Sakura remembered when she first climbed this mountain range. She was much younger, still of school age. Ryu had told her to go back to school, but only found a mundane level of boredom in her daily classes. Three stagnant months of sitting in a lumpy desk listenning to why calculus will help her buy vegetables while whiney female classmates whispered and giggled over the given weeks new idol group was really getting to her.
And a few weeks later she was climbing the sheer surface of a mountain she had never heard of. Maybe there was something to this Geography thing after all. She had decided againt that notion a few weeks later when she was learning far more Geography first hand then any class could teach her. It was a hard climb for her in her youth. Sheer sheet rock with an icey layer made hand holds a rarity and she had to use her hadou to punch handholds into the rock. She was using these same handholds now.
Ryu was completely unsurprised to see her either. "I had a feeling you would be to determined to give up that easily. Your first lesson was in sacrifice, giving up your school and daily life proved that. Your second lesson was the cliff, I watched you and was impressed. Your hands must be killing you and you must be exhausted. There is a mat for you in the hut and some warm rice on the fire."
Sakura still remembers the blood all over her hands from the climb, sometimes when she looks at them she can still see it. Or perhaps it is the blood of countless fights. Either way, she always smiles when she is reminded of either. She has always felt shame when she truly hurt someone, but it is what she lives for. She tried to give up fighting, she even settled down and had a daughter, but just felt dead inside. The constant self improvement and hardship. The quest for people strong enough to truly measure her accomplishments. The lessons learned from defeat and the pride gained from victory. She lived for these things.
She loved her daughter and always made a point of being near her, this made travelling a little harder than it had been previously. But when things are harder, the benefits are greater. This mountain was the first place she came when she returned to her old lifestyle, and she had found Ryu here as she expected. He was not alone, and she would never forget that day.
She pulled herself over the edge onto the landing where the training grounds were. He was standing there, completely unsurprised. A face hard chiselled and wearing an expression of constant demonic agony. In the chilling cold he wore nothing but a torn pair of gi pants, oblivious to the cold. Sakura looked at her hands, and saw no blood even though she could feel it and taste it. His gaze seemed to have the ability to make you feel your own frailties. She could feel every bone she had broken and every muscle she had broken. She almost collapsed to the ground. If she felt this way just having his gaze on her, imagine what he must feel constantly. He was so strong.
"You are tired. I look forward to a worthy battle, sleep and give me honor. Waste my time and you will find the return trip faster and permanant.", he said abrubtly, then turned and walked away.
"Akuma...", she forced out.
He stopped.
"I brought you something", she said as she reached into her satchel. She pulled out a torn and bloody strip of red cloth.
She brought it to him and he looked down and took it from her.
"This is Ryu's...", he was quizical.
"Yes."
He contemplated then turned and continued walking.
"We will have a good battle, you always were a strong one. I was right to spare you. The rice is warm."
Sigh... I remembered being obsessed over Street Fighters when I was still rather young, and that was years ago. So much has changed now with all these new additions to the storyline that I didn't really bother to keep track of.
Still, this story was an entertaining read. It was slightly poetic in its telling and that made it good in my opinion. Somehow though, I can't help but feel that I missed some special significance in the way that it was told. Are there any hidden spiritual messages interlaced somewhere within the words?
Ryu sat in contemplation at the top of one of his favorite mountains. He had setup a training camp when he was younger, but had not returned since Sakura had left. The whole situation had confused him; she was a much stronger fighter than he, stronger as a person. Ryu had frequently given in to the murderous intent innate in his blood wheras she still remained pure and in control. Physically, she was far more meak than he was. She had a resolve and determination to become better that was not so gifted with. When he first met her it was just before his first battle with Akuma, a battle which almost killed him. Sakura had showed up looking for a chance to fight the great Ryu. Even though he won the match he felt the victory was truly hers. She taught him something that day; and even though he taught her to fight, she was the true teacher.
Revenge was not the way. He always sought Akuma for a rematch to get revenge for what he had done to Gouken, his master. But through Sakura's influence he realized that simply sent him down the same path that made Akuma the demon he became. So he stopped seaking him and focussed on the things that really mattered. It was ironic that Sakura leaving is what finally made him realize what he was getting from her. He wondered if that was why she left.
