Description: Can we build it? Yes we can! Bison the Builder! Yeah! o/~ ... It's a bright sunny afternoon in Southtown! A new day dawns on our friendly construction site, where all our brick, concrete, and heavy machinery stands ready to be used! Surely we can all put away our differences, joining M. Bison and the girls in a cheerful friendly sing-along? Wait. No. Maybe not...Mister Bison, wh-what are you doing with that steel rebar?! (Winner: Acacia/Aprile)
Not too long ago, things were looking up for the Southtown construction industry. The economy was strong. Business was booming. The real estate market was red hot, with new commercial and residential developments springing up all over the city.
But now? As the proverbial Magic 8 Ball says...outlook not so good.
The credit crunch over in the States, soaring oil prices, and the yearly slowdown around June...suffice to say, the financial ledgers are looking a lot more red than black right about now. And that's the sort of thing that hits the building sector harder than most. All that land, labour, and capital gets really expensive.
What's this got to do with fighting, though? Isn't that the sort of corporate moaning best found in the financial papers, not the burning stage of COMBAT that is SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHT?
Well.
It's simple, really.
In an uncertain market, one always goes back to basics. The core business, y'know.
And everyone knows, when all's said and done, it's street fighters who keep Southtown's building industry aloft.
Someone's gotta rebuild all the stuff they break.
So here we are, then, in the heart of sunny Southtown, in a large dusty lot surrounded by plywood barricades, steel scaffolding, and a forest of porta-potties. All the hallmarks of your regular building site. Except this one's more crowded than usual, with an audience in the hundreds all packed round the half-erected structures and heavy machinery. Shouting and cheering, waving banners.
Notably, /every single member of the audience/ is also wearing a bright yellow hard hat.
This is Japan, after all. There's health laws and stuff.
Safety first.
Acacia Gillespie sits at one end of the building site, resting upon a large chunk of prefabricated renforced concrete. The heels of her combat boots rap against the hard grey surface as she swings her legs, eying the arena from her perch. She adjusts the set of the builder's helmet sitting jauntily atop her messy hair.
"Can we build it," she mutters, "yes we can."
Jesus Christ. Well at least he's not up against three young girls out to rape his face. Bison is... well, yeah, he can read. He read the card for the bout. Once, twice, three times, and he still isn't quite sure what it means. Construction? What. The. <BLEEP>. He has to use the construction site for his attacks. Man... like he can't freakin' kill a couple of girls without them. This is a goddamned insult.
So it is, and so Bison stomps down into the construction site lookng pissed off. (PROTIP: This doesn't look noticeably different than what he looks like normally.) "Goddamn," he growls, under his breath. For this fight, due to the conditions, he's not wearing his boxing gloves, so he can actually grab beams and rebar and shit...
As he stomps down, he glances over at Acacia, and the glance is not a friendly one. But then, he's goddamn Mike Bison, why would he look happy? Fighting girls again. Well, he's got no problem with that, really. Body's a body, after all. But man...
"Sheeeit." The fight's not on, but already he's walking over to the piles of various equipment and supplies, and he spots a good four-foot length of reinfored bar.. and that he picks up, swinging it around like a baseball bat before resting it on one shoulder.
"Aight," he growls, "let's get th' players in here an' start this little toy show up..."
Skipping towards Acacia Gillespie, her team mate arrives. Dressed in two different blue shades of clothing and a yellow cap today ( even the mindless/mindcontrolled must follow regulations ) the doll happily comes to a stop nearby Acacia. She doesn't even seem to notice what is going on with all of the movement around, and the crowd.. and oh just about everything!
And then she looks over to M.Bison, and waves at him. "Oh hi again person I don't remember and have never seen before." She exclaims towards M.Bison. That's a lie! She had him in another fight. ALSO AGAINST HER. Oh how the fates conspire to HAVE HER PUNCHED IN THE FACE. But yet, perhaps there is something to that. That being being punched in the face, that is.
She's happy to be in the construction yard at least, and more than happy to take part in just what SNF is about! And being forced to use things that are not her own .. the medical objects have been left to the side, and away. They will only stop her from her job of demolition! Er construction! Yes!
Saluting to Acacia, she perks up. "Worker ready for instructions to deconstruct and demolish the opposing side!" She grabs a cement block and hefts it up, almost hugging it.
Not only is Bison fighting girls, he's fighting with a girl, although given his partner is as tall as he is that might be less distasteful.
Flora is wearing her kyudo uniform, having nothing else to fight in yet; she's never really been to one of these Saturday Night events, at least not as a participant, and it's a little overwhelming. She wasn't expecting the crowd to be quite this big. Isn't most of the crowd normally watching through the cameras?
"I, er," is what she says to M. Bison, evidently not quite willing to get his attention in any particularly forceful way. Flora looks down and checks the stringing on her enormous bow instead; it's taller than she is, and oddly thick for a bow. How she's going to manage to use the environment is a pretty good question.
Meanwhile, still perched atop the large block of concrete, Acacia turns her head just enough to glance at her own partner for this match. She studies Aprile from under the brim of her yellow hard-hat. For a moment or two, she just stares, taking in Aprile's vapid disposition. Acacia blinks, once, as if trying to clear spots from her eyes.
