Description: Sakura and Shenwoo are on trial! ... Kinda. They each need to encourage Raizo as to why he should pound the other. The Debate Club watches silently, because... well, would YOU mess with either of these two? (Winner: Sakura)
The Library of Justice High School - already an almost absurdly imposing structure - has been rearranged a little today, to allow for a session of the Justice High Morals Inquiry Debate Club. One of Raizo's favorites! The old man has been invited by Geese Howard to preside over a most peculiar challenge of wit and wisdom of young fighters:
Which should he mawl?
Raizo, since he will be needing to stand for this session, is on the debate floor itself, dressed in his usual principal-ing attire of a tan suit and a nice shirt, hands clasped in front of him, looking as officious as it is possible for a man who resembles a bear to look.
Which one should he maul? Why, Shenwoo, of course! Sakura Kasugano is a paragon of innocence, an unmarred blossom in the midst of the gardens of Southtown! What good is Shenwoo for but punching things? Geez!
The Seijyun University student had her own challenge with the ursine principal just a few days prior, as part of the Miss Southtown pageant. No doubt the battle is still fresh on her mind -- heck, the /scars/ are still fresh on her sides! Not that anyone can see those scars as she's wearing a sportcoat, white blouse, and a plain black skirt -- just the sort of professional attire one would expect from the Ansatsuken Angel. ... If she were to contest a speeding ticket or something. Which would OBVIOUSLY be in error because she's INNOCENT.
She approaches Raizo, bowing politely first to him, and then to the debate club gathered around. "Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I present to you... the innocent party, Sakura Kasugano!" She throws up her arms as if she were in any other SNF, before looking around... and did she just hear crickets?
Coughing into her fist, she holds up a legal pad, with 'EXHIBIT A' marked on it. "I'd like to present my first exhibit. Here we have a yellow legal pad! This is my defense!" She leaves that on the desk. "You can see that it's completely empty, because I have /nothing to be ashamed of!/ I can't imagine what /lies/ my opponent will have to offer, but I assure you, he's lying." Pause. "Because he's a liar." Kasugano nods her head, adding, "Q E D."
One course in logic and she thinks she knows everything...
COMBATSYS: Sakura has started a fight here.
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Sakura 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has joined the fight here.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
COMBATSYS: Raizo has joined the fight here.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-------|
This is dumb.
Shenwoo is, generally speaking, not known for going into the fancy gimmick battles a happy camper; they want to saddle him with a Chaos Agent or whatever, fine, but the berserker isn't a fan of playing along with whatever 'dog jumping through flaming hoop' games the Saturday Night Fight organisers come up with from week to week. One might ask, 'so why does he keep signing up for fights then?', and the answer to that is simple:
One, he likes the money and the exposure. Two, he likes the fighting. Not necessarily in that order.
So there's Shenwoo, with his silk shirt unbuttoned and his shiny leather pants and his tattoos and jewelry and his wild hair, generally, y'know, not the least bit the sort of person who should be allowed in the hallowed halls of Justice High, and as Sakura delivers her speech and gets all polite and stuff with the princibear and the faceless background people, the God of Battle rolls his eyes.
"You're dumb," Shenwoo says, pointing directly at Sakura. "And you're ugly," he adds, now pointing at Raizo. "And none of you have any friends," the Shanghai-born brawler concludes, pointing at the Morals Inquiry Debate Club. "And also, your mothers are whores."
This said, Shenwoo - the God of Debate - raises both gloved fists, straining them with a creak of leather until his knuckles crack audibly. "Now... I don't really care who you punch," Shen directs at Raizo for a closing statement. "Just make it WORTH MY WHILE!!" This, naturally, devolves into a savage bellow, as Shen throws himself directly at Single Female Lawyer Sakura, fist first.
You have to admit, he has a way with words.
