Gen - Southtown Dog Pound: Non-Jiro Style (SFW)

Description: Takuma and Gen show up to a charity fight against Raiden, Crimson Viper, and Lucky. Things go downhill from there. Raiden certifies this log as **EPIC** and will barf on anyone who disagrees.



Southtown, Thursday 21nd, Early Evening.

Municipal Dog Pound.

The Sakazaki Cadillac has just rolled to a stop in the 'Handicapped' parking lot nearest the Municipal Dog Pound's main building. There's the slightest beat between it's engine shutting off and Takuma leaving the driver's side door, and immediately upon ope-

"Gen, I've told you a million times. If we don't have sponsors, we're not going to be able to do the tournament. -I'M- not paying for all of those airplane tickets." He sounds agitated, as though he and his companion have been talking about this for quite a while; no music can be heard from within the car. It was one of -those- arguments (The "I am shutting the radio off so we can talk more" brand.)

Sakazaki slams the door, sets thumbs through the black belt tying his everpresent gi closed - he smiles broadly at the Dog Pound and the camera crews settled around its exterior, the variety of younger, 'hot shot' fighters assembled in the center of that media maelstrom, stars for a few, fleeting moments.

His smile widens.

"Besides!! This is a damned pathetic show for a charity! Loo-" Takuma interrupts him-self- to wince. His smile slowly inverts. "Yeah. We need to show them how to throw a punch."

"Because travel arrangements have -always- been the greatest challenge of my long life." Gen retorts dryly, and rather dourly, with the surly air of a man who's not even bothering to debate anymore, apparently because he's decided his travel companion is an idiot. How does one conclude this? Well. "You are an idiot." the elder assassin observes, exiting the vehicle in his dignified, similarly everpresent kung-fu garb, the loose ornately adorned fabric concealing his physique, which one would probably tend to assume is old, feeble, and probably has liver spots.
"You want to come here to fight, fine. But don't try to sell it like the thrice-damned /humane society/ is going to carry us to the King of Fighters championship, fool!!" Hrmph. Gen grunts a final time, and moves with Takuma towards the assembly, his hands folded in front of him, one hidden in each billowing, dark green sleeve.

It looks like Gen isn't the only one that was brought into this fight due to Takuma. Even if he did essentially chase off an intruder Lucky did cause quite a bit of damage around the dojo in doing so. In part of paying off and helping fix said broken parts he was talked into being one of the opponents for the two older fighters. He supposes there could be worse fates. He is just a bit unsure about the people he is teamed up with. Raiden he at least knows of and has even seen fight in wrestling matches before, but the other person involved he has never seen before.

So there he stands with a smile on his face and he just nods along to the instructions one of the people are giving to him. He also shakes his head a bit at the part that Takuma even gave these people instructions to tell Lucky not to be using any basketballs during the fight. It looks like if he plans on working on that part of his technique he really is going to have to slip away from Southtown or at least out of the sight of any Kyokugen practitioners. He does give a wave to Takuma when the old man arrives with his friend. "They were starting to think you weren't going to show."

ONE HOUR AGO, IN THE CAGES

The dogs stop making a racket. For a moment all is silence. This is basically unheard of. There is a faint rumbling, and then a fist erupts out of the floor, sending water spraying in every direction.

Every single canine in the building begins barking like the end-times are coming.

NOW

"Thank you for the towel, dog-keeper! Its fragrance is invigorating!" The somewhat damp and ragged giant of a man speaking is standing to one side, chatting with a man who has an expression of mild, constant fear. The blond behemoth is not sure the smaller man has even spoken during their moderately long conversation, but that is understandable.

Raiden is, after all, kind of a big deal. Even with his usual spandex suit somewhat in tatters, and his mask missing.

"But do not fear! Raiden will repay you this favor by fighting in your charity!" Crudely wrapping the towel around his head, for appearance's sake, the pro-est of pro wrestlers steps forward, bellowing.

"RAIDEN WILL SAVE MORE DOGS THAN ANY MAN HERE!"

Gen and Takuma are not the only ones arriving in style this evening. An American woman in an overly stylized and expensive looking business suit steps out of the rear passenger door of a black SUV. The woman known as Crimson Viper then heads toward the entrance of the Pound herself, but she currently is rather preoccupied by the conversation that she is having on her cell phone. "Don't worry honey, I will call you tomorrow." One *click* later and Viper's cell phone is hung up and her demeanor almost immediately changes to a more harsher one then she had displayed while talking on her phone.

What could have brought a woman like Crimson Viper to a place like this? Why business, of course.

COMBATSYS: Gen has started a fight here on the right meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Takuma has joined the fight here on the right meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Takuma           0/-------/-------|
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Lucky has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Lucky            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Takuma
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Raiden has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Lucky            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Takuma
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Gen


COMBATSYS: C.Viper has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Lucky            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Takuma
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Gen
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/-------|


This argument may never stop. While he is certainly filled with -rage- at the sight of such feeble attacks - who is "teaching" these children? - Gen manages to tear Sakazaki's attention from the debacle like nobody else can. A vein stands out against his forehead, and both arms lift to shoulder-level, hands open, fingers spread. "I don't expect the -Dog Pound- to take us to the finals, Gen, for God's sake. I'm more worried about the cameras!" While he speaks, Sakazaki steps over a potted plant, around a bench, and pushes through some of the reporters and onlookers forming a periphery around the fighters (and now Raiden, Lucky, and Crimson Viper).

He does not stop looking at Gen. "If I had a -dollar- for every time you frowned and poo-pooed a -good idea-, I'd be rich enough to open my OWN damn restaurant and teach my OWN pair of fashion-disabled boys! Look..." Sakazaki -finally- glances to the assemblage before him; it's only an instant that he's glancing, but years of training as a fighter have helped him to -rapidly- identify the biggest threat in the area. In other words, Raiden is -huge-. He is beginning to scare some of the more weak-willed onlookers.

Wordlessly, Takuma grabs a fistful of Random City Fighting Youth #1, pulls him backwards, and -throws- him at Raiden's everything.

"LOOK SMART, SON!" Pause to smile for the camera. Wink.

