Description: "Marie Howard was a beautiful and loving woman who touched the world around her and made everyone she knew into something better than they were. Her death was a tragedy, and every day I mourn her passing as if it were yesterday. It is in loving memory of a caring mother, a selfless wife, and a gracious sister that I have built this memorial in her honor -- on this, the anniversary of her tragic passing. I hope that this monument to her great life will stand the test of time, and show everyone the world over who comes to this city just the kind of magnificent woman she was. It is her honor that I have established this match, and I have fondest hopes that her brother, Kain R. Heinlein, will attend as a participant in this celebratory fight to commemorate his dear sister, and my loving wife, whom we both cared for so deeply, with every fibre of his being." -- Geese Howard (Winner: Kain)
"She was a beautiful woman, not just on the surface, but in her soul. In her heart. She was nothing short of a goddess."
A new sight has marked the southern area of Downtown Southtown. It had been in the midst of construction for months now, enshrouded and kept highly confidential -- the only information being it was, of course, a project of Howard Enterprises. And now, here it is, ready to be unveiled.
A sprawling memorial to the spirit of Marie Heinlein-Howard, the late brother of Kain R. Heinlein... and wife of the great Geese Howard.
A shining statement of elegance and beauty that one might expect to find in Southtown's business district, there is still no more fitting place for it than the very heart and soul of Southtown. At the entrance stands a tall, beautifully sculpted statue of the woman herself, crafted from the finest marble with the plaque on the bottom reading simply and succinctly: "The Marie Howard Memorial." Distinctly, there is no "Heinlein" there. Beyond it, a beautiful garden stretches outward for great distances, with one section in particular closed off; a spot kept closed off from the rest of the memorial to keep everything as pristine as possible. Why? Because it is an arena. And Geese Howard is presiding over it.
"The flame of her life shined brightly, and it is the greatest tragedy I have ever known that it burned too brightly to last." Geese stands just beyond the sectioned off arena, dressed in all black -- clothes of mourning. He looks solemn as he speaks, icy eyes stern as he looks out towards the statue of his late wife. "I will always miss her, but this place will stand to celebrate the memory of her throughout time. And that is why I have arranged this fight today, to commemorate the opening of this site." He offers a plain and /caring/ smile as he steps back, arms crossed behind his back and head bowed. "So, I hope the fighters today give their all to make this event as grand as possible. In memory of a dear wife... ... and a loving sister."
So this is the memorial of the late Maria Heinlein/Howard. THere was a time that Jiro actually recalled the story that Kain told him, or at least, when Jiro saw the picture frame of her. And there was brief mention of her from Rock as well. But that was so long ago. It is rather odd that they are fighting in the memorial that is dedicated to her.
Within this arena, however, Jiro is making his approach to the directed sight as quietly as possible. For him, it is a feat. His expression is a litle more cautious as well. SUre, he dislikes Kain, but he can respect the area.
Moving along the garden stretches, Jiro is adjusting his gloves while cracking his neck, getting the feel of his body warming up. He takes a deep breath, knowing tha he is getting a second chance on fighting Kain once more.
He better make this count.
Geese isn't the only one who has chosen to wear mourning clothes to this event. Kain is wearing a somber black suit, black shoes, black gloves. He doesn't say a word or look at anyone as he walks up to the memorial. Instead he simply walks up to the statue, pausing there and looking at it for a long moment. After a moment of silence he reaches up, gently touching the marble cheek with one hand. His fingers curl inward slightly, brushing across the cold stone before Kain lets his arm fall back to his side, his gaze falling toward the ground.
There's a palpable sense of uneasiness in the air, and even the members of the audience, lacking in sensitivity to chi might be get the feeling that something is off. Kain's hand curls into a fist, then slowly relaxes as he turns back to Geese, as well as the audience. With... a sad smile on his face? "This is a lovely memorial, Geese. Touching. I'm sure Marie would appreciate it." Kain's not only being civil to Geese, but almost friendly? Curious. That can hardly be the reaction Geese was expecting to receive. Jiro, meanwhile, gets no response at all. In fact, Kain doesn't even seem to look at him while taking his position in the cordoned off area for the fight.
