08/06/06
Characters: Terry, Shenwoo
The Duck Pond
From the outside, the Pond is simply a large building which seems
non-descript at first glance. It stands 2 stories tall and is pretty much
rectangular in shape, lacking any unique architecture on the outside except
for two batteries of lights mounted on the front corners of the roof. There
are large, smoked windows in the front, flanking both sides of a large set of
central doors, with a set of small circular recessed lamps in the overhang
formed by the doors. Above the doors is a large sign, proclaiming the name of
the establishment as The Duck Pond. At night, the sign comes alive in orange
and blue neon, along with the roof and foyer lights, and it usually sounds
like there's a party going on inside.
The interior of The Duck Pond is a radical contrast to the exterior.
Dominating the high ceilined room is a large dancefloor which is split in
several places into 3 different levels, each about 3 and a half feet taller
than the one below it. On the far wall opposite the entrance is a large
stage, complete with theatrical red curtains and a huge steel-latticed light
tower. On either side of the stage are large stacks of speakers, each
standing a good fifteen feet tall. Directly between the dancefloor and the
stage are a group of circular tables with chairs. Lining the walls on the
left and right side of the club are booths, ranging from small two-seaters to
large ones capable of seating a group of six. Colored lights flash and spin,
and the thumping beat of the music is everywhere. Floating on both sides of
the club are large, twelve foot long inflated ducks, each white with a golden
beak, and wearing a white sash on which "Duck Pond, LTD." is written.
[Exits : Out to Downtown ]
Early evening sees the Duck Pond a much quieter place than it will inevitable
become. Dance floor almost void of people, entrance unblocked by a troublesome
queue, only the bar is really 'busy' and by usual standard this even falls
short. There's enough happening to make opening worthwhile, but little more. For
the moment. As minutes wear on, the club becomes gradually more packed and the
regulars filter in to stake out their claimed seating - the odd respected
fighter among their number, along with numerous hangers-on. Hardly jumping, the
Pond is still a place to be seen.
One most notable figure is breaking habit tonight, coming for a night on the
town without predetermined company. Terry Bogard leans at one end of the bar,
dressed in his familiar attire. He's relatively unoccupied; his right heel
tapping a rhythm against the floor as he sips whisky from a tumbler, the ice
clinking gently against the glass edges. There is no Joe Higashi in sight, and
no other drinking buddy for the evening... seems he's inclined to relax alone,
sparing a nod or a smile for some passing acquaintance but otherwise minding his
own business. What a drab and dull way to spend an evening?
Sometimes, solitude is nice.
It's true, everyone appreciates a little peace and quiet now and again. Even
somebody like Shenwoo, who it so happens is just entering the Duck Pond, with
his usual silk shirt buttoned up so he looks at least halfway civilised. ...Not
that it keeps him from, as per usual, still looking like some kind of street
thug or maybe a gangster out of some Hong Kong movie, especially with those nice
sunglasses of his. But, the brawler doesn't have any entourage of his own, it's
pretty much just him, glancing around once he's fully inside the club, sizing up
the other patrons as he goes.
Even the 'respectable' fighters in the background get a bit of disdain from the
self-styled 'God of Battle', who's getting a bit of that familiar old big fish
in a small pond feeling he used to have in Shanghai; his footfalls carry him
further on in to the Duck Pond, and finally he sees someone who stands out much
more than the rest of the light crowd, the fellow sitting there drinking his
whisky and generally minding his own business. "Heh," he laughs to himself, a
grin pulling at his broad slash of a mouth, his head tilting and one hand going
to his hip. "Terry Bogard, huh?" and /this/, Shen says loud enough to be heard
over the early evening din, as he looks /right/ at the famous fighter. Yes, even
Shenwoo can appreciate a little peace and quiet... Just, not right now.
Well. When did solitude /ever/ last?
