Description: Improvisation 101! Gen/Chae Lim vs Kain/Mizuki
Saturday Night Fight is a weekly celebration of the fighter's art. A celebration of the finest in human achievement, enshrining the greatest and the most skilled.
And that, say the people responsible for saying such things, is /the/ reason for tonight's battle. In an arena filled with all manner of items, our fighters must use what surrounds them to maximum effect. A true fighter must be adaptable - and thus, tonight's SNF main event is all about the art of /improvised weapons/.
The fact that it coincides with a Jackie Chan film festival on the new Howard-owned cable network, and the grand opening of a new local Southtown mega department store (the sponsor for the contents of tonight's arena) is entirely coincidental.
Entirely.
And so the TV cameras come on in Howard Arena, broadcasting live to a worldwide audience. Before the cheering crowd, the floodlights illuminate the arena floor. Normally a wide expanse of stone and concrete, the fighting ground is now done up like some kind of warehouse as designed by the architectural firm M.C. Escher & Sons. Huge towering shelves, some of them looking very rickety indeed, are crammed full of all manner of improbable household items. There's kitchenwares, pots and pans and toasters and blenders, there's ceramic flowerpots and vases and artfully arranged shrubbery, bathroom fixtures - including an array of polished white toilet bowls sitting primly along one side of the arena, next to an overstuffed sofa and coffee table.
There's even the better part of a /car/ suspended by long dangling chains from the arena ceiling, the tires parked on empty air.
And sitting on the hood of said automobile is the small figure of an old Chinese man, his legs crossed, his arms folded in the fabric of his long sleeves. As one spotlight in particular shines upon him, Gen arches one white eyebrow.
"Hmph," he says, primly.
Adaptation, that's the keyword here, isn't it? Improvisation when in a fighting situation? Chae Lim is rather skilled when things are straightforward. The technicalities of her style are no issue for her. It's been a long time since she's had any trouble at all with the technical aspect of Tae Kwon Do.
The issue has always been that she's got a lot of difficulty learning how to adapt in odd situations -- which is why she's balked at the costumes she's been given, or the rather strange candy factory she was sent to fight in not long ago.
Today is different though! Today, she's in an arena. Albeit an arena that looks like a warehouse of crates has vomited all over it. This has the Korean girl pinching the bridge of her nose as she makes her way through the maze of housewares, plants and toilet seats to stand in the middle of an open space.
"Huh..."
At least she's comfortable in her gi this week!
As of late, Mizuki has been dealing with... -odd- pairups in her Saturday Night Fight bookings. It's as though they have a perverse idea of who the miko should be paired up with--characters like Katana, Birdie... and now... now Kain. Kain R. Heinlein, a legend amongst fighters. Kain is quite well-known, particularly for his SNF efforts, at least as far as Mizuki knows. And... the theme of the fight... improvisation. It is not Mizuki's strong suit.
The area of Howard Arena has been... filled... with things. Furniture, appliances, things like that. The redhead is looking around a little dubiously; there's no extremely clear path to her opponents, and while she doesn't know much about Gen, she can tell just by looking at him that he is dangerous. Extremely dangerous. She would like nothing more than to simply leave Gen to Kain, though she doesn't feel all that sanguine about her chances against ChaeLim. She remembers the Tae won Do-ist...
... and not -terribly- fondly. But the incident that sparked those feelings was long ago, now; Mizuki smiles, as pleasantly as she can, to ChaeLim.
For once, she feels able to just wear her usual fighting outfit, the heavy pleated pants in red and the gi-robe top in white, the sleeves rolled back, hands sheathed in red fingerless gloves and her feet shod in white cotton socks and formfitting bamboo slippers.
No sign of Kain yet, but she's resolved not to worry about that.
Teaching isn't exactly Kain's forte. Neither is improvisational combat. Kain never has to worry about being unarmed, for one thing. Still, he should be able to provide his 'student' for this match with some instruction. Probably of the 'sink or swim' variety.
Howard Arena is a bit more cluttered than Heinlein is used to, and he quickly notices upon entering just how much effort has been put into this. Not that he really cares, but he does notice it. He weaves his way around a few furnishing placed directly in his path to the arena floor proper, stopping a short distance away from Mizuki. Like Gen, Kain doesn't seem to be much for words at the moment. In fact, he doesn't even look in Mizuki's direction. It looks like she might as well not even be there, as far as Kain is concerned. Chae Lim seems to be in the same boat; it's only Gen that Kain seems to show any particular interest in. Not surprising, given the aged martial artist's abilities.
Sitting high above the arena, Gen has a good vantage point to study the other fighters in turn. He leans forward a little, such that he can peer over the side of the airborne car, past the chains that keep it hanging in the air...and down at the arena floor.
The floodlights of the arena glint off his long purple robe, a traditional Chinese changshan. The garment shifts as the old man lifts a bony finger, tapping the side of his face.
Gen eyes his opposition. "A Westerner, a Japanese, and..."
His gaze shifts to the young woman wearing the distinctive garb of a Tae Kwon Do practitioner.
"...they give me a /Korean/ child, hmm?"
He speaks her nationality as if he's somewhat dubious about it.
"Well, girl," Gen says, "let's see what you have, hm?"
Then he turns his attention to the other man who's just entered, the imposing presence of Kain Heinlein. Gen favours the younger man with a broad and toothy smile.
It shows too many teeth.
Others make their way past the various pieces of furniture toward her, but Chae lim does not look at all concerned. Doe brown eyes flit to different points in the mess of the arena, trying to find any vantage point that may suit her needs later on. It is not until she is spoken to that she looks upward and sees the dangling vehicle.
Lashes flutter for a moment, a hand brought up to shield her eyes from the floodlights so that she's able to focus in on the man that is meant to be her partner for this match. No words are spoken in return, she simply nods, eying him warily for a moment or two; uncertain as to whether he's attempting to insult her by putting such an emphasis on her nationality. She may not show it all that often, but the Korean girl is fairly proud of her heritage.
Lowering her hand, she swivels on her heel to face Mizuki. A friendly smile is offered in return, though it does seem a little forced. It would seem that she remembers the miko as well.
Attention is not given to Kain. She knows the man is here, she watched him weave around the furniture, but he seems unconcerned with her, and that suits her just fine for the time being.
