Description: Staged deep within the prison at Alcatraz island, the shining examples of Haggar and Hayato are responsible for mentoring their ALLEGEDLY wayward younger teammates. Unfortunately for Ayame and Suzume, this mentoring takes on the form of lots of painful punchings! ( Winners: Hayato and Suzume )
The Rock was not always a prison. It started as a light house. Then it became a military fortress before serving its time as a federal preson. Today it is a landmark, a national park. But the name continues to be associated with the harshest, most secure prison in modern history: Alcatraz Island. The prison buildings are old now, their stone foundations softened by decades of salt-water corresion. But that just lends itself to the reputation for horrid conditions anyone tends to associate prisons with.
In one of the main wings, in a wide corridor lined by multiple floors lined with empty, dark, dank cells, four combatants have been brought together for this team match. For all her reputation as a young hellion, Ayame has never actually been inside a prison. Much to the misfortune of many. The girl could probably use some education on the penitentiary system. That might be what the officials who organized the match had in mind bringing the four here.
Standing at one end of the cold corridor it is possible to hear the ocean outside when everything is still. Ayame half-closes her eyes, a six foot long titanium staff resting across her shoulders, her arms propped over the ends of it at her wrists. A smirk dominates her expression. She's found out she's being teamed up with the world famous mayer of Metro himself, Mike Haggar. "Glad I don't have a rap sheet in Metro," the teen thief mutters idly, rolling her eyes as she pulls the staff down off her shoulders to lean against her side.
The lighting is limited. The lights overhead barely illuminate the concrete floor and the narrow windows within the cells barely allow any sun at all to enter. "Cheerful place. It's getting locked in joints like this that'll drive people to crime, I swear," Ayame comments idly to herself with a dismissive wave of her right hand.
Suzume has seen a lot of things for being as young as she is, but-- like Ayame-- she can honestly say she's never seen a prison's interior before. She decides, rather swiftly, that she hasn't been missing out at all.
The young woman is punctual, gracious, and gives no one any trouble. It's her first showing in these sorts of sanctioned fights, and the staff therefore just assume that her pleasant demeanor-- shockingly rare among those who call themselves fighters-- is attributable to beginner's shyness. This, however, is not strictly true: the truth is firstly that it's simply her nature to be understated... and secondly, that she's not exactly here for the fame factor.
She seems, at the least, to recognize Ayame, and to be on friendly terms with her. Before the match, she had exchanged warm greetings with the girl, even though-- now that the fight is about to begin-- she's been ushered to the opposite side in preparation to oppose the young staff-fighter.
She waits quietly, with what appears to be a cane in hand. The smooth, polished wood gleams dully in what little light manages to make it into the penitentiary. She's heard she's been paired up with another famous weapons fighter, and though there seems to be no indication that she'll meet the general task set for her by Seishirou in this particular match, she finds herself curious enough to see the styles of these other professional fighters that the lack of appreciable reconnaisance can be forgiven.
Outside of Alcatraz, a storm rages, bolts of lightning crashing down from the sky, throwing harsh light in through the windows. A crack of lightning reveals the mountainous mayor standing behind Ayame, hands folded, hair impeccably combed, mustache precise and stately. His eyes are shadowed by his disapproving eyebrows. "Crime..." he rumbles out, his voice much like a boulder elbow-dropping a pile of bricks, "...drives itself to crime. Blaming society and conditions are the words of cowards who refuse to look into themselves!"
Haggar takes one step forward to clamp his hand down onto Ayame's shoulder, to make sure his next words drive home. "The jail system brings like with like, forcing people unwilling to see the evil in themselves to see the evil in others and realize their own. Have you thought about the path you're taking?" Haggar doesn't actually know what Ayame gets up to, only that she is 'kind of vaguely criminal'. It wasn't a lot to go on. Next time, he'll make louder noises about those information packets!
Hayato Nekketsu's background in whipping people into shape comes from the military and educational systems rather than law enforcement, but that doesn't mean he can't appreciate the effort to reform wrongdoers. He's whipped more than his share of teen delinquents into shape through leadership, encouragement, goal building... and the unspoken promise that he will hunt them down himself if they don't get in line. Hayato is dressed in his usual outfit with the red track suit, but rather than a whistle hanging around his neck is that... a key? Looks like it fits a pretty large, sturdy lock, too. Of which there are quite a few lining the corridor here...
While other people were busy being punctual, Hayato was wandering around the prison playing tourist. He eventually realized that he was going to be late for the fight, though, and made his way back to this corridor, only to realize that he's on the wrong floor. The teacher peers over the railing from the top, then shrugs and vaults himself over. He falls down a level, catching himself by one hand on the railing below. He hauls himself up enough to get his feet against the side of that level's floor, then launches off, flipping in mid-air so that he lands on his feet as he finally crashes down to the bottom floor below. Landing /right/ next to Suzume. "So! I hope this prison is making you think about your delinquent ways!" She is a delinquent, right? Hayato is just going on what he's been told.
The rumble of a man who truly believes what he says startles Ayame from her irreverant reverie. She starts to take a step forward, intending to put distance between her and the owner of said voice before a thick hand comes down to rest with a vice-like grip on her shoulder. Freezing, the long haired teenager's eyes widen a little as she reluctantly looks up and behind her at the mountanous Mayor. One of the few politicians in the world that has literally waded into the streets of his city to clean up crime, Haggar cuts an imposing figure, even more so in person.
Ayame opens her mouth, some smart alek retort on the tip of her tongue before she clamps it shut again, averting her eyes to the side. "It's all I think about," she mutters, casting a sidelong glance toward Suzume and her teammate. Hayato accuses the black-haired girl of needing to change her ways and Ayame almost snorts, "I'm pretty sure you've got her confused with me," she calls toward the gym coach, pointing at herself with her right thumb. While Suzume does have some questionable associations that Ayame's aware of, the young hardly has a reputation for causing the kind've constant trouble Ayame does. The strawberry-blonde can't help but wonder what her background really is. She'd probably wonder about it more if it weren't for the mighty weight on her shoulder in the form of Haggar's hand.
"Tell you what," Ayame speaks up, glancing up at her sizeable partner, "Why don't you show me some of those crime fighting techniques I've heard so much about on that guy over there, and then I'll be in a better position to make an informed decision." She cracks a teethy smile while simultaneously trying to pry her way out of Haggar's grip.
Suzume glances at Haggar. Her gaze remains largely unreadable, the young woman watching him with a calm and intent directness. Naturally, she's heard of him, and this is her first time seeing him in person, but for the time being there's no need for any real reaction other than a mere appraisal.
