Description: In Madison Square Garden, Kurow faces off against Bison... and despite the boxer's best efforts, Kurow manages to do for him. But more than that: enmities are sparked into the beginnings of what truly will be a nasty blaze.. (Winner: Kurow)
The Madison Square Garden! Home to many sporting events and shows! There's a lot of places like it, but this is Madison Square Garden. Presumably it could have been a garden, or even 100% perfectly cubical in shape. But, hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to the art of naming things.
...Please ignore the irrelevant speculation.
The square is nearly packed to capacity tonight. This may, largely, be due to the names involved. One of the greatest boxers that have ever lived, to one of the young upstarts of the fighting scene. A large boxing ring, larger than most major boxing league regulations, sits in the center of an otherwise bare and blue-ish floor of completely uninteresting make.
"YEH HAH HAH!" That voice! That horrible laughter! Could they have?! (Sadly, yes.) "And now, the moment you've been waiting for!" The crowd stirs in excitement for this very moment they've been waiting for. Or the one that they just got now. The word 'moment' really is kind of vague, it should be abolished from any sort of scientific definition.
The spotlights swirl around the outside of the ring wildly. "TONIGHT YOU WITNESS THE GREATEST HISTORY WILL EVER KNOW! I TALK ABOUT THE ONE! THE ONLY..."
"ME!" And then they stop upon Ryuhaku Todoh right in the center, who appears to have replaced his usual gi top with some referee's shirt he must have taken out of someone's locker. The red vest garment and hakama are, of course, still present upon him. The crowd falls silent. Crickets start to chirp. A giant cheese-eating grin quickly fades to irritation.
"BAH! You people. Fine! It's these two other guys... c'mon, what're you two waiting for?! Get in here before I go in your locker rooms and chase you in here myself! DON'T THINK I WON'T!"
The spotlights quickly turn towards the various entrances in which both fighters will be coming in from. One might as well comply, if to get Todoh to shut up (...for now).
What the fuck. WHAT. THE. EVERLOVING. F**K. Bison signed up for a goddamn fight. Yeah, yeah. Saturday Night Fights is run by the competition, the man known as Geese Howard. Sure, Geese and Vega aren't on the best terms. But you know what? Vega's not around and even if he were, he'd approve. Bison has got this burning need to punch things, and better other fighter than other Shadaloo minions. But what the hell is this?!?
Bison ain't stupid. He can read the card. And this guy ain't on the card as his matchup. Bison? He's already walking out under the lights. Usually he'd have some entrance music--something loud and flashy. Instead this time he's just got a lapel mic, clipped to his blue outer shirt. What does it pick up? It picks up, and amplifies, a loud, rough, heavy breathing. The sound a bull makes when it's pawing the ground... preparing to strike.
His heavy footsteps pound the floor, until he stomps his way into the ring. "ALRIGHT!!" he yells, turning to Todoh, the only target for his ire. "You listen up!!" he shouts, his voice thundering through the arena, even over the crowd, as he points at the crowdmembers, and Todoh.
"I got one thing to say. And that is that this kid Kurow is gonna get F**KED UP!!!" And then he flexes--and the shirts just tear away, revealing massive musculature and leaving Bison in his boxing shorts, shoes, and gloves.
Ryuhaku Todoh is the worst announcer ever, Kurow thinks to himself as he finishes getting himself pumped for the coming match, putting together the last little bits of the style he plans to use in his head. He thinks he's a little better prepared to box than he was when he went up against Vanessa not too long ago, definitely thinking himself fully prepared to meet the Shadaloo enforcer on his own turf. Sure, he may have to 'cheat' a little, using pressure point strikes and what little 'grappling' he can get away with in addition to his raw talent, but he definitely thinks he can make it happen.
The young man strides out confidently, wearing only a pair of black boxing trunks and matching boots -- and boxing gloves, of course. His walk to the ring is a slow, carefully-rehearsed one, each movement deliberate, each glance to either side calculated for effect. Whether it's a crowd or an individual, it's all manipulation to Kurow Kirishima, and he does it for all it's worth.
