Description: 'And this is why we can't have nice things.'
It was all going so well.
Denji Akiyama, raised a recluse, had, as hazily planned, found a convenient intersection between two ambitions: to reinvent his forgotten family style, and to earn enough to survive in the big city. Ultimately, both these goals unite in a broader effort to understand the world at large, the world wherein others reside -- but that each goal would help to sustain the other was too fortunate. Admittedly, while the official tournament scene's current sparseness makes it inversely easier to find more localized events where new faces like himself can fight for cash, such no-name encounters are not the most lucrative endeavors -- but Denji isn't the most demanding mouth to feed, and combined with his earnings from regular successes at a string of trivia nights (a talent to him perhaps just as useful as the vibrant chi he wields), he's been able to survive easily, even beginning to store away more money than he's ever seen in one place before (not that this's saying much). Keep on sleeping on park benches a few more weeks, the grungy youth told himself, and at this rate, you'll be able to afford your own apartment.
Well, that was part of the problem.
Because Denji, champion sleeper, awoke in the middle of the day to find his robes picked clean of cash and his stomach empty and growling. Nothing if not adaptable, he'd wandered the streets afterward in search of some sort of opportunity -- anything, really -- that would fill his stomach, but this time his luck had truly given out. Dejected, the monkish character plopped himself on a bench and cradled his stomach in his hands, mumbling to himself through his long hair, which is probably the only thing that could make him seem more homeless at this point. Until-- and perhaps there are miracles after all-- a breeze parted Denji's thick bangs at the exact moment that three chattering co-eds passed him by and toward a large building, doors opening to an aroma redolent of rich, satisfying food. The young man peered at them only a moment before surging to his feet and slipping nimbly through the doors before they closed.
So /somehow/, despite his conspicuous robes, his dire need of a haircut, and his general incongruity, Denji Akiyama slipped by the ID check, sidled his way into the cafeteria line amidst a horde of students, and began to load up his tray with food. A lot of food. Literally, by the time he gets to the end of the row, a teetering pyramid of food. It's attracting some serious stares -- and so is he, now -- but nobody says anything.
Until the matter of the pie.
Nobody really looks forward to cafeteria food, even at the best of schools, but everyone who's anyone at Southtown U knows that the pie is outstanding, and the key lime pie most of all. And it so happens that it is Denji's mixed blessing to be precisely at that point in line where, as he drags his laden tray with him, he steps into the dessert section to find only one piece of pie remaining. Unthinkingly, he reaches out toward it -- and that is more than the girl two spots behind him can bear.
"Hey," the sharp-tongued freshman calls out, in a frankly somewhat obnoxious nasal voice, all too perfect for sounding the alarm. "Are you even a student here?"
Uh oh.
Denji's eyes dart toward her, about as sketchily as possible, before darting back to the pie. He hesitates briefly, and the line around him seems to grow more silent. His stomach growls, and he looks back to his tray, already so full of treats. Maybe he should get out while the getting is good. Maybe if he backs out now they'll leave him alone. Maybe--
But that pie looks so good.
Unable to resist, Denji's hand snaps out like lightning, to snag the last piece of pie.
And a hand just as fast reaches out to snag that piece of pie.
A hand leading to a pale yellow unbuttoned button down shirt worn by Quon Chen. "Excuse me. Do you happen to be a student here?"
The chinese college student realizes after the act of using his hand to intercept the attempt of reaching the pie that he's dancing incredibly close to the edge of being something he hates. A bully. On the other hand, there's the fact that with a hand speed like that, the monk-like kid could probably hold his own if he needed to, and the fact that the obnoxious nasal voiced girl is pretty damn hot. And in his own mind she would be much hotter if she came with a mute button.
His lips curl into a smile which isn't quite mean spirited, it does seem to say that he's waiting for an answer.
"Uh--"
Denji flinches, glancing sidelong at his captor.
"Y--"
A bead of sweat appears at the corner of his brow, the part of it not hidden by hair.