"Cameras, yes. What are they for, again?" Gen's tone is all but unchanged, though there's the slightest smirk when Sakazaki -does- finally look away from him. Apparently, the older old man is having fun, after a fashion. "If you're so certain of the worth of your idea, then don't let /me/ stand in your way. Overcoming adversity and the bad attitudes of others will help you become a stronger man." Because /that/ won't upset Sakazaki further, at all. Either Gen is a bit suicidal, or he just hates the crap out of everyone who has to face Takuma, tonight. The world may never know.
Rather than moving right in to assist, Gen keeps his hands calmly hidden in his robe sleeves, his dark eyes fading to a pure white. Pupiless absence, a void rather than readable gaze, though the elder assassin's power remains subdued, internalized... difficult to hear, much less get an accurate read on. He holds his relaxed posture, the deductive veteran's eyes studying each of the trio arrayed against them in turn, waiting for that perfect moment.

COMBATSYS: Gen calculates his next move.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Lucky            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Takuma
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0              Gen
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/-------|


Lucky has to wonder if Takuma and that other man are really friends. They seem to talk more like a married couple or the like. Maybe if he feels it safe he may have to inquire about Gen sometime after this fight. For now he needs to worry about the fight and little else. If the guy is a friend of Takuma then he knows he will be strong as hell too. He can only hope he can pull his own weight since he is still a bit sore after his little run in with Juri from the other night.

He isn't even aware the fight is ready to be started. Maybe it wasn't ready to be started. It just starts because Takuma decided it was time and he decided throwing people is always a good idea. He is glad it is some random schmuck and not him being tossed at least. He looks between the two and hmms before deciding to step over towards Takuma and he raises his leg to kick outwards and hit the elder fighter in the stomach. "Lets have some fun, sir!" he says with a wide grin.

COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Raiden with Large Thrown Object.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Lucky            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0              Gen
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/-------|


Lesser men might be bowled over by such an attack. Lesser men would no doubt run home crying to their mommies because the big bad Sakazaki threw an entire person at them like it was nothing. For Raiden, this is Wednesday.

There ensues a brief moment of moderately painful confusion because that's not what today is, and also Raiden is suddenly, awkwardly embracing a man who is sideways. This is quite the conundrum. It will take all of the wrestler's keen intellect to sort through.

Luckily, there are failsafes for just this sort of situation.

With a mighty bellow, Raiden ignores the philisophical morass he has found himself stuck in and lifts poor, hapless RCFY#1 over his head like so much dead weight. "Raiden is the cleverest! I am the best!" With that announced, he hucks his man at Gen with a minimum of ceremony, following that up by turning to his so-called 'teammates'.

"Just try to keep up with Raiden! HA HA!"

Normally, Crimson Viper is one to avoid crowds and keep a low profile when it comes to fighting. But tonight is not the night for low profiles. A little publicity can go a long way and that is exactly what Viper intends to achieve tonight by her appearance here.

The thrown 'projectile' towards Raiden and the sudden start to the fight has seemingly displeased Viper by the look on her face. Perhaps she isn't a big fan of tomfoolery. With a small sigh, she removes her yellow-tinted sunglasses and hides them away in her suit before leveling her gaze on her opponents before her. Next, Crimson Viper touches her gloved left hand which immediately results in the sound of electricity cracking. Without further adieu, Viper strikes quickly towards the source of thrown 'projectile' with her fist leading the way.

COMBATSYS: Takuma Toughs Out C.Viper's Thunder Knuckle!

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Lucky            0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0           Takuma
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0              Gen
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/------=|


COMBATSYS: Takuma interrupts Heavy Kick from Lucky with Zanretsu Ken.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0           Takuma
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0              Gen
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/------=|


Gen and Takuma are the best of friends. They provide important foils to one another, and if you take him aside and ask him specifically, Takuma will tell you: He is active, which is an appropriate foil to Gen's lazy brand of superiority. It's a critical matchup.

Never has Takuma's particular brand of 'active' been so well-established as he reacts to the twin assault by his own student and this... ridiculous collection of colors and horrific fashion sense. The latter of the two *SLAMS* into Sakazaki's shoulder, lighting-laced fist first, and encounters approximately two hundred pounds of "Not Going Anywhere" - Takuma's jaw sets, his frown tightens, but Viper's hasn't even managed to take his gaze from the other, taller, hipper fighter. She'd feel one of the Kyokugen master's brawny hands against her shoulder - a push, and she's tumbling to the side, freeing up the space between Takuma and Lucky.

"Hnmph!! I heard about what you did at the Dojo the other day! Didn't get a chance to properly congratulate you...!" Takuma's speaking over the slight but definitely audible sound of air being displaced by dozens of rapid-fire punches; this is what intercepts Lucky's heavy first attack. The b-baller connects to Takuma's midsection, sure, but is it worth it?

A kick to the stomach can't be worth seventeen punches to the head, neck, and chest. It -definitely- can't be worth the brutal uppercut that sends Lucky flying away.

COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Raiden's Large Thrown Object.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0           Takuma
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0              Gen
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/------=|


Yes, Gen is incredibly sedintery. His bones are brittle, his joints are calcified, and his muscles... well, let's just say arthritis doesn't even -have- the appropriate level of descriptor. Or not. The diminutive old Chinaman's reaction to the poor, hapless amateur hucked his way, dazed and confused and bruised after his breakneck collision with Raiden... is to step out of the way. It's really that simple, if still impressive for the sheer alacrity of the elder assassin's motion. One minute, he's in the path of the hurtling youth, and the next. Well, said newbie is flying head over heels past Gen, skidding along the parking lot, and crashing upside down into the grill of Takuma's Cadillac with a profound crash. He's not exactly moving, either. Not that Gen is watching.
No, Gen's focus is on Raiden, who he charges in a flash. It's impossible to explain how an elderly man goes from zero to IN YOUR FACE so quickly, but there he is. Hands flash out of his sleeves, chopping outward in brutal open-hand jabs, his fingers themselves brutal weapons... and quick slicing chops. Of course, all this happens too fast for most to see it, his two hands appearing more like 27 or so hands as they lash out in uncountable succession against Raiden's broad-side-of-a-barn physique, aiming high, low, left right.... seemingly EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.