"...right," Acacia says, after an awkward pause. Inwardly, Acacia curses. She should have known better than to make a joke about construction sites and children's TV. Now she's got a teammate who's stepped right out of the sugarcandy world inhabited by cheerful creatures with overly large heads.
Of course, that's balanced by the big guy on the other team, one M. Bison. Acacia gives the boxer a wary look, now. No, he certainly isn't from children's TV. More like an adult film, and not a good one.
She doesn't know what to make of the remaining fighter in this match, that tall Japanese girl - Acacia looks at her now, sizing her up, paying particular attention to the oversized bow in her hands.
Rising to her feet, Acacia stands on top of the huge chunk of prefab concrete, the soles of her boots scraping across the dull grey surface. She exchanges a glance with Aprile, then peers down at the other two fighters.
In a dry voice, Acacia asks: "Whatever. Ready?"
COMBATSYS: Acacia has started a fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Acacia focuses on her next action.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Flora has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Flora
COMBATSYS: M.Bison has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
> //////////////////////////////]
|-------\-------\0 Flora
Oh pooh, that's not true. It's only sugarcoated on the OUTSIDE. Which is completely different!
However, in the end, Aprile nods to Acaica as she curses, looking over the others once more to see some reaaally tall girl that she's never seen before. Aprile nods as she looks on, keeping tabs on both, but taking a step forwards when Acacia asks. "Oh yes I'm VERY ready!" She exclaims, before she kicks off the ground, holding that concrete block that she put her hands on. She somehow manages to leap with it!
And then, of course, leap up onto some machinery laying around. The doll manages to make it look somewhat easy as she leaps up it with the cement block, before running up the slightly angled crane and then looking down at the Japanese woman.
What can she do from here?
"LOOK OUT BELOOOOW!" She exclaims. As easy as it may have been for Acacia to joke a bit about how Aprile may have jumped out from candyland, she's sending a block of cement careening down towards Flora's head.
That's not exactly nice!
COMBATSYS: Aprile has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Aprile 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Flora
Hn. Use the environment... Bison does that every day, with loud, gas-guzzling cars and throwing away lots of plastic wrappers, usually right onto the street. Also, he carries empty plastic six-pack rings to throw at birds so they'll choke and drown. Man's got to have his fun, right? He... makes a semi-pointed attempt to ignore Aprile's clumsy 'oh look I don't know you' because uh... he doesn't want to be outed on TV. Yet.
Of course, most everyone who would know who Bison is probably knows already BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT. Bison charges forward, as soon as the fight starts... after all, it's pretty much the way he is. Watching? Waiting? These things do not a champion boxer make. Instead, Bison just takes up the length of rebar that he picked up and actually twirls it once, while charging, in his hand--a rather deft move for a big black man.
His attack on Acacia, however, is anything -but- elegant and deft. Rather, he just tries to bring the damn thing down on her head. Crazy, that. With his strength, it could kill someone...
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits Flora with Large Thrown Object.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Flora
Flora does not, as a general rule, spend a lot of time looking up. Most people aren't in the habit, and Flora is not used to people that go up cranes and then do things from up there.
She probably should, because she only notices the chunk of cement /after/ it starts falling (and at that only because Aprile was yelling about it), and although she throws herself forward, all Flora manages to do is a) get her outfit dirty and b) take the strike to her back rather than her head.
Flora stays down for a moment before shouldering it off and getting back up. That hurt... perhaps not as much as it could have, but enough that she's not really happy about it. Unsure of what the appropriate thing is to say in a situation like that, Flora pulls out one of her arrows, raises that oversized bow, and takes aim very carefully up at Aprile. Just think of it as a target, she tells herself.
The arrow, with a blunted head so as not to draw blood, is aimed very precisely at Aprile's shoulder. If it hit it stings, /and/ it makes the joint ache afterwards for quite some time.
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks M.Bison's Dash Straight.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Flora
Even as the crash from the weight landing on Flora /echoes/ across the construction yard, another heavy impact cracks through the air - this the sound of steel rebar meeting flesh. But it's a hard sound, an unyielding sound - as Acacia intercepts the swing with her forearm, hardened muscle and bone meeting the metal.
As she makes the block, Acacia flicks her gaze to one side, up where Aprile is...suspended on the arm of a crane, with Flora shooting at her.
Huh.
It looks like those two aren't exactly your average Disney heroines, despite the excessive cheer from one and teenage awkwardness from the other. No, they're more the sort who shot Bambi's mother. And ate the f--kin' deer.
Good. Acacia can get behind that.
Satisfied that there's proper violence going on, Acacia turns her attention to more immediate matters - and narrows her eyes at the burly black man that just swung at her.
Acacia's crouched atop a large prefabricated section of flooring, concrete renforced with bars of metal. It's a nice solid perch - though with their relative height difference, it just means she's only slightly above Bison's eye level. Her arm's still interlocked with his makeshift weapon.
She smiles, ever so slightly.
Then the concrete beneath her feet /detonates/, as the chi Acacia's been forcing through it explodes with immense concussive force, blasting shards of spinning debris out in all directions.
