This must be the longer chapter I've ever put out, but I'm pretty satisfied by the result. I can only hope you share the sentiment.
Before his first match, Gato needed a moment of solitude to meditate, to mentally adjust for the brain-dead, hero-wannabe moron he was paired with. He stood with his back on the wall right before the entrance gate where the fighters come out after preparing in the locker rooms.
Gato always preferred his own company over the loudmouths crawling in every corner of this tournament, apathetic to all the people he alienated over the years and this KOF was no different. Aside from Blue Mary, whom he hoped has already saw the newspaper article he left in her backpack, the other fighters didn't even register in his radar. He was this close to a complete state of mental isolation when a voice, the most horrible voice he ever had the displeasure to hear called out to him.
"I knew I'd find you here. Always have to preserve the loner image, huh?"
The japanese martial artist stood still like a plank of wood when Iwao quietly emerged from the hallway with his self-satisfied grin. While impossible to tell looking at his impassible face, a vortex of conflicting emotions started swirling inside Gato. There he was...after all this searching…and all he could was laugh, a laugh more bitter than a Kopi Luwak coffee.
"So many years that I've lost count...and you just waltz in front of me like it's the most natural thing in the world. This is hysterical." Gato muttered dejected.
"Why? Is there something wrong with wanting to see my son after eleven years?" Iwao retorted, feeling completely in control of the situation.
"Drop the fake fatherly tone, Noboru. I don't feel like humoring you right now...or in any moment of the day, for that matter." Gato then put back his usual stone-like expression and turned around in disgust. But Iwao wasn't done with his mind games, so he kept walking until he was right beside his son.
"We have so much catching up to do and you still give me the cold shoulder. You deeply wound me, Gato, you know that?"
"Of course, because it's only your pain that matters. Why should you care about anyone not named Noboru Futaba?" Gato accused, ever so disdainful.
"As a matter a fact, I'm not a heartless narcissist like you. Not a day passed since I haven't missed Manami...or my dear Hotaru-"
"You don't go ANYWHERE near her, got it?" The instant her name was mentioned, Gato went up to his face like he was about tear it off, leaving only the bloody muscle tissue behind it. Hell, he probably would have been so cathartic for him. A the same time, the facade of Noboru crumbled, ready to spit venom just as hard as his son.
"Don't you think she deserves a little happiness in her life? Or are you going to cling to the past until your dying breath?"
"You and that spineless doormat of Manami are the cause of her misery, of OUR misery. Maybe you should start fixing that self-serving memory of yours."
"You dare talk about your mother, my only love, that way?" Iwao's eyes were about to become crimson red from the anger.
"Your only love? Why? Was it because she was the only one in the universe who bend over backwards to defend your shitty behaviour? Constantly licking your feet like a scared puppy, less you'd destroy her like you did with me? Like you would've done with Hotaru too had I not sacrificed myself to enter that torture chamber you called a dojo?"
"Jesus, listen to you. You are so melodramatic you could've a career in theatre. And isn't this just nostalgic?" Iwao laughed out loud, incredulous. "You blaming me for everything like the ungrateful wretch you are."
Gato was mildly surprised that his father didn't explode completely already. His rejection of reality was always so strong, he shouted like a demon to everyone who didn't confirm to a T to his world view, even outside his own family. Clearly some remark that really got to him, that really cut deep, was in order...Gato leaned on his father's ear and whispered...
"Tell me Noboru, if you loved her so much, why did you kill her the instant she turned against you like everyone else did?"
That was the push that made Iwao break. He punched right across the face hard enough to make him step back in retreat, something alien for a hardened fighter such as he. The blood trickling down from his nose was like a boiling mold, enough to drive anyone other than him insane.
"All I've done was to ensure a legacy for the Futaba household. What have you done expect reject every gift I gave you and act indignant whenever I tried to teach you basic respect?" Before resuming his lecture, Noboru noticed the pure wrath exuding from his son. "Oh, and don't even think about lifting a finger on me. With the authority I've got now, I can have you disqualified and permanently blacklisted from any future KOFs."
Gato slowly went back on his feet, picking himself up like a slumbering zombie. If his conviction was high before, now it reached the stratosphere.
"Enjoy your last days of denial, Noboru." Gato quietly claimed while glaring with his bloodshot eyes. "Until this week, you had no idea what Hell was really like." Iwao left a hint of fear in body language, but immediately brushed it off as an involuntary reaction.
"N-nothing but an empty threat, Gato. I have the upper hand between us, don't delude yourself of the contrary."
With the "family reunion" ended in his eyes, Iwao left to return at the hosts's VIP area, dismissive of just how determined his son really was. If only he was aware of just how many aces Gato had up his sleeve...he's just playing the long game.
FIRST BRACKET ROUND°1 FIGHT #2: CAO LONG VS MOMOKO
In the limelight, Clemence was more than ready to announce the next bout, addressing the crowd with newfound vigor now that the tournament has started for real.