Besides, the space beside her just suddenly sprouted a Hayato.
She only barely catches his presence moments before he touches down. Instantly tensing, her grasp shifts swiftly on her cane in an odd way before she realizes who he is and what he's here for. Relaxing millimeter by millimeter, she eventually draws herself up and gives the man a thin sort of smile. "I wouldn't call it delinquency, no," she agrees smoothly with the quick-tongued Ayame. "But I'm not about to tell you what it -really- is." Her smile widens by an increment. "That would be rather silly."
That said, she turns back forward: her posture impeccable, her cane delicately held in both hands, her head lifted with a proud poise. She certainly doesn't hold herself like a skulking villain, but then again criminals don't all come in unimpressive or vile forms. Amusement still haunts at the very corner of her mouth.
"Now. I'm sure you and the Mayor are the ones with the actual strong convictions here, Mister Nekketsu," she continues quietly, her gaze focused forward on Haggar and his young charge. She smiles faintly at the irony in her own statement: if there's anyone here who can truly be said to be fanatic, it's her. "Why don't the both of you commence a demonstration of the force of your beliefs upon one another? I'm sure Ayame and myself, as 'amoral scoundrels devoid of ideals,' would find it edifying... and, after all," her eyes half-lid, "we -are- here for re-education."
Haggar is a father as well as a mayor, and knows only too well when a young girl is trying to manipulate! Ayame frees herself only because Haggar removes his hand to fold his arms, giving a positively patrician frown down at her, narrowing one eye. The stare sees right through her.
After a moment, he glances up to Hayato, locking eyes with the teacher and fellow man of justice. Without moving his eyes from him, he uncrosses his arms, pulling one hand back, preparing to propel Ayame forward.
But the question is, will Hayato get the hint?!
When you speak the language of Justice, sometimes words aren't necessary! He locks eyes with Haggar and one can almost feel the flames of two mighty, burning spirits communicating with one another. Hayato continues to meet Haggar's gaze, grinning, but responds to Suzume. "Oh, the mayor and I will clash, don't you worry. How else can we be good role models to you two of how one should behave, both in a fight and in life? However! Just watching us means nothing!"
Hayato's own arm moves back, the movement somewhat disguised as he holds up his other arm in front of him with a clenched fist. "It doesn't mean anything if you can't really feel it! And since we've come all the way here in order to teach you two a lesson..." He trails off for a moment, allowing that and the slighest flicker of his eyes to communicate his intent to Haggar. "I think we should get started!" And then he tries to shove Suzume forward, hopefully toward Ayame.
Conveniently, Haggar's own hand comes forward at the same time, propelling Ayame into a MAGICAL WORLD! Of combat.
Ring that bell!
COMBATSYS: Haggar has started a fight here on the left meter side.
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ayame has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Hayato has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hayato
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Suzume has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hayato
Ayame can tell by that look on Haggar's face that he isn't convinced of her seemingly eagerness to talk her way out of the close proximity with him. Something about that grip on her shoulder suggests that he isn't just putting on a show either. Ayame swallows, "Or, on second thought, how about we just engage in a friendly match between fighters while I reminisce upon my delinquent ways..."
A look is exchanged between Haggar and Hayato, but Ayame doesn't catch any of it, her attention back to the bemused Suzume across the way. Her left hand tightens over her metal staff, the girl taking in a couple of breaths, trying to gather her focus. The point of the match - the attempt at reeducation... amuses the long haired girl as well, but for other reasons. She is trying to learn things again - techniques that have been forgotten, dealing with styles and approaches that she needs to get better at.
She breaths in again, but Haggar sends her stumbling forward at the same time, her staff whipping up into her hands to catch herself. "Okay!" she exclaims, glaring over her shoulder, "If you know so much, let's see you hold up your end of this. You do your part, I'll do mine." She whirls forward, eyes fixing on Suzume, finding the young woman suffering the same forced action as herself.
Giving Suzume a teethy grin, Ayame is on the offense immediately, "If that's what we're here for..." She spins into a verticle staff strike, attempting to swing it down against the weapon she knows the other girl bears in order to trap it against the ground for a moment. If successful, she'll step on it with her right foot, spinning her polearm around a half turn, bringing it in for a second smack into her lower side with crushing force while her weapon might not be in the best position to defend herself.
COMBATSYS: Suzume blocks Ayame's Medium Strike.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Hayato
Nudged forward by Hayato, Suzume stumbles a pace before she regains her balance. Whatever surprise crosses her features is quickly wiped away. With a breathy chuckle, she shrugs back at the coach, a smirk pulling at her mouth as she replies, "Well, if that's the way you want to play it." The faster they get started, the faster they can conclude, after all... and this match bears no more actual importance save as a training exercise and possibly a gathering of information.
Ayame grins and comes at her. Suzume's sole response is to smile like a snake.
As the staff whirls in, Suzume quickly turns in place, snatching her weapon out of range while simultaneously spinning in a 360 to defend against the follow-up. Her cane clashes against the staff as she completes her turn, momentum helping her smaller weapon stop the staff in its tracks, and she takes a two-handed grasp on the weapon while it's still forced outward against Ayame's staff.
There is a pause of instants-- and then her hands abruptly pull apart sharply, the cane itself opening up to spit out a length of slightly-curved, vicious steel. Looks like someone has themselves a canesword, rather than a simple cane. Drawing downwards in one blindingly-quick movement, she leaves her sheath straining against Ayame's weapon as she swipes her blade down at the ground.
The edge doesn't even come close to hitting Ayame. But that's not the actual thrust of the attack. What -is- is the cleaving wave of white chi that scythes outwards in the wake of the blade's path, the energy bursting out towards Ayame in a wide swathe.
"Feel that? Having control over your life taken from you, bigger, stronger people pushing you around, telling you what to do and there's nothing you can do about it? That's what always happens. There's always a bigger fish in the crime world, always someone pulling the strings. And if you try to cut them..." Haggar lets that thought linger, finally stepping forward himself.
His attack goes right over both Suzume and Ayame, as though to symbolize the feeling of having a big heavy fist over your head... the feeling CRIME gives you every day! That punishing right fist comes arcing over, aiming right for Hayato Nekketsu. A punch to the face of the highest order, passing the responsibility of education from one man to the other!
COMBATSYS: Haggar successfully hits Hayato with Quick Punch.
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Ayame 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Hayato
Ah, an excellent tactic to take, Haggar! Hayato nods approvingly as the massive mayor leaps toward him, and doesn't even attempt to get out of the way. He holds his ground, aside from his head rocking back as Haggar's fist plows into his face. But even after that he's still grinning! "That's right! But you can't let fear of people like that stop you in life. To follow the right path you're going to have to stand up to them, and let them know they can't push you around and keep you in a life of crime!"