Aww, what a proper congratulation from the master. Somehow Lucky shouldn't be surprised by it of all things. Still he would prefer to take a beating from Takuma any day over that weird, sadistic girl from the other night. At least Takuma is doing as a 'learning experience'. Lucky gets his jaw jacked by that final hit and he goes flying back wards and actually skids along the ground for a bit once he lands before managing to stop himself. "Thanks....." is all he manages to say while getting back to his feet. He is on one knee when he notices a dog food bowl by his hand and he tosses it up high into the air before fully standing up again.

"I already put back together the table and chairs. I will get the mess on the concrete fixed up tomorrow once all the supplies arrive." Yes, he seems to be keeping on top of those things since he is going to be told to fix them anyways. Marco must be glad there is someone other than him doing repair work these days. Lucky then grins again and he leaps up into the air as the bowl is finally falling back downwards. He catches it in midair and then he makes as if he is shooting a free throw and sends that bowl arcing towards Takuma. "Ballin!"

COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Raiden with Weakened Hyakurenkou.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0           Takuma
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Raiden           0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0              Gen
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/------=|


With the proverbial gauntlet thrown down, Raiden readies himself for the /obviously/ frail old man's advance. That was a nice move, sure, but if no damage was dealt it is /equally obviously/ the newbie's fault for being a bad projectile. All awkward and flailing, he totally threw off Raiden's aim. BUT NO MATTER. In just a moment, Raiden will teach Gen the meaning of oh hey he's already here.

The bulky wrestler is caught off-guard by Gen's speed, making no move to defend himself as Gen strikes...and strikes and strikes and strikes. Then again, he doesn't really have to. The manifold layers of muscle and lard soak up the blows like a brand name papertowel (or a Raiden) soaks up grape juice on a kitchen floor.

Grunting from the hits, as they /are/ fairly impressive, Raiden's mouth splits in a gigantic grin that doesn't seem very jolly. "You're pretty good, old man." Immediately, he comes back with an assault of his own, meatacular fists swinging in low for Gen's chest, once, twice, three times, sliding forward slightly with each strike. "Raiden's gonna enjoy crushing you!"

Crimson Viper looks a little taken back that her attack did...well nothing to Takuma. Hmm. Looks like this is going to be a tougher fight then she had thought. No matter, she just needs to switch things up to take care of business. The subsequent push away by Takuma is almost adding insult to injury to her failed attack. So, the old man can take an electrical shock like it was nothing. Time to try something a little different.

The red-headed Viper is not a one-trick pony and she has plenty of other devices to help even the fight a little bit. Gracefully, she leaps in the air towards Takuma and sends her legs out in a scissor like motion at Takuma. Normally, this attacks might potentially be dangerous in its own right, but there is something drastically different about Viper's kick. Something is quickly shot out of and ignited from the bottom of her heeled shoes. This motion is quick in application and causes it to appear as if bright flames are following her kicks.

Shermie arrives from elsewhere.

COMBATSYS: Takuma dodges Lucky's Death Shoot.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0           Takuma
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Raiden           0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0              Gen
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/-------|


COMBATSYS: Takuma fails to counter Burning Kick from C.Viper with Kosatsu Jin.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0           Takuma
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Raiden           0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0              Gen
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/-----==|


"You put together the table and chairs? Well, look at that," continues Takuma. "You're a regular fixer-upper. I'm impressed." Sakazaki's busy, of course - he's weaving to the left, avoiding the dog-bowl that Lucky throws his way -exactly like it is a basketball-. While Sakazaki's not quite going to turn around and make Glauber pay for his actions just yet, there is a certain, smoky rage that briefly illuminates the older man's traditionally warm gaze.

Takuma saw what you did, Lucky.

It's to the point that he's really not even watching Viper while she barrels into him - a last-second glimpse of flaming boots prompts Takuma to shout, surprised, and attempt to slap the offending leg away. It is ultimately -much- too fast - Takuma takes two flaming boots to the face and collapses to a knee, hand over his forehead, fingers rubbing at his eyes. "...Tch...! Who -is- this bint, Gen? Have you seen her before? Have kids always been shooting fire out of their shoes like this??"

COMBATSYS: Gen interrupts Combination Bodyblow from Raiden with Weakened Kirou.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|=======\-------\0           Takuma
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Raiden           1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0              Gen
[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/-----==|


Gen lets out a decidedly joyful, if a bit malevolent chuckle as Raiden weathers the storm of striking fists, "Durable!" He congratulates, after a fashion, "When prepared!" That's a little more ominous. His two-footed stance shifts to being perched on one leg, his other bent upwards, foot at about knee level. Despite the seemingly more uneven stance... hitting him is kind of like running dead on into a steel wall. He slides back ever so slightly as Raiden's fist impacts his chest, and then... well, then, his other foot steps down. Right back in on the beefy wrestler.
The tiny (relatively speaking), 5.5' Gen's left fist joins his descending leg in a brutal, dense-fisted uppercut. Knuckles seem to rend through Raiden's layers of blubber and muscle, eroding a temporary canyon right up his barrel chest... and into his jaw. Gen never leaves the ground, all that force is transferred simply and abruptly into the singular stroke of his hand. He still hasn't really broken from that relaxed sort of approach, barring the moments that his hands have been in motion, and as Raiden is knocked back... Gen momentarily slips his hands back in his sleeves, and waits, taking a moment to laugh quietly as Takuma is barreled into by Crimson Viper, "Never before. And yes. Where have you been?"

There is a fine line to tread in trying to keep to his style when dealing with Takuma and Lucky seems to realize he might have just tiptoed on it a bit too much there. He at least seems to have the luck of not being the only person attacking Takuma at the moment. He seems rather impressed with Viper's abilities and he looks both between her and where Raiden is taking on Gen. It seems like the latter might need more help in this case and also it gives Lucky an excuse to avoid Takuma at least briefly after the bowl incident.

"Hey big guy. Let me see if I can be some help." he calls out to Raiden as he jogs over. "Lucky Glauber, pleasure to meet you." he says to Gen with a smile before he leaps forward with the intention of driving his knee into Gen at an angle where it would knock the smaller fighter into the air before he lifts his other leg and brings it downwards in an axe kick to send Gen right back to the ground if he is successful with the first part of the combination.

"Hah!?" Raiden cries out triumphantly and in puzzled confusion simultaneously, upon feeling his fist connect in a way that is obviously absolutely wrong. This is quickly followed by Gen scything through him with fist and foot, forcibly knocking the big man onto his back, even sending him skidding a couple of feet.
It's at about this time that Raiden realizes he might, /might/, be in the slightest bit of trouble.

