View source for 3843/Seriously, A Tiger In The Dojo!

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/02/25
|Location=Kawakami City
|Synopsis=Momoyo is challenged by the mysterious Sagat, the Emperor of Muay Thai. The Goddess of Martial Arts has a close match but ultimately the Dragon succumbs to the Tiger, leaving plenty for Momoyo to think about and a lonely Northern Deva an actual rival to chase!
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=95, 575, 928, 940, 942
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|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dressed in her top displaying 'a chipmunk' on the front and some punky wristbands with her denim slacks, she walks around the arena picking up trash from a recent exhibition. The Dojo had been seeing a lot of usage lately, so Momoyo was helping pack in the ground again and clean up various bits of trash.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She knew an unknown fighter was showing up today, and it wasn't uncommon for her grandfather to withhold details from her every so often by the fighter's request. Still, it seems that her steady stream of challengers was continuing and even expanding slightly since the Gate opened. By now, the signage pointing in to Kawakami City so no one wandered off into the rest of Japan from the Gate was easy to follow over the suspension bridge into town. One of the first major locations in the city was the Dojo itself, set up quite nicely for a street fighting exhibition. Momoyo's senses continued to strain to sense anyone within a mile of the place who seemed out of place.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:940|Mairead Sandilands (940)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mairead is here to watch the fight against Momoyo and Sagat. She has seen a few, but she has heard that this will be an amazing fight. For now, she sits int he stands, behind Momoyo's starting point.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako is here, sweeping the ground on the Dojo's arena. Why? Well, whenever Ayako gets in a thoughtful mood, she tends to clean. Almost anywhere in the Multiverse is fair game. Nevermind that she's not dressed like a maid like she usually does when she cleans. Oh no, she's in her witch outfit right now. Although the witch otufit does come with a flying broom, so that does help. Even though said broom isn't flying right now. At least it's good at cleaning.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sweep, sweep, sweep.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>'Out of place' is likely putting it mildly; Sagat is tall enough to stand out for his height alone, and a complete lack of hair (plus an eyepatch over where his right eye used to be) is an even more distinguishing set of characteristics. And then there's the scar across his chest, prominently on display, since he's only wearing his usual fighting outfit - wrist- and ankle-wraps, a pair of shorts, and nothing else. Any other clothes or possessions which he owns are presumably in the duffle bag he's carrying.<br /><br />And he *did* call ahead to the Kawakami Dojo, to make sure Momoyo would be there for a match. Something like that isn't so much a 'courtesy' as an obligation - showing up without any warning and trying to challenge a fighter on his or her home ground tends not to go over very well in Sagat's circles. He would have given his name, and as little additional information as he could get away with without being rude; if Tesshin kept his name from Momoyo, that's Tesshin's business.<br /><br />As for his aura? .... Yeah. Momoyo's probably going to sense him coming without much of an effort. It won't be very much of a wait, either; Sagat is a fairly brisk walker, and if Momoyo's waiting for him to show up, he doesn't want to leave her waiting longer than necessary - again, less of a courtesy, more of an obligation. Some fighters might mess with their timing on purpose to try and get some sort of advantage, even if it's merely psychological. Sagat considers those kinds of mind games a waste of effort.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Momoyo could sense Sagat's aura on the horizon... stronger than her own. That made her shudder with glee. This match was going to be a brutal fight. "Hey, Ayako... it's time. Have a seat in the bleachers with Kazuko and don't do anything until the match is called, alright sweetie?" she directs... her knuckles cracking as she eyed the entrance to the dojo shortly before he strode into the arena.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She could see what he looked like... and the aura matched up. He had to have a decade or two on her. Oh man, this was gonna be fun!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She folds her arms, her characteristic slight smirk as her red eyes looked Sagat over. She could guess that he was a Muay Thai fighter... but couldn't tell for sure until he introduced himself. She was a solid five foot eight, Amazonian by Japanese standards, but this man dwarfed even her. "Welcome to the Kawakami Temple. My name is Momoyo Kawakami, Goddess of Martial Arts, Northern Deva of The Big Four." Her voice was even, and respectful. While much of the audience might flinch and mutter about his appearance, hers was a relative calm... reminiscient of a dragon, even. But the pent up energy in her form was visible miles away for an extremely experienced fighter.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kazuko's pittering about the dojo dutifully, handing out waivers to the audience alongside the other monks. It's the easiest way for her to keep an eye on the action today, after all, especially since it's a fight involving her sister and... Actually, nobody's told her anything about today's challenger. Not that it takes her long to identify him among the people filtering in, what with the BADASS SCAR and the EYEPATCH and FREAKY TALLNESS. