Description: Kaiwei and Zach face off in an opulent ballroom full of influential rich farts. Do they matter? Not really. The old man almost pulls a win out at the last minute, but Zach's soul is not so easily dominated! Bonus feature: Kaiwei talks to a penguin. (Winner: Double KO)
What an awful year this has been for poor Kaiwei. With the global economy going to hell, his cilents don't have a lot of excess money. A lack of excess means less people buying his glass figurines. Less people buying his figurines means a difficult time in keeping his wife, his sixteen children, and himself fed and clothed. Oh, and then the tsunamis against Japan--where he's currently got his shop--and barely having convinced his wife to let him go back to fighting for a chance at that crystal skull... Ah! To lose a fight against two young girls was just too much. It was the last straw! His wife won't let him back into the house until he's stopped being such a failure and proven that he's still a competent father for his little (and big) ones...and that brings him all the way across the world to Strolheim.
You see, it doesn't matter if he's going to play the part of 'jester'. It doesn't matter that the crowd of well-dressed, mask-adorned noblemen look upon him like some sort of exhibit. It doesn't even matter that, through his diseased brain, it looks like all those rich people really do have animal heads instead of human ones. All that matters, to him, is that he's fighting in this 'Strolheim' place, apparently famous for top-notch fighters. If he can pull in a win here, then maybe, just maybe, his wife will let him come home!
Even before the start of the fight, the old Chinese man is present, walking small circles about the cleared-out ballroom. The floor is well-polished to be sure, and the patterns in the tiles seem strange enough to have his rapt attention. He follows the curving paths, eyes down with his mouth ever in motion. Mumbling, pausing, and answering again, his one-sided conversation already has some of the rich folk wondering just what the commoner is doing.
The concept of 'commoners' and 'nobles' is hard for Zach Glen, as an American, to wrap his brain around. Like Kaiwei, he's hit a bit of the rough patch of his own in the wake of the insanity surrounding the King of Fighters. The tournament brought its share of troubles, both competitive and legal, to the feet of the psion.
Glen is wearing his typical jeans and t-shirt to this match, although his hair is still that odd yellow-blonde with purple tips. The ballcap seems to be missing, as does the sword he sometimes carries. He looks around with a calm, yet curious face; Strolheim's a pretty big place. A small smile flickers across his face when he notices the wide berth this fight is getting. That may have been a needed thing before, not so much anymore.
The psychic settles into a tight fighting stance, weaving his head left to right as he waits for the match to start. "Short, compact, fast," he thinks to himself.
COMBATSYS: Zach has started a fight here.
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Zach 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei has joined the fight here.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
It takes a little bit for the fight officials to get Kaiwei's attention. He's so absorbed in his own conversation that he doesn't notice anything else until someone comes up and grabs him by the shoulder for a good, firm shaking! He looks incredibly surprised at being interrupted, and then confused. Who is this guy talking to him?
Oh...oh. With furrowed brows and a slight frown on his lips, he looks about the room anew. Yes, a fight. A match! Idly, he cradles one well-wrapped hand in the other as he has the situation explained to him yet AGAIN, the digits all forcibly spread by gauze tucked in between them. So this is the sort of man Zach's been put up against? An old man with mental problems and a bum hand?
"Of course, of course. I understand! But please, can we do something about the rabbits over there? They're really creepy and I don't want them biting anyone or anything." He points at a young man and woman with simply...amazingly-styled hair, looking like it took a whole can of hair spray to keep their expensive locks held up JUST right. He's immediately pushed toward Zach and reminded to focus. Focus! These people came to see a fight!
As he comes to a doddering stop a few feet before the psion, he draws in a deep breath. "You don't need to tell me that," he says in the exhale, then lifts both hands before him, with the injured one hanging back a bit more than its counterpart. "A pleasure to meet you! Do you know that somebody dropped a melting grape on your head?" Don't laugh. That's literally what it looks like to him! And boy, is he ever staring at it.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei focuses on his next action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Zach
Zach's gaze flicks to his short hair before looking back to the old man. "No," Zach says with wary amusement to the old man. "It's good to meet you as well." Zach notes the maimed limb with a trace of concern, but recalls others who might be old, or injured, but still frighteningly competent in a fight. Zach shufflesteps, backing up while maintaining his stance. He's not /quite/ ready to charge into this opponent, not knowing what Kaiwei's skillset involves... aside from colorful speech and an amicable attitude.
