Description: The Brazilian Beast tracks down the Ansatsuken Master to step up his game - and leap around a hell of a lot! Brutal League antics in the Masters' Stadium White Arena. (Winner: Ryu)
Such an impressive arena.
Blanka doesn't always feel too comfortable in such places, the rampant 'humanity' occasionally making him feel like he's out of place, out of time. He was, however, very certain that when he chose this locale for the fight-to-be. He'd sent the challenge to the King of Fighters, the man working his way deliberately up the league rankings. Even though it was in crayon, addressed to 'Aroo', crossed out and addressed to 'Aryoo', crossed out and addressed to 'awh-ryoo', crossed out and addressed to 'King of Fighters' with a crayon representation of Ryu underneath, the intent is crystal clear, with the name at the bottom.
Blanka.
The Brazillian Beast has chosen to challenge Ryu for a reason - he's chosen to step up, before Ryu can approach him. He's learned a lot from Ryu, from the small amount of times they'd spent together, in fights and chance meetings. He'd learned the idea of determination, of facing seemingly insumountable odds with a steady walk, and knowledge that fighting your best is never anything to not be proud of. His head is held high as he enters the arena, gold eyes looking towards the crowd. He steps down, into the arena, and takes his place in his corner. He sucks in a lungful of breath, and then lets it out with a loud howl, one that could seemingly shake the arena itself, brought up by others in the crowd, matched and cheered on. Blanka's mouth lolls into a grin, fierce pleasure on his face. He's ready. Will Ryu be?
Straightforward tradition in modern, efficient tones - what else would Ken choose for the arena designed after his friend and rival, the nomadic warrior known only as Ryu.
Of course, as challenges go, the crayon-scrawled illustrated invitation takes some time to decrypt. What the?!? Is it a fan letter from a 6-year-old? A plea for help from a kidnapped muppet?!? No, no. Blanka. The Beastman's name is familiar indeed to the Ansatsuken Master. Having recently brawled with the Brazilian in the junkyards for Saturday Night Fight, Ryu is familiar with both the Beastman's strength, and his fighting fervor. It makes the matchup a no-brainer, really, even if Ryu were the sort to turn down challenges as a rule, in the first place.
With the roaring of Blanka, the nomad steps out into the arena, clad in a dark navy gi, perhaps in quiet protest to the stark white arena, and Ken's claims about his wardrobe. See, he has them in /DIFFERENT COLORS/. Pwnt.
The dark blue is a shift, but the crimson headband fluttering behind him, and the kanji-emblazed black belt remain constant. His hands are gloved in midnight black, heavily padded sparring gloves present, as always, for his opponent's own good. The Wanderer's dark eyes hold to Blanka as he strides out onto the faux dojo floor, and he inclines his head politely towards the roaring man-beast, "I am surprised to see you again so soon." He admits, greeting the Brazilian with the mighty appetite, "But glad to give you the fight you seek." The respect is genuine, and he punctuates it by raising his hands before him, focusing his attention fully on Blanka - the shifts of his body language, the inevitable lunge, whatever new tricks the green-and-furry fellow may have in store.
He, too, is ready.
COMBATSYS: Ryu has started a fight here.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Blanka has joined the fight here.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Blanka
See, Ryu never freaks out at that. Blanka hunches his shoulders a bit, to make himself look all the larger, the Nomad taking his stance. His gold eyes are framed by a furrowed brow at first, then a playful wink escapes, a hint of that childish joy that Blanka finds in battle - 'play', as he calls it. Addressed so formally, Blanka nods his head in a firm agreement. "Always good to.. see aroo." He'd hold out a hand to shake, but really - he's more interested in throwing himself into the fight with all he can muster.
As soon as the referee throws the first hand-wave, Blanka springs into action. He rushes towards Aroo.. er, Ryu, and then weaves around the strong man. No, no, Blanka's aimed for the glass wall that surrounds the fighters, and he leaps at it, catching himself on it. It bends, but does not break - and as he uses it's reflective momentum and springs backwards from it, he turns and flails in the air, bringing his knees up and around, attempting to catch Ryu in the back of the head with the crush of green, bony kneecaps!!
