Round 1: Amakusa Takehiro vs. Yamabara Shou

[Takeda Shingen]

(OOC: Stats are in effect, as this is a stat-based board, but will be used more as a guideline than strict adherence. Please post your BASE STATS WITH FACTION STAT BONUS ONLY in your first post, at which point, they will be locked. No Musou is allowed. This fight ends on March 3rd. Good luck.)

The both of you are led to a simple walled garden somewhere in rural Japan during the day, the referee already there and awaiting your arrival. The garden is surrounded by buildings and large cherry trees bearing blossoms; a gentle shower of petals falls down every so often. While here, you can hear Japanese court music in the background. Aside from a few fences, seating covered by red paper umbrellas, and a large bell standing by one of the outer walls.

"Ready? Fight!"

[Yamabara Shou]

(OOC - STATS Str: 15, Dex: 17 , Con: 18 , Wis: 16 , Spr: 7)

Shou would arrive some way off from the garden another man calmly approached him and telling him to follow. Doing so Shou was lead by the man to a surprisingly beautiful garden, surrounding by building. Soft music sounded through and it didn't seem like a fitting location for the tournament that Shou had entered after hearing about to try and test his hand to hand skills. Shou looked around and would see the other person be lead in not long after he was. 

Shou hadn't original paid much attention to the name of the man he was going to be fighting, but when the guy arrived Shou was shocked to recognise the face. "Well I wasn't expecting this." Shou would comment aloud to Amakusa before the referee spoke at them, telling them to get ready. Shou would move into a crouch stance arms ready to defend himself from the other man, as the word to start the fight would come. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

[OoC: Str: 20 Dex: 20 Con: 21 Wis: 14 Spr: 15]

Takehiro would have entered the garden once allowed, interested in the beauty of the place. It really appealed to his eyes, put it would be a shame to fight in such a beautiful garden. The irony behind all of this was that Takehiro had to fight the one man he'd really discussed the natural beauty of the world with, a man he'd actually come to like, despite their small encounter.

"Shou!" He chirped, a grin plastered on his face. The guy hopefully wouldn't take any of this too personally. Takehiro just wanted to win. That's why he entered the damn tournament. "May the best man win, my friend."

Quickly, Takehiro would proceed toward Shou, stepping in low and fast. He would twist his body to the right, sending his left arm out for a jab toward Shou's stomach. It would be drawn back very fast, and it would knock a little wind out of him if it hit, but mostly, this attack was to see how fast he would react.

In the event Shou grabbed Takehiro's arm, the mercenary would flex, pulling it inward. His body would twist to the right and his right leg would come up, his shin soaring into the left side of Shou's face. If that hit made contact, the leg would pass Shou's head, and Takehiro would bend the knee, wrapping it around him. He would then pull downward, using all of his weight, to smash Shou's head into the ground.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou wished the other man well in turn in his head. As Amakusa came at him, Shou wasn’t to surprise by the action. It was like he was trying to take him by surprise and that why it was expected. Shou slammed a palm into Amakusa’s forearm coming at him, knocking it away, as he stepped back off in order to put some distance between them.


However the other man followed up, and came at him with a kick aimed for the face, it was fast, but Shou still had his other arm up ready to defend, and moved it to intercept. It struck solidly in to his own forearm hurting as it did, but better than being hit in the face, Shou thought. Twisting his hand Shou would grip at the man’s clothes rather then his leg, and push up and outwards with his arm to push him off balance as he would step in quickly. Lashing out with quick sweep of a kick with Shou own right leg, he attempted to take the other man’s leg out at the ankle before he could pull his leg back to stand on.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Shou's reaction time told Takehiro everything he needed to know. The guy was fast enough that he didn't need to hold back, and he wouldn't feel bad for going all out. That was how he wanted to fight, and it just made him respect Shou a little bit more.

As Shou grabbed hold of Takehiro's hakama and struck out at his free leg, the mercenary would quickly react. He would push off his foot, allowing Shou's sweep to pass underneath it. His leg curled inward and immediately shot outward, looking to slam into Shou's chest with full force to knock the guy back and put some distance between them.

If the move hit, Takehiro would flip backward from the momentum and land on his feet, arms up in a defense position and feet planted firmly for stability and quick retaliation.

[Yamabara Shou]

It seemed Amakusa wasn't one to be taken by such a obvious leg sweep as he had made. Nimbly jumping into the air to avoid it before lashing out of with another kick. It was to fast to avoid, and Shou only choice was to take it, however he turned at the hips to move his shoulder across slightly instead. The kick meant for his chest hit solidly against the shoulder but the force still pushed him away and he saw Amakusa flip backwards creating distance and pulling a guard up. 