Raizo hums, thoughtfully, as Sakura delivers a long, slightly hollow explanation of herself. He doesn't do much more than smile, as his job requires impartiality and as Raizo Imawano, he will provide it, even if going in he is slightly partial to Sakura. Shenwoo is allowed to make his own impression!!
It would admittedly not be hard to beat Sakura's first argument, but Shenwoo fails utterly just the same, by insulting everyone involved.
Raizo hums, thoughtfully, and then looks up at the debate club. "Shall I, then?" he murmurs.
"Yes, Principal," the leader of the club says. As usual, Justice Seniors act a little like pod people.
Raizo then nods, turns around, and LEAPS at Shenwoo, bellowing, "POOR ARGUMENT! PENALTY!!" and slashes his claws about five times.
COMBATSYS: Sakura dodges Shenwoo's Strong Punch.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-------|
Sakura likes SNFs too... mostly! She had gotten annoyed with a few of the most recent premises, and scheduling is always one of her complaints... but by and large they aren't totally boring, and they pay well! Not to mention, here in Southtown they're the best way to get your name up in lights.
But every so often something weird like this comes along, and she actually has to think a bit!
Still, being called dumb by -Shenwoo- is a pretty low insult! "Hey!" She has a moment to stew, flicking her wrists to either side in petulant anger as Shenwoo rattles off a list of insults... wondering if maybe she didn't get off light by comparison!
It's not long before he's charging, though... and Kasugano had a few moments to get ready for it. She knows how Shenwoo fights, and she knows he's probably going to try punching... so she leaps to the table! On top of the table, specifically, and when Shenwoo comes close, she leaps right over his head... just in time for Raizo to sweep in with his attack!
"Dumb, huh? I have to wonder, is this a /fair/ location for my opponent to be judged? I mean, he's surrounded by books... that's got to be intimidating for someone who /can't read!/" How's he supposed to get ahead in life?
Why, by punching and being punched, of course! Or... kicked, in this case, as Sakura leaps high, bringing both her feet down in a spinning casket kick! "Hraaaa!"
COMBATSYS: Raizo successfully hits Shenwoo with Claw Stab.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo interrupts Strong Kick from Sakura with Tenrenshou.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-----==|
See, this is exactly the response Shenwoo has predicted. In short: Just as planned.
Okay, mostly. When Raizo comes lunging at him all claws out and Lookit Me, I'm Gentleman Sabretooth, the brawler doesn't even make a cursory attempt to avoid or mitigate the hit; he just stands there and gets clawed, five times. There's bleeding, and some nice rents in his silk shirt, but the God of Battle doesn't seem overly distressed by either fact; the only problem is that he miscalculated a little, and isn't able to turn the hit to his advantage, stumbling.
Then there's Sakura to deal with.
"Read THIS!!" is Shenwoo's brilliant comeback to Sakura's hurtful and entirely unsubstantiated remarks, as he twists around /into/ the kick, bringing his own leg up and thrusting his foot out at the girl's backside or other available striking zone, apparently wanting her to read whatever it says on the sole of his shoe.
Through her skin.
And just think, he actually /likes/ Sakura.
Raizo Imawano's slash attack on Shenwoo rips him open quite a bit, and Raizo cocks an eyebrow as the 'God of Battle' fails to react much at all.
Sakura, meanwhile, is doing a pretty good job of throwing DAMNING EVIDENCE at Shenwoo, and Raizo, who is a strong believer in the educational value of roleplay, is inclined to play along!
However, it would be kind of lame for him to just tear Shenwoo apart, as much fun as it would be to aerate the little twerp. For now, Raizo merely looks up at the council and shakes his head.
The debate leader nods, sternly, but says nothing.
COMBATSYS: Raizo takes no action.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-----==|
It's kinda hard for Sakura to read anything that way! But she supposes she deserved that, haivng descended from so high with such a telegraphed attack!
Not that she'd ever admit it, of course!
