Description: Sometimes, destiny has a strange way of bringing people together. Angelo has taken to exploring Metro in his own, strange way. Enjoying the sights and sounds as he is wont to do, just, not very much like a regular tourist. Antoine is also enjoying the train system, but for far more normal reasons. When Angelo realizes who it is, he demands that Antoine turn his insight on him ... and naturally, the only way to come to any such insight, is through /fists/.
Late night on the Metro City subway. There's few cities in the world in which the subway stations are as numerous and well cared for as Metro City itself. There's usually transport police on hand to make sure everyone feels safe and secure, and there's always some staff willing to help anyone who needs it. Even at this hour, there's a woman manning the ticket station, although, the aforementioned transport police aren't anywhere to be seen in this station.
Indeed, there's not many people in the station at all. A gang of youths at one end of the platform are busily trying to work up the nerve to tag the station wall, passing a single can of spraypaint furtively between them. A pair of young men on the way back home after a night on the town, and a little worse for wear because of it, are propped up on one bench ...
And then there is Angelo.
Angelo has been here for some time. Hunched over, seated under a malfunctioning light, the shadows of his hood dance and play under it. Gloved hands are folded into his lap, and he may as well be a statue. Indeed, not since any of the people here had arrived, has he moved, and he does not look like he's intent on moving any time in the near future.
There's a terrible squealing and thunderous roar as the subway train comes pulling into the station, whipping up an old newspaper and blowing it past the mysterious figure. His hood flutters, but, he does not move. For the third time, a train arrives, and disgorges passengers onto the station platform. For the third time, Angelo barely seems cognizant of the fact that anyone has arrived, or anything has changed. He is comfortable, under the harsh electric buzzing of the malfunctioning light, and he continues to simply ... bide his time. Certain that, sooner or later, something worthy of his interest will appear. And if it does not, then no matter. No matter at all.
There is something wonderous about the train station. It is hard to figure out what it is. Maybe it is the fast pace of the modernized vehicle. Maybe it is that it has a single path that it takes at all times, which makes it quicker.
It is nice to be able to explore the mode of travel. Antoine had entered the subway, seemingly focused on his next travel. The wandering warrior is carrying the duffelbag over his back, silently thinking to himself over the upcoming tournament. There is he fact that he had not been in too many fights in a while. A lot of meditation and training.
With the King of Fighters tournament underway, Antoine knows he has to be at the proper mindset. For now, wander and train.
Angelo wouldn't be very good at his job if he didn't have some sort of sense for fighters. There are several hints in Antoine's attire; for instance, there's the look on his features which marks him out as a tourist, unused to the bustle of the city. Then there's the mixture of styles of clothing, nike with chinese with a red sash. This, coupled with the bag over his back, tells Angelo that he is a traveler. It is a truth, though not a universal one, that people who travel tend to learn some kind of defensive arts.
Then there's the fact that Angelo had seen Antoine in the Neo League, and Angelo never forgets a face. That, is also a subtle clue.
So it is that Angelo rises from his seated position in one, smooth motion. His footsteps are deliberate, slow, measured against the rush of people going to and fro. His path is also direct, weaving effortlessly around the bodies of the crowd.
Soon, Angelo is standing directly behind the younger man, and his deep, italian-accented voice lifts.
"Antoine Huang, I believe."
Taking the time to enjoy the walk. Just thinking to himself, meditating, and otherwise not worried about anything else.
It is a surprise, however, when he has a person that manages to creep up on him. That direct path taken by the man was somewhat noticed, but was merely brushed off. Antoine regrets not following that feeling of something being 'off'.
Upon hearing his name, Antoine tenses and he turns to whip his head over to see the stranger in question.
"Hello, may I help you?" Although the expression is calm and friendly, it is quiet serious with a hint of wariness behind it.
Angelo seems to consider the question for a few, long moments. "Honestly, I do not know if you can help me." He replies, working a kink out of his neck as he does so. Though that hood still seems to wrap the man in shadow.
"I have seen you, Antoine Huang. You show, promise. Ordinarily, I would simply try to kill you at this point, but, I am intrigued." There is no change in his casual tone, as though explaining that normally he would be out for blood is a perfectly ordinary thing to say. Perhaps, for him, it is.
"You said to Mr. Masters that you could learn much from a person about the way they fight. Well, Huang, I am intrigued. Isn't all life really a struggle to learn and master oneself? I wish to fight you, Huang. I wish to know what you believe my style, says about me."
A soft, chuckling laughter follows. Genuine amusement as he lowers his hood enough that dark, predatory eyes can glint out, meeting Antoine's. Encouraging that wariness. "Be careful though, for you know what they say about looking into the void..."