COMBATSYS: Flora successfully hits Aprile with Pressure Point Shot.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Flora
DONK.
Grinning bright and happily, she looks down. "Oh GOOD you didn't!" She exclaims about how the woman didn't get out of the way, rather enthusiastic about the heavy material striking flesh. What could possible be better, after all? But things aren't all hunky dory, because the woman is a bit harder to deal with that she thought. What with her getting up and all, and then pulling out a BOW and then aiming at her and .. towards her shoulder.
Simply, from up there, Aprile isn't interested in getting pegged. REALLY! She she must do things. Such as try to leap backwards and let the arrow pass over her. She takes a step back and then.... my the arrow sticks right into her chest.. causing her to stagger backwards from the assault before grasping the edge of the crane and hang there. There's a yelp of pain as well. Ow. that certainly hurt. But still, she's feeling her arm go numb due to the strike.. and so she falls.
She simply lets go, blood drenching where the shot to the middle of her chest struck, as she plummets... grabbing the crane's hook as she goes, controlling her fall as she extends a heavy foot to slam towards Flora as she goes.
She's only barely controlling her fall, however!
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits M.Bison with Mass Breaker.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Flora
Exploding concrete, huh? Does Acacia have some sort of concrete chi thing going on? If so, Rust better be prepared to sue! Bison... takes the explosion, full in the face, and he just kind of gets flung backward. For all that, though, he lands on his feet, skidding, kicking up a big trail of dust from the construction site. He's still got the thing in his hand--the rebar--but now it's pretty clearly dented. He was swinging pretty hard, after all. His black face is covered in grey dust; spitting, he rids himself of some concrete that got in his mouth.
"Ain't bad at all, girlie," he levels, at Acacia, rolling his head around, eliciting a nasty series of popping sounds. "Ain't bad at all. Looks like you actually got some balls in those pants o' yours!" He laughs, an ugly, uproarious laugh. Clearly he thinks he's the height of wit. As if suddenly remembering, though, he realizes he has the bent rebar still in his hand.
So what's he do? He's a boxer, after all, can't keep swingin' that thing forever. Gotta get rid of it. Easiest way to do that? Is to throw it, helluva hard. His right arm cocks back, and then he just lets fly, the rebar spinning almost lazily through the air...
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits Flora with Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Flora
Flora was watching this time and she /still/ didn't react quite in time. The foot strikes Flora but does not knock her down; it does se nd her staggering and reeling for a moment, though, until she gets over it. Maybe, she thinks, she's /not/ cut out for this.
Flora shifts her grip on her bow, switching from a one-handed grip to two hands, one above and one below where they were before. She does this without actually slowing down all that much, bringing the curved end of the bow upwards at an angle as she strikes at Aprile's knees, like a real staff fighter. Well, she /is/ a real staff fighter.
She shoots a glance black at M. Bison. He's rude, and crude, but she's supposed to be working with him... "Are you doing all right?" she asks, a little hesitantly. She doesn't /really/ want the response. It's going to be profane, she just knows it.
COMBATSYS: Acacia interrupts Large Thrown Object from M.Bison with Fracture.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Flora
Sad to say, Flora's probably right. Rude and crude, that's the name of Bison's game. But while Flora appears put off by it, Acacia...isn't.
Acacia's eyebrows lift, creeping towards her brow. Her lips part, her tongue flicking out...then she makes a small sound that might be a laugh. She gives a small shake of the head. She looks amused, almost - though it's not clear if it's by Bison's joke, or the fact the man actually thinks he's funny.
He thinks she has balls? Well.
Without turning, Acacia speaks - addressing Flora.
"He's fine," she says, simply.
Before lunging forward, straight into the path of the spinning rebar. She runs -right- into it, meeting the length of flying metal with a lowered shoulder. And it breaks apart as Acacia charges on through. Her booted soles kick up a spray of sand and dust from the construction yard floor as she slams bodily into Bison, not so much tackling him as exploding into the man - finishing by hauling him clear off his feet and slamming him into the side of a cement mixer, hard enough to dent even the thick steel of the massive drum.
COMBATSYS: Aprile interrupts Power Strike from Flora with Random Strike.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Flora
Falling down, her momentum seriously helped her, it seems.. because what happens is Aprile ends up actually slamming her foot into the girl as she falls and staggering Flora away! Grasping the arrow, she pulls it out, the wound closing up on itself slightly as she watches Flora intently. The girl is bringing her BOW towards her knees? That's inventive, she thinks, before she understands the situation completely.
But then, she looks around as well. Above her.. there's something hanging. A girder! And girders are rather large.
The bow is coming towards her at a nice angle as well, and might just leave Flora .. in the way of things. You can't really blame Aprile for what she tries next, leaping towards the end above her as the bow strikes. It will strike either way, but if she can just get a hold of it..
And boy, she manages to leap up FAST. Kicking off the ground, Aprile grasps the edge of the hanging girder and then just yanks it downwards. The doll, still smiling, watches it sway... before it aims to slam straight into Flora as it slides down, now unbalanced.. and she only clipped her leg from the strike as well!
