Description: Haru and Adira pit Gedo pride against Nagare and his Taiyo pride! Swimming may be goofy, but it sure is effective... (Winner: Nagare)
Another week, another SNF. Three in a row--that's pretty good for Adira. She's probably going to take a pass, next week, but she figures that three weeks on and one off is pretty good--she's planning on going back to Metro City next week, to see family and maybe clean up the streets a little...
... but for now, she's got a mission. She was pleased to see that the card included Izanami Haru to fight alongside her; she's fought him, she knows some of his strengths, and he's also a fellow Gedo student, all good points. Nagare... well...
She doesn't know much 'bout him. Taiyo swim coach and... fighter, apparently. Swim fighting. People do the -weirdest- things... but hey, Haru fights with a yo-yo and she didn't dismiss him offhand, so she'll do the same for Nagare. After all, he's managed to turn swimming into a fighting style, that's pretty damn good.
The assembly is on; students milling around, both Gedo and Taiyo... school honor and pride are on the line here, and both schools take it seriously. Fortunately, fights aren't breaking out--minor scuffles at best--and the big dais that is used for graduation has been raised... and turned into a ring.
Adira is just entering the ring on the 'Gedo' side; in honor of her school she's wearing her school uniform. After she gets up on stage she raises her hands, trying to pump up the Gedo kids--who respond quite well to the fistpumping.
To those not in the know, poor Haru fought Wing Xiaoping recently... and in the process utterly destroyed a local branch of Williams-Sonoma. He hadn't meant to, but when the Chinese monkey girl started her rampage, he was the only one nearby who could actually do anything about it... and though he wouldn't admit it, even under torture, the actual fight itself was quite fun. He was forced to use his inventiveness and creativity to the fullest in dealing with her. Even though he was the first to fall, he left the entire affair with a surprisingly good feeling.
Oh yes, and a bill for half the damages totalling... a really large amount.
Haru had planned to take this week off from SNF, to gather his strength and deal with the wounds of his recent, subsequent beatings by people like Kenji and Wing, but the need for money drove him to sign up a second time... and the check from SNF would only just begin to scratch the surface of what he owed. Williams-Sonoma stuff doesn't come cheap, after all... and they broke an awful lot of it.
However, as he was preparing at home Thursday evening, a certain phone call was made. Haru listened, and wrote things down, and considered his options. It wasn't pretty. It was certainly going to get him flak at Gedo, which his public defeat to Kenji Ashima was already encouraging to some degree. But it meant that instead of being in debt again for the forseeable future, he'd actually leave this bout with money in his pocket. How could he not accept?
Thus when Haru arrives on the scene, the iconography is... mixed. He wears his typical black outfit, but in deference to the fight theme, the oversize coat he's tied around his waist features the Gedo school crest prominently on the sleeves (since it being on the back would... be unfortunate placing). He seems calm and collected, perhaps even a little annoyed. Why?
He's carrying a large Williams-Sonoma shopping bag with him, which he trucks up to the fighting arena with him as he comes to stand next to Adira, setting it down at his feet. "Why me..." he murmurs.
Nagare has no idea who he's truly fighting other than two of Gedo High Schools fighter. He's looking forward to it, lots forward! He knows fully well that whoever they're going to pin up against him is truely going to be something. So today he's been busy training. One hundred, two hundred, about six hundred or so laps to prepare for this! And that's not all, he's been doing a lot! He's not going to let down Taiyo without trying his damnest to do it.
He's been around lately, helping others with midterms, and moving to easily from person to person to manage it all. It's entirely hard to imagine that Nagare would be doing anything than helping or training, but there are a few things he's pretty good at. A little here and a little thre. This and that. All of it is relative in the end.
But the last on the stage, he looks between the two there. Adira, wearing her school uniform. And she's pumping everone up. Awww. That's great. School spirit! Iincyo is always good at that.
And then right after, Haru comes into the ring. And they're both from Gedo. It's pretty cool. Nagare wil be able to take on some of the newest Gedo fighters there are! And, he can keep the ol' school rivalry in fighting and sports alive. It's always fun to do that.
And so Nagare began to waddle forward, towards Haru and Adira towards the Taiyo High section of the fighting ring. He waddles, wearing nothing but a school jacket, a speedo and flippers on his hand and feet. And on his head, a swimming cap with goggles. He looks like he's all ready to ... well... fight! Yes, that's right, fight!
As he gets into the arena, he smiles, waving a flipper towars the others. "Hey! Nice to meet you! Lets have a good match!"
Yes, ladies and gentleman. This is your opponent. %
COMBATSYS: Adira has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Haru has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Haru 0/-------/-------|
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Nagare has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Haru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
The half-Israeli glances at Haru's Williams-Sonoma bag... she has no idea what's up with that. "Went shopping?" she asks, lightly, before grinning.
"Good to see you 'gain, Haru. So. We gotta fight this guy. I guess he's the Taiyo swimming coach. We got Gedo kids here and they'll wanna see a bloodbath." She pauses.
"Don't pay attention to 'em. Let's just do our thing and we'll go home knowing we did our best, okay?" Look at her, hitting on those insecurities inadvertently. What a charmer.
She faces front as Nagare comes out; the man is... slim. And wearing a speedo and... well, he is a swimmer. His greeting his cheery enough; Adira nods to him, a faint smile on her lips. It's ridiculous, but... what the hell.
