Description: This is what happens when you are the teenage daughter of one of the greatest fighters ever to exist and choose to run away with the team of your family's friend. Anything else that can be said is best left up to reading.
After a tense evening, time passes. Who knows when the expected guest will be coming - those resting up after their King of Fighters match may very well not have as much rest as they'd need (or like) before the trouble comes to them in this three-story hospital in Zambia. They could come at any moment in time - maybe even while they're all trying to sleep?!
The plan involves Ryo shouting Takuma's name to the heavens in hopes he hears and actually comes about this-a-way, but how long this can keep going - what with hospital staff sometimes wondering what the hell is going on with that guy shouting - it's unknown if this will actually hold water.
Mr. Rust, in his own hospital room, has the TV turned to the news for any breaking reports of explosions or what have you in hopes that maybe this will help narrow down where Takuma is in the country, if he's even still around. He hasn't been able to eat or sleep much since all these stresses have been piling up.
Meanwhile, Yuri has been gathering spare change to drink grape soda, and surprisingly enough, her arm has healed quickly enough so that she doesn't need the sling anymore. In fact, it seems it was more of a precautionary thing instead of an actual sling. The wrapping around her head is still there. Nonetheless, Yuri is relaxing in her room as best as she can, sighing and trying not to think about the inevitable...
Zach is a few minutes ride by ATV away from the hospital. He decided to get some training, as well as some practice with something while everyone was waiting for the inevitable.
As it turns out, the latter idea turned out to be a huge mistake.
"TAKUMA!"
Ryo's voice BOOMS, as loud on the fiftieth shout as it was on the first. His finest Mr. Karate impression. The young man is wearing a Tengu mask (god only knows where he managed to find one out here), standing with his hands on his hips on the roof of the hospital. True, some orderlies had tried to, politely, ask him to leave, but one look in the steely eye of the ... mask, had seen them cowering. There's a palpable aura of Fighting Spirit, which Ryo has been doing his best to sustain for some time, now.
Where the others had been getting worse, fearing the inevitable, feeling the stress of impending doom, Ryo seems to actually be thriving on it. In a strange kind of way, this is actually preferable to what he had expected to find. Having beaten his father to the punch, now he was exactly where he needed to be in order to defend his friend and his sister. Howard's suggestion, perhaps not meant to be taken literally, had even offered a simple, and hopefully effective, course of action that he could follow. Ahem.
"TAKUMA!!!"
Every so often, Mr. Rust winces as he hears that name called. There's no doubting that Ryo is the son of his father, just... yellin' like that, day in, day out. He himself is getting to be too old to pull that sort of stuff. So far, nothing interesting comes up in the news aside from the usual recaps of how King of Fighters is going. They've been picking some of the most hurtful highlights from his own fight. They don't show one of the (admittedly, few) instances where he actually gets something approaching an upper hand or a solid hit on the mighty Russian wrestler Zangief.
Where Yuri and Zach have recovered, Mr. Rust is still sore. He's hard to break, but thanks to his advancing age he's a bit slower than they are to pull himself back together - something not helped at all by how he has refused to... well, do anything involving 'eating' or 'drinking' since that bout. He grunts loudly, crackling noises all about his body as he decides to at least concede to getting a cup of water from the restroom.
Sure, he should be calling a friggin' nurse... but he's not terribly fond of the ones assigned to him at this hour, let's just leave it at that.
Yuri hears Ryo calling out for her father, and she gasps a little. "Oh no, Ryo's here! That means my dad is close by also!" She grits her teeth a little, before downing the rest of her grape soda. Then she remembers the promise she made to Mr. Rust and she grins a little. "They're gonna expect me to be defiant, but I'm gonna surprise them by being accepting! Let's see how they like THAT surprise!" She narrows her eyes and grins evilly.
Zach's ear twitches when the winds carry Ryo's voice to him. He scowls, and picks himself up off of the desert sands. His movements are slowed by pain and a bit of exhaustion. Some of the bandages on him are starting to show a bit of pink and red from reopened, or possibly new wounds. He trudges over to the ATV and gives one last half-hearted tug on the vile thing clasped around his neck.
It stays on just as snugly as the first time he tried to pull the damn thing off. Zach growls as he starts the four-wheeler up and begins to head back to the hospital. Dramatic entrances are great and all, but being late for them tends to get people hurt.
Mr. Rust, meanwhile, does not even suspect Yuri will go peacefully in the least. She's already come /this/ far sneaking onto her team roster - who knows what she'll try to pull to get away from the rest of them in her act of teenage rebellion. He looks into the bathroom mirror with those tired eyes of his, just... thinking.
Where did my life go wrong?
He's forty and unmarried, no doubt his workplace is going to kick his ass over putting so much emphasis on this, and thanks to himself not having the presence of mind or strength of character to just... turn Yuri around at the airport, here he is now, looking like a man waiting to be executed on Death Row.
It begins, as many things do, with ambiguity. A screech of brakes in the distance, the sound of crashing cars immediately following. Closer, a herd of elephants sounds clearly perturbed - trumpeting and heavy footfalls scatter into the city. This, of course, prompts more distant shrieking and screeching of tires on asphalt -- and then, in Mr. Rust's room, the news anchor puts a hand to their ear, eyes fluttering wide.
"E-excuse me. We have breaking news!! The Lusaka Zoo has just been broken i- no, not into... broken THROUGH. Wildlife have escaped, prompting massive traffic jams and pedestrian hazards; civilians are advised to stay INDOORS and, ideally, in the BASEMENT. This is the first time Lusaka has dealt with a Code Jumanji in the last twenty years. Witnesses have not been able to compile a full report of who or what, exactly, is responsible -- all one visibly shocked teenager can mutter is something about penguins." The TV has several panoramic, live-action views of animal disasters occuring all over Lusaka - in one shot, the perceptive might catch a glimpse of one brawny, topless man vanishing into underbrush near the zoo. Underbrush that invariably connects to the hospital, one lot over. This is the same hospital that has a young, Tengu-masked man shrieking at its top.
As with all things, inevitability invariably becomes reality; far below Rust, Yuri, and Ryo, the hospital's foundation shudders. People begin screaming - in the distance, a fleet of giraffes thunders by, toppling a Zambian taxi cab.
Ryo will see it first - Takuma has erupted from the Zambian underbrush, and is no less than two hundred yards from the hospital!
His eyes are -glowing-.
COMBATSYS: Takuma has started a fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Takuma 0/-------/-------|
Yuri feels the earth shaking, and knows that it's her father. Almost immediately, her evil look turns into one of fear and uneasiness. She realizes that her dad is beyond insane right now, and knows that something has to be done to stop him. "Dad, stop!" Yuri yells as she tries to locate where Takuma is. She doesn't want to fight him...
Sometimes, a man can sense destiny is in the air. Perhaps it is some innate sense, honed by fighters over the years to recognize when they are at the crossroads of their souls. Perhaps it is the aura of power that truly great warriors carry with themselves, responding to one another. Perhaps, it is the herd of giraffe pounding the earth flat not too far away from that noble warrior's location.
Takuma comes bursting from the undergrowth, and Ryo's eyes lock on to him as he is running. There's no time for thought, just feeling, this is it! The time of confrontation, is here!