"Now this one is a match-up I was most curious about, ladies and gentlemen." Bellamy explained. "Team China made a name for themselves in the minor leagues for their varied fighting styles between members and a focus on preserving stamina and quick chi accumulation. On the other side of the ring, Momoko is one of the youngest participants ever in this tournament, having competed only once before in KOF XI, but proving to be one of the most promising assets for Team Psycho Soldiers in the future. I already know this'll be an interesting one to dissect in the post-match analysis at the end of this bracket's first round."
In the ring, the two fighters were already stretching out their legs, the powerful engines which the supporting column of their respective styles. Cao Long noticed the little kid doing the same exercise routine he was doing and decided to see if he could make her spill the beans of her secrets.
"Good to see you're following the example set by the best of the best, yours truly. What is it, Capoeira?" Cao innocently asked.
"Yep, Master Chin helped improve a lot since my last time at KOF, sooooooooooooo sorry in advance for literally kicking your butt." Momoko cheekily answered, pulling out her tongue as most young children are want to do.
"Love the optimism, kid. But it seems to me you still don't understand who EXACTLY is about to bless you with the performance of a lifetime." Cao started tapping his feet on the floor, with sparks starting to come out faster and faster from the top of his fingers. "I'm Cao Long, the Legend Hunter and fighting genius extraordinaire. My flames burn hotter than any firecracker Mai Shiranui, Kusanagi, Yagami and K' could ever conjure in a thousand years. Prepare to meet your defeat at the hands of the greatest god of battle KOF has ever seen!"
"...'Kay. Can we fight now?" Momoko's blunt response made the chinese young man stumble a bit in shock.
"What is wrong with you people? Always ruining my groove like that, so uncool." Cao Long pouted.
"Athena, I really hope Momoko hurts that dumbass. A lot." Kyo shamelessly admitted.
"I second that." Mai added.
"I third that." When Yagami gets enough of someone else's bluster, you know it's bad.
"He may act like a complete idiot, but trust me, when things get serious there's no one else on the planet I'd want as an opponent less." Sima Li warned.
The curiosity of the audience towards this match was not to be underestimated. Many, including a good chunk of the other fighters themselves, were eager to analyze this newcomer's techniques, since none of them have so much as even heard of these chinese freshmen.
FIGHT!
With his feet covered up good by sparks, Cao Long lunged forward ready to dish out some stylish pain. However, Momoko's reflexes were not to be taken lightly. Cao went for a side kick straight for the upper chest of the young Psycho Soldier, spinning his body to have enough propulsion for the second one. But his feet were perfectly blocked midway by Momoko's, like the chinese man was practicing in front of a mirror, making the two fighters back off, sending them into a standstill.
"That was some Matrix action right there, people. It's gonna take some ingenuity for both fighters to land some important hits." Clemence deduced.
Momoko started her ginga routine, ready to respond at every possible angle. When Cao tried to charge ahead with a back kick, the Psycho Soldier intercepted him by aiming at his right leg, making him fall pretty hard on the knees not having nearly enough time to avoid the full weight of Momoko's shin on his smug face. With his face hitting the ring, Cao had to at least make a quick fix, throwing his heel in Momoko's general direction as stood up, hoping to keep her busy as he regained his footing. Thankfully it worked, as Momoko dodged to the side like a leaf whizzing in the wind. She understood this was merely a buying-time tactic, it way too easy to avoid.
Nevertheless, Cao seemed unfazed, amused even, as his smile grew even wider. He threw a massive roundhouse, which would have surely sent Momoko for a ride if it landed. But the height difference proved fatal for Cao, as Momoko swiftly ducked under it, giving him a front kick right on the chin for his trouble. Cao sure as hell felt it but refused to let it slow him down. He quickly shook off the dizziness and tried to aim low, sweeping the floor like a broom, since clearly going for the upper body was a waste of time and precious chi. Momoko hopped over it, then rolled on the ring like a soccer ball to deliver an elbow to Cao's abdomen. Unfortunately for her, this cost her dearly, as Cao blocked it with the palms of his hands and used this opportunity to pull her arm, making her lose her balance and make her land right on his knee strike, for extra impact.
Momoko had no choice but to gain some distance as she felt her nostrils flare up, especially with Cao looking eager to press his advantage. He went for the sides of Momoko's body, landing some rapid-fire kicks to strain that particular zone. The momentum was building for Cao and poor Momoko could only raise her arms accordingly to make it not hurt as much. When the Legend Hunter tried to press his luck and go high once more with a horse kick, Momoko back flipped safely and regained some stability.
"Stupid move on Cao's part. He basically gift-wrapped that escape route." Bellamy admonished and judging from Cao's visible self-disappointment, he must've agreed.
"Maintain your distance, Momo!" Shouted Athena. "He'll punish you every time you'll get close-up."
