Description: Pepe's working part-time as a server to get cab fare back to Sunshine City. Reiji stops in for lunch, and it looks like two hot guys just hanging out and getting along. Alas, the devil's fruit(s) saunter past, drawing both men's attention. Reiji thinks he's going to find a good time with a hot girl, but Pepe pulls out the low blow and comments on his age. Words are thrown, then fists! Or feet. And lightning, and fire, and belt. In the end, can a woman really tear a new friendship apart? (Tie, but barely!)
For a week, now, has the Mexican man been working at this small, cozy diner. Taken in by a kind old man and woman when he'd been at his wit's end, their generosity is perhaps the only thing that's kept Pepe going! Oh, but how did he get stuck working here, trapped on this tiny island of a nation? Well, it all goes back to Antoine...
See, until now, Pepe thought himself rather unique. Either through intentional ignorance of the matter or simply never having the chance to know better, he was the only one in the world capable of commanding the power of electricity...and it. Was. AWESOME. To learn, however, that there's someone else out there with the same ability? Well! To hell with flying back to the university, when he could just as easily head for this Southtown place and find Quon himself. However...it hasn't really gone so well.
You see, a ticket to Japan is quite a bit more expensive than a ticket to the United States, and not much thought was put into this plan. For one, he'd arrived without much money, let alone enough to get home. That led to his discovery of the weekly televised battles where, unlike his hometown, fighting was not only allowed, but encouraged...and for money! That was his key. It was his way home once all was said and done!
Then came the poor old lady with a broken hip. The man caught under a tree. The people trapped in a car collision. So on and so forth, this one city is the single most accident-prone in the world, surely! Long story short, the young man had to miss the fight, and with no fight...no money.
So that brings us back to the shop, with its slim, cramped interior tables and the few round ones outside. Obviously, most people prefer to sit outside, where they can enjoy the sun and the breeze, but more importantly, not have to rub elbows with people across the room. It's just not as comfortable. Of course, Pepe isn't the only one to benefit, oh no. A handsome young man, and a foreigner besides, is always good for business! The uniform leaves a little to be desired, though. Having to wear jeans a size too small is good when the high school and college girls come around, and it's become something of a daily thing for the more tawdry sorts to come by the diner just to get a look at the guy's ass. His shirt is normally a t-shirt, but the sleeves are rolled up to the shoulder, something about looking like more of an earnest, hardworking young man like that. Rumor is that the old proprietoress just likes to see his arms whenever he's lifting trays full of heavy noodle bowls.
At the moment, it's only mid-afternoon, so things are slow. People are getting out of school and starting to wander by, with tables claimed, left, and claimed again for quick, passing snacks. As the only server, it keeps the Mexican busy, especially given the fact that he likes to linger and chat with people, even if his Japanese is hardly good enough to make for anything more than generic, passing conversation. But hey, people love the accent. It's exotic!
Another man who has been finding himself spending money on plane tickets of late is none other than Reiji Oogami. His travel expenses are covered by Kagura Enterprises, true, but babysitting expenses...are not. Often he's forced to bring his little girl with him, but this last week in Southtown has been a nice reprieve from the demands of single parenthood. He was hoping winning SNF would pay for that, but it wasn't really in the cards. Also, his partner exploded into bloody caligraphy. That's just not right.
So it is that the flame-haired Reiji finds himself wandering down the street with hands in his pockets when he spies this cafe. Ah, he thinks, this place looks cheap enough for a guy on a budget! He doesn't really pay much mind to the serving staff when he first sits down, but there's something about his bearing that sets him apart. Sure, the hair stands out enough on its own. But that open garment, exposing nearly as much toned muscle as Pepe does on campus, the way he leans back in his chair with arms stretching outward after perusing the menu...this guy may very well be a fellow player.
This is further evidenced by how he straightens in his seat just slightly (he's very sly about it) when he realizes his server will be a male. "Hey there. I think I'll try the turkey club." On further reflection upon Pepe's appearance and accent, he cracks a grin. "Let me guess...you're here for the fights." How did he know? Foreign, check. Build, check. ...Working a low wage job? Oh yeah.
"Awww, wha...where's you going??" The brave gaggle of girls that had stopped at the small fence surrounding the tables waves their way off as Reiji comes in and sits his butt down. Curses! Before he got any numbers... Well, watching them walk away is just as good, even if it means that he doesn't turn back toward the new guest immediately. With a sigh fo resignation, he turns and...well, looks at the newcomer. His lips are thin, his eyes open wide, head canting a touch to the side.
"Man. That is one /sweet/ outfit." A pen is pointed in the blonde's direction, the capped tip swirling around to indicate the whole ensemble. Again, his accent is heavy. That said, though, he pulls a small pad of paper from his back pocket, flips it open, and starts scrawling on it. "Turkey club, you want chips or noodles or pickles?" Really, what is with this place? They serve pickles with freaking everything. It's so weird! It's like...it's like beans. Do they really go with everything? Anyway, as he stands before the father with his pentip jabbed against the paper, it's a surprise that he's pegged so easily. Yeah, all the signs are there, but...this is the first time he's ever seen the guy, he's pretty sure! "Ah heh, yeah, sorta..." The man's hand comes up to the back of his head, fingers curled as he rubs gingerly for a second or two. He wears a nervous smile that still manages to dimple his cheeks. "Well not originally, but I was going to!"
Sigh. Well, there goes the scenery. They were a little on the young side for Reiji's age anyway. ...Have the years really flown by that quickly? Pepe's inquery snaps Reiji back to the present, glancing down at his casual ensemble. "Isn't it? They turn me away at the fancy restaurants, but I don't like spending that much anyway."
"Huh, not *originally* you say?" And here he had pegged the foreigner for an up and coming fighter. Or at least a would-be. Hopefuls are a dime a dozen, but those with *true* talent, well...too many people buy their plane tickets before they're truly ready. "I thought you looked the type. ...Hmm. Noodles I guess." It's a Japanese thing. Still, now the kid's gone and gotten him curious. "I do some tourism in my spare time, but you don't strike me as the type." Young and energetic. "What brings you all the way out here if it isn't the fighting dream? ...If you don't mind me being nosy. Slow day."
"Noodles..." the young man repeats, scratching it down in the pictographic lingo he'd had to resort to using for the old man in the back. He doesn't know how to write this stuff, so Reiji's order looks like a Thanksgiving bird between two slices of bread and some squiggly bits on the side. The masterpiece is finished with an exaggerated stroke and his eyes are lowered to it. Perfect. "Hey, one sec, hold that thought! I just want to put this back in before the old man starts yelling at me." Always, always with the slacking! No order is ever brought back fast enough. Likewise, no order is ever delivered quickly enough, either. Why, if it weren't for the guy's dear old wife, he probably wouldn't even have this job.