To be invited to fight at a match right at the memorial dedicated to the man who has done more than any other to bring professional fighting to the people is quite an honor. One Hotaru Futaba takes quite seriously. Her traditional shirt and pants outfit has been replaced with something far more formal for the occasion. An ankle length, black Chinese styled dress, decorated with gold embroderies and floral patterns, black tights, and black, heelless dress shoes is the attire she has chosen to attend in. With her hair done up in a twin buns, each with a white, beribboned bun cover, it looks like she's taken some inspiration from the famous hairstyle of Chun-Li.
The nicely dressed girl stands off to the side with Jiro with her hands clasped in front of her, silent throughout the unveiling and stirring speech of Geese Howard, watching Kain Heinlein, their opponent today, approach the statue with respect. The air is tense, a mixture of solemnity and uneasiness abounds.
The blue eyed Kenpo artist doesn't know everything about what has gone on between Kain and Geese, or the history of the woman being honored, but she can understand the pain of loss, the need to mourn easily enough. Her expression is neutral, serious. She'll be giving the fight her all. Such a special occasion demands nothing less. "Careful," she speaks up to Jiro at last, "I know we can do better than last time." she finishes with just the slightest hint of a grin.
A deep breath is taken, the girl shaking her head to clear her mind. "Just do our best, it's all anyone can ask for." A glance is taken toward Heinlein himself. She's faced the legendary chi user in a number of matches before. This time feels different though. "He definitely cared about his sister a lot," she states after another moment. Real feelings between siblings. What a novel idea!
"... Mm," Howard responds after a long delay to Kain in way of a simple sound of acknowledgment, allowing a small, simple smile to cross his lips. "I'm glad to hear you say that, Kain. I put every ounce of my love for her into this to ensure it would be as fitting as possible. Marie deserved a slice of eternity. What better place for it to be than in the city of the man who loved her so dearly?" Geese takes another step back as the fighters all gather, hands falling to his sides as he waits. His expression is calm, solemn.
This is, after all, bringing up such painful memories.
Waiting for the fighters to assemble and settle in, Geese looks to Hotaru and Jiro, nodding once. "Hotaru Futaba. Jiro Kasagi. Put your all into this fight; make it the most brilliant you can manage, and then push yourself even further. This is an important day for me -- and for everyone in Southtown." A brief pause, as Howard looks to Kain. "... Of course, I don't need to tell you that. Do the Heinlein legacy proud, Kain. You're the last of them to carry on her memory." Not technically, but. Howard doesn't mention Rock. He's a /Howard/, after all.
"Fighters, you know what to do." Howard lifts a gloved hand. "Forge a new and beautiful memory here to last a lifetime." The hand swings down, fast and clean to signal...
"/Fight/!"
A glance is given towards Hotaru as she appears by his side. He glances at her once, then he shuts his eyes. The young man tucks his hands into his pocket. His attention is focused on her for a few moments before he gives her a quick nod. "Gotcha." He slowly forms a feral grin, "We can do this." He shuts his eyes for a few moments.
Taking a deep breath, Jiro tightens his fists. His teeth grit and his eyes snap open before the eyes harden and glare at Kain. "Tsch...." The fury in his form, the young man is drawing upon the emotions of drawing forth the Ankoku flames. Or rather, his own flames.
Jiro takes a deep breath, looking towards Kain, and then his eyes shift towards Geese. As Geese gives them the get go to do their best, Jiro nods once, then he shifts his attention straight at Kain. He forms that feral grin once, then he waits for the signal as both hands are lifted up and keeping hold in a guarding position.
As the fight signal is given, Jiro looks towards Hotaru, "Alright, I'm going to lead the way for the start to give him the pressure. Use that to your advantage, you're definately quicker than I am." He grins once, then he shifts his gaze at Kain.
The young man immediately sprints towards Kain, zooming in to close the distance between him and Kain. The young man leaps off of the ground to unleash his right foot against Kain's stomach, then his left knee comes out to strike the man at the gut.
