Description: A great battle has begun, heralding the beginning of the Neo League Lightning Week. Ken Masters strides back into action, and into the vast arena of world combat sports. Alma Towazu meets him halfway, proud to have found a kindred spirit in his benefactor. When two mighty spirits collide, it's all gravy -- and all we need is Turk Gridiron, Wang Long, and Faolan Sheehan to proceed to pepper their passionate endeavor with outrageous and at times frankly obscene commentary. Welcome to the rebirth of the Neo League. (Winner: Ken)
Once more the Neo League strives to bring quality fights to the comfort of its viewing audiences homes, and now with its Guest Announcer Program in full swing, the applicants have come from far and wide (Mainly because they get to travel on the owners dime.) This time, they managed to snag a real catch, bringing their special guest announcer to such an exotic location that is Sunshine City..
"Ahhh, my city..."
It's a booming baritone that echoes throughout the arena, ribald, offensive, yet somehow *soothing* to those who might hear it. This probably has something to do with the sudden lighting change - that is to say, they've all shut off, as though snuffed out by a deity's breath. Spotlights begin swiveling throughout the arena, permeated only by seizure-inducing beams of light ripping prismatic swaths through otherwise inky dark; these settle, finally, upon two beings near the stage itself.
"TURK GRIDIRON IS SO GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" That voice is definitely coming from one of the two - specifically, the man on the left. A broad, confident smile pulls at his overly made-up features, while pearly white teeth split an artifically tanned face into a challenging, falsely-appreciative mask of egotism. He's wearing a goddamned sequined blazer, bright red in color, and gorgeous, blonde hair rakes across his features in a fashion that suggests hours of somebody else's work.
"AND HE WELCOMES YOU, ON BEHALF OF KEN MASTERS, TO THIS VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF NEO LEAGUE!" The voice calms; thank god, it was getting loud. Spotlights leave the men at the ringside; they instead focus upon the aisles leading to the ring itself. Again, Turk's silken tones roll out over the speakers. The crowd begins to cheer, rant and rave - they know the fighters are walking in soon. Anytime now, really.
"Alright, alright," chides Turk, still audible over the din of the crowd. "Stop clapping for me so much - you're going to get the fighters jealous! Have -YOU- ever had a fighter jealous of you? You don't even know who's fighting today! We've got..."
Turk gestures, imperiously, to the corners of the arena - spotlights follow, where they wait at doorways, patiently, for the fighters to enter.
If there's one thing Wang Long knows, it's that old people are universally senile and easily deceived if you so much as mention technology. Furthermore, because they are so completely helpless, it is his duty to take advantage of them at every available opportunity.
24 HOURS AGO, AT AN ELDERLY LEAGUE OFFICIAL'S OFFICE
"A free ticket just for announcing? Yeah, sure, I'll just use my newfangled 'typing machine' and the 'world wide webs'. Heh, sucker. What? No, I said...luck. Lucky...fer me. Yeah."
NOW
On the right, dressed in a school uniform like he always is and clearly having made no allowances to how nice the fight is, Wang stands with a laptop tucked under one arm and a finger in his ear because OH MY GOD THIS GUY IS SO LOUD. "And, uh..." IN FRONT OF SO MANY PEOPLE IT IS MORTIFYING. Wang coughs, then opts to remain silent. Turk's clearly got it handled.
The spotlights in the ceiling suddenly point towards the entrance stage, which suddenly starts to become covered in smoke. A brilliantly bright laser show suddenly starts to dance across the smoke, forming an american flag upon it, with all fifty starts of the red white and blue.
Of course, no one ever comes from the smoke, that is of course until a brilliant blur of man with crimson flame trailing after him suddenly errupts from the smoke, spinning beautifully into the air. Ladies and Gentlemen? Ken Masters.
The spotlight bursts into life on the left entryway. The audience hold their collective breath, having been thoroughly hyped up by Turk Gridiron's magnificent performance (and, of course, Wang's two-word contribution).
No one is there.