The youth does a quick backflip, showing surprising grace as he plants a hand on one of the ropes and uses it to slow his descent back into the ring to more manageable levels, landing neatly on his feet. This definitely has a small, if barely significant, added bonus -- it allows him to test the flexibility of the ropes before the match. Getting into the ring, he look at the loud, posturing Bison, considering what to say... and goes for the simple, direct approach. Catching the microphone as it goes flying, he says, "I've beaten better men than you. Less talk, Bison -- more boxing."
"Do I even /need/ to introduce them now?!" Todoh sounds like he's talking to himself, out loud (very loud) as the two enter and tease one another in their own particularly charismatic ways. The crowd seems to respond favorably to either of the combatants' boasts and cheers.
Notably, he doesn't flinch when the bull-man Bison points a glove at him. For in the world of Ryuhaku Todoh, he himself is the greatest (no matter what ten almost straight recorded losses may differ). But his eyes do widen when the shirt goes flying off. Mostly because One half of that shirt flies for him. He's had it up to here with you people and your flying clothes!! He catches it in his free hand and pockets it instead of discarding it. It may be worth enough money to keep the dojo afloat for another month or so.
And Kurow! Taking his sweet time. Todoh motions for him to hurry in with all but unspoken demand, the crowd cheering at his particularly athletic entrance all the while. Obviously, the cheers of one Kurow lend themselves to further aggravation. Sure, either one might be good at, y'know, boxing, but what is boxing to him? Huh? Huh?!
"Yes, yes, why don't you. Blue corner there, Mike Bison. Kid up against the ropes when he should be at the RED CORNER," scolding already, "Kurow Kirishima. Yeah, yeah, you keep cheering for them," grumble grumble, but with Ryuhaku's command of English allowing him to sound just as rude on average as the typical Metro City citizen he might actually be able to fool people into thinking he actually comes from here (if he comes from anywhere other than thin air to begin with), "so why don't the two of you try and not be disappointing! Yeh hah hah!"
A fan is raised, compromising none of its cultural integrity in its appearance here. "So... get to it already!"
Ding ding ding! The bell rings! The crowd remains in a frenzy for the prospects of violence, no thanks to a slipshod announcing job by Ryuhaku Todoh.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison has started a fight here.
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M.Bison 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Todoh has joined the fight here.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
COMBATSYS: Kurow has joined the fight here.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/-------|
If this kid's a boxer, then Bison's gonna make Senoh eat some dirty shorts. Look at him! Looks like a freakin' Calvin Klein advertisement, all sinewy and thin. Is -this- what a 'man' looks like? Bison sneers at Kurow, disdain evident on his face. "What, you talkin' 'bout your boyfriend Rock Howard? That little thing?" A loud snort comes from the massive black man.
"Well your little boyfriend ain't no man, kid, you gon' find that out real quick!" Todoh... is... ignored. Mostly. The big Bison glances his way with a deadly serious look in his eyes... and Todoh might notice that a crazy sort of light is powering its way through now. In fact, it's only the bell that brings him to his senses; he gets to his corner just at the bell starts ringing, and then...
The fight is called and Bison charges out of the ring corner, headed straight for Kurow. The man wants boxing... well he ain't gonna get 'boxing'. He's gonna get a serious power puncher who's set on caving his chest in with a powerful lunging straight punch.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison successfully hits Kurow with Dash Straight.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/-----==|
The powerful straight punch catches Kurow off-guard; he was expecting a little more quick offense from Bison like the last time they'd sparred, back when both men worked for the same employer. Needless to say, the somewhat weak block he throws up as he sees the punch coming for him is precisely worthless -- it plows through him and sends him staggering back, groaning. "Oh, come on," he groans, as he gets himself into a stronger stance. "How crass. Is a sexual joke /really/ the best you can do?"
It /is/ Mike Bison, so probably, Kurow tells himself as he glances toward Todoh for a split second before running back in toward Bison. Kurow, of course, does not have /nearly/ the raw force that Bison can bring to bear, but he has other things at his disposal, not the least of which is his immense knowledge of little tricks like pressure points -- and his good grasp on how to cheat /just/ a little.
