Description: o/` It's getting hot in here, so take of all your--- wait, what? No, SNF is supposed to be a family programme! Even if we've got a bunch of young and attractive fighters beating each other up inside a sauna. It's steamy, hot, and oh so sweaty. But in a totally wholesome way, really! Violence always is. (Winner: Acacia/Zach)
Finland! Land of cold things, blue-eyed blondes, reindeer, and moose salami (no, really). And thankfully, not the home of any crazy Scandinavian gameshows like some other SNF matches in this part of the globe have had recently. It's also a place where people come to relax and where the indigenous population balance the frigid polar wasteland with big, log-surrounded rooms filled with steam. Supposedly saunas help purge the body through sweat, give the skin a healthy glow, and give fat old men an excuse to sit around wearing nothing but a towel and whining about how saunas were better in the old days. Yes... truly things of glory.
For his own sake, though, Batsu Ichimonji is actually looking forward to this bout. He has a mixed record with SNF; some losses, some wins, some draws. But from his point of view, the wacky conditions of Saturday Night Fight are actually excellent ways to train the body and a good chance to meet fighters that might otherwise be beyond his sphere. What better way to work on your endurance than to fight in a sauna? So he packed and flew out, and has been raring to go ever since he got here... after a short trip to a local store to buy his mother a souvenir, of course.
As it stands, he's currently sitting on one of the wall benches in what is actually a massive sauna, all things considered, the wood dark and slick with moisture. He's dressed for the occasion, which is to say he did away with the full Taiyo uniform that would likely be pretty darn stifling in this heat. Instead he's in track clothes, a white tanktop and a pair of slightly long red gym shorts emblazoned with the Taiyo logo. He'd been working his way up to this the past few days, trying other saunas, working on the heat... hopefully his legendary reserves of energy will serve him in this bout as well, because the heat in here is getting pretty intense!
o/` It's getting hot in here...
...so take off all your clothes.
For the Finnish, it's a faux pas, a horrible faux pas, to wear clothing in the hot room - even a towel. Oh, the whole wrap-oneself-with-a-towel tradition is acceptable when cooling down after the steam, but not, as it were, during the heat of the action.
It's simply not done. Naked or bust, like civilized people.
Who happen to be naked.
But honestly, Acacia doesn't give a damn what a bunch of insane Europeans think. She's American by adoption and citizenship, and if there's one /American/ tradition she's embraced wholeheartedly, it's going to Europe, taking their customs, and punching them repeatedly in the face. Like HELL she's going to fight a match in the nude, especially one in front of freakin' TV cameras. That hot springs swimsuit match against Sakura Kasugano was bad enough.
Oh god, such traumatic flashbacks.
Mind, she's made some concessions to the heat. Gone is her usual heavy Army jacket and leather combat boots. It's bare feet that pad against the wooden floor as she paces around the large chamber, near the hot stones resting upon the central stove. Sweat trickles down her arms and legs, that left exposed by her black t-shirt and shorts. Far as Acacia goes, her body language is uncomfortable - the short sleeves and pants leave visible the faint traces of pale scarring against her dark cream-coffee complexion. Of course, unsettled for Acacia is rigidly controlled for anyone /else/, and her features are still as she finally stops her pacing, adopting a ready stance.
Acacia inclines her neck.
"I hate the SNF organizers," she observes, out loud.
COMBATSYS: Acacia has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|
Zach makes his way into the sauna with a troubled look on his face. Gone are the typical street clothes and ballcap. Zach, this time, is wearing a pair of swim shorts and a pair of those boatdeck shoes with the no-slip soles. He looks around, already a touch slight of breath as he rubs a forearm across his brow to wipe away the sweat. He chuckles a bit when Acacia mentions her dislike of the fight organizers.
Zach is a Midwesterner, born and raised. He does not do well in heat and humidity.
COMBATSYS: Zach has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|
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Zach 0/-------/-------|
Oh dear.
Kiyoko was a last minute addition to this fight, and it wasn't until she arrived in Finland that she found out the match was going to be held in a sauna. That meant a trip to the local clothing stores and a bathing suit search. But for Kiyoko it also meant looking for a shirt- a long sleeved one to be exact. The hard part was finding one that wasn't heavy- in the land of ice and snow they were keen on bundling up for winter. Finally she managed to find something bearable.
And so she shows up in the Sauna wearing a lovely dark green Bikini with bright red flowers, only to almost completely cover it up with a thin navy blue long sleeved shirt that falls to her thighs, a Finnish clothing logo emblazoned on the front. She's blushing furiously for two reasons- such clothing in the local was hideously embarrassing, and it was HOT in here!
It's made better by Acacia, who wears a t-shirt, to whom she gives a small grin. Batsu and Zach both get a nod instead of the grin, and she sticks around her partner. "I know! My last fight was on Mt.Everest. I think they've got a fire and ice fetish or something," she replies to Acacia.
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
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Zach 0/-------/-------|
It IS sort of relaxing if you let it sink in for a while. Batsu actually looks... almost peaceful, sitting there on the bench with a few of the Finnish fighting fans who are here to watch the bout, even though they do seem dismayed at Batsu's (and everyone else's for that matter) inclination to wear clothing in the sauna. Perhaps they'll have something new to bitch about once one of the fighters blows a hole in the ceiling with a misaimed energy blast, perhaps. One of the Finns even nudges Batsu in the side with his elbow. Why?
The sudden snort he gives, and the snapping open of his hazel eyes, give the answer.
