Big Me(Tai Yang)

[Nathan Branigan]

For Nathan Branigan, Paragon Institute proved to be the complete opposite of his ideal school. He didn't like the people or the faculty. He couldn't stand the bickering and needless violence. Although the chaos was relaxing for him in certain areas, such as the lack of rules and regulations, it would end up going to far.

However, this didn't stop him from an underlying desire. He needed to improve as a fighter. He had been slacking off lately after his loss in the most recent tourney, and lost a lot of chances to improve as a result. This was going to change. For the first few months of the school's existence, no one student stood above the others as the absolute best...until recently. Nathan had heard about Tia Yang the same way everyone else did, hearing about the students that he defeated. This was a common occurrence, so word traveled fast although his claim to be Paragon's Captain helped with that. Nathan just couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Nathan used what little people he knew in Paragon to contact Tai Yang. He challenged him to a little spar in the school grounds, and Tia didn't seem like the type of person to pass up on showing their dominance. Tai would arrive a few minutes after Nathan if he accepted the fight.

This was merely a spar between combatants, not a battle for any school position. Simple enough, but uncorrupted by a secondary concern for power. This was meant to extend the fight rather than have a boring standard fight, which only objective was to win. This was a learning experience. And Nathan would be sure to gain everything possible from it.

"Alright Tai, let's see just how good you are."

[Tai Yang]

“Don’t you seem full of yourself.” A glee filled smile was spread across Tai Yang’s face as he walked past Nathan from behind the ex-hircine high pillar location, having walked around the school before heading toward the designated area for their ‘sparring session.’ Like always he chose to wear his leather jacket over a black tee despite the heat of the blazing summer months. His red-lenses giving the effect that his eyes were even more bloodthirsty then usual. Moving a good ten feet past Branigan he pivoted over on his left boot, really digging it into the asphalt before snapping the heel of his right hard into the black surface.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you any extra for having an ego. But,” Rolling his shoulders back he dropped his jacket off his shoulders, catching it in his left and swinging it around to his front. “It doesn’t mean that I’ll be going easy either.” Folding his jacket over itself he tossed it to the side without even bothering to look to whom it was heading. Right afterwards one of his loyal minions kneeled down and picked it up, clutching it to his chest as though his life depended on it.

“Sparring…Sparring… What does that entail again? Oh…pretty sure that shoes aren’t allowed, huh?” Kneeling down he unlaced his right, then his left before kicking them both off in between the two fighters, yanking his grey socks off by the tip of the toes and stuffing them into the body of each steel-toed boot. “Don’t worry, you can keep yours on. I’m just trying to help you out.” Despite the sun having made everything within it’s light’s rays as toasty as can be, especially the easily heated asphalt, Yang only continued to smile as his bare feet were planted on the roasting surface. Some found it hard enough just to put their palms on the ground during this time of year, and yet he was standing their bare foot. While they thought him crazy, he found it refreshing as a barely noticeable breeze blew over his feet, making him wiggle his toes in agreement.

‘This’ll be fun.’

Stepping forward with his left he sunk into a low stance, his legs about one and a half times his shoulder width. His back foot was raised up onto the ball, turned at a forty-five degree angle while his front foot was pointed toward Branigan, seemingly flat in all appearances. His hands were both clenched in fists, raised up so that his front fist was well extended, though still with room for movement, and his back hand was just forward of being beside his face, though out more then a conventual guard. In all appearances he was defending in an offensive based stance, which suited Tai Yang just fine.

“Come now blonde, don’t make me lose my lust for this battle.”

[Nathan Branigan]

Tai dropped into his own stance, prompting Nathan to come forward. The fight would begin. Nathan didn't want to waste any time, so he came forward without a word. He placed his hands in front of his face, elbows bent to protect his chest and diaphragm.

Nathan closed the distance with Tai quickly, but carefully. He remained in his stance as he approached his combatant. Early mistakes were something he hoped to avoid. As soon as Nathan came in range, he used his front foot to make a low kick directly at Tai's ankle. Nathan would make this a quick probing strike, a fast and stabbing pain to the joint. With this, Tai Yang would have to switch balance to one foot momentarily and Nathan would make a quick hook to Tai's side with his left arm.

