Description: When life hands you a kidnapping, you go beat the crap out of a helpless car for a few minutes. ... This is not a good analogy for life, or anything!
Insurance can be a handy thing! If you get in a car wreck, it will pay for a replacement! If you get your car shredded by thugs from a malevolent dictator plotting to take over the world... well, it doesn't pay as much. But that's why if you let your kids babysit, it better be for someone with deep pockets, because the salvage yard doesn't pay a heck of a lot for something with no tires, rims bent to heck and back, a busted transmission, and bulletholes riddling the sides. Not to mention bootprints denting in the roof.
After the engine (which was mostly okay) was removed and sold, the degree of damage to the car meant it was worth more for scrap metal than for the parts off of it. And auto salvage yards usually don't want to bother breaking it down into component parts. But Dan Hibiki could use a few hundred bucks, and he knows just the people to do it for him!
Neighborhood kids, just down the street from Ken's street. CHILD LABOR, BABY! ... Closer inspection shows that he's actually pulled a few body panels off the busted-up car, and has set them up on makeshift frameworks to let the kids bat around. With boxing gloves. Safety first and all.
"EXCELLENT, Jimmy! That's exactly it! Your form is perfect, except for the part where you hit with the back of your hand! That may work fine for namby-pamby martial arts like Muay Thai, but in SAIKYO-RYU, you sacrifice all of the power if you don't..." He punches the body panel twice in a row to demonstrate: "... punch... like this!"
Standing back, he admires his handiwork, cradling his chin in his hand. "See? In no time, we'll have this thing flattened out like a pancake!"
He hasn't noticed that, of the four kids, three have already lost interest and wandered off... leaving poor Jimmy alone in front of the makeshift sign reading 'LEARN SAIKYO-RYU! FREE LESSONS TODAY ONLY!'
Expensive cars are a dime a dozen, really. Even the ones on this street. But considering that the convertible that is cruising up the street and in the general direction of the Masters Estate (far, far, far, far, FAR up the hill) is carrying none other than Ken Masters, there's likely a chance that this particular expensive car is worth paying closer attention to than the others in this neighborhood. Okay, maybe it has something to do with the fact that this car is the most expensive one in this neighborhood. Whatever. It still rocks.
Ken doesn't look to be paying too close attention to whatever is going on around him. He's not even driving fast for once and that's definitely something that should be a clue that he's not exactly himself. His facial expression is somewhere between somber, annoyed and determined (SAD) and he's at the stop sign for a bit longer than he should be. The car behind him doesn't honk, though, as the word has spread around the neighborhood about what has happened. So they are more apt to give him a little bit of time to react to things. There's not even any music playing. And Ken always has music playing. Also, Mel is nowhere to be found. Must be off at his Aunt's. Safe.
Ken's eyes are dragged over towards what's left of a familiar car and his eyebrows raise. He spots Dan, car parts and a single kid. He sighs and shakes his head, reaching for his phone to check it. Again. Still no contact and still no word from Ryu. Or anyone else for that matter. He sighs once more, gripping the wheel a bit as he stares at Dan. "Ugh. I hope I don't regret this." is muttered to himself, as he finally starts making the turn and pulls up alongside of the makeshift child labor lawless dojo that Dan has set up. It takes him a long time to work up the nerve to actually put the car in park and then he's turning in his seat to look over at Dan and his set up.
"Trolling for students again, Dan?" Ken forces a smile that isn't exactly as awesome as his usual one is. But he's trying. His mind is many elsewheres right now.
The undisputed master of Saikyo-ryu martial arts had some passing familiarity of the area, of course! And who wouldn't be able to guess where Ken Masters lived? He's brash, confident, and he owns like half the town in some form, so yeah! This was partly the sheer MADNESS behind Dan's plan to get the nancyboy Ansatsuken fighter's attention.
It would've totally worked if Dan hadn't been -completely- oblivious to Ken's expensive car, his unplayed music, or even the playboy's swagger -- oblivious, that is, until Jimmy treats Ken as a diversion. "Look, mister! It's Ken Masters!"