Grinning, he gets up and trundles over to the fight area, cracking his knuckles. Sure, he's sweaty, and fatigue is probably already setting in, but if Batsu Ichimonji is anything, he is a *high energy battler*. It's going to take more than some puny sauna to get him down, that's for sure. "Think of it as training!" he says, too all involved, probably earning their ire with his lack of discomfort. He stretches once, jabs the air a few times, and nods. This is doable.
He does, however, blink at Kiyoko. "Aren't you hot in that?"
COMBATSYS: Batsu has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
"If you're trying to pick her up," Acacia says, laconically, "wait till we're done fighting."
She gives Batsu a dark look, apparently not missing his enthusiastic display of energy. Honestly, with the amount of steam swirling round here, Acacia's starting to feel uncomfortable. She was just -telling- herself that it's a small consolation that the other fighters in this match...are probably just as miserable. And then that Batsu guy goes and says -that-.
Acacia eyes him.
He's probably enjoying this.
Freak.
Acacia glances at the girl on the other side of the room. "Love poetry," Acacia says to Kiyoko, laconically ,"Robert Frost is turning in his grave."
Then she finally turns her attention to the remaining fighter - Zach Glen, her assigned teammate for this match.
"Glen, right," Acacia states, blinking once. It's not really a question.
As she speaks, Acacia taps her foot against the floor of the sauna, testing the strength of the wooden beams. The sole of her foot rubs against the rough grain. It's an odd sensation - she's not used to the increased sensitivity fighting barefoot gives. The difference isn't enough to trouble her, though, and it does have certain advantages. In a hostile environment scenario like this, she'll take what she can get.
To Zach, she says simply:
"Don't mess up."
Acacia moves, then. She lunges forward, fast enough that the motion CRACKS against the wooden floor, a few splinters swaying in her wake. She charges at the nearest target of opportunity - Batsu - leading with upraised knuckles in a straight line punch.
"...Right," Zach says as he simply nods at Acacia after her... instructions, glancing over at Kiyoko and Batsu with a faint grin before taking a short step towards Kiyoko and throwing a punch that does not look all that different from Acacia's attack at Batsu.
Except for that jagged lance of royal purple that slashes into existance on a collsion course toward's Kiyoko's midsection!
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko just-defends Zach's Zero Stance!
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
The Justice student is not comfortable, and certainly not enjoying the heat as Batsu appears to be. Think of it as training? Ok, that's a pretty good point there. But uncomfortable training remains uncomfortable nonetheless. When Batsu asks her the question she simply nodes her head, "Very." Why does she need to say anything other than the honest truth?
Acacia's response to the question is what gets the blinking confusion from her. "Trying to pick he up? Hmm, you're not going to get us divided against each other so easily. Nice try!" She gives the older fighter a larger grin than she did the last time, and waggles her finger.
And then it's down to business! She watches Acacia as she rushes to Batsu. Wow, that's an amazingly direct path she's taking. She sure is going all out. Ok, time to switch tracks. She looks to her other opponent, Zach. And it's a /darn/ good thing she does, because here he comes. As soon as her eyes go to him his fist is nearly in her face, and she immediately takes a step back, mostly out of surprise. Her hands fly up to try and stop the punch- only to see it stop short, gout of purple energy flaring in her face. Her hands won't stop that!
Her reaction is instinctual- green chi suddenly shines brightly in her hands, and the violet energy crashes into the miniature barrier, seeming to split in two and deflect harmlessly to either side. The girl lets out a sigh of relief. But she can't stop worrying yet.
That energy remaining in her hands she rushes towards Zach, making up the distances she retreated to start swinging in circular motions, taking a low forward stance as she performs a high speed Tai Chi workout, hands never touching him but getting just close enough to deliver the potent energy that coats her limbs.
Except the chi blinks out of existence and she has to hit with her hands instead, severely disrupting her attack motions!
COMBATSYS: Batsu interrupts Strong Punch from Acacia with Headbutt Beat Up.
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Acacia 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
There's a moment where Batsu scratches the side of his head in confusion, because Kiyoko's alien logic does not compute to him in any way, shape, or form. If you're hot in that, and you're in a sauna, TAKE IT OFF, screams his reptilian hindbrain! "Well, whatever," he admits graciously. Maybe she's going hella farther with her training than he is, after all. "Just don't get yourself hurt 'cause of modesty." Acacia's comment is pointedly ignored; too many years of random comments about when he's going to ask Hinata out have given him powerful denial armor when it comes to such statements.
That punch, however, is something he can't ignore... and turning to face his opponent, Batsu grins when he sees her go for the good old fashioned smack to the jaw. It's something he can relate to... and quite frankly anything to distract himself from the heat is fine by him. "Brawler, huh?" Batsu responds, cracking his knuckles and getting ready to repel boarders. "Fine by me, I like it nice and basic!" He doesn't wait to deal with the problem; in this heat he's got to hit hard and fast before he's sweated into a coma again. Ducking like an American football player, he charges Acacia, taking the punch on the shoulder instead of the chin, shrugging off a bit of the impact.
But he doesn't stop moving, either. In fact, he cannons into Miz Gillespie, knocking her over onto her back with his not-quite-ralf-tackle. "'Course, I'm the brawlin' type myself!" Dropping down so that he's almost straddling Acacia's stomach, the Burning Fighter delivers a punishing pair of blows to the head before getting back to his feet and backing off. Oh Batsu, you idiot. What do you do when someone says you're flirting with one girl? You straddle another and punch her.
[OOC] Kiyoko says, "You'd almost think he's Jiro."
COMBATSYS: Zach blocks Kiyoko's Heavy Kick.
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Acacia 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
Zach tucks in, deflecting Kiyoko's strike loudly. He skids back a pace or two and shakes the numbness out of his hands as he considers for a moment. This is clearly not the route to be taking, here.