The Mexican steps back inside quickly--no, running back inside. How very weird. He also has to take a few orders inside, which means he doesn't come back out for a minute. When he does, he's leaning out of the doorway to yell back at the blonde man. "Hey, what do you want to drink?" Dumb kid forgot to ask, and by the way his cheek is reddened, the reminder came at the hot end of a ladel.
The absence of the server leaves Reiji with the moment of quiet reflection all souls are faced with when ordering a meal at a public eatery. What is his purpose in life? How is he going about it? ...Well, okay, no. Mostly he just mulls over how the chair could have used some better padding and muddling through where he should begin searching next for some of the lost bloodlines. He should probably be using some of the books back in his hotel room as a reference, but that'd be too much of a hassle.
The flame-haired man turns toward the kitchen when Pepe goes fishing for his attention, catching him somewhat by surprise. "Err..." He hadn't felt too thirsty, so it completely escaped his attention. But that's not a very useful thing to say when the damage is already done. "Sweet tea." The beverage of choice for middle aged men! Second only to alcohol. But never combine the two, then it's a girl drink.
Old men indeed! Pepe's features scrunch up a little as he revises his mental picture of the man, or at least his age. He's got to be in his early...maybe mid-20s? Something around there. Something /old/.
"Right!" He disappears just as fast as he'd returned. There's quite a bustle inside as the guy moves, swiftly going from one table to the next. A near-inexhaustable bundle of energy, it seems, but that's not all. Bowls are balanced and held steady whenever he turns, each meal delivered with one hell of a smile - those are free, you know, but first come, first serve. Water lines pull dangerously close to the edge of the noodle bowl that's suddenly set in front of Reiji. But wait, was Pepe there a moment ago? One moment, there's nothing, and then BAM! Noodles! The water level subsides, swirling about as the club and drink are set down, tap tap.
"Sorry, the old man likes to yell a lot." Helping himself to another chair at the table, the worker pulls it out, turns it about, and takes a backwards seat on it, crossing his arms over the 'back' of it. "But go ahead, I'll talk while you eat!" Pause. "I mean, if that's cool with you."
Now, Reiji much prefers studying him a pretty lady to marvelling at the feats of male waiting staff, but he finds himself oddly intrigued. There's something to this guy's movements and balance that are just a little *too* fluid. It's the expertise of showmanship with the inexperience of youth. It's hard for most people to tell the difference, but Reiji is a special case. It's sort of his job.
Right now there are more important things than work.
The moment the plate touches down, the older man flourishes with chopsticks in his hand before immediately ducking low to slurp him some noodles. Oh, right. Talking. "Mmm hmmm mmpmmm hmm hmm," he affirms, not really talking wall eating so much as miming the sounds. Chew, swallow. "Sure thing, go for it. Just don't mind if I let you do most of the talking for a moment."
Oh, the face Pepe makes! His nose wrinkles and his lips tuck down, but he doesn't say anything. Instead, he leans back and looks through the doorway, just checking to see if anyone's trying to get his attention. For now, it's safe; people are stuffing their faces and the old man is busy with something else.
When the blond guest starts to speak, he laughs! "Oh, don't worry, eat, eat!" He gestures with some short waves of a drooping hand before it, and its twin, grip the back of the chair that he's straddling. "Okay, I'd be lying is fighting wasn't /part/ of it. There's a guy here that--" He pauses all of a sudden. Again, he leans back and looks around furtively. It's an old habit when this type of conversation comes up, one that's not going to be broken easily. It doesn't even matter that he's an ocean away from his family. "There's a guy, I'm told, that fights with electricity and stuff." The words are spoken quietly, but ramp right up when he continues. "How cool is THAT? Someone else out there with that kind of power! What are the odds, right? So, instead of flying back home, I took a plane here..." As he speaks, he animates with his hands. The plane is one hand, the fingers out as he 'dips' over the 'ocean' of the table. "To meet the guy, but like a dumbass, I didn't have enough cash to get back. So, I was going to take part in some televised event, right? But he..." Oh, this will go on for a bit. On his way to the fight, he explains all the things that happened. The kid fancies himself something of a hero, what with stopping to help every. Single. Person. Ugh.
Finally, the explanation starts to come to a close. Thank god. The guy can /talk/. "And so these guys here," he says, gesturing toward the back of the store with a jerk of his thumb, are letting me work until I save up enough to go back to the States, where I'm going to school." Only now does he stop to take a breath, breathing in deeply and sighing it out.
There are some parts of this tale that have to be read between. Reiji continues to down his bowl of noodles while filling in the holes mentally. The teen can utilize a form of lightning chi, heard that there was someone here in Japan that can also use lightning chi (Benimaru, he incorrectly assumes), and he was so excited that he grabbed the first flight he could drop his meager savings on. It's still the sort of youthful hair-brained thing that the older man had him pegged for, but less stereotypical at least. Ah, youth!
Reiji is draining his bowl as Pepe finishes his tale, setting it down on the table and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand in Typical Man Fashion. "That's a pretty cool story. I wish I could still drop money on a whim like that..." The man scratches the bad of his head with a sheepish grin. "But that changes after your first kid. Use it while you've got it, or save it for when you don't!" Ah, parenthood. The one subject that makes him feel his age more than anything. He presses on before Pepe has an opportunity to ask more about that, though there's nothing to stop him from coming back to it.
"Seriously though, do you fancy yourself a hero or something? Some kind of travelling neighborhood watch?" Reiji laughs, but there's an odd sound to it that's hard to place. It's hard for him to miss the irony of criticizing someone for that when he's secretly trying to SAVE THE WORLD. "Your heart's in the right place though, I'll grant you that." Briefly, he contemplates sharing the fact that he was also here to participate in SNF, but then he'd have to explain the whole Immolating Man thing. That'd be kinda weird. So instead, "I'm here for a bit of tourism myself." He pats the digital camera hanging from his neck, pretty much the only ornament gracing his chest. "I'm something of a history buff. I take pictures of ruins and trace family trees for people, stuff like that. I can't always get all of the information I need from home, so I have to do a bit of travelling abroad." That's a good enough point to pause, so he pushes the bowl aside and starts in on the sandwich. Bacon's a little burnt around the edges, but enh. Not the kid's fault.
A sharp call for Pepe (or at least "server kid", as is really yelled) draws his ear as the older man goes on about kids. Mercifully, Reiji is spared that teasing, but it /does/ cause the younger one to snap his face back toward him! His mouth immediately opens. He's about to say something about it. It's SO CLOSE. Yet, he never gets the chance. A simple "A--" gets out before the guy continues. The look on the server's face, however, shows that he's going to ask about it later: his brow is a little furrowed and one corner of his mouth tucks inward. A kid...? Huh.