Kasugano flies off to the side after Shen's delivery to the derriere, wincing from the blow. Hitting the library floor with a tumble, she zips back to her feet without much delay. She holds her hand out to Shenwoo, imploring the Debate Team: "See? See that? He shouldn't even be allowed /into/ the library, just look how he treats women! As OBJECTS, really... mere playthings to be kicked around!" Misogyny in the heart of patriarchal Japan? GASP!
She nods slowly, knowingly to Raizo. See? Raizo's on her side! "Your honor, my opponent has shown total disregard for society, disregard for his peers, and callous, /violent/ disregard for women! I motion that /he/ be stricken from the court!"
If this were a court of law, her next move would be grounds for contempt, but here, anything goes, right? Kasugano curls her hands back to one side, and then slams them forward again, hurling a ball of blue flames at Shenwoo -- and maybe even - uh-oh - the Debate Club behind him! "HADOOOOOOOOUKEN!" Whoever gets hit is gonna -love- that...
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Shenwoo with Medium Hadouken.
- Power hit! -
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Shenwoo 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-----==|
"What?" Shenwoo wonders, right before he gets hit with that Hadouken. Oh, he tries to get out of the way, but he's a heartbeat too slow; instead, the 'blossom' of chi smashes directly into him, sending /him/ smashing directly into the table or whatever the Debate Club happens to be sitting behind. This is probably not good for it; he might not be as huge as Raizo, but he's pretty solid, y'know?
Pushing himself back up to his feet, the God of Battle looks at Sakura with a faint frown. "She is so full of crap," he says, not really being a master debater. "You guys know she's just sittin' there mocking you, right? She thinks your whole Morals Inquiry Dating Club or whatever is a big damn joke, and your school, too. I mean, lookit her. You're all takin' this ten kinds of serious and what's she doing, dressing up like she watches too many American TV shows and playing fake lawyer."
Solemnly, Shenwoo remarks: "If I were you guys, I'd be /offended/."
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo gains composure.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/-----==|
Raizo ponders this for a moment, as Sakura threatens the wellbeing of his students and in the same breath decries Shenwoo for his terrible misogyny! The terrible fiend!
And then Shenwoo starts actually making some arguments of his own, perhaps spurred on by the fact that Raizo might tear him open again if he doesn't. The bear man ponders, slowly, thoughtfully, and then strides over to one end of the field, reaching down to one of the fairly plush chairs the library stocks for students to read in. He ponders it, thoughtfully, and Shenwoo's words.
It's not a /great/ argument...but it is an argument, from someone who seemed disinclined to participate in the thoughtful portion of the duel. He should reward that.
Which is why Raizo picks up the chair, hefts it in his hands, and then /bowls/ it downrange at Sakura!
COMBATSYS: Sakura blocks Raizo's Large Thrown Object.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/----===|
Kasugano blinks -- she -had- ignored the debate team there for a moment, hadn't she? Whoops. So she might be buying them a new desk, oh well!
She'd respond to the blatantly FALSE accusations, but she's having a chair bowled at her! Luckily Sakura's on the ball here, and without Shenwoo charging at her (!!!) she has the leisure to lean into the chair and stop it before it can knock her over. Sure, it shoves the diminutive Japanese girl -back- a few feet, and it's certainly not something she'd want to be doing often, but it's better than nothing!
tUprighting the chair, she sets it aside all prim and proper and even properly aligned with the floorboards. "Oh, I see. You think I should /respect/ the court by dressing down like a sleazeball, or one of the -terrible- people he likened your mothers to?" Kasugano gestures to the debate team with open hands, pleading as she walks up towards Shenwoo again! For shame, how he bides his time... "Look at my opponent! He can't even do you folks the common courtesy of buttoning his shirt up! Not because he lacks the wealth... but out of -spite!- He should be thrown in prison for contempt of court!"
Kasugano makes a sudden grab for the bare-knuckle brawler's shoulders, hoping to throw him onto the floor of the court! "Go on, beg for mercy!" If she manages to rip his sleeves, and make him look even -more- like street trash, all the better!
