Description: Blanka and Batsu battle boisterously but a bad brawler breaks the brawl! The resulting free for all is... a little surprising. (Winner: Oswald)
There was a time long ago when the Knights still graced this building - there is still a loosely knit group that bears the same name but understandably now it's hardly a match to the lauded honor the Hospitalier used to hold creed. They sure don't make buildings this way anymore, no, nowadays buildings fall apart before they come to maturity and simply don't possess that same charm the old artworks of architecture used to have. Sure, there are some beatiful feats of steel work and shiny glass, clever use of those newstyle bricks, but it simply wasn't the same.
It's a quiet day today, to call it a crowd of tourists would be a joke, only a few people are touring the ages old fort, walking through the towering halls lined with hand carved, semi-restored statues, suits of armor mounted on spits. The floor is semi-marbled and polished, and as the evening sets the halls and foyers are lit by gas dipped scones, and lit above my faux-dark ages chandeliers.
There's a hard scuff of a shoe as Oswald comes to a stop before a huge hanging portrait - a profile of some knight-land lord from long ago. A priceless work of art, no doubt. Oswald is on a little trip of culture tonight, it would seem!
Having never had a chance to visit Greece, Batsu Ichimonji is taking time out to see the sights himself... well, that and the fact that his social sciences teacher told him he could make up for his many absences in that class by taking some of the time he's spending in Greece to write a short report on the historical monuments of the area. Thus 'seeing the sights' is probably not 100% true; taking notes on the sights and grumbling about it the entire time, that's certainly a more likely scenario.
However, the Grand Master's Palace on the isle of Rhodes actually interests Batsu a bit; he's currently standing in the main hall, looking at the statue of Laocoon and reading a bronze plaque on the wall about the history of the place. Greek statuary doesn't do much for him, but he's always been kind of interested in wars as a historical topic, even if war itself he thinks is pretty stupid on the average. "Don't trust Greeks bearing gifts, huh..."
He turns and, over his shoulder, spies the Official Palace of the Grand Master Gift Kiosk set up just outside entrance.
"...heh."
Big stone castles are a far cry from big tree jungles! Blanka is more than impressed by the castle as he approaches from the rooftops around and nearby. Bounding from building to building, he crosses to the castle, and scrabbles up and along the minarets and balconies to get a good look down. This week was a confusing one, as Blanka was used to being told who he was fighting, and what else was going on. Simply being told 'be here, and fight' is tricky enough that he's trying to be careful. After all, if he leaps down upon someone who is not an actual fighter and smushes them, everyone will go 'oh noooes, green evil monster run hide' like Alexis or Drake. Bah!
It's a hard life to fight bad perception, so Blanka is being extra-careful. He leans up from his post on the turret, and waves his giant green paw way up and tries to get attention - more attention that being almost seven feet tall, bright green with day-glo orange hair gets. "AROOo!? Who fighting Blanka?!?!?!!"
That was loud. Far louder than the usual bustle of tourists. The animal call brought Oswald to turn, stepping over to the edge of his vantage on the third floor. It's an open air portal, looking into the center yard of the keep, and carefully peer in. He was not here for a fight, after all, so this Blanka is not one to be greeted openly.
Rats... it's from above? The Gambler's face twists into a scowl as he just steps back for now to one side of the window, only head is tilted in to keep an eye in case someone would drop down. It was best to stay out of sight for now.
...wtf. That was LOUD.
However, Batsu is sure he heard the word 'fighting' in there somewhere, so unless some extremely angry tourist is demanding a refund -- unlikely, in this castle that seems to be devoid of people, even camera crews -- then that's probably someone else who's here for an SNF. Unlike Oswald, Batsu IS here for a fight, and the only rule appears to be 'anything goes and anyone's fair game' from what little he was told.
Abandoning his notebook, the Taiyo student bolts for the nearby turret stairs, taking them two at a time as he bounds up to the ramparts and busts through a door (well, by opening it very fast; Batsu would rather not contemplate what Raizo would say if his son broke a national historical heritage site) and comes face to face with... Blanka. However, for someone whose father is basically a giant bear and who has friends like, say... Gan Isurugi, all green skin means is you should probably wear long-sleeved shirts, in Batsu's eyes. Grinning wildly, he points a finger at the beastman. "I guess you're here for the SNF too, huh, big guy?"
Someone has heeded the <strike>mating</strike>fighting call of the wild Blanka! Oh, glorious day! Blanka listens to the sound of footsteps on stone, hunkering down into an eager crouch. As the door opens, Blanka is at full height, and watches intently at the youth. The big grin is suddenly met with one of Blanka's own, teeth brilliant white, and very sharp. He gives a very SAIKYO THUMBS UP to Batsu, nodding the affirmative. "AROOSHA! Blanka.. here to fight! When.. you ready!" With that, the giant green man clenches his hands into fists, and hunkers down just a little, hands swaying in front of his face, semi hypnotically.