Since then he had finally discoverred foes worthy of his fist. The German wrestler had greatly impressed him, being the only one he had ever met who could take the brunt of his Shin-Shoryuken. That man was an inpressive gargantuan tank of a man. Ryu felt that he should offer him some training, for he was very undisciplined. The only reason Ryu was able to defeat him was through cunning and skill, he could have crushed him easily had he gotten a solid hold of him. He wanted to fight him again, and train him.
Ryu heard a single footfall. The sound of a wooden sandle brushing against a stone, a very deliberate sound. He only knew one person who had the skill to top the mountain with such stealth.
"And now you seek me", it was a statement and not a question.
"Gen is dead a decade ago, and his lineage are not much more than troublesome wastes of humanity. The old hermit has vanished, I believe he is also dead. When he gave up trying to train you, he had probably realized how truly foolish he was. Bison's presence is still felt, but his shell is a frail piece of debre. Trapped within a vessel he himself had discarded. The self proclaimed God is also gone. Their are only two men alive worthy of my blood, and I finished fighting myself ages ago. Your student has potential, but as it stands will never reach it. All that is left is you."
Ryu stood.
"I bare you no remorse anymore. A simple battle would serve no purpose other than honor, and answering of unanswered questions. We would gain more if we trained together first. We a rivals now, not enemies.", Ryu paused.
"We must battle, it is an inevitible fate of nature. And only one of us would continue to fight. I would feel better knowing what I have masterred continues to another, as I am sure that you feel the same."
Akuma contemplated. "Yes, we must train together. This must be the ultimate fight of our lives. You were born to end me. Either you will defeat me or you will be the last one to be worthy of me."
Ryu headed for the hut. "We shall begin in the morning, first we shall share a meal as equals."
Another profound story laced with hidden words of wisdom. The story was surreal in a good sort of way. Just out of curiosity, this story has how many parts?
Not sure how many it will be split into. Some parts blend together...but the order everything is told will determine the final # of rounds. I should be working on the next round or two tomorrow at work.
Sakura remembered when she first climbed this mountain range. She was much younger, still of school age. Ryu had told her to go back to school, but only found a mundane level of boredom in her daily classes. Three stagnant months of sitting in a lumpy desk listenning to why calculus will help her buy vegetables while whiney female classmates whispered and giggled over the given weeks new idol group was really getting to her.
And a few weeks later she was climbing the sheer surface of a mountain she had never heard of. Maybe there was something to this Geography thing after all. She had decided againt that notion a few weeks later when she was learning far more Geography first hand then any class could teach her. It was a hard climb for her in her youth. Sheer sheet rock with an icey layer made hand holds a rarity and she had to use her hadou to punch handholds into the rock. She was using these same handholds now.
Ryu was completely unsurprised to see her either.
"I had a feeling you would be to determined to give up that easily. Your first lesson was in sacrifice, giving up your school and daily life proved that. Your second lesson was the cliff, I watched you and was impressed. Your hands must be killing you and you must be exhausted. There is a mat for you in the hut and some warm rice on the fire."
Sakura still remembers the blood all over her hands from the climb, sometimes when she looks at them she can still see it. Or perhaps it is the blood of countless fights. Either way, she always smiles when she is reminded of either. She has always felt shame when she truly hurt someone, but it is what she lives for. She tried to give up fighting, she even settled down and had a daughter, but just felt dead inside. The constant self improvement and hardship. The quest for people strong enough to truly measure her accomplishments. The lessons learned from defeat and the pride gained from victory. She lived for these things.
She loved her daughter and always made a point of being near her, this made travelling a little harder than it had been previously. But when things are harder, the benefits are greater. This mountain was the first place she came when she returned to her old lifestyle, and she had found Ryu here as she expected. He was not alone, and she would never forget that day.