A moment passes. Then the spotlight blurs up to one of the fighting arena's four turnbuckles, revealing a shadowy figure standing poised atop that narrow, circular precipice. Tall and lithe, his clothing seems so professionally tailored as to be a second skin; when the glare of that initial shadowing effect fades, the reason becomes apparent. This is Studio Giorgio's new Third Skin line of top-tier casualwear, the young man's designer jeans bearing their signature needlework and back pocket design (and you can't avoid looking at his back pockets in these pants). His white dress shirt is too sleek for words, the cuffs unbuttoned and the front three buttons as well.
The Radiant Angel. The Risen Phoenix.
His blond hair, tinged with ruby red, ripples in an unfelt breeze.
The Thrice-Born Hero. The Scarred Beauty of Southtown.
Slowly, Alma turns, revealing his visage to the audience with preternatural self-possession. His elegance in the face of the grotesque discolorations upon his skin cannot be overstated. Indeed, the shirt seems opened almost deliberately to unashamedly reveal the seal of the Ryouhara upon his chest, showing clearly the price he has paid for the life he has lived. Though the skin of his face will be patterned forevermore, its fundamental structure remains intact -- and it is striking, if not still conventionally beautiful. And as he has not modeled since, of course, that fateful day, that he would appear wearing the clothing of the studio for which he once worked and which he now sponsors--
Alma Towazu raises a hand heavenward, and another cry erupts from the audience.
--signals that Alma, too, is back.
Leaving down to the audience, he greets Ken Masters with a wide, mild-eyed smile, approaching him upon the arena. "Ken," he greets, "it is once again an honor. Your aid was invaluable in allowing me to run the Asahishoubu, and support this city." He bows low, taking a moment before rising. "I am eternally grateful."
If it hadn't been for Ken, Annie would've never sat on Alma's face. ...It may or may not be Alma's real motivation to publically redeem himself for that right now.
"Shall we?"
COMBATSYS: Alma has started a fight here.
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Alma 0/-------/-------|
To the crowds amazement, Ken returns the bow, lowering his head slightly towards Alma before bowing. "It truly is good to see you again so soon Alma. And to you, I too am eternally grateful, for helping me realize something that I have all but truly lost." He rises up, smiling slightly as he moves away from Alma, getting into his stance. "Let's do this, and show them all what a true fight really can look like."
COMBATSYS: Ken has joined the fight here.
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Alma 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ken
It's a very fancy entrance on both accounts. Truly, Turk has no idea what the individual fighters have planned for their introduction. He takes it upon himself to sit down beside Wang, and uncomfortably stare at the kid for the next few minutes. Lights flash, Alma goes through his song and dance, Ken runs through smoke, fans are going rabid, and through it all, Turk is staring at Wang, expression inevitably crumbling upon itself, into something new, potent, and, if Turk were ever to find out about it, terrifying.
His -brow- is -creased-.
Gridiron slides, brutally, Wang's microphone closer to the teen. "Listen, you're the little dweeb from Toygo High? Gaydo? Whatever. If you're half the mouthbreather you look like, you know what THIS is. Use it, or you make me look like I'm a damn puppetmaster. Babes don't like puppe-" Turk's eyes widen when the introductions and music stop; he immediately looks back to the fighters as they enter onto the stage.
"Yes, fight-fans, Ken Masters and Alma Towazu face-to-f.." Turk isn't quite sure Alma likes the face comments. He cans it. "Ffff-feather, as this aspiring man-phoenix seeks to close chapters in his ever-beginning life! Ken Masters is more than happy to greet him on the hallowed field of the Neo League arena; this is truly a battle between friends rather than foes! Look at that smile on Ken's face, ladies and gentlemen - feel the love!" Turk Gridiron is dangerously close to making himself vomit.
For a brief moment, Alma's smile flashes into a full grin.
This man's irrepressible spirit-- he cannot help but be inspired by it. How had he fought for so long without ever having the opportunity to challenge this mighty warrior? This world is vast, and thriving with potential. It occurs to the nominal head of the YFCC in that moment that while it is his new willingness to let fate take him where it will that has brought him to this place, it is thanks to the relationships and the communities that he, in his struggles, has helped to forge that he had such an opportunity in the first place. The possibility of maintaining that sense of urgency without asserting a certain destiny, of letting his faith float free--
At once, his fist erupts into pale, ethereal, glittering soulfire.
"Indeed!"