Zach takes a series of rapid steps to close in on Kiyoko, lowering his center and striking toward's Kiyoko's midsection with his elbow. As the strike draws near, purple fire ripples into existance around the striking limb!
"Lovely," Acacia gasps, sounding breathless. Not in a good way, either. No, that'd be because she's had the air forcefully expelled from her lungs by the pounding force.
Oh yes, unpleasant. The compromising position doesn't escape her notice either, nor does the faint sound of laughter that rolls from the few brave spectators actually /in/ the room with the fighters. That unsettles her further. It's vaguely unsettling to fight in a large room with spectators just resting on benches by the walls. The fact said spectators are Finns and therefore, for the most part, butt naked in the sauna...well, Acacia's quite aware of that too. All that contributes to bring a faint flush to her cheeks - though that's thankfully not obvious. They're in a sauna, after all. A change in her face can just be attributed purely to the heat.
"Not," Acacia adds.
She's still lying on the wooden floor, but she /kicks/ out before Batsu can get entirely clear, driving the heel of one foot high up at his torso, even as she uses her arms to push herself upwards.
Not a good start. And out of her peripheral vision, she can see Zach Glen hasn't landed /his/ strike on the other girl either.
Gotta pick up the pace.
If that's even possible in this heat.
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko dodges Zach's Fierce Punch.
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Acacia 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
For the most part Kiyoko is unfazed by Batsu's demeanor about her shirt- pretty much everyone should be thinking she should strip the thing off, especially since it should be obvious by now that she has something on underneath. His comment of modesty however, gets a deadpan, "What?" She shakes her head a bit and lets out a quick laugh, "Yea, don't worry, I wont!"
And Batsu is certainly not worrying about modesty as he climbs on top of Acacia and beats on her. Though she has to admit, that must have hurt. Her wild serious of attacks are halted- it's no shock, she pretty much had to abort the move she /really/ wanted to use midway as the chi she summoned up for defense flickered out when she moved to the offense. Whoops.
Zach quickly goes on the counterattack, coming in low and shooting an elbow for her. And again she's surprised to find purple energy flaring up along the limb. "Uhoh!" Whatever she had intended before is quickly tossed to the wind, and she leaps up and chooses to vault right over Zach, going into a purely reactionary defensive measure to avoid that nasty elbow. She hits the wood and causes a minor vibration before twisting around to face him. "Alright, you seem to like playing with energy, so I'll indulge you!" She slashes her arm through the air and this time her chi sparks to life on demand, a crescent of energy forming along the path of her hand and rushing out towards the young man. "Spring Blossom!"
COMBATSYS: Batsu endures Acacia's Heavy Kick.
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Acacia 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
Hmmm. The kick surprises Batsu a little bit; he was expecting that attack to leave her under for a little longer than it actually did. However, for all his lack of academic prowess, he's a quick thinker indeed when it comes to improvising in the middle of a fight. He doesn't halt his backward momentum; in fact, it doesn't look like he's doing much of anything. The heel of Acacia's boot smacks him square in the torso, sending him skyward... but having twisted some, it doesn't send him flying in an ungainly sprawl, but instead gives him much needed air.
Thankful for the high ceiling, Batsu grins as he soars upward, giving him some much needed distance from the former Gedo student -- for all his walking into the blow, that strike hurt more than Batsu cares to experience a second time -- and more importantly, giving him a new angle from which to attack, one she hopefully won't notice until it's too late. An effect Batsu ruins, of course, by engaging in witty repartee at the apex of his 'leap': "Already tired? Figured a tough lookin' chick like you would be bouncin' off the walls. Don't wimp out on me now!"
And then he punctuates his comment by bringing his hands together and taking a note from Kiyoko's playbook, a blaze of bluish chi gathering in his hands and then rocketing out toward Acacia in a coruscant bullet moving at... an impressively fast clip, all things considered. "KIAI DAN!"
COMBATSYS: Zach slows Spring Blossom from Kiyoko with Thrown Object.
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Acacia 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
Zach sees the chi coming, his eyes wide. This is going to burn, he thinks as the green chi races toward him. So what does Zach Glen, super fighting genius do? He grabs the nearest thing at hand: one of those hot rocks in the middle of the room.
"Hot potatoe!" he yells as he slings the rock towards the blast, causing the blast to scatter harmlessly for the most part. The rest of the energy strikes Zach clean in the chest, right in the angry red marking in the middle of his torso. Glen yells out in pain, and the spot starts to bleed a little as Zach tries to recovers his bearings...
COMBATSYS: Batsu successfully hits Acacia with Guts Bullet.
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Acacia 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
Blue energy splashes off Acacia's form as the chi projectile crashes into her - the light illuminating the sauna briefly in a flash of ethereal energy, cutting through the clouds of steam. Acacia hisses, a faint sound escaping her lips, as the impact sends her tumbling. She crashes into one of the benches mounted along the wall, coming dangerously close to landing in the lap of a unfortunate (or fortunate) spectator. Thankfully, the man manages to scrabble aside.
Damn, Acacia thinks, this audience is /another/ problem. Great. One more headache to go with the heat. Her most powerful attacks have substantial propensity for collateral damage. And from what she's heard of this Zach guy, he's a heavy energy-based combatant. Which means this whole situation really /doesn't/ favour their side, at least in comparison to Batsu's more pure brawler style and Kiyoko's understated elegance. Not if they don't want to accidentally vape some naked Finnish fan.
Oh well.
As always, the devil is in the details.
Wincing, Acacia hauls herself out of her uncomfortable landing position. She's in motion soon as she hits the ground, ignoring the pain, ignoring all the screaming sensations her body is giving her - sweat-slicked hair, t-shirt plastered to her chest. She just balls a fist and dives right back at Batsu, her face a mask of resolve.
