Description: Zach and Shiden fight it out in Death Valley. Between the blistering heat and beatings given to both opponents, only one remains standing, if only barely. (Winner: Zach)
Death Valley. It's a name that the place has earned; legends of it are that the valley is the hottest place on Earth, that people have tried to walk it with six quarts of water and died ten yards from the rest of it, and all that. Shiden believes that. Standing under the shade of a lean-to at his end of the 'field', it's still a hundred degrees. His outfit is created to defend against the heat as much as possible; white headshround, white shirt, blue suspenders, blue pants of lightweight nylon, white hiking boots. And of course, his canteen, slung around his shoulder, strapped on tightly.
"Remember," says his medic, a grizzled-looking man, "You have to -drink-. If you don't, exerting yourself out there, you -will- die. It's a hundred-thirty-four out there, and even your clothing isn't going to help."
Now, Shiden is a man's man, but he's listening to the medic and seriously. "I hear you," he says. His plan is coming together as he thinks--beat this Zach as quickly as possible. The faster one of them goes down, the better... but he wants it to be Zach, of course.
Zach has given a nod to new methods of water-carrying technology; he wears a camelpack. Good thing, too. It's freaking /hot/ out here. Zach wipes his forehead off for what feels like the millionth time as he takes a pull from his drink tube.
Zach's a Midwesterner. He hates the heat. His plan is simple: blast his way through this guy (if maybe not literally) and get some shade and some ones that are cold! He nods attentively as the other medic gives him the same advice Shiden is getting, despite the single shirt and light shorts Zach wore to this fight. He's waiting for the bell.
COMBATSYS: Zach has started a fight here.
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Zach 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Shiden has joined the fight here.
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Zach 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shiden
Shiden fastens the final piece of his kit, a white cloth across his mouth; then he nods to the medic and steps out under the sun. He can feel it beating down on him already; but he can't let it wither him. The bell rings, high and loud, and Shiden starts racing across the canyon floor, kicking up puffs of dry dust as his booted feet pound the ground. Flags? He's not worrying about flags. He's aiming to take out the competition.
Stepping down on his left leg, he pushes off, tucks into a ball, and arcs through the air towards Zach--and then he unfurls, hammering his left knee out in a technique reminiscent of Muay Thai, aiming to hammer it right into Zach's chin, before the heat gets to him too fast--but it's not going to take long for -that- to happen.
COMBATSYS: Zach blocks Shiden's Light Kick.
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Zach 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Shiden
Zach crosses his forearms in front of the knee strike, catching it squarely. He hardly moves from the strike, holding his ground. He regards Shiden over the block. The man is in good position, Zach reckons as he pulls a fist back. Psycho power responds to his mental call as Glen thrusts his fist forward.
A wide streak of pure energy erupts out of nowhere, driving like a lunging samurai directly at Shiden's chest, and strikes with a ferocity that has nothing to do with the almost slow punch Zach throws!
COMBATSYS: Shiden blocks Zach's Zero Stance.
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Zach 0/-------/------=|======-\-------\0 Shiden
The streak of energy is the real attack--Shiden can feel that as he lands, and he just throws his arms up, intercepting what he can. The mask hides the brief grimace of pain--and already that bedeviled heat is setting in, starting to burn right through the light, reflective clothing he's got on. Still, while Zach attempted to catch him out of position, he managed--and now he's attacking again, flicking out another quick attack.
This time, it's a swift punch combination, done one-handed, his left hand shooting out in a series of jabbing attacks--his aim to guide Zach's defenses, to force them out of position for the final blow, a quick gut blow. He won't need to drink yet, but he's surprised at just how fast that heat is sapping him. He can only assume it's sapping his opponent as well.
COMBATSYS: Shiden successfully hits Zach with Medium Punch.
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Zach 0/-------/----===|=====--\-------\0 Shiden
Zach frowns as Shiden moves in to throw a snappy combination; there's something about this guys fighting style that is naggingly familiar. He lightly shoves the first jab aside while snaking away from the second jab. The gut-shot, however, catches him cleanly. Zach lets out a loud breath as he rocks under the strike.