Without a second thought, the traces of that grin upturning the young man's lips even as his eyes glint with a sudden intensity, Alma plunges forward at his noble opponent, aiming to thrust out with a lance of surging power that explodes from his fist, piercing through to the Ken's burning and resilient will.
Wang doesn't notice Turk's steely gaze. He's too busy staring at Ken and Alma making their entrances with a disdainful eye. He, for one, doesn't see what the big deal is, especially with the two of them prancing around other all respectful-like before the fight, but whatever. Softly, under his breath, Wang utters, "gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay."
He at least has the decency to shamefully look around to see if anybody heard him, which is when he notices Turk's stare, and then listens in dutiful silence because frankly there is something in that man's eyes which terrifies him. Not that he'll ever admit it.
Wang sets his laptop down and pick up the mic. "Ahem, yes, they are just totally loving each other out there, T-turk." He tries not to stutter. "Let's just hope they keep their clothes on, ha ha ha?" He turns questioningly to Turk, fearfully seeking approval-slash-mercy from the experienced announcer-slash-newsman-slash-celebrity.
You know what an event like the one being held in Sunshine City attracts? Alot of fight hungry people that can't get enough facepunching. The more fights the better. It should not be surprised that several members of the famed Ikari Warriors group that have vacation time have traveled over to Sunshine city to watch, and probably cause even though they won't admit it, some fights! There is about ten of them in the front row of the stands right now. Some drunker than others and there seems to be a ring leader for said group in the form of a rather loud Faolan.
He is actually dangerously standing on the railing and managing to keep his balance. His fellow Ikari are cheering him on. "Give em hell, fellahs!" he calls out to the two as he waves his bata around somewhat dangerously. Security didn't seem to do a good job at disarming the man. Then again one would have better lucky keeping food from Naerose than getting the bata away from the Irishman. "Go for the daddy bag!"
COMBATSYS: Ken endures Alma's Self Expression.
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Alma 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Ken
The first time Ken saw this move, something in his soul had screamed out to dodge it. This time however, he does the opposite, wanting to taste the full fledged power that Alma wields first hand.
There is a bit of a piercing sensation coursing through his body, but one would never be able to tell from the look upon his face, as his body twists slightly, swinging his right leg right towards his opponent's waistline, that ever present grin never once fading from the man named Masters face.
COMBATSYS: Alma blocks Ken's Medium Kick.
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Alma 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Ken
"God above, let's hope so, Wing," Turk's voice reverbrates throughout the Dragon Arena, warm, comforting. Is it Wing? Turk Gridiron cannot be bothered to read memos. He has people to do that for him. They have people to do that for them. Turk goes on. "Mrs. Gridiron is already suspicious enough WITHOUT knowing I sit around and watch musclebound men touch each other for hours on end; we certainly don't need to make it NAKED musclebound men." Female fightfans are of course groaning aloud at Turk's opinion - the men in the audience are quite a bit louder. Turk doesn't care, people are starting to punch each other.
"Towazu opens up with some sort of weirdo Energy Fist or something, but Ken takes the shot to his waist and seeks to reply with a kick in kind! I don't know about you ladies and gentlemen, but I've seen Towazu kill..." Briefly, Turk thinks of a number. "FIFTEEN men at once with that particular number. That means Masters' abs are more durable than fifteen entire human beings -- can you believe it?? Let's see how Alma deals with the kick.."
Alma shouldn't be surprised by the man's passion, but he can't help but be surprised, despite having experienced it before, at the man's speed. He backpedals, hopping back nimbly in an effort to reduce some of the force of the blow, but does not have the time to attempt a full evasion; it is all he can do to raise his guard in time and deflect the powerful kick, dropping his forearm to do so. That Ken would embrace Alma's dangerous, soul-piercing power like that--
"Ha...!"
The urge to understand another's spirit.
"Well, then--"
It's not just for psychics.
Carrying some of the momentum from the force of Ken's kick with him, Alma pivots and sweeps low into a crouch, aiming to swiftly scythe Ken's remaining leg out from under him with a low kick before the Crimson Inferno can fully recover. It's worth a shot.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ken with Light Kick.