As one of the gawkers on the turret's top sees and starts to flee, he nudges his compatriot on the way out the door. "... Lookie there! Now he's fightin' like a monkey!"
COMBATSYS: Blanka has started a fight here.
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Blanka 0/-------/-------|
No sight, but there was sound...
Age hasn't robbed him of his speed or stamina as he does much the same as Batsu does - though from the center keep rather than the turret. He had to get higher, before it started. A frantic beeping was coming from his hand as his thumb drumbs a little button on a curved little device, the words 'no signal' keep flashing on screen. The Irishman could swear in so many languages, and he always spared the curses of Ireland for just these ultimately frustrating times.
The dim light of the setting sun illuminates just as the little phone lights up as he nears the roof, flicking it open as he spies the two combattants from the vanguard. "Bronson? Wager for me... SNF... yeah."
He gets down a bit lower, crouching low and slipping to hide behind one of the higher bricks. That green one is way too tall for Oswald's good, and his arms were thick like a treetrunk. "...I don't know... look it'll be easy to find. Big green guy and a kid. "
Little squaks are thankfully drowned out by the crowd's murmurs from below as the tower lights flick on and light up the two 'contestants', somewhat the same for Oswald's roof, making him narrow his eyes as he whispers, "Fifty on the kid... and seventy-five on a draw. Yea... Greece."
A click and the cellphone is closed, a quick move stows it in jacket with one hand as the other pulls out a pair of black leather gloves, slipping them on. Now he will just have to wait until brief war begins.
'Oosha'? That sounds familiar. Despite his rough appearance, Blanka seems like a decent guy... beast... beastguy... to Batsu. Lord knows the somewhat thuggish-looking Imawano brat has had his share of being told he looks a little too rough given his personality. Still, a good fight is a good fight... and those pearly whites look like they're capable of giving a good fight, especially to a skittish dentist.
"Alright, my man... game on!" Deciding to get things started -- and patently oblivious to the odds Oswald just placed on him -- the Burning Fighter doesn't waste any time getting things started. Pushing off the ground with his left foot, Batsu drives toward Blanka at a full run, cocking back his right arm and then looking to give the green machine a nice telegraphed right cross to that sharp-toothed jaw. Yep... he's a brawler, alright.
COMBATSYS: Batsu has joined the fight here.
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Batsu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Blanka
COMBATSYS: Oswald has joined the fight here.
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Blanka 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Blanka Toughs Out Batsu's Fierce Punch!
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Blanka 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
Wait, someone isn't betting on Blanka?! But he's using monkey-style kung fu! This is a /sure/ thing! Luckily, he can't hear well enough to pick up a hushed conversation over a phone in a turrent away from him, so he's oblivious that he's been given such low odds to succeed! This is, after all, not his element, but that won't phase him. He can't allow it! As Batsu rushes him, he can feel the adrenaline flow, his body suddenly tingling with something akin to the electric current that he feels when he starts to share his lightning with other fighters, a rush that runs along his spine and makes t hard to focus on doing 'human' things. He lets it build, knowing that today, the better beast will prevail - but unsure who it is. As the punch comes in, Blanka flows with it, taking the right cross and allowinig it to crunch into the side of his face. He's knocked to the side, large arms flailing out for balance, much like a cat would do, when dropped from a height.
He hits the edge of the turret, and simply goes over. One large hand holds on though, and he redirects his momentum up and over, to bring him in a wild attack from above, teeth out and maw open as he tries to give Batsu a friendly little AWM NOM NOM!
Semantics set aside, the fact Oswald was betting on the 'kid' so to speak, is because at a glance Batsu is the underdog. He loved to bet on the underdogs - especially when he had opportunity to muss and influence the match.
Ideally he'd research the two, but - why not shoot from the hip?
There's a careful sideglance cast at the side of one of the raised blocks atop the rook, watching as Batsu both launches and lands a surprisingly clean shot to the Beast's face. Eyebrows raising, Oswald can't help but grit his teeth, even as Blanka swings with and simply fights through the momentum. A grapple... ballsy.
Slipping lower now, Oswald keeps out of sight, shimmying over a bit alongside the guarding wall of the rook. A tourist attraction was near, the wide space of the keep's center turret lends itself to be lined with decommissioned relics. Swords, pikes, crossbows... Crossbows? And stone filled beanbag arrows - oh yes, in the afternoons there are activities for the tourists... and alternatively, a way for Oswald to twist the fight in his favor.
It wasn't easy but it wasn't hard to cock the thing back and put one of the 'safety' arrows in line... but he'd need a better position to fire - this was not the one.
COMBATSYS: Oswald focuses on his next action.
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Blanka 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Batsu fails to interrupt Wild Fang from Blanka with Light Kick.