When Angelo finally states the reason for the 'assistance', Antoine furrows his eyebrow for a moment. The hooded man is given a strange look. Antoine tries to keep his mind at ease, even if he does feel uneasy being around this stranger.
Nevertheless, Antoine knows that he'll have to do something. Promise? Try to kill him? Antoine furows his eyebrow at the casual tone of the man's intentions. The eyes snap open when the man regards the interview with Ken Masters.
"...Yes, life is. Life is about living and learning about mastering your own potential."
And then, he states his wish.
"Very well."
Antoine then starts to take three cautious steps back, never turning his back and keeping an eye on the stranger. "Who are you?" His hand opens, then the duffelbag is released to land on the ground with a thud. As it settles on the ground, Antoine now takes his right foot forward, both hands drawn out as he bows his head. Lifting his head up, he remains in his stance.
Who is this mysterious man?
COMBATSYS: Antoine has started a fight here.
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Antoine 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Angelo has joined the fight here.
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Antoine 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Angelo
"Who indeed."
This, for now, is the only answer Angelo is going to give. There's no more questions from him, instead, as Antoine settles into his stance, Angelo is coming forwards with a lashing right fist. This, however, is a deception.
Because at the last moment, the strange man twists on his heel, and aims to drive his hand into Antoine's throat. Open-palmed, the spear hand is delivered an instant before his right fist comes around again, going for his kidney. There's not any hesitation or compromise in this opening combination. Aiming to drive Antoine back, before a third, stunning jab goes for his eye. If it all goes to plan, Antoine's body will be throbbing with pain from three places, and he'll be backed up against the edge of the platform.
Apparently, Angelo really doesn't believe in holding back.
COMBATSYS: Antoine blocks Angelo's Combo Attack.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Angelo
The bout begins with an explosion. While not the literal kind, the man's actions is rather explosive enough. Not even a second wasted, Angelo is moving in for the throat chop. That opened palmed spearhand is met with the palm of Antoine, who shoots the hand away before he reacts for the right fist aiming for the kidneys.
he arm slams down towards the incomng hand. That last jab that moves for the eye is met with the other hand. THe impact leaves a welt, but that isn't the worst of it. Instead, Antoine quickly reciprocates the strike with one of his own.
The left palm drives out towards Angelo, seeking to deliver a powerful blow against the solar plex.
COMBATSYS: Angelo dodges Antoine's Strong Punch.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Angelo
Angelo slides to the side of the incoming blow. The attack passes disturbingly close to him, but doesn't quite manage to hit home. He tuts, and, for a moment, his foot steps backwards, leaving him supporting all of his weight on the front, dangling the rest over the edge of the platform, and the train tracks below.
Then, suddenly, he pivots. Bringing his arm around with him. It isn't a simple strike this time, though. No. Instead, sickly brown energy flares with it, and he aims to paint a slash of the stuff directly across Antoine's head.
Regardless of whether the blow hits cleanly or not, the energy will hang in the air for a few seconds after Angelo has let it tear its way into the world. Flickering and crackling as it disperses away into nothingness. If it does hit, though, the sharp energy will ripple and flare, seeking a way into Antoine, utterly anathema to healthy life.
COMBATSYS: Angelo successfully hits Antoine with Autumn Crocus.
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Antoine 0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0 Angelo
~ He's fast! ~
This is just like dealing with Pullum. Antoine remembers that he did not fair off too well against her speed. However, that was only a taste of the speed. Just as he pivoted and he brings the arms with him, Antoine sees the sickly brown energy flaring towards his form. As the strange energy sweeps across his head, his eyes widen in shock.
He attempts to bring his head down as to avoid the blow. Unfortunately, the young man is caught by the force and he suffers a huge whiplash. Antoine winces as he runs a hand over towards his head. That flickering energy sinks inside of him.
"Nggh..." He grits his teeth, then he steps forward to meet with Angelo. Stepping his right leg out, he immediately brings his right foot for an outward crescent kick while the left leg comes down.
That leg emits a lightning voltage from the foot as he slams it down towards Angelo.
COMBATSYS: Angelo counters Crossing the Bridge from Antoine with Bleeding Heart.
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Antoine 0/-------/-======|====---\-------\0 Angelo
Angelo watches, with interest, as Antoine attempts to dodge his attack. Underneath that hood, Angelo's eyes shine. Antoine has gone up, and, already, Angelo knows what he has to do in response...
The kick comes for him, and Angelo is on him in an instant. His hand snaps out, and slams bodily into Antoine's chest, directly over his heart. The smashing blow sends the unfortunate Antoine flying backwards, and, worse, is the sensation which follows...