"KO'OU KEEEEEEEEEEEN!"
The roared cry, so familiar to Takuma's ears, splits the air from the top of the hospital. A fireball leaps from Ryo's outstretched hands, scorching a bright trail between himself and his father. The tengu-masked young man's eyes burn with determination. If Takuma wants into the hospital, he's going to have to go through /him/!
COMBATSYS: Ryo has joined the fight here.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Takuma
Mr. Rust takes a brief break from being a sad sack of a man when there's talk of 'breaking news.' He looks from outside the bathroom as he swallows a large lump of lead-laden water (just how he likes it - lead gives water this really nice taste, screw what the health experts say about it).
His mouth opens a little at mention about a zoo being broken through. For the first time in his life, he prays this is a Shadaloo act and not Takuma's way of dealing with things. Please let this be some Cammy bullshit instead of Takuma, for /once/.
He accidentally rolls a 20 on a perception check, just in time for his heart to sink a bit more. He knows that brawny back the moment he sees it in one of those shots. That is him. That /is/ him. Oh my god. That's him.
Straining the effort to hurry back to his bed, he tries to reach for his cell to call Ryo about what he just saw - just in time for the foundation to shudder and see it clatter onto the ground next to Ol' Rusty.
"God damn it," he growls, wincing as his ribs remind him of how much pain he's in - the loud, thunderous shout of the Ko'ou Ken tells him absolutely everything he needs to know.
Too late for calls. He takes a deep breath, lowers his head, and does the cross motion before picking up Ol' Rusty.
The next step is to hope the elevator goes all the way to the roof.
Zach feels the rumbling under his tires, followed by the stampedes of animals that go charging by and around him. The psychic weaves through the oncoming traffic with adrenaline-fueled aplomb, ducking under several large felines that try to leap at or over him.
The call of that legendary fireball-techique echos across the plains. Zach torques the gas as he recalls the terrain around the hospital. He's going into this the next best thing to blind, and he doesn't like that at all. Then again, there's no /way/ Takuma could possibly plan for what Zach is going to bring to the table.
COMBATSYS: Ryo successfully hits Takuma with Haoh Sho Ko Ken.
- Power hit! -
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Ryo 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Takuma
Ordinarily, Takuma might take a moment to really indulge in the environment of Zambia - the open plains! Savanna? The weird animals! The sunsets! At the moment, his eyes are really selling his emotional locale - nowhere near 'sane'. This is, really, the reason he reacts to the Haohshokoken headed his way - certainly his son's own - with little more than a gritty set of his jaw, a quickly upraised han---
*BLOM* The very earth quakes around the elder Sakazaki, depressing as it takes the remainder of the fireball's force - Takuma has, of course, taken the whole of it. He shoots backwards, some ten, twenty feet, and bounces off of the lush African urban grasses -twice- before coming to a halt. For a long moment, he simply doesn't -move-.
Of course, this is Takuma we're talking about. That moment goes as quickly as it came, and before long he's slamming one hand into the ground, -forcing- himself upwards. He pays no heed to the surely shooting pains rocketing up and down his form - instead, he simply thunders forwards, *EXPLODING* through the Hospital's front doors! While nobody can see exactly what's going ON down there, the sounds make it obvious - glass shatters, women shriek, and something animal - a wallaby? - bellows a gurgly alarm.
"WHERE IS YURI SAKAZAKI!?"
"TAKUMA!!!"
This is shouted as Ryo jumps down from the hospital roof. It is not a small fall, but, Ryo hits the ground rolling. Too slow to stop the elder Sakazaki from tearing into the front of the hospital like a living truck. He grits his teeth. Damnit! This is exactly the kind of insane property damage that he had wanted to avoid in the first place!
Never let it be said that Ryo is slow to respond in a crisis, however. One massive fireball has failed to stop Takuma, but that doesn't mean that a second one won't equal the odds! "YOUR FIGHT IS WITH ME, SAKAZAKI!!!"
Okay, so, Ryo isn't the /best/ when it comes to overly dramatic fighting words. But he's still doing his best to keep Takuma's attention on him, rather than on the hospital, and the terrified inhabitants thereof. In order to assist with this even more, he gathers up the last vestiges of the energy he has spent the past countless hours building up around him...
"KO'OUUUU KEEEEEEEEN!"
And does his best to slam Takuma in the back with a smaller blast of fiery power. This is still not a /small/ fireball. Only about twice Ryo's size. How trying to blast Takuma through a wall with a huge gout of chi is going to help defuse the situation... well, that's just something everyone else is going to have to trust Ryo on. This is totally going to work.
COMBATSYS: Takuma dodges Ryo's Kuuchuu Ko'ou Ken.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////////// ]
Ryo 0/-------/------=|====---\-------\0 Takuma
Mr. Rust feels the whole building quake when Takuma bursts through those front doors. The older man (not quite as old as Takuma, so, not quite as old man) stands fumbling with buttons on the elevator... even though by any and every stretch of the imagination this would be the least safe thing to do in any given emergency.
"Mr. Rust," comes a bossy nurse, "you should be /resting/," she commands, "and I thought we told you to get rid of that... that pipe, it's not sterile, you're at risk of further infecti--"
"'m goin' down to the lobby," he interrupts with a quiet tone of voice as he raises a hand up to her.
"You're not going /anywhere/." The nurse tugs at his arm. "We've called the police, they will take care of--"
"Look, ma'am, I, I know this guy, all right, let me--"
"You need to /rest/, or those injuries might never fully recover." The nurse huffs. Even hurt as he is, she has a hard time pulling the American man anywhere. He's a man comparable to the Thing - at least the strength of two men, with a horrid enough combover that even Ben might feel gorgeous standing next to.
With the shouting going on downstairs, there's some shrieking and running about the wards. Mr. Rust grunts, thinks better of his plans, and walks down the stairs with that nurse still holding onto him and complaining entirely about what he's doing to himself as he takes his measured steps all the way down towards the first floor, his side aching with every step (to say nothing of the woman to his side bellyaching with every step).
When it comes to Takuma and his children, really, beyond all of that outwards violence and flagrant abuse -- he does care. It's really, actually, central to the entirety of who he is. Arguably, everything he's done has been FOR them -- the running away and fighting in deadly matches alongside Saishu, the nights spent "at Costco" while Mr. Karate ravages Southtown, the consuming, endless rivalry with Ryuhaku Todoh, the SNF-sponsored trips around the world while they're forced to teach his students fo--
Alright; maybe Takuma Sakazaki is less the selfless man he thinks himself to be. Nonetheless, he -does- care about his children, and deeply. Yuri moreso than Ryo, though he'd never admit it to the blonde. He reminded her - increasingly so - of Ronnet. There's absolutely no way he's going to let harm happen to her, which is exactly why he savaged the Southtown Police HQ, hijacked an airliner to Zambia, and broke into the zoo just now.
'YOUR FIGHT IS WITH ME, SAKAZAKI!!!' There's only one thing more central to Takuma than his love for his children. The blast of wicked, blue chi shrieks through the air, and it owes to the elder Sakazaki's simple experience that he knows what comes next; he's done this too many times, and old habits happen to die hard. Takuma rolls to the side, diving over the reception counter and unfortunately body-checking the hospital's receptionist along the way. The Ko'ou Ken -shrieks- past, missing him by inches.