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Shenwoo with Strong Throw.
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Shenwoo 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\1 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/----===|
Attacking his shirt? Oh, it's on now, Kasugano. IT'S ON LIKE DONKEY KONG.
Shenwoo's dark eyes narrow faintly at the fightin' former schoolgirl's words, but when she reaches to grab for his shirt - with obviously violent intent - the brawler's response is to try and avoid the obviously telegraphed grab. Unfortunately, he forgot that he was standing in front of the partially ruined table, so he actually stumbles into /that/, then gets grabbed, and chucked right into the floor, good and hard.
And yes, it does rip his sleeves; actually most of the shirt, due to the weakening the garment already got thanks to Raizo. So good work, Sakura, Shenwoo is now topless. He's got a big tattoo on his back too, which is not commonly seen; it looks like a more western-style dragon than the ones on his shirt, spreading its wings across his shoulderblades. "I object on the grounds that Sakura thinks Raizo's ass looks fat in those pants. She told me earlier," he says.
And then the floorboards under him start to BUCKLE.
Energy swells around the God of Battle, harnessing his own fury and turning it into fuel, into power, as he lunges up out of his fallen position with a bellowing roar, aiming to headbutt Sakura /right in the chin/ with the top of his head. If he manages that first attack, then what follows is pretty brutal; a barrage of punches and kicks, elbows and knees, as the berserker just completely flips out on his opponent, simply trying to overwhelm her with brute force, finishing it off with /another/ headbutt, this one more conventional, to blast the pesky young woman away. "GRAAAAAH!!"
Raizo COULD step in - maybe go blow up Shenwoo again, or maybe Sakura, or both of them with his manly bear hands.
But Shenwoo is blowing a full-power attack Sakura's way, and the bear-principal merely stands by, arms crossed.
Watching. WAITING.
More to the point, he wants to see this particular stretch of debate go on a while. Some interesting points are about to be made!
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Sakura with Bakuma Assault.
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Shenwoo 0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/----===|
Sakura -did not- say Raizo looked fat! ... Some things are so obvious they don't /need/ to be said! "... Let the record show further evidence that Shenwoo's a big fat liar! I didn't even see those pants, /or/ Mr. Weaksauce Dragon Tattoo before making my appearance here!" She pauses for a moment, then raises her finger to make another point...
Before -all hell- breaks loose. "Uhhhh..." Maybe if she weren't trying to make her point so badly, she'd have been able to see that coming, but no, she gets a chin full of OW! Kasugano flies upwards, but is pulled right back down into the savage symphony of paaaaain, brutalized every which way possible! In payment for her earlier destruction of private property, her own jacket is left a mess, not only from blood and sweat, but from torn seams, terrible scuff marks from being -bounced off the floor-, and... well, lots of stuff! It's good that the folks can't see -most- of the bruises, her bruised chin and forehead notwithstanding...
Anyone else would be down for the count after that, but Sakura's just getting started! Springing back to her feet, she wipes her mouth off with the back of her sleeve, before slinging the jacket off.
Throwing one fist up, the bruised, battered Sakura shouts, "And he interrupts people too! How rude can you get?!"
She doesn't even wait to finish before rushing back at Shenwoo, spinning into a rising uppercut for -his- chin! "NOW WAIT YOUR TURN!" Should she manage to hit him with that uppercut, she'd hop lightly off the ground before dealing another, more -brutal- uppercut with her opposite hand -- minding to knock him -over- the Debate Club rather than into them! "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Sakura successfully hits Shenwoo with Midare Zakura.
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Shenwoo 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Sakura
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Raizo 0/-------/----===|
By this point though, Shenwoo has lost all coherency; he's flipped out, nutso, berserking, whatever you want to call it. Even when Sakura comes at him with her own uppercut, the brawler hardly seems to react, just trying to get an arm in the way... But instead he gets full on hit with the whole combination, flying /over/ the Justice High School Host Club and crashing down behind them.