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If Sagat was merely a challenger from their own world, she probably wouldn't be paying too much attention. But as someone coming from the Multiverse proper? The puppy's getting excited just looking at him. "Coo-ool... Wonder what the story on that is." She gawks for a few moments before waving at Momoyo, a bright grin on the younger Kawakami's face. "You can do it, sis!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There's a hop, a wave, and then she hurries up in getting those forms gathered before finding a seat for herself and Ayako.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako blinks her eyes once as she's jogged out of her 'cleaning mode', "Ah." and then nods her head once with a soft smile. "Alright." She lifts her broom sideways and then sits side-saddle on the now floating broom as it whisks her away to the bleachers.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ah... sis? That must be who Momoyo is talking about! Once she floats over to Kazuko, she slips off of her broom and lands lightly, sitting down simultaneously. Her broom is shoved together quickly, and folds compact with a soft click. Don't want to get in the way of the audience, after all.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako looks over to Kazuko. "Hello! Oh. Right... we probably haven't met before." She knocks herself on the head lightly. "I'm Ayako Hasekawa, a water spirit." She winks slowly. "Not a witch. Although I'm dressed like one right now."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagat inclines his head briefly but respectfully to Momoyo, not taking his gaze off her as he unslings his duffle and tosses it to land at the foot of the bleachers. Apparently there's nothing in there he's worried about breaking. "I am Sagat, acclaimed in my homeland as the Emperor of Muay Thai," he states, his voice a currently-subdued rumble that seems to be clawing its way out from inside his muscular chest. Then he takes a few seconds to look Momoyo over once more.<br /><br />'Goddess.' 'Northern Deva of the Big Four.' Sagat has to consciously refrain from shaking his head; he already has a few suspicions about what kind of fighter Momoyo is, just by the titles she waves around. "I'm aware of your 'Deva' title," he continues, "but I'm not here to challenge you for it. Just to fight you, one on one, warrior to warrior. Do you have any reason to decline my challenge at this time?"<br /><br />Again, the question is mostly pro forma ... but those who've followed Sagat's career as a fighter might be aware that this is a degree of formality he *doesn't* usually engage in, except maybe if he were seeking out a fellow World Warrior back on his native version of Earth. And even as Sagat's question hangs in the air, the Muay Thai fighter is already shifting into a ready stance, his arms in raised in front of him, fists loosely clenched, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. His aura is even plainer - he's ready for Momoyo to come at him at any second.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tesshin, the old man with the long beard comes out... a man clear to Sagat that despite his age his power is massive. Standing between the two fighters, he looks Sagat over. "Hmm, I see, I see." . o O (Maybe this man can tame her properly. If these sorts of challengers come before her,...)<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Momoyo claps her hands together, giving a characteristic bow signalling the match start. Her arms sit folded as she's relaxed.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Ready?" the old man raises his hand, looking between both fighters as the tension rose in the air... Momoyo's smug look compared to Sagat's outright cruel glare.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm9">"FIGHT!!!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Momoyo's form had no openings upon her approach, but her approach was quicker than with opponents were weaker than her. Cognizant of Sagat's superior reach, she moved to arms'-length-and-a-half away, which was just outside of Sagat's range. "Hmhmhmhm~. You don't know how rare it is to see someone on your level show up. I wouldn't miss this for the world..." she replies. And so, she steps in to test her opponent properly!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm93">"Musou Seikenzuki!!"</span><br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An unfamiliar face! Hearing Ayako, Kazuko turns to face her as she floats over on that broom and lets out another excited noise. "Oh! Hi, Miss Hasekawa. I'm Kazuko Kawakami, Momoyo's younger sister and a student of the Kawakami Style." She looks up and down while peering at Ayako closely, brushing her nose once and giving her a long look for whatever reason. "But you floated on a broom just now, didn't you? And..." There's some suspicion in there at first when she claims not to be a witch, but after a moment... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She breaks into a broad grin. "Well... If you're helping out here, you're probably alright. Good to meet you!" She keeps quiet once the actual fight starts, of course, watching with rapt attention! She... Just might end up climbing on Ayako a bit later, though.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako winces slightly at being called 'Miss Hasekawa'. "I... Umm... please call me Ayako!" She then smiles brightly. "Nice to meet you, Kazuko! Eh heh... I floated because I'm a water spirit. Even if I do look like a human." Her head nods quickly and then... the match starts!