It is a terrifying technique. Possibly the most technically demanding, if not the most powerful, in Angelo's repertoire. Each of his fingers had sunk into a point around Antoine's heart, and the flow of blood is, momentarily, disrupted. In a normal person, this would result in a heart attack. Utterly, completely deadly. Even in the body of a practiced fighter, the result is, usually, deeply unpleasant.
"What do you make of me so far, Huang?" Angelo asks, as he continues to walk forwards. By this point, a small crowd has gathered. The would-be vandals from earlier amongst them, now watching with awe as the two fighters face off. "Do you need more? Tell me your thoughts!"
~ "Sometimes, the personality comes out in the way that the opponent fights. Despite of the lies one may say, there is always a pure truth in fighting. Remember that, Antoine." ~
Those words linger over as Antoine attempts to slam the foot down. That hand slams against the chest and over towards the heart. His eyes widen as the impact strikes over to the chest and recoils the force tht he was delivering. He finds himself blow away and rolling over to the side.
His jaw gapes open as the blood coughs up.
"Nggh..." He rolls along the ground, clutching his chest. Staggering up, Antine is shutting his eyes as he thinks to himself. "...Brutally efficient... You aim to kill... Yet, you make it a slow one." His eyes narrow.
Then, he gets back to his feet, now charging into the fray of battle before he springs forward, bringing his hands together as he shifts his stance; both feet press together as the arms are brought to the chest, both palms smacking against each other.
He springs towards Angelo, seeing to race towards him while the palm strikes out towards the chest with an impact.
COMBATSYS: Angelo blocks Antoine's Moving the Mountain.
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Antoine 1/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Angelo
Angelo chuckles softly, "That is what I am doing, Antoine! That is not who I am!" This is said, as one arm comes moving around, thudding into both palms. His shoulder budges, and his feet squeak against the floor. The blow shakes him, but it doesn't stop him.
"Still. A good start. Lets see what you make ... of this!"
His gloved fingers curl into a fist, so unlike the previous, precise, deadly strikes ... this is far more simple. The punch aims to crash bodily into Antoine's solar plexus. A staggering amount of force is put into the blow, Angelo deliberately leaving himself open to counterattack in order to put more power into the crushing smash. Wanting to, simply, drive the air out of the younger fighter, along with the will to keep up the fight.
COMBATSYS: Angelo successfully hits Antoine with Strong Punch.
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Antoine 1/-----==/=======|===----\-------\0 Angelo
"Perhaps, but they say that actions speak louder than words." Antoine regards the man as the palm meets with both palms. When he shifts forward, Antoine sees the fist makes a strike.
As the punch aims to impact against the solarplex, Antoine's eyes widen before the fist drives deep into him. He is losing the wind as he is sent flying across the ground with a thud. He chokes and he gasps for air. Wincing to himself, Antoine lifts his head up towards the fighter.
"An enigma... yet, a calculating man..." His eyes narrow, gritting his teeth. "...Ruthless.." He tightens his fists, then he runs back towards the fray of the strike. This time, Antoine shoots forward and he expels both of his arms out.
Out comes a burst of chi. There is no color, no fancy glow. No, it is barely visible other than the ripple around. This is the purest form of chi.
Already.. Antoine is feeling exhausted...
COMBATSYS: Angelo reflects Roaring Guardian from Antoine with Foxglove.
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Antoine 1/---====/=======|===----\-------\0 Angelo
Angelo seems amused by this, though his laughter is cut off when Antoine comes forwards at him. This, gets his attention. He can /feel/ the energy being gathered by the fighter, but he can't see it. Which is fascinating. He has never been able to touch pure energy himself, always needing to temper his connection with the world through visual exercises which, without fail, color the motion.
His hand flares with bright white power, and as the energy is unleashed, Angelo literally scoops it from the air. His fingers carve through it, taking Antoine's power, swallowing it, and turning it against its originator. Angelo's open hand guiding the power, now tainted an off-white, into Antoine's gut. Suddenly sharp, painful, even spiteful.
"Fascinating. I've never seen something like that before." He comments, sounding, just a little bit surprised.
He steps forwards, though, confirming Antoine's ruthless assessment, as his shadow falls over the other fighter. Not letting up for a moment, in spite (or perhaps, because) of the fact that he had been so impressed by what he had seen.
The purest form of chi had been launched out to try to blast Angelo back. However, the man's hand has a white glow to it before his own energy blasts out with it. As he scoops the energy out and turns it back towards him, Antoine can see the energy as it pierces against his soul.
His eyes widen as he is sent off of the ground to a few inches. Both feet press towards the ground, successfully landing on his feet. However, the problem is that Antoine is wore and tired.