Not, uh, not for /long/, though.
Instead, the God of Battle remains solely focused on his opponent. All pretense of following the gimmick of the match is forgotten as the shirtless Shenwoo grins wildly from ear to ear, a mad light in his dark eyes. Suddenly, he's moving forward and blurring speeds, practically disappearing... Though the way the Debate Club's table EXPLODES sure indicates which way he's coming from as Shen tears towards Sakura with the last energy he can muster, one fist thrown forward, with a shockwave of energy riding on it, enveloping him. "SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo can no longer fight.
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Sakura 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Raizo
Raizo simply....watches.
His arms are crossed, his fists clenched. That wasn't a very good counterargument, Sakura. But the punches, the punches were pretty good. He nods, firmly, approving of Sakura's punchin', if not her debatin'.
And then Shenwoo flips his shit, and Raizo looks like he's about to step in just to knock the boy down before he detonates something important, except he already HAS (that table was donated, con sarn it!!), and Raizo wanders over to find another chair to beat Shenwoo unconscious with.
He may not be back before Shenwoo is flat on the ground, alas.
COMBATSYS: Sakura fails to interrupt Zetsu! Gekiken from Shenwoo with Small Hadouken.
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Sakura 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Raizo
Oooookay yeah that was a pretty lame counterargument. Sakura is really no good at these sorts of courtroom antics! Especially not the kind that take place in a library in front of people who could spit out better arguments in their sleep!
But it seems Shenwoo has tossed aside all pretenses of this being a gimmick fight, and fallen back upon his favoritest, tried and true attack! Sakura is still clinging to the argumentative format though. "Look! Look! He's trying to silence the righteous! That's -definite- proof that I'm right!" Oh, Sakura, Sakura...
Part of the reasons for the wild fist-shaking demonstration she gives Shenwoo just then is to quietly disguise her intention -- to summon forth an ample amount of her chi, and bring it into her fist. See, when Shenwoo comes close with -his- fist full of energy... well, she launches forward, surrounding her fist with the same kind of swirling blue energy that embodies her Hadoukens. "SSSSHHHHYAAAAAAAAAAAA!" she cries, in a sick and hideous parody of Shenwoo's battle cry.
Man, wouldn't that have been sweet if it worked? As it is... Kasugano misses her mark, taking the punch full-on to the sternum. Her heart skips a beat from the sheer force of the impact, her body blown back into the library wall.
Er, make that 'bookshelf', because /all/ of the books fall off that one shelf in one loud, booming avalanche of knowledge!
Kasugano draws in her breath sharply as she peels herself away from the shelves, standing unsteadily. Blackness pulls at the corners of her vision; her hands go out to either side for balance. That /really/ hurt! But... she still remains standing after it all... somehow!
Kasugano brushes off her charred blouse, not even bothering to sort her mussed hair back into the... form of... less-muss that it usually is. She gives Raizo and the debate team an inquisitive look. "Uh... I... " She takes another breath, before pounding her fist into her hand. "I rest my case!"
On the other hand, Shenwoo just rests. BECAUSE HE'S UNCONSCIOUS.
Raizo merely watches the exchange with some interest.
It's kind of tempting to claw Sakura apart at the end, but that's the evil Imawano teaching talking, and Raizo ignores it. He nods, sternly, just sort of watching as the two savagely blow each other to pieces. "A lively debate indeed," he decrees, as Sakura goes flying past him and his suit ruffles a little in the ensuing shockwave. He turns to look at Shenwoo, who is unconscious, and Sakura, who is somehow not, and he looks to the debate team.
"I believe that we have a winner," he says.
COMBATSYS: Raizo has left the fight here.
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Sakura 0/-------/-======|
Log created on 18:45:57 07/14/2008 by Sakura, and last modified on 21:18:16 07/16/2008.