The little one sure hoped that tip would end up being useful, since Cao's techniques seemed to be lethal from both near and far. The Legend Hunter opted for something a little more ingenious next. He lit up his fingertips with fire chi just enough to create a slash of ardent smoke and threw it in Momoko's face, impairing her vision. She instinctively rubbed her eyes, knowing all too well he was coming with another head-cleaving move. Surely enough, the moment she felt the air blowing in her direction, Momoko fell on her knees and bended backwards to avoid what would've definitely ended the match right then and there if everything went according to the attacker's plan. An incredible butterfly kick imbued with Cao's flames, forming for a second the outline of a dragon's tail as he went airborne. A high-risk, high-reward move to be sure...this time around there'll be no reward to be gained, though.
After realizing one of his favourite moves didn't give the requested outcome, Cao decided to stick with more straight-forward stuff, much to his dismay. He knew for a fact that in those conditions, she had to dodge his previous kick in a very taxing and sloppy manner, so he went back to rain fire on those sides, sure that pretty soon a muscle tear would occur. Momoko, usually not one to lose patience on anyone, was sick and tired of being on the defensive and so thought of a really desperate move to get out of this mess...she just needed Cao to get greedy again.
While not exactly the opening she was hoping for, a front kick destined for her forehead failed to hit its mark and by bowing under it, Momoko unleashed a vicious Arpão de Cabeça right into Cao's stomach, folding him in two like a tablecloth, some spit forcibly coming out of his mouth. An understandable reaction, no one like being headbutted without warning
"Dear God, one of the dirtiest moves of Capoeira. There's probably a crater where Cao Long's belly used to be." Clemence jumped out of his seat to emphasize what just happened.
To pour salt on his fresh wound, Momoko kicked him back into ground striking the spot she just obliterated, certain this would leave Cao way too physically crippled to fight any longer. As she was preparing to wrap things up, something absolutely incredible...Cao refused to stay down for the count, actively refusing to have the Legend Hunter's name tainted this way. The crowd was amazed by such resilience and cheered accordingly.
"That felt great, kid." Cao genuinely complimented.
"How in god's name did he manage to get up from THAT?" Kensou requested to know.
"Don't say I didn't warn you all." Sima Li answered. "Cao has gallons of air in the reserve and can hit like a truck in any situation. With that...surprise attack of her, I'd say he's ¾ on the way to lose, but before that..."
Cao has more than enough time to return the punishment in kind. Momoko wasn't discouraged and returned on the offensive, counting on his stomach pain to seal the deal. She went a running elbow, hoping to nail him on the metaphorical board, but Cao was wise to keep that zone safe from her strikes. Going for a back kick of her own to finish, Momoko felt her advantage slipping away, as Cao either weaved or parried all of her shots, putting 1000% of his concentration to grind her momentum to a halt.
A job still had to be finished, so after planting his feet to the most ideal position, he machine-gun fired once more on Momoko's sides. After a bit of struggle, the Psycho Soldier couldn't hold her guard any longer, less she was risking to have her hips snap like a breadstick. Now with her arms giving in, Cao was free to kick at his leisure, an assembly line of strikes pummelled Momoko, every pore in her face opening up in quick succession. Cao's chi was going rampant and showed no signs of stopping, it was an accomplishment of its own he didn't become a walking bonfire in the process. Luckily, the Legend Hunter had enough sense and compassion to not continue more than necessary, since he understood that Momoko wasn't even bothering anymore to block any shots whatsoever. Unlike him, her reserves were completely and utterly spent. The Legend Hunter stopped, keeping his left leg close to his chest, watching as the Psycho Soldier flopped to the ground vacantly, as if put under a sleeping spell.
WINNER: CAO LONG
As soon as he was declared the winner, Cao ran to Momoko's side to ensure he didn't hurt her too badly, with the rest of the Psycho Soldiers quickly reaching her too.
"Hey, hey, are you alright? Is something broken? I-i didn't went too far, did I?" Cao Long nervously asked. If the joyous laughter coming from Momoko was any indication, she was just fine.
"Oh, thank the goddess! You were amazing, Momo. I'd hug you until the end of time if I could." Athena congratulated.
"I, for one, am proud to be your master." Chin grinned, a single tear of joy running through his face. "Alright everyone, let's make room for the medics. We don't want that war paint staying on her face for too long, now do we?"
Before the stretcher could take her away, Momoko wanted to thank her opponent properly.
"It was a ton of fun, mister Cao. How about a rematch in the future?" She tiredly asked.
"Worry about healing first. Once you've bounced back, I'll gladly school you again." It seems that ego just can't be shaken off so easily. Still in pain for that headbutting action, Cao returned to the stands under the applause of the audience.
"That looks like it hurts a lot, what the heck are you smiling about?" Lumei questioned.
"How do they say here in America? No pain, no gain? I must've gained a lot of serotonin, then."
Certainly, the other fighters were taking notes. The most important being that the Legend Hunter is one to watch out for.
NEXT TIME: The aspiring superhero May Lee tries to put an end to the reign of jerkiness of Gato, followed by a first-time ever match-up between Team Elisabeth and Team Korea.