Tai might try to get this over with quickly, or he may try to endure to win in the long run. However, Nathan had no clue as to which Tai would attempt. He did not know his new opponent. He would have to keep his guard up.

OOC: Sorry for the long wait. It's been a busy week.

[Tai Yang]

[By side I assume you mean body, and with the kick I assume that your attacking the side of the ankle, the more vulnerable area.]

As Nathan attacked Tai Yang pushed off with his back foot, sliding his body forward as he turned over his left foot and blocked his opponent’s nipping kick with his shin. There wasn’t much to the block, a simple weight management motion, but it did help to move Tai Yang forward into his opponent’s zone of attack, meaning the shorter fighter was close enough to strike.

Though, true to his intentions he continued to play it defensive as his opponent attacked with a quick left hook. It was a good punch, though it was all too obvious for Tai Yang. Dropping his right arm one would assume that he was just going to block the punch and continue on with his attack, but that defeated the purpose of his fighting to begin with. He wasn’t conventional, he wasn’t predictable, and that’s why he was good. It would appear to some that the punch had landed flush and that Tai Yang had turned and cringed in pain, though his face would be hidden. However, his right arm would actually extend after being dropped down and grab the inside of his opponent armpit, or rather his shirt, and push off with his back leg and continue to turn away.

He’d yank on his opponent’s left side while the hook passed harmlessly in front of him, his own right leg stepping back between his opponent’s legs before hooking over behind his opponent’s left. He’d literally be so close that his shoulders would be pushing against his opponent’s chest, if not for the fact that Nathan would be turned from his pulling. Releasing his opponent’s shirt he’d lean over to his and his opponent’s left, moving toward the harmless left arm – for the moment – while throwing his right elbow back in a vertical motion toward the center of his opponent’s face. Either Nathan would take the blow and fall over his leg, possibly ending the fight, or Nathan would try to evade and fall over his leg, in which he’d lose face in this sparring match. Either way suited Yang just fine.

[Nathan Branigan]

As expected, Nathan's ankle shot was evaded and deflected with Tai's shin. The hook would fail as well although it would be used against him. Tai drove his hand under Nathan's hook and grabbed his shirt underneath his armpit. Although this was hidden at first, Tai's movement would tip Nathan off to the ploy. It was too fast to dodge immediately, but Tai's own momentum would give Nathan the opening he needed.

He started out by quickly planting his feet steadily into the ground. As he did this, he would send a strong punch straight into Tai's face with his right arm. Due to Tai's attempt to pull Nathan with him, Tai's face would be looking the other way and would not be able to see the attack. It would use his own momentum against him to land a solid hit to Tai's jaw. This hit, added to Tai's shifting footwork, which would not have gained a completely steady grip on the ground, would cause him to fall while Nathan remained standing.

Tai would hit the ground, his face turned away from Nathan due to the previous strike and his own pull. Nathan would use this moment the send a quick kick to the side of Tai's back. An effortless response to his opponent's movement.

[Tai Yang]

When running head first into the enemy one has to expect to take a few hits in order to get in close, and Tai Yang held no higher deals or notions of glory. He had fought like this time and time again, usually just within mere hours of one another. He was use to getting struck; his body had the reflex beaten into it of what a blow feels like, and how to absorb the blunt of the force. As Nathan’s punch connected with his face, not precisely his jaw as Tai Yang had dipped his head lower upon the turn then most in order to generate power, the young fighter head twisted with the punch, letting the arm go past his body as he came in past both arms guard. Now Nathan was completely open, and Yang had his right leg back and twisted between his opponent’s planted feet.

However, no longer was the experienced fighter throwing his elbow overhead in order to connect with his opponent’s nose. The punch to his face disregarded that motion and made it null. However, what was still in motion was his elbow. His body still torque’d itself over with a twist of both hip and shoulder, driving his right elbow up and underneath his opponent’s right arm, striking at the other armpit this time. Nathan’s body would prevent his arm from pushing all the way through, and thus would stop his body from turning after the recoil of the two bodies connecting was finished. Yet, despite the recoil having finished, Yang was not. He’d push off his left leg and snap his head to the side, aiming to base the topside of his skull into Nathan’s nose. While any part of the face would do, the nose was optimistic in the fact that it was easy to break and was in the center of the face. Aim for the center and there’s a good chance that you’ll connect, even if it isn’t with your original target.