"Hold on, one sec." He gets up before he can answer any of that, having to tend to some of the people inside. At least it grants Reiji a little respite, right? Right? About half a minute later, three tables' worth of people walk out, replaced by a couple more. He's going to have to take care of them before he can get back out... It might be a little while. Thankfully, he's quick, which means that the wait /might/ not be unbearable!
"All right, so!" Just as suddenly as he had to go, he's back, but it's like he...he launched himself ass-first into his seat, or like one would mount a horse by jumping on it. The chair tilts a little to the side, where it balances precariously before teetering back down on all fours. A whip of his head realigns whatever hair had drifted over, resuming its usual shaggy look. "Nothing wrong with helping people!" He doesn't have any deep reasons for doing it, though, if asked. In fact, he's just sort of...compelled. In any case, as he speaks now, his attention...drifts. It starts with him looking over Reiji's shoulder. His eyes glide slowly, obviously watching something. What, exactly, is apparent when they come bouncing past: two magnificent D-cups (that's AMERICAN sizes!) within a tight turtleneck sweater. Pepe's head turns to follow the woman, who almost notices the young man too late. He's far too young for her, but she's apparently something of a tease anyway; she hides her amusement at the absurdness of catching a teenager's eye and returns a slight wiggle of her fingers...and then she's gone, lost in the crowd by the time he can lift his hand and wave back.
"...What were you saying?" he asks, still looking off in the direction of the distraction.
...Okay, seriously. How does Pepe DO that? At this point Reiji is halfway expecting the guy to flip his chair over the next time he sits and balance on the corner of it with the sides of his ass. At first Reiji doesn't pay much mind to the attention the younger man waning. He writes it off as being bored with Grown Up Things and settles into his sandwich. A few bites in, when the kid is...*still* looking over there, Reiji simply has to look over his shoulder as well. It isn't long, but he catches a glimpse. And damn, a glance is all he really needs. ...To know that he clearly needs more than just a glance. Everything is in the right place, and those eyes? They could melt icebergs.
"Ah, yes. I think..." The older man gets the most devilish of grins on his face. "...I was just fixing to get a move on." No doubt Pepe will hear it. Reiji doesn't actually put the emphasis on the word 'move', but it's one of those things. Pepe will hear that he *wanted* to. "No need to box it up." Reaching into his pocket for a wallet, Reiji doesn't have the time to be properly rung up and count out a tip. ...So he blindly slaps down a yen note that should adequately cover both, rising from his chair. "I did enjoy the chat though, sorry to cut it short. I'll stop by here again before I ditch town. Ciao!"
And just like that, he's turning his back on Pepe and walking out of the cafe. There's no mistaking his intent when his hand moves back to quickly smooth out the back of his hair. And he's *totally* taking advantage of the fact that Pepe is grounded to the radius of his workplace. ...Or so he assumes...!
How does he do it? The young man has this natural energy to him. When he wants to move quickly, he will, which is probably why a part-time gig like this is so perfect for him. Customers like things to be quick and prompt when they go out to eat, and there's just no way the poor old couple back in the shop itself will be quick at all. Oh...and apparently, his school is just a ways outside of town. That means that he shouldn't have to work TOO long to afford bus fare over, but you know...they could use the help! So, why not?
"What was that?" he asks, apparently having not caught any bit of what Reiji might have said as the Distrations came and went. He hears the chair pushing out, however, and turns his head, though his eyes don't follow until a couple of seconds later. Before he knows it, there's money set down and leftover food, and the eccentrically-dressed man is up and moving in the...oh god! He's going after her! After Reiji's past the metal fence that lines the border of the shop's territory, the immigrant places both of his hands on the thing. "Hey!" Man. Does he HAVE to stay here right now? He could get away with sneaking off for a bit, couldn't he? He glances back at the shopkeepers inside, who promptly return a nasty glare--or at least, the husband does. The wife is just happy to have a comely young man looking at her! When Pepe looks back, Raiji's a bit further out, so he has to raise his voice a bit.
"Hey, old man! She wasn't flirting with /you/!"
With good reason, too; not only has Reiji made good distance with the time, but there's a milling crowd seperating the two now. Still, this doesn't mean Pepe loses sight of the predator encroaching on his domain. The occasional glimpse reveals that he's stopped for the time being, a frown firmly in place as he attempts to re-orient on that fine set of...of...everything!, they had spied moments earlier, but to no success. The romanticist in him would idly mourn the loss, wondering if perhaps she wasn't some manner of transient mirage meant to set his heart wandering~...if it weren't for the fact that the kid seen her too.
Wait. /Old man/?
"...What, you thought she was flirting with someone young enough to be her first kid? You've got no eye for maturity, son!" The flame-haired man has to raise his own voice in return, which causes a number of passer-bys to hesitate and begin glancing over in the direction or two. It sounds like two people are calling each other out!
"Besides...", the older man finishes as he begins pacing back in the direction of the shop, his chin tilting upward as he fixes a smug grin in the direction of his younger competition. "I'm not even forty yet!" He says this as if it carries some sort of deep meaning with it. People in their middle ages would certainy agree with that!
Pepe stands with his elbow resting on one of the flat edges of the fence now, his ass out behind him with the way he has to lean forward. His jaw rests in the palm of one hand, his fingers curled and tucked up against his cheek. The woman is well out of HIS sight now, at least. That's a damned shame, since while he COULD leave, it wouldn't feel right. Not that there's anyone to be served at the moment, anyway...
"Hey, I'm just saying, it wasn't you that made her smile." It doesn't matter /why/ she did it, but since Pepe just /knows/ she was looking at him, he'll take all the credit! "Trust me, that kind of woman'll break your heart!" Pff. He says that like he knows women or something. He's way too young to know anything, and his face scrunches up when he realizes that saying what he did makes HIM sound old. "You saw the bangles, necklaces, the fake nails and done-up hair? Trust me, she's gonna take one look at you and shoot you right down. TRUST me!"
A thought occurs to him, however, and it causes his brows to furrow. "Wait, wait, hold on! So you're like, THIRTY and wearing something like that?" What? He likes the outfit! To think that someone that could be twice his age is wearing it...not so much.
Oh, pfft. This punk kid is trying to give him RELATIONSHIP ADVICE now? The older man rolls his eyes in response, that grin taking on a more arrogant slant. He seems to be ignoring Pepe's insistence on being the center of attention, clearly dismissing it by virtue of his own self-assurance. "And what if she did? You'd let a little thing like being shut down sway you from getting in a nice word with a sweet thing like that?" He puts a foot on an empty bench, poising himself above the heads of those who pass between them. "You've gotta have confidence! It's all part of the game. If you let your smile slip just because she says no, you had no business saying it to begin wit--" What?!
