Neo League 826 - #833: Ken vs Maki

Description: Masters Stadium -- Ken Masters' home turf! Should be a cakewalk, right? Well, Metro City's own Maki has other ideas! ( Winner: Ken )



Masters Stadium, a large and well known fighting arena where many of the fighters on the circuit have tested their wits against other fighters many times. Owned by none other than the wealthy fighter Ken Masters himself. An arena with many obstacles and objects to be used to test the abilities of even the best fighters in the world. Indeed, Masters Stadium is a work of art in itself.

Today, we are in the Red Arena, where Metro City's heroine, who ironically also happens to wear red, is warming up for her fight. This woman is none other than Maki Genryusai, Bushin-Ryu fighter who helped save Metro City from the Mad Gears numerous times, all while making a name for herself on the fighting circuit at the same time. Today, she's preparing herself for a battle with Ken Masters himself, truly a battle to be remembered!

Ken Masters is on home turf, which will either go down as a tremendous advantage or the road to overconfidence, depending on how the fight goes. All the same, Ken feels pretty good; his stride is loose, and his smile is unforced, as he paces toward the fighting grounds of the Red Arena. Even though there's a crowd out to see the fight, his nerves are unfazed.

Upon coming out into the open, Ken flashes a thumbs-up at the audience, shown in tremendous size on the big ol' HD screen for the cheap seats. He takes a swig of water, cracks his neck, and enters the circle -- "So, you're outta Metro City, huh? Nice town, for the most part. Had my last League fight there." Ken's tone is affable, even friendly.

After popping his knuckles and loosening his stance a bit more, the fighting champion grins. "I figure since this is my home court, babe, I'll let you take the first shot -- don't hold back!" Ken falls back into his ready stance, awaiting whatever comes.

COMBATSYS: Ken has started a fight here.

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Ken              0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Maki has joined the fight here.

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Ken              0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Maki


"It's a nice place indeed," Maki replies, giving Ken a formal bow. "I look forward to taking you on today, as I've heard about you but never actually battled with you. This shall truly be a match to remember!" Maki winks a little before getting into her fighting stance.

And then the official gives the signal to start. Not missing a beat, Maki jumps into the air, rebounds off a nearby tree, and then flies directly at Ken with direct flying kick aimed right at him!

COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Maki's Hassou Kyaku.

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Ken              0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Maki


"Whoa!" Ken says, although perhaps he's just being polite -- he doesn't seem to break a sweat as his arm suddenly snaps up, curling so that Maki strikes him in the limb as opposed to the skull. He can feel a bruise starting to bubble up already, but puts any of that pain aside -- he's got more important things to focus on, naturally.

"Nice moves -- I can see you're a girl who knows her way around a kick!" Ken maintains his grin, although his eyes have a fierce quality to them, an appearance that his wild, unplucked black brows only adds to. "You're not the only one, though! Hoo-aa!" Ken surges toward Maki in a barefoot scamper, suddenly swinging one leg up to deliver a spinning kick, bringing his heel toward the blonde fighter's head!

COMBATSYS: Maki blocks Ken's Ushiro Mawashi-geri.

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Ken              0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Maki


Maki's seen her share of feet (and hands, not to mention weapons) coming at her head, and it's not a pleasant experience. Honestly, Maki came here for a battle, not a headache, and that's why Maki brings her tonfa arm up to deflect the foot away. It's a little difficult at first, but Maki keeps her stance strong.

"Pretty good. I think I'm going to enjoy this," Maki says as she immediately brings one of her feet up and attempts to deliver a sneaker to Ken's side.

COMBATSYS: Maki successfully hits Ken with Light Kick.

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Ken              0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0             Maki


Ken lets out a jocular laugh as he adjusts his stance, bringing his fists up and spinning to face Maki again -- only to find himself met by a strike to the ribs, causing him to recoil backward sharply. "Oof!" he snorts, a bit wide-eyed at how readily he let his own guard down. "Okay, note to self -- this Maki chick is a feisty one! That /hurt/!" Ken chuckles again, apparently not too down on himself, if his banter is any indication -- but, if his banter is any indication, it seems like he's not taking the fight very seriously, and doing more than his share of just mugging for the cameras, like the fighting world's Davy Jones.