"Wha-?! Where?!" Dan's eyes go wide as he whirls around, his hands spread wide in expectation of Ken to be sailing towards him at him with a brutal flying kick... or even one of those blasted Hadoukens!
... It's... it's never a bad thing to be overly prepared, though, is it? "Y-yes! I mean no! Of course I don't need to 'troll' for students, are you CRAZY?! Jimmy here was just--" He turns back to Jimmy.
Tumbleweeds! How the heck did those get here?! Serenaded by crickets, even!
Dan sweeps his forelock back, belting out a riotous laugh! "PAHAHAHAHA! No doubt he was intimidated by the length of rigorous discipline it would take to become a master such as myself! Saikyo-ryu isn't for everyone, Ken Masters... But don't worry! I'm sure I can make room for you if you're interested in a--"
Dan stops his pitch, squinting as he looks up at Ken. "Wh-- don't tell me you're sad! I.... I may come across a little strong, Masters, but I half expected a bit more fight from you! Don't mistake my challenge to your honor as a true attack, it's just an attempt to ignite the flame burning inside!" He flashes a winning thumbs-up, his teeth catching the light of the sun in a blinding display. *ping!* He may be in the right place... but it doesn't seem like he's heard the local news yet.
The amount of rolling of eyes that comes from Ken is enough to win big at Las Vegas or something. No, seriously, it is completely overdramatic and there's even some shaking of the head that goes with it. There's like this whole process. There always is when you're dealing with Dan. By the time he's finished with the eye roll, Ken has almost started the car back up. Almost. His hand is on the key and everything. It takes some resolve to actually pull his fingers away from the keys.
"Dan. Come on. We've been through this what, like, a hundred times? You can't beat me." Ken throws open the door, which is almost completely out of character for him. He's almost always so happy to just jump over the side or slide across the hood or something. He pushes the door closed behind him and leans in to grab his phone, keeping it handy in case of ransom calls or something. He's also decked out in his gi and is shoeless, because he's probably getting ready to start packing up for war. Or something.
"But? You /can/ fight." Ken is moving around the back of the vehicle at that point, realizes what he said and pauses both in his words and his footsteps. "Kinda'." A nod to himself because that fits a little bit better and then he's paying more attention to what's left of Stacey's car than he is Dan himself. But he's speaking to the uh, well, Saikyo-Ryu Master? "Listen. I can't believe I'm about to say this but--"
Ken's gaze has been pulled towards the ground at this point because this means he has truly hit the bottom of the barrel. He really has. If he has to ask Dan Hibiki for any kind of help with anything. Especially this. "Dan? Dude?" Sigh. Ken's facial expression looks almost as if he's about to vom all over the place. And he probably will. But first?
"... I need your help."
Can't beat Ken? CAN'T BEAT KEN? Hibiki's face starts to turn a curious shade of red as a vein on his forehead bulges. As Ken closes his car door, he protests, "W-what on earth are you talking about?! Ken, Ken, Ken..." He shakes his head for a moment, then raises a finger. "Oh, I know. That ONE time, you had your student by, so I let you win so as to inspire him! Anyone, and I do mean anyone, can completely crush you beneath their heel, but it takes a real man to take the fall for the sake of improving our youth! No man ever stands as tall as when he helps a crippled child, they say -- and your poor student couldn't even form a fireball! Haha, you probably forgot all about my magnanimous act for the sake of education!"
... But then Ken acknowledges he can fight. "W-well of course I can fight! Better than you and that other guy, I might add! Do you know that for this entire month, I've been -completely undefeated- in combat?" The month's two days old, sure...
Dan takes a moment to deliver a whirling roundhouse kick to the defenseless hood panel he had hanging nearby. *ker-CLANG!*
... Still. Ken sounds like he has an important request. Dan stops showing off and leans close, "Uh huh? I'm.. listening..."