If Nathan hadn’t tripped over Tai Yang’s leg from the initial connecting blow – the elbow – then it would almost guarantee his head butt connecting, as well as Nathan falling backwards in an unsteady predicament. Yang could easily move onward to capitalize, but that all depended on his opponent.

[Nathan Branigan]

Nathan's attack struck, but not as intended. Tai was able to prevent any major damage due to an elbow strike. Even worse was the fact that Nathan had been trapped by Tai's legs, stopping him from dodging the incoming head butt straight at his face. This blow would be able to break his nose, disorient him, and leave him on the ground for Tai to attack at his own leisure.

However, Nathan wasn't without his own defenses. By now, his left arm was back and ready to be used in any circumstance. So, he used it as a buffer between Tai's head and his nose. It would sting, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. He then quickly sent a punch directed at Tai's diaphragm. The closed distance between the two opponents and Tai's attention to Nathan's face would provide him with an opening.

If the blow struck, Tai would have the wind knocked out of him and he would have to back off of his current barrage of attacks. He would at least have to take a few steps back. If he attempted to back off, Nathan would allow him. It was a spar, not a brawl.

[Tai Yang]

Even on a strict frontal assault Tai Yang was not without his defences. Sure, Nathan had managed to absorb some of the blow to his face by putting his arm in between them, but that also left his defenceless on the right side, and with his feet already trapped the quickest attack he could muster would be with his right arm. The only problem with that was Tai Yang's previous attack to the underside of that arm, when he struck with pit with his elbow. That move had put his arm not only on the inside of his opponent's guard, but in a good place to completely neutralize his offence. What did the young Chinese-American do? Exactly what he planned on when accepting this sparring offer: To embarrass and humiliate his opponent.

Turning his right arm over so that his forearm was almost nearly straight up he pushed it out from it’s tucked position beside his shoulder and intercepted his opponent’s attack on his diaphragm by blocking at the crevice of his opponent’s arm. While his right arm blocked the attack he performed one of his own that was extremely subtle, and not just because it came from behind his opponent’s range of vision. Pushing off from his right leg he twisted his hips over and drew his extended leg back so that his right knee would collide with the back of his opponent’s same leg. By striking at the back of the right knee he’d take away his opponent’s power in terms of punches and kicks, as a good ol’ fashioned chop block modification was a strong enough move to disable someone in one attempt.

From the knee he’d step through and away from his opponent, putting his right foot down and pivoting around on it so that he’d be just outside of striking range with his right side facing his opponent. He’d have a slight bend to his knees, and his right arm would be up in a simplistic vertical guard with his fist clenched, but he wasn’t going to try harder then he needed to win.

[Nathan Branigan]

Things didn't quite go as Nathan had planned. Tai was able to block the blow to his diaphragm by knocking the hook away with the same arm that blocked the last attempt made by Nathan. Even worse was that Tai had finally used Nathan's immobilized legs against him. Tai struck him in the back of the knee, causing his right leg to give in to the weight of Nathan's body sending him crashing to the ground on his back.

Luckily for Tai, he backed off. He didn't want to end the fight just yet, just as Nathan wouldn't have. So Nathan bounced back on his feet and jumped a few steps back. The first volley of attacks had been concluded and Tai was currently winning the fight.

The only thing left to do was continue the fight. He wasn't done just yet. "Alright Tai, your turn to attack. Let's see what else you've got to offer".

Nathan immediately broke down into a stance with his left leg in front of his right, spread slightly to give him balance but not overextend his footing. He brought up his hands to his face, elbows pointed out. The hands would be open, ready to catch any attacks Tai threw at him. The placement of his hands matched his feet.

"Let's have some fun."

[Tai Yang]

Enjoying the fact that his opponent crumbled to the ground Tai Yang lowered his right arms guard and gave a tiny snicker of amusement. He watched as his opponent went back into stance, keeping the now injured knee behind so as to keep it from being a prime target. Well, that’s what he assumed anyways, perhaps this was the boys normal fighting stance, he didn’t know, either way his back leg was injured and the longer he waited the more the knee’s pain would grow. Unlike the larger muscles, when the knee’s hit they tend to weaken when pressure is put on them, even when it’s constant pressure. The joint and nerve damage would quickly accumulate in the match, which nearly meant that Tai Yang was on the road to victory.