The Hungry Wolf is entirely at ease, not bothering to focus his senses on any
foreign auras or train mundane senses on those around him. Beyond those who
attract attention through their familiarity, he's taking small pains not to get
involved with anyone in the club. Perhaps later he'll socialise, if the mood
takes, or otherwise hang out until he feels the need to wander onward. Life as a
transient is so tough! Especially when there's winnings to be spent. Sarcasm
aside, life as a living legend really does ensure Terry's best-laid plans too
often go awry. For better or worse.
"Hm?" Blinking idly as he hears his name called, the urban vagabond lifts his
free hand to his brow, two fingers extended to gently nudge up the brim of his
cap. Glancing sidelong when the shadow is thus cleared, his bright blue eyes
focus upon the arrogant Chinaman... and a smirk tugs at his lips. He's been
around. Hard to miss a guy like Shenwoo when you spend the bulk of your life
pursuing the martial arts, though they've never met in person. "Guess ya could
say that," he replies in a dry, laconic tone. Pausing, he lifts his glass to his
lips, draining the last quarter-inch of golden fluid in a slow sip. The
receptable is set down when he's done, the knuckles of that freed hand brushing
a stray drip from his mouth's edge.
"You'll have to forgive me, but I've forgotten your name. Hard to keep track,
these days." Pushing away from the bar as he continues talking in more affable
manner, the Wolf is clearly not inebriated to judge by his motions - simply
relaxed and casual. If he was dressed more smartly, he might even look like any
other club-goer. Nothing special here. Except that aura. Regardless of any first
impression, he turns to face Shenwoo and then falls back against the side of the
bar, elbows propping on the hard surface. Then, he grins in true. Hardly a match
for Shen's own, it holds at least a reflection of rising enthusiasm. He hardly
needs to ask to what he owes the honour...
It's a bit disappointing not to be recognised straight off, but Shen can
understand at least... A guy like Terry must have all sorts of people's names to
remember, from the sorts of people in his caliber, and arrogant though he might
be, the brawler from Shanghai knows he's not around that level. At least, not
yet. "Name's Shenwoo," he replies, seemingly pretty casual, but there's a faint
tension that someone skilled enough might recognise, almost a wariness... Like
some hunting cat on the verge of pouncing.
"It's funny, I hadn't expected to actually see anybody strong in here," Shen
then adds, reaching up with one hand to take off his sunglasses, which are then
folded up and pocketed, as he glances around at the Thursday evening crowd.
Obviously, though, it's a pleasant surprise for the berserker, who rolls his
shoulders slightly. "But I'm sure you'll remember my name in the future," the
lean young man says, before he suddenly rushes right at Terry, heedless of the
fact that they're in a crowded club, throwing his left fist forward - the one
with that big metal ring on it - as he tries to punch the Hungry Wolf right in
the sternum. "GRAAAAAAH!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo has started a fight here.
COMBATSYS: Terry has joined the fight here.
COMBATSYS: Terry interrupts Gekiken from Shenwoo with Buster Throw.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Terry
There's recognition enough - and despite his cool demeanour, Terry's got a
little of that excitement so frequently exhibited in the silk-shirted slugger.
The man standing before him might be crass and confrontational... but so are
some of his finest friends, and this is no poor quality to possess as a warrior.
In the wrong hands it could lead to a string of defeats, but in these hands?
He'll just have to see for himself. The name is acknowledged with the raising of
one hand back to his forehead, two fingers firing off in a greeting salute. All
the while, those eyes study the man; his posture and his form, not only
detecting that tension but getting a fair measure of strength as well.
Shen's no slacker.
As the Wolf finds out in far more violent fashion, before he can form a reply to
the boastful assurance. Maybe he'll remember, if that augmented Punch of Doom
doesn't beat flat the braincells required for such things. Form is studied right
until the time comes to act though, a keen gaze taking in everything it can
before the world slows motion and a counter is presented. It's simple enough.
Terry's hands lift in tandem, fingers uncurling to subsequently close around a
double-handful of shirtfront. Leaning back as far as he can against the bar, the
blonde is still clipped by the punch, his head snapping back uncomfortably. But
this is passing. He gets a grip and uses it, a dramatic burst of energy all he
needs to haul himself away from the bar and...
