Description: Way up high on buildings nigh finished, three fighters will fight until their strength is deminished! Blind as a bat they will be for today, for the SNF people depicted it that way. And when they doth fight they will bring up a roar, and even a swimmer across the sky he will soar. But only one thing remains the same way, nothing rhymes with Oswald. Which is why he was replaced by Hotaru, who rhymes with a cow that goes moo. (Winner: Nagare)
The Saturday Night Fights have been interesting ones as of late. It was told that it would be Jiro Kasagi, Oswald, and Nagare. That was what the fans were waiting for. On a Saturday night, dusk was slowly approaching. A few helicopters are fluttering about, cameramen hanging on to videotape the footage of the matchup. While the crimson sky lights up, paving the way, the people are quite below, surrounding the massive Skyscraper construction site.
I-beams and Girders continue to pave the way and the fighters are lead about. The construction in development is where the fighters are to do battle at.
One of the many fighters at the top of the girder is none other than Jiro Kasagi, who is walking along the platform with the blindfold on his eyes. "...What the living hell." He facepalms to himself, "Why the hell did I sign up for this match?!" He growls, then he throws his hands up. "Whatever, I want a piece of Oswald again." He slowly feels about, using his feet to guide him as he wanders along the girder, moving to the destined point of the possible 'arena'.
Scraped off the floor of Howard Arena, there's no rest for Hotaru Futaba, this weekend. Fortunately for her, the injuries sustained in that rough match weren't really physical in nature. Shaking off the lingering headache induced by dealing with two psycho powered opponents wasn't too hard with the aid of some pain killers and a nap on the flight back to Southtown.
It was communicated to her that they wanted a fighter of her level of experience to fill in for a fighter who had informed them at a late hour as to not being able to make it. The details of the match were left vague. Smiling tiredly, the Kenpo artist decided to give it a shot. Nothing like another chance to see what crazy setup Howard's people have come up with THIS week. But when she arrives and is filled in a bit more on the venue, she can't help but wish she had opted to enjoy the rest of her weekend in a less hazardous way. Traversing girders in a partially built structure is dangerous enough, but to do it blindfolded?
"I guess it's good Oswald has been teaching me to fight blindfolded lately," the girl mutters, hands closing over the blindfold handed to her. The comment provokes a surprised look from the official. "Oh? Interestingly enough, that's who you'll be replacing today!"
Blinking with some surprise, the girl can't help but wonder if Oswald arranged for this to happen just to put his recent training to the test. Having such an unorthodox trainer has its high points, but sometimes it can be a real pain in the neck. She almost misses the chore-filled days at the Kyokugen Dojo. At least /that/ training was predictable!
Blindfold fastened, the girl is lead up a ramp to the first of many girders she would be balancing on throughout the match, brow furrowed, arms out at her sides. Swallowing, she walks out onto the crossbeam, following a connecting piece up to the next level. It only occurs to her halfway up to the next floor after that no one actually told her who she'd be fighting against. Oh well, only one way to find out!
Nagare's own headache came in the form of being put out of action a little due to some terrible accident with a Final Psycho Crusher. One Nagare had to lie down for a couple of days for. It was rather bad. However, after a few days of training and swimming about the pool, Nagare was back up again, just like his old self! And like that, his name went back on the sheet for SNF.
Which quickly sent him to a sky scraper in progress. At first, on the way up, Nagare was given a blind fold that he simply gave back, actually pulling on his own headband, right around his eyes, the japanese flag about and blaring upon his face where his eyes were supposed to be! Nagare's been set forever!
Upon waddling off of the elevator, Nagare is going to really have to guess! Much of his style has to do with swimming, so he could at least have some control over everything, but swimming blind?! Now that's entirely new! Looking about, Nagare isn't sure what to do. He slowly just goes forward though when he's released upon the building getting built!
