Description: When sideburn fights sideburn everyone loses.
Late afternoon in Southtown. The big, bright sun hovering over the city has begun to dip down underneath the hills, casting amber beams of light through the trees. A few of these sunrays fall upon the Kyokugen Dojo here on the outskirts of the city, lighting up the facility's translucent shoji screen walls like lanterns. The illumination also provides ample warning for the moment Maxima, along with two "friends" clad in menacing-looking bodyarmor, crash through said paper walls, as the group cast a large, dark shadow right before causing some costly damage to the exterior of the dojo.
Wouldn't you know, it's the perfect time of day to hold an introductory class on the basics of Kyokugen Karate, and by chance the large Canadian and the foes grappling with him have managed to barge right into it. On the ground, Maxima quickly takes stock of his current whereabouts; the shocked faces of a dozen or so children in white karate gi means he doesn't need to think very hard about where he's just landed. <Subjects are non-hostile> his computer unhelpfully chimes in while drawing green "friendly" reticles over the bewildered students. Still, Maxima decides to end this quickly, before any collateral damage occurs. Taking one of the NESTS trackers heads in each massive hand, he bashes them together, then throws them out of the dojo. His aim isn't terrific: the two soldiers wreck another screen door on the way out.
"Remember to kiai as you punch students. All of your force come from the legs and up through your core and into your arms. The shout focuses your energy as it flows through you, through your punch, and into your oppon-" Stopping mid-sentence as the trio busts through the paper walls, Marco's mouth flops open in shock as the large man with the rather sad sideburns sends kids running and screaming in surprise. "What the hell?!" Marco growls as his eyes narrow and his beautiful sideburns tremble with rage. "No. That shit did not just happen." he adds as Maxima tosses the two body-armored goons back through a fresh pane of paper. "You're gunna regret bringin your fight to the Kyokugen Dojo sucka!" the Brazilian bellows as he charges at the Canadian like the bear he is reputed to spar with. Marco's reticle is most certainly not green.
COMBATSYS: Maxima has started a fight here.
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Maxima 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Marco has joined the fight here.
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Marco 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Maxima
So much for Maxima's brilliant plan to lose the tail he had picked up by trudging through the forest on his journey back to Southtown rather than taking more conventional means of transportation. His sideburn-sense tingling, Maxima picks himself up off the tatami matting so that he can explain himself before the proprietor of the dojo takes a disliking to him. Maybe a sideburn-to-sideburn discussion will settle everything. However, as his computer's AI kindly notifies him via a warning klaxon going off in his brain, there isn't exactly time to explain how he was jumped and shoved in here by two agents of a secretive organization that he defect from and is now trying to hunt him down. He watches Marco, by no means a small man himself, baring down on him and merely says with a sheepish expression, "Uh... my bad."
COMBATSYS: Maxima takes no action.
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Marco 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Maxima
"Yeah, it IS your bad!" Marco growls as he brings his meaty fists down to his sides, his arms parallel to the ground. You see there is a certain code that goes along with running a martial arts dojo. There are all sorts of complicated rules and traditions. It can seem pretty complicated to an outsider, but the one tenet that is applicable here is that if an outsider busts in to a dojo uninvited and manages to do some property damage to boot, well, they're in for an asswhoopin. Plus it makes for a great lesson for the kiddies. "HYA!" Marco intones as he thrusts his right fist forward, out from his own midsection and toward Maxima's gut. A classic Karate punch; and it just happens to be the very same attack that Marco had been showing his students before they were so rudely interrupted. Watch closely kids.
COMBATSYS: Marco successfully hits Maxima with Medium Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Marco 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Maxima
The one thing Marco may notice, upon hitting the big Canadian square in the gut, is that it's like trying to beat down a piece of solid steel. Even the sound from the Kyokugen teacher's knuckles striking torso sounds vaguely metallic, like iron being struck. Despite those worrisome results, the attack does seem to stagger the huge intruder, sending him backpedalling while doubled-over slightly. In fact, Maxima almost manages to go reeling back through ANOTHER screen door before definitively stomping a boot down to steady himself, one hand gingerly resting upon the paper screen to verify he didn't cause even more damage that he won't be able to pay for.
