Description: Raizo comes to his office, only to find that it has been infiltrated by Billy Kane! Billy has an offer that seems innocent enough on the surface...except that it comes from Howard Enterprises, and one of the requirements is a thorough beating! But Billy may just have chosen a fight a little tougher than he expected...
Raizo Imawano's office is a well-furnished affair - wood-paneled, with well-maintained potted planets flanking the doorway and lined up along the wall. There aren't a large number - just a few, enough greenery to liven up the room a little. There are paintings on the wall, several made by Justice graduates who have gone on to be big names in the arts.
It has a really big desk, with a really big computer that has a really big keyboard and mouse, and a really big telephone, which he no doubt uses to make really big calls.
He isn't in the office right now. He is, however, walking toward it, humming a lazy tune that may or may not be Zippity Doo-Dah.
And once the door is opened, Raizo might be unpleasantly surprised to see a face likely difficult to recognize; Billy Cane, lounging in a deep recline upon the cushy chair with both heels resting upon the desk. His hands are behind his head, one foot twitching to an unseen beat in a somewhat restless and mildly impatient manner. He's wearing his classic ensemble; that of blue denim jeans and jacket, no shirt, and his red and white bandana. "About time you got here." is mulled, somewhat friendly. "Almost made me wish I bothered makin' an appointment."
Raizo swings the door open--and doesn't even put his foot inside the entryway. He stops short, eyes narrowing as he spies Billy Cane at his desk. The princibear looks around, making sure nothing's been destroyed and/or rigged to explode upon his entrance, and only when satisfied in this does he step into the room.
"Mister Kane," Raizo rumbles, hands going to his sides. He's ready to fight if it gets to that point...but doesn't actually drop into fighting stance just yet. "While showing up in my office unannounced is always effective at getting my undivided attention...you will find that an appointment will generally earn you a warmer reception."
His eyes narrow dangerously, and he tilts his chin upward, challenging the ex-King of Fighters to speak. "What did you want to speak to me about?"
Everything's actually quite immaculate. For all the disrespect of his boots being thusly elevated, there's not so much as a mote of dirt or mud upon the sole. Nothing about his own posture really hints at hostility, twisting around the chair and pushing up to his feet. "Do I look like someone who cares to have a schedule? Tch. I'm here on business, trust me." He advances towards Raizo, swagger absolutely fearless and smile just a touch condescending. "Justice High is quite the school, isn't it?" he suddenly offers, casting a level gaze around the room. Thumbs hook into his pockets, stopping a couple meters short before rising up on his toes then settling back on his heels.
Of course Billy looks condescending. He's /Billy Kane/ - a powerful man if ever there was one. Raizo's strong, too, of course...but to underestimate Billy would be madness itself.
And worse, Hyo's not even around to dropkick him to the moon if Raizo goes down. Tricky tricky. This was well-timed. Probably not by coincidence, either...
Raizo's arms remain at his ssides, ready and wary. He's watching Billy's every twitch, every tick. He won't be taken off-guard. Raizo's still dangerous. Billy's arrogance...if this goes south, Billy's smug belief in his own superiority may be the biggest element working in Raizo's favor.
"Good," Raizo says. "If we can conduct business peaceably, I'm all ears."
He's not grinning, though. Usually he'd have that big smirk on his face, but this is a potentially dangerous situation.
"Yes," Raizo says, after a moment. He's still watching Billy, gaze unmoving. "Yes, Justice High is a fine establishment. I'm quite proud of it."
Billy's admittedly almost deliriously curious about Raizo. He's supposedly one of the strongest people in Southtown; but an unknown, really. A fighting principal would be an interesting gimmick, but he's far beyond such. Fingers flex and relax. "What would you say... To being given a very large grant by Howard Enterprises? We are looking to invest in our local community." He simply lets that hang. Probably the last thing that might of been thought of. Billy has his eyebrows raised, curious; waiting for an answer, it would seem. Why Geese himself didn't come, were this sheer business, is a more immediate question.
A mere fighting principal wouldn't be able to defeat Rugal Bernstein in single combat. A man who was nothing more than a warrior-academic would never be able to wade through Wolfgang Krauser's Kaiser Wave, and go on to fight him to a standstill. There is some secret to Raizo's success, some power that he keeps close to his vest, but...