COMBATSYS: Jiro has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hotaru has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kain has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kain dodges Jiro's Medium Kick.
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Jiro 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
To the untrained eye, Kain seems just as calm as ever as the fight begins. There's just a /hint/ of strain, if someone were to watch very carefully. And since this the cause is solely emotional turmoil in this instance... that means when viewed with regards to Kain, it means Heinlein is probably murderously angry. It doesn't seem to be causing him any problems so far, though. Indeed, he easily sees Jiro coming, stepping to the side to avoid the kick that the former student lashes out with.
But Kain doesn't stop with simply letting Jiro miss. His hand snaps out, grabbing for Jiro's ankle in an attempt to snare him before he can retract the limb. Should he manage the grab, Kain will proceed to yank sharply upward, aiming to yank Jiro off his feet. He then slams downward to ram Jiro's back into the ground. Finally, he jerks his arm to the side to fling Jiro aside in a sudden burst of black fire.
As Geese continues to address the gathered fighters, and the crowd as a whole, Hotaru falls silent again, listening to the exchange between him and Kain. It really is an amazing memorial - befitting the Queen of Southtown that she would have been today. He addresses the two challengers directly and Hotaru gives Geese her full attention, nodding solemnly at the request to make the fight their best. Keep obliviously naive to the other side of the famous business man's life, the girl has no reason to harbor any reluctance to do her best to honor his request.
As Jiro goes over a plan with the black-clad girl, Hotaru nods slowly. He'll lead the way in, she'll catch up and see what she can do. It's not a bad idea. In pure ground speed, she can move rather quickly after all. Geese waves his hand, the King of Southtown giving his blessing to commence the battle commemorating the grand memorial and park, and the fight begins.
Jiro's kick is avoided, but Kain turns to retaliate against him directly. The Kenpo artist is right behind him, sprinting forward with all she's got. There's hope in trying to catch Kain before he can unleash a painful combination on her partner, but all she can do is simply try her best. Hands reach for Kain's arms, one foot coming up to kick for his side, hoping to cut short his attempt on Jiro's well being. From there she tries to pull herself up into a rapid series of stomping kicks, her legs free to move as necessary by the generous slits in the sides of her dress. "Ya, ya, ya!"
Should she succeed, the small fighter backflips away, intending to come down to opposite side of Kain as Jiro is on, employing tactics to take advantage of the numbers edge the two of them have!
COMBATSYS: Kain successfully hits Jiro with Strong Throw.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
Jiro has always been a person to find himself in quite the disadvantage. As Kain had been the person who was formerly his teacher, he has quite the skill to show Jiro how stronger and faster he is. Kain maneuvers away from Jiro's leg and doesn't even give him the chance to escape. Instead, Jiro's eyes widen as he's yanked up, before he is slammed back onto the ground, back first. The ground creates a large amount of cracks that are designed like spiderwebs, considering the damage done tot he floor. Jiro's eyes widen as he takes a deep breath.
"Egghhh..."
Then, Jiro's body illuminates with ebon flames as he's sent flying towards the nearby ground. There isn't even a skid. Instead, there is the sound of a burst as a black explosion roar into the air.
...It takes a few moments later for Jiro to come out, taking a deep breath, looking torn up already. "..Sh..shit." He growls, trying to focus his gaze on Kain as the eyes can see two Kains.
"When did Kain learn to duplicate himself?"
COMBATSYS: Jiro focuses on Jiro's next action.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Hotaru's Shin-Jou Tai.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|=------\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/------=|
Kain watches dispassionately as Jiro crashes to the ground in flames. He doesn't, however, watch so intently that he fails to see Hotaru coming toward him. He's got both arms free, so it's easily within his power to twist and use a shoulder and upper arm to take the brunt of Hotaru's flurry of kicks. He lowers his arm as Hotaru backflips away, looking none the worse for the wear. Oh, he /felt/ it... but from the standpoint of someone watching, he seems quite unaffected.