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako's amber gaze goes straight towards Momoyo and Sagat. She becomes quiet as well. And also happens to watch with perhaps a bit more enthusiasm than one might expect out of a pacifistic healer.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:940|Mairead Sandilands (940)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maread sees Kazuko and she gets up and heads over to where she is. Smiling, she sits down, "Hi Kazuko," she states to her as she turns and watches the fight. "Any idea who this Sagat is?" she asks Kazuko and nods her head towards Ayako as "Hello ma'am," she states to her as she was not near Kazuko when she, Kazuko, introduced herself to Ayako.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking at the two, "Mind if I join the both of ye?" she asks them as she keeps an eye on the fight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagat returns Momoyo's bow in kind, *still* not taking his gaze off of her. After the bow, he resumes his ready stance, nodding almost imperceptibly to Tesshin's query of preparedness.<br /><br />And then the match is on.<br /><br />If Momoyo doesn't show any openings, Sagat is less obvious about it - but as soon as she takes that last step into striking distance, he's on the move, snapping his forearms down to intercept her punch and push her arm aside before the blow can land.<br /><br />He doesn't settle for simply defending, though; he doesn't grab Momoyo's arm or anything like that, but attempts to keep her guard open while he brings his left arm up and aims a swift elbow strike at the side of her head. His movements are swift and efficient; one might describe them as 'pragmatic' in their efficiency.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Momoyo's punch was dealt with properly, a punch even Servants had trouble blocking. Not only that, but she was precisely countered. Wow. Holy hell. There were basically no martial artists she had fought since the Gate opened that did that properly.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Did that slow her down any? Not in the least. Most fighters would take that as an opportunity to back up and re-assess their plan of attack which would let Sagat lay into them more... the strike only increased Momoyo's momentum, even as Kazuko could clearly see she was bruised at her temple in that fraction of a second. At this speed it would be difficult for non-martial artists to keep up but Elites could definitely manage.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The strike Momoyo took as an invitation to keep punching, her fists a blur as she continues a flurry of blows and even a side kick. "Hmhmhmhm~!!! Yes... someone worth my time...!" she hisses. It was clear her strategy was a brutal offense, taking advantage of her speed combined with her strength to completely overwhelm her opponent. This presented a patient fighter with many opportunities, but definitely put their stamina on a timer.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There are times to go on all-out offense, and there are times to pick and choose your strikes. Sagat knows better than to expect that a single blow - even a bell-ringer like that elbow strike - will leave an opponent dazed and reeling, so as soon as he's landed the blow, he closes his guard back up.<br /><br />And just in time, from all appearances; Momoyo goes into a barrage of blows, fast and furious enough that Sagat has his work cut out for him on defense.<br /><br />A combination of blocks, parries, and sidesteps generally keeps up with Momoyo's onslaught, though; he allows a few hits to connect, picking and choosing and prioritizing - partly to let her confidence build up, to see if it *does*, and partly to conserve some of his efforts.<br /><br />He's not bothering to say much. He's confident in his endurance, though; one of the hallmarks of Muay Thai training is a level of conditioning which borders on the brutal, even down to the fighter's bones; Sagat has been training in Muay Thai for decades and has taken his conditioning seriously every step of the way. Not that he's taking Momoyo's offensive strength lightly; he doesn't underestimate any opponent if he can help it - but he's willing to let her exhaust herself and present better openings for *him* to exploit.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako glances back to Mairead as she approaches. "I don't mind." And then her eyes blink. "Ah. I think I've heard that voice before... you're Mairead, right?" She smiles brightly. "It's Ayako. You've talked to me on the radio before, remember? Eh heh." Her amber gaze looks back to the fight.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Momoyo sure charges in, though..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Continuing to pummel at Sagat's impeccable defense and realizing the hits she did land were minor at best, it was time to increase her offensive even more. With only the briefest of pauses showing she was gearing up for a technique, she pulls back to unload and try to crush Sagat's guard <span style="color:ompletely.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;cxterm93">"Musou Seikenzuki Midareuchi!!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If Sagat was already working defensively, he was in for a treat... this attack was the same but performed two-dozen times in the same instant. While his eyes could keep up... it was questionable which parts of his body he would guard and which would take the artillery fire punches.