"Wimp /this/," Acacia retorts.
Ok -that- is not something Kiyoko was expecting. Bouncing gleefully out of the way, annihilating her blast with purple energy, staving it off... all those she would have thought possible. But picking up a red hot rock and throwing it into the energy to dissipate it? No, not in a million years. Hell, that rock probably hurt him more then her energy did! "...wow."
A hand goes up to rub at the back of her head, "Are... you okay?" Well, he's a big strong fighter and people like him are usually pretty tough and able to handle pain. So she won't hold back. She rushes forward towards him with a grin, cutting the distance between them at high speed while balling up a small fist. She thrusts it forward high, not aiming for his face but instead his throat. Oh the difference a tiny bit of aim can make!
COMBATSYS: Batsu fails to interrupt Quick Punch from Acacia with Medium Throw.
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Acacia 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
It was a good plan. A sound plan. You see it all the time in kung fu movies with their amazing reversals and quick moves and people rolling over tables and Jet Li and whatever. A straight arm punch? What kind of fool tries that on a KUNG FU MASTER? It's only going to get you, say, gripped by the fist and throw into the hot stones so the audience gets a hearty laugh!
PROTIP: Batsu is not a kung fu master.
Thus he gets popped in the jaw, looking more confused than hurt, and he stumbles back a few steps before looking up at Acacia with his typical mid-battle wild grin, wiping a hand across his mouth (and bruised nose, ow) and making a 'come on' gesture with his hand afterward. "Shoulda slugged me a little harder after a line like that!" he taunts.
"Should I?"
Acacia shoots back, as she eyes Batsu. She stands on the open floor of the sauna, regarding the other fighter. For a moment, her stare is rigid, her expression deadly serious. Her fists are raised, one hand still curled in a tight knuckled fist, the fingers of the other opening and closing in regular time with her breathing. Her ribs rise and fall, sweat continuing to soak her t-shirt.
"Should I," Acacia repeats, slowly. A tiny smile quirks at the corner of her mouth.
"Why don't we..."
And then she tilts her head to one side, her body twisting subtly, one foot scraping against the wood panelled floor. She lifts her heel, then -slams- it down.
"...SWITCH!"
As Acacia yells, she snaps her eyes at Zach, signalling wordlessly. Body language. /Work/ with me here, Glen, she tries to communicate.
And she attacks. She's a small slightly built young woman. She shouldn't -have- the strength to break through the beams like that. But then she shouldn't have the power to punch Batsu around either.
And the reason /why/ becomes clear, as a shockwave of chi blasts from the point of impact, rippling in a straight line towards where /Kiyoko/ is, across the room. The wave is nigh-invisible, a roar more heard than felt - a shimmer in the air surging up from ground level, carving a line of broken splinters as it zigzags down the wooden floor. Acacia's aligned it such that if it overpenetrates or misses, it's not gonna take out an audience member.
Just a wall. Maybe.
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko successfully hits Zach with Quick Punch.
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Acacia 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0 Kiyoko
Zach waves the heat off of his palm with a soft curse; the contact was fleeting enough, his hand isn't melted. But he WILL want to get some cold water on it soon. However, the sensation in his hand leaves him gasping for air as Kiyiko smacks him in the windpipe.
He sees Acacia move for Kiyoko, and gets the message. His eyes steel over as he pivots to face Batsu. Kid looks tough, and he didn't seem to put-off by the intense heat. Zach steps towards Batsu, planting his feet as he drives an energy-cloaked fist at Batsu's kidney!
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko blocks Acacia's Mass Breaker.
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Acacia 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kiyoko
All right! Her fast punch smacks Zach in a place that should hinder him in this environment, and for Kiyoko that's Mission Complete. Her eyes flick over to Batsu as he gets smacked. The verbal cue from Acacia doesn't only reach her partner, but also her opponent as well. Yes, Kiyoko is certainly paying very good attention to her surroundings- it's one of the things she does best!
She backs off away from Zach, who goes shooting off for Batsu, turning to face Acacia as- as she shatters the floorboards? Oh damn, those are /thick/. The violet haired girl doesn't have to be sharp sighted to notice that there's a wave of chi heading straight- ok, not straight zigzagy, for her. She drops low to the ground and leans away from the blast, reading herself for the contact with her arms in front of her and to either side.
It hits, dead on, but the girl was ready for it. It forces itself against her, thrusting against her invisible defense of near perfect inner balance. She slides backwards across the ground- an unpleasant thing on wood without shoes or socks.
And then a huge sigh of relief comes. One look at Acacia tells her that she is beyond her league. One on one? The other girl would trounce her without some serious luck. So she does what she can to prepare herself for the battle to come, which is a lot. Every bit of the way the silver haired fighter holds herself is analyzed, searched for cracks and deficiencies. How does she move that Kiyoko can exploit? If they're there, she'll find them. "Okay, it's the girls and the boys, huh?" A bright grin forms on her face as sweat trickles down it. "Let's do this."
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko focuses on her next action.
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Acacia 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kiyoko
COMBATSYS: Batsu endures Zach's Jab Punch!
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Acacia 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Batsu
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Zach 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Kiyoko
Switch, huh? Well, that's fine by Batsu. He could do with a couple seconds of NOT getting hit by Acacia; for all his trash talk, she hits pretty damn hard. It also gives him a couple seconds to turn and *look* at Zach right before he attacks, getting the kid's measure. Doesn't look like anything exceptional, but then... neither does Batsu, taken in the same light. Plus he's apparently pretty handy punching with whatever that energy he's using is. "Yeah," he says to Acacia carefully, still watching Zach as he starts to move. "You shoulda."