"Wow! This is going to be difficult!" He cries out, attempting to get the others to hear, "Good luck Jiro! Oswald! I'm sure this is going to be somethign to remember!" Of course, he's steeling himself. One false footing could mean that he falls a couple stories! And that would be pretty crazy! Still, the flippers will help him!
Right? Obviously! Flippers are great for footing on small beams.
There is the moment of Jiro taking a deep breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Don't worry abot falling to your death. You have survived fate worse than death. This won't kill you, but this will break MANY of your bones. Jiro cuses under his breath as he steels himself. His feet press against the ground, the young man is wandering closer, then he hears a voice.
"Heh! Thanks Nagare! Same to you!" Then, the young man shouts out, "Hey Oswald! It's payback time for our last bout!" Jiro tightens his fist, then he slams it against the palm. "Your ass is grass!"
Taking it slow and easy, arms still out at her sides, Hotaru tries to focus on the training she was given in matters of fighting without the aid of sight. Trust more on instincts, set aside fear, let her other senses be her guide. It's all easy enough to say, but to actually put it to practice in such a precarious venue is a whole different matter.
Listening for hints of impending attacks, it's pretty easy to pick up on the fact that the other participants are shouting to each other. Nagare's voice she recognizes, though it takes her a moment to place him exactly. Their SNFs together have been somewhat infrequent, but after a moment it clicks that the strange sounding footsteps she's hearing are, in fact, flipper-clad feet. "Heh," she grins a little, getting a picture in her head of the legendary swimmer waddling around on girders with flippers.
The next voice is of course immediately identifiable. The high volume shouts of none other than Jiro Kasagi. She should probably warn them that Oswald isn't here. Raising her voice, trying to project it over the wide open, if frightfully limited on footing stage, the pig-tailed combatant explains, "A-ah, Oswald couldn't make it. I'm filling in for him!" That said, she falls quiet, stepping lightly along the beam and finding another one to turn onto. On some level she'd like to keep it from being obvious where she is exactly.
Nagare just slowly making his way forward. Nagare can, for a breif moment, defy all logic and swim, so falling that far isn't as scary for him! Knock one up for screwing with physics! But still, you can hurt yourself terribly by landing on a beam wrong! Which is a really bad thing to do. If Nagare was wearing a cup, no one would no, since no one can see!
It's the ultimate plan!
Still, as Nagare slowly waddles across a beam, he moves forward. "No problem, Jiro!" Nagare states as he still hasn't gotten anywhere close to anywhere else, basically getting a small knowledge where stuff is and isn't before making a leap or a swim. He doesn't have sonar that the dolphins have! Not... yet.
"Ah! Who is that? I remember the voice but I can't place it!"
There are many things that can knock Jiro out of his composure. As he feels quite brave and determined, Jiro is stepping closer towards the path of the girder. Hearing Hotaru's voice? That knocked him off of his composure.
When he realizes that Hotaru is the opponent, Jiro is still for a few moments.
...
...
Placing his right hand over his forehead, Jiro exhales a sigh.
"Shit."
This is going to end badly, Jiro knows it. Whatever, he's ready. "Okay! Let's get ready guys! Nagare! Hotaru! Get ready!" Jiro immediate steps into his fighting stance. "Let's give it everything we got! ...And make it out alive." He mutters the last part.
COMBATSYS: Jiro has started a fight here.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jiro
COMBATSYS: Nagare has joined the fight here.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/-------|
Even though she was trying to make her position less obvious from where she had shouted, she can't help but respond to the shouts of the other two. "Hotaru Futaba, Nagare-sensei!" is called in answer to the swim coach's question. "Ready!" she chirps back to Jiro. There is a pause before she adds, "Be careful!" This is a test of awareness, dexterity, and intuition that one can't really get on a daily basis. Best to make the most of the opportunity, she reminds herself, exhaling slowly as she focuses her mind around the fight ahead.
