Description: Vega, nearing the impending ressurection of his power, decides to taunt Ken Masters, forgetting that he is only as powerful within these nightmares as the people allow him to be. Oops.
To sleep,
Perchance to dream?
Ken's sleep is about to be interrupted, and whatever 'dream' he was having is going to be tormented and twisted to a new shape. Vega is still dead, that much is certain - but such a powerful mind and spirit can't be easily destroyed. His body may have been defeated, but Psycho Power is something more - something darker, lingering like a black stain on all those it touches. Marking them forever.
As such, would it be any surprise that the forceful presence of Vega's psyche would stumble upon Ken's sleeping mind, and invade it so boldly as it does? Warping and twisting his dream around to a mockery of Shadaloo's throne chamber, Vega's frame settled atop it, reeking of death? Vega's eyes are no longer the blank white they were before - no, in this dream they're firey purple pits, the aura of his power wreathing him like a thing alive. He sits there, simply staring at the man he's met before, unmoving as a corpse. The only sign of possible life is a flicker of power around him, the psychic energy shrouding him flickering and dancing like flame.
Ken says, "What the hell is this?"
For some reason, Ken finds himself suddenly appearing in Vega's throne chamber. He doesn't remember being capture again, though considering who is he dealing with, that isn't too surprising if he were. Regardless of how, the who is the key here and the King of Fighters is not amused. Getting into a fighting stance, Ken ignores the fact that he's in his red gi. He doesn't look to it, feeling the familiar fabric against his skin, the tightness of the arm guards against his hand, the cold metal underneth his feet. It's the realness of the dream that keeps him from thinking it anything less than an actual experience. He doesn't say anything more despite his initial surprise. If this is really Vega, he'll start talking soon enough."
"Masters."
Rising up, Vega's form shudders - the aura around him starts to focus at his eyes and hands, the rest winking out like a campfire that's burned too long, just dull embers and afterimages left on the eyes. His rictus grin grows a slight bit as he watches the other man, fingers tensing and untensing, clenching in something akin to hate. Such a good emotion, one he's needed to feel for far too long. Time to stoke those fires, to draw out something in the other warrior, to goad him along and aid Vega's new plans.
"I've summoned you here to share something with you - something /secret/. I know you'll share it as soon as you can - I'm expecting it, really.." He steps off the throne's dias, and starts down the steps, each movement loud and booming, unnaturaly so. "After all, I couldn't have them all think I was /really/ gone, after all we've all been through."
While Ken keeps up a firm poker face, his back foot slides away a little, his stance becoming a bit more defensive at the aura. It's powerful alright. "You want me to share you're a creepy ass stalker? Fine, talk about it on Livejournal, freak." Ken's eyes narrow. "I'm done with you. Alive, dead, ghost... I don't care what your status is. Right now, I don't give a flying rat's ass."
There is a short pause as Ken figures out what the hell to do. Running seems like the best call, but he doesn't book it. Instead, he turns around, his lush hair spinning in his focused motion. "I'm leaving." With that, he just starts to walk toward where he thinks the exit to be.
Turning his back on Vega?! Ken is a very crazy man - or a good judge of character. After all, Vega didn't immedeately attack, no - he wanted to gloat at someone, and Ken's here, so it must be him that will be taking the gloating. However, Vega's largesse can only go so far. Outright insults and defiance will be punished - eventually, at least. "You're afraid to face a challenge, Masters? Is that why you haven't fought Ryu in months? Have you finally given up on everything you were?" Hnh. He must have picked the wrong man to taunt.
However, just because Ken turns to walk away doesn't mean he's given an easy out. The doorway's unblocked, opening into another room - oddly enough looking exactly like the other room that he was just within. And there stands Vega, still watching, still smirking, still waiting. Only in a dream, right? He's not letting Ken get out of what he wants /this/ easily. "You can't run, not this time, Masters."
As he looks to see two Vegas, Ken knows SOMETHING is up. He figures it could be a dream, some aftermath of the psycho drugs. Ken didn't have to go into rehab as he detoxed himself from the drugs that were pumping through his veins, but it has only been in the last couple of months that he's been able to truly feel like himself again. Despite his bad spot, Ken's tone is steady and sure of itself.