However, as he is in that forward lean, Zach lashes out with a hand to grab Shiden's hair. The plan here is to turn the grab into a knee to body, followed by a burst of upward moving psychic energy that flows in the wake of the knee shot. Zach /then/ tries to throw Shiden to the sands. He doesn't seem willing to go for the flag until he's cleared the field either.
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Shiden with Charged Combo.
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Zach 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Shiden
An explosive combination--and one that leaves Shiden with his face in the dirt. An incredible amount of damage, to be sure--Shiden's rarely felt its like. Clearly Zach is one to be taken seriously... but as he bounces back up, feeling his clothing already starting to soak with sweat, he doesn't look outwardly impressed. He can't afford to. It would lose him cool points. Instead, he simply gets back into position.
But his gaze is cautious.
Still, he holds back--actually, he retreats about ten yards, just enough distance for him to unfasten his mask and draw his canteen, taking a quick gulp of water and refastening it. He's got to heed his medic's advice--he can feel that heat getting to him even more. He can't afford to be reckless... but he can't afford to be too patient, either.
COMBATSYS: Shiden takes no action.
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Zach 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Shiden
Zach may not be a heavyweight, but within his proverbial 'tier' of fighting talent, he has a reputation for explosive displays of power coupled with a surprisingly deep resevoir of energies that he can tap into. However, he is not immue to heat. He is sweating a good deal, and while Shiden seems content to take a moment to hydrate, Zach has a decidedly more offensive mindset.
Zach dashes in, coming in low before trying to launch Shiden with a rising shoulder strike to the breadbasket. The psychic knight continues the move, spinning through the strike to drive a psychic-mailed fist in a strong downward strike aimed at bouncing his opponent off of the ground!
COMBATSYS: Shiden interrupts Second Stance EX from Zach with Immovable Mountain.
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Zach 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Shiden
When Zach impacts--well, he impacts solidly, that's for sure. But what he impacts is akin to a mountain. Shiden's legs, braced and rooted to the earth, barely shudder, even as that impact is blowing through him; indeed, before Zach can even get off that second strike started, he's acting.
He rears back into a horse stance, and while his movements flow, there's a -German- sort of grace to it--something hard and sharp-edged. Just as Zach is reaching back for that fist, Shiden's right fist shoots forward, wreathed in orange chi-fire, and it slams into Zach, hurling him away from his opponent before anything can be done; Zach's fist, if it manages the strike, will strike empty air.
Zach is sent flying under the force of that chi-clad fist, bouncing off of the desert sands with a slight yelp of pain mixed with surprise. He slides to a stop before pulling himself to his feet. His eyes narrow at Shiden while he reaches for his drink tube.
"I know that style, I think," Zach says contemplatively as he circles the Asian man. "It's like something those two use." Zack tilts his head to one side as he regards Shiden carefully.
COMBATSYS: Zach takes no action.
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Zach 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Shiden
'Those two'... Shiden thinks. Oh yes. 'Those two'. Well, it's certainly true that, as a style, Chongquan is practiced by so few--but it's amusing that Zach's met the two others who are, well, surviving. "You might. You might not. It's not a knowledge that is pertinent to this situation, now... I'd suggest you focus on the matters at hand, hmm?" Meaning--him. Once again, he lunges to the attack; the water helped, though that help is fading already. But he's equalized, to a point...
Now he has to drive that home, as he closes in on Zach and sets up for another knee--two shots, left and right punches, to draw Zach's guard up, and then a knee up into the breadbasket--quick, efficient, ruthless. It's how he fights best, and how he's trained himself to fight--how Chongquan began.
COMBATSYS: Zach interrupts Light Kick from Shiden with Third Stance.