The only Kuuchuu Ko'ou Kens he's dealt with have -always- veered a little to the right.
Takuma pops up, shoulders quaking, expression gleeful, barely visible behind the computer between him and the elusive MR. KARATE. If the old man is surprised, he doesn't quite show it -- there's a certain kind of maniac wish-fulfillment in his expression. Immediately he's stepping back, now straddling the downed hospital receptionist (who has a wonderful view of his penguin pajama pants, now worn for upwards of 3 days). Unseen, energy coalesces into his backmost hand; wind whistles around his form, buffeting his matted hair into a wonderful parted-comb.
"---KARATE! My old NEMESIS!!" Takuma -PUSHES- that force towards the masked man, energy unseen save for the dust and debris parted by its passing.
The only thing he loves more than his daughter, and he has yet to admit this to himself -- is the sense of adventure.
"SOMEBODY BETTER GET SOME CAMERAS ROLLING, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PHOTO OPPORTUNI-"
Zach winces as he sees a blue blast of chi burst outward from the hospital. His eyes narrow as he closes, noticing that there is now a freaking /tunnel/ on the first floor of the hospital. It's even made for a nice quad path. And there's Takuma making with the dramatic posing.
/Perfect/.
Zach locks the throttle as he closes in on the tussle, throwing himself off of the ATV. "TAKUMA SAKAZAKI!" Zach yells as he lets the small rider careen towards the Kyokugen Master. Zach rolls to his feet, staring at the older fighter. "I'm not about to let you hurt my friend because your daughter breaks Number Five," he says. Violet energies roil off of the young man as Zach walks towards the fray!
COMBATSYS: Zach has joined the fight here on the left meter side.
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Zach 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Takuma 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Zach still bears the choker, which shimmers an odd color.
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Takuma 1/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Takuma has joined the fight here as a boss!
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryo
Though the lobby is already a mess, the door to the stairways fly open, a man with a bad combover and a rusted length of pipe in one hand. On the other arm, a nurse who'd rather see he get back to his room /right now/. This is no ordinary nurse - this one has dealt with fighters and she's had it up to here with those antics.
Having it 'up to here' is not enough to muster up the physical strength to pull him anywhere.
"She's here," he speaks up with a quiet tone of voice, surveying the present destruction not with panic, but with a man who himself is too tired and distraught to really work up anything involving screaming or what have you, a creak in his knee as he takes a couple steps forwards.
"She's, she's on the second floor," he starts, "there's, there's no need to... do any of this."
COMBATSYS: Rust has joined the fight here.
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Rust takes no action.
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ryo blocks Takuma's Ko'ou Ken.
TAKUMA
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1|------------===|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
"Yes, Sakazaki, it is I! MISSSTER KARATE!"
Ryo steps forwards, and brings one arm up, punching into the invisible energy. It shudders and breaks around him, kicking up more dirt and rubble from the rapidly-punished floor. It's only many, many years of experience with Takuma's particular energy style which gives Ryo the edge he needs to 'see' it coming, and even then, it shudders through his body and hurts like a bitch.
Still. He has to capitalize on this now that he has Takuma's attention. "Yuri Sakazaki is safe!" He shouts, as he continues his march forwards in the wake of the fireball. Hand clenched into a fist, he aims to strike out, directly, at Takuma's midsection in a lunging forward motion. "For Mr. Karate is... an HONORABLE MAN! She'll be home in a day or two!"
... wait, is that a /car/ trying to hit his Dad? Oh, this could end badly. That usually just pisses him off ...
If Rust can see Ryo's eyes through the Tengu mask, though, he might be in just the right position to catch, a wink?
COMBATSYS: Takuma dodges Zach's Huge Thrown Object.
TAKUMA
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1|------------===|===============
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|===----\-------\0 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Takuma interrupts Medium Punch from Ryo with Zanretsu Ken.
TAKUMA
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1|------=========|===============
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Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
"...Number Five?" That's about all the reaction Zach gets - Takuma is -confused- more than anything. It is to the psion's benefit that he's throwing shit at the elder Sakazaki; Takuma needs to apply -physique- to the psion's particular assault. He winds up lunging to the side once again, a shoulder-roll that baaaaaaaarely pulls him out of the path of that thundering ATV. Of course, it leaves behind the hospital's receptionist, as well as the reception DESK - in a matter of seconds, the desk is reverted to wooden planks, and the receptionist is minus a not-broken tibia. She'll be OK, though! It was, after all, just an ATV.
Rust's appearance in the lobby prompts Sakazaki to stare his way -- it's an undecided thing, and it's clear that Takuma isn't sure where to go with this. His jaw is, at first, set -- and then MR. KARATE is rushing forwards, tengu mask aquiver with rage. It... animates the old man, sets him to once again bearing down, finding his focus.
This is a fight he's been building up as an incredible lie - Takuma has NEVER been around to fight his oft-referenced rival! - and, in many ways, a high hope for his oldest son.
Takuma may have -NO IDEA- who wears that noble mask now, but this is at least half of the wish, right? Right?
Gut-punch meets a hastily upraised forearm, thudding *SOLIDLY* into Takuma's midsection and pulling a sharp gasp from the older man. Still it doesn't stop him from stepping INTO Karate, battering him with dozens of lightning-fast punches, all of which culminate in a forceful choke-hold.
*SNAP*
Takuma drops Karate after an arriving press official snaps a photo. "Safe?!? How can she be safe when she's in a hospital?! Even you know that young women have no place in a King of Fighters tournament!!" His voice deepens, becomes -mighty-. His eyes -flare-. "I'LL TAKE HER HOME, RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!"
Takuma drops THE ORDER.
"Fifth Commandment," Zach clarifies as still more of that bizzare, non-chi energy pours off of his apparently battered frame. "Honor thy mother and father. She obviously disobeyed you, and you're here taking it out on everyone... and everything else." Zach hasn't noticed that the ATV took out a nurse.
Zach brings up a single hand, a bit of blood dripping slowly off of the bandages wrapped around the palm and wrist. The loose energy collects into the open palm, forming a rough sphere close to the size of Mister Karate's first two blasts. The burst jumps free of Zach's hand and screams towards Takuma at break-neck speeds.
Howard here has been a part of the Kyokugen school for a fair number of weeks. By default, this means he should be familiar - if not entirely accustomed - to the sorts of crazy ways the family tends to work out its various issues and disagreements. It may be his difficulty in grokking some of these concepts that, in some ways, may hold him back to these levels of reason (or sheer irrationality) that propels them to such heights, a blank stare at Ryo's little wink.
"For the /last time/," the nurse curses through clenched teeth, "return to your room right, this, instant!"
There is also the matter of an ATV that's hurtling past the receptionist desk and continuing along its merry way towards a tired and miserable forty-year-old man as well as a tired and miserable nurse in this tired and miserable hospital that really does not need to be ground zero for the latest Sakazaki family drama.
Howard does not get the time to grouse about whether staying in this hospital /at all/ was a great idea, given that there is an ATV originally meant for Takuma now hurtling his way with such speed that it threatens to put both himself and that nurse in slings for a good long while.
