Description: The winds of change blow through this fight--Isamu's winds of chi and Setsuka's winds of fortune. The fight is every bit as exciting as it should be--reversals abound!
A blanket of darkness shrouds the sky, yet the stars light the way as there are billons of stars glimmering. Yet, the stars are blocked by the various lights from the lampshades and lamps hanging across the ropes at the sky. Few paper vases hang up and fireworks spark once in a while.
As night falls in the streets of Southtown, this usually is time for a festival of some sort that the people in Chinatown celebrate for. In particular, it was said that there was a fight to be had. The crowd of people have gathered together, cheering for the exhibition match to begin.
On one side, the young shopkeeper has his back turned, holding onto his staff. The fully extended metal staff glimmers with the light, then he takes a breath.
"You can do this, hon." This comes from a brown haired woman who approaches the violet haired man, straightening his shirt before she smiles. "...Just be okay, okay?"
A grin comes forth, then Isamu leans over to give the woman a kiss on the cheek, "Don't worry, Rini, I will be alright."
Turning around, Isamu faces the 'stage' and he slides his right foot forward, bringing the right arm bring the pole of the staff along his back. "Alright.."
How sweet. A crowd to watch this spectacle... the nighttime air is chilly, crisp--and it suits Setsuka just fine. The blue-smoke haze is starting to drift over the area, that acrid tone being added to the air. Isamu's metal staff versus Setsuka's ancient blade--possibly a very interesting fight. At least, for the spectators. Try as Setsuka might, she couldn't find much information on Isamu... though she didn't have much time.
The crowd is forced to part for her, as she strolls up onto the stage, just in time to see Isamu being told to be careful. Her smile brightens just a tad. And his... wife? Girlfriend? Daughter? is here to see... most excellent. Setsuka walks with a slow, easy precision to her mark. She might be sociopathic--she might be a murderer--but she knows how to behave. Mostly. She is carrying the longer katana, today, a thin, strong cord loop snug around her waist, holding the blade's scabbard in place--a contraption she devised a while ago. She also holds the scabbard in her left hand, the glove snug on her digits, giving her grip and the feel of almost-skin contact.
"Kimiyama-san, I presume," she says, mildly, as she sinks into her battoujutsu stance, the fingertips of her right hand rippling once before closing on the grip of her blade.
"Good luck," she says, sounding almost pleasant... not -actually- tacking on the 'not getting sliced up', because she doesn't mean that. She doesn't even mean 'good luck', really. It's just one of those social pleasantries. As she waits, she watches--staring with blue eyes, alert and careful...
COMBATSYS: Setsuka has started a fight here.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Isamu has joined the fight here.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Isamu
COMBATSYS: Setsuka focuses on her next action.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Isamu
Unfortunately, even with enough time, Isamu has actually remained well hidden within the sect of fighters. No one knows his origins other than that he is just a shopkeeper within the Southtown Mall district. Family man. Well, it is well known of his healing abilities through herbs. Other than that, nothing else.
A final glance towards his wife, then Isamu looks back towards his opponent. While the mysterious woman is given a look over, the young man's eyes fallen towards the katana. His eyes narrow once he sees the weapon, then he takes a deep breath.
The woman watching this fight, however, stares with wide eyes in horror at the sight of the blade. "...Isamu..."
The young man nods back towards his wife. "...Serenity... I'll be alright." His eyes shift back towards Setsuka, then he glares. "Alright, ready!"
When she brings her mind to an alert state, Eiji actually drifts closer to meet with the woman, aiming to charge right into the battle. He uses the staff as a polevault to send him shooting in the air, then he rolls over towards Setsuka, aiming to bring the staff down towards her head.
...Or not.
The staff actually releases from his hand to strike near her foot. Isamu, however, dashes down to the side, flanked towards her left. He quickly grabs the weapon and quickly swings it outward, aiming to snap against the back of her legs.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka fails to counter Quick Throw from Isamu with Oborozuki.
- Power fail! -
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Setsuka 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Isamu
Tricky. Setsuka is taken in by the feint; she looks up, and by the time she's realized just what Isamu has in mind, it's too late, and the strike to her legs forces her to her knees, painfully. She doesn't let the pain show, though, completing the fall, rolling smoothly to disentangle her legs from the staff. Painful, but not too much so... as she rolls, she digs her shoulder into the matting, then pushes up.
