Description: Invasion reinforcements try to reach the assailed outpost in the midst of Southtown's park. Reinforcements of the OTHER variety wander into their way. Mass carnage ensues.
There was never any question of the Kraken being a subtle reinforcement. A few blocks away, the creak and groan of sharp steel could be heard, and that is before the ground begins to rumble. Churned grass and soil is kicked up behind the four wheeled behemoth, standing taller then a bus, the gleaming cannon almost obscenely sized. The turret pivots to and fro with a greased whirr, myriad lights and beacons taking in the surroundings. C.Jack would have a seat atop it, having tagged along rather then proceed on foot. Lazy help is lazy, by all means. A tree is rapidly approached, but not detoured. So powerful and heavy is the Kraken, that it simply shatters into motes, ground up and spat out like everything else beneath one gleaming treaded wheel. Even if people knew this beast was coming, it takes a certain amount of courage to dare and stand before it... Yet the damage it would do with support is even greater...! "Approaching temporary outpost. Unable to contact. Enemies may have already engaged. Increasing speed 12 percent." With a louder roar of a caged demon, the Kraken lurches forward even faster.
The Kraken rumbles through Southtown with all the subtlety of an angry rockbiter on his racial mount. Heavy reinforcements indeed for the besieged Shadaloo encampment in the midst of the sprawling, overcultured wilderness retreat in the middle of the jungle of concrete, steel, and glass. It's a conflict that's drawn the attention of one particular warrior, a man in a white gi who's caused no shortage of trouble for all the factions involved in battling for Southtown, a warrior who's had little patience for the objectives of crime lords, or the blockades set up throughout the streets... now by and large broken asunder, their defenders scattering. The ruckus of the mighty Kraken turns Ryu's attention from the center of the park, to its edges, however. While few indeed would stand in the path of such a behemoth....
.... Ryu is one of those few. His arms at his sides, his head slightly down, eyes closed, he waits. His long headband whips in the breeze, and for a moment, he simply feels the vibrations of the war machine's approach, the emotions and power of its pilot, the urgency in the forces all around them.... the surge of power that roars upwards as if from the heart of the city itself. If the Kraken wants to run him over? Ryu doesn't seem to mind. Let it come.
COMBATSYS: Ryu has wandered into a fight here on the left meter side.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kraken has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Kraken 0/-------/-------|
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kraken has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: C.Jack has joined the fight here on the right meter side.
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 C.Jack
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|-------\-------\0 Kraken
The havoc of Southtown has taken a toll on all residences. People running, screaming, losing their heads... figuratively, too!
Fortunately for at least one resident, he's been in a similar situation. The difference is that it was in a jungle last time, not the heart of urbia. Nevertheless, war is war. You can dress up Hell any way you like, it'll still be the same thing. Only this time, Domino is lacking the support of his AWOL team. Be that as it may, one must still try.
One massive tank, one attempted assassination (or whatever that assault was), and various skimirshes later, and Domino finds himself following wreckage to the park. With another tank in the distance.
"You have -got- to be kidding me."
Just as he resigns himself to attempting to dismantle the tank on his lonesome, he catches sight of a man in white. One he's met before who bestowed some pretty sound advice. But they're on opposite sides of the tank right now - Ryu in front, Domino catching up from behind. ...With Ryu not moving yet. Whether he has a death wish or not, he begins closing in on the tank to start vigilante countermeasures.
COMBATSYS: Drake has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Drake 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
C.Jack had come along with the tank. He rode upon the tank. There was no doubt that C.Jack would not pass up the opportunity to 1. Ride on a Giant Tank or 2. Be lazy. Both apply in this situation. Soon enough, his preciously lazy days ride is over. He's awoken with a loud shrill roar of the tank along with the call of the man inside. Drat.
Getting thrown up the only way he knows how, C.Jack lifts himself with his mighty bat as he peers over the edge. He quickly find out that a man with a red headband and another dude, some guy people would call Domino is there. With Ryu moving from the front, well, C.Jack has one real option.
Slinking down over the back of the tank, C.Jack lands roughly. One hand on his head to keep his hat there, the other with his bat. The bat roughly knocks agianst the ground giving it a solid tink as it does.
"Sorry, but I can't let you do that. I would prefer to be resting but... well, rules are rules and shit. Get down, boy." C.Jack snorts.