With all the chatter between the trio, it's not too hard to get a rough fix on where each other are. At least, to start with. Her hand comes up to rub at her blindfold a little, reliving for a moment the last time she trained at Oswald and he kept attacking her while she couldn't see a thing. Turning slowly in the direction she suspects Nagare of being in, she breaths in deeply, then exhales, "Okay, starting!" she offers as fair warning, retracing her steps back a little ways that she had come, homing in on the Taiyo instructor's position.
The balancing act lends itself to being a bit slower, a bit more deliberate than her normal opening aggression, though that doesn't necessarially mean hitting any softer. Approximating a vector on Nagare, the girl ducks in low, one leg out in front of her, her other leg bent beneath her for support.
The posture is a setup for the strike that comes next, Hotaru rising into a strong leading palm strike with her left hand, attempting to locate Nagare's chest in the process. Her right hand follows next, her body twisting into the strike to add greater force. She can't help but exhale a "YA!" in the process, providing perhaps last second warning to the swimmer of the impending strike.
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Hotaru's Fierce Punch.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/------=|
Even as Jiro speaks, Nagare isn't really sure. All he hears is 'shit', and wonders if a pigeon decided to go right on the battlefield! Well, he soon finds out that Jiro's 'Oswald' was really Hotaru! Something entirely unexpected. Well, the voice did sound like her! He just hadn't seen her in a while. And then, even as Nagare begins to waddle forward, Nagare finds out once more that it is, infact, Hotaru!
Which is quickly known since Hotaru herself seems to be making a move for him. At least he thinks, "Ready too!" Nagare states, moving a little to get a better grip on the beam with his flippers. And sure enough, there's a shaking of the beam, footstep after footstep that Nagare seems to almost shake along to as he can before Hotaru comes forward.
Not that Nagare could tell! Just a woosh of air and the stopping of steps seems to clue him in! The swimmer's struck so hard he almost topples, losing his balance a little and falling somewhat off the beam... before swimming up. And up he does, right towads Jiro, his front flippers throbbing a little from the strike. Waterchi falling off of him as he makes his way up and towards Jiro, even going so far as between Jiro's legs as he gets up and to his feet!
Which means, well, Jiro might end up being launched backwards at a beam as Nagare gets his bearings back! "Whoops! Almost lost it there! Nice hit, Hotaru!" Nagare comments, almost unaware of Jiro.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Jiro with Strong Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|
This is one of the worst ways for Jiro to have his match kicked off. As Jiro was actually getting himself ready for the match up, he is over hearing something coming his way. It sounds like... water? Jiro quirks an eyebrow, but then he realizes it is coming closer. Jiro kneels down to his feet, then he springs himself off of the ground. Or at least, he was going to.
Unfortunately, Nagare manages to give Jiro a good bowling pin impression and send him sprawling towads the railing. "Damnit!" He reaches over to grab the railing in an attempt to keep himself from falling off.
Unfortunately, his head lands against the girder as well, which has him cursing as blood comes from the back of the head. "...Son of a..." Jiro immediately manifests his chi. He can't quite see yet, but he's pissed. Jiro launches his righ arm up, manifesting the scarlet chi to shoot forth like a blade at Nagare. Or Hotaru. Wherever it is going! "Ha!"
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Hotaru with Balefire.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|
Her palm strikes manage to budge Nagare even though they don't connect cleanly, and then it sounds like he's stumbling? Falling even? Drawing back, she stands up straight, brow furrowed as she tries to make sense of the confused sounds that come next. Worried that he was taking a nasty fall, she cringes, but it sounds like Nagare's going to be all right. But maybe not Jiro, if the shouts that come next are any indication.
His mutterings make it clear that he hasn't fallen either. At least, not too far. Trying to keep a running picture in her head of the rapidly shifting positions is proving to be quite a challenge. It reminds her of training with Oswald, as he would keep her guessing, defying her attempts to pin him down based on basic sound trajectories. Exhaling softly, the girl turns toward where she suspects the other two fighters are roughly.