"I guess I can't make excuses, huh?" He remarks, rhetorically. There's only one way to deal with this situation, as regrettable as that is when two men of such great facial hair come together, and that is by force.
The big boot Maxima used to steady himself steps forward, instantly closing the distance between the two men. The cyborg's arm follows quickly afterwards, hand balled into a fist as it delivers your basic straight punch to the collarbone of Marco.
COMBATSYS: Marco endures Maxima's Quick Punch.
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Marco 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Maxima
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "Ow."
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "That's a beefy quick punch."
[OOC] Maxima says, "The fist is covered in bacon."
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "Damn, Marco is weak vs. bacon."
[OOC] Maxima says, "But strong vs. chicken?"
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "You know it."
The Brazilian's eyes grow wide as his fist impacts Maxima's midsection. It feels like punching a damn steel girder! "This guy's been doin his crunches..." Marco mutters quietly as he shakes out his hand briefly before forming it back into a fist. A lesser man's hand would probably be shattered after that strike. "See that kids?" Marco calls out over his shoulder as Maxima manages to keep from busting through the paper screen like a Canadian kool-aid man. "It's all about the kiai."
Bringing his fists back down to his sides as he assumes the kiba-dachi, or horse stance, Marco waits for the Canadian to close in and throw a punch before he lunges forward, heedless of Maxima's punch, and tries to grab the large man by his collar. Gritting his teeth as the punch rings off of his collarbone, Marco swings his massive head forward, and if he's able to gain a hold on the NESTS project the Kyokugen instructor will smash his forehead into Maxima's face, the dark man's gorgeous sideburns adding that much more force, no doubt.
COMBATSYS: Maxima interrupts Kyokugen Zu-Tsuki from Marco with Maxima Missile.
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Marco 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Maxima
The fight moves further into the dojo, causing the brave Kyokugen students to spread out, giving the two large fighters a wide birth to duke it out within. Maxima moves as gingerly as he can, considering the situation, to prevent any further damage from being dealt to Marco's establishment. He already feels terrible about it
As for Marco's attack, well it serves him right, after all the collar of Maxima's leather jacket is some hideous metal ordeal that deserves to be grabbed as much as possible. Messing with the Canadian's clothes is one thing, however, trying to put your big greasy forehead anywhere close to the silken floss that makes up his luxurious cheek fur is completely another. The cyborg's other arm shoots out, like a rocket, at a upward angle, fist catching Marco under the chin right as the karate instructor's head grazes Maxima's.
Really, Maxima shouldn't feel TOO bad about destroying the dojo. If the walls don't have to be replaced at least once a week, then well, you're just not practicing your Kyokugen Karate right. That's probably the ACTUAL reason that the walls and doors are made from rice paper. It's also the real reason why they keep Robert around. Somebody has to pay for all of the dojo upkeep, right?
"Gah!" Marco grunts as the Canadian's fist rockets up at his face and busts him on the chin, forcing the large man to stumble even farther back into the dojo, sending kids sprawling out of the way of his large frame. "You're pretty tough," Marco observes simply as he wipes a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth with a meaty thumb. "You're sense of hair groomin ain't that bad either," the Kyokugen Bear adds with a smirk. "But that ain't gunna keep you from getting a Kyokugen-style ass whoopin. Think of it as a lesson. You know, for the kids." Straining his muscles as he pushes his fists out in front of his torso with practiced, deliberate movements, Rodriguez lets the Kyokugen-fueled fire that burns within his barrel chest work its way through his arms and burst to life in the form of tall orange flames that rise from his bare forearms. "KYOKUGEN MIGHT!" Marco intones as he focuses for the battle to come.
COMBATSYS: Marco draws upon his Kyokugen spirit.
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Marco 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Maxima
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Marco 0/-------/-======|===----\-------\0 Maxima
"For the kids..." Maxima cracks a whimsical smile at that. It's not as if he's unfamiliar with the concept of comically-huge fighters teaching small children, though his work at the YFCC on most days mostly consists of running damage control. "Hey, whatever you say, pal-" He intones, his heads-up display keeping a close eye on the burly Kyokugen teacher even as that fiery aura springs to lift, almost threatening to singe a sideburn or two.