"Nice kick." Shou said with a quick nod, planting his own feet and pulling up another guard of his own. Clenching and unclenching his hand, to see how much the blow to the shoulder had impeded his arm. Not to much, the main problem with straight kicks mid air was the pushed you back and lessened the force, though he could still feel it. Shou would approach slowly closing the distance, before charging at the other man, left arm raised back as if to throw a palm strike. Only instead Shou dashed right at the last second bring his right arm up from his guard into palm strike uppercut towards the man's neck, hopefully under his guard. Even if Amakusa pulled back to alone, the blow would continue forward hopefully connecting with the man's jaw instead. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

As Shou dashed forward, Takehiro prepared himself. He took a step back as the palm shot up, and it connected with his jaw. It hurt quite a bit, but it would kind of work to Takehiro's advantage. Before he could pull his arm away, Shou would find his forearm gripped tightly by the mercenary. Takehiro would take one step back, pivoting on his heels and ramming his hips into Shou's own, hip-tossing the guy over his shoulder and into the ground.

If the attack worked, Takehiro would keep a hold on Shou's arm and slam his knee into the guy's side, twisting the arm and jamming two fingers into the tendon on the wrist.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou came up off the ground as Amakusa grabbed his arm and moved into a throw and Shou new he was going to come down hard. However he knew that he couldn't risk letting this fight move to the ground, while the other man still had his arm. Lashing out with his free arm, into the other man's wrist hard as he came down towards the ground, forcing the other man to hopefully break his grip. Shou would slam into the ground with a sharp exhale of breathe due to the pain of meeting the ground. 

If Shou had managed to break free as hoped, he would turn the monument of the throw into a roll. Spinning his legs out in order to bring himself to his feet, and hopefully connect with a series of kicks with his heels at the same time from the action, if Amakusa followed after him. H knew he need to be off the ground and on his feet, and would pull up his guard to protect himself. Slower then he would have hope from the pain in his back. If this fight was going to move to the ground, Shou wanted it to be on his own terms. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro would take the wrist-hit, knowing that if he let go of the man now he would lose any advantage he currently had. Once he was on the ground, however, in that hold, Takehiro had free reign, so he would not let go, though he would grit his teeth. Shou would find Takehiro's knee burying deep into his ribs and his arm shot straight out and twisting at the shoulder, fingers burying into his tendon to keep him from using that hand.

If Shou tried any funny moves, Takehiro would tug on his arm and threaten to dislocate it at the shoulder, which would mean Shou would be down one arm this early into the fight. He wasn't going to let up on the hold. He was stronger than his opponent, and he was going to assert that.

[Yamabara Shou]

'Damn' Shou would think as he failed to get free, and painfully hit the ground. A knee digging into the side of his ribs as the other man got his arm in to a twisted lock position. Shou knew he was in a bad position and didn't see a way free without getting hurt a lot. Out of sight however his free hand would gather up a collection of dirt, dust and cherry blossoms from the ground. If he was to have any chance he needed a distraction.

His arm with all the speed he could muster would whip round. Throwing the collection of particulates towards the other man's face. Pain would shoot through his arm and shoulder as the other man applied more pressure. Pushing up with his leg and side, how bring the arm down on the other man's, feeling the pop in shoulder and screaming out in pain. The blow combined with the fact his arm, no matter how painfully could bend in way not normal, Shou would pull away with another scream of pain, pulling his arm free. 

Rolling away, still in agony Shou used his good arm to push himself to his feet. One arm hanging limp. IT was bad, but he didn't see another choice. Maybe afterwards Amakusa could teach him the counter. Shou had never come to win. But to learn, to test himself, and to see just how much his body could take. The pain in his shoulder was incredible. At least he was figuring out one of the three so far. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Before Shou could roll away, Takehiro would have applied as much crushing force to his ribs as possible, either bruising or fracturing them, along with the dislocated shoulder Shou would now be handling. He would spit the dirt and blossoms out of his mouth, blocking Shou's counter, as it wouldn't have much force to it, given the position he was in.

"No hard feelings, man," he laughed, standing to his feet. He would give Shou next to no time to recover as he rushed the man, always staying on the side with his broken arm, so it would be harder for him to recover. Once within range, Takehiro would send a flurry of quick jab's at Shou's side, to put some pressure on and measure how he would counter.

[Yamabara Shou]

Amakusa was not holding back at all it seemed. Coming straight at him, once he was free, aiming the whole time at his bad side. The first few blows hit, adding to the pain in his side, before Shou managed to bring his other side round to finally push aside the other blows with his hand. Seeing as his hand was occupied with his defending the quick jabs, his only course of action was to use his legs to attack.

Dirty fighter that he was. Shou would grab one of the jabs, rather then push it aside. With a sudden pull he would bring Amakusa of balance and step in. Bringing a leg up, a knee would go for the unspeakable before Shou would push out with his hand to create a little more space, and then turn the knee into a stamp like kick forward at Amakusa's gut. With what Shou hoped was enough force to push the guy back and rethink coming at him using both arms, just because Shou was down one. 