"You're one to talk, junior.", the man firmly proclaims, his mouth finally drawing back into a firm line of no-nonsense. "I've got half a mind to show you that you don't have half as much going for you on age as you seem to think you do." He thanks on it further. He's not exactly rolling in the dough, but...this is his pride as a man on the line here. He can take it. "In fact, I'll double your wage for the hour if you think you can beat me in a fight and can prove it." The corner of his lip curls upward in satisfaction. This is how REAL MEN settle things.
Oh, he must have hit a nerve or something. Well, okay, the old guy doesn't like being called old. That's normal! But to act so about some simple observation? Pepe must have really gotten under his skin. "This place is full of all sorts of hot girls, there's just better times to be had!" He yells while Reiji is yelling half of the time, and indeed, the two have gotten quite a crowd! But the younger man remains steadfast; he has all the naivety of youth and the dating experience to think that he's utterly, completely correct.
And then, there's mention of a fight.
At that, the Green Dragon's happy face falls. Oh, hell. He's...wait, he's not even NEAR home, who's going to yell at him for fighting? The old couple comes to mind, and by now, they've come out because of all the commotion. For the husband, it's to give the slacking boy a whupping about the head and shoulders, but the wife? Oh, bless her heart, the tall, strapping young hunk must remind her of her son. "Go on, dear, go play! We'll watch the store while you're gone!" This draws a look of immediate ire from her spouse. "Are you kiddin' me? Damn fool's out causin' trouble fer our customers, boy oughta be punished!" While they're arguing about it, Pepe's already vaulted over the fence with a loud "Gracias, abuela!" His running steps to the parting crowd leaves the couple alone, finally. "Hope the fool boy gets his butt whipped," the older man says, grumbling something about kids while he goes back into the shop.
COMBATSYS: Reiji has started a fight here.
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Reiji 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Pepe has joined the fight here.
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Reiji 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Pepe
Reiji isn't buying it. If there were better times to be had, this overly amorous youth wouldn't be trying so hard to dissuade him while simultaneously insisting that it was all for the grace of his own presence! With the older man having thrown down a challenge, and Pepe's advancement being readily accepted as taking up the invitation, the crowd between the two thins out as they're wont to doing in Southtown when an inpromptu fighting event breaks out. A few keep going (some will return with snacks), but the majority form a ring around the spectacle and settle in to watch. Never a dull moment in this city!
As for the issuer of the challenge, his eyes remain fixed on Pepe as he steadily advances. Hmm! The kid didn't just recklessly charge in when confronted, so he may not be as hot-blooded as he had gotten an impression of. He'll have to be careful not to underestimate him. "Good practice for both of us anyway, eh?", he offers while waiting for some sign of aggression, drawing back into an evenly measured stance with a single fist extended forward. When an opening doesn't present itself, he darts forward and takes a few experimental jabs with his outstretched hand to test his defenses, before stepping to the side and slinging his other fist at Pepe's stomach.
COMBATSYS: Pepe blocks Reiji's Medium Punch.
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Reiji 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Pepe
Oh, Pepe is a lot of things. Hotheaded would have been an excellent label for him, back when he was but a wee one, when he would jump into fights at the drop of a hat. Years of getting in trouble for it have quelled his brash nature considerably, but it's all being undone by this reckless part of the world that his father had sent him to. Maybe it's a "not my problem" kind of thing, where the guy can get in trouble and not have anyone bail him out. Sure would teach him, wouldn't it?
Therefore, when he's been granted 'permission' and let off his leash, the kid looks /ecstatic/. All snide insults and chicanery aside, he looks excited to be let loose! His mouth is set in a wide, open smile, his eyes brilliant and shining with the anticipation of it all. How will he fight? Is he any good? Should he go easy on him? Is he REALLY going to fight in that? These questions go through his mind faster than his feet hitting the pavement. His right hand comes up and back, greatly telegraphing his intentions...and then he sees fists coming at him! It's hard to stop when one's running so quickly! His sandals scrape on the ground as he puts on the breaks, his left hand trying to push away the jabs as he sways fluidly around them. He already showed that he was quick, though. That's why it should be no surprise when Pepe's right hand is there to meet the heavier punch, smacking flesh to flesh while setting his bones reverberating. Hardly missing a beat, he retaliates not with his hands, but with a knee swinging sharply up toward Reiji's ribs.
COMBATSYS: Reiji blocks Pepe's Medium Kick.
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Reiji 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Pepe
In spite of his prior show of offense, Reiji doesn't really seem all that angry. His face is drawn into a thin smirk once more, but a contemplative one, suggesting confidence in himself with a grip on his patience. Having his leading attack blocked isn't that much of a surprise - not when someone has a good eye and the energy of youth! He's likewise able to read the quick follow-up, twisting his torso so that the foot smacks against the meatier part of his back instead of his ribcage, yanking his fist free of Pepe's grasp while his palm shifts to grasp his newly freed hand.
If Pepe's lucky, that much telegraphing will be enough for him to react in time - because rather than draw back, say something snappy, and launch some clever attack, Reiji simply transfers his weight and momentum into an elbow aimed at his chin!
COMBATSYS: Reiji successfully hits Pepe with Fierce Punch.
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Reiji 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Pepe
Now, it's times like this that show the difference between somebody that puts effort into their art and somebody that just...floats along on natural talent. He's all up close and personal with the "I'm-not-old" man, lifted on the balls of one foot and honestly in a rather precarious position. Had he not leaned in so much, or just pulled away right after the strike, he might have been able to avoid some serious dental work! But no, he's just young, inexperienced, and brash.
Hence the sudden elbow snapping his mouth shut.
The Mexican's eyes go wide and he's /now/ quick to extricate himself, creating some distance with a hand coming up to gingerly touch across his lip. He looks at it once, brushes his skin again, looks at it a second time. There's no blood, but he can taste the copper tang. He must have gotten the inside of his lip or something. A toss of his head back whips his hair, while his lower lip bulges out with the touch of his tongue from within. "All right, so you can throw a punch. Not bad!" The 'for someone of your age' is left unsaid. "Considering." Ah. Perhaps just insinuated, then. For the moment, he hangs back, bouncing on his heels with his fists held up and forward. What seems like it would land a hit on this guy, he wonders? His breadth of experience with competent foes can honestly be counted on one hand, but maybe he'll see something...
COMBATSYS: Pepe focuses on his next action.
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Reiji 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Pepe
Now, Reiji isn't the mean spirited sort. Sure, the kid had a good knock coming to him, and maybe he's still telling himself that 35 does not for an old man make, but he could be giving dear old dad a crack to the chin like that and he'd still feel a pang of satisfaction. Pepe is allowed to withdraw to a safer distance easily enough, his assailant taking a step back assuming his earlier stance once more. "Oh, come on. The fight hasn't even really begun yet...that's nothing!" For a kid this young, particularly with the background he professes to have, he's somewhat surprised to find himself weighing his opponent's capabilities as carefully as he is. Is it an extension of his own insistence that he not be lightly dismissed on the merit of age, or something more? Maybe he's just too accustomed to not knowing who or what will be the next instrument of Orochi.