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It was disappointing to Momoyo that her opponent was so quiet, but that only allowed her to concentrate more on her movements. Immediately after the technique... she crosses her arms over her chest to try to prevent a kick at her midsection... she was wisely more worried about her opponent's feet than she was his arms, and thus tried blocking on instinct rather than predicting his next move. "!!!" For whatever reason, she was intent not to give up the ground she was gaining by pushing Sagat around the arena slightly with her relentless assault. If there was any fatigue in her movements... it was becoming clear it was hopeless. Her breathing was perfect and stamina near limitless. Most likely a function of her bloodline.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:940|Mairead Sandilands (940)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mairead blinks, "Ah, I have. I remember ye," she says to Ayako. "I did not know that ye were so pretty," she states as she watches the fight and sits down. "I am glad to have meet you," she adds as she watches the fight. "I thinkt hat this will be interesting," she mentions to the two in reference to the fight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's just a hint of a surprised noise from the towering Muay Thai fighter as Momoyo rears back to begin the Musou Seikenzuki Midareuchi - and he doesn't try to simply block or parry this set of blows.<br /><br />He *leaps back*.<br /><br />At best, the sudden absence of a target within Momoyo's range might leave her off-balance, and if she closes the distance again, it buys Sagat a split second to determine his strategy. Besides watching her center of mass to judge where she's going to move next, the Emperor of Muay Thai is also gauging the look in Momoyo's eyes; reading your opponent's mental and emotional state can be a vital clue in the middle of a fight. Are they confident? Anxious? Desperate? Crazy? Furious?<br /><br />More important than those, though - Sagat knows from experience, personally and through facing many opponents, that after unleashing a special assault, the kind of attack that you call a name for when launching it, there's ALWAYS a brief window of opportunity for your opponent to capitalize. And when Momoyo's assault gives way to a guard, he's ready, closing the distance again and kicking, not at her chest -<br /><br />But at her *head*, aiming to smack his heel squarely into her face, hard enough to rock her head back on her neck if it connects squarely. It shouldn't crack her skull or inflict a concussion, but if it lands ... well.<br /><br />If that kick lands, *now* Sagat closes in to take the offense, a swift combo of a punch, a knee strike, an elbow, another punch, and another kick. This is where experience and long training pay off, as he attempts to dismantle Momoyo's defense and land his own series of hits. But it all depends on that first kick, because if Momoyo adjusts quickly enough to block it, Sagat's not going to push for a not-yet-existent advantage.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The gambit works. Momoyo's head is only partly guarded, but the heel knocks her forehead back enough that Sagat's brutal combination lands on her perfectly. For her frame, she was quite bruised all over, her nose and lip busted as he plows into her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But somehow she wills her hands to move and grasp Sagat's ankle on the final kick as it heads into her mid-se<span style="color:tion.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;cxterm93">"Ningen Bakudan..."</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's an explosion strong enough to shatter the ankle of a non-Elite. Buried against her body as his foot was, it clearly hurt her quite a bit more as the flames singed up to his knee, forcing some distance between the two fighters. One of her eyes nearly closed from the repeated hits, her bare midsection was a mess. Regardless of the outcome, she clearly took more damage in that exchange.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Tch." she spits on the ground, forced to build up distance herself. "Good... <span style="color:xterm93">Restoration..."</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her spiritual energy glows visibly about her frame, healing all of the wounds very rapidly. With this, it was pointless to rush back in, so she took a ready stance, her hand up as she gestured Sagat back in with a wild grin. "More, Sagat..." Luckily, she wore her emotions on her sleeve at all times. Rather than demoralized or merely angry, she was... ecstatic. Most people had some kind of negative emotion in their matches, but she was genuinely feeling alive, her teeth bared as her hand stood in the air, open palm facing her cheek. "I haven't taken a direct hit in a while, you know? It feels exhilirating..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Nnngh .." Sagat wrests his leg back from Momoyo's grasp, and sets his foot back on the ground - carefully at first, a split second to confirm how bad the injury is. Even setting aside being an Elite, the conditioning of his bones applies to *all* of the bones that he uses for striking and guarding - fists and feet, arms and legs alike. "Suicidal, but I suppose it's effective."<br /><br />He trusts his foot again, settling back into his ready stance, considering Momoyo's own stance and status. She took the hits just to capitalize on that opportunity, and she's likely doing more harm to herself than Sagat's own combo did. Even if she can 'regenerate' from injuries inflicted, that HAS to come from somewhere ... which leaves Sagat with roughly two options: make her deplete her own ki, or try to overwhelm her ability to recover. And given that she seems to *like* getting hit and hurt ...