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Alma 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Ken
Typing furiously with one hand, a skill that Wang has long-practic--
That is to say, a skill that Wang has never before used or needed yet is naturally extremely proficient at, the schoolboy attempts to keep his mic up with the other. "She's a lucky womaWHAT, you you you, AGGHGH" Wang begins to choke on his own bile at being mistaken for his cousin, only the terrifying thought of Turk's unfathomable wrath keeping him from breaking down entirely.
"And Towazu sweeps the leg! Kind of weaksauce if you ask me, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, although Masters sure seems to be!"
Now the action is finally happening and the people are just getting louder. "Hell yes!" shouts Faolan as he fistbumps one of his fellow Ikari and almost loses his balance and falls off the railing. It just causes all the guys to laugh along with the Irishman. Half are more interested in harassing eachother than even watching the fight. Faolan sort of sways there as he keeps his balance and he just stares for a few moments and he gets a big grin. The few paying attention just seem to realize what he might be thinking and start shouting 'DO IT!' or they are just shouting it thinking he is about to do something and they want to see Faolan make a fool out of himself.
That is when he jumps off the railing and takes off across the ground in an exaggerated jog like a streaker would do at a soccer game and oh god.....he is heading for the announcers. "Fuuuuuuuu-" his voice can be heard getting louder over the microphones as he nears and it is rather loud when he finally leaps forward and lands between both Turk and Wang while draping an arm around each of them. The bata he has in his one hand accidentally slapping against the side of Wang's head too. "-CK YEAH!" He then grins and leans over. "This is Faolan Sheehan and the Ikari are in the hooooouse!" Which is followed by his group of friends shouting from their section. 'WHOOP WHOOP!' "And holy shit, what is this a kick party? Are you sissies afraid you might break a nail?" he calls towards the fighters. There are whiskey bottles that smell less of whiskey than Fao does right now.
Ah, sweeps, how they make the mighty fall and slam into the ground without much hesitation. And thusly, does the Mighty Ken fall, only to roll slightly and flip back up onto his feet, staring at Alma with an almost frenzied anticipation. Once more is the Thrice-Born Phoenix giving him a true fight, and once more, will the blonde haired crimson clad man do his best to match his opponent's intensity.
He leaps backwards, a blue ball of chi forming quickly within his skilled hands, staring directly at Alma. There is a true understanding between the two, and this time, Ken is going to truly put everything he has into this match, lest Mr. Karate suddenly decend from the rafters of the arena to point out that he's doing it wrong. Again.
"HADOUKEN!"
"Ha ha! Weaksauce! Not a word." Turk Gridiron is amazing at talking through his teeth. "You're damned right about Ken's reaction to that kick, though - just what does Towazu do to keep his legs so limber? Truly, the ways of teenagers are beyond me, but many human things are beyond me. Turk Gridiron is a man who exists only in the presence of talented fighters." Turk fades out for a moment, expression suddenly wistful. He's thinking about himself, sunbathing in Panama, surrounded by legions of cheering fans, their muscles gleaming in the sun like well-oiled yet smooth-polished bould-
Turk Gridiron is about to get very confused, but luckily Faolan Sheehan jumps -directly onto his fucking table- in a manner that has, somewhere on planet Earth, given Heidern a sudden, inexplicable bout of explosive diarrhea.
Turk Gridiron spends the entirety of Faolan's rant staring at Wang from the corner of his eyes, expression a cross between livid and intense, fingers gone white-knuckled on the desk. He is, clearly, expecting Wang to do something.
"/Wing/. /I am clearly expecting you to -do something-./" hisses the announcer, barely audible over the thrum of the audience and Faolan shrieking, as he is certainly still close enough to his microphone to be heard.
And then: "OH, IT'S KEN'S LEGENDARY, SHOWCASE ATTACK, THE SHORYUKEN!" Somewhere in Turk Gridiron's penthouse apartment, Ken and Ryu's dossiers lie perilously close to one another.
COMBATSYS: Alma slows Hadouken from Ken with Divine Intervention.
Glancing Hit
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Alma 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Ken
Alma, of course, cannot contain himself.
The near-feverish look in his eyes, though not mirrored in the young man's composed expression, is a near replica of the legendarily spirited Ken's own anticipation. By nature, Alma seeks out those who will bare their souls to him through the visceral intensity of combat. He rarely expects them to do so unsolicited, without the 'aid' of his psychic assaults. And he certainly does not often encounter auras as resplendent as Masters's own.