Zach decides to prepare in his own way, pulling forth some of the power of soul that resides within him, lining his features with a faint yellow glow.
COMBATSYS: Zach gathers his will.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|====---\-------\0 Zach
Ah, another kind young fighter! It always does the old man's heart good to see polite people taking up the way of the fist. Why, he remembers, back when he was younger, all kinds of kids would rush up and ask for training! Kids were so kind to their elders back then, and you know, they just don't--
"What? Oh! Yes! Thank you for the reminder!" ...What? From whom? The voice in his head, his imagined companion, urges him to get on with things. The sooner he wins, the sooner he can go home, remember?
With another deep draw of breath, Kaiwei shifts his weight back, bends his knees until he's half-lowered to the ground. With a sudden, high-pitched cry, he leaps up and forward, easily clearing a good four feet of hight right from the start! His right leg lifts up with the knee still slightly-bent, and then the whole thing swings down in a swift raking motion toward Zach's noggin. A welcome to Strolheim and its way of life, one might say!
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Zach with Light Kick.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-------|======-\-------\0 Zach
Zach takes the kick directly to the brainpan, sagging a bit under the weight of the strike. He tries to shake the blinking lights out of his vision. He regards the old man carefully as he retakes his stance. Zach crouches slightly, calling up some of that extranatural power at his command.
Zach springs upward, throwing a heavy uppercut at Kaiwei's midsection, aiming to simply punch the man in midair!
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Kaiwei with Fierce Punch.
- Power hit! -
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Kaiwei 0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\0 Zach
There's only one problem with taking to the skies: there's really not a lot to do about retaliation! The old man is coming back down to earth, but on his way, there comes a...just this glorious vision. His eyes tell him that the very sun is coming toward him, such a beautiful bounty of radiance that he can't possibly look away. The other voice in his head is telling him to ignore it, to shrug it off, to put up SOME kind of guard, but by the time he does? Oh, it's far, far too late. The rising fist smashes cleanly into the old man's face, sending him spinning end over end before he slams head-first into the harsh tile floor. Gasps are heard around the ballroom; nobody had told them that this would also be a lightshow! They all seem very much impressed.
Kaiwei, however, is flat on the ground, wondering just what happened. Why does his jaw hurt? Wait, what IS a jaw? Does he have one? How many does he have? He gets back up to his feet, but he's shaky, wobbly. His shoulders are loose and he rocks in place. Even so, even with kind of glassy eyes and all, he lurches forward as if pushed from behind! His left, uninjured arm flies out as he gets close, fingers all tucked tightly together and extended with a quick, strange jab toward Zach's throat!
COMBATSYS: Zach blocks Kaiwei's Jade Girl Prepares Feast.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-======|=======\-------\1 Zach
Zach parries the thrust with a raised left arm, wincing a bit as the speed of the thing burns his skin. "Keep pressing into their chest," Zach thinks as, instead of backing off of the older man, Zach steps in! More of that yellow light sheaths Zach's right as he plants his feet.
Zach's hips twist towards the old man as he drives a right straight from his shoulder. The light around his arm rushes towards his fist, bursting in motes of light at the end of the strike. Zach's concern about the old man's condition is kept carefully off of his face. Something tells him to keep this professional, but he could not say what that'd be.
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Kaiwei with Medium Punch.
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Kaiwei 1/-----==/=======|=======\=------\1 Zach
Kaiwei is certainly unlike a specific old man that Zach is probably used to fighting! This one is fragile and squishy, and his fingers are not as tough as nails. No, once again, he's hit clean in the kisser once again, bringing a sort of wet crack as the cartilidge in his nose is jarred. Again he falls in a lump, but he's quicker on his feet this time. Too quick, in fact, as he again wobbles upon rising.