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Blanka's Light Kick.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Blanka
Shaking hands isn't what this is about! Well, maybe in the proverbial sense, but the literal meeting is a match of might, not some formal tea-and-crumpets affair. Then Ryu would have had to break out his bow-tie. But look: it isn't Blanka, bounding green beast that the Ansatsuken Wanderer faces off against - he's been replaced by an acrobat studying the techniques of Sagat! The flying knees meet braced, crossed forearms as Ryu twists, tracking the impressively executed bounds, and meeting his aerial assault with equal strength. Bare feet slide backwards on the wood floor, traction finally regained as Blanka is deflected overhead, and Ryu drops in a crouch, twisting away from the onslaught - and then around to face Blanka once more.
It's a single, quick rotation, bringing the nomad leaping forward as it ebbs, his elbow leading, like a bullet train, direct for the cavernous maw of the unusual Brazilian Beast. No fear indeed, the roaring, slavering Blanka is just another warrior, to Ryu - he can sense the heart within, and the power crackling through the greenskinned gorilla. He approaches the fight with fervent enjoyment, and right now that means following up and attempting to land a quick flurry of blows on his adversary... the elbow followed with a swift, snapping uppercut for Blanka's ribs, and then a full-bore straight aligned with his jaw once more, "HYAAAAAH!!!"
COMBATSYS: Blanka interrupts Fierce Punch from Ryu with Vertical Rolling.
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Blanka
He lands, Blanka's hair fluttering just a bit from the passage over Ryu. His shins ache from the impact of Ryu's forearms, but the fact that he's struck relatively true makes his heart beat all the faster. It's an excitement that fighting builds in him, a howling eagerness to leap forwards into the fray again that takes a hold of him. It's not enough to just battle with fists and fierceness, Blanka needs to show Ryu that he understands the underlying truth of this. That it's /fun/. A challenge to be accepted joyfully.
The first punch thrown at Blanka hits true, the downward elbow catching Blanka in the face, beating in on teeth built on nomming things of all shapes and sizes. As Ryu brings his fist back to swing at Blanka's side, the beastman /drops/ straight down, then bounces upwards in a ball, taking his attack into and through the space where Ryu stands. Whatever happens after, Blanka won't notice just yet, suspended in midair for just a second or two, uncoiling and twisting catlike to recover his balance as gravity begins to grab a hold of the brazillian Beastie.
A challenge to be heartily embraced - with more bounding. Slamming Blanka in the face is phase one - but phase two is interrupted rather abruptly by the spinning mass of claws and muscle that erupts skyward out of Ryu's combination, harshly into his face, and away. The nomad is launched a span of several strides backwards, landing with a pronounced squeak over the finely finished floor as his palm touches down to join knee and foot in slowing his skid. His gaze snaps upwards to the leaping Brazilian, the nomad launches out of his own crouch, and directly at the bouncy Beastman.
Two can play at that game! Before Blanka can fully recover, Ryu seeks to intercept him with a rising shoulder, perhaps borrowed from a certain lupine friend of his, and snap his arms in for Blanka. He seeks a grapple before the greenskinned growler can fully recover, and with a subtle twist and application of ample wire-fu, the man known only as Ryu would heave his adversary about, and /slam/ him thunderously towards the ground, the force of the throw actually launching him just a bit further /up/ into the air. Now that is how you put on a show.
"HAAAAH!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Blanka with Seoi Nage.
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Ryu 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Blanka
Here is shown one of the drawbacks of being an aerial fighter - when you're in the middle of the air, it is very hard to avoid a grab from the air as well! Blanka is still in the midst of coming back down as Ryu reacts and launches himself up. The green giant attempts to eel about and get free from the spinny grip of Ryu, to slip free of the hit of that shoulder. He does not, however, manage to do so. The impact bends Blanka, and the throw crushes him against the arena's floor, sending him all askid.