So when he senses that surge of power, the scarred beauty does not hesitate. Instinctively seeking to meet fire with fire, to test their spirits as directly as possible against one another, Alma thrusts out his palm and unleashes a piercing beam of focused soulfire, aiming to cut through Ken's powerful fireball, the Shoryuken (?). For a moment, the audience can literally watch as the continuous ray wars against that blast, struggling to pierce it through and reduce it to useless motes of chi. But suddenly Alma flinches, as though from some sort of subconscious feedback, and his body spasms, his mind unable to overwhelm Ken's spirit. His own beam deflected uselessly, the remainder of the fireball crashes against Alma's body and sends him staggering back, slipping and falling to one knee. But he swiftly rises, and though one eye is squinted such, his slight smile has not abated.
The announcers, thankfully, are completely ignored by Ken, as his spirit continues to rise, having felt a change within him since his ass-beating of truth. He has come to call it this, and in comparison, he is going to unleash everything he has within him upon poor Alma, not hesitating in the least bit about wether or not he can truly take it.
There is a brief moment of calm between the two warriors, but that comes to an abrupt halt as Ken rushes forward, leaping into the air, lifting his foot upwards, to bring it crashing down upon the crown of Alma's head. He knows he can take this one, even if it is a bit jarring.
COMBATSYS: Alma dodges Ken's Fierce Kick.
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Alma 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Ken
"It's slang." Wang frowns. Then Faolan appears and holy shit he's on the table and he's cursing and he's calling Ken and Alma pussies and--
"A-are you kidding me?" Wi--Wang's teeth are clenched tightly as he rapidly picks up the requisite skills of an announcer on this circuit. "This guy is great, he knows what's up, get a guy to get him a chair." The boy sniffs experimentally, then turns away and retches.
"And a can of air freshener," he finishes weakly. Then he remembers what he's supposed to be doing.
"Oh and I guess Ken and Alma are dancing around each other some more because neither of them can stand to let something exciting happen, I don't know."
Alma doesn't have to be a psychic to know--
"Guhh!"
--he needs to get out of the way of that kick.
And how. The axe kick slams into the floor of the arena with a thundering fulmination as the agile angel rolls desperately to the side, scrambling with all possible grace -- a fair amount, fortunately for his public image -- to get out of that devastating path. As revelatory as Ken's ass-beating of truth may have been, Towazu isn't currently looking for one. That happened the other day.
If he's going to get the edge on the swift and sure Ken, Alma knows he has to keep up the pressure -- which is convenient, because he isn't sure his heart could bear doing any less. Accompanied by the roar of the ground, and totally unaware that they may well be roaring simply at the antics of the announcers at this point, Alma literally /erupts/ up from the ground, suddenly trailing plumes of sparkling flame in a patently fabulous lightshow that wreaths his long, outstretched, designer jean-sheathed legs. Committing himself fully to the attack, he scythes out with a series of three fierce spinning roundhouse kicks, aiming to explode against Ken with both body and soul and carry the man up into the air with him before hurling him back down to earth.
He may be drunk, but the carrying of Faolan comes to a sudden stop and he slowly turns his attention to Turk and he just stares at him. "What are you, tarded?" he asks in a matter of fact tone. "That is a hadouken, man. A down right fierce move if you ask me." Oh yeah, he went there and beyond. At least Wang seems to be an all right. "You must be the senior announcer, fellah." he says to Wang and shakes the kid about some with the arm that is around his shoulders. "Man this is great."
His attention returns to the fight even as his guys egg him on to cause more trouble with Turk. They are even calling the guy tarded from afar now. "Ladies an gentlemen, looks like Alma is putting shit in high gear. Grab onto your asses people, here we goooooooooooo!" The arm around Wang releases the kid and the bata is pointed forward. "Give him what for, fellah!"
COMBATSYS: Ken fails to interrupt Rising Fury from Alma with Shoryuken.
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Alma 0/-------/---====|=------\-------\0 Ken
There is something in him that screams to match flames with the phoenix, and Ken only does what many would think is truly impossible. As Alma makes his way forward, Ken is already preparing for it, crouching down low, his fist exploding violently with chi. Once Alma is close enough, he flies upwards, only to feel himself being caught with the unexpected blows of Alma's fiery kicks, being lifted high into the air. That was not something he was expecting, and once more, Ken finds himself slamming violently into the ring, quickly leaping up and back onto his feet.
