Description: SNF's Main Event pits the legendary host of Saturday Night Fight against Blanka and the Steamroller Girl, Makoto! But what should be a straightforward match is thrown into chaos with the interruption of a certain ninja... (Winner: Blanka and Makoto)
It's game night at Howard Arena! If by 'game' you mean 'fight' and 'night' you mean 'evening', at least; sometimes things are a little fluid here just to mix it up a bit.
It is not always the case that Geese Howard is fighting, for instance, and any fight that he /is/ personally involved in is sure to be a hit no matter who else he's up against. The arena is /packed/, and very loud to boot. It's quite possibly one of the most popular fights Makoto has ever been involved in, and she is dealing with the sudden surge in popularity by her usual method.
She is trying very, very hard to ignore the crowd while she prepares. Normally she would be extolling the virtues of Rindoukan, but with this many people, and just before she fought Geese, nobody would listen anyway. Maybe if she wins she can do it. She is also not quite sure what to make of the person they've matched her with, if he even counts as a person, and she shoots glances around every so often.
Most of her attention, though, is on her preliminary breathing exercises and short bursts of warming up.
Too many people, indeed!
Howard Arena at an SNF with Geese Howard in attendance - the correct phrase is 'duh', of course the place is packed! Blanka's been pleased to be given such a challenge, but the location is definitely not to his liking. Far too many eyes that he can't fully make out, and far too many smells assault his pug nose. His hair bristles, almost standing on end from the tension in his body. He's not in his best mind for fighting, but he's determined to do everything he can.
As the fighters are taking their places, he waves to the crowd with one giant green paw, to give them a thumbs up and hopefully to keep them from going 'OH GOD A MONSTER'. He bounds over to where Makoto is preparing, waiting until she has a spare moment, then giving her a big toothy smile.
"Fight.. hard. Good play..!"
Saturday Night Fight's Main Event. Always a prestigious fight to be a part of, the sensation and thrill is only increased with the very rare match-up that has graced the Howard Arena tonight. After all -- it's not every day Geese Howard graces his own fighting event with his presence.
Makoto and Blanka are given plenty of time to prepare as more and more fighting fans filter into the arena, filling up every available seat, munching eagerly on their Ralf Jones Bad Dude Popcorn in anticipation. The clock continues to tick down, the announcer waiting just beyond the arena floor itself. Tick. Tick. Tick--
"WELCOOOME, TO SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHT'S MAIN EVENT!" The announcer's voice booms over the speakers above the sudden roar of fans. "TONIGHT, SNF IS PROUD TO BRING YOU A MATCH BOUND TO EXCITE! IN THE RIGHT CORNER, INTRODUCIIIING, MAKOTO AND BLANKAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The crowds hollar and cheer, various signs displaying Makoto's name or funny caricatures of Blanka waving through the air.
"AND IN THE LEFT CORNER... SNF'S FOUNDER AND HOST... GEEEEEESE HOOOOOWAAAAAAAARD!"
As the fans roar in screams of excitement, the prominent form of Geese advances from the arena entrance, clad in his classic gi and hakama. Rubbing his wrist bracers, the blonde-haired King of Southtown stares coolly at Blanka, and then Makoto... and a calm smile flits across his lips.
"Hmmm," he muses as he steps onto the cold stone of the arena floor.
"Let's make this a fight to remember... shall we?"
COMBATSYS: Geese has started a fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Geese 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Blanka has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Geese 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Blanka
COMBATSYS: Makoto has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Geese 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Makoto
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Blanka
And with that statement, the call is made:
"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!"
And Geese Howard hardly wastes any time at all. His fighting stance adopted, he EXPLODES into action in a sudden burst of speed, maneuvering towards his first target -- the green beastman Blanka. Lashing out with one hand like a serpent lunging, he seeks to level an open-palm strike towards Blanka's sternum, delivering kinetic force enough to launch the man off his feet. If successful, Howard sweeps low, to grip his opponent by the ankle... and then swing him around, slamming him BRUTALLY into the ground with force that could shatter concrete. "HMPH!"
COMBATSYS: Geese successfully hits Blanka with Combo Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Geese 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Makoto
> ////////////////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Blanka
Wait, someone said 'start'?
Blanka wasn't ready! He's still getting his shoes off! Well, actually he's not, but the blinding speed of Geese Howard is impossible to deal with. Blanka has turned to face his opponent, at least, before he's reached out at. His hands come around and he attempts to palm Geese's hand in his own, to allow him to eel out of the way. Instead, he's too slow, and the impact crushes his chest, compressing the air out of his lungs. Up, and then grabbed and /down/, Blanka hits the center of the arena with something akin to a thunderstrike. Pained and dizzy, Blanka can't react for a second...