"This is REALLY fun you know. You should try it!" She exclaims to the unfortunate school-kid. Kicking off the girder, Aprile waves to Acacia, before stretching out.
She had been able to see just what Flora was going for.. and anticipated everything about it. But she had a plan before hand. She just had to make it count.
...-shit-. That fuckin' hurt. Bison wasn't expecting that; he'd give grudging respect if he were the type. Instead, he just gets angry; his breath blasting out from him involuntarily. Shit again. That bitch -can- hit. He almost appreciates it. Once released, he drops to the ground... then picks himself back up. "-Bitch-," he hisses, working his hands into fists again--large, powerful fists, the knuckles popping almost of their own accord, as his own blood trails down from the corner of his mouth.
"You done signed your own death warrant now," he informs her... sounding almost calm. Almost. It's rather like the heavy feeling that one gets before a thunderstorm breaks... he almost looks calm.
Then his eyes widen and he shouts, "I'M GONNA _KILL_ YOU FOR THAT!!" His muscles bulge and his body trembles for a long moment, as he feels that crimson haze rise up... and he accepts it. Welcomes it. It's his constant companion, that rage...
... and just like those old, bearded martial arts prissy fools suggest... he's using that rage. Using it to fuel even more rage... until he can explode like a nuclear bomb.
He's going to need to, with Aprile rather efficiently and powerfully kicking Flora's ass. Not that he has time to notice. (Nor does he particularly care. Sorry Flora. You're teamed up with an asshole.)
COMBATSYS: M.Bison gathers his will.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\==-----\1 Flora
Flora didn't exactly expect a response, not really. It would have been nice, but not expected.
Flora may have just missed it, though, because as M. Bison has noted... she /is/ getting her ass kicked. Or girdered. It takes her a few moments to even think about getting up after that one; her head is spinning and she's seeing sparks. Maybe she /isn't/ good enough for this after all.
Taking a breath and letting it out in one pained burst, Flora forces herself to get up even though her head hurts an she thinks she's just going to fall over again. Maybe if she just takes a break for a moment... She half-walks, half-staggers backwards, toward where someone left his lunch. Her eyes light up.
All she takes is the bottle of water, though. And she leaves some coins behind. She's not a thief, just thirsty.
COMBATSYS: Flora gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Flora
There's a moment of stillness, now, as Flora hurridly gulps down water, as Bison seethes and growls. For a moment, Acacia seems content to stand where she is, watching her opponents with a level gaze.
A classic standoff, then. An impasse. Around the dusty building site, the shouts and cries of the crowd reaches a new peak of volume.
Then, Acacia tilts her head to one side, flicking her eyes in Aprile's direction. She doesn't speak, but she angles her chin ever so slightly, making a small nod.
She moves.
Acacia snaps her arm to the side, whipping it to full extension. Her fingers ram into the side of a blocky green shape, nails punching through the weathered plastic until she has a grip. With a grunt of exertion, she rips her new weapon free from its moorings. She rushes forward, pulling it off the ground and dragging it with her.
"Death...warrant?"
Acacia speaks, between breaths, as she closes the distance to Bison.
"Not...yet."
He thinks he's been insulted?
No. That was injury.
This is insult. To injury.
Acacia swings her burden, propelling it with full force.
It leaves a trail of liquid in the air, a strong chemical stench spilling from the ruptured tank in its wake.
Yes.
She just attacked Bison with an outhouse.
A porta-potty.
Leaning, now, against the girder, Aprile stares somewhat at Flora as she backs off, her head spinning and all. But she gets back up! Aprile claps. "Oh good.. so it's not over yet!" She seems rather happy about that, and skipping towards Flora, notices something on the ground. There are girders, cement blocks hammers and all.. and then there's also the cables that hold them up!
So letting the hard, heavy, and painful stuff off the hook for a moment, Aprile grasps the cable and takes off towards Flora, running along the construction yard. So... Flora thinks she'll be getting a break, eh? Well Aprile doesn't allow breaks on the job .. that's right! NO LUNCH BREAKS! You work until you finish!
And to drive this home, the nurse slides by Flora, throwing the other edge of the cable around her legs.. and just aims to catch it. Then? She leaps to her feet and begins to run, intending to run and drag Flora against the ground. This is certainly going to be painful .. if it works correctly!
She passes by Acacia, work or not, and actually drags her AWAY from the Portapotty liquids.
Perhaps she is not all of a monster, after all.
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts Random Weapon from Acacia with Uppercut Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Acacia 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Flora
Insult, yes. Injury? Not as much as Acacia might've hoped. Yeah... it's a porta-potty. It's big and heavy and it probably hurts like hell if you get hit by it. Bison? He's gonna get hit by it. But not the way Acacia might think. He lunges -into- it--shoulder first--and even that lunge is strong enough to burst the plastic outhouse open, toilet included. Chemicals and.. -other things-... spray all over him -and- Acacia. But guess what?
His right fist is coming up, and around. Lunging with his left gives him enough room to bring his right fist around in nearly a full three-sixty degrees of swing. It isn't quite a hook, and it isn't quite an uppercut. It's both. In boxing parlance, it's called a Smash... and that's just what it does, impacting cleanly under Acacia's chin.