Hayato rears back, grinning widely. "When the criminal life tries to keep you from leaving, you just have to stand up and say, 'no'!" And to illustrate his point, Hayato lunges at Haggar with a swiftly rising uppercut. "Just like that!" Okay, well, maybe not /just/ like that.
COMBATSYS: Suzume successfully hits Ayame with Hikanzakura.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Hayato
Suzume finds the timing necessary to block Ayame's two-step combination. The end of her weapon comes to rest against the sheath, leaving the young woman in a position to draw her blade and put it to work. Retaliation comes swiftly, that swath of white chi in the wake of the sword's path catching the girl even as she starts to withdraw to a more defensive posture.
Struck at an angle by the vorpal edged chi, the girl hisses in pain, slipping back a couple of steps, eyes narrowed at the angled cut across her torso. It's that smooth chi control she's seeking for herself - that fine, speedy attack against which normal defenses can do nothing.
Haggar's words don't go missed even though her attention remains firmly on Suzume. "Life is like that for everyone - criminal and saint alike. Try to get somewhere and those above you will keep you down if it doesn't suit their needs. People make millions off of the retirement funds of elderly citizens who don't know better. But they get to simply declare it a bad investment and life goes on... Che."
Her mouth curls into a smirk, brown eyes focusing back on Suzume, "Everyone is a criminal on some level," the young cynic declares, "It's just a matter of what degree or the details of the thing that seperates us." Her right hand releases her staff, reaching up to one of the chains dangling around her neck. A clasp gets released before she draws out three linked chains, each with a metal weight on the end of surprising density.
"When it comes down to it," She hurls the bolas through the air back toward Suzume - a twirling whip that threatens to entangle the young woman about the neck, "People do what they need to in order to get by. That's all."
COMBATSYS: Suzume blocks Ayame's Hijacked.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Hayato
Suzume makes no reply to Haggar and Hayato's 'instructive' words. Not at first. She seems, for the time being, to be focusing her energies solely on Ayame, her attention riveted on the other girl as she slams her blade back into its sheath and retreats a few steps. She doesn't even seem appreciably moved by Ayame's cynicism, even though she-- if the fight details are to be believed-- should be agreeing with it wholeheartedly.
Instead, she's focusing on defending against the whirling bolas. She lets the weapon catch around her arm rather than her throat, willing to take the pain of it winding shut about her wrist if only because to get it tangled about her weapon would be much worse. It's not until she's lowered her arm to let the slackening bolas slip off it that she replies. And when she does, it's to the point.
"...Who says I obey against my will?"
Suzume smiles to herself, largely unperturbed. She seems perfectly zen with the idea of having surrendered her control and subsumed to some greater cause. But beyond that reply, she says nothing else. She simply narrows her eyes on Ayame, cautious and wary, unwilling to press the attack while her arm is still stinging and useless from the force of the constricting wires.
COMBATSYS: Suzume focuses on her next action.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Hayato successfully hits Haggar with Medium Strike.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Hayato
Haggar tries to interject hand with fist (or big bamboo stick? i don't know you crazy diamond) but doesn't put as much force in the grip as he needed, smacking his own chin painfully just before Hayato's blow staggers him back. He sets a hand to his chin, popping his manly jaw back into place with a cracking noise. This is good, because he needs that to be morally superior.
"I ain't gonna try to lie to you on that one, kid. This world has a lot of black, ugly spots in it, at all levels." He takes a few steps back, and then one bounding leap forward. "But you lose the moment you give up, and let yourself get sucked into those holes! Rise above!" Haggar's legs swing up as he jumps, locking together, both tremendous boots aimed right at Hayato's burly chest. He spins as he goes, lines of wind clearly visible around his legs.
COMBATSYS: Haggar successfully hits Hayato with Drop Kick.
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Ayame 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Hayato
Hayato brings up his arms in an attempt to form a defense against the flying Haggar. This turns out to be an unwise idea. He does, in fact, manage to position his arms so that Haggar's feet slam into them... but it doesn't really serve to slow Haggar down at all. Hayato still gets knocked back and sent crashing down to the floor, and now he's got spikes of pain running through his arms to go along with it. Still, a moment after crashing down Hayato rolls back on his shoulders then pops back up to his feet. "That's right! No matter what stands in your way you have to stand up, and not just take the darker path because it seems easier!"
Now Hayato /does/ make use of his shinai, brandishing it high. "When things look worst, that's just when you need to stand up the most! It may be painful, but in the long run it will led to a better life!" The fighting metaphor is... starting to get a bit harder to keep up, but that doesn't keep Hayato from lashing out with his shinai, trying to slash it across Haggar's shoulder, then swing it back and forth to smack him under the ribs on both sides of his torso.
The bolas may not have connected cleanly as she had hoped, but they did do the job in keeping Suzume at bay for a moment. But Ayame's attention is drawn elsewhere for a fleeting instant, glancing over her shoulder to observe the exchange of blows between Haggar and Hayato. That the chiseled Mayor doesn't try and sugar coat her skeptical view of the way the world works has her viewing him through narrowed eyes, as if caught off guard by that response of his.
He demonstrates his declaration to rise above with, well, a drop kick sent Hayato's way, but the small Asian is left blinking after him, a quiet expression on her face for a moment. Frowning, she grips her staff tightly in both hands once more, shifting her vision back toward Suzume, knowing she can't ignore the girl indefinitely. But that doesn't mean Haggar goes forgotten.
"But let's say one did want to rise above it all - to overcome the mistakes they've made, to change their path..." She leans forward a little, hands shifting along her staff as she readies a technique needed to get past the prepared blade user. "Some will never forgive the person you were before, even fewer will ever forget what you've done. Is there a point to changing course when no one will truly let you anyway?"
She darts forward then, committed to a speedy attack, her staff tucked under one arm almost more like a spear. She lunges with the weapon first, aiming for a quick jab. But it's merely an opener, intended to slip past her opponent's guard. She spins into a follow up strike next, coming in from the side before pushing back with her foreward most foot to create a small pocket of distance. Her staff is flung across that distance between her and Suzume, the girl stepping forward to try and catch it after attempting to rebound it right off the other girl's torso with punishing force.
COMBATSYS: Suzume counters Random Strike from Ayame with Kanhizakura.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/---====|==-----\-------\0 Hayato
"It's when no one -lets- you choose your own path," Suzume says abruptly, breaking her silence to address Ayame, "that you must change course. What others paint you as is entirely irrelevant." And for a moment, she seems almost to have switched sides, lecturing Ayame along with Haggar and Hayato; the fight staff, sensing this, gesture frantically at her with cue cards. She doesn't even bat an eyelash in their direction. In reality, she's not actually on any 'side' right now, and that is evidenced when she finishes.