The radar of the tank registers the presence of moving figures. The people manning the tank -- yes, multiple people -- quickly bring it up on screens, identifying the blips as being roughly humanoid size. Cameras flick out to focus on the points in question, taking in the solemn form of Ryu, and the somewhat more laughable figure of Drake catching up from behind. In a few subtle adjustments of focus, the NESTS database is given a run-through. "Subject! Ryu! Threat level: Omega!" The captain sounds concerned. After a few more blip blip blips, "Subject! Drake Vyril! Threat level: Mostly harmless... Hmm, that's one of the more blank entries I've seen..." Well, they are hardly going to argue about that. Regardless, the commander leans back, chomping into a massive cigar. His good eye keeps locked on the monitor, huffing out a haze of smoke. "Bring us into full speed, Mr. Braumstein... we shall see if the resolve in his eyes is a lie or not..." With that, the tank kicks up to maximum velocity. This is only about fifty miles per hour, enough to leave Drake in the literal spray of dust. But that much mass would be like Ryu trying to stop a runaway train. C.Jack is almost certainly going to get blown off to land behind it were he not already sloughing off of his own accord, but the Captain could care less. Any cool points the pair are attempting to build is probably going to be decreased by the eclipse of brown dirt and broken grass about to fall atop them. All that matters is the irrevocable slab of crimson metal death, prepared to RUN RYU'S ASS RIGHT THE HELL OVER.
COMBATSYS: Ryu parries Kraken's Strong Kick!
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Drake 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
Omega threat indeed. After what happened to Foxy and Diana? It's unsurprising that Ryu's stock within the NESTS archives has risen a few steps from the previous entry of: 'Well he's not Kyo :('
The Kraken accelerates, and the nomad's eyes open, his gaze almost languidly turning towards the onrushing behemoth with decidedly intense, calm focus. His mind clear, Ryu draws a deep, slow breath, dark eyes centering on the creature of metal and ammunition revving down on his position. He doesn't move, doesn't shift, barely seems to register the imminent destruction. Then comes the moment of impact, and Ryu all but blurs to the side, -slamming- outwards with one open palm. A statement.
Kraken lurches, even tips slightly, digging up tremendous trenches during the sudden, forced course correction as Ryu moves with perfect synergy. Not so much counteracting the force, in fact he works -with- it... redirecting it all out on a new angle. The Ansatsuken Master's stance shifts, and he follows through, facing Kraken as it surges past him, and his own power rushes to the fore. Crimson energy bursts between his palms, fiery inferno rushing outwards, blasting with melty, meteoric force in at the side of the resilient tank, seeking to slam the tremendous outpouring of brilliant roiling chi directly into the mechanized opponent. Cracker Jack is registered.. but not yet addressed. Drake's approach remains a mystery to Ryu - there are a lot of fighters in the general area, and his focus was just redirected to the task at hand.
"HADOOOOUKEN!!!"
Hmph! Domino would be downright offended at that assessment! Fortunately for his model-fragile ego, he doesn't hear it and fly into an ape-like rage. Instead, just as he thinks he's about to scale the tank to begin gremlin-esque hijinks, it accelerates to warp speed.
SPTOOO~. Dust, grass, and so many ant colonies fly into the air. And it then comes down on the model. "Augh!" It's enough to stop him in his tracks for the moment, at least. "Are you serious!?," he yells at the tank in frustration. "Are you kidding me!?"
Taking just a second to whip off some of the clumps of dirt now clinging to him, he spots Jack. A soldier from the tank, apparently. And hopefully he's distracted by the explosion of dirt and crud as well! So he rushes the man...
...And energy kicks up behind him. A white 'double' of Domino shimmers into existence with a second's lag behind the real one.
Domino attempts to grab Jack from behind to arch back in a German suplex, landing him on his head. And following this, he rolls over to arch into a second suplex... and a third! Though after the third, Domino's double pools beneath him. That pool explodes into a geyser of white energy as Domino releases the hold, blasting against his prey.
COMBATSYS: C.Jack reflects Whiteout from Drake with Soccer Ball Kick.
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Drake 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Kraken
There's a little thing you have to remember when you screw around with C.Jack.
You keep your fancy shit to your self, because immediately when you pull it out? Well, then shit gets ugly. Now, even as C.Jack is fucked by both the smoke and the dirt that gets all over his nice shit, it doesn't mean he's blind. Well he cannot see shit because of the smoke but thats different.
"FUCK YOU BASTARDS! GET BACK HERE SO I CAN KICK YOUR SHIT IN!" C.Jack cries in a harsh tone towards the tank driver wanabees. His waves his bat around like a friggen cult leader or something, and he's mighty pissed. Thats when about Drake tries to take advantage of him. Energy kicks up behind domino...
He rushes the man.
Drake finds that as soon as he gets too close to C.Jack, its a second too late. The man had already moved and wound up a mighty kick.
Right towards Drake's nads in attempt to stop the chi at its source. "Nah ah. I don't think so. You gotta say pretty please first, jackass." C.Jack snorts.
COMBATSYS: Kraken slows Shakunetsu Hadouken EX from Ryu with Burst Fire EX.