Blanka, however, is hard to keep down. As he recovers from the impact, the giant beastman grins ferrally. He barrels forwards on hands and feet, trying to time his next impact with Ryu's feet landing on the ground. He's throwing himself upwards, bringing his head forwards in an impressive attempt to smush Ryu with the point of his forehead. It's a furrowed brow, full of bony pain for the Ansetsuken fighter!!
COMBATSYS: Blanka successfully hits Ryu with Rock Crush.
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Ryu 0/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Blanka
A brutal back-and-forth again. The ante is upped, and then upped again. Blanka may be hurled groundward, but as Ryu lands, he does indeed find the Beastman right back on him. Throwing his weight to the side, Blanka crashes in a moment too soon nonetheless, spinning Ryu haphazardly about as a spray of blood launches from his mouth, the reeling nomad crashing low once more, brought down to the hardwood with clenched jaw, trying to shake the cobwebs out of his head. Blanka isn't holding anything back, and it behooves the Ansatsuken Master to launch himself right back into the fray, snapping upwards as if driven by his right heel, a spinning aerial strike more meant to align him than anything, but if it catches Blanka? All the better. It'll make it all the easier as he comes down on his opposite foot...
And launches into a quick three-for, coming about with blurring speed and launching his foot out once, twice, thrice in swift, surgical thrusting strikes for Blanka's jaw, ribs, then collarbone, a staggering flurry meant to return the favor of his brutal beastbutt. Bony pain indeed - but Ryu shakes it off, and rejoins the fray with unabated intensity, energy surging within him, fueling his muscles and the resounding strikes levelled at the gentle but not gentle greenskin.
COMBATSYS: Blanka blocks Ryu's Medium Kick.
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Ryu 0/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Blanka
Hold nothing back. Blanka learned that from Ryu's fights. He's learned to throw himself into life with verve and vigor, to offer up everything and anything he can to the joyful expression of play. Battle, strength - he'll show his opponent everything he is and more. The expression on his face is one of excitement - and then the attack is made! Shoulders and forearms twist and turn, the gentle giant weathering the brunt of Ryu's moves with a fluid motion, drawn from the way he would practice with the swinging dummies in Dan's dojo. the impacts are sure to bring bruises soon enough - but not just yet.
He reaches back into his plan of tricks and battles, and settles on the in-close battlin' he needs. His nose is bloodied, so he foregoes another massive headbutt. Instead, he brings his feet around in a sweeping sway, an attempt to knock Ryu off of his feet. He'll crush his shins against Ryu's calves, fierce jungle power in every mote of his body! Rawr!!
COMBATSYS: Blanka successfully hits Ryu with Medium Throw.
- Power hit! -
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Ryu 1/------=/=======|=======\====---\1 Blanka
The Brazilian Beast's defenses hold! And how. Ryu pummels against the greenskin's meaty guard, his forceful kicks abated into stinging, bruising deflections. He recovers quickly, snapping back into a ready stance - just the wrong thing to do at that moment. Blanka's leg sweeps in, and Ryu is dropped unceremoniously indeed to the hard floor of the dojo / arena, landing hard on one shoulder and slamming his head off the ground. Nrrrrgh. Things are certainly not going according to plan, but adaptation is key in any battle... it's just a matter of regaining his step against his cunning adversary.
And perhaps kicking it up a notch, himself. Ryu plants a hand to the ground, and all but vaults back to his feet, a graceful motion despite his pain, quickly landing a short span away, and sweeping his hands forward, aligned squarely with the bounding Blanka. Licks of rampant fire roar from his fingertips, and blast forth from his palms in a brilliant plume of raw flame, the meteoric mass crossing the distance between the Ansatsuken Wanderer and the mighty Beastman in instants, searing through the air itself and threatening to ignite Blanka in its superheated shockwave, "HADOOOOUKEN!!!"