Will Hotaru be able to weather Kain's response so well? He takes a step forward and answers her with a series of kicks of his own. Not so many as hers, but that's not necessary. He opens up with a quick straight kick to the girl's stomach, rapidly retracting his leg and then kicking out again toward her face. Should it connect, that impact will be accompanied by an explosion of Kain's dark fire.
COMBATSYS: Kain successfully hits Hotaru with Medium Kick.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/=======|
She's used to quick retaliation when someone manages to fend off her aggressive opening volley. Feet touching down after her backflip, the girl is already attempting to spring into a second leap, having caught notice of Kain advancing on her before landing. It's to no avail, however, his foot slamming hard into her stomach just before she springs, kicking the breath out of her and provoking a pained gasp as she starts to crumple from the powerful impact. His follow up strike catches her before she does, knocking her to the side with physical power and an explosion of the painful black flames he weilds. "AH!"
Crashing hard to the side, she slides a little ways before coming to a stop. There's no shortage of power in Heinlein today, and with the significant magnitude of the occasion, she's learning fast that he's on top of his game to large extent. Grimacing, the small fighter pushes up off the ground, turning around to face Kain again, one hand resting over her stomach, a trickle of blood trailing down the corner of her lip from the painful face kick. Jiro has had a moment to get his bearings - perhaps it will pay off with them attacking in unisen again. "I'm all right," she calls in Jiro's direction, glancing him over to make sure he's hanging in okay after the vicious combination he weathered.
Darting forward again, Hotaru risks getting in closer, going for Kain's left hand with her right hand. If she gets a tight enough hold, she'll spin around him, drawing his arm up and over, twisting it around in order to flip him to the ground in a swift, traditional judo-styled slam. "YA!"
For the most part, Jiro really needs to focus on the match. In fact, that is what he is trying to do. At least, once he can see where Kain is at. Of course, he can see two Kains. Maybe three. It's hard to tell. Either way, the young Interpol officer gives off a grunt, then he stands back up to his feet. "Okay, that's it." The young man mutters once more as he channels the flames from his right hand. Gathering the fury to the palm of the hand, he manifests the scarlet flames that spark to life. As the flames light up, Jiro is directing his gaze over to see Hotaru and Kain's state.
"Shit....!"
Well, it is apparent that Hotaru is in the close combat against Kain. His eyes even widen when he sees the explosion caused by Kain. A grunt is given, then the fists tighten. It is time to give Hotaru some assistance in the battle-field.
Okay, Hotaru is alright. That is good. Jiro launches his right hand upward, releasing the scarlet chi in the form of an arm-length blade cutting through the air. It is seeking to tear straight towards Kain's direction. This is to give either Hotaru the chance to get him in a tight grab or take advantage while Hotaru has him.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Kain with Quick Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Jiro 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Jiro's Balefire.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 0/-------/=======|
Kain misjudges the angle of Hotaru's attack. He thinks that she's going to grab one way, but she ends up going the other, resulting in his hand getting grabbed. And grabbed and balanced to avoid an attack from another direction, there's not much Kain can do against Hotaru's leverage. His arm gets twisted up and he's slammed down into the ground, just in time for Jiro to blast at him with a blade of red chi. It looks bad, but Kain can handle it. He raises the hand that wasn't wrenched about by Hotaru, holding his palm toward the incoming blast. A blue glow forms in Kain's palm, flaring up as Jiro's attack crashes into it. There are sparks of red and blue light, then both energies fade away, leaving only some wisps of smoke coming from Kain's palm.
Shoving off the ground, Kain rises back to his feet. He still, apparently, has nothing to say to either Jiro or Hotaru. He does look at Jiro for a moment... before suddenly whipping around to face Hotaru. Between the rapid movement and the sudden flare of black flame from Kain's foot, it would be understandable if people are momentarily shocked. Will that moment be all Kain needs to launch himself off of one foot and propel a flaming kick into Hotaru's chest?