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Blanka 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
Whoa! Not expected at all. Apparently not only is this green guy tough, but he's quick too! A look of surprise registers on Batsu's face as he notices he just kinda sorta sent his opponent *over the ramparts* (we watched), and thus he does the stupid move of actually rushing over to them to make sure the guy didn't just take a four-story header onto the flagstones. By the time he gets there... Blanka's not there anymore. There's a moment of confusion while the Burning Fighter processes all that information, and then he turns and looks *up*.
Oh.
Caught off-guard, Batsu doesn't have time to really get out of the way, so he tries to meet the attack head on, twisting just so and bringing up one leg to try and effectively poleaxe the beastly fighter on it before he can do any real damage. Needless to say, it doesn't exactly work as planned, and Blanka gets in his bites unhindered, the Taiyo student stumbling backward.
However, when he gets back into stance, Batsu is still grinning. "You like it a little hardcore, huh? Fine by me. Why don't you give round 2 a shot, big man?!"
Okay, so fighting like a monkey isn't a bad thing. Blanka lands a few feet away from the Taiyo student after employing his threatening 'awm nom nom' attack, and surreptiotiously wipes at his mouth. The taste of people isn't something that Blanka /enjoys/, as melon is a much tastier treat. However, when fighting in the jungle and being wrapped up by various giant critters, a sign of the fang is a good way to escape!
That Batsu is still standing is a pleasure in it's own right, and Blanka claps enthusiastically, cheering on the man's GUTS and FIGHTING SPIRIT. This is someone who Dan himself would probably be impressed by, Blanka decides. And with that, well - Blanka's going to give his all!
"Aroound two.. Fight!" With that, Blanka leaps forwards, his hands going for the Taiyo youth's feet, and he simply tries to uncerimoniously dump the man on his head. He watched that kick come in, after all, and he's got an inkling that if he can toss the youth onto the ground and wrassle, well - Blanka's pretty good at that!
A jaw crunching punch followed by ... a headbite? What in the hell crazy kind of fight did he manage to get himself forcibly involved in anyway? There's a sharp clench of his eyes followed by a gloved hand pushing up at the bridge of the crimson shades, placing them up upon head as the sky darkens further; dark tint could well hinder the 'sniper's eye' in this little makeshift 'foxhole' he's shooting from... right, the sniper's eye that he doesn't rightly have.
Snipe with a crossbow? Oswald knew the nuances of solo-sniping from a few runs here and there that called for it, but who the heck snipes with a crossbow? So much as he'd love precision in this time of great greedy need, he'd have to settle for 'just abouts'. Bracing himself on the wall and linging up, there's a hard creak of wood and a little twang of cord as the missle is let loose, arcing awkwardly toward the high school brawler: a distraction is on the way.
COMBATSYS: Blanka successfully hits Batsu with Medium Throw.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Oswald successfully hits Batsu with Thrown Object.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
Apparently it's just not Batsu's night. He makes to step backwards out of Blanka's range, but sadly, the narrow space of the rampart walkway does not really allow for the full range of movement needed to handle that attack. Thus the green fighter's basic but effective tackle sends Batsu down onto the stones with a loud *CRACK* sound. However, once the damage is really done, the Imawano scion (one of many, collect them all) shoves Blanka and away and gets to his feet. Still grinning, though. "Heh. Guess it's not my ni--"
Then there's a crossbow bolt sticking out of his shoulder.
For a moment all is quiet, as this sinks in. Batsu's head slowly turns to the left, and he calmly reaches up and, in one motion, yanks the bolt out. It clatters to the stone.
Then all hell breaks loose.
Blanka is all but forgotten; Batsu is instead turned to the courtyard, assuming a very aggressive fighting pose as his rage resonates with his chi, swirls of blue light surrounding Batsu's body. But the worst part is his voice: that boy's got some lungs on him, and right now he is *yelling* *really* *loudly*. "WHATEVER UNDERHANDED BASTARD JUST DID THAT BETTER COME OUT AND FIGHT ME RIGHT THE HELL NOW!" he bellows, eyes narrowed in anger. If there's anything, ANYTHING, Batsu hates, it's a sneak who doesn't fight in the open like is sporting. "OR ARE YOU AFRAID I'M GONNA RIP YOUR DAMN CHEATING HEAD CLEAN OFF?!"
COMBATSYS: Batsu gathers his will.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
Blanka does not know his own strength! In fact, Blanka is apparently strong enough to toss people onto crossbow bolts and get them stuck in the other person. This, this is a mighty power that he must use only for good, and not for evil! Dan would be most upset. The /thunk/ of the bolt sinking into Batsu's shoulder is caught up in Blanka's ears, and his head whips to the side where the bolt came from. The beast-man has /much/ the same reaction that Batsu does, not having been told that he'd be fighting more than one person. He doesn't have explosive power to show off though, so instead, he just does the next best thing.
Gripping the side of the turret closest to where the attack came from, Blanka's mighty paws grab and tear at the masonry. Stone cracks, mortar melts, and a large piece comes off in his grip. He takes careful aim, and then /flings/ the brick where he thinks the attack came from, and hips that it at least gives the other interferer pause before continuing. Over his shoulder to Batsu, he shakes his head, and grunts. "Find.. cover!"