That brings her to her feet, and her eyes glitter dangerously. "First strike to you, Kimiyama-san. But can you keep it up...?" Dangerous words--she's already behind in this fight, and taunting Isamu might not be the best idea. But no one ever said she wasn't reckless at heart. Perhaps she's thinking of her first-round exhibition... the most horrid loss she's had, ever, at the hands of the singularly irritating Mignon.
It is soon that after the sweep of the legs that Isamu takes a step back, twirling the staff around in his grasp. Through the shouts and cheers of the people, Isamu tenses slightly, looking over towards the woman when she finally psuhes herself up from the roll. This will be quite a dangerous fight, especially since she fights with a blade.
Twirling the weapon around once more, Isamu looks towards the woman when she taunts him. "We will have to see how far I get in this fight, miss." As the young man closes up, Isamu is actually twirling the weapon around as he steps forward, spinning along while bringing the staff behind him and switches it over to twirl it over-head.
As he gets close, he immediately thrusts the staff out towards her head once.
Next, the twist of the staff starts to lunge out rapidly. Like a machine-gun, the staff rapidly thrusts and pokes at her direction, driving forth to strike at various points of the body as well as putting pressure on her.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka dodges Isamu's Shitsu.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Isamu
She's down in the fight, but the fight is -hardly- over. Setsuka reminds herself of that, sternly, a little mental talking-to going on in her head. The crowd is being mostly ignored--she doesn't -have- fans, except for those who are creepy and like blood. People who are probably kindred souls, except for their vulgarity. The swordswoman is still watching Isamu very closely--and as he comes with that thrust, she's ready.
Her movements are minimal--shifting left, then right, then left, twisting her head, taking steps left and right in order to avoid the jabbing staff. In fact, she's moving forward--once again not having the range advantage... damn staff-wielders. The last, stabbing attack finds her ducking, dropping her right hand to the floor as she kicks outwards, attempting to sweep Isamu right off his feet.
"I guess we will," she replies, even as she's attempting to scythe Isamu's ankles together.
COMBATSYS: Isamu interrupts Light Kick from Setsuka with Zetsu.
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Setsuka 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Isamu
This was actually foreseen, to be honest. Isamu did not exactly expect for the rapid jabs from the staff to be any effect on striking the woman. No, that was not what the young fighter was banking on. Instead, it was feinting her for the next attack that would come her for when she finally attempts to break through the defenses to sweep him off of his feet.
At least, it is successful on striking his leg, which earns a grimace from the young man as he feels a sting. However, that was what Isamu wanted, for he was maneuvering the staff around to twirl about for the real strike.
Stepping towards Setsuka, as if he was performing a dance, the young man swings the staff around, the motions becoming quicker with fluid motion. Striking forth against her chest, side, and face; the swing of the staff is like a whirlwind.
He finally stops, shifting back to his stance with the staff.
To say that Setsuka is... -displeased-... is to overstate the situation. Suddenly, she is bruised, and in pain. A lot of it. This is not how her fights are -supposed- to go. Rolling away once more, Setsuka is forced to disengage from Isamu... and yet... her eyes flash, and the blade is finally drawn, with that slick, high song of steel. Isamu's been using his weapon, and she hasn't... and that's just about to change.
Despite the katana--a heavy weapon, to be sure--she wields it one-handed, twirling it in her right hand, the blade still singing. She stalks around to her left, still twirling the blade.. and then she leaps, bringing it overhead. Now, her left hand snaps up to the grip, and she's bringing it down, cutting swiftly downwards. The blade looks almost like it's ready to cleave Isamu in half, but the cut is aimed not to kill--just to hurt. Maim a little, perhaps.
COMBATSYS: Isamu dodges Setsuka's Power Strike.
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Setsuka 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Isamu
This fight has been going well for Isamu, for the most part. He's still alive, but she hasn't used that blade yet. However, it looks like that is going to change. When she gives off that flashing look in her eyes, the young man grits his teeth and he shifts his gaze at the large katana. Eyes widen, Isamu grits his teeth and he readies himself for her next move.
...Meanwhile, Serenity is looking with a frighten look in her eyes as the katana is withdrawn. "...Isamu..." Her hands clamp together, twitching at the sight of the blade. "Be careful, Isamu!"