<br /><br />"Well," he rumbles. "If you're a ki user ... <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">TIGER!!</span>" He opens his guard for a split second, bringing his arms up with his fists clenched, then 'punching' forward with both arms despite being well out of punching reach at the moment. But then, that's what the wave of ki is for - a Tiger Shot, erupting into existence as the normally-invisible energy leaves his knuckles, a simple ki projectile headed straight at Momoyo's face.<br /><br />If Momoyo thought she could capitalize when he lowered his defense to launch that, it should catch her wide open; either way, Sagat follows his projectile in with a leaping kick. He's not going on an all-out offensive or leaving himself totally unguarded once he lands, but he doesn't intend to give Momoyo a chance to use Restoration again.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There was that flow of ki. She knew it was in him but not when he'd use it, so watching the move flow through his arms, she kept her guard up. Naturally, the force of that blow singed her wrists and bare arms, but now she was properly on the defensive. She even blocked that leaping kick that came instantly after with a grunt, her impressive strength evident when the man nearly twice her weight crashes into her guard.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm93">"Kawakami-ryu Ougi Ten no Tsui!!"</span> She brings her own vicious axe kick from above out of the guard. On a smaller opponent it would be meant to break the shoulder, but against Sagat it was intended to capitalize on his recovery from the leaping kick. If he had to use his hands to balance coming down from mid-air she could at least tag the huge beast's chest... before stepping in with more vicious punches at his midsection to force him back! "Hahaha! I like how you fight! Fantastic!" she would even rain compliments on her opponent, despite his silence.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Inwardly, Sagat has to approve of how smoothly Momoyo went from defense back to offense - and approves further of being *able* to defend herself against strikes which ought to break through a lesser fighter's guard. Granted, it's not about brute force so much as it is about leverage and timing.<br /><br />And as far as timing goes, Momoyo's transition into that axe kick is impeccable; Sagat takes the hit - without particularly wobbling, but the grimace that crosses his face confirms that he felt it, much as he feels the punches with which Momoyo follows up. He finds a gap in the combo and manages to get his defenses up, smirking a little at the compliment paid to him in the middle of the assault.<br /><br />He's back to not saying much, though, too focused on the practical aspects of the fight. It *is* a good match - Momoyo's giving him a reasonable challenge, even as he keeps gauging her moves and her psychology. Fights are about more than muscle and technique, after all.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Continuing her onslaught as he steps back with his guard up, she jumps into the air, giving an acrobatic flip... and comes down with a punch from above. It'd been a while since her opponent's size matched their endurance for her, and that was one of the rare few times she'd bait him into anything.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm93">"Kawakami-ryu Sasori-uchi!!!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her fist comes down at high speed from the sky, aiming for Sagat's head again. While it was a fairly surprising move coming from her sister, the extra height coupled with her strength made it a more devastating move that demanded a response, if risky. It left her quite wide open, but was perfect for a tall fighter intent on staying on the ground. She was getting more confident even as she knew he was studying her. All she had to do was run out the clock on his stamina... against such a larger fighter, her larger hits were too risky until he felt like attacking.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>... Seriously?<br /><br />"<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">TIGER UPPERCUT!!!</span>"<br /><br />Momoyo goes high and launches a descending attack; Sagat responds by dropping briefly into a crouch and then *rocketing* skywards, fist-first. Given Sagat's superior reach, Momoyo doesn't stand much of a chance - his arms are longer, she's in mid-air at the moment he executes the Tiger Uppercut which gives him an additional advantage in terms of aiming ...<br /><br />Sure, Momoyo's fist MIGHT still hit Sagat's head, but he's anticipating that his blow will land hard enough to take the strength out of her descending punch. And given that this is one of Sagat's own big moves, it may take more than *that* out of her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color:xterm9">"AAAARGGGGH!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Momoyo is sent flying properly across the arena several feet. Her body bounces once before she rolls on her back, looking much worse for the wear as she's given the ki-powered uppercut. "Nnngh...!" she hops to her feet, breathing heavily... while wounded, she still didn't look /winded/. In response to her opponent probably closing in on her, she had to unleash a move of her own.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm93">"Kawakami Style: Killer Fireflies!!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sent small balls everywhere in Sagat's direction, trying to impede his lumbering forward movement. The balls themselves were powerful enough to need to be blocked, but were no stronger than an individual punch of hers. More importantly was how the move kicked up dust the more she sent at him. Even if she had to weave through or block Tiger Shots, it would be much harder to see her as she either forces the fight into the air for obscures Sagat's vision for her superior speed.