Thankfully, Lucky is there with the assist, providing valuable backup in the huge Aussie's time of need. Ponderously picking himself of, Raiden, doesn't answer the friendly b-baller immediately, instead sucking in deep breaths after that particular piece of punishment.

"HRRRAGH! I! AM!" The wrestler begins to introduce himself, even as he leaps into the air higher than a man his size should ever, under any circumstances, be able to. Turning sideways, he sticks his legs out like some kind of meat missile, target: still Gen. "RAAAAIDEN!"

Well it looks like Fire > Electricity this night. C.Viper does not react to her successful attack in any way except by continuing her assault on the elder martial artist. Sure 2 on 1 was not very sporting, but this is a -fight-. She also chooses to keep her mouth shut during all of this. It is strictly business on the young Viper's end.

The success of Viper's attack is partially due to her natural speed and partially a result of her shoes enhancing her speed. Viper hopes to use her speedy shoes to get the jump on Takuma. Once again, she leaps towards the man but she now tries to wrap her legs around her opponents head. The purpose of all of this is give Viper the perfect opportunity to bring both of her electricity crackling, gloved hands down on Takuma's head in one swift motion.

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks C.Viper's Temple Massage.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1           Takuma
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Raiden           1/-------/=======|======-\-------\0              Gen
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/----===|


It definitely -is- a fight. And so long as C. Viper's willing to forgo sporting, so is Takuma. His movement is very, -very- controlled; as Viper runs towards him, Sakazaki maintains his posture; head down, hand over eyes, practically sobbing. One might assume his eyebrows are burnt off. This is not quite the case - rather, Takuma's listening. He can -hear- Viper's footfalls, he's more than aware of her proximity. The people at home might catch his ruse.

He definitely winks at the camera.

The second there's a gap in those footfalls, Sakazaki's rolling tightly to the side, lancing out a forearm to 'deflect' Viper such that she gets a solid kick in against his forearm, but ultimately winds up landing ass-first on the ground. Behind her, Sakazaki lifts, coming to his feet easily, frown ever-present. "Fire-boots are -very- unfair, you know. You'll need a -lesson-."

Sakazaki dashes forward, yelling hoarsely. Halfway towards Viper, he sprints into a diving elbow-strike to her head; if this connects, it'll be followed up with a kidney shot intended to lift her to her feet. A roundhouse to the back of the head. A ducking side-blow to the gut. A headbutt to the neck. The strikes begin blurring, fading in to one another - sixteen harsh blows later, Sakazaki hops backwards, -yells-, and releases one MASSIVE ball of compressed, golden chi directly into whichever side of Viper physics has deemed face him at this time.

"EYAH!"

COMBATSYS: Gen blocks Raiden's Super Dropkick.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////////     ]
Raiden           1/------=/=======|======-\-------\0              Gen
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/----===|


COMBATSYS: Gen blocks Lucky's Death Heel.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Lucky            0/-------/=======|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Raiden           1/------=/=======|=======\-------\0              Gen
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/----===|


Gen regains his stance almost immediately as Lucky and Raiden leap in on him, settling again into that deceptively solid, single-legged kung-fu fighting style. As Lucky leaps in to help, Gen smiles darkly. A nod is Lucky's initial answer to the introduction, along with, "Gen." That's really all there is. At least, these days. The rising knee is caught on flexed arm, one lowering and angling horizontally to intercept it on the rise. The force is subtantial, but aborted.. yields little more than a slight hop backwards as Gen shakes the sting out of his muscle. In time to realign both arms with the descent of Raiden. His other foot adds stability as he sliiiides backwards, crossed arms connecting with the meat missile's foot warheads. "Your failures will blossom like a thousand cherry trees."
The promise comes as he leaps right back in at Lucky, hoping to catch the b-baller off his guard. He'd then literally ride him to the ground, feet snapping for a grip around Lucky's skull. Landing atop him, Gen proceeds to execute an improbable, brutal series of attacks, seemingly from all angles. He leaps off a light post, seeking to land on Lucky and renew his roll as a surfboard. He seems to kick back down directly from the subsequent leap-off, and continues basically trying to stomp the (possibly unlucky) Glauber into the concrete, which may well crack under the suddenly unrestrained level of force applied.

COMBATSYS: Gen knocks away Lucky with Jakouha!

[                           \\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Lucky            2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Raiden           1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0              Gen
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
C.Viper          0/-------/----===|


Now Lucky will be left to decide if perhaps he should have stuck with Takuma or not. Even when annoyed he wonders if this much punishment could have been involved if he kept attacking the Kyokugen master. Instead he is introduced to something that possibly hurt more than what Juri even did to him. He almost blacks out several times during the assault and he realizes that perhaps next time he should say hi when not in the middle of a fight. At least he might not have to worry about fixing the concrete here after making a nice hole with cracks spiderwebbing out from it.

Well he really thought things could have gone better. Maybe he just needed take more time to recover from his previous beating before getting this active again. With what little energy he has left he raises a hand while sitting up. Oddly that dog bowl comes falling from the sky again and lands in his hand. He then goes to slam it as hard as he can into the ground which causes the thing to shatter. Of course it was also filled with whatever energy Lucky could muster before passing out and when the bowl shatters it erupts from the ground and a large beam of energy aims to strike right at Gen.

COMBATSYS: Lucky can no longer fight.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Raiden           1/------=/=======|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
C.Viper          0/-------/----===|=------\-------\0              Gen


More or less completely unconcerned with how things are going over in Takumaland (the most magical place on earth), Raiden feels himself connect with Gen; only to quickly realize again that it's not enough. Landing heavily on the ground, Raiden scrambles to his feet again, only to see his aged adversary go completely nuts on somebody else's nuts.

It's amazing. Say what you will about Raiden, he understands when somebody is kicking somebody else's ass up and down the street. It's so awe-inspiring that it provokes quite the reaction in the wrestler, one not uncommon amidst men in fighting circles.

It gets him /excited/.

"Ha ha, HA HA HA HA!" If that grin gets any wider, the top half of Raiden's dog-towel-covered head is going to fall off. Even while Lucky is still getting the crap kicked out of him, Raiden advances, arms spread wide as if to invite Gen to an /exclusive/ hug party, heedless of whatever nonsense the luckless b-baller (now a non-entity) might be up to.