"All that matters is what you desire."
A look of distant severity haunts her features as she steps towards the oncoming Ayame, her blade lifting, the weapon held in both hands. The girl tries a jab and Suzume flips her weapon in a downwards arc, batting the staff wide and throwing off her subsequent follow-up: which she catches on the flat of her shikomizue. Pushing Ayame backwards to assist the girl with her attempt to open space, the woman slams her weapon into Ayame's as the girl throws it.
A blast of her own chi sources from the point of impact, charging Ayame's staff. The force of Suzume's strike knocks the weapon spinning straight back into its owner: and when it strikes, all that energy discharges in a concussive burst of force.
"What others -permit- you to do is nothing," Suzume finishes, her weapon coming back to a ready. "Will is everything. The will to act."
COMBATSYS: Haggar blocks Hayato's Scolding Slash.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Hayato
Haggar gives Hayato a mildly miserable look when Suzume starts going, since she's not /his/ pupil. Ayame's debating, but the other one isn't getting it at all!
The shinai comes smacking down on Haggar's shoulder, but that's as far as he lets it get, smacking it away with a huge left hand. "Nobody said it's supposed to be easy! It's those people that you've hurt that you have to work hardest of all to help, and repair those bridges! You can't expect forgiveness and deserve forgiveness at the same time!"
Haggar strides forward across the stony floor, a flash of lightning throwing his muscular frame into sharp relief. "And there will be those that will never forgive or forget. Those people should remind you of your past mistakes, so that you will not make them again!" His boot swings up, emphasizing the point by crashing right at Hayato's chest.
COMBATSYS: Hayato dodges Haggar's Heavy Kick.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Hayato
Well, at least Suzume has something to work with! Will is indeed important, it's just a matter of /what/ your will is that determines whether that's good or bad. But Hayato is going to have difficulty making that point if Haggar knocks all the wind out of him with his foot, so the Burning Phys Ed Teacher quickly sidesteps as Haggar kicks out at him. Getting hit with that heavy boot would not be pleasant in the least.
"Yes, will is important! But it's important because you need to resist temptation if you're going to follow a higher path!" Hayato starts edging sidewise, watching Haggar carefully, even as he continues speaking to the girls. "And developing that will to see things through can be difficult, yes. But if you can achieve it, the rewards are great!" Thinking that he's found the opportune moment Hayato steps back in toward Haggar, swinging his foot up and around in an attempt to drive a kick into the side of the mayor's ribcage.
The clash of weapons marks the beginning of Suzume's flawless defense as Ayame attempts to slip in two follow up attacks after the initial jab. Stepping back, she tries to finish with a potentially unexpected fling of the large weapon directly into her opponent, but the dark haired woman sends it crashing back into her, charged with a surge of energy to lend power to that retaliation.
Grunting as she's knocked back, her feet slipping over the aged concrete, Ayame takes hold of the weapon smashed across her stomach, hands tightening over the middle of it even as the rest of the lingering chi fades. "Taking whatever I desire is what has given me the reputation I've already got," the girl grins back, not ashamed but merely amused to hear someone thinks she really should just keep right along taking what she thinks is hers - the opinions of others be damned. Twirling the long weapon under her arm, she stands up straight, trying to shake off the jarring impact before retaliating.
She hazards a glance to the side to listen to Haggar once more, mouth curled into the faintest of frowns at mentioning having to help those she hurt before. "There's nothing I can do to help them anyway," she retorts with a grunt, "They've all got their friends to help them already. Nothing I can do that anyone needs." Her eyes stray over toward Hayato briefly as Haggar points out that being reminded of the course she has been on is all part of the corrective process.
Hayato adds his own spin on Suzume's advice and Ayame's grin returns. "So how do /you/ define the higher path? Is it simply whatever you declare to be right or wrong? Isn't it all relative to perspective anyway? How can anyone know any better than what they, themselves, define as being right?" She twirls her staff up out from under her arm, resting it against her shoulder for a moment. "One person's crimes are another person's virtues in this big, varied world..."
She finishes, shifting her eyes back to Suzume, deciding to go for another strike. Stepping in quickly, she weaves low, spinning into a quick staff slam that will fly just a little shy of conecting. Suzume has proven extremely skilled in deflecting the longer weapon, but perhaps she'll misread the direction from which she needs to defend... for while the staff spin is shy of being close enough, the thick soled kick that comes immediately following it, attempting to collide with the young woman's stomach, will definitely be within range!
COMBATSYS: Ayame successfully hits Suzume with Light Kick.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Suzume
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Haggar 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Hayato
Nope, Suzume isn't 'getting it' at all. And she'll continue to fail to get it, because, really... she's so fixed in her ways no mere words will ever sway her stance or change her beliefs.
A sharp kick, however, might do the trick at moving -her-.
Suzume really does expect another staff attack, and she backsteps swiftly in anticipation of one. Thinking the attack avoided once it swings wide of her, she stops retreating-- and therein lies her mistake, as Ayame isn't quite done yet. The girl follows up immediately with a quick kick, and Suzume finds herself knocked back a few paces with a gasp.
She doesn't let herself stay surprised for long. Eyes narrowing, she lunges back forwards again to press the offensive, trying to capitalize on any lingering forward momentum Ayame might have. Her sheathed weapon lifts to a ready, the woman bracing in a coiled stance in preparation to draw: once she gets close enough, she instantly unsheathes her weapon in an overhead, sweeping arc, cleaving down at the other girl in a punishing, chi-laced swipe of steel.
For the time being, she says nothing. She's actually as interested as Ayame to hear Hayato's answer about what constitutes a higher path... because she sure as hell believes she's following a higher path herself, right now.
COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Hayato's Strong Kick.
*KNOCKED AWAY*
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Hayato
Hayato's foot is far greater than Haggar is prepared for! Since that pose came yesterday I don't really remember how Hayato was kicking at Haggar, so I'll just call it a totally awesome kick aimed at his chest. The Mayor of Metro steps forward into the kick, trying to just barrel right through it, but the force of the blow is something completely different from what he was ready for - he is lifted right up off of his feet, sent flying backwards. But lo! His hands come up in the nick of time, seizing onto Hayato's ankle, pulling him up through the air with him.