A sigh turns into a stare as the man draws back the rusted length of pipe, scraping its tip loudly against the floor as he leans towards the oncoming ATV. The nurse gasps loudly and promptly ducks for what little cover she can find when looking at almost certain grievous injury.
"This stops," Mr. Rust growls as he swings Ol' Rusty from down low - scraping the tip loudly and powerfully enough against the hospital floor that sparks fly, swinging the pipe upwards with such speed and strength the rusty blur is left behind where there should instead be an ATV, "RIGHT NOW!"
Said ATV sparks and smokes, crunching loudly enough to clear out the entire lobby as fast as the injured and diseased awaiting treatment can really move. The ATV lies an overturned, damaged and flaming wreck with Ol' Rusty sticking out of its engine - the force of the collision and the resulting 'stick' inside the vehicle enough to rip it clean from the shop teacher's weaker grip in his right hand.
The nurse has decided that maybe now is not a great time to badger him about returning to his room, and promptly flees upstairs while he puts a bare foot against jagged metal without a care, and yanks Ol' Rusty right back out without much attention paid to his ribs as they give another surge of pain through his side.
He doesn't think to ask who's responsible for the ATV thing. What he just /did/ is probably word enough.
COMBATSYS: Rust takes no action.
TAKUMA
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1|------=========|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=======\-------\1 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
Ryo is taken completely by surprise by the speed with which Takuma turns back on the offensive. His defense is made a mockery of, caught off guard before he can even begin to recover from his punch. He does his best to weather the storm of blows, but, even he has his limits. For a moment, Mr. Karate goes down, and Mr. Karate stays down. Until, that is, he hears Rust's cry. Assuming, naively, that Rust is showing some concern about the fact he's just been choked out like a bitch.
Ryo might not match his father yet, in terms of skill or raw strength, but when it comes to determination, he's got the same raw spirit. Truth be told, it is /hard/ for Ryo, too. He can see where his father is coming from. He worried about Yuri's participation too. But, as painful as it was to realize it, he knew he couldn't stop her. He could hardly deny his sister a chance that he himself would have given anything for at her age. So his voice is strong, even if his body is battered from that painful combination.
"Your little girl... IS BECOMING A WOMAN!"
That battlecry on his lips, the young man springs from the hole he has made in the floor, at roughly the same time as Zach's orb of energy is coming in for Takuma. One foot leads the way, aiming to crash heavily into Takuma's jaw. "Maybe I don't think she should do it...!"
And then, the other, comes around, hoping to follow up on the momentum and crash into the elder Sakazaki's gut. "But neither of us is strong enough to force her to disobey..."
"HER KYOKUGEN SPIRIT!"
COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Ryo's Hien Shippu Kyaku EX.
TAKUMA
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1|---============|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Takuma overcomes Warning Shot from Zach with Triple Haohshokoken+.
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 Ryo
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Rust 0/-------/-------|
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Zach [E] 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Rust 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
What is THIS?? Takuma pauses in his bellowing to stare, -fiercely-, at the still-on-the-periphery Zach Glen. The youth radiates a very "different" aura, and as he summons up that foreign energy, this difference is made increasingly obvious to Takuma - hell, to every fighter in the room. The elusive Mr. Karate -must- realize what is going on in Glen's territory; from behind his ATV (Takuma HAS noticed this), Rust might just feel the... wrongness in Glen's energy.
"What is THIS??" When you're confronted with something new and challenging... something twisted and unnatural in its base form, made -even worse- by some imperceptible factor... you react in the most overwhelming, personal way possible. Takuma Sakazaki leaves the tengu-masked man before him alone for a moment, and once again, those present can -feel- the latent forces in the room pulling into a single point, winding into Takuma's moulding hands. For a moment, there's nothing occuring - sure, Rust is dismantling that ATV, and sure, MR. KARATE is starting that epic drive, but really, right now? There's a reason these actions pale (if only slightly).
Takuma thrusts his arms forward - not just one, but *THREE* gold-tainted orbs of righteous energy streak towards Zach Glen; his own energies splash against the first, diminishing its size greatly, but there are -two more-. The very Earth shouts.
Mr. Karate's lunge results in that first kick slapping solidly into Takuma's exposed side; the old man grunts, falls backwards, and barely manages to catch the second foot with an upraised forearm. It sends Sakazaki to staggering - he's already weakened as a result of his earlier attack.
"...Hnn..." Takuma looks to his left, towards Rust and that flaming ATV.
"...You think so, MALEVOLENT KARATE SPIRIT WHO MIMICS MY ATTACKS BUT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME??!" Takuma bellows that last part... a little loud. He *THRUSTS* a finger towards the distant rust. "WHY DON'T YOU ASK THAT MAN RIGHT THERE??!" Rust and Takuma go way back. They're of similar mind. Rust -has- to agree. Yuri... she's too young!!
COMBATSYS: Takuma successfully hits Zach with Triple Haohshokoken+.
TAKUMA
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Zach [E] 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Rust 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
Zach's eyes go wide as Takuma displays some of that legendary KYOKUGEN MIGHT by utterly obliterated by the first burst of chi. The second and third, however, are still on a collision course with the chi-allergic psion. Zach snaps his hands up in front of him, preparing to will a barrier of energy to help stave off the brunt of this epic attack...
...when nothing happens. Zach stares at his bandaged hands. /Nothing/. Not even a sparkle responds to his mental call.
The distration is more than enough. The chi cannonballs slam into Zach's small frame, sending him hurtling out towards the hole he came into. He somehow manages to keep his feet, skidding to a halt. His shirt is gone, and his sweatpants are now shorts. His torso is mummy-wrapped in bandages, some of which are showing signs of new or re-opened injuries. Those are less likely to get notice, however, in light of the wierdly glowing choker around Zach's neck.
Zach struggles to get his breathing under control as he gathers a bit more energy. There is, he knows now, more than a little risk in this strategy. Takuma is insanely strong, and Zach is not even remotely on top of his game. However, that purple glow that surrounds him kicks up a notch as he waits for the right moment.
COMBATSYS: Zach gathers his will.
TAKUMA
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Rust 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
Ol' Rusty slides out of the engine with little fuss after Howard puts enough of his back into it. His foot cares not for the jagged metal it is precariously placed against - it creases and bends underneath the might of his own flesh, what of it is there even in injury. There is no puncture wound or scratch for this effort. If anything, the application of his foot just makes the ATV just a little less salvageable - although the knee for some reason starts to twinge in pain almost uncontrollably.
He growls at the theatrics, massaging his right shoulder with his left hand for a brief instant as he brings his leg down for what he assumes is a strangely-placed cramp in the big picture. It is, notably, sheer grit that's keeping him moving through all of this. The way Ry-- MR. KARATE speaks of Yuri's ambitions, on some level, he can sympathize - albeit any such sympathizing on his part is buried under layers of depression and a lower and lower self-worth by the minute, caked over by these aggressions destroying the lobby. He visibly flinches at the very roars of the Earth communicating through Takuma as he fires off his legendary technique - one of the greatest, most feared fireballs of the modern age, done in triplicate, for Zach. It's at this time this man knows what to do, teeth grit.
He doesn't freeze in place like he ought to when Takuma points at /anyone/. He steps up to the center, where a bit of metal piping is dislodged from the ceiling. He takes a firm grasp of it with his left hand...