But only a second.
Hands grab the mat, and he throws himself skyward in a smooth motion, launching himself towards the top of the arena, to give himself height and a new angle of attack. His feet slam into the structure, settling a precarious wobble to the items he'd stored above the arena stage. Melons. Hundreds of them. And in the middle, a green and orange blur that is Blanka, attempting to stomp down and bust through Howard's guard. "AHW-ROOOOOO!"
Makoto does not, at least, go 'oh god a monster'. She /does/ stare at Blanka for a moment when he grins...she hopes it's a grin...at her and shows off all the teeth, and then raises her own hand. "Uh...right. Good luck!" Well, he can talk and he can presumably fight, and that's enough for her for now.
She is left slightly behind when the call for the fight starts up, and by the time Makoto is actually in 'the zone', the mental state where she's actually ready to fight, the other two are already going at it! Blanka rolls himself at Geese in a way that Makoto wouldn't even think was feasible if she hadn't just seen it done. She watches for a half instant before charging in at Geese herself, leaping up into the air in a forward flip and extending her foot when it's almost vertical. She uses the momentum of her spin to imbue a lot of force behind that kick, attempting to press off Geese's back and propel herself past him. "Haaa!"
COMBATSYS: Blanka successfully hits Geese with Tropical Hazard.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Makoto
> ///////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Blanka
COMBATSYS: Geese counters Tsurugi from Makoto with Chuudan Atemi Nage.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> ///////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Blanka
The start of the match, and what a thunderous beginning it is. Like a whipcrack, Howard introduces Blanka to the floor -- and summarily introduces him to the start of the fight. Snapping backwards into a calm and eased posture, The King of Southtown looks almost impeccably serene, icy blue eyes look towards Makoto, and then the prone Blanka.
"Well, let's see what you have to offer--" But Howard never finishes his statement. Why?
Because he's being assaulted by hundreds of thick-skinned fruits.
Melons impact and explode against Geese's frame in a cacophony of bursting fruit and surprised grunts of pain. Launched through the air from Blanka's sudden, stomping impact, Geese looks rather shocked as bits of fruit go flying everywhere in the wake of the sudden, chaotic assault. Yet...
... Yet, Geese is far too quick to recover. Landing -solidly- on the ground only a scant distance away, tabi-clad feet scrape across the ground, building traction that brings the Southsynd crimeboss to an ultimate stop, blood trailing down the right corner of his lip. And he stops just in time, too, for as he stops, he sees the descending form of Makoto... and reacts instantly.
"That's too -slow-!"
The remark is delivered with a sudden -grab- at Makoto's ankle, veering her descent off course. As she falls, he foot flying harmlessly to the side, Geese thrusts his right palm forward into her gut. From there, it simply IGNITES into a broiling, spherical mass of icy blue chi, churning at Makoto ruthlessly in a cold explosion that should knock the girl away from her opponent.
Too slow? Hooboy. Blanka lands on the mat, his hand clutching at his side and a look of pain on his face. He's dizzy and hurt, but pleaesd to know that Geese's hakama-cleaning bill is going to be a pain to get out of. He winces at the reaction that he brings to Makoto, though - that's got to hurt. The pair's got a chance, though, and Blanka's more than willing to do everything he can to help her out.
"Can't... stop.. both of us!" Blanka howls out as he rushes inwards, his hands moving in a blur, coming down and gripping the mat for purchase. He bends over, folds into a ball, and rockets right at Geese, trying to knock the man off-balance again, to give Makoto a chance to get in some of that phenomenal punching prowess!
Makoto manages to go sliding a good twenty feet along the ground. Her gi is now covered in melon juice, too. Thanks a lot, Blanka!
The explosion of chi does a lot to keep her out for a few moments, dazed and looking up at the ceiling (hey, there are still melons up there). Then Makoto flips up to her feet, slightly the worse for wear but still certainly in fighting condition - just a slightly sore fighting condition. "Then we'll speed up!" she yells, planting her feet for a moment and focusing.
She tears off at Geese a moment later, feet sliding across the arena, using what she is hoping is an opening from Blanka to deliver a massive straight punch directly at his torso. Whether she gets that hit in solidly or not, Makoto follows it up with a flurry of punches fast enough that her arms blur, then leaves an opening for a moment as she ducks down, tensing.
The opening is a lie. Makoto's fist rockets right back up with the rest of her body going along for the ride as she attempts to land one massive punch right on Geese's chin! "SEICHUUSEN GODANZUKI!" she yells, probably unwisely warning him of her assault.
Makoto may or may not have been lying about precisely what that attack was. It lacked the raw strength of the standard Seichuusen Godanzuki, although the flurry in the middle is longer. Maybe she's trying to...branch out?