"...Are we supposed to start yet?" he asks, sniffing immediately afterwards. The presence of blood in his sinuses brings a confused look before he wipes it with his sleeve, looking at the thin red streak left behind. Oh hell. The fight's started? When did this happen? And why, oh why, is his brain betraying him worse than usual? His eyes lift up, and there's Zach. There was...a fist. And behind him, there are animals? "When...how did you get me here?! Is this a zoo? Are we fighting in a zoo now? What is this??" His voice gets higher and higher-pitched near the end as panic starts to set in. Unwilling to wait for answers, he lunges forward! Not seeking to collide with the other fighter, but slip past him, he attempts to drive his shoulder right into the young man's chest. Fall, damn you!
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Zach with Stealing Tiger's Meal.
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Kaiwei 1/----===/=======|=======\====---\1 Zach
Zach staggers back under Kawei's charge, giving like the china to the old man's bull. Zach falls on his back, quickly rolling to his feet. There's no neutral corners here, and no rules demanding that Kaiwei go to one. Zach is becoming increasingly troubled by the older man, and wishing again that he had some ability as a mentalist. Something it /clearly/ wrong here.
Zach takes a quick hop back as he regains his feet, breaking his stance to sweep his left hand in a short horizontal arc. A bolt of golden soul power whips towards Kaiwei, hopefully allowing Zach some breathing room...
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei reflects Warning Shot from Zach with Rooster Tail Hides the Sun.
- Power hit! -
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Kaiwei 1/---====/=======|=======\====---\1 Zach
Oh, it's going to be too late to console poor Kaiwei before long. His dementia is fueled by the inner power that Zach wields, and though he knows, on some level, that it's not real, he's backed into a corner insofar as winning goes! He looks a bit desperate, even moving in to close on the other man without missing a beat. His reaction to the 'whip' is instantaneous, bordering on intstinctual. It's a technique that many have seen when dealing with tendrils of...well, anything!
Rather than shy away from the brilliant glow, Kaiwei extends his hand to it. His good hand, of course! With bent wrist and curled fingers, he catches the power in the palm of his hand. From there, it rolls up and around his arm, snaking its way across as it sees fit. Travelling with the contours of his body instead of against it, the golden energy sparks as the orange glow of its antithesis balances the attack out in an endless loop of chi and soul power swirling into one, harmonious pattern of alternating light.
And then...thrusting his arms forward, Kaiwei just sends it all back in spades. Such a crafty old bastard.
COMBATSYS: Zach fails to slow Reflected Warning Shot from Kaiwei with Burst Stream EX.
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Kaiwei 1/--=====/=======|=======\======-\1 Zach
Zach frowns a bit as Kaiwei simply catches the bolt of energy in his good hand. He is only slightly less ruffled when the blast is augmented and returned. Perhaps projectile use, Zach's inherent style, is not going to be any good in this case? Maybe, maybe not. Zach knows that nothing is gained without an attempt.
Zach's response is almost automatic, dropping to a crouch and slapping the ground with an open palm. A spray of golden light launches towards the blast, and incidentally Kaiwei... just a moment too soon. The lightshow clears out, leaving Kaiwei's projectile to slam into Zach's chest, sending the young man sprawling. He looks at Kaiwei with a slight frown. Is Zach being played for a fool, or is there more to Kaiwei than his apparent insanity?
Even after the blast of mixed energy smashes Zach back down, Kaiwei remains in his pose for a few seconds. Then, his center of gravity shifts back with a fluid motion. Both of his arms swirl about similarly, his bad hand ending up behind him with the other extended, both sort of curled in a wave fashion. Yes, he is kind of crazy at times, and yes, his eyes are still wide and looking as though it's taking an awful lot of willpower to remain in this defensive pose...but he is old, and old people have all the experience.
"Are you all right?" he asks, but his voice is strained. It's still high-pitched and it squeaks once, prompting him to clear his throat. Soft steps move him in a quarter-circle around the guy, heading back toward the middle of the room; far away from the creepy creatures watching from the sidelines. Furthermore, the wiggles on the floor are getting to be downright maddening. Making no motion to attack, he focuses on his breathing, trying to steady himself and convince himself of what he should look at and what he should ignore.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei focuses on his next action.