"I am!" Isamu glances over towards his wife, then he sees the woman bringing the blade down with authority his way. Isamu actually releases hold of the staff and then he twirls around in the air, twisting like a top away from the blade's trajectory before taking his fighting stance. The blade slams against the concrete, splitting the ground apart as the result. His right hand moves down while the left arm shoots up.
Then, he comes forth towards Setsuka, twisting up along the air with the same spin, except that he swings the right leg out across her face.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka counters Light Kick from Isamu with Shimatsuri.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Isamu
Setsuka straightens, lifting the blade out of the concrete--a neat line cut into it, testament to the sharpness of the blade. And as she rises up, she rises... right into the path of that kick. And it impacts. The impact comes, however, just as Setsuka's body flares blue-purple... and she seems to shatter like she were made of glass, blown into flinders of energy.
That energy, however, recombines behind Isamu--and her left hand is raised, with a shimmering blade of that blue psionic energy already forming. Isamu never gets a chance--she's on him immediately, slashing at his back, alternating between the blade of energy from her left hand and the katana in her right.
The slashing attacks come rapid-fire--her strokes are both elegant -and- vicious, cutting in no particular pattern, blood spraying free as she lashes out.
Whatever pain Isamu is feeling... she's drinking it up, enjoying it, as she wasn't able to do with Mignon.
As the foot strikes against the shattering form, both eyes widen in shock. There is something wrong here. That proves to be true when the woman immedately pieces herself back together behind Isamu.
Then, he can feel that strange energy. ...What the..?
The eyes widen as his mind is able to discern that energy. It is not chi. It is that other.. that psionic energy! The young mystic's eyes narrow back towards Setsuka, but he finds himself too late as she slashes against the back. The eyes widen when the searing energy and the katana blade release a splatter of blood across the field.
The agonizing pain causes the young man to hiss out, then he grits his teeth, before he lands on the ground, face first. This elicts the gasp of his wife, who is undoubtedly worried about her husband.
Clenching his fist, he rolls back up before he spins over to meet with Setsuka with a harsh back fist against her temple.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka blocks Isamu's Strong Punch.
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Setsuka 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Isamu
And she should well be worried, even as Setsuka's resheathing the blade. Setsuka actually hops off the ground just before Isamu's fist impacts--that, in addition to the interposed forearm, minimize the damage from the attack. It stings, but not as badly as perhaps it could--or should--have. And then she does something mildly amazing--reacting quickly, she seeks to grab Isamu's arm--and if she does, she'll pull herself up onto his arm.
From there, it's a simple full-body twist, an attempt to both wrench his arm and to hurl him to the concrete. Setsuka, herself, will leap off before he hits the ground, to get some distance; as she leaps, her left hand reaches for the blade's scabbard, to steady it, as she lands.
Her experiences so far give her ample information--her judgement of the battle situation is accurate, and unfortunately, she still has to give herself a failing grade.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka successfully hits Isamu with Quick Throw.
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Setsuka 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Isamu
As the back knuckle strikes against the interposed forearm. Thankfully for her, the damage is mild compared to how he would had planned to strike her. So instead, Isamu moves to find himself unable to react to the next maneuver that she performs.
As she pulls herself onto his arm, then he finds her body twisting about to wrench him into the concrete. The impact sends the ground shuddering as Isamu cringes. "Eghhh!" When she leaps off from him, the young man twitches a bit.
Immediately, Isamu launches himself up by kicking both legs up and shooting himself off of the ground to recover on both legs. Noticing his staff, Isamu immediately sprints towards the weapon. However, instead of grabbing it, he spins around and launches a kick against it, sending it flying straight towards Setsuka's path.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka fails to slow Large Thrown Object from Isamu with Kokuu Juuji.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Isamu
Something is making her off her game. This should have been easy--just cut through the staff, and unleash her power... make Isamu deal with it. But instead... instead, the end of the staff spins around where she expects it to go, and it catches her in the temple, snapping her head around and aborting her attempt at offense. Already, she's cursing herself, mentally...
This is NOT how her fights go. She should be better than this nobody, this pittance of a man. She is the product of years and years of harsh self-training. She is the culmination of years of potential. This should be an easy fight. And yet...
And yet she cannot deny the reality--Isamu is becoming more and more the favorite with every exchange, and as much as she would like to ignore it, the fact that the entire crowd feels like they're cheering for him doesn't... feel good.
There is something about this nobody. One cannot put their finger on it, but...