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Drake 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Kraken
The Captain of the Kraken is not a soft, easy man. He is the greatest pilot in the entire tank organization. He is the commander who was sent because failure was not an option. His body is old, damaged by war and age, but his mind... his mind is in tune with this monster, and the others who operate and monitor the functions. He observes as Ryu shifts, impacting the machine. It rattles it heavily, but even Ryu cannot damage the Kraken with such halfhearted force. Regardless, testament to what he is *capable* of, he left a considerable handprint. Aesthetics, but it lets the Captain know... the NESTS analysis was correct. "Montgomery! Aft flak, NOW!" In a heartbeat a fist impacts a button, and covers spread apart. The air screams with the sound of steel ripping through the air, impacting the encroaching ball of concentrated fire. The edges warble, it becomes bigger, less condense, before finally impacting the side of the Kraken. Sparks fly out, metal warps, crimson paint blackens, but... all of that is simple smoke and mirrors. It gouged the ablative armor, but did not penetrate deep enough to do meaningful damage. Ryu would know that, even if other viewers might see it as a mighty blow. The tank twists around, reeling to face Ryu. Engines at the idle, as the Captain puffs heavier on his cigar. "...I may have found my match in this war..." he privately muses. Between a shell of steel, and a shell of long honed flesh, two seasoned veterans shall battle...!!
Explosive heat fills the air, not only from his own blast, as the cannons of the Kraken seek to envelope the scorching blast heaved towards the massive tank. Ryu can feel, more than see, the burst of chi being torn apart, even as he hears the ripping impact against the heavily armored superstructure. It will take more than that to take this thing down, the nomad can see that clearly. A glance is spared to the side, as Cracker Jack and Drake collide full force - he'll just have to hope Domino can hold his own, keep the enforcer off of him for at least a few moments. Perhaps even take the Shadaloo thug down.
Kraken skids about, and the Ansatsuken Master is in motion.... beside it. He doesn't stay in front of the towering vehicle, instead sprinting around, straight for the side he already damaged. He leaps, upwards, in, all but launching himself at the scorched point in the heavy armor plating. His goal?
... make like Spider-Man on the side of the Kraken, legs bent, one hand clamping down hard for a stabilizing grip... as the other slams forward, fingers curled like a series of biting teeth, seeking to clamp destructively into the torn metal with a potent thrust.... squeeze harshly... and rip out literally anything he can get his hands on in what he hopes to be a shower of sparks, breaking metal, and perhaps some vital fluids from the tank's inner systems, "HYAAAAAARHHHH!!" He holds nothing back, no hesitation, no debate. Stopping the Kraken, halting the reinforcements, is what matters now. A task he /will not/ fail.
And now for something completely different.
"HRRRK!"
Kicked right in the boys, Domino's attack is thwarted. Don't care who you are, if you're male and you get kicked inna nerts, your attack is not going through. Not even the manliest of Zangiefs could take a shot like that and keep the assault.
So Domino's stunned for a few moments, attempting to 1.) regain composure, 2.) resume breathing, and 3.) regain some effing dignity. But soon enough, he's back on his feet, glaring at Jack who's now made his 'people-to-destroy' list. Because, y'know, being on opposite sides in a war isn't enough. But soon enough, he's stalking (with kind of a wobble) closer to him again, fists clenched. "Now that was just plain uncalled-for," he scolds.
Suddenly, Domino springs into the air and torques his body over. His right foot whips around in a sharp aerial hook kick aimed to collide with the back of Jack's skull.
COMBATSYS: C.Jack endures Drake's Light Kick.
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Drake 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Kraken
"Well," C.Jack mutters, "You ain't a gentleman, trying to take advantage of me. So I ain't going to be a gentleman in return. Is that so fucking hard to understand?" C.Jack snorts as he swings his bat over his shoulder once more with a grin, looking down towards Domino as he attempts to get a hold of his balls again.
C.Jack finds himself in a relatively uncalled for position right after however, a foot streaking out in an attempt to kick C.Jack right in the head. He certainly finds this to be interestin. Even as he moves into it, allowing the kick to strike his back instead, driving him back a little and giving him momentum.
"Hahahha. You call that a kick?" C.Jack ask, "That ain't no friggen kick." C.Jack states again, even if it did leave a welt on his back.
"THIS is a kick!" He cries, whipping around in a turn kick towards Drake's stomach.
COMBATSYS: Kraken endures Ryu's Seoi Nage.
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Drake 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
Well, that's certainly an interesting tactic. Not particularly ineffective, either. Ryu clings tenaciously to the side of the vehicle, although there doesn't seem to be any particular reaction to it at first. The panels never managed to close, and the weaponry seems to have been damaged by his chi blast earlier. "Not yet..." mumbles the Captain, chewing at the end of his cigar. "Not yet..." The meaty center is found by Ryu, finally reaching past the hull, hitting something that causes wifts of smoke. But then, he shifts for just a moment in front of the only remaining operational cannon. "NOW!!" A sudden eruption of flak is shot out point blank, trying to impact his shoulders and face, and send him flying backwards. A simple attack, as the Kraken attempts to shift backwards, rearing away and making it more difficult for him to access the damaged quarter yet again...