She senses an attack coming her way and takes two quick steps to the side, hoping to avoid it. But unlike the stress balls Oswald would ping her with, Jiro's aim wasn't really spot on, and she walks into the chi blast instead. It sends her sliding along the girder, arms flailing for a moment before she braces against a verticle beam, catching herself. "Whew," she whispers, deciding to pause right there and figure things out better. Exhaling softly, she tries to listen better and keep from getting distracted by the words said and pay more attention to the other sounds that might help her do better. It'll be easier to rejoin the fight if she's got any idea where to head!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru focuses on her next action.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/-----==|
Even as Nagare gets back up, he can hear Jiro rumblin' and a bumblin' all the way into the side of a girder. Still, he's unsure of where he is now, looking about as Jiro immediately crashes into the beam. Nagare backs up a little, his flippers holding on tightly to the beam benath him. That sounded like it hurt!
"Whoops! Didn't see you!" Nagare immidiately begins, his sense of sight completely dead still, and probably will be until the end of the fight! He'll have to try to learn to swim in the dark! Hard to do but very important! At first, Nagare could simply go after Jiro, but instead, he thinks, for a moment, about Hotaru.
The problem is that, well, Nagare doesn't know where Hotaru or Jiro is. He has to pick randomly! And so, Nagare simply does the easiest thing he can think of. Swim! And right towards Hotaru as well, at least, where he thinks she is! Oh, Nagare has an idea!
"Marco!" Nagare calls out, swimming through the air, randomly, towards where he heard Hotaru last!
Which is actually where Jiro is.
Whooooppssssss.
COMBATSYS: Jiro fails to counter Dog Paddling from Nagare with Excessive Force.
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Hotaru 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/----===|
Marco?
Well, that was something Jiro was hoping for. Although he managed to get the energy out t hit someone, Jiro isn't sure -who- he hit, but at this point, does it really matter?
But, Jiro is noticing something coming his way. First tip-off is the whole 'Marco' call. Then, Jiro is feeling abrush of energy coming his way. His eyes widen, then he grits his teeth and manifests his chi to take his stance. "Sss...."
Holding onto the railing, Jiro growls and then he drives himself forward. "POLO---EGHNK!" Jiro is rammed by Nagare, who sends the young man sprawling against the next part of the girder. This time, Jiro nearly falls off, trying to hold on.
Deep breath.
"...I hate this match."
Given a brief reprieve, one hand resting against the beam she had stumbled into thanks to Jiro's chi blast, Hotaru has a moment to collect herself and get her bearings. And more importantly, from a picture of the state of the fight at hand. It takes a moment to come together, her mental picture of where Jiro and Nagare are, putting together clues from the sounds they're making, feeling the vibrations running through the structure as they battle each other. Those two are really getting into it, she muses. She needs to too!
And then it clicks. It's there for a fleeting moment, a picture of the battlefield in her mind, a solid idea of where both Nagare and Jiro are, and the condition of either. The nimble fighter springs into action then, opting to pursue Nagare, perhaps because of positioning or maybe she's just thinking Jiro could use the break. Agile in the air as he may be, he has to touch down sometime. And when he does, the girl is there, charging him, seeking to get a firm grip on his arms, opening him up to a number of rapid, stomping kicks up the front of him. "Ya, ya, ya!"
Should she reach his shoulders, the girl will simply spring off into a backflip through the air, intending to land right back down on the girder she had launched herself from!
COMBATSYS: Nagare fails to interrupt Shin-Jou Tai from Hotaru with Breast Stroke Kick EX.
- Power fail! -
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/--=====|
Well, now Nagare knows how it feels to be like that! Even as he regains his balance, mulling about as he simply finds that Jiro is smashed out of the way. The swimmer simply keeps himself balanced, the flippers grasping as he stands, wobbling and bobbling somewhat as Jiro holds on. "Well, it can't be so bad." Nagare announces as Jiro speaks.