Right when Bison makes contact, he -roars- at Acacia, the words barely recognizable as such.
"GET THAT _WEAK SHIT_ OUT OF HERE AND _FIGHT_!!" Hey, you swing the shit, you best be prepared to take it as well. Bison doesn't seem to care that he's just been.. pottied on, by Acacia. Hell, he knows sickos in Vegas who -pay- for that kind of treatment. Freaks.
COMBATSYS: Flora fails to counter Strong Throw from Aprile with Phantom Step.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Acacia 1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0 Flora
Life really isn't going so well for Flora. She's not doing well, and as she does worse, she flusters more, making her do even worse in the future. She's even starting to either forget or flub even the most basic things her father taught her; she's not standing quite right when Aprile comes for her, still in the process of tossing the empty plastic bottle to the side (she'll clean it up later).
The upward hook that was supposed to catch Aprile's cable doesn't. It misses by about an inch and the cable keeps on going, tangling around Flora's legs and bringing her to the ground with a heavy slam. All she can manage to do is twist so she doesn't land on her bow, which is /very/ important to her; it's reinforced but she doesn't want to check just how reinforced it is.
She stays down for a moment. She's not /out/, but...it might be best to. Especially while being dragged around; Flora needs a moment to free herself carefully. Her face is bright red.
Lucky Flora, she's being dragged away from the whole stinking mess. Acacia, though, she's right in the thick of it.
Of course, broadly speaking, it's -her- fault for making the whole chemical slick, but see if she cares.
Acacia reels, barely staying on her feet. Her eyes are clenched shut, both against the stinging sensation of the foul disinfectant and sewage-laced soup that's flown from the broken porta-loo...and the rather more immediate sensation of having your jaw punched in by a fist like a jackhammer.
With effort, she gets her head back in line, stumbling forward. She cracks one eye open, focusing through blurry vision at Bison. Acacia's vaguely aware of her teammate keelhauling the other fighter in the match, but her attention, for now, is solely on the bad-mouthed brawler.
Instead of responding, Acacia lifts a foot, then drops it, slamming her heel into the sandy ground of the construction yard. With a rolling BOOM, the earth splits around her, cratering, cracking, as chi roars - spitting flecks of soil, dust, concrete shards and sewage. Right into Bison. Point blank range.
Oh, maybe one of the other school kids would mention just about how she should fight harder, and that she should do better, and that it's inside you!
Really Aprile doesn't really care about that, and is happy enough that she's doing what she's doing. Flora can just roll over and die for all she cares! ( And that might not be too far from the truth with what's happening. ) Coming to a stop eventually, the doll turns around, saluting flora before looking down to her. "You look a bit tired. Maybe you should really rest, okay?" She asks of the girl.
And really, it's not one of those 'I'll wait for you' reactions. It's backed up by something she might take a disliking too. Flora is down, but not out.. and with that, Aprile intends to simply kick the girl while she is down. Flora might not be so happy about the stomping that Aprile begins, attempting to get her stomach and just keep on stomping.
"I really.. Think.. it .. would. be.. better. To. Stay DOWN!" She exclaims, smiling sweetly as she just jabs her leg downwards.
COMBATSYS: Acacia successfully hits M.Bison with Ground Breaker.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Flora
Bison gets blown away again. That chi shit... it really irritates him. To no end does it irritate him. "Sheeit," he growls, as he sees that wave sort of come at him... he can feel it, shaking the ground. "One punch and suddenly she 'fraid..." Right 'bout then is when it hits, and it hurls him backwards, into another set of cinder blocks. *CRASH*
"Heeenh..." breathes the big man, as he picks himself up, cracking his neck again, this time to get it set back into place properly. "You got somethin'," he says, to Acacia, rather frankly. "Maybe you even got enough to beat me. But you bein' chickenshit about it... hidin' behind that crap... so you ain't beat me 'til you beat me fist to fist..." Truth? That hurt a hell of a lot. Bison isn't sure he really wants to get in with her again--memories of the last time she gobsmacked him are still fresh.
But now that he's tossed his bravado out there...
Pushing off, he lunges for Acacia again, nevermind the distance--he pushes off, and he's racing along the ground, intending on thrusting his right fist into her face in a full-on right cross, at full speed. It's the kind of punch he's made famous, the kind of punch that let him win fights practically before the bell sounded.
But those were boxers, and these are World Warriors.
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits Flora with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Flora
Flora is a big target, especially when she's lying on the ground and not actually doing a very good job of getting out of the way. Aprile stomps on her stomach a couple times, which hurts, but then Flora rolls to the side - and she's the heavier one here, so she manages to push Aprile off so she can stand up again.
Flora gets up with her bow in hand and immediately draws an arrow, which she fires almost straight up, at a series of girders that are going to be a new building someday. And then, after considering, she takes two steps back, hoping Aprile will follow.
This is because her one shot has knocked down a toolbox that has been left up there, which is currently descending with a clatter of metal banging against each other as it opens and drops its contents! This is why hard hats are required.