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Kain's Schwarzer Stob.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 1/-----==/=======|
Though her quick slam ends up paying off, Hotaru knows better than to simply think that's enough to keep Kain from retaliating with brutal force. Releasing his arm, the young fighter takes a step back, giving him room to rise, familiar with the way many fighters have ways to deal with opponents trying to take advantage of a fall and surely Kain would have several such options at his disposal. Her retreat doesn't buy her enough distance to hope to escape from him cleanly, but with the way the girl shifts her stance, turning a shoulder toward the German, it seems retreat is the last thing on her mind for the moment.
It's hard to see what's happening in the midst of the heated flames, but she knows she's being targetted. Bringing her arms up, shoulder toward him, the girl braces for the worst. The crushing power of the kick sends her reeling in spite the way she braced for it, arms flailing at her sides as she slides to a stop a few yards back, smoke rising up off her bare forearms, evidence of the pain even a blocked attack from the titan fighter has on that far more frail opponent of his.
Recovering her balance, the girl slips forward a half step, dropping into a low stance, one leg stretched out in front of her other. Blue eyes look beyond Kain, to evaluate what Jiro might do next, but in the end she decides to spring for the blond, attacking with all that pent up energy as she spins into a pair of whirlwinding strikes aimed to draw his guard high, perhaps leaving him open to the punishing palm strike she dishes out the instant her feet touch the ground. Leaning into it hard, the blow bears more power to it than one might expect as the talented martial artist pours her whole body's strength into that single point of impact. "HAA!"
Oh hey, Kain is acknowledging him. That is a good thing, right? Maybe not. Nevertheless, Kain is focused on dealing with Hotaru, that is why that Jiro is going to use the chance to focus his shift towards Kain. Knowing that Hotaru is in the trajectory of the onslaught, Jiro is starting to sprint his way towards Kain's direction. She cannot handle things too long if left on her own and the same can be said for him. As he is reaching out to get a hold on Hotaru, Jiro is pressing forward to meet with Kain.
As Hotaru is pressing on with the attack, Jiro is rushing towards Kain from behind to wrap his arms around the man's waist for a big surprise. Should he be successful, that surprise is in the form of the shift of weight backwards as Jiro swings his arm off to help him lift Kain off of the ground and onto his head.
Not quite a suplex, but close enough.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Kain with Soushou Shin.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|
COMBATSYS: Kain fails to interrupt Medium Throw from Jiro with Schwarze Schleife.
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Jiro 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|
Hotaru succeeds in drawing Kain's guard high, so it's not surprising that she then manages to connect with her palm, slamming it into Kain's body with enough force to push him backward across the ground. Kain suddenly turns his head, seeing Jiro's approach, and starts reaching for the younger man's throat with one hand, aiming to stop him before he can even get close enough to carry through his own plans.
Kain gets started just a bit too late, however, and when Jiro ducks down to snare Kain by the waist he also manages to evade the grab for his throat. Kain is thus lifted and slammed into the ground, hitting first with his head, then his shoulders. Kain takes control as he falls, though, managing to twist so that he lands and hands and knees, and is quickly able to get back to a standing position.
The palm strike delivered might be enough to level a normal man, but against someone with Kain's control, just managing to push him back some isn't half bad. Drawing her arm back, the girl regains her balance after having committed herself so much to that attack, releasing a slow exhale. Jiro slips in with an effective follow up and Hotaru nods slightly. For the moment, they've both scraped by without too much damage.
Running her hands along the sides of her dress to dry them off, finding the warm summer day starting to get to her, she stands up straight. No longer trapped between the two fighters, it will be easier for Kain to prepare for them on their next attempts to charge his way. That can't be an exuse to hang back, however. Tightining her hands into fists, the girl leans forward and then sprints for Kain in a direct charge. With luck, Jiro will synchronize as well and they can reach him at the same time again. That seemed to work well the previous exchange.
From a few yards out, the girl springs up into a spin kick, aiming to plant her black dress shoe into Heinlein's chest, then bring her other foot forward to spring back off of him into a backward spin through the air, attempting to land a little ways off again!