"Alright, fighters! Remember, this is about school pride and school spirit! SO FIGHTERS! ARE YOU READY?!?!? FIGHT!!" The students unleash a raucous, roaring cheer, as Adira immediately starts off, crossing the distance between Nagare and herself in little under about five seconds, her legs pumping. She barely waits a moment before she leaps, tucking her legs then thrusting her right knee out at Nagare's chest in a classic Muay Thai flying knee kick.
"HYA!!"
Haru doesn't turn to Adira as he bends down to take something from the bag, but he does respond to her in a bland tone, "I can do without the fortune cookie cheerfulness." There's a rustle from the treated paper, and then Haru stands up straight, holding something in his right hand, behind his back, away from the cameras. However, he does examine Nagare closely, eyes narrowing somewhat. "Namikawa Nagare... Taiyo High swim coach. He turned swimming into a fighting style, but he remains strong and respected; even the prodigy fighters at Taiyo call him 'Sempai' still." Looks like someone did his homework... but for a fighter who goes on tactics and planning like Haru, this isn't a surprise. "Not someone to be underestimated."
Then the bell is rung and everyone's on the move, Adira lunging at Nagare right from the starting gun. Haru, however, does not appear to attack right off the bat. His face, however, shows extreme chagrin, perhaps even embarassment. Were his statements about Nagare just for the camera? Does a fighter who uses a pair of yoyos really have any place to stand, mocking another person's fighting style?
That's not it at all.
Taking a deep breath, he brings his hands out from behind his back, revealing... two colorful plastic Cup-a-Cake(tm) holders, from... Williams-Sonoma. Inside each is a dark brown muffin with flecks of orange and a white glaze on top. His voice dull and monotonal, Haru recites as if from a script: "How about after the battle, we share some of these delicious carrot cake muffins I baked using genuine Williams-Sonoma(registered trademark) baking pans and stored in these durable Cup-a-Cake(registered trademark) holders? Only Williams-Sonoma brand products could survive such a difficult battle." He then smacks one of the holders into his forehead to demonstrate their durability.
It's not entirely clear WHAT'S going on there... but Haru, despite having turned corporate schill, is watching his opponent's moves very carefully regardless...
COMBATSYS: Haru focuses on his next action.
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Haru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Adira successfully hits Nagare with Medium Kick.
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Haru 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
Even as Adira's strikes comes in, Nagare's not too sure about how to fight his opponents, but he'll give it the ol' Taiyo try! And that means he'll give it everything he has. At the start, even as Adira comes in to strike, a fling kick aimed right at him. He's struck, flining back afterwards, rolling back. "Wow! Nice form!" He offers, even as he gets up, dusting himself off. That stung a little bit. Well, he's gotta keep going!
School Pride is always there as Nagare. He just has to do exactly what he can, and that's all that matters. Do what you can, and to the last ounce of stregth, and everything will be exactly how you wan it to be. Never give up! That's the motto. And Nagare can live with a model like that.
Still, there's Haru. Nagare's none too sure about Haru's abilities either, save for the fact that he's not moving yet. And to think he's going to do something harder, the swimmer has to think what to do for a moment. Looking about for him. "Cupcakes? Well, I'd love some afterwards! Thank's for the offer!" Nagare calls, a smile across his face even as there's a red mark all over his chest.
But as he goes, Nagare moves for something. A life saver? Yep! A life saver. One used to save lives!
Picking it up, Nagare looks towards Adira and then back to Haru, nodding. "Right! School spirit. I won't accept anything less that the best from both of you! Lets have a good match!" And so, Nagare then tosses the item towards Haru, spinning through the air as he gives it a flip of the wrist.
... cupcakes. Adira will have to get the the story from Haru later. For now... her flying knee is rewarded with a solid *smack* of knee on flesh, and she makes the Taiyo coach stumble backwards. It gives her time to land, which she does--in time to see Nagare take that lifesaver and hurl it at Haru. Hmmm.
"Better get moving, Haru!" she calls, behind herself, before she turns back to Nagare. "Right," she says, to herself, as she takes a step forward then leaps up, tucking into a tight ball as she curves through the air towards the swim coach.
Her goal is to land on Nagare's shoulders with her bent legs, to grab his head with her knees, then flip forward, hurling Nagare overhead and then down onto his face, a variant of the famous Frankensteiner.
COMBATSYS: Haru slows Large Thrown Object from Nagare with Garnet Intensity.
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Haru 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
Too much to concentrate on at once. Haru sighs once he's delivered his speech, and then frowns as he turns and sees a life preserver flitting his way through the air, like a thrown discus. The cupcake holders are thrown up into the air, blithely, and one arm shoots out, smacking the incoming projectile with a single, precise blow from a gunmental grey and black, tethered shape that is visible as a yoyo, once the two projectiles connect. It's not enough to knock the life preserver -- thrown with great force -- entirely off course, however; it strikes Haru in the kneecap, making him wince with pain even as he yanks the yoyo back and, adroitly, reaches out and catches both cupcake holders before they hit the ground.
"How about you take care of yourself..." he grits out at Adira, annoyed at his predicament as inadvertent corporate spokesperson and still in pain from getting kneecapped with, of all things, a life preserver, "...and I'll fight in my own way, thank you."
COMBATSYS: Nagare endures Adira's Tiger Ambush!
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Haru 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/------=|
Somethings can be said about team work. Here it could be said that Nagare was using their team work to help better his own cause. That might be the case, in such things, but right now, he's gotta give it his all! And he's going to try, to! Even as Adira comes for him, the coach is on the move. Throwing himself towards the left, he makes anothr break for Haru, only for Adira to clamp down on his neck.