COMBATSYS: Blanka fails to interrupt Shakunetsu Hadouken from Ryu with Electric Thunder.
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Ryu 0/-------/--=====|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2 Blanka
A short span away?! That is /not far enough/, Ryu! Blanka is more than equipped to pass short distances in a quick movement. He is, after all, fast as a puma! Or something fast that is in the Brazillian jungles. He hunkers down as the fire builds in Ryu's hands, that brilliant sphere of blazing red that signifies a special technique of the Ansetsuken Masters' skills. As Ryu begins the forwards motion that signifies the apex of the technique, Blanka moves.
He's intent on pleasing the crowd, so the move he makes is one that is .. frankly, possibly crazy. He howls out as he closes distance, and his hands come up at the same time as Ryu's do. His fingers crackle with a sudden explosion of his own chi, blue-white lightning that races from his spine to his hands, and he reaches out in the /same/ motion as Ryu, trying to put his hands into the fire of the Hadouken, to reach through it, and by doing so, shock and surprise Ryu himself. It's a beautiful moment - and if it had worked, it would be astonishing indeed. Instead, he's blown back to his back by the impact, skidding away in a smouldering heap. He rolls and tumbles to the back of the floor, the glass keeping him from falling out, but light ripples as he hits it, the pane almost breaking. As he returns to his feet, it's a wary look of impressed pleasure on his face. He will stand tall - and give Ryu every bit of his power.
True fact: Some jungle creatures taste really good bbq'ed up and seasoned a bit. Snake, gator, with some of the reptiles you have to be careful of the poisons, though. Puma is probably pretty good, too. Of course, Ryu can sense the buildup of rampant electrical energy that Blanka summons, surging wildly in the face of the Hadouken, but the conflagration is too much for the Beastman this time - luckily for Ryu. There was little option but to forge onward, blast Blanka away before the cunning savage could launch into his electrifying plan. This time, it works - the impact of the explosive, fiery chi is severe, and buys Ryu not only space but a few scant moments.
The charge released by Blanka, the fires of the Hadouken, the thrum of energy rushing off the exhilerated crowd is more than tangible now, as the battle rages towards its finale, both fighters determined, unrelenting. The crackling anticipation is embraced by the Ansatsuken Master, his hands weaving a brief kata before him, settling into a ready, open palmed stance as visible arcs of blue-white electricity fluctuate up through his body, a slow, undeniable crescendo rushing up from within and without as a wisping bluish fire outlines the nomad's aura, his intense gaze burning with alert clarity - ready to fight all the harder, despite the brutal exchanges so far.
He beckons Blanka forward, knowing the Beastman possesses more than a little fight, yet... but neither is the nomad out of tricks.
COMBATSYS: Ryu gathers his will.
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Ryu 1/------=/=======|=======\======-\1 Blanka
Blanka has recovered his footing, quickly coming back up to where he can prepare for what he should do next. The 'wall' of glass is good enough for him to brace upon, to regather a hint of strength and skill. His head is clear now, his breathing returning to a steady pace. His fingers curl into fists, and then he slams one paw against the arena outer 'wall', sending the lights overhead all ashimmer as the glass flexes, bends - and almost breaks.
Howling out another challenge, Blanka bounds forwards, ducking down into a ball as he blows in towards Ryu. He's prepared and ready, but Blanka is intent on smashing through anything the man can offer up. He's curled up into a ball, boundince once, twice, and then a third time, he tries to just barrel over Ryu, to knock him against and hopefully /out/ of the arena itself!!
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Blanka's Ground Shave Rolling.