Stepping in, Kurow throws a series of relatively weak-looking punches, including one that looks downright sloppy... but on that last one, extends his thumb, ramming it right into one of the (relatively) tender spots of Bison's neck and probably giving him a little bit of a surprise. Sure, it may not be particularly clean, but it's effective; Kurow definitely couldn't get through this fight if he /just/ tried to plow himself through Bison's meatiness the same way Bison's trying to do to him.
The sheer strength of M. Bison creates such a breeze that Todoh, nearly close enough to accidentally get socked /himself/, gets his hair blown as though by the wind itslelf. He wisely takes a step back, but not just for tactical reasons! The spotlight here is slightly brighter than it is around the rest of the ring.
One would think that such dramatics in favor of the sheer power that Mike Bison commands would make Kurow's efforts seem underpowerd and unworthy of attention. This couldn't be any further from the truth. Despite the referee shirt, Ryuhaku Todoh is not the sort to really care about calling out Kurow's punching methods.
Well, not any more than a choice insult would allow. "What kind of punch is that, kid?! Huh? You want to see how you throw a punch?! Yeh hah hah!! You two are in so much luck tonight! As is the lucky crowd who came to see me, Ryuhaku Todoh, see you two off today!" So he preens as he fans himself with a beat of sweat running down the side of his head.
Man, spotlights are hot. But what could he possibly be blathering about?
COMBATSYS: Todoh takes no action.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Kurow successfully hits M.Bison with Takedown.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/--=====|
Huh. Dirty punch, huh? Whatever. Bison ain't no saint himself. The dirty technique is effective--even with the gloves on. Bison didn't try to move, though, instead wanting to see if the kid could do anything. The nerve strike jolts his body, his muscles tensing, freezing. Unpleasant in the extreme. Bison grunts deeply, and his eyes flash in surprised.
"What's that?" he shouts, as he forces his body to work--eventually slamming his gloved hands together, repeatedly, and then slamming his shoulders, to get blood flowing properly again, to get feeling back.
"That wasn't no goddamn punch! If you ain't gonna be a boxer, bitch, better get out of the goddamn ring!" Ah, talking always makes him feel better, no matter what.
"RRAAAAAAAAAAH!! COME ON!!!"
COMBATSYS: M.Bison gathers his will.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 1/------=/=======|
Grinning at Bison, he says, "That was a punch. I can't help it if getting grazed by a fist across the shoulder makes you feel like you're being hit by a truck," Kurow counters, smirking at Bison -- he fights dirty, but he'd never admit to it. Besides, he throws enough clean offense that it makes it downright hard to /prove/ he's cheating. "All power and no defense?" he chides, as he watches Bison start to hulk up and scream.
Todoh gets ignored /entirely/ this time -- even if he hates Kyokugen as much as the old man does, he definitely does not find Ryuhaku to be a particularly welcome addition to the battle. "Or maybe just all talk and no action," he chides, as he dances around Bison, moving like an experienced welterweight would; he has a good grasp on the style, even if he's not quite the power puncher Bison is.
"Let's see if you can take this," he mutters, as he throws a few more punches at Bison's face; this time, though, they're a bit cleaner, more direct -- it looks like he's starting to get into the groove, to those who saw his earlier 'sloppy punches' as just that rather than something more malicious.
"Oh, finally, someone once agrees with me here!" Todoh's about to throw his hands up about how disagreeable all these punks are these days about his claims. But he and M.Bison are in agreement. The elder Todoh's gaze falls upon Kurow's form, as if to ask, 'what do you have to say for yourself?'
But then he says something else. "He comes out swinging like an ape! An ape! But surely humble ol' Ryuhaku Todoh," he takes a moment to scream this into the mic at maximum, disruptive volume, "CHAOS AGENT," oh crap, "can get to the bottom of the secrets of his technique!"
It doesn't matter how many fists fly between the space between M.Bison and Kurow as Todoh finds some opportune time in the flurry of fists to suddenly stick the microphone somewhere towards the side of Kurow's face. Very forcefully. Too forcefully. It's akin to throwing a fist into his cheek to begin with.
"So tell me! How do you plan to put up something that actually /looks/ light a fight, hm? HM?" Even through the flurry of clearly legitimate punches? This is Todoh, he cares not for mere circumstance!