The fact that his opponent has shifted his methodology hasn't escaped Reiji. He's already taken the initiative once and come out ahead on the exchange, but he knows better than to push his luck, especially now that Pepe seems to be taking this fight seriously. If he's being studied that intently, looking for something familiar to relate his fighting experience to...why not rattle him a bit? Instead of attacking, Reiji's brows knit as he turns his concentration inward, pushing aside the smarting of the last blow and channeling his chi outward into a readily available flow. All of this is invisible to the eye, but a fighter should be able to sense these things readily enough. If Pepe leaves Reiji to his own devices like this, his earlier effort will practically be negated! "Such a nice breeze out here today, don't you think?"
COMBATSYS: Reiji enters a meditative state.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Pepe
"I just didn't think your bones could take--"
Wait. What on earth is going on? Pepe's words stop cold as just...just /something/ tingles at his senses. He could swear that it's the wind tugging at the tips of his hair, but he can't really feel it. His eyes cross and lift up to look at the edges of those strands, regardless. But still, he can't see anything! The hit to his chin must have knocked his brain around. It happens, you know: someone takes a knock right on the jaw and their vision goes all funny. Who's to say that it can't make one feel weird things? He shakes his head once, and the sensation is gone, brushed from his senses.
"Are you crazy? The air here is totally still!" Well, that's enough wasting time! The younger man bends at the knees, flexing one leg, then the other as he bobs up and down, and then, he vaults! It's always been his advantage, being able to jump and soar. Random thugs don't know what to do when a man suddenly leaps higher than their head and comes screaming in with a downward stomp at their face! If Pepe can land on Reiji's mug, he'll stomp not once, not twice, but three times, dancing on his puss like it was a sombrero. Even if the guy manages to weather (or even worse, avoid) all of that, he'll still have to contend with the boy landing and immediately going into a vertical split, his right foot snapping up overhead, then crashing down in a violent axe kick, right for that puffed-up old melon!
But really...do you think the sudden splitting of the heavens and the jagged bolt of lightning striking Pepe's foot at /just/ the right moment is a bit much?
COMBATSYS: Reiji parries Pepe's Cuautli!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Pepe
"Really? Must just be my imagination then." And Reiji? He just stands there, that annoying middle aged smirk still right where he left it. Sure, he didn't give much in the way of ground during the last exchange, but isn't this just a bit much? At the last moment, his eyes suddenly widen in horror as if his fate were only just now occuring to him, his mouth opening as if to make a last minute plea for armistice...!
And then Pepe splits his head in two. :/
No, really. That stomping works just a little...too well, the man's head offering a somewhat doughy resistence and taking on the shape and form of a mushy pancake. "Murderer! You KILLED him!", taunts a familiar voice from the side. And should that lightning bolt still land despite what is no doubt a very perplexed and confused Mexican lad, it will simply...vaporize whatever is left, leaving it to dissipate in a formless mist that rapidly loses its color.
Of course, Reiji isn't actually dead. That would simply be the chi double he had superimposed over his body a moment ago, the real Reiji having quickly rolled off to the side while his opponent was too fixated on what he could only assume was the visage of the opponent before him. Most *experienced* fighters haven't had an opportunity to come in contact with a technique of this complexity, so it's really no fault of his own. The perpetrator of this indignity is not slow to seize this advantage however, as no sooner as he risen to his feet, he's turning around and lunging forward, an incredibly forceful karate chop slashing downward toward the youth's exposed neck.
COMBATSYS: Reiji successfully hits Pepe with Jin Rougeki EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Pepe
OH GOD. Oh god oh god oh god, he electrocuted the old man into mush and then kicked right through him! Pepe's going to be in SO much trouble. In the mere moments it takes for Reiji to up and say something, Pepe's already going through the scenario in his mind: he's arrested, questioned, put on trial, found guilty, thrown in prison. HIM! Prison! With his good looks, there are going to be scores fo inmates lining up for a chance at his ass. How will he face his parents? What will Pupa think? Will she visit him on Sundays? Will he be able to GET visitors? Will he--
And that's when the world, and his thoughts, go white. Whatever the old windbag was saying, it was lost in the younger man's panic. His body slumps down, looking for all the world to be on its way to the ground. A leg stomps forward though, jabbing into the ground before him. The lad's eyes are still unfocused and glassy as he lurches back upright and over, leaning in the direction that the surprise assault had come from! Like a toy set through its motions by a child, Pepe moves with the ingrained movements of Quetzalcoatl's hallowed techniques as though reflex. His right arm snaps out toward Reiji's gut in a sharp backhand, but it's with a peal of static and the bite of hundreds of small arcs of electricity jumping from his fist toward whatever it may impact! ...Except for rubber, of course.
COMBATSYS: Reiji endures Pepe's Istak.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Pepe
Landing heavily from the powerful counterattack, Reiji is caught by surprise when Pepe automatically reacts to the assault like a fighter with years of experience beyond his tier. "Woah there!", is all he can manage, doing his best to quickly concoct a strategy to contend with this on the spot. Unfortunately, it relies on letting Pepe land a solid blow of his own, forcing Reiji to grimace hard and dig his heels into the ground, steeling himself not only for the forceful impact but to ride out the electrocuting jolt that accompanies it. As he does, two other things happen.
One, another chi body splits off from Reiji, rolling backward from his current position and winding an arm back for a powerful haymaker. Normally a telegraphed motion, this may be somewhat disguised by their current positioning unless Pepe happens to catch a glimpse of something odd over his opponent's shoulder.
Two, Reiji attempts to grab onto Pepe's sides even as he's riding out the worst of the blow...and then he heaves, not throwing him, but trying to swing him in a half circle with him, reversing their positions. And should this happen, the double will simply unload into the heart throb's back with that wound up punch. It's not *quite* like being punched by a real person, but the impact is real enough, and the force of point blank chi certainly wouldn't help matters.
COMBATSYS: Reiji knocks away Pepe with Maboroshi!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Pepe
It's not just Reiji that suffers the effects of hundreds of volts running through his flesh. The spark sets some of Pepe's nerves alight, starting a chain reaction of stimulants up to the guy's brain. It's with a jolt of straightening posture, a widening of eyes, and a sudden intake of gasping breath. The pain in his neck hits him all of a sudden, causing him to bring a hand to the wound. Just touching it refreshes sensations of soreness, but it's still disorienting. His vertebrae must have shifted a hair, because just touching that spot sends a jolt of pain, weakens his muscles, and makes his vision fuzz up! So terrible of the man, to do something like that! It's all of this confusion on Pepe's behalf that Reiji can /really/ take advantage of.