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Ryu 1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0 Blanka
Ryu's wits settle - his purpose is clear. He senses, as well as sees, the upsurge in his opponent. That tangible hum in the air, the intakes of sharp gasps in the audience - it barely registers next to the displacement of air as Blanka whooshes forward, the first roll met by a squared guard, Ryu all but slamming back against the momentum of the mighty Brazilian, shoving off and into a low, sliding evasion as the rampaging Blanka whips hither and yon, threatening to rip Ryu apart - if he were still in harm's way. Saved by resilient arms and swift legs, the nomad twists about to face the flying greenskin as he lands, both his hands at his sides. That gathered power hasn't abated - the crescendo continues, soaring higher in the arena, the air throughout the dojo suddenly alight with static charge, Ryu's hands splaying apart as his muscles tense, and rampant waves of current course out of his fingertips, bolt from palm to palm, "DENJIIIIIIIIIIIN...."
The nomad intones, voicing his gathering power fervently as the white-hot sphere in his grips fluctuates ever larger, a sphere of veritable ball lightning crackling to volatile life before it's launched forward, a heaving whip of the Ansatsuken Master's arms sending the jolting ball forward, levelling the taser++ directly at his opponent - answering Blanka's efforts in kind, with primal, elemental energies surging from the very core of his being, and bolting between him and the bounding Beastman in abrupt fashion indeed.
"HADOOOOOOOUKEN!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Blanka with Denjin Hadouken.
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Ryu 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Blanka
Such a power, Blanka could never hope to truly match. He throws himself towards Ryu, to batter at the man's might - only to be deflected, dodged by the best. He returns to his feet, and when he sees what is coming, he sets his jaw in a firm line. There's no avoidance here, no hiding or tricks. Instead, he simply stands tall in the path of Ryu's power, unafraid. His hands come up as if to block - and at the last second, he throws them open and /HOWLS/ into the raging fire, trying to withstand it, to get through it and closer to Ryu.
For a moment, the fire washes over him, blue-white cascading around him and singeing him horribly. As the fire washes away, Blanka still stands. He's dazed, shaken and badly burned, but he tries to take one step forwards. Another - till he's face to face with Ryu. His grin is weakened, his hands shaky as he brings giant paws up to Ryu's shoulders. It's not a move as if to attack - whispering something to the other warrior, a simple phrase. "Blanka.. proud to play with Awh-ryuu." With that, he bounds upwards, towards the roof of the White Arena. He hits the ceiling, with a thundering crash, and as he starts to come back down, melons that he'd stuck in the ceiling there tumble down with him. He aims sort of at Ryu, though he's mostly out of it on the way down, simply falling instead of intently trying to smush the Ansetsuken warrior. Watch out for the watermelons, though!!
COMBATSYS: Blanka can no longer fight.
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Ryu 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ryu dodges Blanka's Tropical Hazard.
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Ryu 0/-------/------=|
That's the downside to playing quite this rough: it just can't last. The electrifying burst is weathered by Blanka, or so it appears at first. Simply being ABLE to highbound after such a searing shock is impressive in its own right. That Blanka achieves such amazing heights and force is more alarming still. Up, up, up, into the distant rafters, and WHAM! The metallic clang of the reinforced arena, and the dropping of stowed melons heralds the return to Earth of the mighty Brazilian.
As the Beastman hurtles groundward, Ryu studies his angle of descent only a scant instant - it's all he really has. Scanning the arena quickly, the nomad throws himself sidelong, hitting and rolling abruptly up against the far wall of the 'dojo', as Blanka cracks resoundingly into the hardwood floor, the melons exploding all around in a shower of fruity pulp and juice, rinds skittering across the well-polished floor.
Ryu can't suppress a mild chuckle as he surveys the scene, and pushes gradually back to his feet - Blanka is slower getting up, and the Beastman's already pushed himself to astounding limits. Ryu walks towards where Blanka falls, intending to help the Brazilian Beast up, "You fought hard, Blanka. It was my honor." But battle is only one part of a healthy lifestyle: "Let's hit the city while we're here, I'm famished." The nomad may not know the greenskin /well/... but there's one thing they can always agree on.
COMBATSYS: Ryu has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:02:29 10/22/2008 by Ryu, and last modified on 14:03:23 10/23/2008.