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagat is definitely moving to close in, but not unguardedly; the Killer Fireflies force him to go on the defensive again, although he's studying out the pattern those ki balls come in, if there is one. He's also alert for gaps in the barrage, any opening that he can potentially take advantage of ...<br /><br />But in the meantime, he's largely on the defensive again. So far, his best hits against Momoyo have been when she leaves herself open, while she's too focused on offense to wait for him to give *her* openings. Combine that with her approximate age ... well, he remembers being that young. Brash, cocky, rising through the ranks of the Muay Thai world, certain that nothing and nobody could stop him. He was a grown man when somebody genuinely outmatched him for the first time, and ... he took it badly.<br /><br />Badly enough that he's still making up for it, in many ways.<br /><br />Maybe Momoyo can bring herself to heel if she realizes how vulnerable she is on particular fronts - although she doesn't have the unmatched record of wins that Sagat did, she has the attitude anyway, or something that he thinks is close to it. And in the meantime ...<br /><br />"<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">TIGER!!</span>"<br /><br />He drops into a low, tight crouch and sends another Tiger Shot racing towards Momoyo, maybe a foot above the ground. If Momoyo heard the attack call and expected it at the same height as before, she's in for a surprise; if she catches on that it's coming in low and jumps over it, it should still interrupt the Killer Fireflies.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At the same time as Sagat's Tiger...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm93">"Kawakami-HAAA!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She had a projectile of her own to throw.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The benefit was neutral, as she slung her own violet charged beam at Sagat and then crouched to take the brunt of the shot in her knee with her block. She couldn't force her opponent in the air... damn. So, she would have to choose another strategy.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Closing the distance rapidly, she tries to throw more punches from out of the clouds of dust... but instead of continuing her flurry, she quickly jabs both her open palms in... to try and grab Sagat's wrists. <span style="color:xterm93">"Kawakami Style: Roasted Meat!"</span> It was her idea of a throw to get through Sagat's block, instead frying his limbs to discourage him from blocking. With the edge on her speed and their strength about comparable, she might be able to whittle down that impeccable defense and force him to attack her more often. She had a sinking feeling he was finally adjusting to her chaotic and reckless style though... if she didn't pull out some more tricks, her defenses would eventually be negligible against this Tiger. Everyone else in the Multiverse was nervous being around her, how did this man have such nerves of steel in the face of her talent and savagery!?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagat's defenses come up again, although Momoyo's ki blast rocks him back on his heels even through his block. And while it's not exactly 'as expected,' sure enough, Momoyo comes racing in with another barrage of punches -<br /><br />And tries to grab for his wrists, invoking another technique.<br /><br />Rather than trying to pull his arms away, Sagat attempts to break her grip in a different manner, namely by using Momoyo's grip to spread her arms, and then snapping his leg up in a two-stage kick, leading with the knee before following through with the foot, aiming for her belly and solar plexus in turn - and likely hurling her backwards, whether she lets go of his arms or not.<br /><br />"<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">TIGER KNEE!!!</span>"<br /><br />And if the initial kick doesn't do the trick in either part, he drops into a crouch once more before rocketing up and forwards, accepting whatever damage she does to his arms but *punishing* her with the leaping knee-strike, and - if she's still capable of putting up any measurable resistance - leading out of the Tiger Knee into another elbow strike, this time aimed just below her collarbone.<br /><br />All the while, he's being reasonably careful not to shatter any of her bones. He likely could break something badly enough to lay her up for a while, and if he were letting himself go all-out, odds are he WOULD have busted something in the Kawakami girl's skeleton by this point. Maybe several somethings - and whether the kick he began his counter with broke anything or not mostly depended on how quickly she realized what was happening.<br /><br />Savagery, is it? Sagat's been accused of that before - and the desire to simply overpower Momoyo without any semblance of mercy .... well, it's there. He doesn't like the idea of losing to, or even tying with, a schoolgirl - even one who's this skilled and strong. But he's learned something through his years as a fighter, through experiences both lawful and unlawful.