...what that might be, other than his obvious size, remains an utter mystery.
"I would be grateful, of course," Raizo says, but his face demonstrates no real thanks. There's a hook - a catch. Something...
There's all kinds of things wrong with this. Howard isn't here in person to offer it. He sent /Billy/ - only a lieutenant, perhaps, but still far too high up in the chain for something like this. A man like Billy Kane isn't sent to offer money. He'd be sent to break knees - or warn that that is an immediate possibility. Not to mention...Howard would never in a million years donate much without strings. Nobody would - Raizo knows perfectly well what comes of owing people for money.
Raizo raises his chin, peering down on Billy Kane. "I would also be very curious as to what Mister Howard would want in return."
"He's interested in the strength of the principal, is all. He wants me to spar ya. If you satisfy me, then you get a grant. Enough to make you very happy. Beyond that..." Billy's shoulders rise, hands similarly lifted in a placating fashion. "Well, you can discuss that with Mr. Howard. He's a very good man to know, for a man in your shoes, after all..." A smile, disturbingly charming, every pristine pearly white bared like a grinning jackal. "You can't deny that, can you?" Billy's hands clap together thereafter, echoing sharply in the room. "What do you say? I don't just go and challenge any nobody, after all... fighting a King of Fighter should be quite the treat."
Raizo hums at this, making a low, thoughtful sound. "That's it, eh," Raizo rumbles. "We fight, and if you're happy, Justice receives a sizeable donation?"
Too good to be true. Knowing Raizo's strength...he's been in Saturday Night Fight, he's gone to fight Rugal at least once. Geese should not require such theatrics to simply test his mettle.
...unless he intended to publicize. Ah, was that it?
Raizo finally moves from his doorframe, striding more properly into the room. "You want to pay me to fight you? You could just as easily arrange for the next Saturday Night Fight to feature such a duel, and yet..." hm hmmmm. He's thinking out loud, hands still at his sides. "Interesting. I'm curious why you and Howard need to go to such lengths...but I doubt I'll get an answer."
Instead, Raizo shifts his gaze to peer at the shorter King of Fighters. "I'm assuming that if I say no, you'll do something troublesome."
"Well. Don't think too deeply into this, old man." Billy mulls, beginning to stretch himself out from leg to leg, as if he were truly prepared to engage in such a duel right here and now. "This is a good will token. Mr. Howard would like to forge good relations with Justice High. But you know a man like that..." Billy grins once more, which is no less devilish then just prior. "He won't sponsor weaklings. I doubt it's gonna be a problem. I've seen enough of your moves, after all..." The motives, if any, are still transparent and muddled. "We can do it right here, if you want." He reaches into his jacket, and pulls out a three section staff. Twirling it in a blur, it assembles before one end slams into the ground. "Couldn't hurt, could it?"
Raizo watches Billy a moment.
Accepting Howard's money...he wants Justice to remain free of his taint. But...well.
That can be managed later. It's not like he's been shy about telling donors who wanted too much control about where they can stick their opinions.
"Well," Raizo murmurs. "It seems you're quite insistent."
It'd be problematic to refuse.
"Justice is an already quite well-connected academy, of course. And with all the...recent troubles in high places around Southtown, I hope you'll understand why I'm leery of offers with fewer strings than I expect." Raizo finally paces past Billy, reaches his desk, and hits the intercom button.
"Miss Kinimoto, please hold my calls. And...inform the contractors that we'll be needing some new windows."
He turns around, spreading his clawed hands, and slowly shifts toward a fighting stance.
"I accept, then, Mister Kane. Shall we?"
Any mention of strings are tactfully ignored. If they do exist, yet again he's opting to say nothing in either direction. His staff shifts to rest upon a shoulder, brushing at the front of his denim jacket fastidiously. "Alright... let's see if you really are any good, old man..." Opting to start off the festivities of his own accord, Billy charges inwards; his body leaning forward so much it's almost a fall, only the rapid beat of his legs and low position keeping him steady. Slamming his staff into the ground a few meters away, he launches himself airborne with a snarl; all that inertia that seemed reckless suddenly imbued into a vicious twisting mulekick, aimed right for Raizo's face!!