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks M.Bison's Dash Straight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/--=====|=======\=====--\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Flora
Oh yes. Hard hats are your friend.
Acacia knows that.
Hers is now battered. Because she shifted her head at the last second, catching Bison's punch not in the face, but on the hard protective shell of the yellow safety helmet. The shock nearly tears it free from Acacia's head, the chin strap nearly giving way. Still, it weathers the shock.
Acacia slides back a step, then lifts a hand. She regards Bison levelly for a moment, her ribs heaving as she draws breath. Then she gestures with that one outstretched arm, making a small motion of the fingers.
He's taunting her?
Turnabout's fair play.
COMBATSYS: Acacia gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/--=====|=======\=====--\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Flora
COMBATSYS: Aprile fails to interrupt Strong Shot from Flora with Power Strike.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Flora
Stomp Stomp Stomp! Aprile only lets up because Flora is able to outmuscle her in a way that she wasn't ready for, and that is about when she's knocked off, thrown to the side, hitting the ground ( however hard ) and rolling to a stop. Aprile just doesn't feel it however, before she stands once more, brushing herself off and looking towards Flora as she draws an arrow and fires it upwards.
"You missed." Aprile exclaims, before taking off towards the tall Seijyun student, grabbing a hammer off the ground, taking it around and swinging towards Flora with her might. She even puts a spin on it!
Okay this works about as well not, because for once, the doll comes up on the the poor side of things. "YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET I-" And then, moments before the hammer contacts, the toolbox as well as everything else drops out of the sky, crashing down against Aprile and slamming her into the ground, the nurse stopped dead in her tracks. She's .. not lookin' too good, either, but she twitches. "Oooh.. that stung!" She announces, under the toolbox.
She'll push herself up in a little bit. You know.
When the hurting stops.
Oh, if that's what she wants... Bison isn't going to let up on the pressure, oh no. In fact... well. He's going to give her... his best. Or is he? The impact deflected, he snarls--and immediately brings his fist around for another punch. He doesn't need to close in this time, seeing as he's right there, but he moves in anyways. It's... it's just the way he is, really. The name pretty much says it all.
Bison. A charging bull. The name couldn't be more apt. That taunt -does- have the intended effect, though... as he swings again, firing off not just a single punch but actually performing a one-two combination. It's a classic--left jab, as setup, then a quick right hook... he's not looking to damage her yet. He's looking to keep her off-balance, to put the lie to her lettle taunt...
The end is coming soon, perhaps. The odds, overwhelming. Bison? He doesn't think about any of that.
Flora gets her moment of peace. That's good. She needs it; she's bruised, even if it doesn't show, and she needs to catch her breath. She's been working pretty hard, even if she feels confident she can keep doing it.
Flora moves backwards, now, and up - up the same crane Aprile used before, in fact. She leaps up it, catches it with her arms, and pulls herself the rest of the way up, so that she has a place to shoot from - a nice place where it's hopefully a /little/ harder for them to get to her. She can't take much more of the beatings.
From her sniper's perch, Flora considers, then draws an arrow and nocks it, pulling the arrow well back; she does Japanese archery, not European, and it shows in how she holds the bow. She swings the tip around from Aprile to Acacia and back, watching how Bison moves...
And then she fires it perhaps where people don't expect her to. The arrow, in flight, appears to duplicate itself; by the time it gets to its target, there is not one but four of them, all moving quite quickly, with three of them having a slight flicker that marks them as vaguely unreal. None are sharp.
All of them also swerve to avoid the boxer. Flora's not /that/ bad at this.
COMBATSYS: Acacia dodges M.Bison's Medium Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Flora
COMBATSYS: Acacia dodges Flora's Split Arrow.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Aprile 0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Flora
The first arrow flies wide. Dust sprays in the air as the second arrow slashes into the dirt, kicking up a geyser at Acacia's feet, splattering against the leather of her combat boots. The third tears a thin line across the shoulder of her jacket, but doesn't break the skin. The final projectile, though, draws a thin line of fresh crimson across Acacia's cheek, and tears a few strands of hair loose.
But it's hardly a telling blow.
Acacia's in motion.
The soles of her boots scrape against the earth, as she whips her body wildly, dodging the projectile assault - and the wild swings from Bison. The man's last punch whips by her, coming dangerously close to her gut. But she evades, in a startling display of almost uncharacteristic speed.
Breath hisses from Acacia's lips. Sweat trickles down her face, soaking through the dark fabric of her t-shirt and unbuttoned military-green top.
She's still got one hand raised. The hand she taunted Bison with a moment earlier. She makes another gesture, now.
Palm outward, a classic sign.
Please wait.
By now, Acacia's not even looking at him. Not really. He's still in her field of vision, but her eyes are quite visibly directed to one side, tracking something beyond Bison. Tracking someone.
Namely, Flora, up on her perch.
Acacia spins, sending herself flying in a whirling kick. Not at the archer, no - she's standing too high up, too far above. But the crane she's crouched on, the parked piece of heavy building machinery...THAT's within Acacia's grasp...her powerful kick pounding into the vehicle's panels with enough force to shatter the windows of the control cab and, more importantly, send it tottering off its drive treads.