"Wow! Nice moves!" Nagare comments as the knees grabs his head. And once there, she flips them about, Nagare moving through the air before coming down, landing straight on the ground with his chest. But water chi appears, sending him forward, slipping across the ground even as Adira connect. But he doesn't stop, he just keeps on moving like it's a slip and slide, through it, Adira still on his back. He's hurt by the impact, but he's making the best of it!
And right towards Haru he goes, moving unbelievably quickly, before he finally stops, moments before impacting Haru, he throws his entire body back, pushing his feet first, his hands grasping the ground.
And then it happens. Nagare starts to kick. And boy does he kick. He kicks through and towards Haru, even as fires off a yoyo to stop the object a little. Even as the life saver is still bouncing away, Nagare kicks, water chi and flippers striing at Haru's legs and knees!
Whoops, didn't see you get pegged there Haru!
"Nice!" Nagare exclaims to Haru. They're doing swell to start off!
... right. That didn't look like it hurt the man too much--guess he's good at taking impacts like that. It makes sense, really. Adira nods to herself, but frowns as he goes after Haru again. Haru may be antisocial. Hell, he might hate Adira. But like it or not, she is his partner in this fight and that puts upon her the responsibility of helping look after him.
Besides...
... it's insulting to her, as a fighter, to be continually dismissed. "OI! FLIPPER BOY!" she shouts, her voice gaining a slight tinge of frustrated annoyance, as she bounces on her feet, then leaps forward, curling her body into a tuck again, though minus the spin.
Her aim is to leap forward and onto Nagare's position--and just drop both feet down into his chest, a double-stomp kick of perhaps epic proportions.
"Stop ignoring me!!"
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Haru with Splash Kick.
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Haru 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/------=|
Well. It would appear the essence of 'Taiyo school spirit' is to pick one opponent and beat him up until he falls over. An eyebrow goes up as Nagare walks into Adira's attack, only to turn and try to hit him instead. Frowning, he braces himself for the attack but isn't prepared for the sudden addition of watery chi in the mix, almost entirely ruining his defensive effort. Gritting his teeth, Haru ducks out and away at the last second thanks to prior preparation, cutting the damage down to a more reasonable level than it otherwise might have been.
Driven back toward the shopping bag he brought with him, the Gedo senior reaches inside with one hand, keeping his eyes on Nagare and Adira as he does so, and hoping his classmate's sudden screaming will give him the time he needs to pull this off. He withdraws, of all things, a cast-iron skillet with red enamel coloring on the bottom, which he braces against his body while quickly looping the end of a yoyo around the handle... and then the oddly-delivered, monotone sales pitch begins anew. "When I get home from a tough day of fighting, it's nice to know that Williams-Sonoma products make cooking a restorative meal easy and fun." And then, without further ado, he grips the string with both hands and swings the skillet for Nagare's head as hard as he possibly can. "Williams-Sonoma: Kitchen tested, battle tested."
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Adira's Fierce Kick.
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Haru 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Haru's Power Fling.
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Haru 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/------=|
"Sorry miss!" Is what Nagare states as soon as she calls out that he's ignoring her. It's really true. He is ignoring her. He's not letting her take a crack at him, and at the very most, he's using exactly what she throws at him to get her ally. Prrrrobably not the best thing to do, but Nagare's set out on at least one thing. And that's making sure he can survive himself to the end, and at least give it his all on one of them.
Even as Adira drops out of the air, he turns, propping up his fippers to stop the assaulting Gedo student. The two rough feet drive into his flippers, somewhat into his chest, but they aren't really able to do anything else. He breathes hard, that really was rough. He's glad he didn't get caught by it
But that's not all. He's really got to keep going. "Very sorry! Really miss! But there are two of you and one of me. I have to make due with what I have!" And it's true. Nagare does. But Nagare's been doing this for a while now. He's got a lot of swimming down. Just how much isn't truely sure but he's one of the best swimmers world wide.
"Uh, sorry!" Nagare states as he rolls out of the way of Haru's assault. The skillet splattering against the ground where it strikes. The swimmer just looks towards them both. It looks like they're kind of peeved off that he's assaulting one, and backing off from the other. Well, Nagare isn't too sure what to do. He's not sure at all. But there is one thing he's certain of. He's already commited himself to this strike, getting to his feet as he strikes out towards Haru, flippers abbounding as he tries to strike him across his face, "Alright, I'll switch targets after this then!" He states. He probably should too.
Adira is -really- getting pissed off. She's a pretty fiery personality, so it's actually pretty easy to -get- her angry. But ignoring her? Treating her as though she's somewhat secondary? That's -really- going to piss her off, yeah, you bet. She rebounds off of the blocked strike, flipping forwards and landing next to Haru, separated by maybe five feet.
Her technique is still flawless, her kicks--her one weapon--as perfect as they can get--but they have a brio to them, a fire that's quickly going to become reality. Stepping forward, she kicks out low, aiming to sweep Nagare with her right foot; immediately after that sweep, should it hit, she'll whip her right leg up high then bring it down onto Nagare's stomach--or back--whatever's open at that point.
Being dismissed, out of hand... it's really getting her mad.