Haul Shenwoo /onto/ it. Yanking the man off his feet and through the air,
Southtown's wunderkind brutally slams his opponent against the unyielding
surface before leaping backward onto the edge of the dancefloor. Casting out a
lopsided grin, he springs twice off his heels, energy welling up now he's been
prompted to take action. "You don't beat around the bush, huh? Keep up like that
an' this won't be the first time we cross paths." Grinning at the downed
brawler, he then turns away to look up at the dancefloor's head. The DJ. "Hey!
Clear the floor and get us some music."
His wish is their command. People begin to move before he's even finished
speaking, and a beat starts up as Duck's finest go to work. This is Southtown.
The strong lurk everywhere, and there's no finer form of entertainment than a
good throwdown.
Smashed roughly into the bartop, Shenwoo lets out an exclamation of obvious
pain, because jeez. Of course, this is exactly what he was looking for from the
moment he noticed Terry Bogard, so it's not like he's going to start
complaining. Instead, the brawler sits up and looks over his shoulder as his
opponent moves towards the dancefloor, before he slides off of the bar and
follows, tightening his gloves as he goes. "Never been know for being patient,"
he explains, and again he starts a sudden rush after Terry, springing off the
ground with surprising agility for someone who looks like the archetypal 'brick'
fighter, and swinging his right leg out at the Wolf's head. "ORA!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Terry with Heavy Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/--=====|=====--\-------\0 Terry
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Terry's reply comes right alongside that rush,
his grin unwavering as he keeps an eye on the speeding Shanghai gent. Drawing
back a half-pace in preparation for the final assault, he is admittedly
unprepared for the leap and attempts a more risky motion than he otherwise might
- aiming to weave under and around the exteended limb to take Shen's legs right
out from under him. At least, add the other one to the bargain. But he's instead
caught clean in the temple and almost spun from his feet.
This /is/ a living legend, however. Some men are a good deal harder to topple
than others, and for all his unimpressive height this is a veritable titan by
most standards. Spinning with the blow as best he can, he remains launched
several feet off but is immediately back into the fray, landing on one foot and
pushing off to launch toward Shen with two long steps. Enough momentum is
gathered to bring his own attack to fruition, a similar strike to his opponent's
own, in nature. "Heads up."
Planting one Converse heel to the ground - a shriek of protest drawn from the
rubber - he swings his other leg up in a crushing roundhouse, swinging his
entire bodyweight into the blow to bring his heel crashing down in a retort to
Shenwoo's own temple. "HAAH!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo blocks Terry's Strong Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/=======|======-\-------\0 Terry
Landing in a crouch off of his jumping kick, Shenwoo barely has enough time to
get himself back to a standing position to deal with Terry's oncoming kick; and,
living legend is right. The self-styled 'God of Battle' doesn't chance getting
out of the way this time, instead throwing up one tightly-muscled, tattooed
forearm to intercept Terry's leg, grunting at the impact and skidding slightly
to one side from the force of the blow. "Heh, just like they all say," he says,
sounding quite pleased, before he pushes off Terry's kicking leg and lunges
forward, trying to get inside of the other fighter's guard with a quick punch to
the ol' breadbasket, with the intent of creating enough of an opening for Shen
to use his impressive strength to hoist the Hungry Wolf right off of the
dancefloor, and then smash him right back down into it the hard way.
"RAAAAAAAAH!!"
COMBATSYS: Terry endures Shenwoo's Saikouhou-Geki.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 1/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Terry
Not much time is left for a reaction, Shenwoo proving himself convincingly in
the space of two heartbeats. One, for the impact. Another, for the counter
assault. Terry's leg is thrust forcibly to the side and down by combination of
his opponent's force and simple instinct, somewhat unbalancing the Wolf and
causing him a pause in which he might otherwise achieve a more impressive
defence. A situation is created which causes the audience a few gasps and
astonished murmurings - two for one in favour of the Chinaman? Seems that way.