"I can't speak for 'Kyokugen might' or whatever, but personally..." He brings an arm up, fist closed, and levels it at Marco. "-I know there's some things you really can't teach." Just to make his point abundantly clear, the arm aimed at Marco produces three arm-cannons that pop out from around his wrist. Without further warning the weapon emits a extremely concussive blast of compressed air and heavy gases directed straight at Marco's chest. "VAPOUR CANNON!"
COMBATSYS: Marco blocks Maxima's Vapour Cannon.
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Marco 1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Maxima
"What the hell?!" Marco gasps as the canons pop out of the stranger's arm. Crossing his thick arms in front of his chest to try and ward off the brunt of... whatever it is that Maxima is shooting at him. The concussive force blasts against his forearms painfully and shreds the cuffs of his white gi sleeves, but he doesn't seem to be falling under the effects of any sort of poisonous gas or radiation, at least as far as Marco can tell. He's no scientist. Shaking the tingle from his arms briskly, the Kyokugen Bear frowns slightly whispers of 'cool!' and 'awesome!' from the students gathered around the two fighters and clears his throat.
"Ahem. No. I guess you can't teach something like that..." he replies with a shrug. "But I'd rather earn my strength through hard work and dedication than have to rely on cool... arm canons..." he finishes rather weakly, but what he lacks in conviction of speech he more than makes up for with a harsh glare to his students; a glare that promises extra pushups if he hears any more from them about silly arm canons and other such nonsense.
"The only way to truly know how to use one's strength and technique is to build it from the ground up, slowly and with sweat. There are no shortcuts to true power," Marco adds just before springing into action, probably more for his student's benefit than this sideburn-clad stranger. Dashing toward Maxima with more speed and agility than his thick frame would suggest, Marco lashes out with a quick sidekick aimed straight for Maxima's seemingly iron-clad ribs. Sure, they maybe be as tough as metal, but to worry about that would imply that Marco hasn't kicked through steel before. And who'd be foolish enough to suggest something like that?
COMBATSYS: Marco successfully hits Maxima with Medium Kick.
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Marco 1/-------/=======|=====--\-------\0 Maxima
The Canadian Cyborg stands his ground even as Marco dashes towards him and delivers a hard side kick, one that could possibly crack a rib, if he had those any more. He attempts to move one of his tree trunk arms down to cover up, but Marco proves to be a little quicker, and the leg lands with a dull, metallic thud. If you looked closely one might swear that they could see a foot-shaped dent where the kick just struck.
"You lay it on real thick!" Maxima exclaims through the wince-inducing pain of Marco's attack, "What am I supposed to do here, tell you you're wrong and make you look bad in front of your students?" While he's asking this he reaches for Marco's face with one of those hulking gauntlets of his, grasp easily wide enough to palm the entirety of his opponent's head, whereupon he'll try to upend the Karate teacher up off his feet, then slam him skull-down into the nearest tatami mat.
COMBATSYS: Marco Toughs Out Maxima's Quick Throw!
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Marco 1/----===/=======|======-\-------\0 Maxima
"Don't worry stranger, it will take more than words to make me look bad," Marco replies as his fumanchu contorts with a smirk even as Maxima deigns to touch the Brazilian's sideburns as he reaches for his pompadour-clad head. Picked up into the air with surprising ease, Marco's face flashes an alarmed look as he is upended and sent crashing down headfirst into the mat. "Nnnhhh..." Marco groans pathetically as he tries to sell the hit for a moment. Gasps rise up from the student audience as it looks like Marco just got dealt a stunning blow, that is, until the large man's mouth erupts into a mischievous grin and his eyes spring open wildly.
"Fooled ya, didn't I?" Marco announces as he reaches for Maxima's leg from his supine position on the ground and attempts to spin his own body around and shoulder the cyborg's leg from behind and send the large man crashing down to the tatami mat with him before scrambling up to his feet.
COMBATSYS: Marco successfully hits Maxima with Improvised Grapple.