Ken Masters needs Dan Hibiki's help.
The Saikyo-ryu expert, for once, is at a complete loss for words.
"... Well. I... I don't know what to say. I'm in the middle of an exhibition, and..."
Dan gets socked in the head with a tumbleweed. Seriously, what the heck kind of neighborhood IS this?
"Alright. But do you need it =right= this minute? I've... I've got this schedule to keep, it's serious! You can't just expect me to drop everything..."
An idea occurs to Dan. "Ken Masters! In the name of Saikyo-ryu, I CHALLENGE YOU! If you succeed, I'll agree to help you! And if =I= succeed, =you= will be the one who separates this car into its component metals for salvage!" He then adds, mumbling under his breath (for some unknown reason, as who's really watching?!) "and then maybe i'll help you."
Dan flexes his maaaaassive bicep at Ken, eyes squinting from the XTREMENESS of it all! "So! KEN MASTERS!? ARE YOU A BAD ENOUGH DUDE TO ACCEPT MY CHALLENGE?!"
A car honks at Dan and Ken as it passes by. But it's more out of frustration at all the noise, if the middle finger the driver flung towards Hibiki was any indication.
Somewhere in the middle of Dan's speech, Ken has managed to facepalm. Quite a few times. He can't believe that he's actually listened to this entire thing. Normally? He would've just gotten in the car and driven off somewhere in the middle of Dan's talkative tirade. But no. This time he has decided that it just might be worth getting as many bodies as possible to help him if he's going to end up storming some Shadaloo fortress. He's going to need all the help he can get. And some intel that Guile gets him. So that he can save the mother of his child.
"Fine." Ken really does not sound like he wants to do this. But if this is what it takes to get some assistance to help save his wife, then he can go ahead and whoop up on Dan again. It's not like he hasn't done it a few hundred times before. "But let the record show that you challenged me. And when I beat the Saiko-Ryu out of you, I don't wanna' hear no excuses. Alright?"
Maybe this moment with Dan is what Ken needed because his snark is returning at what seems to be an alarming rate. He tucks his phone behind his black belt and steps back a bit, planting his feet and immediately preparing for what will likely be a quick deconstruction of Dan Hibiki. Again. He pumps his fists a few times before raising a sparring gloved hand and beckoning Dan with a taunting finger.
"Bring it on. I'm ready for ya'!" And there's the beginnings of the signature Ken Masters smirk. Fighting solves everything. Even these horrible mood swings he's been having since Eliza has been taken.
COMBATSYS: Dan has started a fight here.
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Dan 0/-------/-------|
COMBATSYS: Ken has joined the fight here.
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Ken 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Dan
Dan gives a wide smile as Ken accepts his challenge. If it got any wider it would probably hurt someone! "Excellent! And don't worry, Ken Masters! This will only be one blemish of many upon your record, so let's not dwell on how long that list is! No excuses necessary!"
And to that end, Dan makes a show of leaping backwards. Tightening his belt, he then bows honorably to Ken -- this is karate, of a sort, so one should be respectful to one's opponents! To Ken's raised finger, Dan raises his bicep once more! TREMBLE BEFORE ITS MIGHT
"Are you really ready, Mr Masters? /Really/ ready? Because there's no turning back now..." He snaps into a horse stance, heels planted far apart, elbows at his waist as he grits his teeth and makes a low... grumbling noise? Is that supposed to be menacing? "Because I've been training long and hard for this day!"
And with a sudden burst of energy, Dan Hibiki plans to make good on that challenge, surging forth in a sudden flying kick! One foot snaps out towards Ken's face, before he shifts mid-air into a second kick, and if either of those connect he'd sling his momentum into a third, aimed at laying the Ansatsuken fighter out flat! "HYA! HYA! HYAAAAAA!"
There, there, see? Dan knows how to lift a man's spirits -- by being completely irrelevant! ... Er, irreverent?!
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Dan's Dankuu Kyaku.