And starts to bang it with Ol' Rusty, collision of metal versus metal hopefully loud enough to call attention. "This STOPS NOW." He tries to get his voice to carry loudly enough through the panic and the blood and the emotions and everything. "I sure as hell ain't, sure as hell ain't standin' for people tearin' up this, this god damned hospital over this!"
He gestures broadly to the empty lobby. "I ain't, I ain't standin' for your god damned family issues destroyin' these, these peoples' lives. It's a damned hospital! If, if you people don't, don't cut this shit out... /right now/." he growls as he drops his stance some. It's kind of hard to look threatening or dangerous in a (thankfully decent) hospital gown.
"I'll, I'll beat every last, every last one of you to an inch of your /lives/ until, until /all of you/ calm the fuck down!" He curses as he brings Ol' Rusty down low and away, as if cocked to uppercut whoever decides to step up to him saying otherwise.
COMBATSYS: Rust has joined the fight here in the center.
TAKUMA
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-------
COMBATSYS: Rust takes no action.
TAKUMA
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-------
Truth be told, some of the issue with this might be the fact that Ryo has absolutely no conception of repairing a building as being something, you know, difficult. The Kyokugen Dojo has been decimated so many times he has lost count. The Sakazaki Household has had each individual element repaired, replaced and rebuilt so often that it is practically part of a weekly routine. Ryo's fear, his overwhelming drive, had been to stop Takuma actually /killing/ someone. As far as he knows, his father has not crossed that line. Despite everything else he has done, Ryo hasn't ever thought of him as a murderer. It was his fervent hope that by intervening in this way, he could prevent that. The mere damage to the physical building? What sort of a concern is THAT? Buildings get destroyed, that's what they do. The real danger, has probably passed.
Nevertheless, Rust's impassioned speech does shock Mr. Karate out of his immediate focus. Now that he is no longer entirely set on the fight with Takuma, some other features of the area become more obvious. Including the sickly, strange energy radiating from Zach. A hazy memory filters back to Ryo. He's met this young man before, but he certainly didn't exhibit that strange 'wrongness' then. Takuma had obviously sensed it, and responded violently. Ryo can understand why.
"... I, Mr. Karate, can accept this."
The words are spoken in a far lower, rolling baritone than Ryo's normal tone of voice. Folding his arms across his chest, he bows his head. "Perhaps we should settle our score somewhere else."
Bright, orange energy surges all around the masked fighter's figure, illuminating him in a near-blinding glow. "But. There is more at stake here than the safety of Yuri Sakazaki." He digs his feet into the ground, raising his hands again in a traditional, fighting stance.
"Brick and mortar can be repaired! We WILL make sure this happens! But can the bond between teammates be severed so quickly?! Look at your teammates, Rust Howard. Yuri and Zach need you. Quon will need you, no matter what he thinks about it. These people are relying on you to help them develop. To master their potential. Are you going to demand that we stop, here, now? Look at their fighting spirit, Howard! Look at yours! You've managed to make even Takuma Sakazaki pause!"
Okay, so, maybe Ryo had also helped more than a little bit in making his father give pause to get Rust's opinion. But right now, Ryo is determined to try and make Rust see the bigger picture. The people in the hospital are important. But they will be fine. A team is far more fragile. There's still clearly a lot of issues that need to be worked out, Ryo has seen that in just a couple of days in Africa. If Rust can't see why this is a fight worth continuing, however, then Ryo fears that Yuri, despite her earlier willingness to back down, may never forgive him.
... and what the hell is up with that Zach kid? That just ain't right, and needs looking at seriously ...
COMBATSYS: Ryo gains composure.
TAKUMA
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
Takuma Sakazaki -has- paused. Sure, he's got one hand extended, quite clearly in the afterthroes of a Triple Haohshokoken massacre -- look at that sweat trickle down his back! It's a wonder he hasn't split his pajama pants wide-open with that exaggerated horse stance. Across from him is the recuperating Zach, and behind Zach is the now even-wider hole in the hospital's wall, initially ATV + Man sized, and now simply Haohshokoken sized. This is all Pretty Sobering News. It doesn't help that right beside him is a certainly wounded young woman, leg rolled over by that ATV -- on the bright side, hey! She's in a hospital.
Sakazaki meets Mr. Karate's eyes after a startled glance towards Rust. His expression is hard, testing even. There's a challenge there, and for whatever reason, it's superceding -everything else- in Sakazaki's mind. The wounded, the shouting Rust, the odd duck that is Zach Glen, and somewhere, ever-distant, his daughter, the entire reason he came here.
"...You've gone soft, Karate. Let's go." Takuma trudges through the debris around him, passes at least ten dumbfounded bystanders, and the practically apoplectic Rust. The latter gets a pat on the shoulder, but a quick rejoinder is added: "We'll move, but we're not done talkin', Rust." That said, he pushes on, past Zach. Zach receives a curt gesture towards the outdoors.
"You too, son, I'm gonna figure out just what the hell you've got to do with this mess at all!"
COMBATSYS: Takuma takes no action.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
Zach wobbles a bit as Takuma pushes past him. It seems like it's all he can do to keep his feet. His walk, however, seems to have some strength of will in it. He nods towards Rust. "I don't have so many friends that I can afford to let you take one, sir," Zach says with hoarse respect.
Beyond that, however, Zach doesn't say much. He figures that just /standing/ after having taken not one but TWO Hoahshokokens should say plenty about his determination. All the same, while he /could/ cut and run, he does not. He faces this fight just as he did Ryo in their first meeting, and Kyo Kusanagi, and Rugal. Without backing down, and without surrendering.
While it is a total mystery as to /how/ Zach is still standing (even to himself), it should be apparent that he intends to continue to keep standing as long as he's able regardless of the challenge in front of him. There may be a lesson in there somewhere.
COMBATSYS: Zach takes no action.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
Where Ry-- MR. KARATE'S words are of an impassioned mythic figure whom understands the true value of fighting and how it makes some grow closer even with the basic act involving the very element of harming one another... Howard is a man who is angry, sad, and altogether a little too reminded of some of his trials during the Southtown invasion.
If it were anyone /other/ than the Sakazakis - perhaps the only people other than himself among the fighting circuit that seem to respect the idea as to how difficult it is to have to constantly rebuild things - he'd already be shoving toolboxes to them and telling them to get to work.
What bond is there left in so far as being 'teammates' go, when they have already lost and been eliminated from King of Fighters? Acquaintances and friends, sure, but does 'teammates' still even apply? The tense scowl on the older man's face probably says volumes to Ryo's suggestions as a member of the hospital staff starts getting a fire extinguisher applied to the ATV before it, say, explodes or just sets the whole place ablaze.
The pat on the shoulder puts a leash on that impulse to just swing that pipe around in as wide an arc as possible to take as many of them down as possible, though there is a twinge of pain that reminds him of his degree of injury. Zangief's vice grip is terrifying - most people aren't back up on their feet so soon after even a simple hold from him.
"Yeah," the older man grunts and nods once, lowering the pipe down to his side with a noisy pop from one of his knees as he looks on over to Zach, "while, while we're here, take that thing off," he says as though it were a mere fashion accessory even with one of his knees all but screaming in pain in its vicinity, "I, I'm not a jewelry guy but... but that just... it just looks," he doesn't finish the sentence.