COMBATSYS: Haru fails to counter Strong Punch from Nagare with Vigilant Topaz.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/-------|
It would appear that while Adira is making a nice showing, Haru's total incompetence is once again on public display. He hadn't expected a massively slow swing with the skillet to connect; indeed, considering how heavy the thing is he felt a little bad about aiming it for someone's head even as he made the swing. That heaviness is going to cost him, though, as Nagare completely unexpectedly... heads right at him again. Yanking the string and the yoyo back, he makes an attempt to get the skillet off in time to make some sort of counterstrike and get the swimmer away from him for five seconds, but he doesn't have time; the flipper-wearing punch smacks him in the face, hard; he skims across the 'arena' floor like a rag doll, coming to a complete stop just shy of the edge, curled up on his side.
Grimacing in pain, he puts a hand to his face, feeling the warm trickle of blood from his nose as he yanks himself into a crouch, trying his damndest not to show weakness in front of the Gedo crowd. Of course, he's just managed to get standing when he realizes the sound he's hearing behind him is a chorus of boos from the Gedo crowd. Not at Nagare... at him, as the occasional sound of his last name among the jeers reveals. Apparently, he's making them look bad.
COMBATSYS: Adira successfully hits Nagare with Slipping Axe.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/------=|
Sometimes Nagare can submerge for a moment and totally lose his mind. That's what's happening at the moment. He's throwing himself full boar into things, and he's forgetting something. Something that's the most important thing about everything. Even as Adira just comes at Nagare without a second thought, his mind is elsewhere. As the booing starts, he blinks, looking towards Haru and them, only to get struck by Adira from behind. He topples over, Adira sweeping his feet out from under him and bringing it down on his chest. He lets out a burst of air as he shakes himself out.
"Wow... Nice.." He states.
But even still, Haru's smacked around, even pushed out of his counter strike as he comes to the end of the arena. He shakes his head looking up towards Haru and the area. "You're doing fine, sir." Nagare states, "We've all had problems sometimes. But it doesn't mean it's over or you suck. Get up and fight! You have to trust yourself!" Nagare states, pumping a fin towards Haru.
And once that's done, Adira gets attention! Yes, Nagare actually turns towards her. "Alright, I'm here! Lets fight then!" Nagare states as he moves out towards Adira, sending a kick at her, aiming to batter her with his fins, and strike just like that!
He's really not expecting anything else.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Adira with Light Kick.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/---====|
Well, Nagare can kick, at least. Adira takes the kick directly into her midsection; it bends her forward, the girl having an uncontrolled reaction to the strike. It knocks her back quite a bit--and yet it doesn't seem to knock her fiery personality down any.
"Heh," she spits, her eyes practically blazing with that energy of hers, not literally, but... "Finally got your attention, huh? That wasn't a bad kick at all," she notes, "but you're a swim coach so I'd expect good legs out of you..." But her own kicks aren't bad either.
Once again, she attacks, relentless in her motion, adopting a classic Tae Kwon Do stance as she dances back in at Nagare, her legs a blur.
Suddenly she's spinning to her left, her body rotating through a full three sixty as she scythes her left leg out low--then continues her rotation to whip her heel out high, for Nagare's head, in a one-two strike.
He wonders where it is, Haru does... that feeling of fun he had, for just a little while, fighting Wing in the store that's put him in this mess in the first place. It's not that they were evenly matched; Wing showed him up more than he did the same to her. It's not the use of toys, either, since he's had to use various cooking tools in this fight too so far, and the effect was rather the opposite. It seems illogical that Nagare's pleasant, if didactic and overbearing, demeanor would be less enjoyable than Wing's egomaniacal insanity. In fact, no amount of analysis appears to be giving him a satisfactory answer, and that's more frustrating than anything.
"I don't care about them," the Gedo senior snarls, wiping a hand across his face, a small trail of dark red following the path of the movement from his nose, which thankfully appears to have mostly stopped bleeding. "And I don't need your pity encouragement, either." The statement, while angry in tone, lacks emotion in delivery; as per normal, Haru drops the sentence into the empty air tonelessly, not caring where it 'lands' in the end. He can't help but let his gaze flicker to Adira for a moment, finally seeming to take in his teammate's anger at being ignored, thankful that she's not suggesting Nagare not pick on weak little Haru.
There's a flick of both wrists as Haru shakes his hands out, a yoyo falling into each, arms down as if he were a gunslinger about to quick draw. If Nagare wants to turn his back, that's fine with him. Ducking in a little closer, Izanami whips his hand out horizontally, looking to entangle Nagare around the waist and then spin him right into Adira's complex series of kicks, trying to complicate the swim coach's targets and defensive position.
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Haru's Medium Throw.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Nagare interrupts Fierce Kick from Adira with Breast Stroke Kick.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 1/-------/=======|
Nagare is a slippery one, darting and moving here and there. The swim coach is like a fish, flowing through his movement, here and there as he hurls himself about. Even as both Gedo high student strike at Nagare at once, the man's able to deal with at least some of them. It's invigorating fighting infront of such a huge crowd! Everyone cheering for both sides. It's not like blows haven't been dealt to everyone either.
But Nagare might falter yet, He's had a good showing lately, but that has to end some time. But for now, the Swimming Instructer is going to do what he has to get done. Even as Haru gets back up and hurls the yoyo towards him, Nagare actually, you guessed it, swim up. Right up and out of it, even as the toss is perfect. He has some tricks up his sleeves yet! "Yes, sir. I didn't mean to be strike you like that." Nagare appoligizes, taking his eyes off th road, and coming to a dead stop.