COMBATSYS: Kraken successfully hits Ryu with Trick Shot.
- Power hit! -
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Drake 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
The timing is perfect. The execution, admirable. Ryu takes the bait hook, line, and sinker, happily tearing at the Kraken's innards until the cannon erupts right in his face. His arms come up, almost intuitively, but just not /quickly/ enough. It explodes, the ordinance launching him abruptly backwards, the Ansatsuken Master spinning heels over head as he crashes, hard, to the ground. An impromptu ditch erupts outwards as he impacts the ground, skidding across the park in a cloud of smoke, dirt, and torn grass. He comes up with his white gi, already torn and scorched here and there, decidedly dirtied. A breath comes, and the nomad carefully studies his opponent, considering the visible gunports, potential other arms, and the general size of the mighty tanklike weapons platform.
He doesn't immediately attack again, instead focusing he energy inward. His own burns now sting, a bit of blood is absorbed by his headband, but the Wanderer has more than a little fight left in him. He stands to his full height in the trench, stance slamming down wide as the dirt erupts outwards, a tremendous shockwave building as if from within, all through the nomad as he is suddenly standing in not a ditch, but a nigh-perfect circle of destroyed, churned ground, dark hair and crimson headband whipping nearly straight upwards.
"HAAAAAAAH!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu gathers his will.
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Drake 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: Drake counters Medium Kick from C.Jack with Star Breaker.
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Drake 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
Foot connects, but Domino knows that was entirely too easy. There was no tension in the connection - it was intended! That's enough of a clue to expect an immediate counter attack from his mouthy opponent. That and the jeer is telegraphing things a bit. When Domino lands again, he sets into a defensive, squared stance with fingers splayed.
In comes the foot.
And the foot is grabbed. Domino weaves aside to throw the balance off, still holding the leg. His other arm hooks behind Jack's back to suddenly scoop him up into the air. Dropping suddenly, he drops his back against an upturned knee, followed by an immediate elbow-strike aimed for his midsection while the guard is thrown. Finally, the hand remains grasping the leg, while his other hand sets to the man's chin to shove downwards in a backbreaker submission hold.
"You just -wish- I'd take advantage of you, princess," he retorts, now that he has the chance to speak.
Oh. That does it. Even as C.Jack finds himself being dropped about like a fucking rag doll he was going to kick this sunnuva bitches ass. There wasn't anything to it. He was just gonna continue to push himself even harder. Fuck it all.
It hurts decently as he's fucked around by the crazy ass shit that Drake does. C.Jack doesn't call it anything but fancy, not workable crap. And that's fine to him. Right now? C.Jack is focused on something else as he picks himself up of the ground.
"Bitch, you in trouble now." C.Jack announces as he wipes the blood of his face, getting back up as he drives down a punch right towards drake in an attempt to catch him in a rather unhappy predicament. One that involves a great deal of pain.
And driving a punch right into the center of Drake's smug little ass.
Good. Good. Maybe now Ryu will realize the man piloting this machine is not some unworthy peon to be simply brushed aside. The Captain respects Ryu. He is a man who always desired a fighter's battle, but was cursed with a body too feeble for the rings. Yet still, he was able to send one of the most world renowned men flying away. "A standoff..." he mumbles to himself, before gesturing to the technician. "Full combat data. Analyze everything. Send it all to my screens." "Roger!" The Captain's hands touch air, and monitors erupt from the ether, detailing countless graphs and recordings. A large chunk of processing is dedicated to Drake and C.Jack for a moment, before he voids all of them and puts it under 'Completely irrelevant'. The chi levels of Ryu... they are over nine thousand!! "Let him make the first move. In a game of chess, I am willing to wait!"
COMBATSYS: Kraken calculates his next move.
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Drake 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
The war machine holds its ground, and Ryu can almost feel the scans running through him, the energy focused from within the machine in a strange sort of counterpoint to his own. The nomad frowns, his jaw clenches, the power welling within him rushes through him, infusing every sinew with renewed strength. A deep breath is drawn, and the White Knight does indeed open the game, or at least renews its fervor. A step, two, three, and then Ryu is in the air, his momentum doubling, then redoubling as he hurtles forward, right foot snapping outwards as he defies the forces of gravity, whipping like a rotorblade through the air. The trademarked Ansatsuken Top of Death sends air rushing outwards in all directions, the roundhousing kicks slamming forward again, and again, and again.
The commander of Shadaloo's reinforcing machine may be a tactician par excellance, but the Ansatsuken Master answers with determination, his own battlefield instinct... and no small measure of sheer elemental force. His arms bend close to his body, his left leg straight down, perpendicular with the ground as the Wanderer seeks to simply blast into the weapons platform with sheer, overwhelming strength, "TATSUMAKI SENPUUUUU KYAKU!!!"