Their local legend buckles under the initial punch, open for the bodyslam which
he takes like a man.
"Ngh!" Teeth gritting against the pain, Terry manages to roll with this attack
as best he can, weathering the full thing with a ready wit that carries over
into his immediate response. A fist is already cocked by the time he lands,
motes of red-gold gathering about tightly bunched knuckles. "ROUND.." Twisting
his body around, bucking off the floor into a crouch, the Hungry Wolf seems to
move in a blur as his arm whips backward. A gust of chi-powered wind ripples off
him, billowing out and around in an unbalancing spiral as his fist is brought
overhead and then firmly down for blistering contact with the plastic-clad
floor. "WAVE!" Energy rears upward in a blazing gout, lifting before the
ponytailed blonde to engulf his opponent.
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Shenwoo with Round Wave.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Shenwoo 1/-======/=======|=======\===----\1 Terry
Well, it's not as though everything is going to go Shenwoo's way, right? Case in
point, how he tries to slip back out of the way of Terry's chi attack, only to
not make it! The gout of energy envelops the former street thug, knocking him up
and back rather painfully, though he hits the dancefloor in a roll, ending up in
a crouch further away. "Hngh..." Yeah, that kind of hurt. He's going to actually
take a moment here to consider his next action, rising to his feet and beckoning
Terry on. "What?" he jokes, grinning wildly. "Was that it?" Ha ha ha ha. Owie.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Shenwoo 1/--=====/=======|=======\===----\1 Terry
Was that it?
"You really gotta cut down on the presumptions."
Remaining in his crouch, knuckles quivering as they recover from summoning that
earthly blast, Terry casts Shenwoo an amused glance, eyes lit up in the heat of
battle. He may not possess the same brash edge but he has a wild streak of his
own - and the Wolf does not carry that title for no reason. Predators can seem
unusually gentle when relaxed. Keeping his gaze fixed and his body motionless
for but a single heartbeat, it's then that something flickers in those sapphire
depths. That wasn't it. Not by a long shot. Without further ado, the blonde
brings this respite to a devastating close.
"POWERRRR..." Dragging out the syllable, the roar increases in volume as Terry
throws back his head along with his fist, flesh leaving the ground behind for
the time it takes to channel his next burst. Not long, at all. Reddish light
flares first, then takes on that familiar golden hue as the Wolf's fist makes
its way back to earth at lightspeed, leaving a searing trail in the air. When
impact comes, the sound eclipses the crowd, the music, and carries for two
entire blocks. *whoomph* "GEYSAAAAAH!!!" Bubbling up in an instant, chi floods
out across the dancefloor, making minute cracks in its surface despite Terry's
best efforts. Bright as the sun, the aforementioned geyser lifts to consume
everything around the combatants, trailing up toward the roof in a shining
testament to Bogard's power.
It's a deceptively fast and brief attack, for all its majesty. The only question
is... just how fast /is/ Shenwoo?
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo dodges Terry's Power Geyser.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////// ]
Shenwoo 1/--=====/=======|==-----\-------\0 Terry
How fast is Shenwoo? How fast is Shenwoo? Well, clearly he's fast enough that
Terry's energy blasting won't work on him /this/ time. The frighteningly fast
Power Geyser flares through where the brawler /was/ standing, but this time he
quite simply isn't there, a fading afterimage the only thing about Shen that the
blast manages to hit. And where, praytell, is Shenwoo now? Actually, he's only
managed to move just outside of the blast radius, his shoulders shaking a
little. "Heheheh... That looked pretty dangerous," he remarks, and then it's his
turn to, ah, 'get seriahs'.
Shen gives his gloves another tug to straighten them out, and then he puts his
/own/ slight cracks in the dancefloor as a violent red aura of enery surrounds
him, the berserker roaring as he forces a surge of strength, and then launches
himself right at Terry again! He lashes out first with a headbutt, following it
up with a trio of regular punches, shouting with each strike, intending to
finish the combination up with a point-blank version of his earlier rushing
punch to knock Terry away. "SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!"