And then Hotaru comes, even as the swimmer can tell. Jiro's hanging, it must be Hotaru! And she begins her Ya ya ya-ing! Hah! This is Nagare's chance! Even as she's moving across, Nagare begins to falls. But he falls too hard. Hotaru gets a grip on him, and he falls completely.
And then he's flattened, sent as he goes, stepping on and kicks off. Nagare's completely unready. His strength simply fails as he is thrown backwards so bad he's slammed into another girder, gripping it with his fins.
He blinks, aching all over. "Well..." Nagare states, "It's not.... /so/ bad." He states, holding on.
"...TRY TELLING ME THAT FROM DOWN HERE!" shouts Jiro, who looks quite annoyed from his position. Jiro is lunging himself back up, grumbling under his breath while he tries to climb back up. When he launches himself up, grumbling under his breath.
After climbing back up, Jiro staggers a bit, twitching a few times before he turns to face his enemy. After climbing out, Jiro grumbles and he tries to swing around.
"Come out come out, whereever you are...." He turns around, sensing something. Then Jiro aims to thrust out his right hand against the girder, aiming for Nagare's face.
Her powerful attack manages to hit home, striking Nagare and catching him by surprise, perhaps, sparing her painful retaliation as Hotaru simply backflips away and lands cleanly. Even as her feet touch down, she's still quite aware of where everyone is. It's time for her to keep attacking, take advantage of that mental picture of the battlefield. It is as if the lessons she had been taught were finally clicking. Having dished out some pain on Nagare, she decides to turn her attention Jiro-ward next, listening to him scramble back up to the beams on which the other two fighters battle.
She waits patiently for a moment before finally acting, darting forward with the speed she's known for, striding along the center of the beam with graceful balance as she tries to get up close to the young man and secure a grip on the front of his shirt with both of her hands. If she succeeds in the attempt, it's a matter of twisting around to the side to pull him over to his leg, the girl slamming his back down against the girder, careful to not send him sailing off to one side or the other.
Ending up in a handstand on his chest, she'll simply spring off and to the side, aiming to land back on her feet again!
COMBATSYS: Nagare dodges Jiro's Medium Punch.
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Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/---====|
Well, wow! That was close! Nagare just has to listen to the SWOOSH of Jiro's fist as it comes right down towards his face. You can only hang around for so long! That's why Nagare just simply scurries back up, flipping himself around and swimming to a stop on the top, waterchi dispersing as he lands, right out of the way of the fist.
Of course, this girdie is only big enough for so many at one time! And it seems as Jiro's striking, another striker is striking him, so Nagare must strike the striker with a striking strike!
Even before Hotaru can simply execute her strike, Nagare begins going towards the moving feet as he flipper waddles forward. And when there, he simply aims to keep his balance, keep his arms out and at his side while at the same time, lash out with his foot towards what he believe is Hotaru! This is Hotaru this time, right?
You can't tell. YOu just have to keep trying!
COMBATSYS: Jiro blocks Hotaru's Hantentou.
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Hotaru 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nagare 0/-------/---====|
As Jiro attempts to slam his fist towards Nagare's head, he instead finds his fist aginst the girder, which causes him to growl. Not in pain, but out of annoyance. It is when Hotaru comes forth to pull him over to his leg and then slam his back against the girder does he gets his attention going.
Twisting his body over, Jiro is attempting to spring out of the hold, and he slips off, landing on his stomach.
"Dammnit!" He quickly sweeps his right leg, aiming to snap it against Hotaru's leg to take her down. Or Nagare. Whoever is darn near!
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Nagare's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/--=====|
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Hotaru with Quick Throw.
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Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/--=====|
Getting her hands on Jiro's shirt, Hotaru attempts to flip him to the girder. Her attempt doesn't go swell though, the young man twists out of the intended slam in order to keep her from being able to spring down and add further pressure before flipping away to get some distance. Stopping short, the girl raises her guard, getting a sense that right now she's in the middle of both of her opponents, and that's going to cost her if she isn't quick to do something about it.