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts Medium Punch from Kurow with Turn Punch.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/=======|
"Hunh. You got some opinion of yourself, kid." Bison seems almost relaxed, really, for the fact that he just got nerve-jabbed pretty hard and he couldn't feel the side of his body for a moment. Relaxed for a crazed, roarinb boxer. But that relaxation is a feint, and if Kurow believes Bison's soft then he's in for a serious, serious miscalculation... because Bison? Bison is just ready to rock. Suddenly, he's moving--turning completely away from Kurow, cocking his right fist.
The first punches strike Bison's meaty shoulder... and then he turns back, his body coiled like a spring, fist pulled in tight to his shoulder. The next punch in the combination glances off his glove... and then he complete his turn, thrusting the fist forward, sending it thrusting right into Kurow's chest. Strike two, baby. Strike two.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" roars Bison as he plows his fist into Kurow--Todoh is ignored by Bison, much like Kurow did. Bison... well, he's got his sights locked in and he -wants Kurow's head-. Not on a platter. As a speed bag. completing his punch he laughs deeply and maniacally.
"Naw, bitch!! Now -THAT- was a punch!!!"
COMBATSYS: Todoh successfully hits Kurow with Medium Punch.
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Todoh 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/=======|
Both strikes hit dead-on into Kurow at full speed, sending him sprawling; having to /box/ is definitely not sitting particularly well with Kurow, at least not tonight. Between the microphone and the vicious turning punch, Kurow takes a lot of offense that's both bowling shoe ugly and brutally effective. He doesn't answer Todoh -- there's no clever sass at this point, at least none that he can afford to dole out right now. He needs to focus.
M. Bison can throw hands like none other -- Kurow is definitely outmatched. However, just /maybe/, if he throws enough raw offense at the man, he can take command of the fight again. Rearing a fist back as he staggers to his feet, Kurow keeps one eye on Todoh and one eye on his actual opponent -- and decides that now would be an extremely good time to ante up.
He starts off with something no more complex than a quick strike of his own, one decidedly reminiscent of the Turn Punch that Bison just threw at Kurow; he doesn't /stop/ there, however, which is what makes the situation all the more dangerous. His punches start to come fast and furious, one after another, a series of downright cruel hooks and jabs that seem like they just refuse to end -- until at last, the youth finishes them off with a fierce uppercut aimed so it'll hit Bison in the throat more than the jaw.
Todoh is waiting for Kurow's response in earnest. Good thing he's so impatient as to suddenly find his attention drawn elsewhere when M.Bison decides to add up the damage his own way via Turn Punch. This leaves the microphone pointed at M.Bison's fist. Right in a flash, Todoh goes from inquisitive (if aggressively so) to, well, plain angry.
"WAIT UNTIL HE SPEAKS UP BEFORE YOU SCHOOL HIM!" Both arms go up - carrying a fan and a microphone respectively - in a familiar gesture that may prove difficult to easily pick out because of the spotlights. But if M.Bison cares to look anywhere other than straight ahead for Kurow (and the metaphorical prize), up above forms a majestic trio of chi triplets! Boxy, full-bodied, beautiful(?) chi! Another careful look may reveal that it is far wider towards the end of its reach than it normally should be. If there even is a norm to be added to it.
And then the arms are thrown down, followed by the chi itself, which coincides with the time that Kurow attacks. It is a most majestic attack the likes of which the crowd is surely not booing right now. (In fact, they are, not that it'd be easy to hear over the kiai, but hey.)
COMBATSYS: Todoh successfully hits M.Bison with Kasane Ate.
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Todoh 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: M.Bison endures Kurow's Ankoku Yami Kagura.
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Todoh 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 1/--=====/=======|
And in fact he -can't- hear Todoh. Or doesn't want to. Bison never even considers that Todoh would contemplate throwing attack at him, Mike Bison, Heavyweight Champion of the World (former). So the slashing chi attack takes him by surprise; it throws him forward, right into Kurow's attack. But even if people think he's slow; even if they think he's just brute force... it's true. But he's got instinct and he's got training and he isn't -just- brute force. Kurow's punches land, of course; and Bison doesn't even try to hide how hard they hit. He's rocked, of course, the combination is brutal.