Yet again, a brush with complete annihilation.
Alma cannot think to experience fear, though. As the crowd glories in the phoenix's narrow triumph against Masters in the air and the Ansatsuken warrior falls to earth, Alma is practically driven along by his own singing blood, his feet leaving the ground as though not of his own volition. He hurls himself toward Ken as he rises, the scarred beauty drawing back his fist with teeth grit, eyes glowing with the sea of flame that dwells within him.
"Hrrrahhh!"
Holding nothing back, he attempts to plunge a mighty palm strike directly into Ken's face and, if he can impact, arcing down with a fierce off-handed punch to his opponent's midsection, aiming to push him against the very ropes of the arena.
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Alma's Strong Punch.
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Alma 0/-------/--=====|==-----\-------\0 Ken
"You're awfully quiet over there, Turk, I--oh. Holy crap." Wang turns to look past Faolan at the gently spasming from of Turk Gridiron, announcing superstar.
"Huh. I knew he was all show." Looking smug but also vaguely disgusted, Wang attempts to gesture at the chair. "Here, drunkie, shove him aside and take his chair and get off me before I start vomiting. And keep talking, the crowd loves you." Or at least the drunken mob of Faolan's friends, but either way it lets Wang do less of the work.
"And Masters get the shit kicked out of him, this doesn't look good for him, although who can say they didn't really expect this, huh?"
Once more, the Phoenix pushes him to do his utmost best, and once more will Ken Masters rise to the call. As the punch is thrown, instinctively, his arms are moving to block the blow, a painful sensation running through them as he stares into Alma's eyes.
"This is what its about Alma."
He drops down for what seems to be a split second, only to leap high into the air, his right leg extended outwards as his body starts to twist violently like a cyclone.
"TATSUMAKI SENPUU KYAKU!"
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Alma with Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku.
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Alma 1/------=/=======|==-----\-------\0 Ken
Briefly, Alma wishes this weren't what it's about.
On the whole, he knows better, but it's hard to blame the man when a storm of kicks rages into him. He lifts his arms once again in a desperate effort to deflect the Inferno's swift blows, but there's no chance. The crowd roars as the phoenix's arms are slammed aside and he is caught up in that succession of kicks, Ken clearly reciprocating.
But the Radiant Angel is not one to merely be flung aside. As the last of Ken's kicks hammers into him, it would only be natural that Alma would be blasted away to the other side of the arena. But with expert timing and preternatural intuition, the well-dressed young man, his lower limbs still aglow with banked flame, lashes out with yet another fire-wreathed leg -- yet instead of kicking, he seeks to, in the split second before he's cast aside, wrap his leg about Ken. Using the very momentum that Ken's whirlwind kicks have imbued him with, Alma will twist in midair and attempt to hurl Masters aside in an explosive and unconventional counter-grapple.
While Turk probably could use some medical attention instead he is just shoved out of the chair and Faolan slips down into the seat and stretches out lazily while he snags the mic with his free hand. "Damn straight they love it. At least I know what I am talking about." Oh this might turn out bad in the end. Will Faolan be murdered in his sleep by Turk in the future? The world may never know. For now it looks like he and Wang will just have to carry on with his legacy. The problem is it seems like they at least somewhat know what moves are what.
"It has turned into a knock down drag out fight. Which man will buckle first? Which one will get desperate and perhaps throw a questionable attack at the happysack!?" he asks in a rather excited tone. If anything not only are the Ikari friends getting a hoot out of this a good amount of the crowd are laughing along to the antics happening on the sideline.
COMBATSYS: Alma successfully hits Ken with Sea of Flame.
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Alma 1/-----==/=======|====---\-------\0 Ken
The grapple seems to do its job, as Ken lands on the ground rather hard, but he doesn't let this phase him, as he's quickly once more to his feet, rushing back towards Alma, the desire to win continuing to rise within his soul.