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Ken 0/-------/------=|-------\-------\0 Dan
Ken was standing right where those legs of Dan's were headed. But by the time Hibiki finishes with all that movement and flourishing and extra style, Ken Masters is nowhere near him. Okay, that's a lie. Ken is good but he's not that good. Okay, that's a lie too. Ken Masters is amazing but this time he's just better than Dan Hibiki. Which is why he's stepping forward as Dan takes to the air, dropping into a rolling dodge underneath the leaping legs of Dan's flying kick of almost-awesome and popping up to his feet on the other side.
"Less hya and more skill, Danielle-San." Ken quips. He's always wanted to make a Karate Kid reference. And now he's got the perfect person he can make it to on a regular basis and have it still be funny. Especially because of the pink. Because that just makes it all the more hilarious. Especially to himself.
Ken immediately turns around to face what should be a landing Dan by now, immediately raising his right leg with ferocious speed in an attempt to bring it down on the top of Dan's skull with his powerful heel. Because his feet are stronger and more painful than any shoes he might've worn. Also, because he's trying to woozy-head this frakenfighter. "Y'know, like this." Ken can't help but to talk crap. Even while his mind is a little bit not all there. But he's fighting Dan so this probably actually puts them on even footing.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Dan with Inazuma Kakato Wari.
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Ken 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Dan
Dan lands in a low crouch, planting his hand on the ground and rising to face Ken. But it's just as he's rising that he realizes Ken is already right there in his grill -- and scything his shin around towards the back of his neck. CRACK! The sound of bone cracking against skull is loud enough to resound an echo throughout the otherwise placid tree-lined streets, as Dan buckles to the ground, barely able to catch himself on his hands as he's brought down soundly to the pavement. Grimacing with pain, he pushes off with his palms and leaps backwards into a reverse tumble -- if nothing else, he's good at rolling!
Springing backwards to his feet, he lands in a nimble stance, raising his index finger to Ken as a gesture of... mockery? "Laugh while you can, Barbie! It's like that Sun Daihatsu guy said, if you give your enemy a taste of victory at the beginning... they'll be overconfident and slip up!" If Sun Tzu actually said that, it was probably not phrased so poorly...
Cracking his neck from one side to the other, he then shouts out, "But that's okay! One kick won't win the fight for you, Masters! Are you ready to feel the BURN!?" Hibiki breaks into a quick dash back at Ken, and it looks like he might just haul off and deck him with a meaty punch to the face -- but no, he stops short and lets the momentum carry a basketball-sized orb of blue energy right to its destination instead! "GADOUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Ken overcomes Gadouken from Dan with Hadouken.
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Ken 0/-------/------=|===----\-------\0 Dan
Ken barely wants to even be dealing with this idiot right now. He really doesn't. There's so much more that he could be doing. And he's not even budging when he notices that Dan is rushing towards him. He's got a few ideas in his head on how to knock this fool down but he almost gets distracted by Dan's words. "Did you just call me, Barbie? Seriously, dude?"
As Dan launches his projectfaile, there's a smirk from the Masters of the Universe. Ken narrows his eyes and brings his hands backwards, his feet planting themselves for grounding purposes and he brings in a quick gatherment of chi. "Hadouken!" doesn't have the same echo and flavor as it usually does, as this is one of those quick fireballs that comes blasting forth from his hands to swallow up the Gadouken and maybe even put some stank chi all up in Dan's grill. Whatever, Ken is all about showing Dan how it's done. And then some.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Dan with Hadouken.
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Ken 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Dan
"Tsk... It just goes to show how much you have to learn, Masters! The PSYCHOLOGY of a battle is at least as important as the poor quality of the punches and kicks you throw! You just go for the low hanging fruit in changing my name to a female variant, whereas the -master- is able to roll that into a hip and /modern/ pop culture phenomenon! Why, I--"
And while Dan is standing there lecturing about the finer points of taunting, he seems to have utterly failed to notice Ken's tighter, more compact fireball punch right through the center of Dan's Gadouken and emerge through the other side, leaner, meaner, and a hell of a lot greener. Er, blue-white...r? Whatever!