And that's when Adira happens. She got her wish, and you could only imagine one thing. Nagare kicks hard, like people would find out. The power could crush a can of tomato soup! "Yeah! Sorry about that. I... sorta got over my head in the thick of it! I don't want to ignore any of you. Fighting's is about fun after all, like and sport. Winning is secondary." Nagare nods, only for Adira to come, "Thank you, miss!" He exclaims to he leg comment before she's spinning, kicking and sending a heel right for Nagare's head.
And that's when Nagare lets himself fall backwards, the kick striking him in the head as he lets himself fall backwards. And he swims, oh boy does he swim. Waterchi appears all around him, kicking up with his fins as he begins to move away in a breaststroke. Wow! And yes, he's actually swimming in air. "Woah! My heads spinning." The coach states as he stops, gathering his bearing for the moment.
... well, that hurt plenty. Adira wasn't expecting him to do that--and she pays quite dearly for it, thrown down hard by that strange manuever. Laying there for just a moment, the girl snarls, kipping back to her feet in one fluid motion. This time, however, she doesn't move at all--not that her feet are planted, she's still bouncing on the balls of her feet.
But she isn't advancing anymore; she's watching Nagare.
Despite the fact that the swim coach hits a lot harder than either she or Haru can probably manage... the two Gedo students are far from out of this fight yet. Probably they should just keep on him... but a moment of preparation can make all the difference, sometimes. And sometimes one just needs to change the pace of a fight.
Her eyes flick over to Haru... she doesn't know -what- to do about him. He's not exactly being a team player but he isn't -not- being one either... just recalcitrant and angry. Well, she understands the anger, too; she's feeling it burn inside.
COMBATSYS: Adira focuses on her next action.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Nagare
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Adira 1/-------/=======|
Apparently it's time for both Gedo students to pause for a second and reassess things. As his weapon snaps back into his hands, Haru leans forward, hands on knees, taking deep breaths. Yes, Adira's taken her share of hits in the past few moments, but the amount of damage Nagare inflicted on the male Gedo student in the pair in a very short amount of time was relatively high. Only adrenaline let him push far enough to rally after Nagare's punch to the face, and sadly that appears to be wearing off. He glances up, different-colored eyes locking onto Adira's gaze, and he smirks humorlessly. "Afraid I'm going to throw out more cooking tips? Don't be. The contract only asked for two lines, and they got them." If she wants more details than that, well... she can ask on her own time.
However, without much time for idle chitchat, his eyes move up, tracking Nagare's descent from midair. His brows furrow as he thinks things through. "Sen'ou's been giving you her best hits and you haven't flinched," he murmurs. After all, just because he's not running around hand in hand with her like Bart and Lisa in the Simpsons arcade game doesn't mean he's not being a team player... but as a field tactician, his idea of 'team play' is a little different than normal. He pauses, taking a deep breath, and then holds out one arm, which starts to dance with motes of cobalt-blue light. "Nobody's defense is airtight, though... get my meaning?" he asks, directing this last at Adira.
Hoping to capitalize on that moment of dizziness, Haru suddenly turns and lunges at Nagare with a wordless shout, thrusting his arm forward. The blue light becomes a line, then a sudden burst of knife-like shards of energy, seemingly made of barely-tangible sapphire, that seek to pelt the swim coach's entire body.
COMBATSYS: Haru successfully hits Nagare with Amethyst Lucidity.
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Haru 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Nagare
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adira 1/-------/=======|
Even as Adira is down, she's not forgotten. It's rather hard to actually keep both of them at bay at once, but Nagare's really trying. Really trying. For the moment, Adira's watching him. And she's watching closely. It's something Nagare actually notes as she looks at him. This doesn't look good. She's going to be coming at him for sure. Well, he's gotta do something about that. And so he tries, moving across the ground towards where the life saver fell. He's a sucker for that.
But he's waylaid by Haru, actually striking him dead on with the blow. It's impressive, really is as it connect. Nagare didn't even see it come as it strikes, blasting him backwards as the little knife like shards of energy send Nagare to the ground, rolling to try and get as many of them out as possible. He's not sure what it is, but it sure feels like a porcupine hugged him. "Woah! Ugh. Haha. Well, it's what happens when you train as hard as I do. I do... a lot of laps a day!" He announces as he rolls across the ground to he life saver, actually picking it up as he stands.
And then he takes a running motion, and just hurls it towards Adira, not thinking of the consiquences. Either way, he's going to find out what exactly the girl can do. Maybe by accident. "Catch!" He calls, almost jokingly. But no it's really coming at you.
Catch!
COMBATSYS: Adira slows Large Thrown Object from Nagare with Dragon's Roar.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Haru 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Nagare
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adira 1/----===/=======|
Just like Haru, Adira decides she doesn't want to just take that lifesaver; planting her right foot, she lets her chi out to play, crimson flames flaring around her foot up to her knee. Kicking her leg upwards, she rips off an Adira-tall crescent arc of her flaming chi, sending it right at the life-saver.
The weird projectile, however, eats up the arc of chi--though slowed, it still hits pretty hard, forcing Adira to stumble backwards... but the damage isn't too bad.
"You're a weird one, 'coach'..." she comments, her lips quirking almost oddly, as she staggers backwards a step or two from the impact.
"I wasn't complimenting you," Haru says to Nagare evenly, bringing his hand back and taking a few steps backward. He raises an eyebrow at Adira's attempted defense, but allows a faint smile to cross his face as she suddenly unleashes a burst of energy... apparently, she got the memo. He doesn't feel like attacking at the moment, not just yet anyway... instead he backs off a step or two, circling Nagare carefully, trying always to keep a line where the swim coach is between himself and Adira, always in the middle. Yes, he's stronger and more experienced... but there are things you can do with two fighters that you can't do with just one.