"Well, forgive me if this is rude," Ken says, eyes darting from side to side, before he rushes in again, "but I'm the kind of guy who brings a punch to a kick fight!" The blonde fighter in red -- the /male/ one, in this situation -- dips one arm low, attempting to sock the wind right out of Maki with a stiff blow to the belly.

COMBATSYS: Maki endures Ken's Medium Punch.

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Ken              0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0             Maki


"Feisty, huh? Watch who you call feisty," Maki says with a slight smirk, only to have it disappear as she sees Ken's incoming punch aimed right at her stomach. And unfortunately, she's taken quite a few blows to that spot, and man does it hurt. Thinking quickly, Maki switches her stance slightly, waiting for the punch to connect.

It connects, and it hurts all right, but Maki decides to utilize this situation to her advantage. Taking an extra moment to catch her breath, Maki attempts to catch Ken off guard with a sudden upwards strike of her tonfa!

COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Maki's Medium Strike.

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Ken              0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0             Maki


Ken does what any sensible, rational person would do in this situation -- his fist snaps out again, and he punches downward as Maki's tonfa slashes upward. Granted, this goes some ways toward neutering the baton's momentum, but it still hurts, as the audible 'CRACK!' of knuckles on tonfa attests to. "Hey, what's wrong with feisty?" Ken says, pulling his hand back, shaking it a bit as if trying to restore circulation. "Feisty's okay by me."

Ken falls back, though, as if gauging how best to handle Maki now that the force of her weapons has been shown. For all his happy-go-lucky appearances, he's a calculating guy when he wants to be, and a swift one, too -- it's barely a second before he comes forward again, breaking out a kick. Letting himself get low, the kick isn't aimed for Maki's trunk, but at the side of her knee. Perhaps baring so much of her legs was a mistake, as Ken figures they're the core of her arsenal, tonfas or no.

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Strong Kick.

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Ken              0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0             Maki


Even though Ken is a strong fighter and has very swift attacks, that doesn't mean he can always hit Maki. Especially if she's a moving target. The blonde-haired ninja jumps upwards a little, meaning Ken's attack hits nothing but air. Meanwhile, Maki's already got her next attack prepared as she comes down, like some kind of choreographed stunt routine.

"Better watch out!" Maki yells as she literally drops onto the tip of her tonfa and then spins around like a human whirlwind with one leg outstretched!

COMBATSYS: Ken fails to interrupt Bushin Senpuu Kyaku from Maki with Shoryuken.

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Ken              0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0             Maki


"No -- /you/ better watch out," Ken says, as he gets low like Fat Joe commanded dancefloors to a couple years ago or something. Facing the human whirlwind that is Maki, flames spontaneously ignite already white-hot knuckles, and he attempts to burst upward, raging with the fire of a crazy-ass dragon. "SHOOORYU--"

And then, Ken is kicked in the mouth so hard he's flung aside, landing roughly on his shoulder with a hiss and a gasp; his forearm extinguishes even before he lands. "Guh," Ken says, clutching his head as he pushes himself, dazedly, back to his feet. "Okay, maybe I, uh, spoke too soon."

As Maki gets back onto her feet, she looks at Ken and shakes her head. "Looks like I got the upper hand this time... or should that be foot?" She chuckles a little while remaining in her fighting stance. Two fighters using their signature moves, only one can come out on top. That was Maki.

Still watching Ken, Maki waits for him to get back onto his feet while observing his every move. In situations like this, where your opponent's recovering from a knockdown like this, you always have to wonder if they've got something up their sleeve.

COMBATSYS: Maki focuses on her next action.

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Ken              0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0             Maki


"/This/ time," Ken says, and then has the audacity to wink -- as sure a sign as ever that so long as Ken possesses his slightly arrogant but generally charming boyishness, he will fight on. Ken's moves are not quite as interesting as people might hope for -- as his tongue pokes around to make sure he's not going to have to get any more fake teeth installed, he cracks his neck again, and stretches his arms out, limbering up. "Get ready, honey, 'cause it's round two!"

With that, Ken launches forward. His quickness rivals Maki's own, albeit on a form much less suited to it -- making the swiftness of his pounce all the more remarkable. Having closed the distance with such speed, he attempts to turn it into pure momentum for a swift kick -- but one kick, as it turns out, is not enough, as he swings his one leg up in such a way as to deliver a punishing one-two combo!

COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Maki with Inazuma Kakato Wari.