Until it falls.
With Flora still above.
Flora retreats. This is something that Aprile notes rather easily. It's not something she had wanted to expect, but rather than hang around Aprile, the doll watches as she moves back to the crane and fires straight towards .. Acacia?! Pushing herself up, Aprile shakes herself off. She believes that while the tall student is out of the way, she could probably throw something .. now where is something?
It changes, of course, as Acacia takes the initiative to assault Flora. With only one choice left, Aprile decides, perhaps, that actually putting effort into the fight may be a good idea. M.Bison is not one she wishes to simply toy with.
And it's why she begins to spin rapidly, spiralling around and around, like a top, the doll blurring as she launches towards M.Bison in a blurring spin of red and white pyscho energy, surrounding her and swelling to absorb the man.
Let it be known she breaks her constructive actions to once be a bit destructive.
Coming up from behind Bison, the doll attempts to bowl him over, drag him into the spinning vortex, and raise him upwards, before being punted..
You got it ..
Into one of the pits that construction creates. Full of dirt, darkness, worms and other nice things!
You can bet she's aiming to mess something of him up!
COMBATSYS: M.Bison interrupts 10th Floor Transfer from Aprile with Gigaton Blow.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Aprile 1/=======/=======|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Acacia 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\0 Flora
Oh, did she? She did -not-. Bison is seeing all the more red. In fact, it's kind of getting -hard- to see... but he can still feel. Aprile is coming up behind him. She wants to put the hurt on him. Well, no. See, right now his rage just isn't targeted. It could explode on anyone, at any time. Does it matter to him that Aprile is one of Vega's prized dolls? Vega, his boss? No, it doesn't. Right now, she's just another meatsack to beat.
He spins, roaring, and just as she makes contact... so does he. It's nothing less than epic, really--his fist pistons right through her head and to some of the viewing audience it might look like Aprile just vaporized. But she didn't--Bison's punch isn't quite -that- strong... astute viewers will see where she impacted, probably a fair distance from her would-be compatriot--but is that Bison or Acacia?
"DON'T interfere," he growls, in Aprile's direction, as he turns back around. He had to blow a lot on that but.. maybe it was worth it. Regardless... he still has quarry out there and it really isn't Aprile he's interested in. Maybe he's weakened her enough for Flora to take out...
COMBATSYS: Flora fails to counter Quick Throw from Acacia with Mirage Step.
- Power fail! -
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Aprile 1/=======/=======|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Flora can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Aprile 1/=======/=======|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/------=|
Flora's sense of balance is often not the best. It's gotten better, lately; her physical training has helped. But even now, when she doesn't have her staff in hand and can't focus, Flora is awkward and prone to tripping.
Right now she does have her staff in hand but is so flustered from her poor showing that it's barely helping. She's nervous and on edge and none of that helps her. Flora twists downward, moving so fast she seems to blur, in an attempt to catch Acacia's foot with her staff and push it aside while whipping the /other/ end of her staff in a crack against her head.
It doesn't quite work. Flora stumbles, and comes down too low, and the kick hits her wrist instead. That is bad enough, but at this angle, Flora can't stop her wrist from being shoved into the crane with most of the force Acacia originally intended for it; Flora herself is thrown into the control cab, ending up about half in and half out.
And then the crane finishes its slow descent to the ground, with Flora still inside. She's okay - relatively speaking - but she is now stuck; the door, warped badly from the kick and her landing, cannot be opened without either constant, repeated blows (that Flora is no longer up to giving) or the jaws of life, which are not inside the crane.
It rocks once in a while, though. Just a little.
Acacia gives the rocking crane cabin an odd look, blinking once...before she manages to pull her eyes away, turning back to the rest of the battle...
...just in time to see Bison's fist make Aprile go bye-bye.
Acacia blinks again. The whole movement was so quick she almost missed it. But there's no missing the apocalyptic sound and shockwave that blasts through the yard. Acacia winces slightly. The sympathetic reaction, though, doesn't give her much pause. Either Aprile's survived that, or, well, she hasn't.
There's little Acacia can do about that now.
All she can do is attack.
That's what she does. She turns away from the fallen crane. She takes one step, two, then falls into a breakneck charge. Acacia pounds up to Bison, sweeping her arm up and forward, driving her hand straight to the man's neck. It's an almost comical mismatch of proportions, her slender fingers quite unable to close round Bison's neck. But this is hardly a conventional stranglehold. No. It's Acacia's palm that slams towards his throat, surmounted by stabbing rigid fingers.
Spinning spinning spinn-Oh dear Vega.
The spinning top like doll suddenly has an acute affliction with Fisticus-ina-facicus, and upon moving close towards M.Bison, suddenly has a fist pistoning so fast into her someone might mistake it as some kind of bullet train, or perhaps just a bullet. The impact might be frightening to look at, but try feeling it.
Even if you are a somewhat soulless creation that has been robbed of most of it's humanity to serve someone whom cares only for themselves. EVEN THEN you'd still feel it! And Aprile certainly does.