COMBATSYS: Drake dodges C.Jack's Fierce Punch.
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Drake 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
Domino's little ass, smug or not, apparently does not want a fist rampage. He springs back a few feet suddenly, clearing the distance between the two of them in an instant. He lands in a low crouch, gloved hand placed against the churned grass. It feels like he's gotten under this guy's skin. That's perfect. Hopefully it'll make him clumsy and open him to more punishment.
A quick glance to the massive tank and its comparatively tiny combatant shows that... Ryu is doing well for himself. For all the things he's heard and experienced, himself, it's still hard to believe he's going toe-to-toe singlehandedly with that metal monstrocity. But be that as it may, he can't leave him to deal with it entirely on his own for too long.
Amethyst eyes zip back to Jack, then narrow. Dashing in, he drops into a slide across the grass at the last possible second. His legs scissor out and snap down around Jack's, attempting to hook him up at the shins and behind the knees to drop him down on his face.
COMBATSYS: Drake successfully hits C.Jack with Quick Throw.
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Drake 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0 Kraken
Drake's ass is still getting a fist rampage.
Even as Drake grabs ahold of jack and hooks him around towards his face, it doesn't slow Jack down. Immediately after its implemented the man is writhing like a cow in a hurricane, escaping the grasp with a rather mean looking look on his face. He's steeming like a cattle and it sure is time to make sure that everyone knows what kind of shit he is. Even if it means breaking someones shit in half.
Not even saying anything, C.Jack just gets right back up and getting away from the man before sending a singular powerful punch right towards Drake's face.
COMBATSYS: Kraken interrupts Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku from Ryu with Point-Blank Fire.
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Drake 0/-------/-======|======-\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/---====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Kraken
This maneuver is well known by the Captain. He has seen it executed countless times, some in person, many from videos. Indeed, his sensors pick it up. There is a small vortex, a tornado, rampaging along with him. Mostly imperceptible to the naked eye, but the namesake is not far from reality. He overrides the weapon terminal, knowing full well the man behind it will not react fast enough. The massive turret twists. Ryu would know it would not intersect in time... only the Kraken suddenly hits in gear, turning to the right. At the last moment, it interposes the barrel right before Ryu's chest. The heavy steel gun is hit twice, thoroughly dented, before the fire. Like the fire of Hades is summoned, the shockwave would be felt clearly by C.Jack and Drake, a wash of dust and grass impacting them in short order. The Kraken skids backwards from the sheer force of the heavy shell, which detonates into fire and shrapnel upon the Ansatsuken warrior. Any lesser fighter would be struck dead. But the Captain knows better. The first move is his. The battle of minds and tactics is being won... yet can his faithful machine hold up long enough against that ferocity and spirit?
Kick, kick, BOOM!
Ryu launches forward, and just as abruptly, he's sent hurtling backwards once again. The explosion isn't unlike eating the point-blank flak fire - which is to say, extremely uncomfortable. Scorched, slammed to the ground, Ryu lands on one knee, one hand, and skids violently away. It takes a moment for the smoke to clear, for him to find his bearings - decidedly -not- dead. Instead, his response is immediate, and his focus shifts to making it the distance with this behemoth, while Vyril combats Shadaloo's brutal, bat-wielding battler. It's time to step up his own game to match.
Ryu rises, like an inexorable phoenix, smoke trailing from his shoulders as he heaves both arms forward, palms coming together, splayed fingers in diametric opposition. Brilliant blue-white chi erupts forth, coursing from his fingertips, swirling together at the meeting of his palms, and blasting outwards in a searing ball of tremendous, luminescent flame, coursing the distance between the Ansatsuken Master and the heavily armored weapon in an instant, echoed by the familiar incantation, "Hadooouken!!!"
COMBATSYS: C.Jack successfully hits Drake with Final Punch.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\-------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Kraken
Just as Domino rights himself again after the scissor kick, there's a massive shockwave. Having no time to really prepare for it, the young model is barrelled over onto his knee and hand, bracing himself. And the moment that's passed, he has a fist coming at him. He tries to pull away, but there's just no time. His face is hammered by the fist, and hard. There's a small bit of blood that escapes into the air, and Domino's off his feet completely. Down against the grass in another skid, he comes to a stop in a heap. Blood now trickles from his lip, and there's likely to be some decent bruising there afterwards... but he'll have to think about that later. Push the rage to the back of his mind.
Pulling himself up to his feet, Domino turns his head and spits a wad of blood to the ground. He closes in again quickly, boots drawing him smoothly over the grass to end in a sharp palmheel strike at the face. His body twists, launching an immediate elbow strike at Jack's jaw. Following this strike, he grabs at the man's arms and yanks forward as he falls back. One boot kicks up at the man to launch him behind his back to finish the combination.