"--could even say that I =improved= on your... NNRGH!" Okay, yep, he noticed -- and instead of trying to get out of the way, Dan tries to charge right -through- the blast, using his shoulder as a battering ram.
Well, that was the intent. It clipped his shoulder, and snapped his head back like he'd been slapped. Hard!
"... Alright, Ken! Master class is =in session=, so it's time to get jiggy widdit!" Hip, modern, pop culture references. That's Dan Hibiki, take a page from the sensei here! "Yoshaaaa!" Hibiki launches himself forward, making up for lost ground as he snaps a whirling kick towards Ken, with every aim of knocking that smug smirk right off his face!
COMBATSYS: Ken dodges Dan's Light Kick.
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Ken 0/-------/----===|=======\=------\1 Dan
Ken looks like he's already had enough. Either of the fight or Dan's talking. It is more than likely the latter. He's all about trying to get down and whoop some of his opponents, but this dude is simply ridiculous. "Man. I stopped listening after I parked my car. Just sayin'." Ken's own snark is managed to be said as he spins backwards on his heels and out of the way of that kick heading in his direction. "I know you think you're all that and a bag of chips, Dan. But come on. When are you going to get serious and actually let someone teach you how to hit, well, not me because you can't. But somebody!"
Ken's got his own little speech going. But that's also just to try and keep Dan's mind busy (as if there's enough in there to be busy), while he attempts to put a little bit of quick pain to the side of Dan's face, by sliding in and jabbing at him with a quick right hand. And then another one. Oh and one more because why not. He's fast like that.
COMBATSYS: Ken successfully hits Dan with Jab Punch.
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Ken 0/-------/---====|=======\===----\1 Dan
After his kick whiffs, Dan hops backwards, giving Ken some distance to cover as he talks. "Stopped listening?! Even the best of fighters - of which you're not, but keep trying! - have much to learn from every battle! When your journey stops, Ken Masters... you may as well just roll over and die!
Dan may not be in the same league as Ken, but that is far from a good reason for him to stop talking the talk. As long as Ken's still engaged in the fight and not wallowing around in his loss... well, that's what matters. After all... Dan knows that the -true- way to cheer Ken up is to be a big punching bag that tries to fight back. Right? Which is TOTALLY why Dan raises his guard as Ken approaches, keeping his fists close to his face for some up close brawling... and he even deigns to let Ken sneak in a flurry of three punches. CONFIDENCE BUILDER. It's not like he couldn't have easily sidestepped them or anything, right?! Right.
"G-g-guwoooh!" And the groans of pain, yeah, those are just extra flavor. Gotta bolster Ken's ego, after all! DAN HIBIKI IS SUCH A GOOD FRIEND.
That's totally why, after stumbling back from those punches to the face, and still a bit dazed from the Hadouken that smacked him backwards... Dan is just crazy enough to do -something- to take advantage of Ken's close proximity. "Hisshou!" And that would start with a whirling a high snap kick to the temple!
COMBATSYS: Ken instinctively blocks Dan's Hisshou Burai Ken.
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Ken 0/-------/=======|===----\-------\0 Dan
Shifting, Dan would follow up with an overhand axe chop to further wear down the guard, then a kidney punch towards the stomach, and then, THEN, a whirling roundhouse to kick Ken off to the side. He'd -plan- on Ken to be sufficiently off-balance, he'd follow up with a blazing rising Saikyo-ryu uppercut towards the jaw! "ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA! BURAIIIKEENNNN!"
Ken was too close. That's a mistake that he's not going to make again. Not when he's fighting Dan. He can't afford to make any sort of mistakes when he's fighting Dan. It's friggin' =DAN= okay? It's just not supposed to be allowed that he's getting hit by Dan. Even though he's got his blocking arm up and he's tanking most of it with his forearm and then his thigh, the multiple hits are weakening his guard and pushing him backwards and backwards. He gets clipped by that uppercut, feeling it in his jaw but managing to not get struck full on by the asinine attack. Still, though, he's off-balance and he actually has to take a moment to right himself back up.