There's a bit of a dilemma here however for the Crimson Dynamo, and it's the fact that Alma seems to be taking everything he's dishing out, so its time to switch up tactics, and start chipping away at the Angel Phoenix of Southtown, sending a quick jab flying towards his face.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Alma with Jab Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Alma 1/--=====/=======|====---\-------\0 Ken
"It's more like a happy fairy funtime dance, if you ask me. Are these guys really supposed to be world-class? I could definitely hit harder than that, can you even call that a punch?" Wang shakes his head sadly at the state the world's come to, that a show like this can be called entertainment.
The boy's eyes shift to his new co-announcer, even while his furious one-handed typing continues once more. "You're really into the testikill action, aren't you?"
That'll do it.
Alma lands neatly, a shocking graceful recovery considering the beating he had just endured at the hands of Ken's, er, feet, and sweeps around, reaching up to brush his ruby-tinged bangs aside, possibly releasing a few sparkles of psychic energy as he does so. Unintentionally, of course. The crowd goes wild, not in the least because a split-second after Alma does this he turns right into Ken, who is mind-blowingly /already there/, punching him right in the face. The phoenix's head snaps back, sending him staggering. He's seeing stars, and this time, the sparkling is not of his own making.
Does everything in this arena just become like a pro-wrestling match, or is that the fault of the announcers? We may never know. (It's the fault of the announcers.) But Alma, though he cannot see properly, goes with his gut, aiming to strike as swiftly as possible and drive Ken back again before the formidable warrior can close in and proceed to make any further damaged goods of the scarred beauty's face. Gritting his teeth, his vision swimming, he reaches through with his second sight, aiming to focus on Ken's aura, and drives his fist toward the floor, unleashing as he does a geyser of torrential Soul Power.
"Uuurrahhh!"
Releasing a mighty cry to the heavens, the impassioned psion seeks to engulf Ken utterly in that storm of power, swirling white and cherry-blossom pink and royal indigo aiming to become the man's world entire.
COMBATSYS: Ken blocks Alma's Full Confession.
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Alma 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Ken
The colors Duke! The colors!
Ken's already raising his arms in defense, tensing each and everyone one of his muscles, trying his damnedest to block as much damage as he can from Alma's geyser of energy.
Of course, there's a good deal of the energy flying around, and its really hard to block everything, but once the energy does die down, Ken's left standing there, his entire body quivering to its core with excitement. It seems that while it may have done some considerable damage to him, he's more then willing to continue dishing out his own brand of pain, however, something in him is pausing, waiting for the right moment to strike, as he slowly starts to slip into a meditative stance, the eyes glazing over.
COMBATSYS: Ken enters a meditative state.
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Alma 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Ken
At least Alma managed to keep Ken at bay for a moment. The younger fighter exhales heavily, the pressures of this battle taking even his passion to its limit. But the roar of the crowd mirrors the roaring of his own blood, and their energy coalesces in his second sight into a vast and driving spirit, like a wind buffeting him forward, forward, forever forward. Fire leaps to his fingertips once again. Even if his legs ache in protest, yearning for another moment of respite from these barrages and exertions, Alma's spirit demands yet more.
No-- Ken's spirit demands more.
And Alma must acquiesce to the implicit request.
As though unbidden, a gout of spiraling white flame emerges from his hand, arcing its way toward his adversary as Alma, drawing upon reserves of strength, begins to lightly weave, preparing to soon re-enter the circle of combat -- and for whatever Ken will have in store.
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Alma's Sacred Wave.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0 Ken
@emit
The wave of energy is nimbly dodged as Ken's eyes suddenly return to focus, narrowing them as he focuses in on Alma once again, slowly taking a step towards him. Of course, he stops once more, only to allow his spirit to rise fully to this occasion.
"Alma. Thank you."
The three words would send chills up any other mans spines, but Ken knows that he needs to start bringing this to a close, and now? He's going to start working towards that end. He suddenly rushes towards Alma, dropping down, and unleashing not one full powered Shoryuken, but three of them, and all in a row. It looks like he's no longer playing around whatsoever.
"SHOURYUU REPPA!"
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Alma with Shouryuu Reppa.
[ \\\\\\ < > ///////////// ]
Alma 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Ken
Alma only has time for his eyes to flicker.
This is the power of Ken Masters. The audience resounds with cheers as the Crimson Dynamo unleashes a series of flaming uppercuts, quite literally launching Alma up into the air, his body spiraling and trailing fire, the final impact engulfing them both in a burst of energy that obscures them both from view.