And if those hands find purchase, Raiden will use his extensive wrestling know-how to flip Gen upside down, tuck his head between his legs, and powerbomb the geriatric /no less/ than three times in quick succession, FOLLOWING THAT UP by tossing the smaller man into the air, leaping up thighs-first to capture him again, and then bring them both crashing down to the ground.

"This is GREAT!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma knocks away C.Viper with Ryuuko Ranbu!

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[                 \\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
C.Viper          1/------=/=======|=------\-------\0              Gen


Maybe, her follow up attack was a little too ambitious. And maybe this thought comes a little too late as C. Viper has now been knocked to the ground before a charging Takuma. Viper's mind races as she tries to think of some way to get out of this very terrible situation.

The red-head relies once more on her shoes to try to get her out of trouble. Trying to block or counter the Takuma-freight train would be suicide, so she instead tries to fly out of there. Unfortunately for Viper, the propulsion from her boots sends her straight into Takuma's charging path. Now the only flying Viper does is via the pummeling she gets from the martial arts master. The final energy explosion sends the businesswoman sprawling across the ground to where she lands who knows what.

The weakened Viper is still on the ground when she tries to mount her counterattack. Taking a closed fist, the young woman smashes it into the ground in Takuma's direction which sends a small seismic shockwave towards her opponent. A rather anti-climatic move by the battered fighter.

COMBATSYS: Takuma dodges C.Viper's EX Seismic Hammer.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
C.Viper          1/-------/=======|=------\-------\0              Gen


There's nothing quite so satisfying as watching -your- fireball knock somebody some thirty feet away, directly into a pile of who-knows-what. Takuma adopts a grin upon seeing the battered business-woman skid across asphalt, but isn't so superior-minded so as to fall into any sort of relaxed mentality. As she gets up, he's getting -down-, and once more adopting his favored Kyokugen ready position, flexing his knees. His face sets... and her attack rolls inwards, concussive shockwaves pounding the ground towards him in a frenetic, impulse-laden style.

Horrifically predictable, at that. Sakazaki is -again- rolling to the side, missing the latest of shockwaves by a few inches; it leaves the fabric of his gi fluttering, blows him off-course to the point that he's staring at Gen and Raide(r)n, crouched in a roll-recovery position. Gen is currently murderalizing Raiden, and between the two dueling warriors rests...

The newly fighter-cratered Sakazaki Cadillac. The car had been, until now, the only thing Takuma owned that was not mercilessly abused by one of his many enemies.

"..." Brown eyes narrow towards Raiden. Takuma comes to his feet - even the untrained would be able to feel the uncomfortable accumulation of -something- around his form. His hair begins billowing in unpresent breezes. That gi flutters further, unaided by more Viper shockwaves. Takuma's hand opens into a flat plane at his side.

"RAIDEN!! YOU MOTHER FU-" *BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* goes the Haohshokoken, one-handed.

COMBATSYS: Gen parries Lucky's Hell Bound!

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
C.Viper          1/-------/=======|==-----\-------\0              Gen


COMBATSYS: Raiden successfully hits Gen with Destruction Drop.
Glancing Blow

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
C.Viper          1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0              Gen


Aww, the big meaty wrestler just wants a /hug/!!! Gen is heartwarmed. Or he would be, if his heart weren't a cold, calculating shell instead of a warm, human organ capable of love and understanding. Lucky's final explosion of energy draws Gen's attention, glancing askance at the unconventional slam, and the beam that erupts from it. Almost curiously, a hand with two extended fingers, the rest curled inwards towards the palm, thrusts out to intercept it. The chi explodes outwards, around Gen as if deflected along an invisible sheathe that covers the elder assassin's diminutive frame, energy leaking around all sides, a tangible tremor running up the deceptively strong arm that intercepts it as energy is drawn from the air itself. The deflection comes instants before Raiden squeezes Gen tight, and the two are airborne.
WHAM. They land hard in that piledriving powerbomb, and it's then that Raiden would realize something is very amiss. The empowered assassin slips from his grip as if coated in baby oil, twisting free in a rustling flutter of robes and motion, and rolling in a tight, rather small little ball right out from under Raiden as he tries to get them airborne again. Rather than launching back in at Raiden, Gen seamlessly leaves the wrestler to his fate at the hands of Takuma's fireball. Leaping back into the air, he crosses his arms over his chest, stands at formal attention, and seeks to headstomp Viper with both feet. Should he land atop her head, well. Inexplicably, he'd ride her right down to the ground, sort of like poor Lucky but without the followup. Instead, he'd just land right atop her face, rubbing one shoe in a bit harder, as if it could compare to the impact of having an old man suddenly double-kick one's skull into the concrete with alarming force.

COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Raiden with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.

[                          \\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
C.Viper          1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0              Gen


Yeah, that's it. The instant Raiden's hands wrap around Gen, he knows that he /has this/. With the old man locked in his terrible embrace, victory is one hundred percent certain. Except then it isn't. There is only conclusion to be drawn.

"A g-ghost?!" Gen is /already dead/. Staggered by the realization, Raiden takes an involuntary step back when he hears someone calling his name, as if from a great distance. Like the unstoppable engine he is, Raiden continues down this train of thought. "What? A curse!?" While Raiden shys away from fighting no man, the supernatural is another matter entirely.

Quickly formulating a plan, Raiden is instead hit by a wave of energy as large as he is, sending him tumbling backward (to the dismay of any and all dog-fanciers in his path), eventually coming to rest in a pile of man, completely inert save for the gentle wisps of smoke rising off of his completely cooked body.

COMBATSYS: Raiden takes no action.

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
C.Viper          1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0              Gen


COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits C.Viper with Weakened Shuuga EX.

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[                           \\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
C.Viper          1/--=====/=======|=====--\-------\0              Gen


Viper's shockwave was a ruse. It actually was a purposefully deceptive attack that was supposed to catch Takuma off-guard except he was atleast nine or ten steps ahead of Viper. The young mother can only watch in vain as her small shockwave becomes a larger one that hits exactly in the area where Takuma used to be.

Crimson Viper is still on the ground during all of this which gives her no chance to avoid the attack which hits her as she tries to stand up again.