"That's the only one you get, Pinky."
It would seem as though Dan's teachings are helping to put Ken back into a better mental state. In fact, his eyes are starting to light up more since he's been struck. As he's making sure that Dan understands what he has done, even though he's starting to actually smile, he wags his finger back and forth as if that were a warning or something. Y'know, in case Dan was too busy talking or celebrating to understand what he was taunting back with.
Ken's body then moves quickly, spinning inwards and towards Dan, his body coming full circle. As he moves, his leg rises up, followed by his body, as he lifts off the ground just a bit, to see if he can't connect the heel of his foot with Dan's face in amazing leaping spin kicking action!
COMBATSYS: Dan fails to interrupt Ushiro Mawashi-geri from Ken with Kouryuken.
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Ken 1/------=/=======|=======\-------\1 Dan
Dan finally, -finally- gets to taste the citrus-scented glory of landing some hits on Ken... though it doesn't seem like they have even half of the impact the Saikyo-ryu master had intended! Legs bowing as he lands from his uppercut, he turns once more to face Ken -- and seems to be fairly pleased. You know, despite the sound beating he's been receiving throughout this entire fight.
As luck would have it... Jimmy came back. And he's brought his three friends, and they brought more. The sound of that exotic car just purring over there had attracted the little "student's" attention, and... okay, seriously, they're checking out Ken's ride at least as much as they are watching the fight at this point. But still, Dan's showing the kids what Saikyo-ryu is all about!
And despite his every intention of swatting Ken out of the air with another one of his fearsome, and slightly-off-balance uppercuts... well, he's just not fast enough! Dan shows the kids that Saikyo-ryu is all about getting smacked repeatedly in the face, staggering backwards from each blow, and TRYING to keep an ever-present smile on! Insult is added to the injury in knowing that the kicks Ken just visited upon Dan's face are pretty much the big brothers of the kicks he'd tried to start the fight in -- a point lost upon Dan as he's rocked backwards into the car hood he'd set up earlier. *ker-CLA-CLAAAANG*
He dives off to the side so as not to be the key ingredient in a Danwich, and raises his fist at Ken once more. "Pinky, now! You might think that's an insult, but I happen to know Pinkie Pie is the best pony of all!"
Yeah. Jimmy and his friends? ALL of them facepalm in perfect synchronicity.
"Dude. Chill. Pink is awesome. I meant the cartoon?" Ken realizes he's probably speaking and explaining to deaf ears and he just ends up giving a slightly frustrated wave of his hands to make sure that this is something that's not going to continue that much longer. He is, after all, starting to get more focused. And with an audience, well, it's definitely time to put a little more showing off into the mix.
Ken has already advanced on Dan, while he was smacking into the metal of the car hood and such. So by the time he's finished waving off his taunt explanation, Ken is crouched low enough to be gathering up all sorts of chi energy around his fist. Chi energy that has started to expand and reform around his rising fist as FIRE. Yes, it would seem as though Ken Masters is ready to take this fight up to new heights and even greater levels. As he thrusts himself upwards and towards Dan with a flaming fist and a curving hook to his rise. And, well, the phrase that pays:
"SHORYUKEN!"
COMBATSYS: Dan endures Ken's Shoryuken.
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Ken 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|=======\=======\1 Dan
"Damn right it's awesome!" he shouts back, raising his fist once more to Ken! ... And then he realizes Jimmy and his buddies have returned. "... I mean gosh darn right. GOSH DARN RIGHT IT'S AWESOME!"
... He's left a bit mystified as to what Ken was -trying- to say though, as he's already waving it off. No matter! "You may think you're about to triumph, Ken, but you can't be more wrong! See, I've been waging an extensive battle of WITS with you! And you're about to see my -devious plan- come to fruition! So come! Try your mightiest attack!"