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Ken              0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1             Maki


Keeping an eye on Ken, Maki attempts to read her opponent and anticipate his next move, almost like a chess player trying to set up for a sudden checkmate. But unfortunately, reading an opponent also means anticipating the proper strategy for dealing with whatever they might have up their sleeve. And as Maki finds out, this is one attack that shouldn't be dodged.

The blows strike the blonde hard, and she stumbles backward and drops to one knee, finding herself a little out of breath for a few moments. She uses the tip of her tonfa to get back onto her feet, trying not to let her fatigue show, although it's kind of obvious from how she's starting to slump a little in her fighting stance.

"I'm not done yet. I won't give up when I'm taking on such an impressive fighter," Maki says in a voice of determination and strength. And then she attempts to grab Ken by the shoulder and throw him onto the ground.

COMBATSYS: Ken endures Maki's Quick Throw.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Ken              0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1             Maki


Maki manages to grab Ken and toss him towards the ground, although she's unsure about how well she managed to do.

"Unf!" Ken lands square on his back, shoulders-first, legs in the air. It's certainly a loud impact, as it generally is when one throws a slab of muscle and tanning oil on the ground. Ken doesn't even have time to enjoy the fact that his landing gives him a perfect up-loincloth view -- now, he decides, he should perhaps play some hardball.

Breaking into a sudden roll, Ken swoops away, attempting to give himself a comfortable amount of space. As he launches out of the roll, ending up on bended knee, Ken's hands come together. His arms tense in their bent position, and his stern gaze grows hotter -- as red chi begins to gather between his palms, like a raging storm being compressed. Compressed and directed: Ken suddenly and forcefully lunges out with his arms, sending a ball of fire soaring Maki's way. Everyone knows what is is, but Ken says it anyway: "HADOUKEN!"

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Hadouken.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Ken              0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1             Maki


A familiar attack on the circuit, the famous Hadouken that is quite a common sight by Ryu and Ken, not to mention Sakura. But Maki isn't bothered by that. She simply jumps to the side and avoids the incoming fireball. Without wasting any time on that, Maki immediately jumps from her landing position and flies at Ken with her leg outstretched.

COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Maki's Strong Kick.

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Ken              0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1             Maki


As Maki closes in, Ken rises to his feet, swinging his arm down as his body goes up so that he takes the kick on one of his broad, tan shoulders rather than anywhere more vital. "Hnf!" the blonde grunts, mostly drowned out by the 'thock!' of impact.

"It was a nice try, Maki," Ken says, words running faster as if part of a rushed gulp for air. "But I'm takin' the kid gloves off!" The American world warrior thrusts himself forward, thick arms and strong hands reaching for the relatively slight shoulders of the Metro City fighter -- that Ken may pull her inward and deliver a series of punishing knee lifts!

COMBATSYS: Maki blocks Ken's Tsukami Nage.

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Ken              0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1             Maki


Grab her shoulders if you want, but Maki's not gonna let you do something like that to her that easily. She tenses up and attempts to absorb each of the strikes as best as she can. They do hurt, but not as badly as if Ken had hit her perfectly on target. Still, they leave her gasping for air for a moment. After all, air is what makes a fighter keep going.

But when she's got enough air in her lungs, Maki decides to return the favor to Ken, by attempting to grab him in a clinch and then deliver a series of knees to him!

COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Maki's Kneestrike Hold.

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Ken              0/-------/---====|=======\==-----\1             Maki


Perhaps because of how well-oiled Ken's impressive musculature usually is, he's got something of a knack for slipping out of oncoming fighters' grasps; perhaps because he's an internationally renowned handsome Man About Fighting, he's got a knack for warding off grabby women (to the delight of his wife).

Stumbling backward, Ken takes a moment to consider his options -- and then looks around, to see the crowd, roaring him on. It's one of those moments straight out of a movie about, like, Kevin Costner playing lacrosse or something -- the low-angle shot of the champion, faced with a tough battle, turning to the crowd for inspiration. Ken basks in it for a moment, letting it give him back his fighting edge.

COMBATSYS: Ken enters a meditative state.

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Ken              1/-----==/=======|=======\==-----\1             Maki


Seems Ken's deciding to take a more mental approach to this whole thing. That works fine for Maki, since it's not just about physical abilities, but mental strength too. A good fighter must focus on everything in order to come out on top. Anyone who's on the fighting circuit will most likely tell you that.

As for Maki herself, she's not entirely in that kind of state either, but she does decide to take advantage of this to catch her breath.

COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.

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Ken              1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1             Maki


Ken's eyes glaze over the appreciative crowd -- and then settle on Maki. There is a new determination on his face, a slightly hard edge that wasn't there when the fight began. A breeze sweeps his hair, letting his bangs flutter in front of his steely gaze. With a grunt, he brings his fists up, tensing his body like a snake preparing to strike -- or a lion rearing back to leap.

"All right then," Ken says, lips curling into a small smile. Then, he strikes.

Flame pulses around the warrior's fist once more, as Ken lunges low and attempts to come up high, seeking to strike with a powerful uppercut. This is not like any of his many other uppercuts, though -- the heat coming from his fist is intense to the point of /glowing/, and the fire that trails from his strike is larger and hotter as well. Should he strike, nothing less than a /column of yellow light/ will erupt from the ground, flanked by spiralling torrents of flame, as if Ken had hell itself on his side. "SHINRYUU KEN!"

COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Maki with Shinryuu Ken+.

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Ken              0/-------/-------|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Maki


Whoops, maybe that wasn't such a great idea. Maki thinks that Ken's attack isn't as dangerous as it looks and thinks she can jump out of the way. No such luck, she ends up jumping into the line of fire (literally!) and gets herself knocked to the ground hard. She lays there for a moment while an official runs over to take a look at her and assess her situation. Fortunately, Maki's still got a tiny bit of fight left within her, albeit very weak.

Maki finally manages to get back onto her feet after a few attempts. Hunched over, bloodied, and out of breath, you'd think that Maki would want to throw in the towel now, but a woman like Maki doesn't give up in the least bit. She keeps going untill someone goes down for the count. And while Maki looks close to doing that, she still has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Like a sudden burst of energy as she rushes at Ken, attempting to deliver a swift flurry of tonfa strikes and kicks. Let's see how Ken likes this!

COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Maki's Bushin Gou Rai Ha.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0             Maki


Ken actually doesn't like it very much; he keeps his arms up and absorbs most of the damage dealt that way. Steam pours liberally from his knuckles and sweat drips from his face -- unleashing that Shinryuu Ken took a lot out of him, but he's still got enough in the tank to deflect the worst of Maki's many and powerful blows. "Ngh! Nnah! Hup!" and various other sounds of exertion.

When it ends, Ken snaps his head back, wicking sweaty hair out of his eyes -- eyes that are a little wild, scraggly brows tense and smile a bit disarmingly present. "My turn," Ken says, with the tone of good humor one might use when playing a board game -- and then, with sudden force, attempts to just outright punch Maki in the face.

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Medium Punch.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0             Maki


In spite of being badly beaten and nearly ready to collapse, Maki still manages to muster enough stamina and speed to get out of the way of Ken's incoming attack. In fact, the crowd is surprised to see Maki do that, as a loud, 'WHOA!' can be heard from them. Maki doesn't stop there, though, she attempts to continue things with a literal uppercut using her tonfa!

COMBATSYS: Maki successfully hits Ken with Genkou.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0             Maki


Ken's feeling drained himself -- as quick as he usually is, fatigue takes its toll and lets him move right into that uppercut. It impacts his chin so viciously that a Scorsese-esque streamer of drool pitches out of his mouth, arcing in the air as his head is knocked backward. "Ugh!" Ken stumbles again, but keeps his footing at the last instant, balancing on one heel.

Which makes it all the more remarkable when he spins on said heel, whipping his body into a veritable whirlwind with such force that Ken takes to the air, spinning an outstretched heel toward Maki!

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|=====--\-------\0             Maki


Again, Maki shows extreme agility with her body as she dodges Ken's incoming kick. Another familiar attack, but it won't be getting anything but air, in more ways than one, this time around. Yet, Maki's lungs are starting to feel heavy and her body is starting to give out. Not wanting to let this end prematurely, Maki takes a moment to catch her breath again. Hopefully she can keep going.

COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////                     ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0             Maki


"Sorry, hon, but we're this close to the home stretch -- no time-outs now!" Ken doesn't try to come off as mean or nasty with his comments -- if anything, it's just good-natured trash talk, like American sports should always have. In most sports, though, it would be a personal foul as Ken tries to punch Maki in the chest.

COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Maki with Jab Punch.
- Power hit! -

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Ken              0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0             Maki


A personal foul indeed. Maki gets hit in the chest, and would curse out Ken for something like that against a girl, but right now Maki's in no position to be cursing anyone out. Her body has run out of steam and she's looking like she's ready to go down for the count once and for all. A well fought battle, but unfortunately, someone has to fall while one remains standing. And that person who goes down is Maki.

In a last ditch effort to inflict a little more damage on Ken before she goes down for the count, Maki aims her tonfa at Ken's stomach for one last hit. Whatever happens here, though, makes no difference since once Maki's down, she's down and out.

COMBATSYS: Maki has reached second wind!

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0             Maki


COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Maki's Deep Strike.

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Ken              0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0             Maki


Unfortunately, Ken seems to avoid Maki's strike with the greatest of ease, meaning that Maki's the one who ends up hitting nothing but air. However, that's not all folks. Somehow, a surge of energy flows into Maki's body, and she looks at Ken with a look as if to say, "Surprise!" Looks like this fight isn't over just yet.

Maki need not curse Ken out -- he's going home to a wife who will have seen him get a fistful of boob on live television, and that's the ultimate justice, after all. As Maki swings, Ken hops over it, showcasing the astounding vertical leap all fighters seem to have if they're not huge fatties like Chang. "Hoo-up!" Upon landing, though, he sees that the fight isn't over yet: "Wow -- you're tougher than I thought, huh?"

Ken rockets himself forward, attempting to grab Maki and roll her into a potent judo throw. "Luckily, so am I!"

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Jigoku-guruma.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0             Maki


Nice try, Ken, but no cigars. Maki's back in action and still standing (Yeah yeah yeah!) And she's not gonna let you get the best of her again. Ken can try to grab her if he wants to, but Maki's moving to the side to avoid that. And that's not all Maki's got ready for Ken.

"How about we go for a spin?" Maki says with a smirk, despite her bloodied and bruised appearance. Without waiting for a reply, she drops onto her tonfa again and spins around like before!

COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Maki's Bushin Senpuu Kyaku.

[                \\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|======-\-------\0             Maki


Ken, once more, throws his arms up, letting the kicks bump into tensely guarded forearms rather than bouncing off of handsome and man-pretty facial features, preserving his masculine good looks for generations to come, and saving Maki the dishonor of being known forevermore as 'the lady who made Ken Masters, hunkiest hunk who ever hunked, need any kind of corrective or reconstructive plastic surgery.' So in the end, it really works out for everyone.

"Aw, for that one I gotta mete out some pun-ishment!" As the spin cycle ends, Ken thrusts a foot out, hoping to catch Maki in the spine -- or at least the ass -- with it before she can regain her balance fully.

COMBATSYS: Maki blocks Ken's Light Kick.

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Ken              0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0             Maki


Fortunately, Maki manages to come out of her spin just in the nick of time to let Ken's kick be absorbed by her forearms. The ninja stumbles back a little, finding herself starting to get low on steam once again. However, like Ken did before, Maki decides to take a similar approach to what he did earlier. The woman places her hands together and closes her eyes. An aura of chi can be seen flaring up around her as she focuses her inner powers into her body.

COMBATSYS: Maki gathers her will.

[               \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1             Maki


As Maki meditates, Ken takes the opportunity to suck in a breath or two, shuffling laterally while his eyes remain locked on her, looking for an opening. He seems to get that much more pep in his step from holding back.

COMBATSYS: Ken gains composure.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1             Maki


Finding her inner powers returning to her body and her will to fight regained, Maki opens her eyes once again and gets back into her fighting position. Watching Ken catch his breath, Maki smirks a little. "Don't tell me I've worn you out already?" She shakes her head, tsking. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to get you back into this!"

Without missing a beat, Maki goes on the offensive again, jumping into the air and attempting to grab Ken by the shoulders an administer a unique aerial throw!

COMBATSYS: Maki successfully hits Ken with Tengu Daoshi.
Glancing Blow

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1             Maki


Maki grabs Ken, and then literally does a one-eighty in the air! She's now right-side up while Ken's the inverted one. And then, without missing a single beat, Maki throws Ken onto the ground down below. Ken goes down, while Maki lands on her feet.

Ken lands in a handspring, absorbing all of the shock with his palm and outstretched arm. Though it hurts, he maintains enough power to launch to his feet, and in doing so, suddenly hits the deck, sliding onto his hip -- trying to seize Maki's ankle between his shins and flip her into the air!