"Well, n--"
Denji is able to react to the unusual and unexpected in a dynamic and, often, equally unexpected manner. With most of an entire room of people now staring at him and his enormous tower of food, one hand snagged by an equally swift adversary, the monkish youth is in a dire situation indeed. Truly a great test of his ability to flow naturally with even the most awkward or chaotic invasion into his easygoing lifestyle, a chance to go with his instincts and turn this whole situation around, to make the most of even this worst case scenario and--
ABORT ABORT ABORT
"Gaaaahhh!" is Denji's final, eloquent response, as he grabs his heavy tray and hurls it high into the air, sending food scattering everywhere and students crying out and scurrying away. Even as the food falls, somehow the young man has snagged a hot dog out of the air and stuffed it into his mouth almost entirely, turning around as he does-- only to belatedly find that Quon is still holding his hand. Smoothly Denji jerks his arm back, attempting to unbalance Quon before he can let go, and then step forward, slipping his foot behind Quon's own and attempting to sweep him to the ground, helping him along with a slight shoulder-check -- nothing too violent, but enough to potentially shake the guy off, so that the ex-recluse can escape.
...Buuut not before grabbing that slice of pie.
COMBATSYS: Denji has started a fight here.
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Denji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Quon has joined the fight here.
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Denji 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Quon
COMBATSYS: Denji successfully hits Quon with Medium Throw.
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Denji 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Quon
Of all the things Quon expected, the freak out, oh my god, food everywhere situation was not one of them. It's probably why Quon was caught completely unprepared for the shoulder check and the little extra that came with it.
The end result is Quon skidding comically out of the line with his own food flying off the tray. The worst part of all? The amount of cool points he had just lost.
The chinese Chongquan fighter stands up and dusts himself off before moving in close and coming in with a hooking punch right under the hand that is holding the key lime pie. "I'm guessing that's a no."
COMBATSYS: Quon successfully hits Denji with Strong Punch.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
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Denji 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Quon
The situation quickly devolves.
Denji really should have turned and ran. As it turns out, Quon targets exactly where he should given the circumstances: the sketchy psuedo-monk's outstretched arm, having just grasped the small plate that the last piece of pie sits upon. That strike slams into his elbow, numbing his entire arm, which promptly is flung up with such force that he literally elbows himself in the face with his own limp arm, flailing back -- as the pie itself is hurled high.
In slow-motion it flips, sliding faintly upon its plate.
And, nose now bleeding slightly, Denji cries out wordlessly as, forgetting everything else amidst the chaos surrounding them, he leaps up in an effort to snag the pie as it falls. In the background, other students have begun throwing food at one another, but Denji himself does not notice. Instead, as he kicks off from the ground to jump, he slams one foot down and unleashes a wave of force toward his interfering foe, aiming to take him off his feet.
Nothing personal, Quon.
"SHINROU!"
But this is a matter of pie.
COMBATSYS: Quon blocks Denji's Shinrou.
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Denji 0/-------/-----==|=====--\-------\0 Quon
One of the only things comforting about this complete chaotic situation is that as many cool points Quon lost by getting sent flying out of the line and going on an embarassing slide was the fact that the monk elbows /himself/ in the face netting a much larger loss of cool points.
To Quon's credit he doesn't laugh, but that's mostly a side-effect of the fact that a wave of force is coming at him. He tightens his stance, holding firm against the attack. After that he loosens it once more shooting out a rapid fire series of kicks with the intent of moving the monk away from the delicious delicious desert in the hopes that an actual student will claim it instead of Denji.
COMBATSYS: Denji blocks Quon's Seven Dragon Tails.
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Denji 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Quon
Denji almost makes it.
But even as he reaches out toward that floating treat, his fingertips just brushing the base of the plate, Quon's rapid fire kicks demand his full attention. The strikes come in too quickly: with impressive enough deftness and agility, Denji is able to parry the first two with his free arm, but soon he is forced to ignore the pie in favor of defending himself more fully. It is difficult enough to guard himself while jumping, but he manages, instinctively snapping his forearms about with what seem to be abrupt and jerky movements, yet doing so with such alacrity that he is capable of deflecting the majority of the attack even as he lands neatly upon his feet.
His light touch only launched the pie once more, however, higher into the air.
And, let's face it, that's the priority right now.
So in an effort to drive Quon away from where the pie is destined to land, acting as quickly as he can while the general turmoil continues, Denji closes his hands and snaps them open again to bring forth a surge of nebulous green chi before launching into a series of palm strikes toward Quon's head and lower body, culminating in a sweep kick and another fierce shove that aims to throw his Chinese assailant back into the cream of mushroom soup.
"Huaahh!"