So there's a punch heading for his kidneys. Well and good. "Alright, let's see whatcha got, Mr. Swimming Trunks!" Batsu throws out with a wild grin, bracing himself. It's a pretty fast strike, and in the Burning Fighter's experience it means Zach's testing the waters, seeing what Batsu's got up his sleeve. What's up his sleeve, apparently, it again... not moving. He takes a deep breath, and weathers the punch, which slams into his kidney. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he grins down at Zach. "Not bad, not bad. But if you wanna punch people with glowin' fists... lemme show you..."
And then he is a blur of motion. "...how it's DONE!" His right fist comes up, suddenly blazing with a corona of orange chi flame, and with a sharp downward blow at close-range, Batsu looks to simply slam Zach into the floor, before turning and, with the same fist, bringing it in a sharp, vertical uppercut intending to send Zach right into the ceiling like a rocket leaving the launch pad... and the massive burst of orange-red fire like the blast from said rocket that accompanies his fist doesn't hurt, either. "GUTS! UPPEEEERRRRRRRRRR!"
[OOC] Batsu says, "She said 'switch'. So I did."
[OOC] Kiyoko says, "He just went from submissive to dominant."
[OOC] Zach says, "..."
[OOC] Kiyoko O:)
And the temperature in the sauna actually spikes /up/ a notch. Not from any gout of steam from the rocks. Not from anything to do with the room's facilities. No, despite the steam, the flame from Batsu's attack is actually prominent enough to cause a discernable change in the atmospheric conditions - enough for Acacia's skin to prickle in alarm, anyway. She spares a glance in her peripheral vision towards where Batsu is blazing an uppercut at Zach.
"HOLD HIM," she yells at her partner.
And hopefully that'll prove to be a tactically sound move, /not/ a mistake.
Acacia snaps her own gaze back to Kiyoko, her eyes hard behind sweat-soaked silver bangs. A few locks stick to her forehead with the motion. She inhales, breathing in hot humid air.
She doesn't respond to Kiyoko. Not with words, at least. In actions, though - Acacia slams a fist at Kiyoko. A punch, her weight flowing behind the blow, the hand racing towards the other female fighter. Compared to Batsu's showy technique, there's almost nothing here...
Nothing visible, at least.
But for someone with greater chi sensitivity, Acacia's entire limb pulses with destructive promise, energy pooled in her fist to her forearm. Bearing with it pure and utter concussive force, designed to resonate through an opponent's muscle and sinew upon impact in one boneshaking wave.
COMBATSYS: Batsu successfully hits Zach with Maximum Guts Upper.
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Acacia 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Batsu
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Zach 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|==-----\-------\0 Kiyoko
Hold him, she says. Like it is this... easy thing.
Batsu's blazing uppercut slams Zach clear into the ceiling with a loud impact. The sound of Zach hitting the floor is not exactly quiet either. Surprisingly, however, Zach stands back up again.
Zach wobbles a bit on his feet, his breathing hard as he looks at Batsu with a slight grin. "Lemme show you," Zach says. "How I do things." Zach throws a fist upward. A torrent of psychic energy flares from the floor under Batsu, powering into the cieling with cratering force.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits Kiyoko with Godshatter.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Batsu
[ \\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Zach 1/-------/=======|=======\=======\1 Kiyoko
Run. Just... just run. That's all Kiyoko can think of when Acacia comes at her. It's not so much that she fears the fist heading towards her. She can deal with a fist. It's the incredible power pouring from it, that seems to slam into her when Acacia is still rushing towards her. Her attempted escape is little more than desperate, the girl trying to fling herself sideways and to the ground to just get out of the way.
It's no good. The fist shoots towards her and hits her in the stomach, and the ungodly amount of power and chi that flows into her sends her blasting away from the other girl at a speed that implies the power that was just poured into her. She smacks a particularly hard wooden beam and, thanks to her tiny frame and light weight, bounces off of it, her back arcing painfully as her spine is assaulted.
She falls limply to the floor, never having experienced a pain even close to what she just did. It's a while before she gets up, and when she does it's not a spring back to her feet, but a slow drag to up to them. She looks on to Acacia with a wide-eyed expression. "You set me up for that, didn't you? I've never seen someone make a trap that depends on their opponent fighting defensively before."
Having just learned an amazingly important lesson, the girl sets herself. "Okay, I'm not done yet. You just proved yourself really dangerous... but I can be too!" Without any more words she leaps at Acacia, trying to bury both feet into her stomach. If she connects she twists her body downwards and reaches up with her legs to try and wrap them around her neck. If /that/ succeeds she thrusts her weight backwards to slam the fighter to the ground, hitting the boards herself. The power of the hit would be enough to cause a rebound, one that the Tai Chi artist would use to full advantage, bouncing back up into the air to repeat the process three more times before letting go and rolling to her feet.
COMBATSYS: Batsu endures Zach's Burst Stream.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Batsu
[ \\\\\ < > //////// ]
Zach 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Kiyoko
Even Batsu seems surprised when Zach goes launching into the ACTUAL ceiling; he hadn't really intended to smack the psychic that hard, but apparently he did. The Burning Fighter lets out a low whistle as his hazel eyes track his opponent up into the sky... and then back down to the ground. He's actually pretty glad to see Zach up and around fine, giving him a faint grin. "Pretty good. I thought that mighta been enough to sap the fight outta ya, but you're still on your fe--"
That's when something prickles at Batsu, watching Zach raise his arm. He's got no psychic sensitivity, but he does have a good sense for the fight. Hunkering down, he prepares himself for whatever's coming next... and rather unexpectedly the attack comes from *below*, sending Batsu skyward himself for the second time this fight, though perhaps not quite as high as Acacia's kick did, nor as high as Batsu sent Glen himself. It takes him a second to reorient, body tingling with the unpleasant sensation of Psycho Power coursing through his veins. "Ngh... not done yet!" he shouts, and then he nears the ceiling...