COMBATSYS: Terry just-defends Shenwoo's Bakuma Assault!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Terry
If Shenwoo was merely an interesting article at the beginning of this bout, he's
now placed himself right in the upper echelons with a single fleet-footed
movement. There are few who can deny Terry's most dominating attacks in their
most casual form - with the amount he poured into that last rising flood of chi,
most would realistically number a handful among those 'skilled enough'. So much
for statistics. Shen's words reach the ears of an astonished Wolf, who all the
same takes it in his stride. He knows how to survive, and reacting strongly to a
dangerous fighter like this could land him with a few meaty mouthfuls of knuckle
for his trouble. Idle emotion cannot be spared.
Renewed focus grips the blonde, and with a light 'hmph' he pushes himself to his
feet, still-flaring hand lifting to flick his cap into a more comfortable
position. A stray lock is banished behind his ear with the same passing
fingertips, before his gaze settles on the charging brawler, well into his
leading motions already. Crushing strength, surprising speed, and now an aura to
match. Wild and unpredictable. This is a true warrior, if not quite deserving
godhood. Adrenaline spikes in Terry's veins, causing a rush of breath as he
raises his guard and prepares for the assault, entering a mindset that can only
be described as 'zen'...
One with his surroundings, one with his opponent, the Wolf leans backward when
the rearing headbutt meets him, allowing Shen's forehead to barely brush his
cap's brim as he moves. It's enough to inspire some semblance of contact while
allowing Terry space to manuever, and manuever he does. Swatting aside each of
the punches as they fall, his leather-gloved hands move with insane grace and
style. That final rush might as well be slower than a dying ox. Spinning firmly
on his heel, the Southtown legend proves exactly why he carries such status,
lashing a forearm before him to stop the beringed fist dead. Motionless.
"Better than I expected." He remarks offhand, dipping a nod to Shenwoo before
quite abruptly casting the fist aside with a thrusting motion, leaving his
opponent wide open for his own counter. Revitalised and enthused, the Wolf moves
quickly to take the narrowly gained advantage in his teeth, leaping forward with
all the vigour displayed in Shen's own blow. "BURNING!!" His right fist hammers
forward, wreathed in more of that fiery chi with knuckles bearing down hard onto
the Shanghai punk's own sternum. Turnabout is fair play.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo Toughs Out Terry's Burn Knuckle!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Terry
It's pretty remarkable to witness, though, that kind of skill; Shenwoo's
certainly glad for the opportunity, and besides which... It just makes things
that much more fun, for him. What could be better than seeing how your strength
matches up against legendary fighters? And since he relocated to Southtown, he's
had plenty of opportunities to do exactly that, though some of them have worked
out better than others. So, when his most powerful attack is stopped dead by
Terry, Shen just... Throws his head back and starts laughing. It's not a bitter
laugh, or a crazy laugh, it's somewhere between happy and suddenly discovering
something that is totally hilarious, but just to himself. And then, Terry
punches him back.
The chi-enhanced punch slams into Shen's sternum without the lean brawler even
trying to move out of the way, and instead Shenwoo keeps right on laughing -
though it does stop for a second when he actually /gets hit/ - even as he
stumbles back a few steps from the impact, and then he proceeds to totally hault
off and swing a crazy left-handed haymaker right at the side of Terry's jaw.
"THIS IS GREAT!!"
COMBATSYS: Terry just-defends Shenwoo's Strong Punch!
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/----===|====---\-------\0 Terry
Every fight is an opportunity: the two men are not alone in that belief. As much
as Terry might have chosen to keep his peace for the evening, each opponent
faced is a lesson learned and an improvement made. Win, lose, knock each other
senseless... it doesn't matter. What matters is that they sweat for their art
and clash with full spirit behind their blows - and did a fight ever fit the
bill more? When Shenwoo starts laughing, the Wolf does not respond, eyebrow
jerking upward as his teeth unclench from delivering his strike. Focusing on the
other man, he draws back his fist quickly and raises the other arm, a grin just
touching his lips as the moment catches him in its grasp. Whatever just
happened...