She had expected as much from Kain, had steeled herself for a cold reception. Which is not to say that it doesn't hurt. A little. Not too much; she remmebers the last time she saw Kain, and his protege Dante... and of course she's heard stories about how he treated Jiro. So she's not exactly -happy- about being around him.. but she hopes he, at least, won't turn on her and burn her into a cinder. She thinks. Maybe.
The redheaded priestess nods to Kain as he makes his entrance, but otherwise makes a show of ignoring him as well, to show that she, too, is strong. It is entirely likely the fight the fight will end up being Gen vs. Kain and ChaeLim vs. Mizuki, judging by the intensity with which Kain focuses his gaze on Gen, and and Gen turns that wizened smile at Kain.
Likewise, Mizuki turns towards ChaeLim, as if signaling--you and I are going to be 'partners' for this dance...
She assumes her fighting stance, raising her arms up, leading with her left, hands flattened, a rather standard sort of fighting stance.
Despite the major threat that Gen represents, Kain still faces him with his usual, deceptively casual stance. He shifts his weight, slipping the thumb of his left hand loosely into his pocket as he glances about the arena at the various furnishings and other items that have been scattered about. They're all almost surely inferior weapons compared to his flames, but under the right circumstances some of them could be useful. Hopefully those circumstances will come up. Of course, if the situation doesn't arise on its own, one can always force it...
Kain looks over a tall, metal floor lamp that happens to be sitting next to it. He grabs it fairly high up on its length, tilting it back and forth and peering at it while the fight announcers go through their prefight spiel. Is he considering buying it? Then the announcers start to wrap up and Kain suddenly tightens his grip and twists. Even as the call to fight is being announced, Kain hefts up the larger part of the lamp, letting the top clatter to the floor, flips it about in his hand, then hurls it toward Gen. The twisted metal at the broken point serves to make it a passable spear, at least against an unarmored target.
COMBATSYS: Kain has started a fight here on the right meter side.
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|-------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Gen has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Gen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Kain's Large Thrown Object.
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Gen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
...or at least it would, if the old man didn't have the utter gall to -catch the thrown weapon straight out of the air-.
Light glints off the burnished silver length of the broken lampstand as Gen twirls it in his hand. He stands, now, getting up from his cross-legged sitting position near the top of the arena, standing on the car that's suspended from the roof. He looks down at the messy warehouse sprawl.
This student business is only a matter of form, really, just an arrangement made by the SNF organisers, trying to make these match teams more interesting. It's not like the two men in this match really have any real responsibility to look out for the junior fighters. Certainly Kain doesn't seem to be paying his young charge much attention, if any attention at all.
Gen, though, is different. He casts an assessing eye over Chae Lim, then leans over to quite specifically waggle one slender finger at the Korean woman.
What sage advice is he going to give?
"Remember, girl," Gen says, pleasantly, "in the right hands, anything can kill."
With that, Gen spins the lampstand, and drives it to one side.
A horrible shriek of metal parts the air as Gen slams the length of steel into one of the chains holding his automotive perch in the air. Said chain breaks, a key link giving way. The whole car lists dangerously on its remaining supports, swaying left, swaying right - before everything comes apart, and the whole family sedan drops down from the sky at a chaotically spinning angle.
Straight for the man named Kain.
With Gen riding it all the way down.
Some years ago, a certain well-funded international tournament gave fighters the chance to prove their prowess by destroying an innocent automobile with their bare hands.
Today, here and now...
...the car gets its own back.
On Saturday Night Fight, car wrecks you.
So her partner is to be the little miko? The Korean girl offers no indication that she's being signaled to focus her attention upon Mizuki, though she too falls into her usual fighting stance. Though she's watching the miko, she's not unaware of what's going on around her. She's here not only to fight, but to watch and learn as well. The use of the lamp as it hurls toward Gen, the fact that her 'teacher' has caught the weapon... it's all very impressive. Not her preferred method of fighting, but this doesn't mean that she can't see the grace and beauty in such things. Her expression screws up at the sound of metal upon metal as the chain breaks causing the car to fall.
Unfortunately, while it's a rather showy and distinct way to start things off, it hinders what she was intending to do.
But that's part of the reason why she's continued to watch Mizuki.
Feet shift her forward, and she's suddenly unleashing two swift overhead axe kicks at her 'partner'. Her feet may not be the weapons intended to be used for this match, but why start off with adapting to the surroundings when you're comfortable with what you know?
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Gen 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Mizuki has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges ChaeLim's Neri Chagi.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kain
There are fights that Mizuki considers more like... conversations. Sparring with Alma, or Hotaru, or Frei--fights wherein the goal isn't simply to beat someone else, but to express one's self. Fights where the flow and ebb is as important as the strike and throw. This, however... is -not- one of those fights. Mizuki has that mindset on, right now, that this is 'just' a fight. So, her goals are different.
When ChaeLim comes at her with the axe kicks, Mizuki is ready. The flow is still important; she dodges first to her left, then, to her right, backing up as she goes, her feet lifting and planting smoothly, and then, just as ChaeLim touches down from the kicks, it's her turn to rush forward.
She seeks to get a grip on ChaeLim's body, shoulder and hip--and then, she'll lift the Korean up and turn, and slam her into the ground. Mizuki will follow her downwards, then, and as ChaeLim lands, she'll unleash a chopping left hand into the woman's sternum.
This is, of course, all predicated on ChaeLim being grabbed, successfully.
COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Kain with Large Thrown Object.
- Power hit! -
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ChaeLim 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Kain
The car has been waiting for this day. Its ancestor (or preceeding model, anyway) was destroyed at the hands and feet of fighters... now it will have revenge! Kain certainly notices the vehicle plummeting towards it, but thinks he has plenty of time to step out of the way. Unfortunately, he incorrectly judges just how much effect the spin of the car through the air is going to have. It's not until it's too late that Kain's eyes widen and he tries to move further... just before the car hits. The crash is booming, and fragments of stone fly up from the floor as Kain vanishes beneath the car to the sound of cracking stone and shrieking metal.