"A wise man chooses his battles. I've kicked Ryu's ass tons of times. The only difference between him and me is he defeated people I haven't. Howie, for starters." Ken's nickname for Geese Howard. "Likely bet you too, considering all you've got is a lot of unholy crap power and no skill."
Fear is bottled away, but Vega likely tastes it. It's not the absence of the fear that makes a man brave, but what he does when it comes. Considering Ken is a courageous sort, he turns toward Vega. "You want to get your ass kicked, Vega? Then let's go. I've been training a bit since the last time we've met," he offers faces the 'first' Vega, now getting himself into a real fighting stance.
The second Vega fades, it's job done - it's convinced Ken of the futility of running, and drawn out the warrior spirit that Vega wanted.. /needed/ to see in play. Those emotions that course through Ken are tasted in Vega's mind, savored - then shut away as Ken prepares himself mentally, a frown showing on Vega's face as he's denied such a delicious repast. Courage and certainty does nothing for the Lord of Shadaloo - and the trash-talk is just another mild annoyance.
Vega's hands burst into indigo flame as he settles into a fighting stance as well - eager to test himself, uncertain that his long time searching from mind to mind has stolen some of his strength, and how much he has left. "As you wish, Masters. Show me the results of your training. Prove to me that I've made the right choice by choosing /you/."
COMBATSYS: Vega has started a fight here.
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Vega 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Vega takes no action.
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Vega 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ken has joined the fight here.
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Ken 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vega
Ken gives a simple "Heh" as an initial response to Vega's words. Ken is fluffying up his own ego, hoping that the faith will keep him from making rookie mistakes or giving up a fight he could possibly win. "A lot of people choose me to be on their team... But as you know, I go where I please, I say what I please, and I DO as I please. And right now, kicking your ass is top of the list!"
His final threat said, Ken puts action with his words, trying to race up toward the fiendish warrior. Once he gets into range, he cranes up his foot to try and pop Vega in that oversized jaw of his before bringing done the heel onto her shoulder. It's not a powerful move, but its fast, hopefully fast enough to connect.
COMBATSYS: Vega blocks Ken's Inazuma Kakato Wari.
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Ken 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vega
"Hnn.. Prove it!" Vega's ready and itching for this fight, this test of his own skills. Someone he's beaten before, who's been training and preparing for just an eventuality - now Vega has to put his money where his mouth is, and settle in for the warrior's best - to see just how good he can be. Undeniably, Vega is certain that he's better - but in the back of his head, there's niggling doubt, and almost fear.
Instead of trying to move out of the way, Vega's hands come up and catch the foot as it comes up and around, the blow banging off of his forearm and shoulder. It drives him back a step, then a second one, and the Shadaloo warrior has to take a split second to recover. It's a moment of weakness - one he does not plan on letting occur again. "RAAARGH!" Without words, he just throws himself into the fight, hands grabbing for Ken's gi, an attempt to throw him against his throne, to knock some of the arrogant smugness out of Ken Masters!
COMBATSYS: Ken just-defends Vega's Psycho Fall!
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Ken 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Vega
The American Warrior finds himself getting grappled by Vega. He doesn't have time to do much else before he gets thrown, the warrior sailing toward the throne. It's not his back that hits the throne nor his head... But his feet as the agile warrior manages to control his flight enough to avoid serious harm. Now on higher ground, Ken leaps off the throne's back to try and fly toward Vega head first. Should Ken get close enough he will grab the shoulders of Vega to attempt to spin him around as well as anchor himself.
If this important first step fails, that's it. If it works, Ken will use his close position to throw Vega away in a dance spin sort of way. It would almost be graceful if Ken didn't add a powerful roundhouse at the end of it.
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Tsukami Nage from Ken with Psycho Vanish.
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Ken 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Vega
Vega will /not/ be there. No, he's already starting to fade, to move from where he stands, to gather momentum and power for what comes next, already planning on his next move. He ... well, he wasn't planning on Ken landing so easily and leaping back into the fray with barely any pause.