COMBATSYS: C.Jack blocks Drake's Improvised Grapple.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Kraken
Drake certainly wasn't getting any mercy out of C.Jack anytime soon. Especially as he shows his true colors. Whatever those colors really are. Red looks like his color because its the color of blood.
That doesn't change much however. He's just gotta make sure that Drake really thinks twice about what he's doing. The more he's thinking the better it is for C.Jack to just grand slam him.
Now as Drake attempts to get in close, the bat is used to slow him down, prop C.Jack up and lets him escape the worst of it post haste.
There, he stands up and stretches out. He's gotta give it all he can, and part of that is making sure that Drake knows whats about to happen.
C.Jack taps his bat twice on the ground and then points towards the sky.
Awwwwyeah.
COMBATSYS: C.Jack focuses on his next action.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/---====/=======|====---\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Kraken with Hadouken.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 1/--=====/=======|======-\-------\0 Kraken
This time Ryu capitalizes fully on the limitations of the machinery. The wash of chi surges forward, and there's no time to do more then shout a heedless warning before it collides with the front of the Kraken. The machine wobbles, blowing through the armor, built to repel chi far, far less then what the hobo leveraged. That damaged internal circuits, and a few cameras blacken as well. "Damnit..." Feeling the limitations of this mechanical tomb for the first time, he motions to one of his men again. "Mr. Braunstein, full speed." Still retaining the forecasts for Ryu's potential, the Kraken surges to life with an odd grinding and whirr. Coming in at a deceptive angle, before suddenly turning sharply, attempting to ram into him with savage speed, the massive steel front bearing down with bone-crushing force!!
COMBATSYS: Ryu endures Kraken's Burial Ground.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\-------\0 Kraken
The Hadouken burns bright, the pure light of spirit. It's not elemental, not precisely - drawn on a well of energy deeper than any single natural focus, a culmination of meditation, connection - balance. A technique and energy inherent to Gouken's teachings, to Ryu's very way of life - all condensed into a deceptively simple sphere of sheer power. He finally shakes the mighty behemoth, and the nomad's will remains unflinching. Kraken charges, and Ryu leaps... right into the path. His shoulder impacts first, and the Ansatsuken master rolls. Half intentional, half tumbling, he twists as he slams down the side of the Kraken, gunports colliding painfully with limbs and ribcage before he tumbles free.... right where he wanted to be.
"SHIIIIIINKUUUUUUU..."
Ryu pushes past the pain, lands in a deep crouch, and twists to face the rear of the mighty tank, his arms bracing at his side. A flash between those splayed fingers seems to steal the light itself from the surrounding park, as if focusing it all on that singular point, as a vortex of dark-hued chi all but forces forth from the pinprick of brilliant light. It's not blasting outwards, as with most such voluminous attacks... no, this coruscating mass seems to draw everything near it inward. The edges of Ryu's tattered gi leap for the borders, his headband flutters violently, and he shoves to his feet even as the blast grows ever more intense, muscles tensing fiercely as he heaves the tremendous charge of chi forward, the cerulean burst devouring an impressive trench between Ryu and the armored weapon, seeking to rip apart its armor in a similar fashion indeed, "HADOOOOUKEN!!!!"
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Kraken with Shinkuu Hadouken.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Kraken
Failing to cause real punishment in his target, Domino kips up to his feet and assesses the situation. Bat. Tapping the ground. Pointing at the sky. Any red-blooded American knows what that means. So he plans to blitz the man and foul up his mojo.
Dashing in quickly, Domino feints quickly quickly into close quarters and attempts to grab ahold of the bat to pull it aside. His knee immediately drives upwards to slam into the man's midsection. Following this, the same leg sweeps forth to take out Jack's legs and flip him down to the ground. A quick, instant strike-slam.
COMBATSYS: C.Jack dodges Drake's Rapid Grapple.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/------=|=======\====---\1 Kraken
Drake doesn't seem to be making any runs for the penant. Thats C.Jack's time to actually make this run to the penant seem like he's going to be dragging a whole lot of shit.
Even as Drake attempts to grab C.Jack's midsections, he leaps, just enough as a fake out to send Drake slamming towards the ground. That was good enough for him as he jumped over. Just then, he didn't simply fall.
Oh no, C.Jack came down with a boot towards Drake's head, attempting to heel slam him right there and then.
Amazing. Truly amazing. The Captain realizes what is happening, but is powerless to stop it. "Truly a master..." he mulls. Proud to have managed the early game as well as he did. He has no recourse but to puff at his cigar harder, the embers washing up before he flicks the ashes down. The front of the Kraken crumples inwards, one giant wheel shattering. The armor melts, inner ammunition and weaponry detonates, the interior goes bright red as whirling alarms and warnings go off. Within his seat, the Captain shudders and jostles, going through the diagnostics. He lost. The machine is still operating, but he has lost. There is no hope of being a combative asset to the outpost. "Remarkable..." "CAPTAIN!! INTERNAL DAMAGE CRITICAL!" "THE FIRE SUPPRESSING UNITS ARE JAMMED!" "THEY ALMOST RUPTURED THE FUSION CORE!" "Enough..." he grumbles.