COMBATSYS: Geese dodges Blanka's Rolling Attack.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Makoto
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Blanka
COMBATSYS: Geese dodges Makoto's Tanden Renki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Makoto
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Blanka
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Makoto
> //////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Blanka
Interesting ways to fight.
Sadly, it'll take more than interesting to keep Geese pinned down for long.
First comes Blanka, actually curling up into a -ball- and launching himself at Geese as if he were a green Sonic the Hedgehog. Pale blue eyes narrow as Howard's stance almost automatically relaxes, posture becoming far more fluid as Blanka rolls at him. He exerts force from his right foot, pushing off it in a sideways hop that sends him clear out of the path of the beastman's rolling attack, allowing him to be launched clear out of the way. 'Can't... stop... both of us!'
"We'll see, won't we!"
Sounding almost light-heartedly amused, Howard turns his attention towards Makoto as she rips towards him with that not-quite Seichuusen Godanzuki. Those flurry of punches are all neatly side-stepped, moving -just- past Makoto's blows with every backwards step and fluid motion he makes. When the final assault comes, Geese -leaps- backwards, his chin just inches from Makoto's fist before he makes ultimate landing... right next to Blanka.
He wastes no time with words. Instead, he lashes out with his right foot, attempting to sweep Blanka's legs out from under him. If successful, Howard once more grips the beast man by his ankles... and begins to rotate with rapidly increasing speeds, increasing momentum to disorienting degrees. As soon as they build up enough speed, Geese will release -- to sling Blanka like a human rocket towards the ground. "-HMPH-!"
COMBATSYS: Blanka endures Geese's Strong Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Makoto
> ///////////// ]
|======-\-------\0 Blanka
Zoom! Blanka blasts by the nimble Geese Howard, coming out of his attack in a crouched, hunched motion, head whipping left and right to find the man he's fighting - only to find Geese suddenly right in front of him! With no room to maneuver away from the footsweep, Blanka does something Dumb. He stands up, and lets the foot crack against his ankle, as if he's hoping that Geese's foot will break on the giant copper bands that he wears. No such luck, and Blanka's thrown into the air /again/. Not landing, though - instead, he's grabbed and spun in midair. Disorienting indeed - if you were a beastman who did not spend most of your time with your nose in your bellybutton spinning around! This is Blanka's saving grace!
As he's let go, Blanka's curled up again - definitely trying to contain that momentum he's given - bouncing once along the ground, then another, and then moving in a wide circle, picking up speed like that Hedgehog guy - and coming back for another pass. This time, though - he attempts to jump up and over Geese, to get his giant arms on the man, and bring his teeth into play.
From the crowd, one voice rings out through the cheering for the battle. "NO, BLANKA... NOT THE HEAD BITE!!!"
Makoto at least got off easy for her show of strength, and wasn't harshly punished for it like /last/ time she tried to kick Geese in the head. That was no fun at all.
Makoto lowers her fist after that one. Apparently the variation was a failure; maybe she should just stick to the real one in the future? She shakes out her hands at the wrists, loosening up a little bit after that one.
Seeing Blanka rush in and...did he just try to bite Geese on the head? He did try to bite Geese on the head! Makoto stays a long, long way away, preferring to take her time alone to catch her breath and focus on Geese's imminent demise.
She can dream.
COMBATSYS: Makoto gathers her will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> /////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Blanka
Seven.
Seven is the target. The ideology that allowed him to retain control of all camera rigging for the Crossfire match was only the beginning. Unbeknownst to Bison and Hayato at the time, what Seishirou was reading was an SNF operations manual. That was only a test of his ability. When he attained control of SNF seven days later, it was all for a very specific goal. Disabling the existing organizer and making full use of his resources, he was able to organize the matches to his own desires. This also allowed him to retain a sample from the clone K9999 at his leisure, in a black match that, as far as anyone but the most determined knew, never actually occurred. Seven days past even that, Geese would inevitably emerge to assure that there were no other further attempts to hijack his events.
All according to his plan, decreed long before.
Seven is the target for the operation. You see, Seishirou doesn't operate in single means. He operates in levels, countless layers of plan after plan. So it is no surprise that he waits for Geese to cut his teeth on Blanka and Makoto before he makes his move. It is no surprise that when the shinobi blows open the roof of Howard Arena with a huge explosion that belches smoke up through the gaping chasm in the ceiling now that reveals nothing but sky above, that he also annihilates the two main fighter paths leading out of the arena, in similar detonations.