Her defenses work against the higher aimed kick, Nagare's flipperfoot padding off her arms with enough force to send her stumbling a little. Jiro's leg takedown catches her in the midst of trying to correct for that hit and Hotaru falls, swiftly twisting as she drops to grip her hands against the girder.
Dangling there for just a moment, the girl starts to swing, building momentum back up in order to get back into the mix as quickly as possible. Converting her momentum into a flip that brings her back up, she attempts to simply catch Nagare by surprise with an incoming jumping snap kick from the side. If she connects, that's great for her, but if not, she'll be trying to find her footing on the girder once again either way. A tricky feat when not able to see in the slightest!
COMBATSYS: Nagare endures Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\0 Jiro
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Nagare 0/-------/=======|
Well, there are things one must do, and then there are things Nagare must do. Sometimes these correlate but other times they fight like bitter children. Today, Nagare decides to simply not just get out of the way, but explode... right into Hotaru's assault! Or whosever's assault that's rushing towards him like that.
But when Nagare throws himself directly into the girls jump kick, sending him higher into the air with the added assault where he swims and swims and swims, climbing higher and higher with the water chi dripping off of him before he simply end up letting himself go...
Right towards where Jiro yells dammit, moving to crash into him head first.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Jiro with Concrete Dive.
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Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1 Jiro
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Nagare 1/-------/=======|
This is one of those days for Jiro that he just cannot win. Especially when he has been having the toughest time dealing with the match so far. So when Nagare slams into Jiro, the young man's eyes widen and he finds himself caught up in the mess, flying back from the impact and he nearly stumbles against the railing. Twitching several times before he lands right on his back.
A grunt is given from the young man, feeling the back crunch against the grinder. "Son of a...." Jiro is gritting his teeth, having the hardest time controlling himself on _NOT_ removing the bloody things from his head.
Manifesting that scarlet chi once more, the young man grits his teeth and he tightens his grip against the air as the flames roar in his grasp. Lifting his head up, Jiro releases a defiant cry as the flames arise from his body, aiming to scorch along Nagare's form before he gets -too- far from the form.
She feels her kick connect, and manages to land on the beam immediately after, arms waving out at her sides as the girl struggles for balance in the aftermath of delivering her daring, acrobatic attack. She just about loses balance completey, perhaps in danger of dropping down quite a ways, but she manages to kick her foot out in the opposite direction and provide just enough counter force to stay put, standing on one foot as she recovers. "Whew."
That means she of course completely missed the exchange between Jiro and Nagare. She has to wonder what just transpired now that she's lost her mental picture of the battle field. But something happens that gives her a chance to find a target, as Jiro charges up his flaming chi and provides Hotaru a source to zero in on.
Darting forward, she steps forward into a spin, deciding that Jiro must be trying to lash out at Nagare in close proximity of him still, and that is where her next attack is aimed. The spin stops short, her feet planted, her torso carrying the momentum as she lunges backward a little, bringing her right hand around in a swift, sideways chop toward Nagare, aiming to give him a solid hit if the expert swimmer doesn't manage to fishtail it out of the way in time! "YA!"
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Nagare with Defiance.
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Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nagare 1/---====/=======|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Nagare with Medium Punch.
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|=======\====---\1 Jiro
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Nagare 1/=======/=======|
It seems like Nagare had over invested his attack, clobbering down upon Jiro's head without a second to spare, only, for moments at all, to completely lose the rhythm he had. The strokes and other such ending in the dive, which left him entirely open, terribly open as well. Something Nagare could not really deal with.
At first as he can hear Jiro crying, which he can most of the fight, Nagare has to get away! Partially because of the strike, partially because he doesn't want to be a fried fish! But it happens anyways, much of the fighters strength being taken from him due to a simple progression of heat to a fish.
Still, Nagare hasn't had very much luck, or unluck as it may be, due to as he gets up, forcing himself to back away from the heat, he runs right into Hotaru's hand, the chop slapping into the man's face and sending Nagare backwards like a ton of bricks. Which, well, isn't exactly what he wants to be right now.