“Tck, Now c’mon,” Standing up he moved toward his opponent with a superior attitude, taking it past the point of sparring as he began to mock his opponent. “Your boxing is pretty good, but you’ve gotta mix it up, get creative.” Bounding off his left leg he went out on a diagonal to his right, his opponent’s left, and quickly landed and pivoted his hips over on his right. Putting his left down so that it was basically in line with his opponent’s front leg he pushed off with his back leg and threw a low, strong roundhouse to his opponent’s left thigh, just above the knee. He was aiming to connect with the bottom of his shin, and was pulling his foot back to amplify his reach anyways.

Having darted in he kept with his motion of unpredictable moves, and only rose up his left arm for guard. He wasn’t being cocky with the one armed guard, rather he was using his right arm to pull at the air and increase the speed of his spin, thus the force of his kick. He only needed his left arm up because he was striking from his opponent’s left side, and was barely inside his striking range, so he didn’t really need to worry about to many strikes that could counter his leg kick.

In the end he was trying to humiliate the former pillar. He didn’t like being called out, and despite the boys meaning of a ‘friendly spar’ this was completely serious in Tai Yang’s eyes. To maim and cripple, destroy and humiliate: these were his goals for this fight, and he wasn’t planning on stopping until he was successful.

[Nathan Branigan]

Tai jolted at Nathan like a bird diving at its prey, talons outstretched and ready to deliver a devastating attack. Unlike the bird, however, Tai did not go straight for a finishing blow. That would leave him little entertainment in the short struggle that would follow such an approach. Tai instead jumped to Nathan's left and sent a strong right kick aimed at Nathan's left thigh. The attack was dangerous not because of Tai's build, but because he used speed to power his attacks. This would make his blows fast and painful.

Knowing that jumping back would only delay the fight with no real result except hurting Nathan's injured right knee, he moved forward. Nathan would go closer to Tai to lessen the blow of the leg, stopping just as he got to Tia's knee on the attacking leg. As he was moving, he would catch Tai's leg upon impact. The raised leg would be caught by Nathan's left arm, providing him a way to keep Tai still for a moment. he would then use his right leg to kick at Tai's right knee. It would cause him to lose his last placement on the ground and fall on his back. This would, of course, hurt Nathan's leg, but such risk had to be taken. He was now running on a set clock before his leg would not be in any real condition to fight.

With his combatant down on the ground, Nathan would have a short lived advantage. However, he was here to get himself into a bad situation to learn how to get out of it. If Tai fell then he would have succeeded in that for the moment. So he released Tai's leg and took a few steps back, trying to keep as much weight off of his right leg as possible.

OOC: Sorry for the wait. I've been busy.

[Tai Yang]

As Tai Yang’s right leg slammed into the thigh of his opponent’s and was captured by a sly push forward and a wrap of the arm he could only let a smirk of self satisfaction come over his face. He was going to play with his opponent for a longer period of time before hand, and had decided this when he attacked by kicking out at the thigh, but when Nathan came forward as he did and put his head in close proximity to Tai Yang’s arms, well that decided it: He was going to finish this fight.

Without giving Nathan the time to kick out Tai Yang would twist his right shoulder over with his arm bent in tight. He swung his arm through with the intent of striking from overhead, meaning his right elbow would be descending into Nathan’s exposed and unprotected jaw. Because the boy had chosen to try to take Yang to the ground, and thus moved forward, he step himself up for the devastating blow of Tai Yang’s elbow. If the boy managed to somehow block or evade the blow it would seem to be nothing less then a miracle, but this didn’t worry nor did it concern the Chinese American youth. Should one of those options happen he’d follow up by twisting his shoulders to the right so that his left side was pushing forward as he planted his right leg on the ground. Meaning, his left elbow would follow up from his right, striking out horizontally instead of diagonally.

His right foot would be returned to the ground simple because of weight and management. If Nathan had to block or evade his other elbow then he wouldn’t be strong enough to hold up Tai Yang’s leg while all of his weight was being pushed forward, thus his leg would break free, resulting in the second attack.