It is no surprise that the explosion looses a belching rain of smoke and dust, and /more/ of the sealed spheres to the ground level of Howard Arena. They are three massive devices that would take a man each to carry that slam into the earth with shuddering whumps that crack the floor beneath their brass, wood and steel shells. Each of the three crafted fragmentation bombs explode in exact predetermined locations, flinging shrapnel and fire in all directions, in precise geometric patterns that assure that no one in the arena, not even Makoto or Blanka, are safe from the storm. As a necessity, there are precious few gaps in the attack's coverage. There may, in fact, be more than one or two civilian injuries.
It is no surprise that then, and only then when the grounds are clear does the Ryouhara mechanist spin from the chasm in the rooftop, twirling once before landing with the heavy whump of flesh on ravaged ground. Only in the din of chaos, in /that/ confusion, does Seishirou make himself known, peering dead through the haze... and unzipping his satchel pack. He timed this exactingly. There would be no escape for his real target.
"Geese." Seishirou snaps. It's the only word he needs to say.
After all. It would have been terrible for Seishirou to be late in realizing his own prophecy.
It should be no surprise. In hindsight, at least.
COMBATSYS: Seishirou has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Seishirou 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Makoto
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Blanka
COMBATSYS: Geese dodges Blanka's Wild Fang.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Seishirou 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Makoto
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Blanka
COMBATSYS: Seishirou has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> /////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Blanka
> //////////////////////////// ]
|-------\-------\0 Seishirou
COMBATSYS: Seishirou successfully hits Geese with Ninkoujutsu.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> /////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Blanka
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Seishirou
Everything is moving smoothly, and just as Geese had intended. Blanka and Makoto operate smoothly, but the match, to him, is well in hand. He releases Blanka, but with a frown, he notes the amount of give in the exertion -- notes the fact that Blanka is moving -with- the debilitating blow, bounding around like a pinball as he begins to rotate... and FLING himself right at Geese like a bat out of hell. Blanka comes fast -- almost TOO fast. In a literal blur of green Blanka is upon Howard. Blue eyes snap wide, he pushes backwards...
... and Blanka's teeth snap mere centimeters from his face.
"... hmph," Geese grunts as he pushes backwards -completely-, maneuvering himself out of the way of his opponent. His eyes fix almost completely on Makoto, lips twisting into a frown. The tongues of blue flame that manifest in a small sphere against his palm indicates that he has something unpleasant planned for the girl--
--Until the roof of the arena blows open. "What is this--?!"
Devices crack against the hallowed grounds of the Howard Arena. Within a matter of moments, they all detonate in superheated schrapnel and fire that impacts and cuts into Geese Howard's frame, digging a series of shallow cuts and tearing up his gi, several pieces of schrapnel impaling themselves into his body. He stumbles, falling onto his knee from surprise and the sheer force of the blow. Officials all gasp, as do the crowds. This is unexpected. It's not planned. It's--
"... Ryouhara..." the name is grunted out like one might speak of a tick or a mosquito -- a parasite. Blue eyes focus on the form of the ninja as blood drips down Geese's lips and wounds, pieces of schrapnel still lodged within him. He pauses, considers.
"Well... this is... a surprise. But... is that the -best-... you can do?" Geese makes no move, apparently trying to process what's going on -- even as bodyguards and armed security details make a rush towards the arena. The look in Geese's eyes says everything.
He is Not Happy.
COMBATSYS: Geese focuses on his next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> /////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Blanka
> //////////////////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Seishirou
COMBATSYS: Seishirou successfully hits Blanka with Ninkoujutsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> ///// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Blanka
> //////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Seishirou
See, it's a bad time to be Blanka. For one, he's a giant beast-man who has just failed in noshing on Geese's noggin. For two, well - there's smoke and fire /everywhere/. Giant explosions, flames and smoke.. and suddenly, well - Blanka's a year old again, and he's in the air, and there's fire and burning all over and metal is hitting his skin and he's going to crash in the jungle and mama's gone and...
It's probably interesting to see, though Geese is probably the only person close enough to see it. Fear shows in Blanka's eyes, and his body goes slack, pelted and riddle by the explosions that the ninja drops. Bleeding from countless wounds, the jungle-man stands stock-still and opens his gold eyes wide. Into the crowd he stares, and then sees the 'civilian injuries'. One woman in a crowd of wounded, with brown hair and a bloody smear along her cheek, to say nothing about the shards of shrapnel that she's probably suffered. Blanka's mouth opens wide, his voice a scream that is easily heard over the crowd's panic. "MAAAMAAA!" With that, he starts towards her, to save her. After all, he couldn't before - and now, she's hurt! Admittedly, some day, he'll know this really isn't her, but stuck in the mindset he is, well.