COMBATSYS: Billy has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Billy 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Raizo has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Billy 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Raizo
COMBATSYS: Raizo dodges Billy's Strong Kick.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Billy 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Raizo
One of the first mistakes people make in fighting Raizo is thinking that his gigantic physique is slow, lumbering, and generally useless for evasion.
Ho ho, you wish.
Billy's kick comes in, and Raizo moves fast to one side, /cartwheeling/ out of the way of Billy's assault. Raizo doesn't let the momentum dissipate, though - the great big bear uses it all, actually planting one massive foot on the wall of the room, somersaulting backward, and descending toward Billy with both feet extended like a great big FEET METEOR.
Made of feet. And bear.
COMBATSYS: Billy fails to counter Heavy Kick from Raizo with Fire Dragon Pursuit Cane.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Billy 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Raizo
Well; Billy had a very good inkling that Raizo was significantly quicker then one would think, but that's almost ridiculously out of character for one's preconceptions about sheer muscle. He knows of only one other person with that kind of gift, and it's not nearly as acrobatic. And he makes a significant mistake here -- hefting up his staff, the two feet impact it dead on. His stance spreads, his back bows, and he tries to redirect it to the side... and fails. It's far too much meat. Plowing through, Billy is impacted in the chest. Eyes bug out, droplets of blood spray in the air, and he's sent rolling away head over heels in a comical manner, only stopped by a disturbingly meatly thwack with the wall. "Ha... ha... Whew, not bad." He raises thereafter, rolling his shoulder with a grimace. "Skills like that aren't common... what's your secret?"
Raizo somersaults back to the ground, taking a couple deep breaths.
Moves like that aren't actually all that easy.
"My secret?" Raizo laughs, rolling his neck, and then hopping back into his combat stance right away - though it's not much of a stance, little more than his arms held up and ready to strike. "My secret is the same thing it is for any other man of my caliber, Mister Kane. Training! Hard work! And--"
He moves in, dashing across the distance in a few short strides. Only when he's in far too close does he strike - sweeping his claws down, hard, to slash across Billy's front, and maybe even plow right through that staff he uses! "GUTS!"
COMBATSYS: Raizo successfully hits Billy with Claw Stab.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Billy 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Raizo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Billy 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Raizo
"Hey, hey, you what I mean. That ain't no street fighting moves. Hell, those moves aren't even from anything remotely mainstream." His staff comes up, but those talons slither through, raking a line of angry red scratches across his torso. Billy's mouth tightens, before he lets out a sigh. "You're no small fry. Alright; Lemme see if I can make up some lost ground...!" With that, he suddenly snaps out his staff, which disassebles into three parts; trying to impact it right into Raizo's chest, hard enough mayhaps to stagger a man of his great size. A swathe of flames would rush over him thereafter... and Billy charges as he yanks it back, twirling the weapon once while leaping into a kick intended to send him flying backwards into his desk!
COMBATSYS: Raizo blocks Billy's Blazing Cane Thrust.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Billy 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Raizo
"Do you think so?" Raizo grins. "I suppose they aren't. I've always been an acrobatic sort, you know."
Billy's moving before Raizo can react - the titan of a man snaps one massive arm up, catching Billy's staff on his forearm. Then he's set on fire, but that seems to be the worst of it! Raizo brings his /other/ arm up, the pipe-thick appendage easily catching Billy's jumpkick. Raizo staggers back, just a little, because he has been kicked and is on fire, but doesn't yield much in the way of ground.
What the hell.
Raizo grins at Billy, and quips, "Not too bad, yourself, young man. Where /did/ you learn these moves, anyway?" and then takes one step forward, and drives his fist - slow but strong - right into Billy's jaw.
COMBATSYS: Billy blocks Raizo's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////////// ]
Billy 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Raizo
"Don't be too coy. I've seen that Grant fellow move that quick, but he sure as hell didn't backflip around in the process..." The followthrough still doensn't break the other man's guard, which is both frightenig and annoying at the same time. Furrowing his brow, Billy suddenly snaps out his staff; the end segment breaks, and he tries to coil it tightly around Raizo's neck. "Self taught!" is all he snarls, as he attempts to hurl that massive frame over a shoulder, with a rather vicious amount of force! The success of such, ergo, is questionable...