The bespectacled man must have misjudged time... mishandled the arrow, a safety bag was supposed to be attached to the end, slipped off and lost in flight. Drawing blood wasn't the goal, but far far too late to regret now as a shadow is cast by the massive chunk of granite flung his way.
He was well hidden, that was for sure, but safety from a stone that sized can't be taken for granted. Like a soldier fleeing an ages old stone flung by trebuchet, he dashes while hunched over, trying to move out of the way from the block, staying in the shadows to keep concealed.
Hopefully undetected.
COMBATSYS: Oswald dodges Blanka's Large Thrown Object.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
There's a bit of surprise on Batsu's face as Blanka, well... starts screwing with the scenery. However, you have to give the beastman this: he doesn't do anything half-assed, and those jungle reflexes mean he knows exactly how to flush quarry out of the bush. Fury is one thing, but oh man, when Batsu sees an opportunity, he TAKES it. The figure rushing across the ramparts is hard to make out, but Mr. Ichimonji is from a clan of ninja... even if he's more nonsense than ninja. Perception's built into his very bones.
But how to get across there.
Deciding that there's nothing to it but to do it, Batsu completely obliterates the element of potential surprise by shouting "DON'T THINK YOU CAN RUN!", stepping up on the rampart, and *JUMPING* across the courtyard, blue-clad form bright against the dusk sky as blue chi envelops his entire body. For a moment, he seems to hang in midair... and then, with a quick change of direction, he drops onto the last place he saw that black form run along, dropping like an arrowhead from some divine archer's bow. "RYUUSEI KICK!"
There's surprise, alright. Surprise from the jungle warrior. Blanka is caught flat-footed as Batsu /rockets/ off the turret towards the next. His jaw hangs open, mighty maw stymied in an expression of dumbfounded shock. The man's faster than he is, that much is sure. The fact that he's just gone and tried to kick the castle?! Well, that's a bit of 'special' that Blanka can admire! He leaps over the edge and into space, landing in a ball and continuing to spin dizzily fast, rocketing across the courtyard and /up/ the wall, attempting to catch up with .. er, whatever Batsu is currently trying to smush. The end of the spin tosses him high in the air - an easy target for any further arrows that migh come his way - but it also gives him a few seconds with which to glance around, to try and find out what enemy he and his battle opponent have!
COMBATSYS: Blanka focuses on his next action.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|=======\==-----\1 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|
This was not good. Too many variables now, too much chaos. Exciting, yes, profitable? No. Completely an unintended effect and now he had to escape before the whole thing is cancelled. The clap of the hard sole shoe echoes through the battle cry filled night. There's a brief light that starts to part the shadows as the Brawler launches into the air and drives forward with that energy driven kick. He needed more time.
Survival instincts kick in as the Dealer's arms come before him in a defensive pose, giving his shoulders a roll and a quick flick to his wrists. A pair of cards simply appear from thin air in an act of ledgermain, the two trumps spinning into the air before him as the brightness of Batsu's kick comes to meet a wall of brief, inky black, like a heavy and brief mist.
"Heh!" Comes a single, dry chuckle as a grin creeps over his face, " HEART!" Comes a low shout followed by a hard clap of his heel onto the stone, if this worked... maybe he could escape into the lower floors of the castles..... if only his art can use that energy from the boy against him.
COMBATSYS: Oswald fails to reflect Shooting Star Kick from Batsu with Heart.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/=======|
It does not appear to be, as the saying goes, 'in the cards' for Oswald this evening, the Taiyo student's diving kick powering through whatever fancy defense was about to be used on him. Rebounding off from the impact, the somewhat wounded Batsu lands in a crouch on the parapet, slowly pulling himself to his feet and quickly wiping a hand across his face just below his nose. Rarely does the normally cocky but jovial Taiyo student's face look so grim; apparently Oswald's way of doing things just happened to push all the wrong buttons in this scenario.
"I ain't mad about weapons," he says carefully, looking over the surprisingly well-dressed older man appraisingly as he speaks. "Lotsa people do that. I don't put up with sneak attacks, though. You wanna fight me, fight me like a man, for real, in the open." There's a pause, and then Batsu's old grin reasserts itself for just a minute. "'Cause otherwise it just proves you ain't got what it takes to work in plain view."
However, Batsu's not in any mood to wait and see what happens next. Instead, he's rushing Oswald, looking to get a grip on those lanky arms. "But it ain't just me you should be apologizing to!" If he can get the grip? The Burning Fighter pivots on one leg and all but TOSSES Oswald through the air toward, well... Blanka. "TELL THE GREEN GIANT YOU'RE SORRY TOO!"