As he barrels through the smoke and haze, he sees Ryouhara. His feral features turn into a scowl, and he launches himself towards the ninja. It's slow, hurt - but powerful. Big feet come out and he attempts to simply use the other man as a springboard, leaping out of the arena area and into the crowd to help his 'mother'. At the instant his feet come down, though - his body crackles into electricity. Timed right, he'll give the man a shock to fry nerves - timed wrong, and it'll be the barest touch of his giant paws as he's on his way and gone. This isn't a fun fight anymore, and someone /needs/ him.
COMBATSYS: Blanka can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> //////////////////////////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Seishirou
COMBATSYS: Makoto blocks Seishirou's Ninkoujutsu.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Makoto
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Seishirou
Makoto automatically covers her face and upper body with her arms at the explosions. She doesn't even realize it's someone other than Geese for the first few seconds. There are explosions; it could be him! Shrapnel hits her arms; a fair bit of it bounces off, leaving cuts behind, but none hit her face and most do not stick.
Eventually she realizes that Geese would probably not blow up his own roof, and in fact there was someone else talking just a moment ago. Makoto lowers her arms again, looking over toward Seishirou, who she doesn't really know, and then at Blanka as he runs off to help.
/Makoto/ sort of wants to check the civilians, too, but unlike Blanka, she does not climb very well and cannot get out quickly; she turns to face Geese with her new, unasked-for 'help'. "/What/ is going on here?" she demands. It's like Seven Days all over again! Unsure of who is on what side, and who to help and who to hurt, Makoto...stands there. At least it gives her a chance to pick out some of the shrapnel that DID stay put.
COMBATSYS: Makoto gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Makoto
> //////////////////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Seishirou
COMBATSYS: Blanka successfully hits Seishirou with Direct Lightning.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Makoto
> ///////////////////// ]
|=======\-------\1 Seishirou
Seishirou has precious little time to set up his war camp here. Green is upon him.
While Geese is talking to him, Seishirou's head snaps to the side just in time for a green wildebeest of some kind to springboard off of him, with massive amounts of electricity. "Ugh!!" The youth hits the ground like an anchor, his body smashing into the earth with the distinct scent of charred ozone and burnt fur.
Recovery.. comes slowly.
"Ugh," Ryouhara hisses, objecting to the comedy as he recovers, smoothing his hair til it settles. "the animal aside--" Seishirou hadn't planned for the beast to just go rogue--he WAS hoping Blanka would be disabled in the blast. "This is my operation," he tells Makoto simply. "You can support me, or you can get in my way. If you get in my way...I'll have someone else to hew through. You see..."
He snaps an armblade out of his sleeve. It glows with radiant heat. "I'm going to be a hero today. And kill Geese Howard." What? Hero? Geese is loved by millions!!
And like that, he's off like a shot. His blade brought to bear. Seishirou wastes no further time or words. He can't. Though the rubble blocking the obvious entries into the stage might slow down Geese's security and bodyguards, they wouldn't for long. His blade's target?
The boss's throat.
COMBATSYS: Geese interrupts Calculated Tactics from Seishirou with Shippuken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Geese 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Makoto
> /////////// ]
|=======\=======\1 Seishirou
/What/ is going on here?
"I think our new friend here is trying to kill me."
Howard's words come out with an impeccable sort of calm despite the meaning behind them. His eyes glance heatedly towards Seishirou as Blanka assaults him, eyes narrowed and teeth gritting. The statement is calm; his expression is anything but. He looks all around him, from the injured spectators towards the beastman trying to help them... and he frowns.
"So many innocent people put in jeopardy, all to get to me. This is a horrific thing you've done here, -Ryouhara-..." Whether Geese means the words or not isn't really an issue. They still come, for all to hear as he lifts onto his feet and adopts his infamous battle stance. "... and I'll be sure you pay for it!"
'I'm going to be a hero today. And kill Geese Howard.'
The words come just as Seishirou launches forward, yet Howard doesn't move. "If you really want to kill me, though..." Dark blue fire flares up around Geese's hand as Seishirou throws himself forward, blade brought to bear. His eyes narrow to cold slits. "... you're going to have to do a lot better than this pathetic crap!" In that instant, the blade slings forward, and Geese leaps backwards. The moment the edge of that weapon kisses Howard's flesh in a shallow cut, he lashes out with both hands slinging forward.
"SHIPPUKEN!"
And then, at point-blank range, Howard will detonate a massive, spherical discharge of pure blue fire straight into Seishirou's body, the explosion shaking the arena as Geese propels backwards and lands feet-first, gripping onto the fresh wound scoring a cut perpendicular to the scar that decorates his chest from years past.
"... Time to pay the piper, boy."