And underneath the car... Kain. Thank goodness they at least drained all the fluids before hoisting the car up there. But the car shouldn't be too smug in its victory. A moment later there's a rumbling, and then a pillar of black fire shoots up through the center of the car, piercing a hole through it. A moment later it flickers then explodes outwards, sending fragments of metal scything through the air. And, as convention requires, one lone tire bounces off, burning with black flame. It rolls off for a short distance, then wobbles and falls over as the flames flicker out. And at the center of the explosion, as the flames clear away, Kain is back on his feet... already looking rather scuffed up and with his suit torn up, even this early in the fight.
COMBATSYS: Gen blocks Kain's Thrown Object.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kain
The sound of a fading explosion echoes through the arena, the lingering presence of Kain's powerful chi lighting Gen as he settles to his feet some distance away from the burning car. Landing lightly, having sprung away from the wreck an instant before impact, Gen regards the results of his handiwork with a look of bemusement.
And, as the debris from the explosion flies towards him...bats it aside with a wave of the broken-off lamp he still carries. A few stray fragments of metal scorch the old man's robe and singe his hair, but beyond that there is little injury.
"Impressive," Gen murmurs, "Henlein. So you have /power/, hmm?"
He puts stress on the word, making it clear that it isn't - quite - a compliment.
Gen spares a moment to track his 'student', giving his head just enough of a tilt to watch what Chae Lim is doing. The Korean fighter seems to have her own duel well in hand - or in foot, as the case may be. Well, that's fine with Gen. Creative use of the environment might be what those television people want to see, but Gen certainly isn't here to enforce their rules.
But they had a good point, in this match of theirs. A real fighter can make /anything/ a weapon.
The old man spins the gleaming length of the broken lamp. Then he grounds the intact base end on the floor of the arena. And he /vaults/ with it, crossing the length of the aisle and flipping into the air at the apex. A performance worthy of the Beijing Olympics. Except most Olympians wouldn't do this with one leg fully outstretched, the heel pointing at another competitor. Namely, the athlete from Germany.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits ChaeLim with Hyouryuu no Koki.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim dodges Kain's Thrown Object.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kain
Knowing the vehicle is falling from the air in order to squish Kain is one thing. Having it explode from within, and send one of the charred and flaming front bucket seats, coupled with a pieces of metal from the door is another thing entirely. Car doors and seats are heavy an quite damaging, so the need to get away from this becomes more important than worrying about the little miko.
Twisting to the side allows her to avoid the debris, though just barely. It also puts her right in reach of Mizuki's grasp, where she's flipped and hits the ground. That part really isn't so bad. She's been flipped like that before. It's the follow through that's the pain, the chop to her breastbone sending a reverberation through her body.
Hands push onto the ground beneath her, flipping her up to her feet. There are a few things that she can do once she's standing, several items within reach. She could grab a toilet seat, but what good would that do? Flapping her opponent to death doesn't seem very viable at this point. There's a stool that she could jump on and crack, so that she could make a stake of sorts and try driving that into Mizuki... but that just seems as though it would make a bloody mess.
Reaching down, she takes hold of a chain. Drawing the chain toward her causes some other items to shift and fall to the ground, but she doesn't mind. Maybe that will cause enough confusion for this little improvisation to work. Attached to the chain is a rather tacky, spiky looking chandelier. Bulbs aren't included, which is very likely a good thing so there won't be much shattered glass to have to worry about.
Hefting the chandelier up into the air, she swings the heavy thing around like a large, bulky morningstar. Each swing brings her closer to Mizuki again and once she's within range she swings the dangerously spiky thing at the girl's torso.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges ChaeLim's Random Weapon.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Kain's Thrown Object.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Kain
There is little satisfaction in Mizuki's face as she lands her combination attack; there is some, of course, but it isn't like she's -overjoyed- to have hit Chae Lim like that. But she's trying to move away from certain modes of thought. To adjust her thinking. Chae gets some distance, and then that chained, spiky chandelier is spinning around and around, sweeping through the air at her, almost at the same time as Kain's car debris is flying at her as well.
It is... a dilemma of sorts, but one that is easily solved. The answer is... -hit the deck-. Which is just what Mizuki does; her eyes widen and she drops, rolling to her right as she watches that chandelier pass right over her, thankfully sweeping away the car debris.
Was that a -deliberate- action on Kain's part? Hard to say, though she highly suspects he wouldn't care if he did happen to strike his partner with the debris. That, however, is not relevant to the moment; Mizuki grimaces... and dodges around, picking up a heavy iron torch-stand... with which she simply charges at Chae Lim. Blunt end first, of course.
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks Gen's Light Kick.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Kain
Gen's leap is quite graceful, but the distance he needs to cover gives Kain time to prepare for his arrival. Gen's foot collides with Kain's crossed arms, and Heinlein doesn't budge under the impact. Once the attack is blocked and Gen begins to fall back from him, Kain quickly uncrosses his arms, drawing his right arm back for a moment. He quickly notes Gen's position, then thrusts his right arm forward to unleash a lance of black flame. That, however, is not the attack. No, it's telegraphed and somewhat easy to predict. But then, Kain is banking on that... and on Gen's reaction also being easy to predict.
Because a moment later Kain snaps his arm back again the lunges toward Gen, sweeping his arm horizontally between the two men. Black fire engulfs the entire limb and leaps forth from it, creating a wave of flame that follows in the wake of Kain's motion and hopefully washes over Gen.
COMBATSYS: Gen fails to interrupt Schwarz Cutter from Kain with Kirou.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
Gen dodges the first blast of flame, letting the battered light fixture he used to pole vault fall aside. The long red sash knotted round his waist swings as he moves, lending particular emphasis to his movements as he ducks around...but then his eyes widen as the second surge of spiritual energy comes. A feint! He drops his stance, his body falling close to the ground, feet balancing lightly on the arena floor. His hands lift, and---
---it isn't fast enough. The flame engulfs the old man, conceals him briefly from view. Wisps of fire spiral down the aisle, the heat merrily setting items on the nearby shelves ablaze. That's one stuffed animal that won't ever harm anyone, and it looks like those end tables are now safe for democracy. But what of Gen?
He's still crouched on the ground, singed from the burst of flame. He gives a hacking cough, spitting out a glob of phlegm as he shifts his posture, making a small gesture of acknowledgement to Kain. When he speaks, his voice is dry, with a hoarse quality to it.
"Good, boy, very good. But it appears the young ladies are getting into the spirit of this match...more than us fools. Shall we?"