This simple man glances towards the woman as she is caught at the temple by the staff. As the staff clatters to the ground, the young man glances at the woman. Setsuka is observed carefully, as the shopkeeper keeps note of how to go about this fight. With the woman disoriented, Isamu has to take the chance on capitalizing on the attack.
This is where Isamu reveals something about himself. As he takes two steps forward, his motions become like a dance. The channel of energy radiates along his hands as the wind becomes harsher. A strong torrent of chi engulfs Isamu, wrapping around his hands like a funnel.
When he steps closer towards Setsuka, he shoots his right foot out, bringing his right hand underneath and upward. This triggers for the chi to manifest as a powerful gust whisking upward, shaping itself into a transparent blade to pierce upward against the woman.
"Nagiha!"
COMBATSYS: Setsuka dodges Isamu's Nagiha.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Isamu
Almost contemptuously, Setsuka sidesteps. The chi whips upwards, but only ruffles the skirt of her dress. If he thinks that makes him 'special'... admittedly, Setsuka's vision is -not- exactly unbiased. It wasn't before, and it isn't now--she's always held a very high opinion of herself. The real world will break that down soon enough, but it hasn't been done yet.
And then she disengages, again. Leaping backwards, she lands at the edge of the makeshift arena, almost, maybe five yards from the edge. She has to calm herself--she can feel the red haze rising in her mind, and she knows... she cannot afford the rage, right now. Not here.
It is an extreme effort of will for Setsuka to calm herself... slowing her hard-beating heart, resuming her stance, the scabbard in her left hand, the right hand wrapped around the grip fo the blade... and she beckons with her eyes.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka focuses on her next action.
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Setsuka 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Isamu
Unfortunately, the woman manages to sidestep away from the blade, Isamu has to react better. So, to recover, the young man reaches for his staff and flings it back to the distance to where he can easily recover it. Then, he back handsprings over towards the staff.
When he joins his beloved weapon, he spins around to face Setsuka, extending his right hand out to manifest the chi once more. This sends a signal of the wind to manifest once more.
"Shippu Zan!"
They become harsher, rippling into existance to rip against her body as the wind become like blades, cutting every direction around her.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka fails to slow Shippu Zan from Isamu with Large Thrown Object.
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Setsuka 1/------=/=======|=======\=------\1 Isamu
Maybe she -is- just that terrible. She hasn't even considered the possibility--but here it is, staring her in the face. Two fights in a row, both against people she considers... or would have considered... to be marginal at best. And she has been found to be lacking--severely lacking. Ruthlessly, though, she forces the poisonous thought from her mind, even as she's being ripped apart by Isamu's winds.
Her attempt to cut through the wind, literally, comes to nothing, and she's left looking foolish, slashing at nearly invisible air, only to be torn apart by the energy--an energy that just tears into her. It's only her willpower that keeps her from screaming; the sentiment is seen in her eyes, as she struggles to remain standing, her hate seething, control lost completely.
She finds her priorities shifting, suddenly, her mind drawn from rational thoughts...
After the winds rip apart the woman, Isamu recovers to his full position, now reaching for the staff. Twirling it into his grasp, the young man twists it about and then he sprints over towards the woman. He has to act fast, taking the advantage of the opening to strike her down.
He cannot do anything foolish. So, to press on with the attack, Isamu winds the staff back, then he launches himself forward, thrusting the weapon out to smack across her face, almost like a baseball bat.
Except, he doesn't.
Instead, it plants firmly into the ground and he launches himself off of the ground, using the staff to hold him up. Instead, he drives himself forward to plant both heels to her stomach.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka counters Medium Strike from Isamu with Random Strike.
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Setsuka 1/-------/=======|=======\====---\1 Isamu
In many fights, there are pivotal moments. In fact, a fight is made up of these moments--moments where the tide turns, where it surges, where fortunes are confirmed or reversed. This is another of those moments. Setsuka watches Isamu launch himself for her body, coming in a vaulting dropkick--and she watches like he's moving in slow motion. It feels as if she has all the time in the world... though things are really moving apace.
As Isamu comes in, Setsuka turns towards her right--showing Isamu her back, almost. The dropkick grazes her shoulder, and then, she's turning--aiding the deflection of Isamu's kick, rolling her body along his legs... and drawing her blade in a reverse grip.