The feeling of big arms wrapping around him is bad enough. He has no idea about this second man (???) butting into the fight, as his focus is on trying to shove the first off of him! "Let go! Hold on, time out!!" Pepe stuggles and strains, trying to retaliate with knee strikes and elbows, but none of it does any good whatsoever! Indeed, the force behind those panicked blows is far less than the power shown in that charged backhand, and he can do nothing to keep from being lifted and swung about. His back arches as the weight of the assault feels like it tears right into his back, causing it to arch back and let out a horrible, awful cry of agony! The boy is obviously severely outclassed! There's little he can do but try and slap his hands down on Reiji's head, fingers curled to try and get a good grip. There's one arc at first, a jagged streak of brilliant blue light that leaps out of his shoulder and returns to the crest of his ear. Then, there is another. And another. Power swells up in the part-time server's body, overflowing in a number of travelling rails that tingle flesh raise hairs, but little more. It's a warning: LET GO. For if he doesn't, then the poor father is going to be hugging one hell of a live wire, and he's the only ground in sight!
COMBATSYS: Pepe successfully hits Reiji with Quetzalcoatl.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Reiji 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Pepe
BAM! There's a game maker if he's ever felt one, and he hasn't even had to tap into the real goods yet! Despite the alacrity and competence of this young fighter, he's managed to hold the upper hand so far through a mixture of experience and unanticipated versatility. He didn't intend to go this rough on the guy in the beginning, but once the blows started flying he had little choice in the matter! He's *almost* at the point of feeling bad for the guy, when...he senses it. That tingle in the air. He wasn't sure if his *own* senses were misleading him a moment ago, what with that current running through the body, but now that he has an opportunity to observe the youth about to discharge at point blank range, two things occur to him.
1) This is not your ordinary chi user. Could this be some form of inherent talent?
2) ....ohshit
Between the exertion of landing such a heavy blow using the force of a remotely manipulated chi body (which in turn requires detaching that much chi from himself to begin with) and the sudden surprise of witnessing how the teen's technique forms itself, he's unable to backpedal away in time. With a backward stagger he throws up his arms in some token attempt to shield himself, shoulder length hair rising with a life of its own as the ambient air becomes charged with energy, but the unprecedented magnitude of power unleashed by the youth crashes through him. For a moment Reiji is simply rooted in place with his mouth open in a wordless gurgle of pain, torso shaking violently while rooted in place, legs refusing to answer his commands to BACK AWAY...only to have his desires met with in a belated, all too late fashion as he's simply LAUNCHED AWAY in the opposite direction, onlookers hurriedly diving away to either side.
For a moment Reiji just lies there, eyes scrunched up in pain. One cracks open, eye darting around experimentally as if to verify that it's over. Given the backlog of pain his brain is in the process of cataloguing, it really is the most reliable method. Seemingly satisfied, he voices a loud "Whew!", letting the back of his head touch the ground as he sprawls out. "Now that had some kick to it." Not sensing an immediate follow up attack, he rush himself to hauling himself back up to his feet as he could have. "Didn't think you had it in you. I'd like to ask you a thing or two about it, but..."
A sharp intake of air, and then he's forcing himself forward with gritted teeth, sprinting toward Pepe with arms held behind him. "Don't think this is over yet!!" Roughly seven paces away he takes to the air, aiming to land a flying kick somewhere in the general vicinity of his torso.
COMBATSYS: Pepe dodges Reiji's Medium Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Reiji 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Pepe
It's not unlike an explosion, once the juice is flowing, isn't it? As those megavolts are discharged, Pepe is finally free and alone, left to slump forward. The pain in his jaw and his back are awful, but the electricity that continues to run over him for a few seconds after Reiji is sent flying helps to numb the pain. He can lurch himself back upright, lift his head, and let out loud, full-throated yell!
With that display done, the kid puffs out a sigh and lifts his shoulders up, rolling them back. There's a grimace as his spine reminds him of its having just been smashed, but he can live with this, he thinks. Yeah. Yeah, there's some pain, but you know what? He just THREW A GUY WITH LIGHTNING. The look on his face is one of utter amazement as he sees the other man down, immediately taking a glance at once of his hands. "Holy crap, I can't believe that WORKED." His attention is returned to its previous target when it starts talking. Not only that, as he gets up! This man can actually take a hit, but more than that, he can take the power of lightning. "Man, are you still able to move after that? What are you, some kind of superman?" There's awe evident in his voice, the same emotion clear on his face. Little by little, his mouth spreads into a big, wide smile. His eyes are bright again, as though the lightning had revitalized him! "Oh, no, no! This is just getting fun!"
And indeed, Pepe's engine has finally switched to the next gear. Grinning, energetic, he can finally see Reiji's motions clearly. As the flying kick comes in, he leans forward and tucks down, fists touching the ground as his knees to, toes and the balls of his feet the only true purchase on the pavement. As he squats, he turns around, watching the man as he flies clear overhead. Foolishly thinking that the whole mushy body double thing has to be done on the ground, he waits that split-second before springing after the descending fighter, arms up as his right knee swings in toward his spine before he can land.
Eye for an eye, don't you know!
COMBATSYS: Reiji blocks Pepe's Arriba.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Reiji 1/----===/=======|=------\-------\0 Pepe
When Reiji's foot doesn't meet with its target, his brain immediately begins working on how he's going to avoid retaliation. While he *could* do something involving a chi double, there's simply nothing that would be effective given the circumstances. Judging from the speed of his opponent, and his renewed elation following that successful blast, he'd better come up with something quick. Casting a glance backward, giving him just the slimmest of moments to react, he quickly crosses both arms behind him to cushion the blow...jarring, but nothing he can't handle. On the other hand, the combination of that added nudge and the shift in his weight throws all of his landing plans out of whack. His touch down is rough - face first into a tumble - but he manages to use his arms to regain control over his bodily momentum after the initial impact. One last forward tumble and he's landing on hands and feet, mouth a firm line with eyes locked on Pepe in concentration. There's something odd, very deliberate about this stance and the sudden, intense pause...
Such a hunch would be right, because he then proceeds to bound straight up into the air with an immense downward surge of chi propelling him upward. One moment he's on the ground, then he's a rediculous distance in the air above the ground, rotating once in a backflip...and then there's fire. Both legs ignite in flame, and then another surge of chi propells him back DOWNWARD. From ground, to peak of jump, and back down again, it's only a matter of five seconds, but Pepe had better not be blinking. Because if he isn't taking this seriously or paying enough attention, he'll suddenly find himself bearing the brunt of a very, very powerful impact of a meteoric kick shrouded in a spiral of fire. "WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!"
COMBATSYS: Pepe dodges Reiji's Shippu Rou'ou Ken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Pepe
Pepe lands lightly on his feet, even taking the chance to bounce backward a little bit! So his knee didn't quite make the impact that he'd wanted. It's okay! It DID collide with solid flesh instead of some mushiness, so that's a start. The sheer exhiliration of being able to unload keeps him going despite the fact that he's feeling really sore and a little winded. How can he let himself succumb to wanting to rest when he's got this chance? He looks just like the kid he is, though--younger, actually!