COMBATSYS: Billy successfully hits Raizo with Medium Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Billy 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Raizo
"Heh. You don't have a lot of respect for a man's secrets, do you, Mister Kane?" Raizo laughs, even as he brings his arms up and back toward center, to try and deflect the incoming blow. It'll be something, but--
--but not that, he didn't expect that. Raizo's eyes bug out of their sunken sockets, and he emits a low "gkk--!" before Billy shifts his weight and HURLS the mighty Princibear far away - sending him bouncing off the ground and rolling first into a wall, and then, after a moment, behind his desk, where he lies.
Then the desk chair suddenly rises up, and Raizo beneath it, holding it in both hands. "You're talented!" Raizo grins, a nearly manic gleam in his monocled eye. "Catch!"
COMBATSYS: Billy interrupts Large Thrown Object from Raizo with Red Lotus Requiem.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Billy 0/-------/--=====|=======\======-\1 Raizo
"Not when the interest me, no..." Billy mulls, but seems satisfied that he admitted it was not just everyday and ordinary talent. Even if the true depth of his knowledge on the bear-like figure remains obscured. He's advancing forward at a mild jog, tensing at the appearance of the chair. "Oh... why don't you catch THIS--" With that Billy lowers his shoulder, the chair bouncing off with a dull thud. One foot lands on the desk, before he sweeps his staff in a spiraling uppercut with a snarl. He catches the ferocious principal within the whirlwind, pushing off into the air with enough savage, rotating force to keep him in tow. Before at the ceiling his weapon erupts into flame, to send him flying away smoldered once again. Billy falls, landing in a crouch upon the desk. "Hah... hah... c'mon! Lost your lead already?!"
And Raizo's luck runs out.
The whirlwind comes, and there stands Raizo - stuck in the middle, engulfed in fire and death. Burning.
Burning.
Raizo lands; the floor cracks around him, fracturing hard. The office is burning.
And slowly, Raizo rises - his suit aflame, his body scorched and burned...but his eyes, oh his eyes, there the fire burns brightest of all.
"That was rude," Raizo says. "You want my secrets? You won't get them. But here...have a taste."
And then he dashes across the distance in the space of a second, sprinting up to Billy.
He plants one foot.
Chi ignites around his fist.
He plants the other. The whole room vibrates from the forces invoked against its rickety floor.
"Disappear, little man. IMAWANO ROPPU ZUKI!!"
Raizo's fist shoots forward, fast and hard enough that the air itself screams, and clawmarks appear in the emptied space. The desk explodes when struck like it were hit by a missile.
The question is: Will Billy do the same?
COMBATSYS: Billy fails to counter Imawano Roppu Zuki from Raizo with Water Dragon Pursuit Cane.
[ < > /////////// ]
Billy 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Raizo
COMBATSYS: Billy can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Raizo 0/-------/-----==|
"I don't want them. Color me curious." Billy mulls, rubbing a stream of blood from one lip. This is the vital moment. Raizo's going to come at him with his all. Pay attention, Billy! Just stop it, then finish him off... The look of utter surprise is quite genuine, his staff only just beginning to raise. .oO( ...nothing woulda worked... ) goes through his head, as the world vanishes in a red haze of pain. When he picks himself up beside a window, he immediately collapses back to his knees. Defeated! He's--utterly defeated! "Son of a bitch... the hell kinda move was that?!" he coughs out, planting his staff and rather lethargicly climbing it, leaning far too much for his liking. "Hah... not bad. Alright. You pass; You'll have to meet ole Geese to discuss it, though." He brushes himself off, concealing the depth of his injuries. "Well... school's not my thing. I'm gonna take my leave." He begins to stiffly walk towards the door, each footstep eliciting a grimace, one hand weakly raising in a wave. "Keep it real."
Raizo takes four deep breaths - long, hard, ragged, trying to get air into his lungs before his brain explodes. He watches Billy's reaction with a complete lack of that manic glee he was taking in the earlier part of the fight - watching, to be sure Billy won't do something truly troublesome, like push past his injuries and attack again.
He doesn't. Thank heavens.
"I'll be looking forward to that meeting," Raizo manages. "Good bye, Mister Kane."
He slumps down on a chunk of desk, and searches around for the intercom button.
He finds it about a minute later, and mutters, "Miss Kinimoto, get Kyoko up here, please."
COMBATSYS: Raizo has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:53:24 03/28/2008 by Raizo, and last modified on 02:56:40 04/01/2008.