In a move that would make Raizo proud, Batsu twists and faces his feet toward the ceiling, then pushes off. Dropping like a meteor, Batsu's form looks to pound the YFCC handyman into the ground flat. It's not exactly an acrobatic Yasha Guruma, but that's not how Ichimonji does things, either. "RYUUSEI KICK!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Kiyoko's Winter's End.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Batsu
[ \\\\\ < > //////// ]
Zach 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Kiyoko
Acacia dips her head slightly in a vague approximation of a nod. The motion's so slight it's almost invisible, nearly lost in the clouds that swirl round the room, the heat-laden mist obscuring her from view. She speaks, though, removing all doubt. Her voice is calm, quiet, a counterpoint to the violence of combat.
"Yes," she replies, making an affirmative noise. And her eyes acknowledging Kiyoko, as the other girl is upon her.
Grabbed, thrown, and slammed into the floorboards. The sauna /shakes/ alarmingly with the impact, the support beams groaning as the repeated force of Acacia's body crashing into the floor strains the structural integrity of the chamber. But when Acacia recoils from the final bounce, it's in a controlled move. She's bruised, battered, but somehow she doesn't -seem- as injured as she should be. Again, there's little visible about her form. But to a fighter like Kiyoko, there's the subtle pulse of chi throughout Acacia's system, renforcing her body to amazing levels as she weathers the storm. And comes up swinging a fist, erupting through the wisps of steam engulfing the sauna.
She's good, this Kiyoko girl.
But this is a fight. Finish her, move on to assist Zach Glen.
In a way, that's the highest compliment Acacia can pay Kiyoko.
A threat.
COMBATSYS: Batsu successfully hits Zach with Shooting Star Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
[ < > //////// ]
Zach 1/-======/=======|===----\-------\0 Kiyoko
Zach's eyes go wide as Batsu goes shooting star on him. Batsu's kick slams into Zach's chest with crunching impact. The smaller man wobbles as his lungs burn for want of oxygen in this thick, humid air. Zach grins, a trickle of blood dribbling from one corner of his mouth.
"Me neither," Zach says wetly as he drives a fist for Batsu's midsection. When the fist stops, a short burst of psyhic energy fires out of his fist like a cannon, going only about three feet before evaporating. This time, however, Zach is attempting to actually =hit= his opponent before he crashes to the hardwood floor.
COMBATSYS: Zach can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
> //////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Kiyoko
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko fails to interrupt Quick Punch from Acacia with Winter's End.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
> ]
|=======\-------\0 Kiyoko
COMBATSYS: Kiyoko can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
What Kiyoko learns from the mighty beating Acacia takes to no effect is this: that she's amazingly adept at absorbing pain when she's ready for it. Repeat: When she's ready for it.
It's a simple thing, a fast punch heading in with just enough force to strike the violet haired girl down and put her out permanently. It should be something Kiyoko tries to escape, or at least stave off. But she tried running before, and it didn't work. Now she has to take the opposite approach. It's amazingly risky, but if she pulls it off. ...if she pulls it off there's a chance.
She leaps at the punch and tilts backwards, curling her legs to her body to try and kick viciously once she's almost directly upon Acacia. It's the same thing she'd just done, only at great personal risk. The fist snaps out and connects her jaw as intended. But the force is enough to cause a bright white flash to Kiyoko's eyes, and what was intended as a powerful kick instead comes out as a jerking spasm- the student of Justice High running into Acacia, but with so little power that she literally collapses against her and folds to the floor.
Her arms are held out to her sides and she pants heavily. A groan of pain escapes her.
"I tried..."
It's not a self deprication. It's an affirmation.
COMBATSYS: Batsu dodges Zach's Burst Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
That... looks extremely painful, and Batsu has absolutely no desire to be hit by it. Even as the purple blast of energy is going off, the Burning Fighter is stepping backwards as fast as he can without losing his footing, skating backwards a bit to the edge of the stone-filled pit and skidding into a crouch. Lucky as he was to get away, he still gives Zach a nod. "Pretty good. Maybe we'll get a chance to fight again, huh..."
Standing up, he glances around and notices that Kiyoko is also down on the ground, and he clears his throat a little, rubbing the side of his head in embarassment. "Man, I kinda forgot about her... looks like she did pretty good though. Hey!" Batsu suddenly barks over at the SNF people. "You wanna get them outta here? Probably not good to have 'em heating up while they're out."
Having summoned the staff to do his bidding, he turns to Acacia and grins, shaking out his hands and getting into stance. He's much sweatier than he was before, but he's still grinning like a maniac... bruised and beaten but not quite out. "If I can keep this up in this heat, I feel like I can take on anything. Wanna finish things up?"
COMBATSYS: Batsu gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Batsu
The steam continues to curl round the interior of the wood-paneled sauna. Water hisses to vapor upon the heated rocks of the stove. It's getting increasingly like the inside of an oven here...except a million times worse. Hot and humid, preventing sweat from evaporating, just forcing the temperatures ever higher. It's harsh, merciless. Bad enough just to sit in here, worse to fight in it. A harsh environment. An unyielding environment.
A battlefield.