Jeers and boos directed at Haru continue from the Gedo side, however, and the difference between the more reserved yoyo fighter's mindset and that of his school is amazingly evident, especially after his growling that he doesn't care about them... something he reaffirms to himself once he hears it again. "They don't matter..." he says, mostly to himself but possibly loud enough for his opponents to hear. "None of this... matters. Whatever reaching that goal requires." Almost as if he's convincing himself as much as reciting a fact.
COMBATSYS: Haru gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Haru 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Nagare
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adira 1/----===/=======|
Even as he tosses the ring at Adira, he knows he's pretty much got it covered. At least momentarily. All he needs is to keep her away as Haru momentarily leaves himself out there alone. He could take the opportunity to jump him, and attempt some form of strike, but at first, he doesn't. But then, he decides that, if anything, he should attempt something on Haru while Adira's momentarily way laid. And he does.
Moving right for Haru, Nagare moves fast. It's surprisingly fast. To imagine that Nagare's really just throwing himself into this without resting is impressive, but to see the others keep up is equally that.
"Oh... Uh... sorry?" He states to Haru. Well... maybe he forgot breakfest in the morning! That always makes Nagare grumpy when he does that. Yeah, that's probably it. "Well... alight then! I personally like to enjoy the time it takes to the end. That way you're never disappointed." Wisdom Nagare can do.
Yes, even as he comes up right besides Haru as he rests. He comes, he sneaks underneath the man, or at least tries with his body, snaking the man off the ground as he swims, and, if he does, attempts to slam Haru into the ground, using his back as a press. Its... a very odd way to throw! Without using hands at all.
Right. He's not coming after her again... that's interesting. Well, he's trying to be more 'fair' now, one might think... they'd demanded it, and now they have it. Must be hard to be Nagare. Adira gets a moment to herself--and she's going to use it. She's rushing forward, again, once again applying her combat phiilosophy--never stop moving, never stop attacking. Attack and defense in one motion.
Well, she doesn't have to defend, yet, and so she attacks. Her legs start pumping again, her body moving forward as quickly as she can as she builds speed--then just hurls herself forward. Approximately five yards out from Nagare's position, she plants her left leg, crouches, then leaps. Once again she tucks into a ball, spinning twice, before letting her right leg whip outwards, her heel slashing down towards Nagare's head in a modified wheel kick.
Once again, she unleashes a sharp, powerful kiai, her intensity well-matched by the shouting, cheering crowd of students!
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Haru with Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Haru 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Nagare
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adira 1/----===/=======|
That unpredictable style certainly seems to be working in Nagare's favor. While Haru can't be just 'snuck by' -- practically no fighter who's paying even a remote amount of attention can, unless some extreme measures are taken -- the slam Haru was expecting would have come from hands, feet, or something to that effect... not just someone's back. There's a sickening crunching sound as Haru's lightweight body literally bounces off the arena floor, skidding to a stop near where Adira once was. If the other Gedo student hadn't just moved, the 'line' Haru had been trying so hard to construct would have been ruined beyond repair.
As it is, Haru is getting off the ground just as Adira makes her leap. Deciding that keeping up the pressure is worth the risk, Haru decides to use some of Nagare's own techniques against him, in a sense. He too rushes the swim coach, but rather than attacking high as Adira did, he drops to the ground and does something approximating a baseball slide. However, bodily contact isn't the aim; instead he flips his hand upwards as he passes *by* Nagare, looking to smack the Taiyo guy in the underside of the jaw with the yoyo he was holding, just like an uppercut with a fist... just at much greater range to discourage counterattacking.
COMBATSYS: Adira successfully hits Nagare with Medium Kick.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Haru 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Nagare
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adira 1/----===/=======|
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Haru's Medium Fling.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Haru 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Nagare
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Adira 1/----===/=======|
Nagare knows only how to do one thing, and he knows how to do it well. What's that? Yeah. It's to swim. Swim hard and swim fast. And he's never thought of anything else. And right now, he's gotta swim hard. It's really too bad that no one else wants him to do that. IT seemed that Adira watching Nagare had really paid off, because right when Nagare moves to bring up his fins?
BAM. She's through. Her movements just sent the wrong message to him, and that's good. The heel slashes down at him, striking him about rather amazing. Nagare's left shaking a littl after, stuck to the ground and flopping around like a fish. "W-wow miss!" He calls, "Wasn't expecting that. Now my head hurts. Heh. Could you aim a littl lower? Hehehe?" Nagare's just asking. It doesn't have to be followed.
But right after the first comes the second. No rest for the weary. So as soon as it comes, Nagare looks for Haru, rushing him as well. The boy went right under, probably because Adira's kick sent Nagare bouncing off the ground floor. But as he got back up, it looks like Haru's going to have to defend himself
Nagare's coming right back at him, and during the run... what? Yeah. Nagare's actually breaking out into SWIM, mid air, right towards Haru.
Waterchi splashes everywhere as he does, stroke. Stroke. Stroking as he goes, attempting to power his way through Haru's defenses, and bash into him with his head, dragging Haru into the undertow of the mighty mid air dash!
Is it do or die time? It might certainly be. The fight's gone a bit long--not a condemnation of any of the participants but rather a short and eloquent statement about their abilities. Adira gathers herself, after striking with that kick combination... and she pounces. Once again she charges forward, but only a couple of steps--just building momentum.