It was something interesting.
Through his dissipating energy, Shen comes raging, and the elder Bogard has all
of an instant to respond with his upraised limb. A traditional block could be
raised, a forearm tossed crudely in the way, but that demonic sense of battle
throws a fresh solution. Caught entirely in the moment, Terry unfurls his
fingertips to the air and moves to grip the incoming forearm, tightening his
grasp to once again stop the punch where it stands. But this time, there's a
difference - flesh never meets flesh, as an eruption of chi breaks out from the
legend's palm. His hand hurtles back instinctively, as Shen's is pitched well
wide of its target. Voluntary? No. Even the best can still learn.
There's no laughter at his own unplanned triumph, but the Hungry Wolf echoes the
Battle God's sentiment exactly. This /is/ great, and with grin widening once
more on his lips he keeps the battle close and personal, swinging his knee up
for a harsh impact with the Chinaman's chest. If that connects, the leg is
extended for a thrust kick, making space between them and opening up the field
for a renewed clash. "SYAA!"
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Shenwoo with Medium Kick.
Glancing Blow
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /////////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0 Terry
Once again, Shenwoo's attack is neatly dealt with, but the brawler still doesn't
seem too horribly put out by it... He's enjoying himself too much to be
frustrated. He's got to try his absolute hardest to deal with Terry's attacks at
all, and that's just the sort of fun time he was hoping for. Terry's thrusting
kick hits, but shallowly, as Shen dodges backwards to escape the bulk of the
damage, skidding a bit further back, but it doesn't open up quite as much room
as was probably intended.
Again, Shenwoo shows a sudden burst of speed, leaving a blurred afterimage of
himself standing there as he rockets forward right at Terry, lashing out with
both fists at once for the legendary fighter's kidneys. There's no room at all
for Shenwoo to hold back - and it's not like that's his style anyhow - but can
he get through Terry's mighty defense? "RAAAH!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Terry with Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Terry
Room enough. This battle has been hard-fought since the beginning, despite the
odd opening created by the fighters, and there doesn't seem to be any real
change in momentum... if anything, the frenetic speed is increasing in small
hops and bounds. Shen's unexpected grace saves him losing a hand in the fight
though, and he's back on Terry before the ponytailed one can take a step back,
only finding time to retract his kick and prepare as best he can for the
immediate counter. Which is moderately successful.
But only moderately.
"Hah!" Exclaiming as he's struck, it would seem at first to be a cry of pain.
The truth is a little more on the Wolf's side, as the blow takes him with a
somewhat reduced force - propelling him away as much on his own momentum as from
dictated power. Launching into a backflip, he rears up above the striking arms
while they retract and lands a scant few feet from Shenwoo. One hand lifts to
make a minor adjustment to his skewed cap, but not before the other can slam
harsh against the dancefloor. "POWER WAVE!!" Heralding a rippling blade of chi,
storming forth to take the gangster's feet from under him.
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo endures Terry's Power Wave.
[ \\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////// ]
Shenwoo 1/-------/=======|=======\=------\1 Terry
Recoiling back from his strike against Terry, Shenwoo straightens up, and has
precious few moments to decide what to do about Terry not going very far and
then proceeding to launch another energy blast at him... So naturally, Shen does
what he does best: He does something insane. Rather than trying to avoid it, or
block it, or jump over it, or whatever, the lean fighter just runs right at it,
letting the impact hit him in the feet and knock him off of his footing, flying
headlong forward. But he hits the ground in a front roll, over his shoulder, and
when he springs out of that roll, he's ready to return the favour. "Gaaaah..!!"
In a single smooth motion he rises out of the rolling crouch and launches
himself at Terry again, trying to use his weight to take the legendary fighter
right off of his feet, land on /top/ of him, and then unleash a quick and
hopefully painful punching combination. Yes, he ripped it off from Ralf, and no,
it's probably nowhere near as good... But Shen's just going with his heart on
this one. "RAAAH!"