He turns his chair towards the main terminal, yanking a key from a chain around his neck. He puts it in and twists, activating something. "Captain... you aren't supposed to use that..." "Shut up, Mr. Braunstein!! We lost!! The least I can do..." He slams his fist upon a button, shattering the protective glass. "Is give him our best shot."
A hiss of steam exits the top of the Kraken. Massive ports shuffle aside, one jamming. Before three missiles surge into the heavens. One blows away the faulty cover, spiraling madly and hissing out, going dud as a safety mechanism. But the others go higher and higher, small stars in the sky. Drake and C.Jack would do well to take note.
At the apex of the missiles' climb, the engines cut out. Slowly they arc down, pointing towards the ground. Internal computers do their work, before they detonate. A harmless paff, sending smoke and metal casing in all directions. Is that all? Of course not. Twenty-four individual rockets -- one can give a small breath of relief the fourth did not fire -- scatter evenly. Then in tandem, they all flash red. Locating the Kraken. Targeting all adjacent vectors. Every single rocket will hit an area, with minimal overlap, and not damaging the tank.
The heavens ignite as every single rocket fires at once. Screaming downwards, trailing out enough smoke to blot the heavens. The ground turns into a sea of flames, impacting one after another, scorching the very earth into little more then a blackened wasteland...
COMBATSYS: Ryu blocks Kraken's Mass Grave.
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Drake 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|-------\-------\0 Kraken
The immensely powerful Hadouken does its job - but not quite -enough- of its job to finish the battle. It leaves the battered, crippled tank with a recourse, which was -not- part of the plan. Scourging fire from on high splits in all directions as the warheads slam to Earth, and it's all that the Ansatsuken Master can do to... essentially duck and cover. It's not bend over and kiss your ass goodbye while cradling your head form, though - oh no. Ryu curls in as tightly as he can, limiting his profile as he closes his eyes, centers his chi, and crosses his arms over his face. The nearest warheads erupt, and fire blazes all around him, coursing over him, blasting through the Wanderer's frame. He focuses, tenses his muscles, blasting as much of the impact outwards as he can with his own, centered chi. It's far from perfect, his hair notably shorter in places, suddenly looking even more tousled... his gi scorched, chest now bare as the last bits of cloth burn away.
... and still Ryu rises from the ash, the scorched ground around him yielding little more than a stern, determined frown as he rises once more. Then, he's in motion again. Into the air, across the distance, the shirtless nomad slams in hard, seeking to plant both feet on the top of the mighty tank, and /slam/ his fist downwards, intent on breaching the hull entirely.... and capturing the operatives inside. It's like eating a lobster. That shoots fire at you.
"HAAAAH!"
COMBATSYS: C.Jack successfully hits Drake with Light Kick.
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Drake 1/---====/=======|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: Drake blocks Kraken's Mass Grave.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kraken
The sudden speediness of his opponent comes pretty much as a complete surprise to Domino. Booted on he head, he grunts and staggers forward. Not cool, totally not how it was supposed to go! But nevertheless, the result wasn't a massive baseball bat swing. So he turns around to face him again, ready to press the blitz assault...
Only there's rampaging death going on.
Domino has survived two tanks exploding, one a lot like this one. And as far as he's aware, that's what's going on here as well. So he does all he can. He hops back from the explosion to get enough time to hunker down and... curl into a tight ball.
Then Hell comes.
"GAH!" Rolled over a few feet from the blast, the model... well, he's in bad shape by the end of it. His body is scored with scorch-marks, red like a lobster, and... doing any modeling for a while is out of the question.
Damned tanks!
But afterwards, he just grits his teeth and narrows his eyes on the wreckage that was once the park, scanning for survivors. Particularly, the one he's been squaring off against all this time.
COMBATSYS: Drake focuses on his next action.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=------\1 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: C.Jack fails to reflect Mass Grave from Kraken with Home Run King.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0 C.Jack
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Kraken
COMBATSYS: C.Jack can no longer fight.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0 Kraken
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Ryu 0/-------/-----==|
C.Jack was simply ready to kill the hell out of Drake. Did he come? Naw, instead he finds Drake just hanging back like a crab. C.Jack doesn't even noitice it until it's pretty much late, the monsterous amount of fire coming towards him scorching him up like a B.B.Q. roast. Thats all he needs now.
C.Jack starts swining, trying to force the fire back but it over takes him, sending him back and roasting him alive like the tuesday surprise in Shadaloo. Cooks need to learn how to fucking cook.
