Description: It's the finals! Mai Shiranui, kunoichi extraordinaire, faces off against the stern, po-faced Gato Futaba, master of a bone-crunchingly powerful style of Kung Fu. Who will prevail?!?
It's been a long, strange trip. Barreling through the shapeless adrogyny of Momoko. Enduring the long road of wanton penii. And now, he's... hmm. Mai? She's actually a buxom, attractive individual. Ah. She must be a transvestite. Yes, that is just the sort of thing that Lee would spring on him. He must not drop his guard, even in the finals. Although two fights worth of clothing damage amounts to little; he's still wearing very gaudy swim trunks, but Eagle managed not to dislodge those in the slightest. Even if things have been a bit grandiose, here. A proper fighting arena was built, with four spotlights rolling around in the sky, prismatic colors that are clearly visible even in daylight. Fireworks scream and pop overhead, or spit out brilliant sparks here and there. Massive amounts of moshing fans fill the perimeter, but Gato is simply resting cross-legged in the sand. Blanking out everything, slumped forward with head dipped and palms on his knees. There is nothing. Nothing. But the sick, wet pop of Lee Chaolan's nose splintering beneath his fist. Yes. Only one more obstacle... and his great, pride-shattering march will finally be over. Vengeance shall be his.
This is supposed to be a light-hearted, fun little 'beach battle', which would naturally favor the beautiful and charismatic Mai Shiranui. But today, her garb is more... conservative. Well, more conservative for her, which still makes it pretty scandalous for most women--but she wears the two-piece bikini, open Hawaiian shirt, and white denim shorts well. It's quite the venue for the finale, but Mai is nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be seen at all--until there's a sudden explosion of wind, a brief, swirling storm of a tornado--from which, inexplicably, the kunoichi emerges. Her expression is pretty solemn; she's heard of Gato. This isn't gonna be a fun, easy-natured fight--this is gonna be serious and dangerous. She can't rely on Gato to not try to actually kill her. She's gonna have to marshal all her skill for this. "Shiranui Mai is here!" she proclaims, flourishing one of her fans in a display of skill, but that's about all the play to the audience that she does--even under the lights. She just settles into her stance, half-crouched, feet wide for mobility, bobbing back and forth.
COMBATSYS: Mai has started a fight here.
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Mai 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Gato has joined the fight here.
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Gato 0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0 Mai
Light-hearted and fun. Yes; a fool might make the mistake of getting that impression from Lee Chaolan. Before he does... the things he does. Grinning and tittering all the while. No. This tournament might be a vehicle of fun for everyone involved, but for Gato, it is only a headhunt. Lee has to meet the winner in person. There's no way for coy phone messages or guards or secretaries to keep Gato at bay. "...Mai." he states simply. "You are indeed an excellent fighter... it is a shame that circumstance... will rob me of truly enjoying this honor." He lifts himself up, slowly shifting into an aggressive stance. "Lee is not the man he seems. I must strike him down from his pedestal... no matter what the cost!!" And with that he rushes forward, initiating the fight with all the severity of a desperate man. Whirling about, he brings his heel towards Mai's side with raw power despite the short arc, trying to blow through any defense she might muster. Probably not the best tactic against someone who moves in three dimensions, honestly...
COMBATSYS: Gato successfully hits Mai with Medium Kick.
- Power hit! -
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Gato 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Mai
Mai is curious. Well, Lee Chaolan... of course he isn't what he seems. But she doesn't know why that is triggering Gato's need for vengeance. Before she can reply--before anyone 'starts' the fight--Gato does. And while his heel kick might not be -advisable- against those who move in three dimensions, when delivered with the kind of power and the kind of brutal suddenness that he delivers it--it's effective. Frightfully so, for Mai's supporters and for Mai herself--as she is catapulted, in moments, from her standing position into a screaming, rolling tumble across the sand. She's gonna feel that for the next -five- mornings, but as she rises to her feet, she thinks--she can't let herself be scared. That's how she would have been -before-. Now, she's a woman, a fighter of her own renown. She'll just have to give back as much as she can. Ignoring the pain, though it's already a little hard to breathe, Mai rushes back in, running forward in that odd, forward-leaning run ninjas do--only to pull up short, just a few feet from Gato--and explode, literally, into a column of blazing chi flame. From within that brief burning flame, Mai's voice echoes, strong and sure: "KAGERO NO MAI!"
COMBATSYS: Mai successfully hits Gato with Kagero no Mai.
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Gato 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Mai
Indeed, Gato's destructive force stands near the top of the world. That probably wasn't in doubt, but it's certainly a brutal reminder when it falls into potentially cracked ribs. A foot slams back down, breath exhaling as he brings up his forearms once more. A forward charge? Suicidal!! Gato attempts to push forward, but he wasn't expecting a literal explosion from the ninja. His hands are thrown up too late, and with a great grunt of pain he's sent whirling backwards. Landing in a crouch, swimtrunks blackened heavily, he slowly exhales. "Heh...!" Rather than press the offensive, he waits patiently. Watching Mai with the intensity of a hawk. If he rushes forward like a bull, Mai will just lead him around by the snout and crush him. No. She even beat Athena, someone Gato would never say with confidence he could overcome. He cannot simply let the opportunity to annihilate Lee slip through his fingers...!!
COMBATSYS: Gato focuses on his next action.