Right now, Blanka is in midair, having reached the apex of his spin-launch. It allows him a split second to see the relative peace of the high area, the sky such a lovely blue, and the stone of the castle a very well-kept gray. He's more focused on what happens below, though, as gravity remembers he's up there, and grabs his large frame to draw it back down to earth. He's relatively close to the action, so to speak - and can hear the Taiyo youth's yelling.
Caught up in the fight, Blanka is more than willing to dual-tech the interlopoer, and as Batsu goes for the toss, Blanka begins to spin again, managing to twist his body weight in a way that gives him a fair amount of down-force, speeding his drop into the path that the two sit. It's a fair amount of skill to /avoid/ Batsu, but the green giant has plenty of that. Time to see if he can use said same skill to smack the other man, though - howling out in a definite assertion of power. Raaar! "AROOOOOOO!"
The kick punches through the misty field and into Oswald's braced form, impact barely absorbed by shield, but by his body in near full instead. There's a hard grunt of pain as he slams back into the stone, words barely heard over the ringing of his ears - but even if he wanted to respond, he's barely the time before Batsu rushes in and grabs toward the ankle...
Be a man, Oswald. Bravado from some time long ago as he chooses to sit pat rather than try and kick away the hand. It was a surprising thing to be flung into so much momentum in so little time. They don't make carnival rides like this, that's for certain.
Batsu, punishment... one in the same, right? The brief flare of green catches his eye just as Blanka cannonballs himself toward his near-hovering form.... legs come up and arms tuck in, chin low as he braces for the impact...
COMBATSYS: Oswald endures Batsu's Medium Throw.
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Blanka 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Batsu
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Oswald 1/------=/=======|
COMBATSYS: Oswald blocks Blanka's Vertical Rolling.
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Blanka 0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1 Batsu
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Oswald 1/-----==/=======|
It wasn't much a graceful fall after the collision with the green Beast was over and done with, dropping down to the ground in a practiced sprawl. Sprawl or not, the ground still hurt on the landing. "Very much underestimated you both." Pride is swallowed this time, as he lets a knee crook under him for better steadying, "I didn't think you'd come back this strong, young man." There's a sneer of open disdain, but it's not directed toward the fighters.
He was being foolish. Blatant error in calculation, he deserved exactly what he got.
Rising to his feet, he straightens slowly, making sure everything was well in its place. One arm tucks before him as he bows in and speaks, "You're no weak pair of opponents. He takes a slow, cautious breath in as he begins to straighten, " Lesser fighters would have capitalized on the weakness and distractions. My previous matchings did so." He allows a shallow smile to show at the little glimpse of memory.
"You have my apologies, gentle...men..." He pauses, eyes flitting over to the massive green humanoid, "You definately have my apologies."
COMBATSYS: Oswald drops his guard to recover.
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Blanka 0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1 Batsu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Oswald 1/-----==/=======|
Interesting. He apologized. And Blanka seems to have made his way to combat zone too. Turning to face the pair of fighters that are now behind him, Batsu hehs faintly and smirks at Oswald, then nods at Blanka. "I'm not sayin' sneak attacks are bad 'cause they don't work. I'm sayin', in this sorta fight, it's not... sportsmanlike, I guess. People who'll do anything to win don't have a lot of respect for the game, you know?" He smirks, then rubs the side of his head in what might be considered embarassment. "I guess I been hangin' around Hayato-sensei and Nagare-sempai too long, that sorta stuff sounds exactly like something they'd say."
However, perhaps because he's a nice guy or perhaps because he's a little winded after that flurry of action, Batsu doesn't strike back at either opponent right away. "But as long as we're all here, why don't we make it a nice clean free-for-all, hey? That's more fun than the alternative, I think." What he patently does not say is: the alternative involves me knocking your damn block off here and now, you cheating jerk. See how he's progressing in his social education?
COMBATSYS: Batsu gains composure.
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Blanka 0/-------/--=====|=======\===----\1 Batsu
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Oswald 1/-----==/=======|
Landing with a thump and a hunkered down bristle of his body, Blanka is more than willing to let bygones be bygones. To let sleeping dogs lie, to let.. well, you probably get the picture. The fact that Batsu's more relaxed about the concept /and/ he was the one that got /shot/ with an arrow, well - If he can let it go, Blanka can too. He nods in agreement at the chatter, the idea of letting things go - and making it into a free-for-all. He offers both the fighters a very strong SAIKYO THUMBS UP, and then starts wading forwards with his arms outstretched.
Giant fists swing up, and then back down as he debates where to best throw his weight around - and well, they stop with the interloper - this time, at least. That hesitation to fight, the lowering of his guard - if this is going to be a fair fiht, with three of them punching on each other, Blanka is /quite/ intent on getting the first K.O. As such, he puts anything and everything into his first swing, muscles rippling along his shoulders as he hauls off and tries to /paste/ Oswald. "A..pology... ACCEPTED!"
COMBATSYS: Oswald blocks Blanka's Fierce Punch.