With the thrust of his palms, Denji's bangs flare aside, revealing that, for all the focus required by his seemingly wild attacks, there's obvious desperation in his eyes. The need to escape and the desire for pie war in his hungry eyes.
So far, though, the pie is still winning out.
COMBATSYS: Quon interrupts Shizen no Chikara from Denji with Crossing the Bridge.
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Denji 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Quon
Denji is successful at driving back the Chinese fighter back... at first. Smacking him about with palm strike after palm strike, the green chi batting him about until that sweep comes. That's the moment that Quon sees not only an opportunity, he sees a plate.
In one seamless motion he reaches out for the plate before flipping forward as he brings his heel of golden flame down upon the starving artist of martial endeavors' head, placing him where he was before Denji begun his rush and him in position to catch the pie with a flashy display. Too bad most of the other students were a bit too busy throwing food at each other to notice it.
Denji has time only to squawk in dismay as, just when he thinks victory is within his grasp, Quon's heel powers down upon the top of the vagrant's skull, sending him, purple and black robes flapping, plummeting straight toward the ground, literally face-planting onto the tile with a resounding thud as the Chinese fighter dramatically catches the pie at last. At this point, the monkish youth is only seeing stars, but when Quon catches the pie--
"Aaah!"
--he /feels/ it, deep within his soul.
And in his best effort to disarm, as it were, Quon before he can even /think/ to do something so heinous as /eat/ said pie, Denji plants his palm upon the ground and spins himself rapidly into a low sweep kick, aiming to quickly and with as much force as he can generate take Quon off his feet and send him, too, to the ground.
COMBATSYS: Quon just-defends Denji's Light Kick!
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Denji 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Quon
Eat? No, Quon lives for the performance the spotlight, and eating the pie right then and there before the performance was done would be poor showmanship. Instead, Quon holds the plate behind him and as that low sweep comes in, Quon lifts his foot over the sweep and then steps back with one hand forward beckoning Denji with a somewhat impish smile.
Then he's suddenly in motion again sending out a couple snap kicks to the kicking leg before delivering a side kick to Denji's stomach
COMBATSYS: Quon successfully hits Denji with Heavy Kick.
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Denji 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Quon
This is looking bad for Denji's sweet-tooth.
Actually, this is looking bad for all of Denji's teeth. Quon fades from the impact with expert stylings, as the monkish youth can only glance up with a distressed expression, blanching slightly at the apparent confidence in the eyes of his foe. And for all the young man's adaptability, there's little he can manage in his awkwardly prone position. Even as he attempts to surge to his feet Quon, almost casually, kicks the leg with which he previously kicked out from under him, causing him to collapse all over again, and the kung fu fighter lands several more kicks before Denji, his whole body aching, can roll away.
The food fight is going full storm, but it can't last forever. The wandering ex-recluse reaches up to brush his bangs from his eyes and gaze directly into Quon's own. After a few moments, he narrows his eyes faintly; he says nothing, but spends some of that precious time focusing all-out on the person before him, perhaps analyzing his stance, perhaps seeking out something entirely different. Whatever he's doing, it's not entirely clear whether or not he finds what he's looking forth.
What is clear is that it won't stop him either way. For Denji lunges to the assault once more, his hands and feet surging with that vibrant natural force, and spins into a series of hammering palm strikes and low kicks, seeking to overcome Quon's impressive defenses enough so that when he finishes with a sudden and shocking cartwheel kick, leaving the ground to throw all his weight into that fierce impact, he'll connect hard enough to actually fling the guy away this time -- and maybe, just maybe, be able to grasp the prize he yet seeks.
COMBATSYS: Quon blocks Denji's Shizen Enbu.
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Denji 0/-------/------=|=======\===----\1 Quon
Quon doesn't move that plate with the key lime pie from behind him. It forces a bit of awkwardness on his part to keep up with onslaught with one hand behind his back. His one hand moves rapidly from side to side his feet alternate as he deflects low kick after low kick with his shin and instep.
While his smile is that of a confident man, right now, he doesn't have the luxury of time to send a memo to his eyes to tell them that they should be lying as well. The eyes tell of someone who is being /pressed/.
As more attacks come, Quon starts contemplating putting down the plate and he's just barely slips out of grip of the monk's attempt to fling him away. Thankfully for the Kung-Fu fighter, the next attack that would've pushed him over the edge between putting the pie down and maintaining his hold, never comes.