As Kain is tossed over and he manages to roll back onto his feet, Jiro turns his attention towards his girlfriend wih a nod. A grin is formed, quite glad that they are doing well in the fight so far. Despite Jiro's beaten state, he is recovering quite nicely. His attention shifts back towards Kain, narrowing his eyes before he sprints after the man once more with Hotaru by his side. As they charge forward, Jiro is sprinting faster than Hotaru.
Why? Well, he is zooming over behind Kain, noticing Hotaru stopping to get Kain directly. Jiro, for the most part, is moving behind for his own attack. This isn't usually Jiro's tactics, as he is more direct, but considering Hotaru's maneuver, Jiro figures he can get a better advantage of striking Kain from the other side.
His right foot is extending outward as he twists about from behind Kain. His foot is igniting with the scarlet chi, roaring to life as the flames sear through the air, tearing everything asunder in its path as he launches the other leg off of the ground. That rising leg is striking against Kain's back, as if trying to sandwich Kain in with Hotaru's strike. He continues to breathe, trying to keep himself from getting tired.
COMBATSYS: Kain dodges Hotaru's Light Kick.
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Jiro 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Jiro's Heaven's Diminisher.
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Jiro 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 Kain
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|
It's a good thing Kain got back on his feet quickly, because he doesn't have too long to prepare himself before Hotaru and Jiro bring the fight back to him. When Hotaru springs toward him, Kain is able to slide back and to the side, slipping away and letting her leg scythe harmlessly through the air. There's not time to similarly avoid Jiro's leg as well, however. But just because he can't get away doesn't mean he can't deal with it. Kain swings out one arm, and Jiro's scarlet auraed leg slams into that rather than Kain's back.
And once more Kain finds himself facing Jiro, with his leg extended. But this time Kain doesn't throw the younger man. He does reach out to grab him by the ankle, but this time he wraps his other arm around Jiro's leg further (given the orientation) down, putting a great deal of pressure on his knee in the wrong direction. And all the while Kain's arms burn with black fire.
She comes out of her missed jump kick gracefully, landing with a slight, controlled slide before spinning back around to face back toward Kain and Jiro. Those two end up engaged in a close exchange of attacks, but again she finds herself too out of position to try and help Jiro contend with Heinlein's swift retaliation. The best she can hope for is to get back into range before the more dangerous fighter recovers from dealing with the Kasagi youth.
Striding forward a few yards, she slides into a low crouch a yard away from Kain's side, hoping to blitz him before he can turn to account for what she intends. As her positioning starts low, perhaps his peripheral vision will draw his defenses that way... but when she actually attacks, she goes high, leaping up as she tries to plant her hands against Kain's shoulders in a handstand...
If she gets into position, the girl switches directions by swapping which shoulder her hands are on, then drops down behind the taller fighter, drawing her arms around his neck in an attempt to hang in there long enough to keep him distracted for another punishing attack from Jiro. Risky business getting there, but once in place, well... /most/ fighters have trouble with someone positioned so tightly behind them like that!
COMBATSYS: Jiro fails to counter Medium Throw from Kain with Excessive Force.
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Jiro 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\1 Kain
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|
There was the usage of the foot aiming to strike Kain, which it doesn't make the mark as Jiro wanted to. Instead, it strikes the arm. Grimacing, Jiro is finding himself in one hell of a bad position as Kain reaches out the arm to grab Jiro once more. And when Jiro is grabbed by the leg, Jiro is instead slammed down and has his leg twisted along the wrong direction. ....While Kain's arm is burning.
First comes the crunch of Jiro's face against the ground, Jiro's nose protruding blood as his body is lit on fire. "ARRRRRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!" There was that urge to maneuver, but it did not go so well.
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Jiro 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\1 Kain
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Hotaru 1/----===/=======|
It's probably a good thing Hotaru didn't hang back, because Jiro doesn't give Kain much reason to stop applying pressure to his leg. Shouldn't take too much more to snap it... but here comes Hotaru to the rescue. Kain is forced to release Jiro's limb in order to duck, slipping underneath Hotaru as she flips up to grab him by the shoulders. But simply avoiding attack isn't enough for Kain, not when there's the option to repay it in kind.