Did he say /killing/? Makoto thinks he said killing.
"This," she yells, frustrated, "is an event! That's not what fighting here is supposed to be for!" For all her strength, Makoto does not usually use her power to intentionally hurt people; she uses it to improve herself, and to prove herself the strongest and her style the strongest. Fighting to kill is, in her admittedly rather simple mindset, wrong.
She throws herself at Seishirou from the side, feet moving fast enough that she almost seems to go from here to there without actually travelling through all the space in between, fist thrusting out in a blur toward his side. "Haaah! I'll stop you before you hurt anyone else here!"
COMBATSYS: Seishirou dodges Makoto's Hayate.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> /////////// ]
|=======\=======\1 Seishirou
It would seem Seishirou, today, is considered the enemy.
That much was understood as a potential outcome of his entry into the match. This was also partially why he elected to enter as he had. There was no other option. Given his goal today, he had to naturally expect there would be opposition. To resolve it now as opposed to later is ... preferable.
Seishirou is bent in half underneath the force of Shippuuken, the massive blast of chi enervating every sense the young shinobi had, and throwing him full and away from Howard, his body impacting into the ravaged grounds where he landed. He rolls for a full ten feet before smashing into a rock. He twists there for a moment, his back arching in the face of pure searing pain, his coat ripped open by the attack. He is weak?
But when Makoto attacks--she only hits air.
The ninja uncaps a wooden jug at his back, standing aways away from either of the two. Makoto was fast. But Seishirou's speed was something beyond simple foot speed. "Don't be foolish!" he snaps to Makoto. "Your style is disgraced by your lack of conviction! If you can't understand it.." Seishirou frowns.
"... You'll only hold me back."
"I'll pay the piper. In spades." First, Geese will need to be taken out of the equation just long enough for him to dispatch Makoto. Fortunately, Seishirou had a plan for this as well. As he tilts back his head, he lifts the jug by the neck with both hands, in a peculiar way so his fingertips touch. Seven seconds, he drinks exactly seven draughts from the jug, a thin kind of iridescent water drizzling around the mouth, even as the remnants of the chi from the Shippuken and his own movement radiates from his frame. He doesn't need to act any further, you see. Seven draughts. Seven is, of course, the target. Though no one really knows any better for Seishirou's purposes, the amount of bombs that detonated today.. was six.
The last and greatest one of the seven tactical arms lay just underneath the arena grounds, activated by the handseals Seishirou makes as part of the natural process of lifting his jug. A moment later, the ground underneath the quarter of the arena that Geese stands on glows bright red as the foundation turns molten in an instant. It turns molten, and then in a burst of Seishirou's prepatory chi infusion... it explodes.
COMBATSYS: Geese interrupts Prime Tactics from Seishirou with Raging Storm'.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> ]
|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Seishirou
Blue flames crackle around Geese's right hand, remnants of the Shippuken released. The left still holds to his wound, wiping away the thin lines of blood that drip down his chest with a bit of an idle frown. Pale blue eyes lift to consider Seishirou's twisting form and Makoto's approach.
"You think -that's- painful? You don't even know the beginning of pain.
"But I'll be sure to show you."
Hands snap to his side as Geese once more adopts his fighting stance. As Makoto hits air, he offers a brief nod to her. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this. Our friend here is slippery... but there's always one good way to deal with slippery ninja." Tendrils of chi flare around Geese's arms as he speaks. "Burn them away."
And then, Seishirou... drinks from a jug. Seven seconds, seven sips. Howard frowns. "More tricks. Is this all you have? Worthless tricks to waste my time with? Well...
"No more tricks, Ryouhara. No more games. You attacked me in MY arena and expected to get away with it...
"And that makes you an idiot. RAGING!"
The moment Geese's voice booms out, his arms whip downward, burning with blue chi of the darkest pitch. Both hands SLAM into the splintered arena the precise moment that the ground beneath him goes molten red. Everything explodes, burning at Geese's flesh, surging into him with painful fury--
"STORM!"
And then it is all simply -blown away-.
Midnight blue chi wreathed in violet EXPLODES from the ground around Geese, simply -demolishing- Seishirou's explosion before the full force can be felt. Massive tendrils of sheer power whip out and converge like a massive, dark claw of power; a tidal wave of sheer burning force rips forward, with one clear path: Seishirou Ryouhara. The storm of chi engulfs him, consumes him in its fury as burning whips of chi assault and rend into the poor ninja, the intent simple: to just blow him away through the sheer might of Howard's Raging Storm.
"... THAT'S real pain. Enjoy it."
Makoto is very glad, just for an instant, that Seishirou cleared out of the way of her punch; it meant she had some distance for the explosions, so that when she throws herself to the side and down, none of them touch her. The chi and the detonation wash over her back, leaving her unharmed but very, very startled.