"That was actually kinda scary right there. Now it's your turn for gut check, buddy." With that Quon takes to the air with the plate before shooting down with a series of stomps as he alternates between feet to deliver them. He then holds the plate between his teeth as he clasps the side of the vagrant's head and shoves him away he himself launches himself off of the other fighter.
COMBATSYS: Denji dodges Quon's Breaking the Shell.
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Denji 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Quon
Ugh-- this guy really is tough.
Denji wouldn't mind it if he weren't so hungry, even after that hot dog. Yet as determined as he is to snatch that pie from the jaws of-- well, from the jaws of whoever else might eat it, and even though his continually growling stomach distracts him from being particularly conversational, the generally easygoing youth is anything but frustrated by the collapse of his plans. After all, he has twin goals, right? Survive in Southtown, and improve his fighting style.
He just happened to look for one and find the other.
It's only at the last instant that Denji suddenly rolls forward, heedlessly throwing himself toward the ground to evade Quon's airborne stomps just in time, so that the kung fu fighter has already committed himself to the attack. If the abrupt, lunging movement works as planned, Denji, robes swirling with the primal motion, will swiftly twist up from the ground like a rising cyclone to slam his chi-hued fist into the small of Quon's back, a potentially stunning blow that aims to strike home before his opponent can turn to face him and mount a proper defense.
COMBATSYS: Denji successfully hits Quon with Medium Punch.
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Denji 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Quon
Imagine Quon's surprise to find Denji not there when he descends upon him. Imagine the even bigger surprise of having a chi fist jammed right into his spine.
With a loud grunt Quon falls face first towards the ground. The plate of pie flies out of his hands, the plate dramatically flipping end over end in the air. Quon's eyes go wide as it goes closer and closer and closer to the ground until....
COMBATSYS: Quon takes no action.
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Denji 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Quon
No.
/No./
"Nooooo!" cries Denji, his first coherent word in over a minute, cutting through the food fight around them, his piercing shout causing those not already watching their contest to turn and stare as the pie flips in slow-motion, the last precious slice plummeting toward destruction. All else vanishing from the vagrant's mind, the young man leaps unthinkingly toward where the pie is falling.
But it's already almost to the ground. He has to hurl himself directly at the floor if he has any chance of preventing the doom that is about to befall that delicious dessert. And that is precisely what he does, in his heroic and self-sacrificing effort lunging directly at the tile with hands outstretched, forgoing any attempt to shield himself or break his own fall just to ensure that he is able to strain with both arms to catch that pie.
And a mere split-second before that plate would have shattered, his fingers brush its edge, cradle its base, supporting that delicate prize-- even as his face slams, with a loud and painful echo, directly into the ground.
Several silent seconds pass.
COMBATSYS: Denji successfully hits Denji with Random Weapon.
[ \\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Denji 0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0 Quon
"Mmmngh."
Quivering, the pie held aloft in one hand.
"M... M'okay."
Denji, nose bleedng heavily, raises his head, eyes bleary-- but smiling, albeit woozily.
"...I'm okay."
Quon for his part is slowly getting up from his own face plant as he watches the vagrant go for a crazy dive which ultimately leads to agony in the form of him eating tile like it was a delicacy.
Quon has to admit that he's impressed but there's a few things that he doesn't like about the whole situation. First, the fact that Denji freaked out on him when he asked him a simple question. Second, the fact that Denji is trespassing on the school grounds.
While Denji holds the pie aloft, Quon strolls up to him all casual-like and then he just cold cocks him.
"YOU DID NOT HAVE TO SLAM ME!"
COMBATSYS: Quon successfully hits Denji with Strong Punch.
[ \ < > ////////////// ]
Denji 0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0 Quon
This is true.
"Gughh--"
Denji's eyes cross as Quon's fist slams into his skull, and the hapless wanderer's head drops to the ground, before he even has time to come up with an excuse.
The plate clatters quietly to the ground, slipping from his limp fingers.
This will probably not end well for Denji Akiyama.
COMBATSYS: Denji takes no action.
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Quon 0/-------/---====|
COMBATSYS: Denji can no longer fight.
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Quon 0/-------/---====|
And this is why we can't have nice things.
COMBATSYS: Quon has ended the fight here.
Log created on 23:13:21 06/07/2010 by Denji, and last modified on 03:15:03 06/08/2010.