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Marco 1/---====/=======|=======\-------\1 Maxima
Well, crap. It turns out that all that complicated software, combat analysis programming, computer-assisted targeting and predictive subroutines is all useless against a perfectly-executed rope-a-dope scheme. The big cyborg falls for it hook, line, and sinker, and is even reaching down to grab Marco again when the Kyokugen fighter unveils the fact that he was just playing possum.
Along with noticing the slightly grassy taste of the tatami mat Marco is so gracious to introduce his face to, Maxima uses the brief moment he spends on the floor reminding himself to never underestimate those who choose to rock the mutton-chops.
They're tricksy folk. He should know, because he has a few moves up his sleeve as well. Such as this one:
Maxima's legs are beneath him in a flash; it's the Canadian's turn to display some uncommon quickness. Mighty leg servos, combined with a blast of compressed air from his boots, send the cyborg hurtling upwards, bat-out-of-hell style. Suffice to say the wooden ceiling is no match for nearly half-a-ton of solid Canadian Fighting Bacon careening towards it, a shower of splinters raining down on Marco signals Maxima's exit. Maxima doesn't need any technology for the next part of this move, in fact quite the opposite. He curls himself into a ball and lets gravity finally take hold, hundreds of feet above the ground. "BUNKAAAAAAHH..."
To his credit, when Maxima comes down like a human comet on Marco, he manages to enter in through the same hole in the roof he made when he left. "BUSTAAAAAH!"
COMBATSYS: Marco interrupts Bunker Buster from Maxima with Kyokugen Ko Hou.
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Marco 1/=======/=======|=======\-------\0 Maxima
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "ohgod pain all around"
[OOC] Maxima says, "Somehow we both lost."
[OOC] Khushnood Butt laughs.
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "When sideburn fights sideburn everyone loses."
Marco sighs as Maxima blasts off through the dojo roof, leaving splinters of wood and roofing tile all over Marco's well coifed hair. He just sighs. "Well class. I guess the lesson is over," he announces to his students, certain that Maxima must have taken enough Kyokugen-brand punishment for the day and called it quits. But wait... what's that whistling sound... you know, the kind that you hear in old war movies when a bomb has been dropped... Crap. Glancing up at the dojo's new sun roof, Marco sneers and grits his teeth. Unlike Maxima, Marco's legs don't have any fancy servos or air jets. No, just pure 100% Grade-A Brazilian Man Beef. And it is this very beef that Marco flexes and compresses as he bends in preparation to launch himself up into the air amidst a fiery maelstrom of chi that forces his students to gasp and shield their eyes from as their teacher rises to meet the falling Maxima with a brutal Kyokugen Kohou uppercut.
Meat greets metal with a sickening crunch that doesn't bode well for either fighter as the impact of Marco's rising uppercut sends both fighters back up through the hole that the Canadian just entered through, and then back down through fresh fissures. Sinking down to one knee as he lands on the tatami mat, Marco holds a weary hand to his forehead as he tries to get his bearings. "...I didn't want to... show you kids that one yet... it's a very advanced technique..." Marco informs them wearily as his eyes scan the room for his sparing partner. Robert is gunna be pissed.
Is this guy actually coming up to meet him in mid-air? Maxima can't say he's seen that one before, especially since the usual reaction he gets to this technique is closer to a panicked run for safety. Suicidal or courageous. Either way, it looks like somebody has been eating his Manwiches.
The collision of sideburn against sideburn is a cataclysmic eruption that threatens to destroy the entire Kyokugen Dojo and slaughter all the young students in the immediate vicinity, or at least prevent them from ever growing such frightening, beautiful mutton chops. Maxima lands in a heap in the corner of the dojo, letting out a small groan. There is a copper taste in his mouth from some of the little remaining blood that still courses through his body. He hasn't been hit that hard in a long time.
<damage report: warning, main servoes at 17 percent. m-systems recharging...>
No time to get the full report. He spies Marco looking around the sparring room, not having spotted him yet. Time to move. Despite his body being mostly artificial, it takes plain old-fashioned Canuck willpower to get those damaged joints into motion, something he exercises now, charging up behind the Kyokugen fighter and wrapping both arms around his opponent's waist, where upon he heaves backwards, attempting a picture-perfect suplex.