<br /><br />And if Momoyo realizes that she's not going to win this one if he has a say about it, he's going to try and explain it to her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She has no choice but to cough as she's brutally and adeptly punished again. Knocked on the floor and on her side, she fitfully coughs up blood. "Hmhmhm... heh..." she murmurs after the savage beating. She got what she wanted, but was punished quite a bit in return. Slowly, she shifts back to her feet, staggering as her mouth wipes off her chin. She hadn't had the snot beaten out of her this soundly in... well, ever. The fight wasn't over, but she could tell just looking from his eye... if she tried to use Restoration again, he would simply do whatever it took to end the match right there. Still, it wasn't as if she had a choice. "Kawakami Style, R-"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her guard was down as she set about trying to regenerate again. If she could just get back on her feet she could easily turn this around... he was getting tired and going more on the offense... but no.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm93">"Forbidden Move: Fuji Smasher!!!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She attempted to bait him into dropping his guard in order to bring out his strongest move... only to violently throw as much of her ki into her return blow as hard as she could. This was the only way she could equalize the match, or even buy enough time to heal. If she didn't throw him on the ground, the truth of the matter was she was finished. No amount of blocking or stamina would stop him from choosing however many of her bones he needed to break to put her down. It was, in a sense, like fighting Ex-Assistant Master Shakadou.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Again, it's not an unguarded offense that Sagat goes for; Momoyo is fast enough to take advantage of those openings, so he has to minimize them. But the Fuji Smasher still catches him by surprise, and the Muay Thai fighter brings his guard up - and yells in pain.<br /><br />Blocking with forearms that are still recently-burned is NOT a terribly smart move; there may be some blood soaking through his wrist wraps, either now or soon thereafter. But for all that Sagat lets out a roar of agony, for all that Momoyo's strike drives him backwards with his heels digging furrows in the ground ... he's still standing.<br /><br />Maybe just barely.<br /><br />But 'just barely' is still enough. Momoyo is practically at his mercy when the ki 'shield' dissipates, and his retaliation is immediate, kicking repeatedly with knees and ankles, aiming for her arms and her ribs until he finally reaches out to grab her by the throat and *lift* her off the ground, never mind how much his hands hurt.<br /><br />The one arguable mercy is that he's not choking her with that hand, but he does drive his knee into her belly and/or solar plexus a couple of times before flinging her away.<br /><br />And if that STILL isn't enough to put Momoyo down for the count or get her to concede ... well, he *is* running out of reserves, but he's not down for the count either.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Damn..." it was almost enough. She nearly turned the match around. Still, even if he was that pissed at her, she was going to force him to have to end the mat<span style="color:h.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;cxterm93">"Kawakami Style: -cough- Restora..."</span><br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>She's still trying to recuperate? Sagat is almost tempted to let her - she probably NEEDS to use her healing move now, if she still has the ki to fuel it. "I've heard about some of the fights you've had," Sagat states, wheezing a little - she really DID land some telling hits, and he's going to need medical attention as well, or a protracted rest. "And fighting you myself ... I see a lot of myself in you. A younger me. Brash, headstrong, confident, even arrogant ..."<br /><br />He walks over to where Momoyo is currently sprawled on the ground, wary, but not carrying himself like he means to attack again. "... and severely lacking in <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">discipline</span>," he finishes. "You trust your strength and your speed and your special moves, but you don't read your opponent, you don't anticipate the unexpected well enough to be ready for it. And you go all-out - you unleash your moves without thinking of the cost, trusting that Restoration move to pick up the slack. What does that cost you to use, anyway? How much ki does it take to heal yourself from self-inflicted injuries like that Human Bomb move?"<br /><br />He could crush her. Easily. He could probably kill or cripple her, if he wanted, and it'd be a matter of whether anyone else could stop him. But those are thoughts that Sagat has been distancing himself from for years - and he didn't come here just to fight, or even to fight and win.<br /><br />He came to try and *teach*. And if it took beating Momoyo to a pulp for her to listen to him ... well, hopefully she's still conscious enough to remember what he's saying.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tesshin calmly walks out of the side of the arena. "The match is over. Sagat wins." the old man declares, despite Momoyo healing her injuries completely. Still, it was easy to see that her spiritual energy was all but spent.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sits up slowly, getting to her feet... and looking completely fresh. "Heh. Doesn't matter... I had fun." she murmurs. While she could probably still take a punch and was aware enough to fight, she was clearly wobbly, mentally. Most of her bones had been brutalized in those last hits, around her ribs, and she was probably paralyzed before restoring, even.