Then she leaps, in a low, flat arc, tuckng her body into a ball, concentrating her momentum... and as she sails towards Nagare, she concentrates her chi as well... and so it is, as she reaches his position, she kicks outwards, stabbing her right heel out for Nagare's torso, her flaming chi blazing up around her stabbing heel.
She only hopes that Haru can survive whatever that weird swim-fight technique is... it looks silly but it hurts like hell, as she has now fixed in her head.
COMBATSYS: Haru fails to counter Underwater Dash from Nagare with Quiescent Diamond.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Adira 1/----===/=======|-------\-------\0 Nagare
COMBATSYS: Haru can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Adira 1/----===/=======|-------\-------\0 Nagare
Although one might think it's stupid for someone to become a fighter given this particular quality, but Haru does not like to be touched. At all. For the observant, the clothing should definitely give it away, because even in the depths of summer he wears full dress, turtlenecks and gloves. Without fail. His reasons, of course, are his own... but that desire to not be manhandled is actually why he decided to learn to fight the way he does in the first place. And part of that is that when he's sufficiently incensed, there's a very particular way of getting people *away* from him that becomes apparent.
Sadly, the blue light that signifies such an attempt is still forming around the Gedo senior's body when Nagare slams into him with more force than his lightweight body can handle. He literally goes flying off the raised dais, Smash Bros. style, and slams into the ground a good number of yards away, completely unconscious. The Gedo students who've seen Haru's performance the entire fight as an embarassing, colossal failure, hit fever pitch on the boos and insults; one actually gets to rebound a drink cup off his KOed head before SNF officials intervene by dragging him off the field.
On the upside, the carrot cake muffins appear to still be up there. He only brought two, anyway.
COMBATSYS: Adira successfully hits Nagare with Tiger Hunter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Adira 1/---====/=======|=------\-------\0 Nagare
Sometimes a plan works. Othertimes they reallllly don't. But this worked about... half and half? But he's dealing with some one just waiting for pounce at him. Even as he moves, Nagare knows others are steps behind him. Waiting for him to trip up, fall on his face, and take care of him. But he's not going to be doing that!
Not, uh, until after he plows through one of the Gedo students. So much that the officials have to drag him off. "Um... woah. Uh. I'm sorry." Nagare states, "But you gave it your all and that's what counts." Nagare announces, even if he's unconscious at the moment. He'll get better. Everyone does. None of these are really life threatning fights.
But even as one of the Gedo students goes down, there's another waiting to capitalize on the moment. Nagare moves to raise his arms, but ADira's already there. Concentrating and kicking out as the chi laces heel strikes Nagare right in the chest, sending him flying backwars as he strikes the ground, even skidding across it as he looks towards Adira.
Well... now it's one on one, and Nagare can risk it. Thats right, Nagare's not getting up right now, he just lays on the ground like a winded fishes, attempting to breath the air. It's a little comical, but he's reaaaaaly beat.
COMBATSYS: Nagare gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Adira 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Nagare
Oh, no. He's not getting a chance to just catch his breath. She's fully outclassed now, but she's not going to go out whimpering. Taking her rebound, she advances again--and it looks like the -same- thing she just hit him with...
...that is to say, she takes a step, leaps, tucks, and comes at Nagare with a shallowly-angled heel drop kick, her heel exploding with that burning chi again...
... maybe she just doesn't -have- anything else? That can't be, though; she's demonstrated plenty of techniques, so far, in her attacks on Nagare. Well, plenty of kicks, anyways...
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Adira's Tiger Slayer.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Adira 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Nagare
Even as Nagare lays there, he's feeling for anything that's changing. Sooner or later, sooner or later he's going to have to move. His body doesn't really want to get up. It tells him he's gotta stay down, but something in the swimmer just clicks, and he knows that he's got to do something soon. He can almost see Adira as she comes down. Or at least seems for him. It's all in slow mo for him as she comes.
A shallow heel drop kick, burning with chi, comes down towards his chest. And then Nagare rolls out of the way at the last second. Exactly that. He's just rolling out of the way.
Getting up and breathing, he nods towards Adira. "Almost." Nagare states, "Very close." But he's off again, aiming a kick towards Adira. And it's not just a normal kick. It's a flipper kick!
That's how you know it's Nagare fresh.
COMBATSYS: Adira endures Nagare's Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Adira 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Nagare
Adira's eyes narrow as she lands, sailing past Nagare. She turns, and her expression is completely unfriendly. "I don't need to hear that damnable faint praise from you. 'Almost'. 'Very close'. You know, for a teacher, you're pretty goddamn insulting!" That kick? She doesn't even move. It impacts, full-force, and Adira just... takes it. But she stands her ground.
Her Gedo roots are showing, if not 'at last', then perhaps 'even more so', as she is impacted, her lips curled into a savage grin that doesn't make her look happy at all. "THAT ISN'T HOW YOU KICK!!"
This close, she attempts another low right roundhouse sweeping kick--but she doesn't just attack once. She moves forward with the sweep, throwing her whole body into it--so that she can push off the ground afterwards, bringing her right foot back around in a scything roundhouse kick--and thereafter, her left heel hooks around in a reverse roundhouse, a smooth, three-strike combination.