In this case, Kain can look up and see Hotaru passing over him, so he simply sweeps one arm in her direction as she's coming back down from her missed attack. Fire surrounds his arm as he starts to swing it, leaping out to engulf everything within several feet of the arc his arm travels in a cloud of black flame.
COMBATSYS: Hotaru blocks Kain's Schwarz Cutter.
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Jiro 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Kain
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Hotaru 1/-======/=======|
Her attempt at snagging Kain failing, Hotaru completes her forward flip, spinning around to face Kain even before her feet touch the ground. She's close to him now. It could be said that being that close to him is remarkably dangerous, but she knows from experience that practically anywhere in a large radius around the man is extremely risky. Best to make what she can of each moment she has... She rescued Jiro from the painful assault, keeping his leg from being broken so that perhaps he can hang in there a little longer.
But before she can worry about what to do next, she's forced to defend herself from a torrent of black flames unleashed from Heinlein's arm. Drawing her hands up, she braces for it, drawing her own aura to the surface to fight off what she can, a gentle blue rolling along her forearms, absorbing some of the impact and allowing her to weather the attack well enough, though left stumbling backward all the same as the last lingering flames diminish about her.
Gasping for breath, she glances toward Jiro, hoping that he's going to be getting back up quickly. They need to act now, giving it their all. "Come on, Jiro!" she calls at him before barreling back at Kain with all the speed she can muster. He'll easily sense it. He's seen it before. That surge of energy, that desperate attack in which she'll unleash the most powerful combination attack she can muster. "Everything you've got!"
It begins with a flip kick intended to obliterate his defenses, Hotaru launched swiftly by the explosion of blue energy she controls. And should she manage, she'll flip back forward, taking him to the ground, much like she has in their previous fights. Drawing heavily from the wellspring of energy all around her, Kain will find himself subjected to a point blank, gigantic chi bomb before the teen fighter springs back from him. It's worked pretty good in the past!
"Argghh! Shiiiit!" Jiro's head lowers against the ground as he finally starts to release a cry of pain. He slams his fist against the ground, doing his damndest to try to break out. Unfortunately, Kain has a good lock on Jiro's leg to the point where he cannot let go.
It is so close to snapping -off-.
It is then that Hotaru comes to the rescue. That releases the tenseness off of Jiro, and he exhales a sigh of relief as he can finally move somewhat. Injured and now a bit limp, Jiro is struggling to get back onto his feet.
...But then, he sees that one maneuver that Hotaru is so good at. Deep inside, Jiro frownyfaces. One cannot help but think that she's doing the wrong things with Kain in that move. ...But Jiro is shaking his head to focus on the fight.
...He needs to get positioned to give Kain a powerful maneuver of his own.
COMBATSYS: Jiro focuses on Jiro's next action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Jiro 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Hotaru's Ten-shou Ranki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Jiro 1/---====/=======|=======\==-----\1 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Hotaru 0/-------/-----==|
Breathing in then exhaling as she regains her breath, the determined girl looks back toward Kein, left alone to face the world's most famous, and possibly dangerous master of chi manipulation. With clothing as black as the fire he wields, he presents a formidable presence for the young fighter to face all alone, but she isn't about to give up. She pauses for a moment, steeling her courage, giving Kain a slight nod of respect in light of the special circumstances behind this match.
And then she's attacking, sprinting forward, seemingly intent on a reckless charge directly into him. Only after she gets close does the girl turn sideways, letting her feet slide over the ground as she circles Kain at great speed, both of her hands coming out together as she slams them out both at the same time in a strong double palm press into his side. "HAA!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru successfully hits Kain with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Hotaru 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Kain
See Jiro.
See Jiro fall.
Fall, Jiro, fall.
For the most part, after the incoming fist sails over Kain, Jiro is slowly falling towards the ground. With the added assist of Kain smacking Jiro onto the back, Jiro falls right on his face. There is the strength to bring the arm up. That arm is rising up to show the strength left.
At least, it is to bring out the middle finger before the hand falls back down and Jiro truly enters the state of unconsciousness.