"Likewise." Shou would shout, if the knee hit it's unfair mark. In a form of apology and to say something to let his aggression out, at the pain he was in. Hopefully the other man wouldn't hate him for it. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Shou would grab Takehiro's arm, but given that Takehiro was faster than his opponent, it would mean he would have to turn quickly and overextend his arm, limiting the effectiveness of his reach, as well as where his leg would be effective. Takehiro's free arm would shoot out, blocking the knee by slamming his forearm atop Shou's thigh. From there, he would grab the underside of his opponent's knee, keeping the leg in check with his own. His preoccupied arm would flex, making what was in Shou's hand require a larger grip. Almost immediately after, he would loosen the muscle and rip his arm free before Shou's grip could tighten again, and he would sweep his free leg down to knock Shou's out from under him.

If that all went as planned, Takehiro would still have one of Shou's legs in his grip, which he would sort of use to manhandle his opponent. He would turn the leg so Shou would have to land on his front, then he would drop a knee into the center of Shou's back. From there, he would place one knee on Shou's free leg, while using both arms to tug the leg he held as far back as he could, putting a strain on the body.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou almost growled in annoyance as Amakusa managed to block his leg and grasp hold of it, but memory of the begin of the fight kicked in instinctively. Shou pushed off his leg still on the ground as best he could. Moving over Amakusa attempt to sweep kick his foot out from under him, much like he had tried earlier. But unlike Amakusa, Shou didn't have a quick counter and escape more desperate action, and would bring his weight to down towards the man, one arm used the other useless. While both of Amakusa were used there was only one method of attack left to him.

As his body weight would hopefully knock Amakusa back and over, Shou would pull his head back and slam it out forward at Amakusa own on the way down. Hoping that while, it would hurt himself at the same time. Amakusa would be the one to have to force of the headbutt send his head into the ground hard below. From there Shou, would try and land with his caught knee, even held as it was in the man's chest. Bringing head back and then in again to head but the man once more into the hard ground below. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Shou deserved a little more credit than Takehiro gave him for, but not too much more. He would jump and headbutt Takehiro, their faces connecting, but Takehiro's head was harder. And, he used Shou's momentum against him, turning and pulling his leg toward Takehiro's side. When they would land and hit the ground, Shou would be on his back, and Takehiro would already be recovering, his palm slamming into the man's solar plexus to knock the wind out of him and momentarily keep him from fighting back. Then, he would ram one palm into his knee, using the other to push on his heel. The direction of the force would put so much pressure on Shou's knee, it was likely to snap if Takehiro just went a little further. This would put a lot of heat on his opponent, but it was an attack he was willing to use.

[Yamabara Shou]

Amakusa was thick-headed, literally and Shou regretted the idea, pain in his forehead where the two had met. However it didn't have the desire effect, and while the two went down it was once again, on Amakusa terms and not Shou's own. One again Shou was on the ground, and Amakusa hand hit him in the chest, winding him and stopping him from doing anything as the man got a lock on his leg in a even bigger risk of pain then the previous arm lock had been. 

Just how much was Shou willing to risk on a fight that didn't matter. The stakes were nothing to him in this place, so why would it matter if he gave in. Because it may matter next time. He at least hoped the breif kinship of there previous meeting would mean Amakusa showed him pity after the fight. With his free hand once he got his breathe back, Shou would swing out with his good arm a claw like strike to Amakusa face and eyes. A final act of defiance and refuse to go down easily. If he was going to be limping a way, holding hi shoulder like a wounded dog. At least he would have learned that when push came to shove, Shou wouldn't give in. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Shou's fighting spirit was admirable, and his strike got Takehiro in the face, though the mercenary just took the pain, utilizing his advantage. It didn't feel entirely right, but he was going to show this man he wouldn't back down, and he would do what was necessary to win, if it meant forcing his opponent into submission.

Takehiro would apply all the force he could and snap Shou's leg at the knee, making his leg basically useless. From there, he would stand and back away, in case Shou felt like throwing some strikes out of anger.

"Think you can keep going after that?"

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou would scream out and sheer agony and collapse back to the ground broken in more ways then one. Grinding his teeth together, his free arm smashing into the ground next to him over and over. Trying his hardest to not let the adrenalin fade from his system. His body hurt like hell and he knew that once he had calmed down it was only going to get worse. 

"KNOCK ME OUT!"

Shou would shout through the pain at the other man, a desperate look in his eye to get away from the pain, even if it meant losing face in front of the other man. He had proved to himself he could go into he couldn't anymore, he didn't need to prove himself in front of the other man. Shou just hoped for the other man's kindness. Even after the dirty way he fought. 

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Shit, the guy looked like he was in a LOT of pain. That what it felt like to have your knee broken? Takehiro quickly obliged, running up to Shou and decking him in the lower jaw as hard as he could, just to make sure he was out for the count.

If Shou was knocked out from there, Takehiro would rip the sleeves of his kimono off. He would use one to make a sling for Shou, and the other to help bandage his knee, after taking some wood from the nearby trees. He'd give him a splint after he was out, just to make sure he healed okay.

"Really sorry, man... I'll make you some rice cakes later."

[Takeda Shingen]

The moment Shou was knocked out, the referee would end the fight, and raise the red flag in his right hand.

"This match is over! The winner is Amakusa Takehiro!"

+1 EXP to Amakusa Takehiro and Yamabara Shou. Takehiro advances to the next round.