The nurse from before comes up and tries to pull him back by his free hand again. He raises it up swiftly to free up his grip and trudges along outside at his usual sluggish, measured pace while his blood pressure decreases, bare feet stepping on debris without a care as to how sharp they are against them.
COMBATSYS: Rust gains composure.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|------=
Zach glances at Rust, keeping his eyes low. "I would if I could," he answers in a low voice. "It won't come off no matter what I try. It's like the clasp just disappeared." Zach looks out towards where the group is heading. "And believe me, I wish that I could," he finally says with what has to be the most bitter Rust has ever heard come out of Zach's mouth in the time the two have known each other. Perhaps even more than when Rust was asking questions about his abilities.
"Hmph. I'll show you how 'soft' I am soon enough, old man."
Behind his mask, Mr. Karate can't help but smile. Yeah. No doubt he /is/ a hell of a lot softer than he had been when he'd fought that young Ryo man. He can't really deny that. But, then, this situation is a little different to that one. Nevertheless. It seems that the impassioned speech Rust has given has brought some measure of sanity back to proceedings. As much as there could be, anyway.
Zach's words get a long look from the tengu mask, but nothing more. In slow and measured paces, Mr. Karate follows Takuma, and Zach. He's not really sure what to suggest about the jewelry. That's something he has no experience in at all. And the nature of the team... where they will stop, whether the end of the tournament means the end of that relationship, is something that only time and the will of its membership could decide.
What Mr. Karate /can/ do, is continue to try and lend his support. Which, right now, means following Takuma, and letting himself be led into surroundings where they would, most likely, continue to battle righteously ... and only risk injury to themselves, rather than others as well. The strange thing is, with this mask on, it's so much easier to feel sure of oneself. Ryo rarely felt ill at ease, but now, there's an added level of confidence which makes facing up to Takuma all the easier.
Maybe he's starting to grasp why the old man keeps the thing around at all.
COMBATSYS: Ryo takes no action.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|------=
It's definitely a moment that has the group facing a pause in proceedings - The entirety of the Sakazaki Clan And Friends putting their shit on retainer, cooling down, and very, -very- casually strolling out of the enormous hole in the hospital's wall. By the time the four of them have arrived in that grassy clearing between the Zambian underbrush and the newly-decimated institution of healing, sirens are clearly audible in the distance, and those injured have been rushed to the emergency room. Takuma stands on one edge of the crater MR. KARATE'S earlier Haoh Sho Ko Ken had created -- and in the distance, the press encroach on the soon-to-occur fight, parasites.
And despite his earlier calm, Takuma has -never- looked more angry. He sets his balled fists firmly on his hips, and regards Zach, then Karate, then Rust with equally disapproving eyes. Wind blows against the quartet, hot and certainly suggestive of the nearby African savanna (or something) -- and in the distance, a procession of ostriches nearly cause a seven-car pileup in one of Lusaka's main thoroughfares. The zoo crisis -- continues.
"NOW THEN." Sakazaki's voice BOOMS. "Which one of you chuckleheads masterminded Yuri deciding to kidnap herself??! Was it YOU, Rust, with your crazy doubletalk and empowering speeches??!" Rust -is- given an accusing thrust of one beefy finger.
"Or YOU, weird kid, with your flashy powers and ideas of friendship??! She's got more important things to do than run around the world putting herself in danger!!" Zach is pointed at, in turn.
Finally, Takuma's gaze rests squarely upon Karate.
"This..."
Takuma considers the hospital in the distance. Somehow, a fire has started. There are people shrieking, emergency vehicles stationed outside. The establishment is -bleeding- money, and that money is coming from -somebody-.
"This is -ALL YOUR FAULT-!" There's an odd sort of sane desperation in those tones. Sakazaki LURCHES into the air, executing what might -seem- to be a Hien Shippu Kyaku but is in reality simply a fancy flying kick -- and at the moment, a surging leap forward is his only way of clearing the crater between himself and the other three combatants.
Zach keeps his mouth shut. He's not prepared to lie; Takuma would likely figure it out. But on the other hand, telling Takuma honestly that he only just met Yuri when the team arrived in Africa would either be unbelieved or lead the Kyokugan Grand Master to assume that Rust was the evil mastermind.
At this point, the soul power he has been holding back screams to him to be used. Zach lets out a roar as he charges towards Takuma Sakazaki, Ultimate Master of KYOKUGEN MIGHT (which is so powerful that it can only be mentioned in capital letters) as violet energy bleeds off of him. He closes the gap almost instantly, cratering the ground where he was standing.
As soon as Zach is close enough, he releases the full extent of his energy is a tight sphere. It's too tight; Zach's scream goes from one trying to psyche himself for something to a scream of intense pain. Zach's machine, apparently, goes to /fifty-one/.
"Zach, Zach, rule of thumb, I don't... I don't put on anything with a clasp smaller 'n, smaller 'n a /dime/," Rust dismisses naively under the thought that maybe he'll just have to help him rip that thing off. It looks terrible on Zach, seriously, he never figured him for a glam guy as he trudges along the hole out towards the place of the climactic, relatively collateral-free battleground of a nearby, scenic grass plain between the hospital and the underbrush. The wailing sirens and the strong smell of smoke are all rather worrying.
Not quite as worrying as Takuma - his master and mentor in continuing to cultivate his grasp of the art of fighting and confirmed one-man world superpower - as a warm wind blows and all but ruins Howard's combover.
"/She/ showed up right on the day we, we were leaving," Mr. Rust stammers back into the defensive, free hand held up with his head shaking, "while I was, I was askin' the airlines why the hell I was, I was bein' billed for five tickets instead of, instead of four!"
The argue-fest on his part comes to an abrupt halt when Zach, nearby, suddenly turns into this giant mass of blinding violet energy that makes one of his knees scream into pained submission - enough he goes to a crouch and actually has to shield his eyes while his ears are forced to roll an endure against Zach's terrifyingly loud scream against that terrifying drop of power.
His knee dips into a pile of manure from some unknown zoo animal.
He's been around Zach, he knows what he's capable of, but, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!
COMBATSYS: Rust takes no action.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|------------===
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Ryo dodges Takuma's Heavy Kick.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|-----------====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
Mr. Karate listens to Takuma... and yes, he understands completely the fury in the old man's voice. It's hard to accept that Yuri is growing up. Making her own decisions. And there's nothing either of them can do about it. Maybe, it would be easiest if he let Takuma blame him. Well. Mr. Karate. Ryo isn't entirely sure if that'd be a good thing for Takuma's mental state, but, it would probably be merciful--
Oh shit is he trying to take his head off?!
Rolling backwards, Mr. Karate only barely escapes with the kick passing disturbingly close to the top of his head. By the time he gets back up, an elephant is busily trying to flip over a fire truck in the background, and Zach seems to be /exploding/.
The scream of pain is enough to confirm in Ryo's mind that letting Zach stay conscious right now probably isn't for the best. Whatever hell has been inflicted on him, maybe they could deal with it when he's unconscious. "Hey, whippersnapper!" The faux-old-man says, "Don't you know not to interrupt your elders?!"