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Blanka 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Batsu
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Oswald 1/----===/=======|
That would stack the odds hard against him. But a good fight was a good fight. He'd definately lose money n the pets, but money wasn't always everything. While not overly wealthy, he is well off, and there are always other ways to get some cash.... yes... it could be a good...
Guard was down a bit as he was mulling a little too deep to be considered safe in a time of martial combat. There's a startle as he realizes Blanka is on his way to, hug hum? There is /no/ way this suit is coming into full body contact with /that/.
What he thought was going to be a grapple turns out far more militant than the gambler anticipated. Shoulders hunch in as he lets the opposite leg stiffen and dig the heel into the stone. The huge fist hits in and glances off after sinking in enough to be well felt... but Oswald remains mostly unmoved.
"...Fair enough, Boy!" He grunts through as his weight falls upon the right foot when the punch pushes past him, "I'm in." The clap of the heel upon the stone is punctuation to the sudden lunge at the towering 'green giant', razor edged wing of cards within the fingers of the right hand, left outstretched toward the beast.
"The Lady's luck to you both.... Here's the dead man's hand.... !"
Meanwhile...up on the stone battlements, along the outer wall of the castle...a figure melts from the shadows. It's a small movement, a subtle movement, nearly lost in the chaotic scuffle going on at the heart of the keep.
Metal rattles against metal as the new arrival opens a toolbox, snapping the steel clasps. The slim female figure bends over the tools, scowling behind the low brim of an official SNF crew cap. A few adjustments are made to the television camera bolted temporarily to the ancient stone. Then fingers pat the camera casing lightly, a dull red light glowing to indicate the device is once again live.
Dusting her hand against the trousers leg of her logo-emblazoned coveralls, the crewperson glances towards the battle.
"Hm," she muses, pursing her lips, as she puts the tools away - and produces a clipboard, instead.
Well, that was easy. Oswald says okay, Blanka accepts his apology, all's fine and dandy. Except... now it's a three person free for all, and Batsu's not 100% sure what he should be doing now. Out of anger he focused most of his attacks on Oswald, but Blanka's barely been touched thanks to his impressive agility and toughness. Amusingly, the Taiyo student actually stops, scratching the side of his head with a finger for a moment in confusion. "Uh, yeah... hahah. Well." He pauses, and smirks. Greeks bearing gifts, huh... well, if Oswald wants to turn his back on him to take on Batsu, then it's an advatage the Taiyo student is going to capitalize on.
Kinda.
Ducking forward, he rushes the Karnoffel master... but rather than just trying to suckerpunch him in the back of the head, he shouts "Hey! Don't forget about me," and then actually WAITS for Oswald to turn around before trying to pop him one in the nose. Seriously. Apparently you can take the idea of a fair fight a little too far, especially since that delay makes the attack all the easier to avoid if Oswald's on his toes...
COMBATSYS: Blanka interrupts Joker' from Oswald with Electric Thunder.
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Blanka 1/-----==/=======|=======\===----\1 Batsu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Oswald 0/-------/-----==|
Blazing energy in card form being thrown at Blanka? This is not the way to deal with Blanka! The beastman is eager as he turns to face the man that comes towards him, hand outstretched and going for a grasp as the cards come in. Oswald may not want to be hugged by Blanka, but he certainly is going to have to deal with /some/ contact! As he steps into range, Blanka steps /into/ the card's attack, his skin cut and carved by the cards, blood red showing up on moss green skin. The beast blanches, the force almost rocking him back, but he manages to keep his balance, and puts a hand on the outstretched hand of Oswald's.
"Me.. Blanka. SHAKE!" With that, Blanka's body blows into electric white and blue, hair standing on edge as elctricity wraps around him - and then transfers into the other man. This will probably not end well - and when Blanka falls back, he's dizzy and slightly staggered, clutching at his stomach. Ow.
COMBATSYS: Batsu successfully hits Oswald with Jab Punch.
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Blanka 1/-----==/=======|=======\===----\1 Batsu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Oswald 0/-------/----===|
There was no way in hell he could have dodged that. As Oswald's gloved hand grips to the massive arm, the glow bursts forth and flares in his eyes.... "... the devil...?" what was to be a question is interrupted as the arcs of lightning rip up through the arms and tear into body.
Maybe the hug wouldn't have been so bad after all, in retrospect, as the fine threads fray and smoke at the release of energy. Both he and the green man were worse for wear as Blanka's impact is perfectly timed with the shock-weakened stumble back and turn of the man, just in time for the high-schooler to pop him in the face, busting the shades good and proper.
"--augh~" The grunt of pain is half exclaimed as a gloved hand - a smoking glove at that, rises up to cover at the fist's impact, protecting was was starting to be a rather bloodied nose, "Damn free for alls..." He curses himself and runs the back of the hand long over the nostril, keeping the blood wiped, arm rising up and hand balling into a fist as he brings the back of his knucles down in a wide arc toward the student.