COMBATSYS: Terry fails to interrupt Saikouhou-Geki from Shenwoo with Rising
Tackle EX.
[ \\\\\\\\ < > //////////// ]
Shenwoo 1/------=/=======|===----\-------\0 Terry
Terry remains crouched as with his earlier, more powerful such summoning.
Watching the blast slam into Shen and be seemingly absorbed is hardly something
he hasn't seen before - hell, he's beginning to expect it from this berserker -
but it does summon a brief quirking grin, a single shake of the head
accompanying his rise back to his feet. At least, halfway. His opponent is
moving quickly and a plan is developed to bring that motion to a very abrupt
halt... to direct his momomentum /upward/.
However. In a long line of underestimations, Terry now makes an overestimation.
He does not have the time to pull off a counter, his legs lifting as he begins
to propel himself into a famed motion, and is slammed brutally to the floor
before being graced with Shenwoo's base pummelling. Jerking his face to one side
to avoid the worst, the Hungry Wolf takes the assault well enough, but when it's
over he is just a little slow to rise - looks like the fight is getting to him
at last, though he's unbowed. Drawing the back of one glove across his brow, he
looks toward the Shanghai punk and prepares himself. Now's when they really find
their true measure.
See, now that... /That/ was bracing. Shenwoo backs up a bit once his attack is
done, standing there in his casual boxing stance and watching Terry rise; he can
see that the more experienced fighter is looking a little haggard too, and it's
quite obvious that Shen himself has seen better days. Battered and a little on
the tired side, the former street thug gives his head a shake to clear it, and
for just a moment, he rears back. "Huaaaaa..." Whatever he's going to do, he
might be giving Terry a bit too much warning, with this buildingup.
However, when he suddenly explodes forward, it doesn't seem like he's too
worried about being slow; there's a frightening amount of speed behind Shenwoo's
latest rush, even battered and worn out as he is, and he crosses the distance
between himself and Terry in the blink of an eye, his left fist thrown forward
again, a shockwave of blue energy riding on his fist and eveloping the 'God of
Battle', turning him into some kind of human projectile, aimed right at the
legendary fighter's jaw! "SHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!"
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo successfully hits Terry with Zetsu Gekiken.
[ \\\\\\\ < > //////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/-------|=====--\-------\0 Terry
Perhaps it's a warning Terry should have heeded better. Watching his opponent
rise and gather himself provides a welcome respite to the hometown hero, his
limbs flagging in available strength and his mind beginning to cloud with
thoughts beside the fight. These concerns are shoved aside through a minor act
of will - at this stage all that matters is them, their movements, and their
failing health. Both are beaten and bruised but neither is going to give an inch
voluntarily! This is what it's all about. The Wolf does not forget where he is
for a moment, but on this occasion he simply proves a little below par. Drawing
his arms up around him when Shen leans away, he prepares a simple 'x' block,
intending to catch the strike as basically as possible...
Instead, it ploughs through him, pitching him back onto the cracked floor and
sending a shudder of agony down his spine. Somehow though, someway, he manages
to stay in the game, his jaw flung out of joint but not entirely broken and his
spirit much the same. Reaching up to pop the offending bone back into place, he
rolls off his shoulders into a tight flip back to his feet, and is prepared the
moment he lands. A single step carries him toward Shenwoo before he launches off
a second, one leg tucked beneath him as a fist rears back and then leads the way
with a rush of winds. Red-gold flares about his knuckles, forming a searing edge
to the punch he aims once more for the battler's sternum - but this time, he has
the range he needs to make it perfect. "BURN KNUCKLE!"
COMBATSYS: Terry successfully hits Shenwoo with Burn Knuckle.