Caught off-guard, Vega's easily caught up, tossed and hit with the giant roundhouse, landing in a crushed heap against the wall - his body denting metal and scraping against steel. Slowly, slowly he gets up, eyes narrowed as he watches Ken, wariness etched on his features.
He's not gloating anymore, either. Looks like Masters has made the Lord of Shadaloo shut up.
The attack works, but Ken is unsure how much luck had to play with the attack. Despite this, he doesn't underestimate Vega. Kyo has come from behind to win surprising victories with that blasted MAX attack of his and he's sure Vega's is just as impressive. Finishing moves are what the big boys pride themselves. Ken would know, he's one of them. That mentality in mind, Ken narrows his eyes, preparing himself. He is trying to feel out the aura of doom and death about Vega, trying to figure out from it his weak points. It will leave him a bit venerable, but the best gambits always can cost you big. He doesn't speak either, causing a rare bout of silence between Vega and Ken.
COMBATSYS: Ken focuses on his next action.
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Ken 0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0 Vega
Weak points?! Vega has none. None at all. Not a single one, not in the least. Okay, so everyone thinks the giant chin is a weak point, but today it isn't. However, Vega's also not quite stupid enough to allow the man time to gather his thoughts, and prepare for a fight like he's doing. Instead, Vega moves into action.
"You've improved, Masters - but you're still too slow to truly affect me." He says this with all the certainty he can muster, as he moves - not for Ken, but for the dias and the throne atop it. Hands blaze with power as he wrenches the seat from it's moorings, holding it above his head, and then hurling it directly at Ken, an attempt to throw off his timing, his balance - to take him down a peg or two, as it were!
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Vega's Thrown Object.
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Ken 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Vega
A wide sweep of Ken's arm slams away the chair, sending it away from him. "Speed? I haven't even gotten started yet," the American spouts back. He ignores the bruise forming on his forearm, focusing himself on the man in front of him.
Ken races along the ground at a full sprint until he gets close to the dias, leaping into the air as he tries to give Vega a swift jump kick to the center of his chest.
COMBATSYS: Vega fails to interrupt Light Kick from Ken with Psycho Wave.
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Ken 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Vega
"HNGGH!" Vega's about to yell something at Ken, something about how he's not fast enough to stop Vega's plans. However, he's plenty fast enough, it seems. Vega's hands come down in a wide wave, psychopower trailing behind in a brilliant aura, but Ken's foot is there before Vega can do more than start the attack. Catching him deep in the solar plexus, Vega is knocked back and away, to gather himself up to his feet /again/, to seeth and stare at Ken with utter hate and disgust in his eyes.
How is he doing this?! How can he be affecting the Shadaloo leader in this fashion, crushing him and beating him down. The battlefield should have been his, unless Ken's will is truly that strong, his mind somehow realizing that this /was/ a dream, with Ken well in control of it... That though brings a chill to the dictator - though he tries to hide it.
There is no verbal response from Ken after his attack bears more fruit than he planned, but the look of confidence in his eyes is clear. If he can beat Vega perhaps Geese is possible to. This might be a dream, but it feels real... And seems like there might be some theraputic fun in beating up the one that captured him and scarred him so badly.
Ken takes to the air again, though unlike before he keeps his leg extended starting to spin around like a top of doom toward the massive mountain of a man. His battle cry lets him know he's starting to pull out the big guns, clearly preparing to finish this fight or bring it to the next level.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Vega with Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.
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Ken 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Vega
Whirling feet, whirling dervish - Vega had never enjoyed that movem never been good at evading the crazed top-spinny motions of that foot. Impact upon impact rains down on Vega, the Lord of Shadaloo suddenly seeming more the Turkey of Thailand. This beating has one advantage - that it takes place inside Ken's mind, that the man cannot video this and broadcast it like Geese's beating of the Shadaloo leader was. In the end, this is a private humiliation for Vega to accept and deal with.