Conveniently, as he flies through the air, he gets to continue his lecture. "You're thinking too much! There's no relativity here! All that matters - is the effect you have on others! Do people have better, more fulfilled lives because of your existence, or are you sowing pain for your own greed?" Haggar gives a great pull, trying to yank Hayato right off of his feet, spinning him up and back into the ground, where he then drops back down, elbow first, one arm bracing the other.
"...Remember that. Don't try to fill the world with more shades of grey than it really has - in the grand scheme of things, high philosophies get you nowhere. If you hurt people because of some ridiculous belief, /you're still hurting people./" He frowns at Suzume, and then thinks about his own enormous key tucked into a pocket of his chest strap. It's not a suspender - it's a chest strap.
COMBATSYS: Hayato fails to interrupt Strong Throw from Haggar with Strong Throw.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Hayato
There's a fair bit of mid-air grappling going on as Haggar seizes Hayato's leg while flying away. Hayato finds himself yanked along for the ride, but he's not just going to go quietly! Although he will refrain from speaking, so as not to interrupt Haggar. That does not, however, keep him from attempting to wrap his own arm around one of Haggar's legs, trying to yank back with a similar amount of force so that at least neither of them will be in an advantageous position when they hit the ground. So he grabs the mayor's thick limb tightly and attempts to wrench it to an unpleasant angle.
Haggar's leg does not move. At all. Because he's goddamn Mayor Mike Haggar.
This, unfortunately, leaves Hayato ill prepared to deal with being elbow dropped into the floor, the wind getting knocked out of him with a grunt as he bounces off of the concrete. A moment later he's sitting up, pointing his shinai at Ayame. "A higher path is helping out others, being loyal to your friends, stuff like that! Sure, people have different concepts of right, but I don't think that's relevant here," he grunts as he sits up, "Unless you two have been busy stealing bread to feed your starving families."
COMBATSYS: Ayame dodges Suzume's Shidarezakura.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Hayato
Suzume is quiet as Ayame slips in to dish out her next attack, her foot snapping out swiftly to deal a minor blow just to test things before she pushes for harder strikes. Drawing her foot back quickly, Ayame springs back two steps. She pauses for a split second, attention focused entirely on the swordswoman as she dashes forward. The timing required to read the next strike in time to react is razor thin, but the agile rebel pulls it off with barely any distance to spare.
Spinning to the side to avoid the quick draw, her staff held off to her side to free up her speed of movement, a small number of strawberry-blonde strands of hair drift to the ground, sliced free by Suzume's dangerous edge. Smiling faintly at having avoided what looked to be a painful attack coming her way, Ayame skips back another step, lending even more distance between her and the young woman. Suzume is quiet, both of the girls looking to the men expectantly.
The mid-air lecture from Haggar comes first and Ayame narrows her right eye. She's putting too much thought into it, he says, and the very idea of thinking too hard on something seems preposterous to her at first glance. He does break down interaction into very simple terms - hurting people, not hurting people. When taken to that level, it's more difficult to claim moral relativism without a more lengthy debate that she'd rather not delve into in the heart of the Rock.
Hayato's addendum doesn't go missed, Ayame glancing his way even as the two larger opponents keep trying to destroy each other with mighty strikes. "Hn," she muses, sounding skeptical but not having a solid counter point with which to retort. Bringing her staff up in front of her at a defensive angle, she bunkers down, glancing back toward Suzume before watching for Hayato again, "But if you just keep trying to help other people, you'll get taken advantage of. You'll make yourself a victim in no time if you go around with such an altruistic approach to dealing with people."
She shakes her head, adjusting her grip on her titanium polearm, "No one's going to make a sucker out of me as long as I never extend myself to help anyone." she adds, her voice less pronounced, as if simply reasserting her stance to herself more than presenting an argument. The entire time she speaks, the girl has been studying the other three. Watching how Hayato attacks so much without that shinai of his, clearly not as dependant upon it as one might think. She considers the ease with which Suzume has been blending that white chi into her strikes and muses quietly as how to better deal with it. "Maybe you guys just haven't been scammed yet. Or maybe you have and don't even know it. You'd be a lot more skeptical then!"
COMBATSYS: Ayame focuses on her next action.
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Ayame 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Haggar 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Hayato
Suzume continues, ominously enough, to say little. In fact, an unbalanced smile has started haunting her features, the sort of look one gets when one is entirely amused by the goings-on around one. To be sure, she's finding a way to mentally twist everything that's being said in order to reinforce her own fanatic views. She certainly isn't sowing pain for her own gratification or greed. In fact, everything she does is eminently self-sacrificing; she does it of pure, unadulterated loyalty.
She is working to help remake the world. Even if it must be in blood.
But of course, Haggar, with his views on how unforgivable it is to hurt others, would still take issue with that.
She doesn't seem fazed when Ayame avoids her potentially deadly strike. She simply straightens up, retreating a step of her own. The world, she finally speaks up, resheathing her blade swiftly with a ringing sound like a finger dragged along a wineglass, will be better off for what -I- do. And she leaves it at that. She doesn't try to speak for Ayame, because deluded as Suzume can be... she still has to recognize that the same probably can't be said for her.
She watches the two men a few moments, her face turned towards them. And then, her eyes slide back towards Ayame: though her head does not turn. The corner of her mouth tugs into a secretive smile. "Don't trouble yourself with their views, Ayame." And with that she's abruptly in motion, her clothing whirling as she swipes in high with a feint of her sheathed sword at the shoulder-- before spinning to cut low with a snapped kick at the knees. "You know your convictions..."
Haggar is far too big to be budged when he has decided to throw. His elbow drop goes off, and he rolls off of Hayato, mouth set in a thin line. "That..." He begins, attempting to cut Suzume's TOXIC WRONGTHINK off completely, "...is an intrinsically selfish mindset. Selfishness is the core of the criminal heart." While Hayato recovers, he folds his arms, another crack of lightning throwing his planes and angles into sharp relief. "Do not think of things in terms of yourself! But you don't need to burn yourself out. Do what you can! Help with what you can spare!"
Now is the time to remember... this is not two one-on-one fights happening simultaneously. Finally, Suzume has shown herself to be too far gone for him to accept! Cracking his knuckles, Haggar springs forward, a pump of his powerful legs carrying him right over both of the girls, turning in mid-flight to land behind Suzume. There is a single tense moment of foreboding, and then Haggar's hands come clamping in, pinning the ninja lady's arms to her side.
What follows is a ride for the pain train, if the hold is secure: Haggar bridges his body backwards, dropping Suzume hard against the stone floor. He rolls back, putting his weight on her for a moment before crashing into another german suplex, finishing with a series of rolls backward up into a very short giant swing, pitching her toward the empty cell.