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Kaiwei 1/--=====/=======|======-\-------\0 Zach
Zach grunts, and kicks his legs back before kippuping to his feet. He bounces on the balls of his feet almost experimentally as he resets his stance. "Yeah," he answers politely as he considers for a moment. He starts that weaving of his upper body, keeping his arms in close. Zach considers for a second before going to an unsurprising strategy:
Full Speed Ahead.
Zach dashes in once more, planting his feet as he gets in close. More of that vibrant yellow energy sheathes his left arm as he slams the fist into Kaiwei's liver. Perhaps a bit brutal, but it is a punch he has practiced hundreds of times over the past few months.
Zach doesn't stop there, reaching for Kaiwei's coat in order to throw the man across the room!
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei interrupts Charged Combo from Zach with Lightning Scatters Horses.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/--=====|=======\====---\1 Zach
That hit to the liver is a good one. Though he turns to face Zach, the guy is QUICK, and that first hit goes in clean. A pained expression and a huff of forced breath ride out come with a cry of pain. Perhaps if he'd not been so skittish about his bad hand, he'd had been able to stop it! But, what's done is done, and the old man can only attempt to roll with the punches.
Literally.
As soon as the fist tries to pull away, Kaiwei already has his hand wrapped around it. It's the bandaged one, so there's once again a pitiful little squeal of agony as he tries to hold a good grip on it. With a spin, he pulls Zach's arm up and over back behind his own head, using his own momentum to twist and grind and send him spinning onto the harsh floor. It's exactly like something out of some awful kung-fu flick...but that's not the end of it! Oh no. Releasing the grasped fist, Kaiwei takes a single step back and, quite simply, vaults upward and forward in a gorgeous, but low flip over his body. Right in the middle, as he's upside-down over the downed man, he shoves both hands down to vault off of his chest. The impact is...loud. Sounding much a detonated explosive, a gout of orange chi erupts and grinds him into the floor, simultaneously launching the geezer off of him and away!
...The same geezer that lands in a crouch, caring less for the state of the other fighter than he does for coddling his poor hand. The gauze is starting to stain itself with a bit of red, to nobody's surprise!
Zach lets out a huff as he goes to the floor, and then yells out in pain as Kaiwei makes with the chi explosion. Zach's shirt is tattered, revealing a bloody mess centering around a small area on his chest. Zach coughs up a bit of blood as he drags himself to his feet. He eyes the older man while circling him. More of that golden energy envelopes Zach.
The would starts to close a bit as Zach tries to get his wind back. He knows he should press the offense, but the old man has turned back half of the attacks Zach has sent at him. This requires a plan.
COMBATSYS: Zach gains composure.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Zach
The respite is greatly appreciated, even if it's not for Kaiwei's benefit! Little by little, the throbbing in the hand with the HOLE in it lessens. When the pain is finally bearable, the teary-eyed old man lets out a soft sigh of relief. "I swear, this would heal faster if they didn't put a loaf of bread on it." The fingers on the hand curl and flex a little, and though he may wince, it doesn't feel like he's got a whole spike being driven up his arm anymore.
"Oh!" The bright light surrounding Zach draws his attention once again. It really is glorious, for in Keiwei's eyes, it's like a rainbow coating, always swirling, always in motion. He sighs a bit, shoulders falling loose again. "That really is incredible, my kids would love to see it..."
Oh. His kids! The realization jars him with all the weight of a physical blow. His kids! What is he doing admiring another man's talent?! Without any other warning, the geezer rushes in with low, quick steps. As soon as he's close, he tries to press his good hand against Zach's chest. It's a light push; it won't do much on its own. It's the way that he swiftly slips behind him and tries to sling his other arm around his neck while kicking out the guy's knees from under him...THAT would probably do the job!
COMBATSYS: Zach fails to interrupt Medium Throw from Kaiwei with Third Stance.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Zach
It looks like whatever momentum Zach may have had at the beginning of the fight has evaporated. Zach snaps out a jab as Kaiwei places his hand on Zach. By design, the jab misses. Contrary to Zach's plan, however, the lance of psychic energy that follows in the next moment /also/ goes wide.
Zach crumples under Kaiwei's hold, trying to get his legs under him. The problem is that Kaiwei has not only leverage on the psychic, but also enough height that Zach's vision starts to go...