She picks herself up when it seems as if it is over, turning back around and brushing black ash out of her hair with her left hand. "Um," she says, looking at the crater where the explosion happened, at Geese, at the crowd (including the injured ones) and, eventually, at Seishirou. Wherever he got to. "..."
Maybe they should abord and help those people now?
COMBATSYS: Makoto takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Makoto
> ]
|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Seishirou
The jug shatters to fragments on the ground, leaving only a precious drizzle of whatever water was left behind. In that instant, he is enervated by a huge amount. A massive sum of pure chi, perhaps even stronger than the Orochinagi that Seishirou once became accustomed to. The fists of Grant couldn't have possibly hurt him more. Could they? For a moment, the way Seishirou howls and his eyes flicker in strange shades, one could easily imagine him to make good on his threat, even as the chi boils everything about him. As he bolts dead into the center of the storm--as he pierces past the event horizon, even as his feet leave the ground from the sheer force of the weapon, one could think the ninja a living kunai, tasked with the none-too-easy-task of taking Geese's life. In the intense blast, he reaches for Geese's neck.
"Just like I said..." he mutters, his skin breaking open, as his body boils to nothing in the onset of a massive detonation at the core of his being. "...I'm going to be a hero..."
The Seishirou Copy chi matrix explodes, this time focused directly at Geese himself. Honed directly on the man, without any preplanning or tactics involved. Pure technique. The underneath that is underneath. But is it enough to destroy Geese? Can it in fact /ever/ be enough?
Somewhere above Howard Arena, a ninja--the true shinobi, now little more than a ragged bloody pile of wrecked steel, shredded parchment, singed wire and ragged fabrics, sails to earth. He crashes somewhere on the outskirts of the arena groudns, a smouldering pile of what used to be a human. He is alive, but only just so, a glowing iridescence trailing down the corner of his mouth.
COMBATSYS: Seishirou can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Makoto
COMBATSYS: Seishirou successfully hits Geese with Kawarimi Crisis.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
And that's all she wrote.
...Or is it?
As the remnants of the storm rips through Seishirou, it's clear the ninja isn't stopping. He makes a most suicidal, straight path towards Geese. Even through all that energy put out, he's still -moving-. There's something off there, and Howard spots it quickly -- but not quickly enough. A backwards jerk sends Howard leaping in an attempt to get out of the way--
--Too late. The copy explodes in a rupture of chi. It engulfs Geese utterly, obscuring the figure of the King of Southtown in a massive, hellish firestorm. An apparent suicide move, a last-ditch effort. And it would seem that Seishirou had taken out his target in that suicide bombing--
--but things are never as they seem.
As the explosion fades, a single hand rips forward from the firestorm. Geese Howard is soon apparent, gi burned and tattered, flesh scorched from the myriad of explosions... but still standing. Still alive. He looks down, at the complete lack of the would-be 'Seishirou' from the resultant detonation, and his lips pull into a thin line.
"... I guess even in failure, ninja can't help but be sneaky."
Howard makes no move for the longest time. He recuperates himself, taking a deep breath as he looks towards Makoto. Employees are assisting those who were injured along with Blanka, the sound of police and ambulance sirens ringing out. He takes in a deep breath.
"It seems... it's just you and me now."
COMBATSYS: Geese gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Makoto
The chisplosion causes Makoto to take another step back, shading her eyes. She doesn't think there's any way that Geese could have taken that and still stayed up; she is quite aware that it probably wouldn't kill him, but it might have disabled him.
It didn't. He's still up. He's still talking - and he wants to /continue the fight/? Makoto practically stares at Geese for a moment before looking out into the crowd. They're being helped; there's nothing more she can do there. And the cameras are still running...
"You're on," Makoto says, dropping back into her combat stance, one fist forward and the other pulled back. She does nothing for a moment before rushing toward Geese, bringing her hand around in a massive overhand chop, trying to vertically smash him down into the ground with her mighty fist!
COMBATSYS: Makoto successfully hits Geese with Oroshi.
[ \\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Geese 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Makoto
Continue the fight. As if nothing had ever happened -- as if Seishirou hadn't just tried to kill him. It's a gesture. It's a symbol; even with him as beaten and torn apart as he is, Howard displays a distinct stance of dominance. Of strength. He arranged for this match...
... and he'll see it through to the end.
And so, continue it does, with Makoto rushing forward. He attempts a swift sidestep to Makoto's assault, yet to no avail; the girl pummels him solidly with that singularly powerful chop, sending him crashing to one knee as the blow impacts with a mighty CRASH against his shoulder.