Acacia narrows her eyes, casting her vision through the drifting clouds. Zach is down, the silhouette of his body unmoving. She nods to herself. She crouches, then, briefly extending a hand - to squeeze Kiyoko on the shoulder, once. Then she stands, getting to her feet. Her gaze turns to Batsu.
"Fair enough," Acacia says.
She moves. Forward, straight on towards Batsu, her bare feet loud against the scarred wood floor. She ignores the audience clustered round the walls, or the sprawled and unconscious forms of the two other fighters. She ignores everything except the other fighter, now...as she takes one step, two, then swings an arm, chambering the punch then driving it with all her furious strength. No tricks. Just power.
COMBATSYS: Batsu fails to interrupt Strong Punch from Acacia with Guts Upper.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
Batsu gives Acacia a nod. Seems like a reasonable proposal. It's been an interesting fight, and the Burning Fighter seems more than happy to say so, too. "Hard to fight like this... body keeps wantin' to get sluggish. Just gotta force yourself to keep movin'." He gets into stance, noting for a moment Acacia squeezing Kiyoko's shoulder, and inclines his head toward her. "Surprised I haven't heard of ya... 'course, I was off training in the middle a' nowhere for a bit."
Then comes the punch, and like two samurai running in the rain, Batsu kicks off the ground and charges right toward that single power punch, right hand cocked back and wreathed in orange flame, a harbinger of pain to come. Sadly, it's less Nostradamus and more Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends, since be it through fatigue or just bad timing, Batsu misses the chance to deliver a counter blow entirely, the punch slamming into his jaw and forcing him back. Grinning, he wipes a hand across his mouth and nods. "Alright. Ready for another pass?"
"Already told you," Acacia replies, "flirt -after- the match."
Her expression is solemn, her face a mask. But there's a slight curve of her eyelids, a quirk of the lips, all giving a sardonic quality to the comment. She says this with remarkable sangfroid for someone who's just -narrowly- avoided having their head struck by a flaming fist. The edges of her silver hair feel faintly singed, point in fact.
Though that could just be the sheer oppressive heat of this sauna.
Sweat coats Acacia's face in a light sheen as she regards Batsu for another half-second. Then she drives a hand forward, aiming to grab a handful of his tank-top and toss him sideways - straight into the bed of hot coals that are the source of steam for the entire chamber.
COMBATSYS: Batsu dodges Acacia's Quick Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
[OOC] Acacia says, "WELL YOU ARE A NINJA."
[OOC] Acacia says, "Even if your daddy is a bear."
[OOC] Batsu says, "raizo has parry"
[OOC] Batsu says, "it boggles the mind"
[OOC] Acacia says, "BEARNINJA. @_@"
"If I didn't know better," Batsu says carefully, tilting his head and giving Acacia a shrewd look, "I'd say it's you that's flirtin' with me with all this talk." Anybody who knows Batsu in the slightest knows he has no interest in girls, which doesn't have anything at all to do with all the crazy women that happen to be part of his life or anything. Plus she did just try to grab his tanktop, but the Burning Fighter pivots at the last moment, ducking just barely out of the way of Acacia's grab and ducking past her to 'swap sides'.
Breathing heavily, he can't capitalize on that moment of uncertainty; even his nuclear fusion internal reactor's slowing down in this heat. Which may be why he doesn't go for any more witty repartee, and instead just says "My turn on face to fist" and lashes out with a right cross to Acacia's jaw. Yeah, he's subtle that way.
COMBATSYS: Acacia fails to interrupt Fierce Punch from Batsu with Unyielding Stance.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Batsu
About as subtle as a train wreck.
That's okay. Acacia hardly minds. She begins to retort as the fist rockets in - but she doesn't finish the statement. The blow crashes into her, and while she's just -beginning- to gather the chi for her interception technique...she doesn't make it. Not quite.
Her head snaps back, her entire body arcing beneath the force of the blow. Acacia crashes to the ground, she rolls, until she comes to an awkward halt across the sauna chamber, fetching up against the bare feet of a few spectators that don't quite get out of the way in time.
Groaning, Acacia shoves herself off the wood floor, her limbs trembling faintly. Exhaustion's beginning to set in, perspiration drenching her shirt and shorts, her vision starting to grow blurry. She lifts her head though, looking back at Batsu. And snorts.
Still bringing in big breaths, Batsu doesn't relent; he follows through and then hops back and bounces on the balls of his feet, as if he can somehow stave off the inevitable collapse by fighting it off with sheer momentum. His chi sense isn't finely tuned, but just as he noticed Zach's incoming attack through intuition alone, he gets the impression he just dodged quite the bullet. And perhaps that's what inspires his next attack as well. "Heh... you got an interestin' style, Gillespie. We should fight again some time."
And then he's on the move, hands glowing with that bright cerulean blue once again as he rears back, and then flings both arms forward straight, like the barrels of a gun... and indeed, it's a bullet of blazing bright chi that lashes out at his opponent once he does so. "KIAI DAN!"
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Batsu's Guts Bullet.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Batsu
Interesting, hm?
Acacia makes a small sound, though one quickly stifled at the back of her throat. It could be a laugh, though. And the faint glimmer of a smile still on her face lends credulence to that theory. As the chi erupts from Batsu, Acacia breaks into a run. Not away from him, though, not to evade, but straight into the path of the oncoming projectile. She lowers her head and lifts an arm, just enough to shield her face and eyes as the blast washes over her. The pain makes her grit her teeth, and she stumbles, her stride breaking - but not completely. Not enough to keep her from her attack as she bull rushes through the swirling steam, feet slamming over the wooden beams. She keeps her blocking forearm raised, pushing it in front of her as she tries to just ram into Batsu - and keep going, bearing him into the sauna wall and the bench running along it hard as she can. It's not complex. It isn't elegant.