And with that, he's suddenly lunging forwards. Packing as much speed as he can into his lunge, he aims to slam his elbow into Zach's chest just after the terrifying scream has stopped... and then twist around in a rising uppercut, to slam his fist into Zach's chin. Not, that he couldn't /use/ the help against Takuma, but ... sometimes, the merciful option isn't the sensible one.
COMBATSYS: Takuma blocks Zach's Storm Flare EX.
TAKUMA
[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|--------=======
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
It's one thing to go shooting over MR. KARATE'S head - Takuma manages a surprised grunt before sailing over his adversary's compacted form and hitting the ground in a tight tumble. It's entirely another to come OUT of that tumble and witness something so utterly unbelievable as the scene unfolding before him.
"...What are they -feeding- those elephant-" His words are, of course, drowned out by the sound of Zach's tortured, surprised scream, the sight of the youth bearing energy he -can't control-. Takuma manages, barely, to twist to the side and lift both arms (not that this will do much good, but he's always been a firm believer in body influencing mind) -- and simply take that psionic assault as best he might. He's utterly consumed by the force, veritably lifted off of his feet and KNOCKED back, but the defense is the same as it's always been - iron-wrought willpower backed by near-psychotic steadiness has never let him down yet. It's just that -this time-... it's the closest he's ever come to -succumbing- to it.
Takuma sails backwards, airborne for several feet, to slap into the ground nearby the distant Howard Rust. His eyes are initially closed, his form splayed, his breathing ragged -- but rapidly, he regains his composure, and is obviously rejoining the fight.
"...And where do -you- get off, Rust, pretending this mess isn't something you've wanted the whole time!? A man can't help himself from running off to tropical--" COUGH, HURK. Takuma uses a hand to hold himself up. He regards KARATE and Zach over in the distasnce - right now, there's just no way he can deal with THAT. "TROPICAL LOCALES, WITH BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMEN NEAR HIM - IT'S ONLY NATURAL, RUST!"
COMBATSYS: Takuma gains composure.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <
Zach [E] 0/-------/--=====|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Zach with Storm Flare EX.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1 [E] Ryo
[ \\ <
Zach [E] 1/--=====/=======|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Ryo knocks away Zach with Mouko Raijin Gou!
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Yuri 0/-------/-------|=======\====---\1 [E] Ryo
[ <
Zach [E] 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
Zach's body is a mess after the energy rips free of his frame. The pain... is unlike anything he had experienced to date. He's just not /ready/ for Ryo to come in swinging at him. Ryo gets seriously good feedback from both the elbow and the uppercut. In all likelihood, Zach is going to drop like a sack of bricks.
However, it is likely that for all of his good intentions, that Ryo forgot that simply abusing Zach stirs up some kind of instinct to fight /back/. And as much as Zach goes on about the power responding to will, there are more than a few fights that Zach has accomplished something with his power that way...
...like most of his draw matches.
Zach's eyes snap open and violet energy pours out of his eyes and mouth before unleashing a massive discharge of energy that not only seeks to destroy Takuma and Ryo, but Rust as well!
COMBATSYS: Zach can no longer fight.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 0|-------|-----==
COMBATSYS: Rust endures Zach's Storm Flare.
TAKUMA
[ |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]
0|---------------|----------=====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 1/---====/=======|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[ ||||||||||||||||||| ]
Rust 1|-----==|=======
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Howard calls out what he's thinking out loud as the intensity just grows greater and greater, even with Ry-- MR. KARATE'S timely intervention on the matter, with Takuma rolling about nearby and all but screaming in his other ear.
The second-oldest (well, third-oldest if you count the legend of MR. KARATE) of the gathered clears his throat loudly in an attempt to get some of his voice back after that loud scream, another wince at the realization one of his legs is deep in disgusting, warm manure. "Wh-what the hell do you, do you even TAKE me for?!" He shouts back angrily as another Zach surge climaxes. "If I wanted to, to fucking... el-elope, would I--"
Kaboom. Let's leave that bit at that - kaboom.
Rust's knee scrapes against the grass and dung as he is launched skidding at a high velocity somewhere in Takuma's direction - the accuracy in this fact is kind of eerie, even as his surroundings are enveloped in tinges of violet all about them - he's only even able to make out Takuma's from from beyond the sphere of complete annihilation as grass, dirt, and even a bit of brick and mortar rain about everywhere. One suck brick bounces off of his upper back, forcing his posture ever lower and setting him up almost perfectly to try and catch Takuma around the waist with one of his arms.
Of course he's going to try for the tackle to anchor himself, if nothing else. If /anything/ else, when faced with one of Zach's most violent psychic outbursts to date.
COMBATSYS: Ryo endures Zach's Storm Flare.
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|----------=====
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 1/-----==/=======|-------\-------\0 Yuri
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Rust 1|-----==|=======
Ryo /knows/ how hard he just hit Zach. That has to have hurt. The blows hammer into the fighter, and unleash what is by all accounts a veritable storm of energy. Too quick! There's no way he can get out of the way in time. Like Rust, but probably a little more deliberate in his action, Mr. Karate instead seems to angle himself just so... the explosion of the power is immense. It hurts like a bitch. But one fist is already drawn back, and behind the Tengu mask, Ryo's eye gleams dangerously.
"ORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Like the fist of some deranged God, Mr. Karate's whole body is a bullet. Riding the crest of the energy wave even as it's dark nature rips at him, Mr. Karate puts all the power he has into this one, glorious punch. Even running up the cresting burst, like it is just some terrible explosive runway to delivering his payload. It's time to demonstrate everything he stands for! Time to defend the honor of his sister, show his father just how much he has developed, and defend Howard Rust's greatly diminished pride.
The fist cracks like lightning as it comes hammering through the air, a truly staggering amount of force in that single blow, aiming to crash bodily into Takuma's jaw. On top of the assault already coming Takuma's way, perhaps, this, will be the final finishing move!
... one can but hope, after all. After taking such a potent explosion, Ryo privately doubts that Mr. Karate can withstand a counterattack ...
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Takuma with Storm Flare.
-* CRITICAL HIT! *-
TAKUMA
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0|---------------|-==============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
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Rust 1|-----==|=======
COMBATSYS: Ryo successfully hits Takuma with Tenchi Haoh Ken.
TAKUMA
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1|================|===============
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
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Rust 1|-----==|=======
COMBATSYS: Takuma counters Strong Throw from Rust with Ryuuko Ranbu.
*KNOCKED AWAY*
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[ |||||| ]
Rust 2|<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<
COMBATSYS: Takuma can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
[ |||||| ]
Rust 2|<<<<<<<|<<<<<<<
By the time Takuma's found his feet, Rust is screaming a disbelieving retort his way - this is something Takuma responds to with the -beginnings- of an equally crotchety/bitchy response -- but then Zach is being very Zach, over there, where Zach SHOULD BE falling over. It's a brilliant show of purple lights and colors, and something that distracts Takuma enough - just enough - to mutter a calmer, disbelieving
"...Again? This little dip doesn't know when to stop, does h--" And he is, once again, drowned out by the sounds of violently exploding psychic energies. Unlike Ryo and Rust, he's rolling backwards, both steeling himself against the mess while putting some DISTANCE between himself and the traumatized young psi-conduit -- it's not enough. He comes up to a knee by the time the wave slams into him, and is -overwhelmed-. Airborne, there's nothing he can do against the torrent of wind and force -- and Rust and MR. KARATE are unquestionably borne way, puppets on those superpowered psychic winds!!