But that isn't as important, since as he falls, his flippers come up, and as they go up, Nagare simply swims around in a circle, aiming to send Hotaru skyward in a weird uppercut with his fins and the water chi that accompany them!
Right now, he's just a floundering fish!
For the most part, Jiro felt a great release in giving off all of that energy that he had in the previous strike. He knows things were looking quite bad for him. His eyes shifted about as he clutchces his chest THen, Jiro tightns his fist, turning to face the direction that he hears the fight going at.
Now, Jiro is about to do some blind fighting. He senses that someone is up in the air, and Jiro is trying to get a good feeling of dealing with clotheslining someone. Step. Step...
Then, Jiro springs up into the air, aiming to clothesline whoever is in his path. Hotaru, Nagare. Doesn't matter.
The landing sure as hell does.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Nagare's Flipper Roundhouse.
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Hotaru 1/--=====/=======|=======\====---\1 Jiro
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Nagare 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Jiro successfully hits Hotaru with Fierce Punch.
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Hotaru 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=====--\1 Jiro
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Nagare 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
Connecting with her quick strike, Hotaru draws back, falling defensive once more, turning her left shoulder toward the direction she believes Nagare to be in. It pays off when he goes for her next, her guard raised, her arms and shoulder absorbing the worst of the impact even though he connects with enough force to practically knock her over in the process, provoking a soft gasp of pain as she struggles to stay standing.
Jiro catches her in that moment, sweeping in with his clothesline however, catching the girl hard, Hotaru crying out as she slammed back against one of the verticle support beams. Dazed, she knows that attack must've come from Jiro. She's felt that clothesline enough times to know for certain. Deciding to return the favor, she strikes back swiftly, retaliating by not waiting to see if he's got time to recover as she drops down into a low crouch and then springs against him with a series of rapid, chi laced palm strikes, each one aiming to break through his defenses.
"Sou-shou...Tenrenge!"
And if she manages, she'll finish by springing into a shoulder tackle intending to knock the young man off the ground, then dive right back into him, her body encased in a bright flare of chi as she tries to press Jiro back down to the girder hard before rolling off into a crouch herself to recover.
Even as Jiro moves against Hotaru, Nagare is still woozy, laying back against the girder behind him. And wouldn't you be? Nagare is entirely still getting his grips back from the last strike. If anything, he was certainly unready for it. Now, right now, Nagare may be given some breathing room that he needs. And just as that, he hears about.
Well, at first, he can't hear anything. Ears are ringing too much. His body is entirely stiff and hard for now, but he has to make some move. So he does, pushing off against the girder as he makes a move that certainly uncertain. At the shout of Sou-shou, Nagare throws himself forward, actually hurdling himself towards Hotaru, through the air.
And then he begins to dive. Through the air and towards Hotaru, coming up through a barrier of water chi, and continuing that, all the way towards Hotaru. It looks a lot like he's swimming through the ocean! Or in his races!
But it doesn't look anything right here. The hardest part would be to stick the dismount! Swimming doesn't help a lot with, well, balancing acts!
"Watch out, who is there!"
COMBATSYS: Jiro fails to counter Sou-shou Tenrenge from Hotaru with Dead End.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Jiro
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nagare 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Jiro can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Nagare
There was great satisfaction. He clotheslined someone. That as alright with him. He isn't sure who, but it felt kinda soft! Oh hey wait, it was Hotaru! Well, she'll walk it off, right? Rigt. She does that and more, actually.
Jiro awaited for her to come forth at Jiro with her maneuvers, waiting for her to spring forward his way. At the same time, he is anticipating Nagare to attack.
But she comes. Jiro attempts to launch his foot to strike her on the stomach, but he is too slow as her palm strike catches him, lacing him with chi. The several palm strikes break against his defenses, and Jiro is starting to stumble back. "Argharghargharhg....!" Jiro is staggering. Then, when she catches him with her dive, Jiro is pressed into the girder.