That last punch, though, the uppercut to the throat? That is not taken there. Bison jerks his head back--and the uppercut slams into his chin, and while it's not Vega's chin, it's still quite a chin. The uppercut hurts, but Kurow doesn't get the disabling effect that he wanted...
Instead, Bison just seems angry. His left glove sweeps out, knocking that uppercutting arm away--as he is turning away, like before... only this straight on punch, when it comes, is horrendously fast--not only fast, but powerful. To wax poetic, it looks if the air were tearing -around- his glove, briefly...
COMBATSYS: Kurow blocks M.Bison's Gigaton Blow.
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Todoh 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/-------|
This is something Kurow has seen a few before -- and every time he's seen it come he's taken it full on the chin, and gone flying. This time, he demonstrates either tremendous talent or tremendous luck by actually throwing his hands right up in front of his face. Sure, it cracks bones and plows those padded gloves right up into his face, but he doesn't actually take the blow itself as hard as he could -- and right now, that's enough.
"Heh..." he starts, groaning and rolling his neck. "Decent shot, but..." Gritting his teeth, he moves in toward Bison for one last hurrah -- and more importantly, some more dirty tactics. This time, he throws a first punch, hooking the arm into Bison's face and then around behind his head to pull him in close. Technically illegal, but not a fight-ender -- just something that causes a pull-apart.
Then come the pressure point strikes again. It's a good thing these are an option -- in a /pure/ fist fight, Kurow would probably get destroyed. Ramming his free fist into Bison's side a few times, he makes sure each shot is at least aimed for the /general/ area of a pressure point up Bison's side -- and then as he pulls the other arm away, he finishes the combo with another dirty little thumb jab to the neck.
Right after the chi disappears back into the aether whence it came, Todoh's already got the microphone back closer towards the least popular place in the Madison Square Garden tonight - his mouth.
"Well well well! So it seems they're... just... punching one another! What?! You think this is entertainment?! Bah!! Look at that kid take that punch! Someone's pulling their punches!" How can he commentate about people punching one another? From the outside to someone as uninitiated in the Sweet Science such as himself, it really is just a bunch of punches, only M.Bison is throwing less of them with about as much equal effect as Kurow throwing however many he is. But, at the very core of it all, Ryuhaku Todoh at least knows what a punch is.
"What kind of sissy strikes are those?! You!" And the nearly unthinkable happens. No normal man of so little... 'prestige' in his apparent talent (or lack thereof?) would just go up behind M.Bison and, firmly shove him in the back while Kurow's coming at him with 'sissy strikes.'
"What's the matter? Can't lay him flat? Huh? Can you? That kid can't even throw a punch right!!" Todoh's complaining and obnoxious, ill-informed opinion of what it is Kurow is actually doing in the heat of a pompous ego and the pressure to actually commentate when he should in fact should be taking center stage here, or so he believes.
The crowd sure doesn't. The cheers for either fighter are almost as loud as those trying to boo the 'ref' off the stage. The M.Bison fans are especially vocal about Kurow's punching methods.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison endures Todoh's Quick Throw.
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Todoh 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kurow successfully hits M.Bison with Strong Throw.
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Todoh 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Kurow
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M.Bison 0/-------/--=====|
Okay. He's pissed. He's FUCKING PISSED. Bison does NOT need to deal with a grabby old man who thinks he's got anything to do with real fighting. So Bison is pushed; he growls, "GOD FUCKING DAMMIT YOU FUCKING OLD MAN, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FIGHT!" And the turns back to see Kurow using those pussy nerve punches again. Well, he tries to block them, but Todoh unbalanced him just far enough to put him off. He's struck several times and he grins, tightly, refusing to let the pain show.
"Fuckin' PUSSY," he hisses, just loud enough for Kurow to hear. "Invited to a boxin' match and you can't do it.... fuck... I knew you couldn't cut the mustard... you wouldn't've done it without the old man... too afraid to fuckin' THROW DOWN!!!" Sure, his body's trembling, his muscles ready to give out, but Bison is JUST too fucking stubborn, turning as he begins to fall, throwing another big right hand--not exactly a straight this time, more of an overhead smash as he goes down.