Hayato cracks his neck as he climbs back to his feet. Haggar has a way of putting joints out of order. And then he just shakes his head at Ayame. "Just because someone helps people out doesn't mean they're obligated to be a sucker. If someone tries to take advantage of you, you can kick 'em to the curb. The /point/ is that helping others is a good thing to do, and not without its own rewards. It helps make friends, increases self worth, and helps to build character!" Hayato is big on building character.
The gym teacher then begins to stride towards Ayame. "And loyal friends who are willing to go to great lengths for you are a good thing. For example, wouldn't it be nice to have friends to help you out if somebody where to come up to you and do this?" Hayato has been approaching all this time, and now he reaches out in an attempt to grab Ayame by the front of her shirt, lifting her up off the ground. He shakes her violently back and forth, then swings in with his free hand to drive a punch into her stomach and send her flying backwards. Tough love!
COMBATSYS: Ayame blocks Suzume's Light Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Haggar 1/----===/=======|=======\-------\0 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Ayame fails to counter Power Punch from Hayato with Random Strike.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Ayame 1/------=/=======|=====--\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Haggar 1/----===/=======|=======\=------\1 Hayato
Ayame glances Suzume over briefly as the girl speaks of making the world better, releasing a soft grunt, "Really - I didn't realize you drew your sword for philantrhopic reasons. I don't think it really suits you," the sharp tongued girl observes, shifting her staff up to an angle that allows her to absorb the brunt of the kick, only losing a little bit of ground in the process. But the sword user's words after the strike give her pause and the girl falls quiet, losing her smirk for a fleeting moment.
She shifts her focus back to Haggar as Metro's mayor explains that it is appropriate to have a balance in such matters. One /can/ go too far, perhaps, in this world full of liars and cheats. Ayame gives him a slight nod of her head as a concession to his very pragmatic view point on matters. Of course, by then he's tearing off after Suzume, leaping over any and all obsticles in a display of remarkable alacrity for a man his size, and Ayame is left facing Hayato alone.
Bearing down on her, Ayame begins to back step, eyes widening a little. "H-hey, I don't need friends for that, I'd need -" She's pulled off her feet by his grip on her blouse and the girl swings hard in an attempt to counter strike him for his trouble. But before she can bring the end of her staff to bear, his fist finds its mark in her stomach, sending the featherweight crashing backward into the wall behind her where she comes to a crunching stop.
Sinking down to her feet, right hand resting over her stomach, she grimaces, looking pale, "... an army."
COMBATSYS: Suzume blocks Haggar's Market Economy Buster.
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Ayame 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Haggar 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 Hayato
Suzume's gaze turns slowly, increment by increment, towards Haggar. Her eyes narrow slowly as the man barrels towards her, shouting his disapproval of her words. Watching him arc over her in a surprisingly adroit leap, she turns defensively, bracing herself, her grasp remaining firm on her weapon as he seizes her and pitches her straight overhead in a punishing suplex.
She hits the floor hard... but had the foresight to prepare such that she isn't stunned. And once Haggar's grip slackens so he can segue into that second suplex, she slips free, escaping like a snake, winding around the man and circling him warily. Her steps touch soundlessly against the floor.
"Selfish?" A breathless laugh escapes the woman, even as she shifts her weapon to one hand to shake the bracelets off her left arm and into her hand. A flicker of chi starts to heat the air around the collected steel. "You have no idea of the selflessness required of us. Required of -me-." The steel begins to -melt- in her hand, reforming into throwing needles of a deadly length. "I doubt you would be open to learning, however."
An abrupt flick of her wrist sends the needles arrowing at the Mayor. It may look about as effective as a bee trying to sting a bear, at first sight; but if the needles are allowed to embed, every last one of them will explode concussively into spinning shards. "You're absorbed in your own tired conceptions of how things should be."
COMBATSYS: Haggar endures Suzume's Yaezakura.
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Ayame 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Haggar 1/--=====/=======|=======\=------\1 Hayato
The needles themselves pose literally no danger to the Mayor, even if they were poisoned - they barely even stick into the first layer of his skin, embedding into his tanktop and strap instead of his body.
The explosions, however, are a little more effective.
Mayor Haggar sweeps away smoke and needles with one mighty brush of his arm, brow knitting, eyebrows pulling close together. Finally, it clicks into place for him, why this Asian girl has been setting his teeth on edge and making his knuckles itch. He doesn't feel something so simple as criminal intent rolling off of her... it feels like evil, real evil. He shoots Hayato, currently punishing his teammate, a hard look, flames of justice burning in his eyes. These words are all too familiar.
Now Haggar makes do on the momentum gained from just pushing through the spray of needles, locking his hands together and driving in hard toward Suzume's chest. "I've heard words like that before. That's the most dangerous path of all - cloaking evil acts in the light of presumed good, putting /yourself/ on a high pedestal, having no idea that nothing surrounds you but swamp, and ruin."
Ayame seems to have, at least momentarily, learned a lesson. Or maybe not, but she's fallen over after having been smashed into a wall, so that's good enough. Suzume, however, seems hell bent on making sure that the morals Haggar and Hayato are attempting to instill won't sink in. And that just doesn't sit well with Hayato. When Haggar goes charging in toward Suzume, explosions and all, Hayato's not far behind him. That's not too unexpected, right? After all, the two men /were/ fighting. And as he runs after Haggar Hayato nods in accordance with the other man's words. "That's right!"
...Yes, that's it. Honestly, Haggar really covered that particular point really well, so there's no need for Hayato to say much else on that specific aspect of the whole goodness and justice subject! He can, however, follow up in the wake of Haggar and give Suzume the treatment that many a troublesome student has received at Hayato's hands... a good swift smack on the top of the head with a shinai.
Yamazaki says, "suzume run"
Slowly, Ayame pushes herself off of the wall into a forward stumble, glancing up to watch events play out. Suzume speaks up boldly, revealing to those present a hint of how she thinks; what she thinks is important. And it would appear, that doesn't sit well with Haggar as her massive teammate goes after the girl again after she so ably avoided being destroyed by his first attack.
With time to spare while left alone, Ayame collapses the staff in her hand down to a smaller, more portable length of six inches, and tucks it away in the pouch affixed to her belt.
She watches Hayato charge after Haggar. Ah, hm, maybe her teammate is going to be caught off guard by that. She should probably do something helpful like warn him... but just as the girl starts to open her mouth, the true intent of Hayato's charge becomes evident and Ayame blinks in surprise. He's going after Suzume instead? Grinning just a little, the young con decides that such a moment as this is the /perfect/ opportunity to get in an attack.