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim dodges Mizuki's Random Weapon.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
Deliberating on what's deliberate in this chaos and what isn't is something the Korean girl really doesn't want to waste time on. For now, the fight between Kain and Gen is merely heard and not seen. Mizuki is proving to be a greater challenge than she surmised from seeing her fight in the past. It is a little bit of an annoyance, but Chae Lim always enjoys a good challenge, and seeing what other fighters can do.
What other fighters can do, apparently, is grab something big and potentially painful. When she spots the torch-stand, she once again slides herself to the side. Objects that are coming at her like a small freight train are easy enough to avoid apparently.
The dilemma here is that she's now behind the miko, facing the direction of the others. Choices again. This time, whether to kick herself around to face Mizuki, or go after a bigger fish.
It's then that she spots her 'teacher' being swallowed by flames.
That's probably not a good thing, right? He appears to still be standing and all, but that doesn't mean that was the best feeling in the world. Frowning, Chae Lim slips forward. With Kain's attention still hopefully upon Gen, she fires off three extremely rapid roundhouse kicks at the man's back. Not very sportsmanlike of her, but sometimes one has to forgo being a good sport in order to help another out.
The moment Mizuki sees she hasn't hit with the makeshift weapon, she tosses it forward, letting it take over the momentum as she skids to a stop, swirling up a cloud of dust as she turns, expecting Chae Lim to be coming after her... and yet she isn't, the Korean choosing to attack Kain. That is probably suicidal; a man of Kain's caliber won't be taken down by kicks like those.
All the same, Mizuki gets her momentum going again... and going towards Chae Lim. Now -she's- behind the Tae Kwon Do practitioner, building up momentum with each step. Chae Lim can likely hear her coming--her steps are not quiet--but perhaps she'll be too preoccupied to ask any questions until it's too late.
Hopefully, by then Mizuki will be pushing off, leaping into a low-aimed flying knee attack, the miko tucking her legs in tight and flying with knees first for Chae Lim's back.
As she noted, sometimes you have to forsake 'honorable' action to help someone else out.
COMBATSYS: Kain blocks ChaeLim's Ryuusei Raku.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
Kain quickly judges the distance between himself and Gen, and decides that he can spare a little attention to deal with Chae Lim's attack rather than just try to avoid it. With just his left arm Kain smoothly deflects each kick from the Korean girl, pushing the blows aside so that none of them manage to cleanly connect with Kain's body. Only then does he glance in Chae Lim's direction. "Taking advantage of an opponent's distraction. Well done." Or... is he actually looking /past/ Chae Lim? There, Geese, is that enough tutoring for you?!
There are bigger concerns for Kain to deal with, like Gen. And they /are/ supposed to be making use of improvised weaponry... Thankfully it doesn't take Kain long to spot something suitable. Reaching to his side he grabs a heavy wooden chair, swings it up over his head, then attempts to smash it over Gen's skull. Simple, really.
COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Kain's Random Weapon.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0 Mizuki
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Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
Simple.
Gen appreciates simple. There's a certain elegance to simple - the most direct application of force. After all, Gen is, or was, an assassin. And he knows that the only thing that matters is killing the other guy before he kills you.
Of course, the other guy will be doing his level best to avoid being killed. That's just how it goes.
Case in point.
There's incredible force in Kain's downward swing. Monumental force. The younger man is much more /powerful/ than the frail Gen, and it shows. But strength isn't everything, and the old devil moves like smoke, ghosting back a step, his soft fabric slippers whispering over the arena floor. As the chair closes in on him, he hooks his foot and ankle round the chair's back. And then he /flexes/ his leg, wrenching the seat out of Kain's grasp. The rear legs come off, left in Heinlein's grasp, but most of the wooden chair is intact as Gen juggles it.
Catches it.
And, twisting /over/ Heinlein, over even Chae Lim behind him, goes completely aerial...
...and comes down towards Mizuki, plummeting earthward with the piece of home furnishings that was intended for /his/ skull now aimed at /hers/.
"Oh, well done," Gen cackles loudly, "WELL DONE INDEED!"
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim full-parries Mizuki's Heavy Kick!
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ChaeLim 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
Were it not for the way Chae Lim is watching Kain, chances are that she would have only heard Mizuki when it was too late. The look that goes past her though is a glaring indicator that something is headed in her direction. The Korean girl swivels about in time to spot the knees coming in toward her torso, yet this doesn't deter her. Hands link together to strengthen the push which swings upward in a circular motion to knock the flying girl off course with her body.
At a side angle to the miko now, Chae Lim allows a brief smile before her face takes on the more serious expression she's known for while fighting. "I would lecture you about coming at someone from behind," she states, her own knee coming up across her chest as she chambers it, "If I had not just done the same thing." She would wink, or grin if Mizuki wasn't still past her.
Without wasting time in closing distance, the Korean girl fires off a sharp vertical kick. Her goal seems to be to knock the girl toward Gen.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges Gen's Random Weapon.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Mizuki blocks ChaeLim's Kuu Sa Jin EX.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
It's the cackle that alerts her; Mizuki, even deflected, remains calm; rather than falling out of the air in an ungainly manner, she thrusts her feet downwards, touching down with a wide stance. Chae Lim's little pronouncement earns a small smile from the miko. "I don't like doing it," she acknowledges, "But that is the way battle is, sometimes." Of course, while she's talking, here come Chae Lim with that flying kick...
And Mizuki elects to bring her arms up. But then, she hears Gen's cackle, and it seems to be right above her, so she changes her plans just a tad. Just as Chae Lim's kick strikes, Mizuki leaps backwards, borrowing the momentum... releasing a small 'phew' as she sees the chair strike right where she was.
For her part, though, she concentrates her chi--finally deciding to take the fight to an old man, because old men who know martial arts have a danger level that is proportionate to their age--and then she's sweeping her arms forward, unleashing a short-ranged, roiling wave of blue-white icy chi at the form of Gen.
Positions seem to be changing rapidly in this fight. After Kain has his weapon snatched away from him he turns to follow the assassin, the broken legs of the chair still gripped in his hands. But now Gen has cleared up quite a bit of room between them, leaving Chae Lim the closest person to Kain... and she's already running in after Mizuki. Well, if he's going to have to go through her in order to get to Gen, there's no sense in wasting time, is there?