The red-headed fighter slams back into the ground and quickly slips in and out of conciousness. The last thing Viper utters before passing out is also her first word of this entire encounter. The word that she utters is none other then the name of her young daughter of whom she had let down by losing this fight so handedly. That was simply the calculated risk the woman in the business suit took when she decided to enter this fight.

COMBATSYS: C.Viper takes no action.

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


COMBATSYS: C.Viper can no longer fight.

[                         \\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0           Takuma
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


Well, whatever Takuma did, it -worked-. Raiden, who is absolutely a mountain of MAN and presumably the one who threw RCYF #1 into -his- car has gone from Standing to Collapsed, and all because of a ball of chi about as tall as he is. Sakazaki takes a moment, brushes his knees and chest off, and -immediately- turns to face the cameras watching the action here at the Dog Pound, for Southtown's week long Save The Puppies charity.

"And -that-, kids, is just an example of what you can expect from the Oyaji Team in this next King of Fighters tournament!! Tell your parents, tell your bosses, tell -everybody- about us; we won't be there without some sponsors and donation!" Huge smile, big thumbs-up, wink to the camera. In the background, Gen leaps overtop Takuma's comparatively massive frame, executes a tight front-flip, and mule-kicks Crimson Viper directly into the cement with a sickening *THUD*. Raiden, off to the left, falls into the crowd, killing 3.

Oyaji Team. Keeping The Future Safe For Today's Youth.

COMBATSYS: Takuma gains composure.

[                         \\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Raiden           1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0           Takuma
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


Lee arrives from elsewhere.

Gen kind of hops off the curbstomped Viper with a dainty touch of grace, touching down lightly in his kung-fu slippers. He pauses a moment, brushing down the front of his robes, and then turns to regard Takuma's activities. With a frown. A big frown. "That was a warmup." He protests, not really caring about Oyaji's PR one lick, it seems. He extends one finger, pointing it skyward, his fighting stance still not fully relaxed, "Charity." There's a loud hrmph at that. Whether he means the bout, or the cause, or Takuma's car... well, it's anyone's guess. "Who's going to 'sponsor' a fool who leaves the fight half-won! You are not done here, Sakazaki!!!" Gen's pupiless gaze tracks to the smouldering Raiden, blank eyes narrowing...
But it's /Takuma/ that he charges, all but appearing next to the fellow and jabbing out that single digit, now joined by a second, at multiple points on the Kyokugen patriarch's frame. Once for the side, once for each end of his collarbone, and then straight in for the base of his throat. Not just a physical strike, the precise assault is meant to actively disrupt, tear into Sakazaki's chi flow... his chakras would scream bloody murder, if they weren't suddenly all gargling battery acid.

Suddenly, like Godzilla rising out of the sea, Raiden bursts out of the crowd of curious people who came to look at the fallen giant and poke him with sticks or whatever Japanese people do when confronted with a corpse.

Naturally, people go flying in every direction, their pathetic, low-mass frames hurtling through the air after violent contact with the immense Aussie. The metaphor continues as Raiden (still a giant radioactive lizard monster) lets out a mighty roar (a hoarse but enthusiastic bellow), and then attacks the people of Tokyo (takuma and gen, fighting amongst themselves) with his atomic firebreath (normal, enviromentally safe fire breath).

Then, like Godzilla, he stands there awkwardly for a few moments, staring at nothing as his primitive dinosaur brain tries to figure out his next course of action, after 'pissing off Takuma Sakizaki and Gen...Gen.

Gen Gen.

COMBATSYS: Takuma dodges Raiden's Flame Breath.

[                          \\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Raiden           0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0           Takuma
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


COMBATSYS: Takuma Toughs Out Gen's Combo Attack!

[                          \\\\  < >  ////////////////              ]
Raiden           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0           Takuma
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


It goes kind of something like this: Takuma has adopted his best camera face for the crowd, the home audience. Gen has appeared directly next to him, while in the background, people in the audience have started screaming for one vague reason or another. Gen -moves- -- it's an homage to Sakazaki's reflexes that he's able to scowl at his longtime friend as quickly as he does -- and jabs one finger into Takuma's shoulder. Immediately the Kyokugen fighter drops to a knee, howling; in the background, the first of five audience members has been thrown into the air and to the side. One massive hand lurches upwards from the tumult.

Takuma's howling has become shouting, and even as Gen moves to jab another finger into Sakazaki's neck or something, the younger older man is balling a fist at his side, getting to his feet, veins bulging from his neck. Behind them, Raiden has stumbled to a knee, eyes wide, expression murderous. Smoke pours from his nostrils for no particular reason.

Takuma is battered by -another- pinpoint pressure strike at about the same time his fist comes upwards, square towards Gen's face. His eyes have widened, shaken from their irritation by the sudden appearance of the first gouts of Raiden-thrown flame behind himself and Gen.

Regardless of whether or not his attack hits, Takuma is now shouting, eyes bugging from his head, voice the same you might expect to hear from a shouting bull. He -dives- to the side, gi fluttering in the breeze, and barely avoids the flames before landing in a tight roll.

his all occurs in slo-mo. The best slo-mo.

COMBATSYS: Gen blocks Takuma's Medium Punch.

[                          \\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Raiden           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0           Takuma
[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/-======|


COMBATSYS: Raiden successfully hits Gen with Flame Breath.

[                          \\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Raiden           0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0           Takuma
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/=======|


All the good kung-fu moments in history hang in time, suspended as if by the magic of cinematography. Gen's aware enough that his attack isn't having -quite- the desired effect, but the commitment to poking the hell out of his good and dear friend is too great. Still, Gen is quite focused, his other hand batting aside Takuma's uppercut, weaving away from the brutal impact. And into the path of the raging GODZILLA. Like so many denizens of Tokyo, Gen finds himself facing off with the massive monster and his fiery expectoration. Throwing himself to the opposite side that Takuma takes, Gen is not quite quick enough this time. His body erupts in flames, his robes find themselves abruptly torn and charred, and the elder assassin is tossed away like a tiny little ragdoll.
To careen, rather solidly... to his feet, flipping in mid-fall to land in a three-point crouch. Time still hasn't really sped up, but even in slow motion, Gen seems to teleport more than sprint. He pushes to his feet, flexes his right hand at his side, drawing all his power inward, focusing strength to that clawlike appendage... and then he erupts outwards in a flash of energy that seems to steal light rather than provide it. The very next instant, even in bullet-time... Gen's hand is lashing out for the center of Takuma's chest, entirely focused on Sakazaki at the moment, over Raiden. The hit is all but invisible to the naked eye, but it involves three very precise... deceptively brutal... taps along the center of Sakazaki's torso. One, two, three, four. Thumb, index, middle, ring. The pinky holds its ground, because let's face it....
Gen doesn't /really/ want to liquify Takuma's heart. At the moment.