A stabbing grip. Her eyes wild, barely restrained, she stabs the weapon into Isamu's body, again and again, maybe four times in all--and these are not precise strikes, like she usually uses. they are wild, dangerous strikes...
The tide is turning to favor Setsuka. This time, the fight is becoming more towards the point of allowing Setsuka to get a good blow on Isamu. When both heels graze the shoulder, he finds himself caught with her blade.
...And finds himself impaled. Four times.
Serenity is nearly having a heart-attack watching her husband get stabbed those four times by woman. "Isamu!" She shouts out, wanting to step into the ring herself.
The young man grits his teeth, coughing up blood as the rest flow down his body. Then, he falls onto a knee, taking deep breaths before he steps up to press himself forward. When he comes forth, Isamu is twirling the staff around, allowing it to twist into a funnel of energy. The chi wraps around the staff and he steps towards Setsuka, aiming to bring her into the force of the chi and then let the wind ripple against her in a cyclonic wave. All while he is twirling his staff, engulfed with the funnel of chi.
He will not fall to her.
He has to give it his all.
COMBATSYS: Setsuka dodges Isamu's Sakufuu.
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Setsuka 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Isamu
Who can say what drives 'skill'? What fortunes change in war? Setsuka's wild, unreasonable, unreasoning eyes are locked on Isamu, and it's as if she can see into him--a different kind of intuition. Perhaps it's just her imagination, that she can stretch her power to the point where she can literally divine his intentions. But it must seem that way to the young man, in this moment, as she backs away--the precise amount needed to avoid that storm of chi.
She moves as if possessed--and in a way, she is, this perhaps brief expression of nearly supernatural skill and agility probably so fleeting... but Setsuka works with it--no, within it--the blade coming out again, slashing once again, aiming for Isamu's already-abused torso with a single slash.
COMBATSYS: Isamu blocks Setsuka's Power Strike.
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Setsuka 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Isamu
Not good. Not good at all.
The technique produces no good results. Now, Isamu has to survive. He's bleeding along the torso and it is slowly weakening him. His body produces sweat to reveal his tired state. Panting, the young man grits his teeth while bringing the staff down.
...Until he notices her blade aiming for his torso. Rasing the staff once more, he brings both hands apart to capture her attempt to strike him, then he twists the staff around once more and then he pushes the weapon over, aiming to throw her off-balance while leaping back.
Springing up, he swings the staff underneath her leg to throw her off of her feet, then he aims to end it by slamming the weapon at her head.
COMBATSYS: Isamu successfully hits Setsuka with Kabari.
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Setsuka 1/---====/=======|======-\-------\0 Isamu
It's true--he does have to survive. That, however, will be made considerably easier by the success of his attack. Despite the 'wildness' of her mental state, and that pure, perfect meld of mind and body... she is still, in the end, an injured bird, and 'luck' can only hold out for so long. That light in her eyes wavers, as she is slammed to the concrete--and then popped in the head by the staff.
That -should- take her out instantly--in fact, her last attack is just her body working on the last vestiges of consciousness, the blade drawn one last time as she's falling, an indistinct arc of Psycho Power hissing outwards for Isamu's position... maybe.
Even if she were conscious her aim would be off, after all, but unconscious it's even worse. Thankfully she's not really awake to see just how sloppy her technique is..
COMBATSYS: Setsuka can no longer fight.
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Isamu 0/-------/-======|
COMBATSYS: Setsuka successfully hits Isamu with Kokuu Zan.
Glancing Blow
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Isamu 0/-------/=======|
That tinge of energy awakens once more, which brings Isamu to lift an eyebrow in surprise. She is still able to continue. This is quite a situation. When she draws the blade for one last arc of energy, the young man's eyes widen. Twisting the staff, Isamu immediately presses it against the ground and then he pushes himself back.
As the psycho power strikes, it only clips against the shoulder, which forces him to twist and turn before he crashes on the ground. "Ooof!" Rolling once more, Isamu staggers up to his feet, clutching onto his chest before the eyes shu.
...He can hear that he is declared the winner. He can hear the sound of cheering over his victory. But what matters to him the most is that he can feel the arms of a soothing warmth as he falls onto his knees.
Exhausted, Isamu collapses to his knees, only to be caught by the brown-haired woman, who is hugging against him.
COMBATSYS: Isamu has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:00:53 10/04/2008 by Setsuka, and last modified on 11:45:55 10/06/2008.