Well, isn't this a turnaround! Kaiwei, who had been so horribly, brutally beaten in the beginning, is coming through in the end like some sort of dark horse. Don't be fooled, though! After slamming Zach to the ground once again, he sort of hunches over him, panting in a few deep gulps of heavy breath. He glances up, wondering if the fight may finally be over. The closest thing to a fight commentator is the penguin gesturing madly at him; a creature that he has to squint to make out. "What do you mean, keep going? He's not..." Oh, this isn't right. The man is down, and the penguin wants him to finish him off! He swears it was in a deep, powerful voice that commanded it...but it could have been the invisible bird on his shoulder as well. His lips are tugged into a deep frown...
"Are you okay? Do you want to keep going?" he asks, extending a hand to help the poor guy up. Will it bite him in the ass? Perhaps! But really, beating on a guy when he's on his back is just not right at all.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei takes no action.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/-======|=====--\-------\0 Zach
Zach pulls himself to his feet, shaking off the offered hand as he wobbles slightly. "I can continue," Zach rasps. He takes a half-step away from Kaiwei, considering his next move for a brief moment. He decides to get back to what he started with.
Zach dashes in close, firing off a quick soul powered jab, directly off of the shoulder, aimed at Kaiwei's head in an attempt to stagger the old man. He will adjust after he sees Kaiwei's reaction to the punch...
COMBATSYS: Zach successfully hits Kaiwei with Jab Punch.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Zach
Oh, what a world! How terrible that Kaiwei, the kind, wonderful, mentally-sick old man should offer his aid only to be punched right in the head!
"How rud--"
WALLOP.
The blow sends Kaiwei staggering back now, arms flailing out as he strives to keep himself from falling over. A fresh trickle of blood streaks from each nostril. By the time he realizes what had happened, it feels like minutes have passed! He claps both hands over his nose, which only makes the pain worse. On top of that, suddenly putting pressure on his injured hand compounds it! The Chinese man screams and yells and flails around in an insane fit. It's hard to really get a bead on him, when he's moving about all erratically like that. When he spots Zach out of the corner of his eye, something just...it snaps. He stands still, staring at the man...and with a warrior's shrill cry, he rushes in and vaults, swinging out a foot as though he's trying to kick the guy's head clean off!!
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei successfully hits Zach with Roundhouse Kick.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Zach
Zach drops like a stone as the kick slams into his head. Zach tries to shake the ringing loose, and that only serves to make it worse. Zach tries to pull himself to his feet, but it is simply easier to stay down...
...but no. Paths are forged by going forward, and never by staying still. Zach regains his feet with a wobbly determination. He staggers towards Kaiwei, taking an almost random path toward the old man. He dips towards his left, before lunging up with a thunderous uppercut aimed at Kaiwei's torso. Zach just wants to connect with the guy, not literally knock his head off!
COMBATSYS: Zach can no longer fight.
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Kaiwei 0/-------/=======|
COMBATSYS: Zach knocks away Kaiwei with Burst Strike.
[ <
Kaiwei 1/--=====/=======|
It's hard enough for Kaiwei to see what he's SUPPOSED to see as it is in his mad frenzy. It's impossible to deal with the finer aspects of tactics...things like, oh, getting out of the way! Even if he tried, the strange way that Zach moves would probably spell his defeat...which is apparently what happened. The purple-haired guy's uppercut connects solid with his jaw, rattling the poor brain that's already seeping in schizo juices. A knock on the chin alone is usually enough to mess with someone.
with Kaiwei, already having been battered to hell and back, simply turns right off.
He flies upward, back, and crashes to the ground, sliding on his back into the crowd of influental people. There's a flurry of activity as they all try to get out of the way. And then, they wait. Kaiwei, Zach. Zach, Kaiwei. Which of them will rise first? Apparently, neither of them get up fast enough, as the penguin comes waddling in to declare the fight over.
Another fight, another draw. Another week kicked out of his home! Maybe, just maybe, he'll find what it takes.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Kaiwei can no longer fight.
Log created on 13:16:33 09/25/2011 by Kaiwei, and last modified on 09:19:15 09/26/2011.