Kain briefly glances down at the chair legs he's holding, noting that the broken ends are rather jagged. Not exactly an ideal stabbing weapon, but probably enough to draw blood. Especially if there's enough force behind it. So he holds onto them as he runs up behind Chae Lim, spreading his arms wide. Once he catches up to her he brings both of his arms swinging in toward her, the broken ends of the chair legs facing inwards. His aim is to stab them into her from both sides at the same time. Let's see just how effective they are!
COMBATSYS: Gen fails to interrupt Hyouryuu no Fuki from Mizuki with Gekirou.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0 Kain
Positions change wildly indeed. Gen narrows his eyes - milky white with the distinct cloudiness of cataracts, but still, somehow, possessing sharpness all the same. Even as Kain attacks Chae Lim, Gen sets himself to defend against a wave of blue-white energy moving towards him, courtesy of the little priestess named Mizuki.
The old man's feet are light on the ground. He twists the broken-off weight of the wooden chair he stole from Kain, spinning it from hand to hand. As the Japanese fighter unleashes her attack, Gen -moves-.
But he doesn't reach her. The icy energy smashes into his lean frame even as he makes a powerful leap, flecks of frost cutting into the elderly fighter and staining his beard whiter than it already is. He just barely avoids crashing into the floor with his abortive jump, instead catching his balance by slamming the chair remains hard into the arena tiles, using that for support.
"Heh, heh, heh," Gen chuckles, hanging his head, "so you -can- teach an old fool. What else do you have, girl?"
COMBATSYS: Kain successfully hits ChaeLim with Random Weapon.
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ChaeLim 1/=======/=======|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Kain
Preparing for another incoming attack from Mizuki, the Korean girl is definitely NOT expecting to be impaled with pieces of a broken chair. The sharp legs of the chair jab into her sides. They don't slide through the thick material of her gi, but rather push the material INTO her body as they force the breaking of skin. Thankfully, they don't go so far as to slice into anything vital, but there are two matching bloody spots on either side of her top now.
With a sharp intake of breath, and a rather loud shriek following it, she drops to the ground.
Chae Lim cannot allow things to end like this though. Despite the injuries, despite the pain that's flowing through her body and telling her to give up, she doesn't. She sets her attention on Kain, yanking the pieces of chair leg out of her clothing. "AUGH!"
Though she's watching Kain, the true opponent that she will be coming after is much smaller. Swinging herself around with a kick, she lashes out at Mizuki with a barrage of kicks, hand chops, and well... more kicks. At the end of her frenzy, she shoots off another vertical kick, then drops to her knees again.
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim successfully hits Mizuki with Hou'ou Tenbu Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\1 Kain
There's a momentary wince--that looks -very- painful. Then again, Mizuki has some pain coming her way, too, in the form of Chae Lim. She tries her best to get out of the way, but Chae Lim is simply moving too fast; all Mizuki knows, for a precious few seconds, is that he is being kicked, and kicked, and kicked a little more.
Somewhere in there, she blacks out; it's only a moment later she comes to, having fetched up against a stray office desk. "... ooh, wow," she murmurs, as she reaches up, grabbing the edge of the desk, pulling herself up. Her clothes are a little dusty, some wear and tear visible, but she isn't concerned with that now.
It's a fraction of a moment to recenter herself, and then she crouches and leaps. Predictably, she leaps at Chae Lim, uttering a sharp kiai as she extends the balls of her right foot for Chae Lim's forehead--meeting kick for kick.
Chae Lim's little stunt, facing off against Kain after that last attack, then using it to catch Mizuki off guard, manages to impress Kain. Enough that he leaves the girls alone to fight, rather than capitalizing on the wounds he's already inflicted on Chae Lim. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Gen just got sent stumbling in an icy blast. Kain immediately released his grip on the chair legs after stabbing, as they really don't serve him that well as weapons. No, he makes his own weapons.
Like right now, as Heinlein dashes across the arena floor toward Gen. There's plenty of items that could be used as weapons, some sharp, some nice and heavy, but Kain passes them by. Well, except for a couch. That he uses to gain some height, leaping up onto it and then higher into the air. He flips toward Gen and then starts to come down with his right leg extended, black flames trailing back from his foot as he rockets down toward the spot where Gen is supporting himself with a chair.
COMBATSYS: Gen blocks Kain's Schwarzer Stob.
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ChaeLim 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Kain
Like Kain, Gen doesn't seem inclined to intervene in the clash going on at the other side of the battleground. The two younger fighters are busy beating the living daylights out of each other, the sounds of their exchange carrying across the cluttered floor of Howard Arena. Gen gives a small shake of the head, his body language making it clear he is content to let the two young women resolve their competitive differences via the time-honoured method of percussive physical debate.
At least for now.
His attention, then, focuses on Kain Heinlein.
As the man comes down toward him, Gen kicks the broken chair aside, letting it clatter to the floor. He sweeps his right arm up, his long sleeve cracking in the air as he intercepts the kick, knocking it off-target and away from his body. The flame sears into Gen's changshan, burning through the garment with clear wisps of smoke. It must have damaged the old man - but his face reveals no sign of pain.
Instead he continues moving. From a deflection into a spinning leap, using Kain's own leg like a pivot point. Gen lands briefly against one of the towering shelves filling the arena floor, stacked to the brim with assorted household merchandise. The sudden impact causes the whole thing to totter and overbalance, sending boxes crashing to the ground. But by then Gen's leapt again, up and into the air. He rebounds off the ceiling of the arena, high, high above, his form almost lost in the bright floodlights shining from above. When he descends, it's out of the light, out of the blind spot, falling like a stone towards Kain. Gen drops vertically, straight down, almost standing in the air - legs pressed together and feet heading for Heinlein. Gen's arms are held in front of him, his hands composed in what would be a meditative posture, were there not so much violent intent.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits ChaeLim with Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Kain
Unsurprising that Mizuki would retaliate after what the Korean girl just unleashed upon her. What is surprising is the speed that the kick comes it. As the foot crashes against her forehead, it sends Chae Lim tumbling backward across the floor.
It's not enough to keep her down, though. Using the shelving to pull herself to her feet, she clings to it. The wounds inflicted upon her by Kain are actually hurting more with each passing second, getting another sharp wince from her. Much as she hates to admit it, she really can't move forward at the moment.
