed to one of the greatest fighters on the planet. She holds her hand up, expecting the knife to come back.
There is instead a Reppuken coming her way. Nadine switches from the waiting posture to a more defensive one, bringing her hand up in front of her in an attempt to hold off the force of the energy, winds swirling around her hand and starting to condense into a shield.
It does not work. The Reppuken does not stop or even really slow down, plowing through Nadine's defense as if it wasn't there and sending her flying, rolling across the ground. This time she does not get up and continue the fight; if she's not unconcious, she's very close to it and has no real interest in continuing to antagonize Rugal.
Today.
COMBATSYS: Nadine takes no action.
> /////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
COMBATSYS: Nadine can no longer fight.
> /////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Rugal
Nadine is sent tumbling as Rugal had expected. All sounds are rapidly drown out by the chopper that comes in and hovers low over the flats, stirring up the salty water into a muddy mess as a rope ladder is dropped down over one of the landing struts.
Walking over to retrieve his coat and shirt with a quiet chuckle, the man slings the wet, muddy clothing over his shoulder before heading over to take hold of the short ladder and climb his way up. This excursion into SNF-land was interesting as always. Geese has quite the racket going on, but Rugal can't help but be drawn into participating... from time to time.
COMBATSYS: Rugal has ended the fight here.
Log created on 19:31:22 12/22/2007 by Nadine, and last modified on 18:15:22 12/25/2007.