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Zach 1/-----==/=======|=======\======-\1 Shiden
Zach calmly returns the drinking tube to its clip as Shiden comes in. Zach calmy slips the first punch, parries the second. "The ability to recognize fighting styles is useful in a fight," Zach corrects. The knee comes in, and Zach twists to receive it not in the breadbasket, but the elbow he brought down to guard the now-exposed flank. "And knowing the moves your opponent is likely to use," Zach continues as he sweeps his free hand up and across his body, "Is useful if you can find yourself in a position to counter those moves."
Similar to the start of the fight, the hand sweep is not the true attack. The diagonally upward moving blast of violet psycho power that aims to knock Shiden up and away is!
The impact -is- painful, but Shiden isn't out yet; he arcs through the air, a little less than gracefully, and lands on his shoulders--but he bounces off the ground, and flips in midair, landing in a three-point stance. "Don't think you understand my style in just a few exchanges, boy," he says, softly, calmly, menacingly. He rises to his feet again, dusting himself off... and nods to himself.
He isn't done yet--he charges in, then leaps, hands outstretched--his hands glowing with power, bent into tiger-like claws. If he reaches Zach, his opponent will be surrounded in a whirlwind of slashing, claw-like attacks--Shiden literally spinning around him--only to finally plant his claw-like hands into Zach's shoulders and flip over him, hurling him away again.
COMBATSYS: Shiden successfully hits Zach with Raging Tiger.
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Zach 1/--=====/=======|=====--\-------\0 Shiden
Shiden's move tears Zach's shirt only moments before it shreds his skin. Blood splatters across the sands under the assault moments before Zach slams into the sands. His camelback, wonderous technology though it is, also shreds. Zach picks himself up, and eyes Shiden blearily before grasping the situation.
He has no water now, and he is still losing blood from the numerous cuts left by Shiden's assault. Only one thing for it, then, he thinks. "Gonna be like that," Zach asks as he settles into a fighting stance. "Fine." For a moment, Zach wishes he had brought the sword; something about this guy has been setting his teeth on edge the whole fight and the wieght of the weapon would have been an odd comfort.
Zach lunges forward to grab the front of Shiden's shirt. There is no strike, no throw to follow it up. The grab is there solely to ensure Shiden is in range for what follows: an explosive release of psychic power in an all-encompassing sphere that clears out the area a good ten feet around the fighters!
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Shiden with Storm Flare.
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Zach 0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1 Shiden
He tries to move back--and his heel catches on an outcropping. The explosion of power blows him back--it's sheer willpower that keeps him on his feet. There is one thing he shares with Antoine--a trait pounded into the users of Chongquan--persistence. Roaring, Shiden attempts to reach Zach--composure lost, consciousness fading like a candle in a gust of wind--he still charges forward.
He thrusts a palm for Zach's chest, aiming to strike him midcenter--and if he does, his chi will go off like a bomb, an internal explosion to equal Zach's external explosion. But whether he does or not, he'll still fall--and when he does, his medics will run out, intent on getting him out of the hellhole and into a cooled vehicle.
COMBATSYS: Shiden can no longer fight.
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Zach 0/-------/----===|
COMBATSYS: Zach dodges Shiden's Immutable Mountain.
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Zach 0/-------/----===|
Zach lets out a low whistle as Shiden stays standing, clearly impressed. The taller man lunges in with a palm thrust. Zach has experience with thrusting moves; a lot of his technique, such as it is, is based on thrusts. Sort of. In as much as Zach has a fighting style to base anything around.
Zach twists, shoving hard at Shiden's elbow to completely distrupt the thrust. This allows Zach to avoid another bloody wound. Zach staggers two steps forward, and spins to see Shiden fall to the ground. Zach drops to one knee as the heat, fatigue and blood loss all start to gang up on him. He tries to calm himself down, slow his heartrate. The medics will be out here in a moment; he just needs to hold on till then.
COMBATSYS: Zach has ended the fight here.
Log created on 21:21:32 11/27/2010 by Zach, and last modified on 01:56:25 12/28/2010.