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Adira's Dragon's Tail.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Adira 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Nagare
Adira's rush proves fruitful enough, as it does find Nagare's weakness. His teacher inside just sort of dies for a moment when he hears he's being insulting. He was trying to edge them on, keep trying untl they strike at him and finally catch the man and throw him out of the ring, but Nagare's whole attempts seem to be, well, mis heard.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Nagare states for the manyith time, "That... uh... wasn't my intention at all." And he just leaves it at that. He's not going to try and annoy the Gedo students any more. Obviously it must be a difference on how either one teaches. But as the kick comes down, the fins come up to stop it. He keeps his lips sealed, even if he's in a little pain. That's pretty harsh. The scything strikes bite into his fins. Wow! His finger really hurt. Heck, his whole hand does!
But he's not done. Instead, he's going up. Up. Up. Up? Up. The man takes to he air, swimming directly up, swimming higher and higher and higher, water chi dripping as he defies gravity and air and EVERYTHING. And then, at the top. He falls. Right back down towards Adira. He flounders a little as he comes straight down... aiming to dive into Adira and the ground?! You got it.
Either is fine for him.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Adira with Concrete Dive.
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Adira 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Nagare
Adira just growls, as she gets dived into. Her attempt to fend Nagare off meet with less than stellar success; she's growing very tired, and it's only force of will keeping her up. Rationally, she knows she has absolutely no chance; still, she soldiers on.
She rights herself from where she landing, and glares at Nagare full out. School spirit? Here is the spirit of Gedo, summed up in two succinct words.
"Taiyo SUCKS." And then she's just hauling off, charging forward for a slow thrust kick aimed for Nagare's head. She isn't bothering with fancy acrobatics anymore--she just wants to kick this damnfool swimming coach in the head.
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Adira's Fierce Kick.
[ \\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Adira 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Nagare
When everything comes at the end, theres only one thing Nagare just can't stand. And it's Gedo Students insulting his home school right in their arena. "Hey now! That's not nice at all! Infact that's down right nasty!" Nagare exclaims, even when Adira's kick strikes down into his chest. He brings his flippers directly up to catch it once more. But this is more out of instinct than anything now. Adira's insulted his school, and as a firm beliver in TAIYO HIGH and awesome speedos, Nagare has only one answer.
"Taiiiyooooooooooo!" He cries, the threat of the powered kick gone. And he just plows himself towars Adira, kicking and swimming in the most obvious, but most effective strike known to man. Perhaps known to anyone at all.
This was exactly what it was.
THIS WAS... THE DOG PADDLING. And Adira will face it's most effective method as Nagare swims right into her, kicking and prodding with arms, legs, mangling anything as water chi forms in. It was truely a manuever of manuevers.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Adira with Dog Paddling.
[ \\\ < > ////////// ]
Adira 1/-----==/=======|=====--\-------\0 Nagare
It's... crap. What the hell. Adira gets plowed into by Nagare, and she hisses at him as he nears. "Yeah, you did real good, beating up on Haru for a while... great example of teacherly honor," she hisses. Still a sore spot with her, apparently--probably will be for some time.
If anything, Nagare surely has done a lot to implant this concept in Adira's head--it's probably not going to stick -forever-, but she's going to declare it anyways, as loud as she can, and right in Nagare's face.
"TAIYO. SUCKS." The pause is there for emphasis, as she gathers herself for her final attack--thrusting herself into the air, for Nagare's chin, aiming to strike him under it with her right knee, the striking surface once more ablaze with her power...
COMBATSYS: Adira can no longer fight.
> ////////// ]
|=====--\-------\0 Nagare
COMBATSYS: Nagare endures Adira's Dragon Slayer.
> //// ]
|=======\-------\1 Nagare
The strike knocks the swimming coach into the air, and Adira, in her last blaze of glory, strikes him with a series of three flip kicks, each one carving a fiery circle into the air as she rises with him. However, that's the end of it for her; she lands, hard, on her knees, then sits there for a moment.
"I hope you Taiyo students are better at this fighting business than your teacher," she mutters, finding the strength to walk off. Yeah, Nagare won the fight. But she doesn't like the methods he used to do it. Maybe it's just sour grapes--well, almost certainly that's part of it. Adira isn't as sore a loser as that, though. Something about how Nagare comported himself in the fight...
... well, she can't say she actually enjoyed much of the fight. Probably too busy being angry; the depths of her fiery temper can surprise even her. However, she isn't going to display the extent of her feelings any more than her final attack. Maybe she's just weirded out by getting the crap beat out of her by a man in a goddamn speedo. That'd wreck anyone's mental composure.
Well then. Even as Adira is pushing on forward towards her, well, Nagare's noticing something entirely wrong. She's coming too quick, his arms are too heavy, his breathe is short. Has he struck out?! Wait... wrong sport. Has he got stuck in the undertow?! Lost his training wings?! Yes!
But it doesn't stop him from actuallymoving into the assault that Adira powers into him. The power shoots into him, sending him flying into the air. He's struck, a fiery circle rising three times as he flops like a fish on a grill, over and over and over again. And then, finally, he lands with a THUNK against the ground. He stays there, like fish usually do. But he slowly gets up, even as the fiery chi still lingers about his skin. He dusts off his own ashes and soot.
He doesn't say anything to her as she leaves, he just nods. "I'm sorry you feel that way!" He leaves her with as he collapses to a sit, and just finally lays back for the moment. Yeah, he's done for now. That took a whole lot out of the coach there.
And so... the fight ends. And yes, it's pretty weird that Nagare only wears a speedo. But... he also has... A JACKET. And would have Rugal's too, if he could have helped it.
COMBATSYS: Nagare has ended the fight here.
Log created on 18:51:16 03/23/2008 by Adira, and last modified on 15:32:45 04/15/2008.