Sprinting forward, it's toward Hayato she bolts. Time to teach him how people fight where she comes from - how you don't ever turn your back, how you can't trust anyone, how any opening, any vulnerability will be taken advantage of... Both hands go to her belt, swiftly drawing a butterfly knife from sheaths hidden in one of her belts. With Hayato's attention on the swordsgirl, Ayame has no compunctions going for the back, darting in quickly in an attempt to dish out two swift stabs with each of the knives, then finishing with a solid kick to Hayato's back to finish trying to send the Taiyo instructor sprawling!
COMBATSYS: Suzume endures Hayato's Shinai Slap.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-======|=======\=------\1 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Haggar 1/--=====/=======|=======\==-----\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Suzume counters Double Lariat from Haggar with Asagao.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Haggar 1/=======/=======|=======\==-----\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Haggar has left the fight here.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Ayame 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Suzume
> /////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Ayame has left the fight here.
> ////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Suzume
> /////////////// ]
|=======\==-----\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Hayato has left the fight here.
> ////////////// ]
|=------\-------\0 Suzume
COMBATSYS: Suzume has ended the fight here.
Standing her ground, letting her hands return to her blade in the wake of her attack, Suzume draws her white-clothed form up until she looks the very antithesis of the evil Haggar seems to believe her to be. Watching him carefully as he comes at her, she listens in silence to his words. But though she is quiet, her eyes have narrowed perceptibly, her hands tensing: she appears to be having as much trouble with Haggar's particular use of terminology as the Mayor is having trouble with hers.
"I don't call my acts evil. But I don't call them good, either." She notices Hayato coming for her, but by this time she isn't exactly surprised that he's decided to turn on her: she prepares, turning her back -towards- him slightly, bracing to take the impact of his strike. "Evil and good are trite words used to justify mindless browbeating. There is only necessity-- and degrees thereof."
"So, Mayor Haggar, Mister Nekketsu..." Hayato crashes into her. She angles herself to take his weapon across the back, letting it propel her forwards. Her sheathed blade lifts, both hands grasping it. "What I -would- tell you my acts /are/..."
She unsheathes her blade sharply, letting all her momentum add force to her draw. She slams the pommel of her weapon into Haggar's incoming wrists-- turning his strike aside so it pierces upwards past her shoulder, missing her entirely-- and immediately afterwards, she slams the blade all the way back into its scabbard. "...is /necessary/."
Weaving in swiftly under his thrown-wide attack, Suzume draws her blade again in a blinding-quick iai strike. Her blade swings straight into the opening created beneath his attack, slashing up across his torso in one swift stroke.
The slice cuts an even line across Haggar's chest, blood spurting from the wound. The shirt is blissfully released from its quest to contain Haggar, the fabric snapping away and hanging limply behind him like an ass cape. More staggeringly, however, is the cut cleaving through Haggar's thick leather chest strap. It stays for a moment, hanging in time, before snapping back and around, the cell key flickering up into the air.
The Mayor does not sag from the blow. He has felt worse, and will feel worse for many years yet. His hand snaps up, snatching the key out of the air, and the other hand joins it, fingers interlocking together.
"Hmph. Rolento spins better rhetoric." He has categorized Suzume in his mind, and if he's wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. Perhaps he intends to look into things later - he's in a low ebb of paperwork, and could use some exercise. His staff has been feeling cramped, with Haggar /around/ all the time lately. He remembers the we, earlier - was Suzume banding with Ayame, or is there something else happening? Haggar needs to think a little more globally.
But right now is the time to be local. There's a blue flare around his hands, and he quite simply pivots on his heel, delivering an impossibly heavy strike to the side as opposed to the usual down, aiming to launch Suzume right into one of the open cells with disgusting force. Concussive force billows around him, because special effects are important. "Sit in there and write a better script! Nobody can claim to know what others truly need!"
COMBATSYS: Hayato counters Assault and Battery from Ayame with Counter Thrust.
*KNOCKED AWAY*
[ \\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Ayame 1/---====/=======|=------\-------\0 Suzume
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1 Hayato
Now, many people mistake Hayato's boundless energy and enthusiasm for a lack of intelligence. It doesn't help that he's, well, a gym teacher. But this perception is just not true! Hayato might not be a genius, but he's certainly not dumb. And although Suzume has earned the attention of both Hayato and Haggar, that doesn't mean Hayato has forgotten about Ayame. Or the fact that both of these girls seem to like weapons. He's shaking his head at Suzume when Ayame comes charging up behind him. "There's so much wrong with that, I'm not even sure where to start. But will you excuse me for a moment?"
And just as Ayame is preparing to stab out with her fist blade Hayato suddenly spins around, a toothy grin on his face and his fist already in motion. If this were a comic the next panel would probably be a close up shot of Ayame's face. Followed up in the next panel by Hayato's fist slamming /into/ her face, sending the girl flying backward and, conveniently, toward an open cell door. Unfortunately, Hayato doesn't have time just yet to go lock it. And so he smoothly continues his spin around while Ayame is still flying back, turning to face Suzume once again. "You only /think/ it's necessary." Said before Ayame even hits the ground.
Her attempted sneak attack isn't all that successful when Hayato turns into Ayame's opening strike fist first. Stopped short just as she was aiming a sharp hook toward his kidneys, intent on delivering a nice puncture wound to remember her by. She realizes a step too late that he's already wise to her game, whirling around a half second early, his clenched hand swinging back out with a preemptive strike.
She doesn't even remember what happened by the time she crashes to a sprawled, seated position against the back of the old cell. Lifting her head slowly, shaking it, she remembers real quick right about when she brings her right hand to her face. "Ugh. That's a pretty compelling case," she mutters, pulling herself back up with the aid of the crumbling concrete.
Stumbling over to the cell entrance, the younger fighter stops, propping herself up with one bar against the wall to evaluate where the other three have ended up. The thob in the side of her face reminds her that she'd very much like to pay Hayato back for those two punishing punches of his before she can't keep fighting any longer. Slipping her left hand into the pouch at her belt, she retrieves her staff once again, spinning it into an opened position at her side, "Well... I guess that's it for me. I give up. I've certainly learned /my/ lesson," she states clearly, arms raised into a half shrug.
It would be terribly unsporting to wave the white flag and take a shot all the same, but as far as Ayame is concerned, there's nothing wrong with diverting an opponent's attention if it leads to a better hit. She wobbles a little, squinting her eyes as she struggles to keep her focus, tapping the low end of her staff against the side of her foot a couple of times. Waiting until she thinks Hayato isn't paying close enough attention, she takes her last shot, pushing off the bar and sprinting for the Taiyo High gym instructor.