"Good! But not enough! DOUBLE--" As the words roar, Geese launches right back onto his feet, a pure sphere of dark, burning blue gathering up in his grasp. He lashes out with it, the burning mass EXPANDING into a huge gout of deep, dark blue flames. They burn across the ground, the intensity making the very air around it waver... before he adds a SECOND surge to the mass with his left hand, chi blossoming outwards until it is easily taller than Makoto, blazing a path -straight- for the poor girl.
"REPPUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Makoto endures Geese's Double Reppuken.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Geese 1/------=/=======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Makoto
Makoto sees it coming. That /thing/ that Geese is known for; that /thing/ that is far more powerful than anything she had to deal with on a regular basis from Kain when she fought him. She tenses, lets it rocket toward her - and then, as it approaches her instead of standing in place, runs forward and jumps.
She hits the top of the Double Reppuken. Having intended to literally jump off it, instead she is blasted off with significantly more force than she'd expected, trailing a corona of blue chi out of it like some sort of contrail. She yells the whole way up, her voice Dopplering into the broken ceiling.
And then Makoto comes back down, foot-first and still screaming, the energy mostly blown away by now - she doesn't know how to reinforce it with her /own/ energy. She lands next to Geese with enough force to crack the ground (although not much worse than it has already been cracked) and launch him just a little upwards into the air, unless of course he had the presence of mind to jump.
The proximity makes it easy for Makoto to begin to strike in her favoured manner - slow at first with one big punch, then a faster trio, and then the rearing back before the enormous uppercut straight up at the base of Geese's chin. This time there are no variations; it's just the very straightforward punch at the end that everyone knows and loves, the force of the blow enough to cause her scarf to billow out behind her.
"SEICHUUSEN GODANZUKI!"
COMBATSYS: Geese fails to counter Seichuusen Godanzuki from Makoto with Gedan Atemi Nage.
- Power fail! -
> ///// ]
|====---\-------\0 Makoto
COMBATSYS: Geese can no longer fight.
> ///// ]
|====---\-------\0 Makoto
Makoto takes the full brunt of the Double Reppuken. At that instant, Geese knows -- his chances of success at this point are limited. Dealing with Seishirou has left him considerable weakened, his reserves of strength dipping dangerously low. As Makoto propels upwards, though, he still stands strong, his icy-blue eyes narrowing decidedly upon her descending form. He lashes out towards her the moment that she lands--
--too late. The impact of Makoto is unsettling enough to throw Geese off balance, just in time for Makoto to brutalize him with a series of unforgiving blows that crack into his body with terrifying strength. Howard wobbles, blood dripping down from his lips, and then...
... that final uppercut delivers all the force that Makoto needs to finish the fight. One CRACK of bone-splintering strength sends Geese Howard straight upwards like a ragdoll into the air. Blood flies from his body as he ascends; it feels like his jaw may as well be broken, but even so -- as he ascends, he attempts to recover himself. In mid-air, he twists, until his beaten and broken body impacts against the ground... feet-first. He stands, for a single second. And then... he collapses onto a single knee, coughing and hacking.
"Ghh... ugh... heh. Good... show." He won't be moving for a while. Between Seishirou's fanatical blowing uppings, and the sheer physical force that Makoto just clobbered him with...
... Geese is done.
Makoto holds her pose for several seconds without moving even an inch. This is because Makoto is fairly certain that if she moves, she will fall over, and the judges will count that as a tie.
She eventually lowers her fist, slowly, and weaves on her feet - but she stays up, barely, although she's breathing hard and on the verge of collapse. She puts her hands on her knees to avoid falling. "Ha..." She takes a breath, lets it out, then says, "It's too bad - about the interruption."
Too bad.
"Yes," Geese concurs after a long moment, his breathing hoarse.
"It's too bad."
Howard remains hunched over on his knees for a long moment, as if on the verge of simply passing out. Yet, as the fight's winner is announced, he slowly -- very, very slowly -- drags himself back onto his feet, wiping blood from his lips as his gaze shifts towards the stands. "Well, it seems the fun is over. If you'll excuse me... I have a ninja to track down."
With a slight limp, Geese begins to make his way back to the arena exit. People have already been in the process of being escorted out; the injured now being tended to and carted out by emergency response teams. And, despite his injuries, Geese -walks- away rather than being escorted. It takes all his willpower to not simply collapse. But he is a king. This is his kingdom. How can he not look anything less than infallible amongst them?
If anything, the calm and arrogant smirk that twists his lips as he limps off suggests that, loss or not...
... this has been a very successful day.
Log created on 18:01:35 02/23/2008 by Geese, and last modified on 16:29:35 02/26/2008.