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Normally, I can restore about thirty times... that technique depends on the user's body, and how much of it I used elsewhere." she admits, grudgingly. It wasn't as if she was teaching the move itself, but not answering her victor would be just plain disrespectful. While others might be upset about her loss, her voice was filled with reverence almost. It was clear, though, given the beating the received, had the match continued to it's logical conclusion, and how much ki she put into the Ningen Bakudan and Fuji Smasher... she would be on the ground again in about five minutes looking just as bad and nothing to heal with. She was wobbly enough for the monks and Ayako to look at, since her mental acuity was nearly all spent, but with how she was half-dead thirty seconds ago, the technique was truly remarkable. While she was proud of her offense, it was clear her more experienced opponents were anxious about her ability to recover.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Psh, not like you didn't get beat just as badly as I was, there." she points accusingly at Sagat's scar, but after dusting her shredded clothes off, she was an entirely different woman. "We're going to fight again. A fight between you and me can still go either way." she murmurs, the amount of ki she used betrayed by her heavy breathing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagat's expression hardens slightly, and he runs a hand along his scar, remembering the blow that inflicted it. "A reminder of my first loss," he says reflectively. "Once, it was a source of hatred towards the one who gave it to me. Now, it is a reminder of the dangers of my own pride."<br /><br />He looks at his hand and forearm for a moment, grunting .... then steps closer to Momoyo, offering a handshake. "I look forward to our next match. Thank you - you were one of my toughest opponents yet, and a reminder that one never truly *finishes* one's training in the ways of battle."<br /><br />He's not going to be offended if Momoyo doesn't accept his handshake, given the abuse his hands and arms have taken - and *he* doesn't have an instant-heal technique like Momoyo does.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:928|Momoyo Kawakami (928)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After Momoyo accepts the handshake with the same reverence she usually gave her grandfather when they weren't discussing fighting, Tesshin starts to discuss Sagat's dinner, room and boarding arrangements off to the side while the monks attend to him.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Wow..." she murmurs, looking at the bruised and burnt fighter, scarcely able to keep her eyes open while Sagat's third-degree burnt arms and broken ribs from the Fuji Smasher were addressed. "He's... amazing, Wanko..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:942|Kazuko Kawakami (942)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So this was the level that Elites were really on. The sorts that could not only be a match for Kazuko's sister, but outright kill her given the time. The younger Kawakami definitely isn't looking comfortable at all, gritting her teeth while looking over at Tesshin anxiously while waiting for him to stop the match between Momoyo and Sagat. It's only because she knows that he's still watching the fight that she isn't trying to get in there herself, although she's fidgeting quite a bit on Ayako as if she's ready to springboard right off the water spirit if need be. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's only when Tesshin officially calls an end to the fight that she quite literally leaps out of her seat to check on Momoyo with the other monks. She's not even quite sure what to say after all that, although her posture is somewhat defensive as her gaze turns to Sagat. But if Momoyo's pleased with the fight... Kazuko can't be too mad at him either, right? "Y... Yeah. I saw. Uh..." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She can still be thoroughly lost, at least.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:575|Ayako Hasekawa (575)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ayako uncollapses her broom once Tesshin declares the match to be over. She moves to sit on it and... "Eeep!" Kazuko leapt away really fast! She startles visibly and then blinks her eyes quickly. Once she recovers from that, she sits down on her floating broomstick and floats over to Momoyo, following much more slowly after Kazuko.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once she makes her way over to Momoyo, she hops off of her broom and snatches the floating broomstick up with her right hand. "Well! That was an interesting fight!" Ayako smiles brightly and then smiles at Momoyo and Sagat. "If I may... I'll care for both of your wounds and exhaustion. It's the least I could do after watching something like that!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:95|Sagat (95)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagat is quite willing to accept the monks' medical attention, and he's clear-headed enough to reply to Tesshin when he mentions matters of hospitality. As for how to pay for those things ... well, Sagat has some money, but if Tesshin would rather, he can also help around the temple. He certainly doesn't intend to be a freeloader for any length of time, and if he can't do anything until he heals, he'll repay his debt.<br /><br />If it's a matter of teaching anything in the dojo ... well, Sagat would be happy to coach other fighters, maybe help them work on their own techniques, but it's going to take a lot for Sagat to train anyone else in his moves. (And some people, like Momoyo, just don't NEED to learn any of his special techniques.)<br /><br />Sagat nods to Ayako, "I could use the assistance, yes. Momoyo's strength is impressive." Of course, that partly depends on the monks making room for Ayako to work.<br> <br>


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