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Gato 0/-------/----===|=======\-------\0 Mai
Mai can feel that Gato is studying her. There's little she can do about that--just as she rushed in this time, doing so again--while he's -prepared-, too--will probably end up in serious injury. So... she backs off. Clearly, Gato has far more invested in this tournament than Mai does, which is not a good or bad thing, in her estimation. She hasn't had dealings with Lee Chaolan, directly, and so she hasn't really looked into the kind of person he is, though she might after this fight. It'll be good reading while she's healing up from Gato's savage attacks. Still, she can't just wait Gato out--not her style and it works to his advantage anyways. So, marshalling herself, she opens one of her fans, locking it into position with the ease of long familiarity, then, with a quick twist away and back, she hurls the fan, spinning it through the air with an alacrity and accuracy that most wouldn't and shouldn't expect from what looks to be a typical fan.
COMBATSYS: Gato blocks Mai's Kachou Sen EX.
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Gato 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1 Mai
The initial clash definitely favors Gato; although he's heavily singed, so nobody can claim it to be entirely one sided. He's edging through the sand slowly, breath coming slow and focused with forearms raised. Of course, she chooses the most prudent method to attack; trying to keep him at bay! It cracks in the center of crossed forearms, staggering him a moment with a grunt. Before he kicks forward violently, sand spilling in either direction as he closes the distance in a heartbeat. Slow to the ground, he stomps once before twisting and then bringing his back towards Mai, trying to impact her with a sudden, but surprisingly violent flow of kinetic energy. "HNN!!"
COMBATSYS: Gato knocks away Mai with Fuu-Ga.
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Gato 0/-------/--=====|=======\=====--\1 Mai
The injury to her ribs is slowing her down--she can feel it. Even with the distance created by the impact of her fan, Gato finds it easy enough to close the gap--and when his back slams into her, it's like she hit a brick wall. Only a last-second turn of her head as she tried to plant her feet to reverse momentum saves her from a broken nose--the soft sand hampering her movements just so, as she's sent flying back the way she came, once again hitting with an uncontrolled tumble--the sand softening that blow somewhat. As her supporters moan and wail in fear and dismay, Mai finds herself slower to get up. Is the difference in their physical builds? In experience? In their dedication to the fight? She can't say. But, like Gato, she's going to give everything to the fight--she can do no less. Once upon her feet, she starts running for Gato again--closing the distance somewhat before, strangely, flipping into a cartwheel. That's just the setup, though--for as soon as her feet touch the ground, she pushes off, and now she's flying at Gato nearly horizontally, her right elbow aimed for his sternum, and as she kicks off, she's boosted by the explosion of chi fire all around her and over her, covering her body as she describes a brief comet-trail across the sands.
COMBATSYS: Mai successfully hits Gato with Chou Hissatsu Shinobi Bachi.
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Gato 1/-----==/=======|=------\-------\0 Mai
There was an attempt to get out of the way, assuredly. But Gato had pressed forward once he sent Mai flying. There is no mercy evident, here. Whatever horrible grudge he has against Lee is leveled against Mai with a burning passion. There's no sense of killing intent, but with such destructive power within even simple blows, that cannot be too consoling. Leaping straight up, her elbow manages to nail him right in the midsection. Sent flying backwards in a whirlwind of fire, he slams into the sand facedown... with the tattered ashes of his swimtrunks trailing behind. Slowly he rises, glancing down with a frown. A quick snatch catches the towel from a nearby fan, which he coils about his midsection. "If you triumph, Mai. You must promise me... to at least strike that bastard once." But he is assuredly going to try to finish things. Whirling back around, he then charges at Mai headlong. But his intent is to feint her; make her jump straight upwards. So he can roar and launch skywards, kicking out as a great cerulean blaze of chi engulfs him. Trying to shatter through her guard and send the ninja flying!!! ... Of course, he loses his makeshift towel in the attempt. Even his modesty cannot endure in the face of Lee's tournament!!
COMBATSYS: Gato successfully hits Mai with Tatsu Kiba.
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Gato 0/-------/-------|=======\===----\1 Mai
There's just enough time to reply. "You got it--" And then the storm is upon Mai. Instinctively, she -does- jump, which proves to be exactly the wrong thing to do--moments later, she's caught by that flying kick and the burst of chi. The one saving grace is that she is protected from the sight of Gato losing his towel, but that's short compensation for the blizzard of pain, as Mai would, were she conscious, find herself flying once again. When she impacts the sand -this- time... she doesn't stir for a good ten-count, and when she does, it's to sit up, not to stand up. There's clearly no fight left in her; she's leaning back on her hands, trying to gather herself, and realizing that Gato shall have his vengeance, or so it seems. At least he didn't try to kill her. Even as the announcement is made, and money changes hands out in the audience... Mai can't find herself too disappointed. She did well, and if she wasn't a match for Gato's fury, well... that just means she'll have to try harder next time.
COMBATSYS: Mai takes no action.
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Gato 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Mai can no longer fight.
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Gato 0/-------/-------|
Gato lands heavily with a grunt, eyeballing his towel as it flutters away. No matter. This is it. The final sting. He's made it... the long, hard journey hasn't been for naught. One hand shifts forward, pointing accusingly at a camera. There's a lot of them. Was there always so many? And enough with the flash photography!! "LEE." he shouts out. "I AM READY FOR YOU." Oh, Gato will regret this. In the heat of the moment, stating that boldly while naked and scorched was a poor idea. But all he can see is the end of this darkness and the parting shadows. Twisting away, he snatches up the bright pink towel with yellow ducklings on it, wraps it about his hips, and makes his way out of the ring. JUSTICE... SHALL SOON BE WROUGHT.
COMBATSYS: Gato has ended the fight here.
Log created on 20:43:26 07/04/2013 by Mai, and last modified on 22:54:51 07/04/2013.