Although for those who want a closer look at how hard it is, it involves Aprile crashing against one of the steel girders implanted into the earth, denting it and then some, with her body. Crashing forth, against the ground, Aprile doesn't open her eyes. Doesn't move. Just breathes.
Which, trust her, is hard enough at this point.
She will tackle the harder things like 'moving' and 'talking' when they come.
You can't rush these things.
COMBATSYS: Aprile takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Aprile 1/=======/=======|-------\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: M.Bison Toughs Out Acacia's Stronghold!!
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Aprile 1/=======/=======|==-----\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/----===|
Chokehold, huh. In a manner of speaking. Bison throws a deadly glare in Acacia's direction... and as she jabs for his throat, he stiffens the muscle and sinew she's reaching for. Yes, she impacts; but the impact is more likely to hurt her fingers than his throat. In fact, her fingers may -catch- in that muscle... just for a fraction of a second... but perhaps it is enough time for Bison to make his move.
The move is a simple one--his right fist coming up, and around, as he leans back... it's not quite a classic hook punch, but Bison needs the proper range to get his swing going. If he's lucky--if he's good enough--the fist will impact into Acacia's head and ring her head like a Sunday morning church bell.
Yeah, he's prrrrrobably going down. But he's going to goddamn trash Acacia's face before he goes. It's his goal in life. ... right now.
COMBATSYS: Acacia fails to interrupt Hook Punch from M.Bison with Unyielding Stance.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Aprile 1/=======/=======|===----\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/---====|
The bells. The bells.
Acacia feels something like Quasimodo right about now. It isn't just the ringing. She felt that punch all the way down through her spine. Standing upright is gonna be distinctly difficult now.
She smashes into the ground. Clods of dirt and debris go flying into the air, flung loose as Acacia digs a small impact trench. Her head, back, and upper body plow into the earth of the building site. Her fingers twitch, curling, uncurling. A low moan escapes her mouth, the sound slurred, a trickle of blood oozing from her lower lip.
That did /not/, she thinks, through a throbbing haze of agony, work out the way she'd planned.
Of course. M.Bison is focusing on Acacia. What he probably doesn't expect is Aprile getting back up after the beating she just took, but the doll is still awake. And it's devolved back into violence as it always has.
Hell, it's probably for the best, in the end. But pulling her body up, battered and worn in few strikes, Aprile staggers forwards.. and then starts to run towards M.Bison as he mercilessly assaults Acacia. Oh, she doesn't care about the woman at all. But you can assume she wants to put a good show on for her Master, after all. M.Bison won't even get a warning this time as she scurries across some of the ground .. before flipping towards M.Bison and drilling towards him, spiralling, her legs glowing with red and white psycho energy.
If she connects, legs crashing into M.Bison, he might feel something. More than something actually, as she would begin to spin in place, erupting upwards and taking th boxer with her, spiralling upwards and drilling Bison up and up before literately spiking him downwards, legs thrusting once more with that energy to launch him away.
Just .. Maybe.
COMBATSYS: Aprile successfully hits M.Bison with Spin Drive Smasher.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > ///// ]
Aprile 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 M.Bison
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/---====|
Oh, so NOW she comes back into play. Bison will have to have... -words-... with her later. About her loyalty. About doing what's right for Shadaloo even when she's trying to be secretive. For now? He's caught in a storm of Psycho Power... and it's enough to take most of the fight out of him. Most. But not all.
"Girl," he grunts, "We gon' have words later." Hint: By words he means punchings. But that's for later. Aight. It was a pretty brutal beating, that... but.. not enough to put him out of it just yet. He's still standing, for the moment... and he turns towards Acacia. His face--well, specifically, his expression--is probably pretty ugly.
"'kay. You an' the girl here, you win." He's... conceding. Sort of. "I don't give a shit about the fight. Only one thing." What thing is that? Well... Acacia is about to find out, as suddenly, he's -rushing- at her, one last time... she might guess what's about to happen... a singular punch, one strike of the kind that may be suitably called 'epic'...
COMBATSYS: M.Bison can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Aprile 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Acacia blocks M.Bison's Gigaton Blow.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ <
Aprile 0/-------/-======|
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|
When the dust settles, Acacia's still on her feet. Barely.
But it counts. She's standing, and she -stopped- the blow...by catching Bison's forearm and redirecting the force to one side - into the blade of an unfortunate bulldozer. The parked vehicle probably isn't going anywhere now, not with its front caved in, a twisted and tangled mess.
Acacia breathes heavily as she releases her grip. She sinks to one knee, doubling over. She lifts her head, though, staring at Bison.
She snorts.
Flipping backwards, Aprile comes to a stop, landing on her feet and then falling back aways. She can hear what he wants, however, and she's certainly not looking forwards to just what words she'll end up having with him, but it'll just have to work that way. Walking back away, the doll silently agrees with the 'meeting', even if it will be a very painful one.
She salutes to Acacia, staggers backwards, and then collapses over. She's not tired. She's just....
Well okay, she was punched in the face. She's dizzy! Extremely so.
COMBATSYS: Aprile has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Acacia 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Acacia has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:15:22 06/07/2008 by Acacia, and last modified on 22:42:02 06/09/2008.