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Quick Throw.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////                         ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1             Maki


Despite the fact she used up a bit more steam on that one than she thought she would, Maki still finds the ability to dodge the incoming throw. Seems Ken's going to have his hands full in this fight, since Maki is just so unpredictable it seems, and is capable of pulling tricks out of nowhere.

For now, though, Maki's primary goal is to keep herself in this fight. Which she does by stepping back to catch her breath once again. Sure there may be no time outs, but who says Maki's taking a time out? Maybe she's got her eye on Ken as well...

COMBATSYS: Maki gains composure.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////                      ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1             Maki


Ken keeps his eye on Maki, though, and as he windmills to his feet, he intends to keep more than just that on her. Calm down -- he's a married man! The 'more than' in question is just his foot, as the American fighter lunges out with a thrusting kick, trying to catch Maki in the stomach as she gains some air.

COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Maki with Medium Kick.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Ken              0/-------/------=|=======\=======\1             Maki


Yeah, Maki knows Ken is married. And she knows he's not going to look at her like that. But those thoughts are trivial compared to the fact that Ken just hit Maki in the stomach... Oof. A lot of that air that was in her lungs is now gone, and Maki finds herself feeling rather weakened once again. But inside of her, her inner power is surging once again.

"I'm still not done with you!" Maki sternly tells Ken, despite looking like she's ready to pass out at any moment. She limps away a little, trying to give herself some distance, almost like she's retreating, and then suddenly the chi flares up around her. She takes a few running steps, and then flies at Ken with her foot outstretched, almost like it's nothing!

COMBATSYS: Ken effortlessly blocks Maki's Tesshin Hou.

[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0             Maki


"Well--" Ken says, swiftly striking out at the flying kick with a backfist, connecting forearm to calf muscle in such a way that the blow fails to strike its intended target. He doesn't even lose a beat in doing so, swiftly spinning himself around into a crouch, and then springing upward -- his body rotating and his charge led by his fist, from which flames once again spew. "--neither am I! SHOOORYUKEN!"

COMBATSYS: Maki dodges Ken's Shoryuken.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //                            ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0             Maki


Weak and badly out of breath, it's a wonder that Maki can still dodge out of the way of Ken's Shoryuken in a situation like this. Her body looks like it's ready to collapse at any moment, but it doesn't, surprisingly enough. Not surprisingly, Maki steps back to focus once again, trying to keep her body from giving out during this battle.

COMBATSYS: Maki gathers her will.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Ken              0/-------/-----==|=======\===----\1             Maki


Ken is haggard, himself -- but he still manages to look alarmingly good, because that is just something that is in the Masters bloodline. Ken wipes wet hair away from his eyes again, landing after his dragon uppercut failed to properly drag any ons. "Hh -- hh -- hh --" he gasps, before seeing Maki take a second to herself -- at which point he runs a few steps, before sailing into the air, and attempts to pop her head of with a mighty jump-kick!

COMBATSYS: Maki fails to interrupt Strong Kick from Ken with Weapon Jab.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >                                ]
Ken              0/-------/----===|=======\=====--\1             Maki


COMBATSYS: Maki can no longer fight.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Ken              0/-------/----===|


Coming out of her trance, Maki attempts to knock Ken out of the air by bringing her tonfa up to poke him in the leg as he comes at her. Unfortunately, that proves to be a costly mistake, as Maki not only misses completely, but she gets hit hard. Very hard.

The kick strikes her in the face and the blonde-haired ninja finds herself getting knocked onto the ground and rolling a few inches before coming to a limp stop. The referee goes over to check on Maki before standing up to signal the end of the fight. Maki would love to congratulate Ken on a great fight, but right now she's out cold while medical personnel attend to her.

Ken, normally, would have done the same -- helped her up, shook her hand, maybe a jocular punch on the arm, a wisecrack or two. Unfortunately, she's out, so he can't -- but this is something of a boon to him, as it lets him double over in a half-squatted position, arms resting on his knees as he sucks in gulp after gulp of precious oxygen. "Hh -- first -- hh -- Cody -- haah -- now -- hhhhh -- Maki -- hggh -- what the hell do they put in Metro's water," he groans to himself, before letting the medical personnel duly swarm him.

COMBATSYS: Ken has ended the fight here.

Log created on 17:11:18 02/13/2009 by Ken, and last modified on 12:49:10 02/14/2009.