~ ...This guy is strong... is he playing with me...? ~
He grits his teeth, the fist now engulfed with lightning. He takes a deep breath. His eyes narrow as he tightens his fists. He simply darts over towards the stomach, seeking to have that fist strike true to Angelo. With the fist wedging out, ther will be a bit of voltage behind the blow.
COMBATSYS: Angelo endures Antoine's Perfect Storm EX.
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Antoine 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\1 Angelo
Angelo allows his arms to spread to his sides, opening himself up for the blow magnificently. It strikes home, true, and for a moment, the enigmatic assassin has to wonder if this wasn't a very bad idea. The pain is excruciating, and he crumples around Antoine's fist. Now that he has actually managed to hit him dead on, it becomes remarkably apparent that Angelo ... is not used to being hit dead on.
However, he refuses to allow himself to be lifted from his feet. Standing strong against it, under that hood, his eyes narrow. Hnnn. That had been very painful. Now, he believes, it is time to finish this dance.
As fast as lightning, perhaps faster, before Antoine has even fully brought back that crackling fist to reveal the scorched and burnt ruins of his jumper (and the lightly singed flesh underneath), Angelo is pressing a counterattack.
... Not that it is obvious as one. For a start, all he tries to do, is jab one finger directly into the center of Antoine's forehead ...
COMBATSYS: Angelo successfully hits Antoine with Deadly Nightshade.
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Antoine 1/-------/=======|-------\-------\0 Angelo
The finger snaps Antoine's head backwards, and what follows, is stunning.
In the space of a single heartbeat, both of Angelo's gloved hands come lashing forwards, led by two fingers, driving into Antoine's shoulders, then down, between his ribs, before finishing up with both slamming into soft, vulnerable points in his belly.
"... Hahn. Exhilarating. Just what I had hoped for." He breathes. "Now, Antoine, tell me ... from what you've seen of me, do you think that I will kill you?"
If he's done it properly, if he's gauged his opponents strength, that should have been enough to take the last of his will to fight ... but please don't let it take his consciousness, not just yet. That would be, embarrassing.
Antoine gave it everything he had in that blow. However, Antoine felt like he did nothave much to begin with. He was fine before. However, the fight quickly wore him out more than the other fights. What was it about this guy that exhausted him so quickly?
Antoine grunt for a moment, taking a deep breath before he gazes up toards the man..
Then, the fingers snaps against the forehead, knocking his head backwards.
The fingers drive towards the shoulders and then to the ribs and the belly. He grits his teeth, struggling to move.
~ ...My body! It won't move! ~
Then, he looks over towards the man. "...Under normal circumstances... yes..." Then, Antoine narrows his eyes, "...But no, not at this moment...!"
Antoine, by some strange force of will, is using the chi to augment his body in breaking through the tightening of the nerves that constricts his movement.
The right leg shoots forward as the palm leads. As the palm leads, Antoine seeks to drive it ino the man's gut to temporarily stun him. Then, Antoine steps forward to launch his left fist out, using evey bit of the chi to augment his form as he launches off of the ground in a spin. That fist is driven up towards the man's chin. "HAAAA!"
COMBATSYS: Antoine can no longer fight.
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Angelo 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Angelo dodges Antoine's Heaven Descends to Earth.
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Angelo 0/-------/-------|
Angelo is impressed again, not because of Antoine's insights, but because he's still determined to fight to the very last. Stepping to the side, the palm passes past him, and, the next moment, he's stepping around again, to avoid Antoine's leaping strike.
When he crashes to the ground, Angelo is there, and he shakes his head. "Somewhat correct." He says, kneeling down next to the younger fighter. "I might have done. But, to kill you now would be a waste. Live, grow stronger. I will be seeing you again."
Leaning a little closer, so that his head is next to Antoine's ear, he whispers, "My name, is Angelo. We'll meet again, Antoine Huang. And if you haven't improved, then, maybe, I will change my mind about allowing you to live."
Standing, then, Angelo does not have anything else to say; he'll simply walk through the crowd, and return to his home. Just as he had expected, if one waits long enough, something worthwhile will always come along!
That last bit of energy that Antoine has... felt all for naught. As the fist drives into the air, it misses its mark on striking the man. Instead, Antoine collapses down to a knee, grimacing as his body slowly wears on him.
It is like a huge weight being pushed down on him. Unable to move, Antoine is trying to keep himself strong.
Lifting his head up, he can hear the man.
Grow stronger.
He has to.
Yet, as the man starts to leave, everything blacks out for Antoine as he hits the floor.
COMBATSYS: Angelo has ended the fight here.
Log created on 10:16:24 01/30/2011 by Angelo, and last modified on 13:07:36 01/30/2011.