There, C.Jack stops moving other than a twitch now and there. He'll be taken by some Shadaloo babe and right home into the med bay.
Shit is unreal.
Best healthcare ever.
COMBATSYS: Ryu successfully hits Kraken with Fierce Punch.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|===----\-------\0 Kraken
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|
That's everything. That's everything that the Kraken has. He tried to hit reverse, to take the punch somewhere not vital, but the Captain failed. Missing one wheel, it just didn't have the traction on the burnt soil. That simple blow reverberates throughout the entire vehicle, sparks starting to fly as the tank hits critical mass. "Shutting down... attempting shutdown..." the engineer prattles on. Yet the Captain simply pulls down the sighting for the main gun anew. He looks towards Ryu. Respect, more then he thought, runs through him. "No. A desperate shot at you is meaningless." he mulls, imperceptibly changing the trajectory. Then he fires. The recoil blows the turret askew, popping out bolts, as it seems to collapse inwards. The shell however... Ryu wouldn't need to dodge. It misses clearly. The spiraling ordinance, intended to kill lesser fighters... has been launched at a lesser fighter. "Removing one interloper should be sufficient for now... No regrets." he mulls as all support systems cut out and bask the interior in darkness, flicking away the butt of his cigar.
COMBATSYS: Kraken can no longer fight.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|
The turret rips apart, firing one final fireball outwards, as Ryu cracks through the crunchy candy shell of the mighty Kraken. A second kick sets the opening wider, and the nomad drops down through the ragged hole created in the top of the tank, and into the command bridge, "You're all getting new jobs." The crew, and their commander, are informed, no apparent humor lacing the Ansatsuken Master's words, "Get out of this thing before it blows, you're going back to the checkpoint." Where maybe a jail can hold -some- members of this horrible invasion. They aren't the most answerable, but they certainly count. If Ryu has his way, the crew and Cracker Jack himself will be waking up to Charlie's Vigilantes style hospitality, on behalf of Southtown's less Syndicateified defenders. Of course, it may not work out quite so smoothly if he has to drag Drake to safety... the outer hatch is liberated of its hinges, and Ryu steps back into the light of day by the -proper- channels.
COMBATSYS: Kraken successfully hits Drake with B.F.G. 9000.
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Drake 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|
Jack's form is spied through the smouldering wreckage. Jack's notably down-and-out form. A smile lights up Domino's smudgy, bleeding face, and he raises to his full height. That worked well enough.
But there's that tank, and Ryu... no time for downtime yet.
Domino turns to face the massive tank. And what does he see? A damn big gun aimed right at him.
Domino's eyes become entirely too large for his face. Mouth hangs open.
The shot is fired.
Domino starts to dive out of the way...
And there's a spray of red. The shell rips through him, launching his relatively light body through the air with a pained cry. When Domino hits the ground heavily again, he's no longer moving. No twitching, just... motionless. A huge shot like that doesn't leave much room for a perky aftermath.
COMBATSYS: Drake takes no action.
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Drake can no longer fight.
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Ryu 0/-------/----===|
"The fusion cell cracked!" is heard by Ryu, and like an upset bunch of ants, a half-dozen people pour out. They are coughing at the smoke billowing out, and from how far they are running and how fast, they have an idea of how bad the end result of the tank will be. "Where's the Captain?!" one asks, another soldier actually stopping to look back. "CAPTAIN!!" Within the darkness of the tomb, hearing the building oscillation of the ruptured sell, the Captain breathes deeply of the ozone. The back of his chair facing the opening that Ryu made. "A man always goes down with his ship..." This is the end of his life. Ryu destroyed the tank, and destroyed his career. Prison? Retirement? No... he had enough. It's not every day a mundane man can fight his hero, and be satisfied!
The smoke, the radiation... it's too much to push back into, "Get out of there!" Ryu calls back in at the only soldier who doesn't abandon ship... but it's too late, no use. The nomad set out to kill no one, but he simply lacks the means to save everyone, in this instance. Instead, he focuses on the options he has. Herding these soldiers back to his own 'team', and getting Vyril to a field hospital... fast. A makeshift bandage is crafted from a few shards of gi, perhaps enough to keep pressure on the gaping wound.... and Ryu wastes no time, despite his injuries, moving rapidly off into the park. ... he'll just have to hope the base in the midst of it is taken, but his part in the battle has been fought.
The Captain remains stoic, solemn, and proud. Until the explosion rips the tank in half, rumbling the ground, sending shrapnel in all directions. A good cremation, and a hell of a gun salute. Indeed, had Drake been left where he was, he'd be out. ...Did anybody think of C.Jack? Oops. He's now covered in half-molten twisted metal and fire. Well, if anyone can survive something like that, it's probably not him. Here's to hoping he has clones.
Log created on 22:34:52 05/19/2009 by Ryu, and last modified on 23:18:29 06/04/2009.