Whipping the low end of her staff up, a small explosion from the opening of the tube sends a thin wire net hurtling toward Burning Spirit-sensei, threatening to entangle him long enough for her to slip into closer range with a vicious whirlwind of rapid staff strikes. Aiming for joints and vulnerable points, the girl aims to make the best of her dwindling strength, as if left to her own, she'll simply wear herself out in the process, spinning dizzily off to the side before collapsing.
COMBATSYS: Ayame can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-======|=------\-------\0 Suzume
> ////////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Suzume fails to counter Violent Axe from Haggar with Kizakura.
*KNOCKED AWAY*
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ]
Haggar 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Suzume
> ////////////// ]
|=======\====---\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Suzume can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/-======|=======\====---\1 Hayato
Heretofore, Suzume had let little expression cross her face. But when Haggar makes his reply to her, Suzume actually sneers back. The young woman flicks her blade to clean blood from her weapon, resheathing the sword as soon as much of the liquid is clear.
She isn't here to convince people whose minds are just as set as her own. She seems unperturbed if her words lack staying power. Haggar's barbs receive no reply; her focus is, instead, upon what he says -next-.
"'Nobody can claim to know what others truly need?'" Suzume quotes dubiously, straightening as Haggar comes for her, her stance tensing. Tossing her black hair back, the woman huffs a derisive sound, her blade coming a bare inch out of its sheath. "How hypocritical. You keep telling yourself that while you beat your opinion into us by force..."
And as if to punctuate her words, in the next instant Haggar plows straight through whatever Suzume might have been intending to do. Slammed into the far wall of the cell with enough force to crack the aged stone, the young woman slumps brokenly, laved in blood like some kind of martyr, and thereafter does not move.
Luckily, such accusations of hypocrisy bounce off the Mayor's manly, bleeding chest. He's spent the better part of his adult life now fighting people who /need/ to have good manners beaten into them by force, and has even succeeded in his Fist Rehabilitation a few times. His mustache warps in a smirk as he stands for a moment, hands held like he just swung a baseball bat, knuckles cracking as he disengages his hand.
The mayor winces once as he steps forward, careful not to swing his arms more than he needs to, reaching out with his foot to hook the cell door and pull it to the side, closing Suzume in. He lifts the key up, turning it in the lock, and shuts her in. She'll probably be let out the following morning, or maybe immediately after if it was all just for theatrics, or maybe escape... INSTANTLY, since she's a crazy ninja, or something.
The Mayor steps back, turning to face Hayato. His own teammate is down now, and with both of them out, the SPECIAL CONDITIONS are over, leaving just the two men and the fight. Haggar pulls the ruin of his strap off of his belt, flinging it to the side and holding his hand out. A spare is tossed in by a member of the SNF crew, and he belts it on with a well-practiced motion, but in the opposite direction as he normally does, covering the still-bleeding slash. He gives his shoulders two mighty slaps, and plants his feet, arms wide. The Mighty Mayor shoots the Burning Teacher a wide grin.
COMBATSYS: Haggar gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Hayato dodges Ayame's Entrapment.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Haggar 0/-------/---====|=======\====---\1 Hayato
"Very good!" Hayato flashes Ayame a thumbs-up. "Good to see at least someone here is capable of learning!" And then he turns back just in time to see Suzume go flying across the corridor and putting a number of cracks into the wall of this historic landmark. He shakes his head, then continues to speak to Ayame without turning back to her. "Oh, if only I could believe that." Then he does spin around, glancing at the net flying his way and quickly sidestepping it. Unhindered, it's not too difficult for him to evade the battered Ayame after that, and once she falls it becomes clear that any further instruction will not, at this point, be productive. However...
The Burning Phys Ed Teacher turns around to face Haggar. The fight is not yet over. Hayato cracks the knuckles of his right hand, gripping his shinai tightly. He returns the Mayor's grin as the larger man adopts a ready stance. Well, if he's ready and waiting, it would certainly make Hayato a poor sport if he didn't oblige. The teacher takes a running start toward Haggar, both of his fists flaring up with blazing orange chi. He then leaps forward, extending his arms above his head and flying fists first toward Haggar, with a spin that turns his shinai into a whirling, burning, bamboo blade.
COMBATSYS: Haggar fails to counter Burning Windmill from Hayato with Hammer Thru.
[ \\\ < > ////////////// ]
Haggar 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Hayato
COMBATSYS: Haggar can no longer fight.
> ////////////// ]
|====---\-------\0 Hayato
Haggar has been trusting in his almighty fists a lot during this fight, dropping lariats and axehandles everywhere, while he's normally more of a grappler. It's not advisable in a team-fight situation, however, since every grapple leaves him wide open.
He continues his trend, then, as Hayato comes charging at him, running to meet him, both hands clamped and low to the ground. It's an obvious telegraph, but at this point, neither of them can hope to arrest their movement. He comes in hard, shoulder-first, leaping at the end and trying to just deny the spinning shinai and plunge right through.
It doesn't happen.
The shinai smacks repeatedly into Haggar as he tries in vain to slam his fists into Hayato's chest, and finally he's just crushed downward, hitting the dusty floor hard and sliding a few feet. He lies motionless briefly before his hands flatten, and he starts to get back up. He always gets up. It's surprising, then, when he doesn't, sagging back down onto his side, and letting himself fall unconcious with a grin.
Hayato's landing from that attack is rarely graceful, so it takes him a moment to climb back to his feet. And all the while he's expecting Haggar to come smashing down at him, so when he's able to get back up without being attacked he's somewhat surprised. But then he sees the fallen mayor and understands. Hayato is feeling... surprisingly good. Well, he'd feel good even if his eyes were so swollen he could barely see out of them and he was bleeding from the face, because it was a good fight, but he's actually feeling in pretty good shape. Of course, Haggar is the one who's slashed up and bleeding, so that probably explains it.
And speaking of which... Hayato walks over to the young woman who slashed Haggar up, picking her up by the back of her collar. He then walks over to Ayame and does the same, then marches both of them to one of the cells. There was, after all, an option given for this fight if Hayato and Haggar weren't able to successfully enlighten their students! He tosses both of them into the cell, then takes the large key from around his neck, closes the door and locks it. By the time they wake up it'll probably be pretty lonely in here. And dark. And some people claim the place is haunted. Justice having been served, Hayato is in the mood for a beer. Perhaps he'll see if Haggar is interested, if the mayor wakes up on the ferry ride back.
COMBATSYS: Hayato has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:17:14 10/19/2008 by Ayame, and last modified on 19:58:46 11/29/2008.