This is all about adaptability though, so when she's left unable to move all that well, she slides a crock pot from the shelf she's hanging onto. While she doesn't want to waste energy running around and attacking Mizuki again, she can certainly hug the shelf and toss something at her. Which is what she does, sending the crock pot flying toward the miko.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki dodges ChaeLim's Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 Kain
Improvise, right? Be creative. That's supposed to be the name of the game this time around. Mizuki hsan't done too much of that--time to live up to the billing. Mizuki looks at the incoming crockpot... and steps to her left, just about a half-second before it's about to pass her. But she doesn't just let it go by; she reaches out with her right hand, and snags the pot in her hand--and then she steps into a short spin, redirecting the flying crockpot, slinging it right at Chae Lim's torso.
She's careful to aim -for- the torso--better more injuries there than to risk a head injury. There's a world of difference between a foot and a crockpot in terms of hardness, after all, but the pot is still moving pretty damn fast for all that it's a heavy crockpot.
COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Kain with Kouga.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=======\======-\1 Kain
Without Gen's body to stop it, Kain's kick slams into the arena floor with stone shattering force, sending fragments flying out. Thankfully he doesn't actually get stuck there. Not that that ends up helping him much. Kain spins about in an attempt to follow Gen, but the older man is already making his way up, up, up. Kain makes the mistake of following Gen with his gaze, momentarily dazzling his sight as he looks right into one of the floodlights. He doesn't need to see to know that something's happening, though. He brings up his arms in what he hopes is the proper position to brace himself against Gen's descent, but he's wrong. Gen slams into Kain's upper chest with both feet, driving Heinlein down into the floor with a loud thud.
Kain isn't just going to lay on the floor and let Gen stand on him, though. A flash of blue light engulfs Kain's entire body, and then a wave of energy suddenly launches upward... and if Gen hasn't gotten out of the way, he'll be carried up with it until it suddenly explodes around him... and then another wave of energy forms above him to slam him right back down into the floor. By which point, of course, Kain has already rolled out of the way.
COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Kain's Himmlischer Atem.
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
The blast of energy lifts Gen clean off his feet, sending the old man into the air. Or so it seems, or so it appears. Because while the movement is almost too fast for the television cameras to pick up, the assassin's hands are still pressed together, fingers extended, curled upon each other. And his legs are bent, curled in the follow-through from a distinct kicking motion.
A second before the energy wave would have taken him, Gen /jumped/.
And he spins in the air, rolling to one side, evading the descending blast as it turns, crashing back to the earth. The trailing end of his long Chinese garment and sash twist around Gen's body as he touches down, coming to rest atop the fallen debris littering the arena. He stands like some kind of ancient sage upon a mountain peak.
Except in this case, the mountain in question is actually the battered box of a Dr. Tran Goes To Mount Doom Playset, with special limited edition Fellowship of the Tran action figures.
But that's not the point.
Gen lifts his hands, striking a distinct pose, one hand drawn back, the other chambered to strike.
Gen pauses long enough to look over to where the ladies are fighting. The old man yells to Chae Lim:
"GET her, Korean girl! Are you going to let a Japanese beat you, hm?"
And with that rather dubiously political encouragement, the old man is /on/ Kain, rushing the other man. As he strikes, his arm accelerates into a flurry of punches, hitting again and again and again.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki successfully hits ChaeLim with Thrown Object.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
ChaeLim 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
The yell of 'Korean girl' has Chae Lim snapping her attention to Gen. This, of course, means that she's not moving out of the way of that crock pot, and it crashes against her midsection with a sickening crunch. Atop of bleeding out both sides, she's now got a few broken ribs, she's certain.
The Korean girl has quite decided that improvisation and adaptability are useless things. Had she been fighting the way she normally does, she's well aware that things very well could have been going more in her favor.
After hitting her, the crock pot falls to the floor. The metal casing comes off first, the ceramic pot within shattering as it hits the cement. Of the lid there is no sign, but it's very likely rolled off into some dark corner behind another appliance.
Glaring at Mizuki now, the Korean girl steels herself for what she is about to do next. Pain is pushed aside, she takes several deep breaths and then closes her eyes. In that instant, she makes a flying leap-kick toward Mizuki, not really caring where it's going to land on the girl... so long as it lands. Then she's lashing out with a series of snap kicks, thrust kicks and roundhouses, to the point that she's beginning to slow down. As she starts to slow, she fires off another axe kick and then steps back to clutch at her midsection.
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim successfully hits Mizuki with Kuuchuu Hou'ou Kyaku.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
Apparently Gen is a lot better at inspiring his 'student' than Kain is at inspiring his. (Is this any surprise?) Mizuki, quite simply, zigs where she should have zagged--and she pays for it. She pays in spades, and she pays in pain. It is as if she is suspended in midair for the intense flurry of strkes, until that last axe kick--that one slams her into the flooring, bouncing her up and away--not a huge amount, but it is a testament to the power behind the young Korean woman's kicking abilities.
Somehow, Mizuki manages, during the bounce, to flip out, to right herself, to land in a crouch... gasping.. and dripping blood from the corner of one mouth. And for all that... she doesn't rise for a bit, taking a breather. Probably, given the fact of Chae Lim's painful stance, Mizuki should be attacking...
But she just got gobsmacked pretty damn hard. It was, at the least, an amazing display of kicking potential. Mizuki appreciates the chance to see it--she just wishes she could have seen it performed on someone else...
COMBATSYS: Mizuki gains composure.
[ \\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Kain with Hyakurenkou.
[ \\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kain
For a very brief moment, it looks like Kain is going to be able to block the strike from Gen. His arm is moving into position as Gen's fist shoots forward... and then he does manage to deflect the punch. The first one. The second one strikes Kain in the jaw, and after that it's all over. The blond man staggers back as he's struck with blow after blow from Gen's rapidly darting fists. Finally he manages to stumble back and out of range, reaching up with the back of one hand to wipe some blood away from his mouth. Kain's mouth is a thin line as he begins circling Gen, looking for the best angle of approach.
Obviously, Kain doesn't have long to try and find that angle, so as soon as he thinks he sees an opening he rushes forward. A quick sprint closes the distance between the two men, but then Kain suddenly darts to the side, plants one foot and pivots back about toward Gen. As he does so he snaps his free leg out at Gen in a sharply angled kick. Fire swarms across his leg, preparing for an explosive release should Kain make contact.
COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Kain's Schwarze Lanze.
[ \\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kain
Except it doesn't land. Contact isn't made. Gen isn't there. The old man moves like smoke, slipping an arm to hook round Kain's leg, redirecting it away with his hand and forearm. The heat from Heinlein's powerful aura scorches Gen's clothes and hair even further, but the Chinese assassin simply ignores it. He disengages, then, slipping beneath the leg and out from under.
As he does this, Gen gives a faintly disapproving shake of the head in Chae Lim's direction.
"Attention span, girl."
This coming from a man who's /criticising another fighter's technique/ while locked in close combat with Kain Heinlein?
Apparently, yes.
Because Gen's still quite able to, as he talks, swing a hand flexed in a mantis-style strike to Kain's torso, aiming for the critical nerve junctions around the lower ribcage.
It seems all the fighters involved, with this match at the critical stage, have abandoned the use of so-called improvised weaponry.
And are doing their level best to maim each other with fists and feet.
"S...sorry," Chae Lim replies to Gen, still clutching at her midsection. She's in a world of pain right now, and she's struggling to stay conscious. Her attention span was lacking though, because she should have seen that crock pot coming toward her rather than allowing words to draw her focus. It was rather embarrassing, but in the end, survivable.
Though she doesn't want to move in and attack the miko while she's simply trying to catch her breath, she figures it's going to be now or never. Chances are that she'll fall onto her face soon enough, and just stop moving. So it's important to fight her hardest while she's still standing. Wincing as she does so, the Korean girl spins around and sends rather heavy chop toward Mizuki's neck.
"YAH!"
COMBATSYS: Mizuki interrupts Medium Punch from ChaeLim with Hyouryuu no Gari.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\ < > //////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Kain
Improvised weaponry is no match for the skills one has practiced endlessly and incessantly. The improvised weapons are... -props-, really. That's it. Yes, they're dangerous, and they can cause real damage--Chae Lim can attest to that--but in reality, what's far more dangerous are the fists and feet of Kain Heinlein, Chae Lim, the man known as Gen, and Mizuki Kamigawa, at least int his match. There are fighters who specialize in improvisation, but even that isn't just grabbing any old thing off the ground.
(Don't tell Cody.) This is a moment that could be the decider in this fight, at least in the microcosm of the fight that is between Chae Lim and Mizuki. The chop -does- strike--but Mizuki is already tensing the muscles of her throat. More importantly, she's already grabbing Chae Lim by shoulders.
Not only grabbing, but pulling forward too, the miko gritting her teeth against the impact to her neck. But she has a goal; she pulls, forward, and shifts her body to her left, tripping Chae Lim over her right leg, still extended... and following the Korean to the flooring one more time.
There's no chop this time, though--just a burst of that icy blue chi that is her signature, flash-freezing Chae Lim for a moment as Mizuki rises to her feet again, breathing heavily, reaching for her neck to rub it.
COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Kain with Strong Punch.
[ \\\ < > //////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Gen 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\1 Kain
As Gen's hand strikes out toward him, Kain attempts to twist out of the way. He's almost successful... but with the mantis-style strike Gen can fairly easily adjust for an opponent's movements until the very last moment. Kain grunts in pain as he stumbles back yet again, his left hand clutching the point of impact on his lower chest. He coughs as he takes a few more steps backwards, trying to keep some distance between himself and Gen until he can get back into full fighting form.
Luckily that doesn't take long. During the time that it does take, Kain has a moment to spy Mizuki sending Chae Lim crashing into the floor. Well done. Not that Kain is going to waste breath actually saying that. He lifts his left hand away from his chest, bringing his right hand in close to it. He takes a deep breath as he draws both hands away from his body... then suddenly thrusts both of them toward Gen. There's a flare of blue light as he starts to push them out, and by the time Kain's arms are fully extended a solid beam of blue chi is firing out from his palms toward Gen in a focused blast.
COMBATSYS: Kain successfully hits Gen with Himmlische Seele.
[ \\\ < > //////////// ]
ChaeLim 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Kain
Fast.
That's all Gen has time to think as the highly-compressed spiritual force slams into his body, lifting him up and throwing him back. The Chinese man tumbles, smashing painfully into a display of garden ornaments. Pottery shards pinwheel in the air as Gen crashes among the somewhat tacky decorations, finally coming to a halt against a small flock of plastic flamingos.
"Hmph," Gen spits, as he claws his way out of the debris. He wipes a trail of blood coming down the side of his face, smearing a crimson patch across one sleeve.
His senses tell him that the battle between Chae Lim and Mizuki is just about finished, one way or another. He doesn't need to look to know that.
His attention is on Kain, though. The assassin briefl adopts a crane stance as he sizes the younger man up, one leg raised, arms curled.
Then he leaps.
Gen flips into the air, landing on the tall green length of a plastic Christmas tree. This flexes dangerously beneath his weight, but the old assassin only rests there for a moment before he's leaping again, rebounding off one shelf of gardening wares then another, crossing at an oblique angle until he comes at Kain in a powerful flying kick.
This is almost over.
One way or another.
Once more brought down to the cement by the miko, Chae Lim considers just laying there and not moving. She considers it quite seriously, because the damage to her midsection is quite significant. She should let a medic take a look at her, stitch up her sides, bind her ribs. In comparison with this damage, pretty much everything else is just going to be a bump or a bruise.
Still... giving up now would be letting Gen down, and he has been a great teacher even though he's not said all that much. It almost reminds her of fighting by Master Kim's side again and it brings a faint smile to her lips.
For that reason, and that alone, she forces herself back up to her feet.
Then she does something so remotely simple, it's almost laughable. She tries merely to STOMP Mizuki down to the cement. The simplicity is in the movement, but the stomp is anything but ordinary. Her foot, swathed in a windy-chi creates a small explosion as it careens toward the ground. That in and of itself would be bad enough, but accompanying it is a rather large shockwave.
Unfortunately for her, the power of the shockwave also knocks her back to the ground, and this time, she stays down.