"Man, it's like you didn't even FLINCH!" His hands are balled into fists, so tight! His muscles are all bunched up and wound up, straining the threads on the t-shirt he'd barely been able to fit into. Already, there are little places where the ltitle holes have ripped. "Hey! Are all these professional fighters like you or woOOOAH!" His question is interrupted by the fact that Reiji just...launches. It's like he's some sort of rocket, one that soom comes plummeting back to earth! And the LIGHT! It's the most amazing thing he's ever seen. It keeps the smile on his face, it just...it just...!!
Pepe stands there, watching this display, and when that foot-rocket comes crashing down, he's just GONE. All that pent-up energy gives him one hell of a boost, pulling him from the man's vision. He's not in front of him, he's not BESIDE him...so he must be behind him! But Pepe, in his inexperience, is predictable. He's already bunched down and winding his springs up further, just so he can launch another knee strike at the elder's back. This one's different, though! Hard enough to launch the man AGAIN if he gets hit, an inhuman twisting of hips and slinging of legs sends one, two, three of those sharp half-kicks...and then a fourth, flying in from the top. It's another axe kick, and as the foot descends, the heavens send down another bolt of flashy lightning at his foot with a clap of thunder and the smell of ozone.
COMBATSYS: Reiji parries Pepe's Arriba Slash!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Pepe
Were it not for the fact that Reiji had elected to enter low earth orbit while Pepe was phasing the question, there is little doubt that he would have graced the younger fighter with sage words of wisdom. Instead, his answer was that single word whoop of elation as he launched himself downward...and proceeded to leave a small crater, circular tongues of flame fanning out from his position before extinguishing. Blink blink. "Well, shit.", he voices as all of that unspent chi swells around him. But not completely for naught, as he quickly picks up another force intruding upon this zone. Grimacing, he casts his arms wide, a dust devil swirling around his crouched feet as he pulls that expended chi right back into his proximity and forces it downward with a gust of wind. "Alleyyy~oop!"
The result is another bound upward, albeit one with noticably less height and control. It's kinda funny to watch really, Reiji is quite visibly flailing with all arms and legs at the apex of his jump, trying to restore some measure of balance. "Crap, crap, crap, craaaaap..." Roughly halfway down, he seems to get enough of a handle on it to begin dropping safely. Enough so that Pepe can clearly see a second Reiji splitting off from him on the way down. More problematic is the fact that one Reiji is now a short distance in front of Pepe, and the other is behind him.
They both grin in unison, should Pepe chance a glance between them. It's rather unnerving.
"Banzaiiii~", the real one yells, both fighters charging toward their pincered victim. The real one swings high with a punch, while the fake sweeps low with a kick. Now that's just playing /dirty/!
COMBATSYS: Pepe parries Reiji's Maboroshi EX!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Pepe
The spectacle is nothing short of amazing. To the onlookers, especially the children, it must look like two superheroes fighting! Sure, Pepe had been bashed up a bit in the beginning, but now both men are just untouchable despite the amazing display of fire and lightning! Here is a young man that by all rights should have been down and out already, but really...it's Reiji's fault, showing him something so incredible. His energy is nigh-boundless, and he's just having the time of his life. So what if the poor shirt that he'd been giving is getting more and more ripped by all this fancy flipping about? It just goes to show how ripped HE is, and nobody can really complain about that. Right?
"Come on, come on, come on...!" The sight of the man flailing about is hilarious, but he pulls it through! That's better.
And then he splits. So THAT is what happened earlier. ...Huh!
Pepe just has no way of knowing which clone is real and which is the fake. Or, perhaps they're both real! Why bother trying to differenciate, then? As the twin strikes come in, the boy flips sideways, spinning even! The punch goes sailing past his side when he's horizontal, the 'kick' running harmlessly underneath. He lands in a one-handed handstand and both legs kick out: one behind, one ahead of him as he does a full forward split. Augh! But that's not enough! As the other hand touches the earth, his hips twist and those legs swing about, much like he's copying a certain thunder-thighed Chinese woman. His feet move with the audible rush of air and, this time, his feet are coated in a more generic blue chi, lacking the high-pitched chirping of lightning, but instead leaving trails about him as he spins like some sort of hunky tornado.
COMBATSYS: Reiji blocks Pepe's Wind Kicks EX.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Reiji 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Pepe
This is indeed a battle of the ripped. A little something for all the ladies in a very wide age spectrum. A pity neither fighter has much of an opportunity to appreciate the fond eyes of the ladies, given how little margin for error they're leaving each other! The eyes of both Reiji figures widen as Pepe manages to miraculously solve the dilemma of their pincer attack. The real Reiji is forced to do throw his weight to the side in order to avoid being tripped by his own replica, getting clipped in the shoulder by one of Pepe's spinning kicks as he dives out of the way but managing to avoid taking the full procession. The clone is less fortunate as he's chopped in half, but nobody cared about that guy anyway. Rising to his feet again, he's forced to briefly pant with a hand on his knee as he sizes up his opponent again, seeing no easy way to land a clean hit on his opponent until the handstand helicopter finishes. "Whew. This has been alot of fun so far...you really *should* go professional." And it's true! Some manager could make a fortune off of this kid. Talent from out of nowhere and a looker for the ladies as well? That's an easy sell right there!
But right now Reiji is more concerned with how to finish dismantling the guy. He doesn't have far to go, just a few more clean shots...! But if this wears on, it could just as easily be him that ends up being spent. How should he go about outwitting the guy? In the end, he settles for borrowing a trick from the Mexican's own play book; timing the end of his attack. The moment it *looks* like the kicks are beginning to stop, Reiji dives forward with what looks like a roundhouse kick...but it lacks its full force, meant more as a feint. His intent is to instead judge how Pepe will react, grab him when he attempts to dodge out of the way, and then peg him with a sweeping takedown and elbow drop. This guy's slippery!
COMBATSYS: Reiji successfully hits Pepe with Combo Grapple.
> Determined Hit! <
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Reiji 0/-------/----===|======-\-------\0 Pepe
As the whorl of feet dies down, both legs kick up and backward, feet touching against the ground before his body lifts up, torso snapping upward. But, it's too fast, too sudden! He wobbles on one foot, almost missing a step before the other leg pins down, both of his arms out and to the side. Even if he seems to be full of endless energy, he IS only mortal.
Well, sort of.