He lands with a heavy thud, feeling his bones crunching once more. "Shit!" Then, he groans, leaning back.
.... and he suddenly falls.
"OH HELL!" Jiro yelps, releasing several swears as he is dropping from the sky.
...Until an i-beam catches him by the back of his collar, suspending him in the air.
"....I hate this god damn match." He coughs up a bit of blood, removing the mask. "...Well, this can't get any...."
Jiro's collar slips.
"...I give up."
Jiro falls off of the i-beam and he lands on the ground, on his back. Well, it was only quite a nice number of feet from his ORIGINAL drop point.
But Jiro, for the most part, lifts a hand up in the air, then it drops.
He's getting yet another trip to the hospital.
COMBATSYS: Nagare successfully hits Hotaru with Underwater Dash.
[ < > /////////// ]
Hotaru 1/--=====/=======|=======\-------\0 Nagare
Rolling off Jiro, Hotaru lands in a crouch, having expended a lot of effort with that combination of chi laced strikes, tackling him, and then blasting him back to the support beam to finish it off. But she knows full well that she isn't left alone after that. There's still another combatant to contend with. Springing to her feet, with no clue which way to go, the girl darts to the side, just in case he was already gunning for her.
But it doesn't prove to be enough, the legendary swimmer plowing into the featherweight with his chi powered collision with enough fore to easily send the girl flying right back against the corner beam with a hard crunch. Gritting her teeth, she springs right back out in a counter attack, pouring what speed she can into one last attack, knowing she's rather at her limits for this trying match. The next attack would be approximated at best, she's not evne really all that sure where Nagare is. But she has to try, dropping into a crouch, powering into a chi infused flip kick as she tries to strike him blindly, "Ten-shou...!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Nagare 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Nagare blocks Hotaru's Ten-shou Ranki.
[ \\\\\\\\ <
Nagare 0/-------/----===|
But failing to crush through his guard, the girl tries to make a last ditch correction in the air, flipping forward into a diving trajectory right back where she knows him to be. But she just doesn't quite have it in her, the injuries sustained by the prior attacks building up far too much. In the end she drops down backward instead, landing on the beam with a grunt. A fleeting attempt is made to roll up into a seated position, but the young fighter's strength gives out and she flops backward with an exhausted exhale. "Whew," she mutters, reaching for her blind fold, content to just lie on her back, one leg swinging off to the side, "This was about as hard to do as I had anticipated." Drawing the cloth off, she drops it to the side, letting it take the plunge she so narrowly avoided time and time again throughout the match.
Nagare really doesn't know how he ends up like this a lot of the time! He's got a rather nice track record, but that's not entirely expected! He's a simple swimmer after all, granduer is wasted on him. Especially as he feels that the gift of swimming is more important than the titles won from it.
Even as Hotaru fails to get out of the way, he simply makes a quick movement, grasping for anything about him, a solid surface that he can hold onto, and he does, flippering the girder just enough to pull himself up and quickly scury about it to gain just enough balance.
Which comes in handy after all. Hotaru crashes through towards him, striking back like a snake. Nagare's guard is quickly powered, the swimmer putting up his flippers even as Hotaru crashes into him. The chi infused kick crashing and bashing him backwards, sending him into the side of a girder, right as Hotaru falls down to a beam. Nagare just lays there breathing heavily.
"Wow... what a work out!" He announces, "I've felt like I did almost five hundred laps. Nice fight, Hotaru. Jiro. You're both pretty good at this." He states, quickly reaching up to pull his headband off of his eyes. "I thought I was going to fall several times during that. I think I'm going to stick to the ground for the other fights." Nagare muses. He should do. FISH DON'T FLY. Well, okay, some do.
But they have wings.
COMBATSYS: Nagare has ended the fight here.
Log created on 22:28:37 07/06/2008 by Nagare, and last modified on 17:43:49 07/07/2008.