Alma's opponent will land neatly, but-- moments will pass, and Alma himself will be nowhere to be found, as though he has been vaporized out of existence. A long second will tick by -- only one -- enough time for a brief moment of confusion to set in amongst those spectating.
The sound of reality warping is distinctive.
Alma, shimmering, will then appear, heavily battered and bleeding from his nose but still standing, his eyes walls of fire, /behind/ his adversary, driven to the heights of psychic technique by Ken's incredible power. If he can get the drop on his opponent, he will then reach out, grip the back of Ken's head firmly, and unleash the fullness of his being as psychic energy directly into the Wildfire's skull.
COMBATSYS: Ken effortlessly blocks Alma's Absolution EX.
[ \\\\\\ < > ////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Ken
There is something about with how Ken reacts to Alma's vanishing act, standing absolutely calm within the ring itself. There's a brief moment however where he wonders if it was really him who took the last donut this morning, or if it was his son. Unfortunately, his inner monologue is broken as he snaps back to reality, spinning around the moment Alma reappears behind him, the phoenix's fingers barely grasping his face as he pulls back.
Of course, he's not waiting for Alma to have the time to get surprised by this, and he's not giving him a chance to be, as he's reaching forward for Alma's shirt, moving to toss the man over his shoulder, and into the ground.
For a while now, Wang hasn't even had his hand on the mic, ceaselessly typing with both hands, only sparing the occasional glance upward at the fight. Until Alma DISINTEGRATES. Finding himself more or less compelled by the eerie lull in the announcing (did that irish guy pass out?), Wang picks up the tool of the announcer's trade once more.
"You saw it here folks, this has turned into a horrible deathmatch, there is nothing left of Alma Towazu, he is de-oh, no, there he is, that's a shame." He winces. "I don't know why he bothers, though, as Masters begins to act like a real fighter for the first time tonight. It's a shame the same can't be said for his opponent, just sad."
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Alma with Tsukami Nage.
[ < > /////////// ]
Alma 0/-------/--=====|=------\-------\0 Ken
There's no chance after that. Alma finds his ultimate strike swiftly deflected, Ken's superior ability and experienced demonstrated in a single instant after that harrowing battle. The young man's eyes, though dulled after the unleashing of that great power, widen one last time before that outstretched arm of his is grasped and he is hurled bodily to the ground. The loud crash resounds throughout the arena, and for a moment Alma is still, felled by that stunning throw.
His body trembles once, twice.
"...Ha..."
But like a spirit leaving his body behind, the phoenix almost /flows/ to his knees, as though some greater force is lifting his limp body as a puppeteer might a marionette. His smile is a little slack from exhaustion, but no less sincere -- and his eyes have one last spark of life left in them.
That is the warning. His arm sweeps out, unleashing one last plume of searing soulfire, aiming to cut through to Ken's heart one last time, a kind of final salute, a recognition of the Dynamo's indomitable essence. It will surely be slower than usual -- as fast as Alma can manage in his state -- but it might catch Ken unawares. Even if it does, Alma will not be conscious to see it. He will have already collapsed, his body defying his soul.
COMBATSYS: Alma can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ <
Ken 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Ken endures Alma's Blaze of Glory.
[ \\\\\ <
Ken 0/-------/----===|
There is no dodging, or blocking, as this is the true essence of Alma's soul. This is who he truly is, and like a true martial artist, he will accept it with everything he has. There is almost a brief moment where Ken feels the power of Alma's soulfire bringing to him to his knees, but he can't go down. Not this time. Not again, and he is left standing, little wisps of smoke and trails of blood flowing freely from different points across his body. He slowly moves towards Alma, leaning down to help the man up, dragging him to the edge of the ring where the paramedics are already waiting.
This time however, Ken requires some attending to as well, but right now, he stands the victor, truly satisfied with the outcome of this fight.
COMBATSYS: Ken has ended the fight here.
"And it looks like that's it, everybody, and I just have one thing to say about this entire debacle." Wang pauses for effect, relishing the moment, and then cries out in an unusually low voice.
"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay."
Log created on 22:13:42 01/09/2011 by Alma, and last modified on 20:06:35 01/10/2011.