The young man sucks in a quick breath and exhales it as he tries to steady himself, but now he's flat-footed, grounded. As if coming to a stop has put him into an idle gear, he actually looks...really, kind of tired! "You just won't go down, will you?" he asks, a puff exhaled anew at the brief pause. It's just enough time for Reiji to come in and take advantage of the fact that he's no longer in motion, for Pepe is a creature of reflexes and reactions, doing without thinking. He doesn't have the know-how to see the tricks to his kick, so when he thinks it's going to be a normal roundhouse, he moors his feet and sways to the side! Ah, but the attack never moves just how he thinks it will. His legs are swept out from under him, and again, an impact at his back that makes him curl upward with a sharp yell of honest pain.
He's tempted to just stay down, after he's flattened on the ground. It's so comfortable. So soothing! But that would mean losing, and to hell with that! He can't be done yet! The best that he can do in his position is swing one leg up and behind (that is, above) him, trying to at least clip Reiji's knee with the back of his heel. The grunt of effort he makes shows that he's nearing the end of his rope.
COMBATSYS: Pepe successfully hits Reiji with Medium Kick.
- Power hit! -
[ \\\\\\\ < > //// ]
Reiji 0/-------/--=====|======-\-------\0 Pepe
Ha ha! Triumph! Success! Reiji manages to paste his younger nemesis, and for a moment, he thinks he's got it. Most people who are that far winded don't get up from a takedown like that. But just as Reiji is beginning to haul himself up from the ground so that he can reclaim some distance, in comes a surprisingly well aimed heel, landing squarely behind his knee and knocking his weight out from under him. "Gotta be kidding m--!" He doesn't finish, and his hands don't catch his balance in time. SPLAT, right down on his face. "....Nnngh."
It *is* kinda nice, here on the ground. Just not sprawled on top of another guy like this, no no no. Maybe if he were fighting that pretty dame from earlier...but she didn't really look like the fighter type anyway. But oh, to amateur wrestle with the likes of those...!
Suddenly, Reiji has strength and energy once more. This may seem unprecedentedly sudden to those gathered; only Reiji knows the truth behind this sudden renewal of purpose! Turning on Pepe without bothering to rise to his feet once more, he attempts to get a good arm lock around the younger fighter's legs, seat himself on his back to pin him in a mercy hold, and begin easing his weight backward with Pepe's leg in an incredibly uncomfortable fashion. "Saaaaay uncleeeeeeeeeeee...!"
COMBATSYS: Pepe parries Reiji's Quick Throw!
[ \\\\\\ < > //// ]
Reiji 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1 Pepe
Man, that woman is the further thing from Pepe's mind at the moment, amazingly! Right now, he just wants this fight to go on a little longer, to see what else he can see! This experience is amazing, and he just can't get enough of it! Well...okay, he can get enough of being smashed and thrown around, but there's just so much out there, things that he's never encountered before! He's heard of other people like him--lightning based, that is--and now there's something like fire?! God! It makes a man wonder what other forces of nature man is able to command. Maybe once he gets back to good old Sunshine City, he'll start watching televised matches instead of going out to chase tail.
Pff. Right.
In any case, he pulls himself up to rest on his elbows, head turned to grin back at Reiji. "Hey, I take back the part about you being too old for this." It's a small concession, and the best he's gonna get! When his legs are grabbed, it just takes a quick tug as he pushes his torso up, knees tucking in underneath him in a sort of frog position. Without Pepe to sit on, what is going to stop Reiji from falling on his ass, though!? But more importantly, the kid somehow finds the energy to leap up and OVER the guy in a half-twisted backflip. As he comes down before him, a twist of his upper body helps him strike down in a brutal punch for the father's hard head, right before he lands in a crouch in front of him. ...Ideally.
COMBATSYS: Pepe successfully hits Reiji with Hopping Fist EX.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
[ \\ < > //// ]
Reiji 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Pepe
What the. Where did he go?! Reiji is left teetering off balance, and the next thing he knows the kid is in front of him again...and punching him in the noggin'! GONG. The glow lands squarely in the forehead, sending him toppling straight back, whereupon the back of his head cracks against the paved ground. Ouch, talk about brain pinball!
"Rrrrgh.", comes the initial reply. He's smiling though, friendly like, not the smug self-content stuff from earlier. "Accepted. You're a pretty cool guy yourself." His first reflex *was* to say kid, but hey, fair's fair, you know? He wants to stand up, but his senses are just too damn screwed up after that near concussion right there. Unable to pry himself off the ground, he's left with only one option.
The Father's Option.
Undoing the loop on his belt, he smoothly fishes it out from his pants in a practiced fashion that only a dad can. Without warning, he then proceeds to whip it at Pepe - and should it wrap around his leg, he'll give it a quick tug in an attempt to yank his weight out from under him. "Take a load off!"
COMBATSYS: Reiji can no longer fight.
[ \\\\ <
Pepe 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Pepe blocks Reiji's Jab Punch.
[ \\\ <
Pepe 1/------=/=======|
GOD. The old man's head is hard! And the way that it just smacks on the ground, it makes Pepe cringe. "Hey, you all right?" He stands upright before Reiji, both hands on his hips. His feet are flat again; a sure indication of his guard being lowered. Couple that with how he's breathing faster, though not outright panting (which in itself is a testament to his vigor,) his guard is all but completely dropped! When he starts throwing compliments without getting up, well, the young guy thinks it's over.
Lesson one: NEVER trust an old guy.
The look of horror on Pepe's face as the belt is removed is something else. His brows furrow while he wonders just what the hell he's doing. "Hey, what are you d--" he even asks, but is interrupted when the belt just pulls his leg out from under him! His knee is weak now that he's let the tension of battle drain from his limps, and he flails before falling down at an odd angle: half on his back, half on his side, with an arm lifted to act as a sort of cushion. It didn't hurt much, but...now that he's down again? He REALLY doesn't want to get back up. There's a groan as he flips onto his back, wincing as earlier wounds remind him of the pain that his excitement and adrenaline had been masking.
"...So, truce?"
COMBATSYS: Pepe takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Pepe can no longer fight.
And Pepe's definitely not the only one. That earlier electrocution was some pretty powerful stuff on its own, but man, solid blows to your cranium in succession aren't a walk in the park either. "...Yeah, a truce sounds good." It's an odd admission to someone of this age. The kid's got enough talent to take him down, and it's clear that they've got similar notions of what paints a pretty picture on the ways of the fairer sex. "No lady killing on shared turf." ... "Unless wingmanning it up." ... "Which would be weird for guys our age, but I've seen weirder."
Like Orochi minions. And teenagers channeling far more innate power than they have any right to be. Man, he's really going to have to grill Pepe for where he learned to harness a power like that, but now...he really, really can't be bothered to go on a tangent about that crap. Right now just lying on the pavement while his body mends and making light conversation is the most he can manage. Hopefully enough of the earlier crowd will linger to deter foot traffic for the time being, because like hell he's standing up just yet.
Log created on 17:16:34 12/09/2010 by Pepe, and last modified on 01:02:12 01/14/2011.