COMBATSYS: Oswald successfully hits Batsu with Fierce Strike.
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Blanka 1/-----==/=======|=======\======-\1 Batsu
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Oswald 0/-------/----===|
Batsu actually winces when he breaks Oswald's shades; he hadn't really intended to do that. "Hey, sorry, gu--" And that's when the punch comes straight at him. Blinking, and not expecting retribution quite so quickly, Batsu attempts to duck out of the way and is just too slow, the back of Oswald's hand impacting painfully on his *face* and sending him stumbling back along the ramparts. It's his turn to wipe a hand across his nose as he works his way up, wiping off some blood of his own and smirking. "Alright, guess I'm not so sorry now. Not a bad hit. I can't pay you back just yet, though," he adds, cracking his knuckles. "I don't like gangin' up on someone for too long."
What happens next happens so *fast* it's actually a little difficult to follow. With an inarticulate roar, Batsu goes from 0 to 180 in a little under 3 seconds, chi building around his body not as the typical blue glow, but now as roaring orange flames surrounding his whole body as he launches himself not at Oswald, but at Blanka. "Sorry, green guy, didn't mean to ignore ya!" Once he gets in range, the Taiyo student drives forward with a balled fist, looking to drive through Blanka's guard... and if he can accomplish that much, he follows it up with a vicious uppercut, the fiery aura turning into a rocket-like explosion to send Blanka powerfully skyward. "GUTS! UPPER!"
COMBATSYS: Batsu successfully hits Blanka with Maximum Guts Upper.
[ \\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Blanka 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0 Batsu
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Oswald 0/-------/----===|
Free for alls! Blanka loves free for alls! It allows him a chance to get some awesom punchings in. However, in this case, he's unable to deal with the extra awesomes that come from it. He's still a little staggery from the having those energetic cards stabbed into him. He eases his hands back and then turns, surprised. Batsu is attacking /him/? The surprise of the sudden pummeling catches Blanka off-guard, and blows through his attempt to redirect the force. Instead, it clocks him in the nose, and then catches under the chin with this giant uppercut.
Upwards, against the ceiling, to look down at the pair with dizzy gold eyes. It's hard to focus, and he realizes really quickly that his ability to fight has been messed up something fierce. He has planned for this, yes - and as he starts to fall, he tries to angle his giant feet towards Batsu. Around him, there's no waterfall of melons this time, a rarity for the fights he's been able to be ready for before. But instead, just his big green feet aimed for Batsu's noggin!
COMBATSYS: Blanka can no longer fight.
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Oswald 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Batsu
From the walls of the castle, the observer in the SNF uniform shakes her head slightly. She pushes the edge of the clipboard against the brim of her cap, adjusting the fit of the headgear atop her dark bob of hair.
She speaks, addressing empty air...or the microphone pickup of the camera module beside her.
"Ooohboy," she observes, in a soft soprano - for the crewperson in the SNF coveralls is, apparently, a small Japanese teenage girl, "he's gonna feel THAT in the morning. And it's the Guts Upper from Batsu Ichimonji, the burning fighter of Taiyo. The jungle man goes down, but he goes down swinging..."
That was SATISFYING!
Brute force sure has its charms when timed just right. Those were expensive glasses, though pales in comparison to the damage to the suit, which in turn isn't much compared to the damage to his ego.
Head swimming, one eye slowly swelling up from the beating he has been put through. His hair is disshelved, his stance is far less snappy and attentive. There was a good lesson to be learned from all of this - and a common curteosy to be paid. Batsu's back was turned, but Oswald does not lash out. Instead there's a small hop, two in backpedal, rolling a shoulder and bringing a hand up to slick his hair back a little more proper - but it's definately not as immaculate as before.
That boy packed a punch as well as a kick. He'd have made a good fighter - if only the boys had that talent in the years ago - maybe things would be different. Then again, neither of the two were exactly status-quo. They were exceptional in attributes - as a proper file would say.
The first to go down is the beast... if all bets weren't annulled that meant he is at least a little bit richer. But there was another matter that needs settling. "Alright, boy." a roll of the shoulder could be seen if Batsu turns around quick enough, the gambler's shoulders rising and falling in exxagerated waves with each breath, "Let's do this."
COMBATSYS: Oswald focuses on his next action.
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Oswald 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Batsu
COMBATSYS: Blanka successfully hits Batsu with Tropical Hazard.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Oswald 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Batsu
Give a little, get a little. Give a lot, get a lot. That's the rule, isn't it? As ye sow, so shall ye reap. Well, Batsu sowed a field full of whupass... but it's Blanka who's going to ultimately reap the benefits, apparently. The Taiyo student overextended himself delivering that powerful final blow, and he turns from it only to find that Blanka, rather than having been blown into the stratosphere like Team Rocket, is in fact diving right toward him, beastly feet first. There's scant few seconds to mount a defense, but sadly it's not in the cards. The Tropical Hazard lives up to its name by quite frankly knocking Batsu right off the rampart and driving him face first into the ground.