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Mizuki
> //////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Kain
COMBATSYS: ChaeLim successfully hits Mizuki with Haki Kyaku.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////// ]
Gen 0/-------/-======|=======\===----\1 Mizuki
> //////// ]
|===----\-------\0 Kain
The kick, she's expecting. That much is patently obvious--Chae Lim -is- a Tae Kwon Do fighter. The shockwave? Not so much--she yelps as she's kicked, and that extra oomph is transmitted through her as she hits the concrete. "Nnnh... god you hit hard," she mutters, in Chae Lim's direction. A compliment, really. When she rises, she does so not in a terribly graceful manner; her body is bowed, on the edge of defeat. She could expend her energies to heal herself--or Kain. Normally, that is exactly what she'd do.
But--different thinking. She takes another breath, finds Gen with her eyes... and then calls her chi. She isn't as strong in the usage of life energy as Kain--either in skill -or- raw potential--but she has what she has. Her attack is about as subtle as Kain's, which is to say, not at all.
Too tired to go through the whole dramatic shout and dance, nonetheless, she does release another kiai, as the building chi flares into her arms, surrounding them in a blue-white energy... and then she sweeps her arms forward, and unleashes her chi in a swirling torrent of ice that flares across the arena for Gen. Perhaps this will finish the fight... perhaps not, but at least the effort was made.
COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Kain with Ouga.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Gen 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
> //// ]
|=======\-------\0 Kain
"Guh!" is all that Kain manages to get out as Gen's foot is driven deep into his stomach. And then Kain is launched backwards, plowing right through several inconveniently placed shelves. For the first couple he literally goes /through/ them, although after that enough of his momentum is gone that he just knocks the rest over, ending up in a pile of broken furniture and knickknacks. Actually, it's kind of hard to see Kain in there, with all the stuff that's fallen on top of him. And some of it was pretty heavy.
For a moment it looks like Kain is out of the fight, but then one arm bursts out from the wreckage, a blast of black fire leaping out from Kain's hand and racing toward Gen. Kain keeps his arm extended for a moment afterwards... then it falls down limply. Okay, /now/ he's out of the fight.
COMBATSYS: Kain can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Gen 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Kain successfully hits Gen with Schwarze Flame.
[ \\\\\ < > ////// ]
Gen 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Mizuki's Hyouryuu no Arashi.
[ \\\\ < > ////// ]
Gen 1/-----==/=======|==-----\-------\0 Mizuki
The old man lifts one hand to his chin, stroking his wispy white beard. He watches as Kain vanishes beneath the fallen debris. That's it for Heinlein. The man is finished. He -must- be. Gen starts to turn, looking to where Chae Lim lies motionless on the arena floor. He opens his mouth, begins to speak...
...and then quickly snaps his head back as a massive burst of fire explodes from where Henlein was buried. Gen knows it must be the last-ditch attack of a rapidly fading man. But it's powerful all the same, roaring over the old assassin and nearly forcing Gen off his feet. He remains standing through sheer effort of will. But he sways dangerously as the last of the heat passes, smoke rising from Gen's form and from the charred flagstones at his feet.
His eyes are shut. His breathing is heavy.
So he doesn't see the see the burst of power coming from Mizuki.
Of course, he doesn't need to. He senses it. The spiritual distortion is unmistakable, and then there's the sudden drop in temperature and shift in the atmosphere...obvious in the wake of Kain's fire attack. So Gen moves, leaning to the side, as the cold wind passes him by, ice frosting his changshan.
The elderly assassin speaks. His is clearly the voice of an old man, weathered and worn. He has no problem, however, raising this voice above the roar of the crowd in Howard Arena.
"Now, child," he says to Mizuki, "we end this."
He's injured. Slowed down. Not at his peak.
Not that you'd know it, from the way he moves.
The only warning is his /words/. Because one moment he says that. And the next, he's almost at Mizuki. And the moment after THAT he's already past her, sliding to a halt. His whole body is angled low to the ground, his leading leg bent at the knee, his trailing leg stretched out. One of his hands is flexed in a focusing seal...while the other is fully extended, clenched in a fist.
Did he even touch Mizuki?
COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Mizuki with Zan'ei+.
+ Epic Hit! +
[ \\\\ < > ]
Gen 0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Mizuki
It only takes a moment to turn a grasp at victory into the ineffable. Facing down a man of Gen's caliber... it's serious. Serious business. What is at stake is not just a fight's outcome--it's her very life.
Who can fault her for failing to defend? She knows her own body--knows its limits, knows how close to the edge she is already. She is just as injured, if not more so, her body aching, screaming in agony from already-accumulated injuries.
And then Gen explodes her. It's literal, if not immediately visible. Mizuki is just turning towards Gen's position--when her body begins jerking. Explosions inside her, Gen's precise, skilled fingers striking pressure points in combinations she'd never even thought of...
Literally, her body explodes. She gasps--and a flood of rich blood comes from her mouth, staining her jaw, her clothing.
It's all she can do, all she can manage, to stay on her feet--and that is not an easy thing to do. There's a red haze, black tendrils creeping through. Mizuki would have just given up, a few months ago... but she's feeling something primal. Something deeper than defeat.
She screams--and icy chi explodes out from her, a single brilliant burst, flooding the arena to the maximum of its range before fading, shrinking down to a point... above where Mizuki's body lies fallen.
COMBATSYS: Mizuki can no longer fight.
[ \\\\ <
Gen 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Mizuki's Hyouryuu no Arashi EX.
[ \\\\ <
Gen 0/-------/-------|
And when the retina-searing light fades, when the last of the chill coldness recedes from the suddenly still arena...
Gen still stands, one hand lifted in front of him, fingers spread in a warding position. His other hand lies curled near his chest, formed into the half-ram seal.
The old man's head is bowed, his eyes closed. Frost rimes his body, covering him in a layer of bitterly cold whiteness. For a long moment, he makes no motion.
Then he breathes.
Flecks of ice cascade off him as he straightens. He composes himself, bringing his hands together. He regards Mizuki's collapsed form, studying her injuries with a critical eye.
"Hmph," Gen pronounces, finally.
She'll live.
Probably make a full recovery, too.
He lifts his head, regarding the audience, now.
"And what," Gen asks, "have we learnt today?"
Turning his back, he walks through the debris and destruction of the arena, passing the comatose forms of Mizuki, Chae Lim, and Kain without a second glance.
COMBATSYS: Gen has ended the fight here.
Log created on 14:34:48 10/19/2008 by ChaeLim, and last modified on 22:56:55 10/19/2008.