But then, isn't -that- what's interesting?
COMBATSYS: Batsu fails to interrupt Quick Throw from Acacia with Strong Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Batsu
COMBATSYS: Batsu has reached second wind!
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Batsu
He'd *almost* planned for it, knowing that if he could keep the distance between them for the time being that he might be able to capitalize on it to trip her up, exploit some sort of mistake. In the end, the mistake is Batsu's however; as Acacia is charging he turns to deliver a ridiculously telegraphed roundhouse to her shoulder, hoping to drop her into the floor. Instead he mistimes it and is slammed into the wall for his trouble, splintering the bench as he falls through it and slumps onto the hot ground with a loud *THUD*. It looks like he's out for the count, but slowly he pulls himself upright, grinning faintly. "Heh... looks like I still got some fight in me yet. Got anythin' else?"
Acacia rocks on the balls of her feet, shifting her weight. She regards Batsu with a faint amount of surprise. She lifts on eyebrow, blinking a single time. Then she exhales, this time giving a definite laugh. It's hard to remain impassively serious in the face of someone like Batsu, someone who's so clearly -enjoying- this.
She isn't. Not quite, at least not to the degree he does. Not in the same way. To Acacia, this is purely a test of skill, a matter of craftsmanship, of doing her best in something she does well...
...but that's close enough.
She doesn't voice a reply. That would be redundant. Her movement is enough, as she flows forward. Her movements are slowed, drained by the searing heat of the sauna and the rolling steam hissing from the coals. But she's still moving, muscles standing out beneath the sweat, as she drives an arm to Batsu's neck in a move that's at once palm thrust and chokehold. An iron grip with rigid fingers, delivered with all the brutal force of a punch.
COMBATSYS: Batsu dodges Acacia's Stronghold.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Batsu
His movements are jerky, awkward, even reflexive; bouncing back from that attack didn't leave him with much strength left in his body. But the burst of adrenaline is enough for the Burning Fighter to dive forward in a very low forward roll, moving past Acacia from against the wall to into the room, slowly getting to his feet, clearly unsteady. There's not many words left in him, either, but he's determined not to go down until he can't get back up anymore. Taking a few steps back toward Acacia, Batsu gives out a barely-articulate yell and then seeks to grab her by the arm and all but fling her back into the depths of the sauna.
COMBATSYS: Acacia auto-guards Batsu's Medium Throw!
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Batsu
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Acacia's up for any trips on Air Batsu, the leading budget carrier of Taiyo High. Not even with their attractive rates and packages starting from as low as...well, anyway. She's got different travel plans, it seems. Batsu's hands close around her outstretched arm, latching hold. But when he tries to haul her off the ground, she completely fails to budge.
It defies all laws of leverage, especially given Batsu's superior size and muscle power. But Acacia's rooted to the ground, solid as a rock. No matter how much strength Batsu applies, for that moment she /does not move/.
The surprise probably lasts for only an instant. Another heartbeat or two longer and he might figure out what's going on - Acacia's chi renforcing her body and increasing her apparent mass, and then flowing through the soles of her bare feet and anchoring her further to the ground itself, to what's left of the torn up wooden flooring of the sauna chamber.
The moment's enough. Acacia /yanks/ her arm in, drawing Batsu towards her. Bringing him into the path of one raised knee, propelling it to his gut.
COMBATSYS: Batsu endures Acacia's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Acacia 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Batsu
He's got nothing left. Which is pretty obvious from the clumsy attack, the barely coordinated assault in the first place. For a moment Batsu looks stunned that he's not moving, but then he seems to process that Acacia has a grip on HIM and sort of grunts. How do you deal with it? He could try to pull free, get himself away, keep up what is rapidly becoming a war of attrition... or he can behave like the Imawano he is and go completely freaking insane.
Which he does.
The yank is uncontested. The knee goes right into Batsu's gut with a loud WHUMP, sending him up and over, landing in an ungainly sprawl... or does he? It's not a sprawl, but more like a splay, hands and feet intended to catch him so that he could leap, froglike, right off the ground, recoiling from it like a spring... which is exactly what he does.
In the air his body twists and suddenly he's launched at Acacia, foot-first, like an arrow from some divine bow, body wreathed in scintillating cerulean chi as he tries one last-ditch attempt to just knock Acacia out with sheer, meteoric force. "LAST SHOT! RYUUSEI... KICK!"
COMBATSYS: Batsu can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks Batsu's Maximum Shooting Star Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|
Last shot indeed.
The blow lands with a massive BOOM, like the sound of a sledgehammer the size of the world. The entire sauna shakes as if in the grip of a giant of old, the wooden structure creaking dangerously. Shouts of alarm go up from the audience as the heating stove in the centre of the room /cracks/ in two, spilling hot coals into the wood in a wild hiss of billowing smoke.
When the dust settles, though, Acacia's still standing, her body hunched, almost doubled over, her legs bent and feet pressed firmly to the floor. She inhales and exhales, her lungs working. Sweat soaks her shirt to the skin, beads of perspiration dripping from her slick hair, even more messy now than it usually is.
But she's standing, by God.
Her raised forearms tremble with the effort of stopping that final attack, delivered with all of Batsu's strength.
Damn. Just damn.
Acacia lowers her guard, finally, her movements slow and deliberate, as she finally lets the tension drain out of her lean frame. She eyes Batsu for a moment.
This is over.
She nods at him, one fighter to another, through the clouds of acrid wood-scented steam.
COMBATSYS: Acacia has ended the fight here.
Log created on 14:18:22 04/06/2008 by Acacia, and last modified on 15:34:16 04/15/2008.