He lost? Sure. But oddly enough, Bison got the moral victory... at least in his own mind.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison can no longer fight.
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Todoh 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Kurow
COMBATSYS: Kurow blocks M.Bison's Turn Punch.
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Todoh 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Kurow
Kirishima listens to Bison -- but all he really hears is 'words words words words'. He used tactics that didn't get him disqualified, and in the end, he got the victory. He knows they weren't /entirely/ honest, but they worked out, and that's always what matters in the end. "You're not the only one who got roughed up by the old man," he counters, as he throws his hands up one last time; the punch slides down his arms, and with that, Kurow flashes him a winning smile and turns to the side.
He doesn't say anything -- for once, the crowd isn't addressed, largely because Kurow's arms feel like they're about to explode and there's a distinctly impressive amount of blood dripping from his face. The youth definitely /looks/ smug and triumphant, though, relative to the immense amount of pain he's just been put through.
A hiss. "I'm gonna kill you, boy. You best watch out. I'm gonna come out of nowhere and you're gonna lose your guts to my fist. You hear me?" Yeah, these words ain't for the crowd. Despite the beating he just took, Bison stands up again, and he's got a fierce, truly murderous look on his face.
"Ain't gonna hold nothin' back. I catch you once, you gonna get your face crushed into powder. You young; you got a lip. I'll make it a lip so fat you got get yo' boy Rock to soothe with sweet kisses." He knows that Kurow felt the power inherent in Bison's frame; Bison's words aren't a threat, they're a promise, as the boxer starts to walk away from the ring. But he stops to look at Todoh, his gaze just as unfriendly.
"And you. You best hope I don't catch you around or I'm gonna tear your nuts off and give 'em to mah dogs to eat." Bison stomps out of the ring--and right through some well-meaning, if idiotic, fight reporters who have the misfortune of asking the champ how he feels about the fight.
"THEN START FIGHTING BACK ALREADY!!" Ryuhaku Todoh basically makes a Your Mom joke at the Grim Reaper's expense in this demand of a bigger, stronger man than he, fan arm pumped and waving angrily as though he would also dare to actually strike him outright! How far would this man go to promote himself and parade around like he's the star of the show when he's just the guy there to muck things up?
Further than most would be willing to conceive.
He watches M.Bison hit the canvas with such vigor that Ryuhaku nearly loses his footing - as though the very rage of the fallen ex-world champ were conveyed through it in full. He relaxes his tense arm and starts to fan himself, silently (...for the moment) surveying the scenario. M.Bison's hit the mat, Kurow's standing there looking like he actually accomplished something.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, ei--" Todoh's counting is very impatient. Loud, and impatient, as if some of the numbers nearly slur together despite Bison's first words of revenge until he pops up right at the eight count. Oh, he's still in now, is it? He at least gives Bison the tiny respect of stepping back so that he can swing back with imputiny.
Who then starts to meander out of the ring with equally unkind words towards Todoh himself. "Hmph." Not an exclamation, but with eyes narrowed. No man alive would dare take his treasured cashews.
"We'll see about that!! So then!" And then Todoh pivots around to face the victorious Kurow, "for all I care you win by forfeit or something! Kurow Kirishima!" The cheers are there, muted as they are in comparison to some of the grumbles and gripes among the audience.
A decisive victory, Kurow thinks, if a close one -- when Todoh declares him the winner, he crosses his arms in front of himself at the wrists, doing a version of one of his trademark Saturday Night Fight victory poses. ... not nearly as impressive without those claws, no, but somewhat enhanced by the cruel little smile that lies on his face.
He turns to watch Bison go, reflecting on the man's words. Some of them aren't worth paying attention to -- he really doesn't think that M. Bison can get the drop on /him/ -- but he definitely decides that Bison might be one to watch out for. Former colleague or no, he's made an enemy today -- an enemy who is remorseless, ruthless, and tenacious. His offense is pugnacious. His defense is impregnable.
The young man eventually starts out of the ring, giving one respectful bow to the audience on his way out. He can't really... /say/ anything this time. The fight stands on its own, really.
Log created on 20:56:38 01/11/2008 by M.Bison, and last modified on 18:49:32 01/15/2008.