[ \\\ < > /////// ]
Shenwoo 0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0 Terry
Once again, Shenwoo tries to stand his ground, after the rush of expended energy
from his Zetsu! Gekiken, but... Maybe he's just taken too much of a beating,
maybe he's just too tired, or maybe Terry's just too good; either way, the Burn
Knuckle knocks Shen off balance, sending him flying back rather than his having
been braced and ready for the impact, hitting the ground hard. Some people might
just give up in this situation and call it quits, with the darkness creeping
around the edge of their vision the way it is now for Shenwoo. He can feel the
strength just draining out of his body, but... He's not the sort of person to
just lie down. Not now, and not ever.
Instead, he pushes himself up and practically scrambles on all fours towards
Terry again, and when he gets close enough he pours all of his strength into
rising back up again, taking one last wild and crazy swing at Terry's jaw with
his left hand. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!" Sometimes, you just have to swing your fist
as hard as you can, and hope it all works out...
COMBATSYS: Shenwoo can no longer fight.
COMBATSYS: Terry dodges Shenwoo's Strong Punch.
[ \\\\\\\ <
Terry 0/-------/------=|
Too good? There is no such thing. Talent is not truly quantifiable, and while
skill /is/, there can be no accounting for the underdog. Even the smallest
individual can achieve incredible things when they have to, and Shenwoo is far
from dimunitive stature - he's one of the most surprising talents the Wolf has
seen for a while. There have been others to fare well against the odds, but in
those cases there has often been some obvious reason for their success. An
excuse here, an allowance there. But today, both warriors have thrown out
everything they have. The best might win, but not by much. In either case.
When his fist meets solid impact, Terry Bogard is almost surprised. Half
expecting some glorious turnaround that saw him kneeling at the feet of this
berserk dervish of activity, he's met instead with the full blastback his attack
normally warrants. Leaving his arm retracted to work off the blow's full extent,
he watches Shen past the dissipating burst of energy, wary and prepared. That
must have taken him down - he can feel this - but too often comes an astonishing
upsurge at this stage, either a suddenly renewed vigour or an attack from
nowhere. He gets the latter. He's not disappointed in his opponent's spirit!
"Close!" He cries out involuntarily, pulling himself back at last as he's met
with that crazed scramble. The swing cuts to within an inch of that injured jaw,
tickling flesh with its trail but not quite connecting. Terry is left standing,
albeit barely, his stagger bringing him to the edge of the dancefloor where one
foot trails down onto the lower level. Left hand clenching to a fist at his hip,
quivering with tension, he watches until Shen gives no more, then takes a deep
breath. "Beyond close. For someone surprised to find a decent fighter in here,
you don't exactly meet your own standards... 'bout the best I've fought in
months." At least, without /knowing/ they were the best. Best left unspoken. A
weak grin is managed, and the Wolf pushes himself into action, weaving forward
to offer a gloved hand to the other man - whether he stands or not. "Put it
there, man."
COMBATSYS: Terry takes no action.
COMBATSYS: Terry has ended the fight here.
His wild punch hitting nothing but air, Shenwoo almost pulls himself right off
of his feet with the remaining momentum of the strike, finally ending up barely
still standing, with his hands on his thighs. There's no more fight left in him
at the moment, his shoulders shaking with each laboured breath, but he's not
quite so badly off that he's going to go collapse unconscious... Though part of
his brain is suggesting that a nap might do him some good. It is, however, a
part of his brain that he ignores. "Heh," he chuckles with a grin - because he
always does enjoy being complimented - before straightening up to take the
offered hand, shaking it.
"I really had to push myself against you," Shen says, sounding quite pleased by
this fact. Yes, he's one of those weird people who just wants to fight someone
stronger than they are, win or lose. Which is probably why he does things like
pick fights with the Ryus and Kens and Terrys of the world, you know? He cracks
his neck then, feeling the tension flow out, and then he looks towards the bar.
"I dunno 'bout you, but I could use a drink." Besides, if enough is spent on
alcohol, Duck might not try and hit them up for repairs to the dancefloor! This
is, of course, Shenwoo's idea of a good night out: Fighting and drinking. All it
needs is hot chicks, and the trifecta will be complete.
(
geocities.com/terrybgoode/logs) (
geocities.com/terrybgoode)