Still, he stands. He may be bruised, battered by the impacts, but he remains close to Ken, focused and eyes narrowed to tny slits. He growls in rage, his hands reaching out in an attempt to maul and mangle the other man, aiming punch after punch at Ken's shoulders and head - intent on working that guard down, slowing him and taking back the advantage that's been lost so far. "DIE!"
COMBATSYS: Ken interrupts Medium Punch from Vega with Shoryuken.
- Power hit! -
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Ken 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Vega
The fist comes and crashes into Ken's face. It's one punch and it hurts a bit. But Ken is willing to take it. Willing to let it smashes across his pretty little face. Because unlike Balrog, he knows sometimes you have to give what's important in order to win. It's why Balrog gets whooped by people like Ken. The psycho energy in Vega's fist is impressive, but at the moment of impact, the criminal warlord would feel an even powerful blow hitting him. Ken has been able to get the opening he needed to unleash a powerful move...
"SHORYUKEN!"
The uppercut takes him to the sky after hitting Vega, the World Warrior not even looking too phased by the punch. After spitting out some blood, Ken finally says something other than an attack name. "You made me the one thing I could never forgive... A pawn. But you assumed that I would just roll over when a big dog tried to take my freedom, but you're learning why it's best to let this sleeping dragon BE."
Where did this all go wrong? Vega was the stronger of the two, the smarter, the more aggressive - but he's being taken left right up and down by Ken's spectacular performance. Unable to provide more than being a punching bag for Masters' power and skill, Vega is battered under the chin, and knocked ignomiously to the floor again, which /wavers/ under the impact suddenly becoming indistinct as Vega's concentration frays. In that instant, he knows why he's losing.
He'd picked the wrong battlefield.
He'd picked the one place where Ken's overwhelming certainty in his power would actually /matter/.
And now - now he was paying the price. As his powers wane, more control would be given to Ken - Vega's body moving sluggishly, slowly reaching to gather himself, to prepare for the battle, what little was left - throwing everything he had into an attempt to knock Ken down. But even as he does, even as his body explodes into purple psychopower and launches himself across the vanishing room, Vega can feel his body /slow/, almost held in midair. He's lost his grip on Ken's mind - and perhaps, he never really had it in the first place. In the end - all he can do is rage against what he's seen today - and prepare for the inevitable dispelling of his form from Ken's mind.
COMBATSYS: Ken interrupts Final Psycho Crusher' from Vega with Shouryuu Reppa.
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Ken 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 Vega
Vega is slowing down. Like a dawn of revelation, it comes to Ken. It IS a dream... Through sheer will, Ken has fought the nightmare and turned it into something else. As Vega moves twoard him with a powerful attack, so does Ken as he gives a powerful uppercut, showered in flames. The flames are swiftly put out by Vega's awful power as it burns and tears at Ken's soul. But he doesn't back down and a second uppercut comes with its flames renewed and a final uppercut which takes him high into the sky, taking Vega along with him. Ken's landing is much softer. He has burns across his body, but he still gives a massive smile. "Whatca gunna do now, Vega? If this is your new secret power, I'd stick with terrorizing small dogs like your mom." Ah, a reference to 'your mom'. The smack down is complete. With that, Ken looks up as the soft 'Ken? Keeeeen....' can be heard from above. It's Eliza's voice. Maybe Vega can heard it, maybe not.
"Sorry, but I've got to get up. I was gunna go to work today, but I'm in such a good mood now, I think I'll just stay home and 'entertain' my wife for most of the day. Anything to add before I go?"
At this point, Vega's caught in midair, hefted up by the force of Ken's blows, held in place by the force of Ken's will. His body, such as it is, aches with pain from the sensation of power that Masters has foisted upon him, his loss complete, utter and final. At least, for now.
"We will.. meet in another place, Masters.." he rasps harshly, every effort given to those words, and then he winks out of existance, as does the throne chamber, replaced with bright white light - awakeness, a dawn that sends away the dark power of Vega's evil, a promise of a better day.
COMBATSYS: Vega takes no action.
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Ken 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Vega can no longer fight.
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Ken 1/-------/=======|
Log created on 19:42:56 03/14/2008 by Vega, and last modified on 16:43:03 03/20/2008.