Three stories down.
For a while, all's quiet. Perhaps Oswald made it out of the free-for-all scott free after all. It's certainly a possibility.
It's right about then that the noise can be heard. It's like a stampede of cattle... and if Oswald should look over the parapet, he might find Batsu displaying what can only be called a last-minute burst of vigor. He is running UP THE WALL, and when he gets to the crenellated top he leaps OVER it, attacking from midair with a screaming bullet of bright blue chi headed right for the card player. "KIAI DAN!"
Then he falls, and falls fast, but when he hits the ground...
...he lands in a crouch. Breathing heavily, seriously hurt, but not out yet.
COMBATSYS: Oswald reflects Guts Bullet from Batsu with Four Suits.
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Oswald 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
There was a moment of tension, the tingle of the adrenaline catalysing in his blood. The kid wasn't up for much anymore and neither was he.... after all, what could a person do after falling from that high.
His goad is unsurprisingly left unanswered as even the experienced gambler takes the moment to approach the ledge and see the results of the catastrophic clash. Boy was he ever surprise to see that's about to happen.
Launched into the air, the jump makes Oswald stumble back as he cranes his neck to look up. 'Kiai Dan', it was loud and somehow Oswald wasn't too sure if the idea of those two words being the last thing he hears before he may end up waking up in a hospital bed sat all too well with him. Those cards flick out from the sleeves and between his fingers as he brings a set of four, two in each hand to form an 'x' symbol before him, "This is my fight! FOUR - SUITS!"
With a swing of the arms, if one ever saw 'Tron', they may be nostagic a moment as he brings the cards up in a swing, slamming into the bolt of energy as Batsu sets foot upon the ground, and as part of the swing, almost seem to create a friction between card and aura, gripping it and flinging it to the weakened student.
COMBATSYS: Batsu slows Reflected Guts Bullet from Oswald with Guts Bullet.
Glancing Hit
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Oswald 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Batsu can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Oswald 0/-------/------=|
"Ha!" Batsu shouts, hands already at his sides once he sees that Oswald is going for one of the older tricks in the fighting book. He's fought alongside people like Shoma long enough to know that you don't need any fancy tools to smack a projectile back at someone. Blue chi gathers once again in his palms as he grins at Oswald. "You can't beat me with some knockoff attack! KIAI DAN!" Thrusting his hands forward, he fires off another projectile of his own, intending to shoot the reflected one right out of the sky.
The result? Well.
For a moment, the two seemingly-identical bursts of energy clash in midair, sparks flying everywhere. Sadly, Batsu wasn't prepared quite fast enough, and Oswald's reflecting technique gave his return shot that much more speed... but perhaps not enough power. What ends up getting through is a ghost of its former self. But a ghost is enough; the ball of chi smacks Batsu in the face, feeling more like a hard slap than anything else, but in his condition a hard slap is enough. Slumping backwards, the Taiyo student finds a break in the crenellation on the ramparts and has a seat, waving a hand.
"Not bad... haaa, I'm exhausted. Looks like you win, Mr. Card Player," he says with a faint smile. "See? Not so bad fighting out in the open fair and square, is it?"
On the battlements, the small figure in the SNF uniform plucks a pencil stub from the pocket of her coveralls, scribbles on her clipboard, and then tucks the thing under her arm. She picks up her toolbox...then tilts her head, giving one last look at the fight.
"Well, whadda ya know," she murmurs, into the live camera, "the old dog -has- new tricks. Experience and treachery beats the hell out of youth. Remember folks, you heard it first on SNF."
And with that, she vanishes from the wall of the castle, leaving empty stone.
What a righteous thing to say. With a practiced flip of his hands, the cards are gone, bringing his hands up to pinch at the tie and tighten the knot. An act to try and look a bit more dignified after the display of treachery and the subsequent 'beating the hell out of'.
"Yea. Sometimes it's worth it." Oswald gives a sudden toss of his head, shoulder tugging down to pop at the joint as he buys a moment to get a breath, "But it's only worth it when you have a good fighter before you. Don't waste your A-game on the lower picks, kid, that's my policy."
There's a careful step aside, closer to the chunk taken out of the rampart so that he can look down toward the fallen beast-man. "Ave, warrior." He gives a nod of his head, "Sleep well and wake healthy. No crossbows next time."
The fight was over, and suddenly the cellphone breeps again. Somehow the semi melted thing survived the shock and surge from Blanka, but its fanfare is shortlived. A hand tucks in under the lapel of the frayed jacket, plucking the thing from pocket and prying it open... delivering a sudden snap to the fancy rectangle of plastic... tossing it aside.
He'll be bothered about the fight later. For now, it's down the stairs, and home. He had some mending to do...
COMBATSYS: Oswald has ended the fight here.
Log created on 19:25:21 02/16/2008 by Batsu, and last modified on 16:30:18 02/19/2008.