Adding to the tension is the suddenly dramatic upwards pan of the camera - all one might see is the blue skies above, the twisting, fizzling waves of psychic energy dissipating into the air.
*CRACK*
"--ghn--" Takuma is grunting, or something, and the sound of bone grinding against bone is quite prevalent. There is a briefer pause; two bodies hit the ground, and then a shriek, bestial and furious.
A pair of tattered, worn penguin pajama pants flutter into the air, forgotten, now useless. The camera manages to pan down *just in time* to see...
Takuma Sakazaki, in his boxers, *jumping* towards Howard Rust. The latter catches him solidly around the waist, but Takuma, jaw bloodied, eyes blazing, is -far beyond- being tackled. He drives one downwards-angled fist into Rust's back, brutally PULLS the schoolteacher off of him, and proceeds to simply defy physics through the simple expression of muscle and force. A second fist slams into Rust's chin, pushing him away from Sakazaki and upwards - it is followed with a spinning elbow, a second, spinning kick to the face, a mini-Kohou that manages, somehow, to work in the air -- and then a variety of punches, elbows, knees, and kicks that send Rust -catapulted- away, while Takuma gets a moment, back against the ground through his own force, to shout:
"ARE YOU SAYING-"
WHOOM, goes the first Haohshokoken.
"THAT MY DAUGHTER-"
PHOOOOOUGH, goes the second.
"ISN'T ATTRACTIVE OR TALENTED ENOUGH FOR YOU??!"
The third Haohshokoken ROARS into Rust, and Takuma, finally, goes limp, 90% nude and entirely drained.
He manages to glance towards Mr. Karate before he fades fully, eyes flashing, expression grim in an infantile, weak fashion. "You... may get away -this time-, Mr. Karate, but my -son- will avenge me... hah!"
His eyes close.
Zach slams to the ground, covered in fresh cuts and bruises underneath the shredded bandaging. He doesn't stir at /all/.
The catch around Takuma's boxer-clad waistline wracks pain all the way about his left shoulder and, by itself, takes the wind out of his lungs as some of the force of this particular catch goes right into his ribs. Naively, the shop teacher thinks that maybe once these two can just get face to face and not be throwing punche--
Takuma is clearly not beholden to these thoughts and delusions of peaceful resolution, a loud gasp as a powerful hand of a powerful father goes into his, comparatively, not so strong back, eyes wide and still full of spots from being within that brilliant (if not at all 'right') aura of Zach's latest explosion, a little watery.
The shot to the chin clenches his teeth so tight that his next visit to the dentist is going to get a stern talking-to and maybe another multi-hundred dollar operation, his body feeling weightless as Ol' Rusty falls out of his grip and clubs a runaway ostrich.
Twisted about in the air by the elbow and a spinning kick that by all rights should have taken his head clean off and not just bust his jaw based on the loud 'snap' of his neck as a Kohou ensures he's not going to be taking any air into his lungs any time soon.
His body becomes so wracked and numb with pain that it's difficult for him to mentally catalogue what it is, exactly, he is being hit by, where, and how many times - a side effect of being soundly thrashed by what many would consider to be the true pinnacle of the Kyokugen technique - the Ryuuko Ranbu.
It's a wonder, then, that he even lands in something of a crouch just a ways away, bent over with his free hand to his neck as he coughs up legitimate blood. Takuma gets out the first part of a pointed question, and Haohshokoken number 1 hits him head-on, tumbling him backwards into a hippopotamus whose own ribs crack under it on the spot. His right hand - visibly still bearing the injuries of 2009's all but tragic events in Southtown - raises up and shakes vigorously as if to plead to say something while Takuma continues his query.
Haohshokoken #2 comes by and blasts him into a stampeding elephant, knocking it flat over into its back as the shop teacher finds himself painfully tumbling along past the knocked out mound of elephantine flesh whose organs are now beginning to be crushed under its own weight from being knocked flat on its back. His hospital gown is more or less shredded to uselessness, and unlike Takuma, he is not particularly wearing anything of note underneath. He gasps pathetically for air, one leg raised as if it were the only thing he could still move.
Takuma finishes the question and throws a third, and final HAohshokoken. This one carries Rust along for the ride across a street, bowling over two cars parked after an accident caused by the zoopocalypse. One of the cars bears a Haohshokoken-sized hole. The other just goes flying into the distance, while the battered, bruised, bloodied, broken and balding man tumbles one last time against hard asphalt.
He looks up dazedly at the increasingly overcast sky while a veritable crowd is gathering around him, blood pouring right out the side of his mouth. By this time, he is well out of earshot of any of them - but can only think to reply to Takuma, at least, even though he's so far away at this point it'd be impossible to hear his pathetic, whimpering murmur.
"N-no," he wheezes before passing out outright.
COMBATSYS: Rust takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
COMBATSYS: Rust can no longer fight.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////////////////]
Ryo [E] 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Yuri
Mr. Karate watches the display of brutality unleashed on poor Howard with something lesser mortals might call pity. There's little he can do to interfere at this stage; though Rust might well have saved a great deal of trouble with property damage and the lives of innocents inside the hospital, his reward is a beating which puts him down conclusively.
Mr. Karate meets Takuma's eye as the old man says his last. A derisive snort is given. "Your son may be talented and devilishly handsome." He intones, "But he'll never beat me!"
That said. Now, Mr. Karate finds himself in a rather awkward position. Although he's hiding it masterfully, he's hurting badly, standing in a field running wild with crazy critters, and surrounded by the unconscious bodies of his pupil, his pupil's exploding friend, and his father. Yuri was sure to show up any moment and God only knows how he was going to explain this.
So, in the best tradition of true men everywhere, he decides not to. Turning to the cameras of the nearby journalists, he points. "YOU THERE!"
"I've heard rumors that the Kyokugen Dojo is all the rage these days!"
And with that, he takes off at a sprint, disappearing into the jungles of Zambia.
About twenty minutes later, Ryo, with a limp, will return to start help tidying up. Why is it that he always gets stuck cleaning up Mr. Karate's messes?
As soon as the dust settles and the fighters are done once and for all, Yuri takes a deep, deep breath... and then really lets fly with it, yelling loudly, "ALL OF YOU! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE! AND ALL BECAUSE OF ME WANTING TO DO WHAT I WANTED!!" Her voice is loud enough to wake the dead, yet she doesn't seem to be hurting her throat at all.
"DAD! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO INSTIGATED THIS WHOLE THING, AND YOU REALLY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!" Yuri screams at Takuma. "I hope you're ready to pay for what you did!" She adds, before turning to face Zach. "And YOU? You were out riding an ATV when you should've been here looking out for my dad? Shame on you!"
She then looks to Rust and her tone softens a little. "Mr. Rust, I appreciate you trying to help me, but in the shape you're in, you really shouldn't have done it..." Then she turns to her brother, "And Ryo... Thank you for stopping dad!" She smiles a little.
Log created on 18:28:27 02/18/2011 by Rust, and last modified on 21:33:17 02/20/2011.