Panting, for a moment all Raiden can focus on is the lingering flavor of burning in his mouth. It reminds him of blackened kangaroo steak, the legality of which he's never been really clear on. It occurs to him that he doesn't know whether most of the things he's cooked and eaten over the years are, strictly speaking, 'legal' or 'moral' or 'non-venomous'.

Then he snaps back to reality as Takuma and Gen continue going at it despite how one is on fire by his own hand--er, mouth, and the other is mostly just getting the crap beaten out of him by the first one.

Suddenly, Raiden can taste /opportunity/. It actually tastes kind of gross, probably because Gen is so old.

Regardless of this unfortunate truth, the scorched-dog-towel-headed man charges back into the fray with single-minded focus and determination, like a freight train unbound by petty things like 'rails' or 'physics'. The speed at which the big man is skimming along the ground, shoulder lowered for a punishing charge into Gen while he's distracted, would make Newton weep.

COMBATSYS: Takuma counters Zan'ei from Gen with Mouko Burai Gan.

[                          \\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0           Takuma
[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/-----==|


Takuma comes up in a kneeling position, broad shoulders shaking with the effort he's got to put into -moving- right now. This doesn't hinder his ability to watch what's going on, and while Gen is certainly immolated (Gen is immolated like few people can manage to be; mobile and relatively unconcerned about it), Takuma's more than aware that this is not the end of the older man. Sakazaki struggles to a foot, then the other foot, and meets Gen with hard eyes and clenched fists - once again, Raiden falls to the sidelines. Gen has turned this into a clash between titans with his obscure, crazy sort of team-building.

They meet eyes. Gen flashes forward. Raging Bear collides with Staunch Ox.

A bead of sweat drops from the Kyokugen patriarch's nose.

It doesn't hit the ground. Flash - rather than hitting his mark dead-on, Gen will find his arm brushed to the side - barely - by a last-minute forearm swipe from Takuma. Each and every stab of those fingers into Sakazaki's chest widens his eyes - they bulge by the time Gen has finished, and Takuma's nostrils flare, his heart palpitates, aware of what has just occured. How close that was.

A grunt from Takuma, and he -SLAMS- his free fist into Gen's body, vaulting backwards with a notable grunt, setting his hand against his chest, dropping to a knee, panting, an odd mixture between outraged and curious.

"...What... nnh..?"

COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Raiden's Giant Bomb.

[                          \\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0           Takuma
[                  \\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/-----==|


It probably tastes kind of gross because his mouth still tastes like burning. Though, indeed, Gen -is- old. As his signature attack is diverted at the last moment, Gen's eyes momentarily widen... at least, until Sakazaki's fist steals his breath, and he goes hurtling back. Into the zone of Raiden's opportunity. Recovering a crouch with a quick roll out of his backwards momentum, Gen's eyes snap between Raiden and Takuma, the latter's freight train assault rushing right through empty air as Gen leaps /directly/ upwards, lightly touching down with just his very tiptoe on Raiden's shoulder, and somehow launching himself up and over... and right back in at Takuma, airborne.
The elder assassin executes a single, perfect frontflip, feinting into a flying kick that instead lands him right at Takuma's flank, ideally... jabbing a powerful dual-fingered salute straight in for the center of his ribcage, with a dramatic shockwave of sheer force accompanying it, should he find his mark! Raiden, alas, is left for a moment more as the two crazy old bats face off in their impromptu slugfest.

Raiden is a very tired, very confused man. He's been throwing his all at these two dudes, has in fact /lit one of them on fire/, but they're just...acting like he doesn't even exist. A brief moment of fear grips Raiden's heart, and he knows that he has to act, has to fight against a terrible, unwholesome fate.

Turning about after whiffing again, gasping and wheezing after all this...this /exertion/, Raiden's arms spread wide again, this time grasping after Takuma to give him the same treatment Gen received. Invert, head between thighs, powerbomb. Raiden accompanies this with a hearty battle cry.

"RAIDEN IS NOT A GHOOOOOOOST!"

COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Gen's Satsu Jin.

[                           \\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/----===|


COMBATSYS: Takuma dodges Raiden's Powerbomb.

[                           \\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0           Takuma
[                   \\\\\\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/----===|


Takuma is not an agile man, especially not now, but nearly dying back there has awakened a sort of fight-or-flight response that he hasn't felt in -ages-. There's fear in the wily old Kyokugen warrior's eyes: Gen can kill him very, very easily. He'd seen him do it a thousand times, but you never really consider that it's ever going to happen to -you- until your heart almost blows up thanks to four finger-stabs. It's a shrewd bit of heightened reflexes, then, that have Sakazaki saving himself from certain discomfort at the hands of a very tired Raiden. A last-second flash of awareness that has him realizing Gen is behind him, flipp- no, -kicking- at his back (and now side).

Takuma steps backwards and drops to a knee - Raiden's hands grasp over his head, missing their mark. Both of Sakazaki's arms lift, crossed, to meet Gen's kic- double-fingered chi-accumulation in their center. The absorption -stings-, and Takuma hunches over afterwards, arms throbbing, musculature twitching beneath tanned flesh. He is tired - significantly so - but... this does not keep him from pushing himself to his feet. Again, Sakazaki's jaw sets.

Takuma -jumps- at Gen, one leg extended, hands drawn back to protect himself. Curtly, he seeks to SLASH one foot into the old chef's chest, at which point he'll spin to bring the other one down atop it in a famous one-two flying kick.

Raiden is once more ignored, but there's this manic intensity in Gen and Takuma's eyes. Anybody watching - and several people ARE watching - can tell that this is something the end of the world couldn't stop.

COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Gen with Hien Shippu Kyaku.