Kain attempts to swing around to one side as Hotaru comes in toward him, but he's not fast enough to avoid her palms slamming into his side. The impact sends him staggering, and it takes a moment before he can recover. He's not particularly bloodied, for once, but he's still been getting pretty battered over the course of this fight. It would be good to bring things to a close soon.
To such an end Kain once more holds his palms out, summoning up a sphere of raw, roiling energy. Jiro was cooperative enough to get blasted... will Hotaru be a good girl and join him? There's a sudden surge of energy and the attack shoots forth, racing toward Hotaru in a maelstrom of chi.
COMBATSYS: Kain successfully hits Hotaru with Himmlische Seele.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\ < > /////// ]
Hotaru 1/--=====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kain
Her palm strike delivered, Hotaru draws back, intending to escape back to range. The hit and run approach to dealing with Kain has worked out all right /so/ far. But the more veteran fighter proves the quicker, extending his hand, unleashing a gigantic assault just like the one he used against her partner for this fight. Bringing up her arms in a futile effort to defend herself, the young fighter is blasted backward by the power that defies whatever attempts at energy defenses she tried in desperation.
Knocked off her feet by the explosive force, the girl lands hard on her back, a pained gasp escaping her lips. A hand comes down to prop herself up, the young fighter forcing herself to rise all the same. Her dress has been damaged beyond reuse, but her life has a budget for these sort of things anyway. One of her hair bun covers has been lost, leaving half of her hair to hang down around her face as she struggles for breath. What she knows is that she hasn't long left, her strength to stay standing dwindling even as she stares back at Kain, hands clenched at her sides, the last flickers of black flames retreating from her form as she forces them off with one last use of her inner aura to counter them.
Taking in one more pained breath, the determined martial artist makes one last attempt at getting through Kain's guard. A second attempt of the attack he fended off previously, sprinting toward him before dropping into a low crouch, hesitating for a moment to draw the necessary energy to power the technique, with perhaps a tad less potential this time around. "Ten-shou...!"
COMBATSYS: Hotaru can no longer fight.
> /////// ]
|==-----\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Hotaru's Ten-shou Ranki.
> ///// ]
|===----\-------\0 Kain
Kain tenses his legs as he sees Hotaru approaching, but at the last moment he decides to weather the assault rather than try to get out of the way. In his battered state he might not be able to make it in time. He is, however, able to bring his arms into position to deflect Hotaru's kick yet again. Hotaru's condition may also make it a bit harder for her to strike to the utmost of her ability... Either way, Kain manages to fend off the assault, shoving the girl away once her attack has failed.
With both Jiro and Hotaru having fallen, Kain waits for a moment to be sure they won't be getting back up. He then turns to face the statue of Marie. Looking at it for a long moment. Perhaps Geese has some words he wants to say? Kain doesn't really care. And he won't be hanging around to make any speeches of his own, either.
COMBATSYS: Kain has ended the fight here.
How... unexpected.
But not by much. Geese can't even muster up the effort to look surprised as Kain overcomes the odds. This certainly isn't the first time and, Howard knows well... Kain has good reason to excell this time around. And so, the King of Southtown just permits himself a calm smile as he watches the end of the fight unfold before him, to Jiro's headstrong rushes to Hotaru's desperate, last-ditch gambit. It's close. But still, Geese knows the winner before it even happens.
"Congratulations, Kain Heinlein."
The second the fight is over, Howard is applauding. Soon enough, as if by command, the rest of the audience joins him, cheering on the winner. And for all intents, Howard certainly /seems/ sincere. "You overcame all the odds. I'm impressed." Geese pauses here, icy eyes looking behind him towards the statue just as Kain does, lips pulling into a small frown. A long moment of silence passes.
"Marie Howard would be very proud of you. Thank you."
Geese turns to leave, looking touched, moved -- and absolutely solemn as he leaves the memorial.
"You've given my wife a wonderful gift."
Log created on 18:59:12 08/09/2008 by Jiro, and last modified on 17:24:34 08/14/2008.