COMBATSYS: Maxima successfully hits Marco with Dangerous Arch.
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Marco 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Maxima
The Kyokugen Instructor's ears perk up as he ears something that sounds like grinding gears and whining servos approaching him from behind. "Damn," is all the bear of a man has to say for himself as Maxima's large arms encircle his waist and flip the Brazilian backwards, slamming him into the ground so hard that he bounces off of the tatami mats and nearly crushes a student or two that luckily had good enough reflexes to leap out of the way at the last moment. "Nhhhhg..." Marco groans as he pulls himself up into a crouch. "You... you're pretty strong... uh.. whatever your name is..." Marco admits grudgingly as he clutches what feels like multiple broken ribs with his left hand. Sighing heavily as he pushes the pain out of his mind, the Kyokugen Bear forces himself to stand up to his full height and steady his breathing before continuing.
"And, don't worry about the damage to the dojo, I consider your participation in this fight as a valuable lesson for my students," Marco informs his opponent. Despite his rude interruption of Marco's class, and apparently being a robot, the Brazilian can sense that this strange sideburn aficionado is probably a pretty descent... uh... robot man after all. He seems pretty well-mannered anyway. Besides, chances are the dojo is about to become even more thrashed.
Holding his hands in front of him dramatically, Marco's deep voice begins to rise in his chest as he focuses his chi yet again. "HAAAAAAAAAAOH..." the Kyokugen Instructor begins as he builds a large ball of chi between his hands. "SHO KO KEN!" he shouts as he brings his hands forward and sends a massive wave of fiery chi toward Maxima that is nearly as tall as the fighter himself! A half-smile rising to his lips as the destructive attack is launched at the stranger, Marco can't help but slump forward slightly, his inner reserves almost tapped.
COMBATSYS: Maxima endures Marco's Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
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Marco 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 Maxima
Maxima thought for sure that would finish it and that he could finally get out of here. Marco had other plans. He's too far away to close the distance while Marco gathers the energy for what is sure to be a less-than-pleasant attack. <opponent chi levels rising> his computer remarks dryly, always the epitome of helpfulness. When Marco launches the massive fireball, Maxima decides the best course of action is to stand there and take it. Take it like a man.
Anything less and he would have to go home and shave his head in shame.
The Haoh Sho Ko Ken technique strikes the cyborg, sending him staggering backwards. He nearly loses his footing and tumbles out the shattered paper wall that caused this whole mess in the first place, but somehow manages to regain his balance at the last moment. The fireball blew apart the majority of the cyborg's leather jacket and undershirt, and severely damaged the clearly mechanical, metal plating beneath. Not so damaged, however, that they aren't able to still open up and reveal some kind of glowing death within the core of the cyborg. Possibly containing a force even more powerful than the Canadian's facial hair. The low, oscillating whine and hellish brightness of the mechanism within Maxima's chest promises out imminent destruction.
<mx-ii final cannon online. 3.... 2....>
<...aborting.>
Maxima can't go through with it... at least not when he sees the faces of 12-year-old karate students peering at him from behind and around their sensei with quizzical, even frightened expressions on their faces. The oscillating sound dies down, and there is a pained metal-on-metal groan as the plates around the reactor move back into place. Maxima takes a knee, and a moment to breath. "Well I'm real glad to hear you say that, 'cause I'm broke anyways" he chuckles. It takes a few more moments for him to stand, "But I'm sorry about the mess..." he says while turning away. Then, a flash of inspiration: "If you don't mind, I'd like to come by later and help out with the repairs."
He doesn't wait for an answer, stepping gingerly over the the debris caused by his destructive entrance and exiting the dojo. It's only after he's gone that Marco may notice the kids behind him and make the connection.
[OOC] Maxima says, "Damn, that was long."
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Marco 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Maxima can no longer fight.
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Marco 0/-------/-------|
[OOC] Maxima nods. Sorry for the spam pose. I always say to myself I want to take less than 10 mins...
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "Nah, I enjoyed it."
[OOC] Khushnood Butt says, "It was long yet substantial. Like our sideburns."
Log created on 03:31:43 02/04/2009 by Maxima, and last modified on 09:50:48 02/04/2009.