[                           \\\  < >  //////////                    ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1           Takuma
[                       \\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/---====|


Before he can fully ready his guard, Takuma's one-two flying kick collides with Gen heavily, driving the elder assassin back, and to the ground in another long skid. Knee dragging painfully along the ground, Gen spits blood to the side and sneers a bloody smile up at Sakazaki, apparently enthused enough by this turn of events, "And he's -still- coming. Your fireworks didn't quite do their job, you media whore! Not a ghost, indeed!" The sharp words are no less hostile, and it's easy to mistake the two as enemies, right now, really.
Something Gen doesn't exactly work to dissuade, as he launches himself away from Takuma, lands crouched against the windshield of his dented Cadillac, and launches himself /right back in/ at Sakazaki, inverting in a graceful flip and lancing out at the side of Takuma's skull as he seeks to sail right into the Sakazaki patriarch with alarming force.

COMBATSYS: Gen successfully hits Takuma with Ouga.
-*- DEVASTATING HIT! -*-

[                           \\\  < >  //                            ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|=======\======-\1           Takuma
[                       \\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


His panting growing ever more intense after each exertion, Raiden's fingers find no purchase once again, finding only air and the awful certainty that Takuma already murdered him, and that now he's just haunting the karate master out of a sense of revenge. Grabbing that isn't very satisfying.

Wobbling like a punch-out character that just took a star uppercut to the jaw, Raiden finally collapses, accepting the destiny that dictates he follows Takuma around everywhere making spooky noises, even in gross places like the bathroom.

That, at last, is too much for him, and he collapses onto the ground, gasping and wheezing. But never let anybody say that Raiden is a quitter.

"OoooOOOOOooooooo..." Raiden gasps loudly, then keeps going. "Ooooooooo...Takuuuumaaaaa..." He stops, catching his breath again. "You kiiiiiiiilled meeeeeeee!"

COMBATSYS: Raiden takes no action.

[                          \\\\  < >  //                            ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|=======\======-\1           Takuma
[                       \\\\\\\  <
Gen              0/-------/--=====|


Takuma -also- takes a star uppercut to the chin. It comes in the form of Gen, who is bloodymurdersmiling at the moment, vaults off of -Takuma's- Cadillac to sail-kick Takuma in the head. The move is not just successful. Sakazaki is hit roughly enough to send him -hurtling- towards the ground, and his head *CRACKS* against a nearby garbage can, because let's face it; somebody was going to hit the thing sooner or later, and really should have hit it instead of Takuma's Cadillac.

The impact leaves Takuma concussed, if only slightly - his eyes are already lidding, and it's a good four seconds before he's quite able to find his feet. It doesn't quite matter - his body's already going through the motions of what he'd been planning to do, anyway. Once more, chi coalesces into a potent maelstrom around Sakazaki, balling into damned-near coporeal form near his clenched fists. Veins stand out all over his taut form - he stumbles to a knee, then to a crouch, and finally a wobbling, shaking stand. Wordlessly, Takuma -screams- before thrusting either fist forward, and just as they had last time, three Haoh Sho Ko Ken fireballs shriek towards Gen to do what they will. Takuma isn't watching.

He falls to the ground atop the downed Raiden, sprawled out over the larger man's left leg. "Nhfm. Cellphone."

COMBATSYS: Takuma can no longer fight.

[                          \\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0              Gen


COMBATSYS: Gen dodges Takuma's Triple Haohshokoken+.

[                          \\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Raiden           0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0              Gen


The roar, the power, the haunted majesty that is Takuma's ultimate attack, even under the watchful gaze of Raiden's vengeful spirit, it engulfs Gen long before the attack itself arrives. Or at least, moments before. In the wake of that massive upsurge of power, Gen might as well jump! Up, over the first, down, under the second, back up, over the third! The acrobatic assassin ignores his own fatigue and launches himself skyward, redirecting that momentum in midair as Takuma does fall. If only slightly redirected, given Sakazaki is also right next to his spectre friend. "Not dead, just touched in the head!"
The observation comes as Gen touches down on his left hand, palm flat against the ground. Left leg coils up, bent at the knee, as his right leads, nearly straight, in the strong crouched kick aligned squarely for Raiden's bulbous gut. To those who know Chun-Li, well, it's an attack she's quite good at, one that Gen taught her. All that Raiden is really needing to be concerned about is that forceful foot sailing in at him with all of Gen's strength behind it, "You are a big fool!"

COMBATSYS: Raiden Toughs Out Gen's Gendenansatsushu!
~ Cruel hit! ~

[                             \  < >  //////                        ]
Raiden           0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0              Gen


Lying on the ground, Raiden is still making spooky noises to the best of his ability when Takuma does some stuff and, more importantly, falls down on him. Raiden does half a sit-up in surprise, staring at the fallen Kyokugen master who is /not/ falling through his ethereal body.

This is /fantastic news/. "I...I'm not dead!" Raiden sits up all the way, an act that defies physics in a whole new interesting way. Ignoring Takuma's request for a cell phone, the newly revived wrestler pumps his arms into the air, whooping with joy.

"RAIDEN IS ALIVE!"

Then Gen kicks him in the stomach.

To Raiden's credit, his gut does not go down easily, pushing back against the force of the blow for a split-second that seems to stretch out for far longer. At last, however, it succumbs to the intense forces set against it.

And then Raiden barfs all over.

COMBATSYS: Raiden can no longer fight.

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


COMBATSYS: Raiden successfully hits Gen with Poison Breath.

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


Oh. Oh. Now that is just -gross-. Raiden's stomach gives way, in more ways than one, and Gen? Gen finds himself consumed by an acrid mixture of whatever the wrestler last had for dinner, and his own acidic energy. It drips down his robes, a large hand wipes it from his face, and he spits a little more blood, just to be /sure/. It's enough to momentarily crack Gen's composure as the Triad shadow boss gags, and probably throws up a little.
He quickly backs away from Raiden, as there are too many onlookers to kill the guy, and motions over one shoulder, "Someone get these idiots a doctor." He suggests a little too nonchalantly, while hurrying off himself. Towards the pound. There are hoses in the pound.

COMBATSYS: Gen takes no action.

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


COMBATSYS: Gen has ended the fight here.

Log created on 22:19:14 10/21/2010 by Gen, and last modified on 19:17:07 10/22/2010.