And sure enough, Ken's right there waiting with a flaming Shoryuken! "HAHA! So the lion steps into the trap!" he cries -- right before the fist connects, sending him flying upwards and into the trees.
... Somehow, it seems like Dan may have actually been -right- about this being a complete plan of his. Because when he falls, his pink gi scorched with numerous burns from the flames, his chest already developing an angry bruise from the impact... he doesn't... quite... seem knocked out yet. He's been battered beyond the rational capabilities any one human body should be able to withstand, but... "What you fail to grasp, Ken... is that I am no ordinary human! I am DAN HIBIKI of the SAIKYO-RYU SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS!" he cries out, correcting his flight path towards the ground.
For when he lands, he's on his toes, and all the potential energy of his fall is converted directly to kinetic energy, as he rebounds straight back up into Ken with a fist for good measure. "Absolute! Victory! KOURYUUUU REKKA!!" One spinning punch to impale the falling Ken, a quick turn, and a second punch to send -him- flying into the air just like Dan was just now!
One can dream, anyway!
COMBATSYS: Dan can no longer fight.
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Ken 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
COMBATSYS: Ken parries Dan's Kouryuu Rekka!
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Ken 2/<<<<<<</<<<<<<<|
Ken doesn't particularly want to deal with all of this nonsense that Dan is attempting to plant on him. Not really. Not when there's so much more at stake. And the moment that Dan touches and relifts, he almost gets caught with the attack. Almost. But Ken is more focused and a much better fighter than that. His hands are up instantly and he's moving to grab and flip Dan over with his own momentum. Not anything too harsh, but just enough to make sure he's not getting rocked and socked by tremendous uppercuts of justice. That's pretty much the key.
"Dan! Chill!" Ken sounds more exasperated than he does frustrated or anything else. He's starting to realize that he's been wasting time with this fool and now he's got to make up for last time. "It's over!" Ken explains, even if it means he's got to plant Dan on the ground through this parry and hold him there long enough to explain the situation.
"Shadaloo has Eliza. I don't know what they want with her. I don't care. All I know is that if I don't get her back, I'm gonna' go crazy." Ken's words are coming out a mile a minute at this point. But he knows he's got to put this into some more Danielle-San terms. "Are you ready for this Marvel-ous Team-Up or what?"
Dan's more excited than anything else that he was not only able to -withstand- the Shoryuken -- but to land without making a complete mockery of his art, and moreover, -launch a counterattack!- So the fact that it doesn't actually hurt Ken is not one that's relevant to Dan, as he's sailing through the air, up, up sideways, and away... from his... mark... Like a rocket with a bad guidance system, Dan careens over, veering off to land in a crumpled heap in the not-fully-disassembled scrappile's back seat.
And with a mighty shudder, the car collapses. Poor whats-her-name's car!
And it's only here that Ken's able to talk sense to him. Hibiki swats away the birds circling his head as he looks up to the blonde angel hovering over him -- th-that's no angel, it's Ken! Slapping himself lightly in the face, he pushes himself to more of a sitting position. "E...eliza? That's your..."
Ken just said the magic words. And despite the numerous bruises, the probably dislocated bones, the scorch marks all over his gi, and quite possibly a concussion or two, Dan's somehow leapt OUT of the car, and he's right by Ken's side, extending his hand to him. Shake on it, pal!? "Making things right is the exclusive dominion of Saikyo-ryu, Ken Masters -- of COURSE I'm ready! You should've just said so from the beginning!"
... And then the sudden motion gets to him, as he wobbles unsteadily to and fro...
Meanwhile, Jimmy and his friends had pulled out their cellphones to get video footage of their so-called master getting trashed by Ken. This'll be on YouTube in -minutes-.
Log created on 20:13:53 10/03/2014 by Dan, and last modified on 18:39:02 10/05/2014.