She pulled herself over the edge onto the landing where the training grounds were. He was standing there, completely unsurprised. A face hard chiselled and wearing an expression of constant demonic agony. In the chilling cold he wore nothing but a torn pair of gi pants, oblivious to the cold. Sakura looked at her hands, and saw no blood even though she could feel it and taste it. His gaze seemed to have the ability to make you feel your own frailties. She could feel every bone she had broken and every muscle she had broken. She almost collapsed to the ground. If she felt this way just having his gaze on her, imagine what he must feel constantly. He was so strong.
"You are tired. I look forward to a worthy battle, sleep and give me honor. Waste my time and you will find the return trip faster and permanant.", he said abrubtly, then turned and walked away.
"Akuma...", she forced out.
He stopped.
"I brought you something", she said as she reached into her satchel. She pulled out a torn and bloody strip of red cloth.
She brought it to him and he looked down and took it from her.
"This is Ryu's...", he was quizical.
"Yes."
He contemplated then turned and continued walking.
"We will have a good battle, you always were a strong one. I was right to spare you. The rice is warm."
Still, this story was an entertaining read. It was slightly poetic in its telling and that made it good in my opinion. Somehow though, I can't help but feel that I missed some special significance in the way that it was told. Are there any hidden spiritual messages interlaced somewhere within the words?
We'll make you an offer you can't refuse.
Hosting: Vista Mafia
Hosted: Intrigue Mafia (Mini), Seance #43 (Basic), Conflux Mafia (Normal), Goo Mafia (FTQ), Experiment #26 (Basic)
Ongoing/Completed - 0/41
Town/Mafia/SK/Survivor - 30/6/4/1
NKed/Lynched/Survived - 15/11/15
Ryu sat in contemplation at the top of one of his favorite mountains. He had setup a training camp when he was younger, but had not returned since Sakura had left. The whole situation had confused him; she was a much stronger fighter than he, stronger as a person. Ryu had frequently given in to the murderous intent innate in his blood wheras she still remained pure and in control. Physically, she was far more meak than he was. She had a resolve and determination to become better that was not so gifted with. When he first met her it was just before his first battle with Akuma, a battle which almost killed him. Sakura had showed up looking for a chance to fight the great Ryu. Even though he won the match he felt the victory was truly hers. She taught him something that day; and even though he taught her to fight, she was the true teacher.
Revenge was not the way. He always sought Akuma for a rematch to get revenge for what he had done to Gouken, his master. But through Sakura's influence he realized that simply sent him down the same path that made Akuma the demon he became. So he stopped seaking him and focussed on the things that really mattered. It was ironic that Sakura leaving is what finally made him realize what he was getting from her. He wondered if that was why she left.
Since then he had finally discoverred foes worthy of his fist. The German wrestler had greatly impressed him, being the only one he had ever met who could take the brunt of his Shin-Shoryuken. That man was an inpressive gargantuan tank of a man. Ryu felt that he should offer him some training, for he was very undisciplined. The only reason Ryu was able to defeat him was through cunning and skill, he could have crushed him easily had he gotten a solid hold of him. He wanted to fight him again, and train him.
Ryu heard a single footfall. The sound of a wooden sandle brushing against a stone, a very deliberate sound. He only knew one person who had the skill to top the mountain with such stealth.
"And now you seek me", it was a statement and not a question.
"Gen is dead a decade ago, and his lineage are not much more than troublesome wastes of humanity. The old hermit has vanished, I believe he is also dead. When he gave up trying to train you, he had probably realized how truly foolish he was. Bison's presence is still felt, but his shell is a frail piece of debre. Trapped within a vessel he himself had discarded. The self proclaimed God is also gone. Their are only two men alive worthy of my blood, and I finished fighting myself ages ago. Your student has potential, but as it stands will never reach it. All that is left is you."
Ryu stood.
"I bare you no remorse anymore. A simple battle would serve no purpose other than honor, and answering of unanswered questions. We would gain more if we trained together first. We a rivals now, not enemies.", Ryu paused.
"We must battle, it is an inevitible fate of nature. And only one of us would continue to fight. I would feel better knowing what I have masterred continues to another, as I am sure that you feel the same."
Akuma contemplated. "Yes, we must train together. This must be the ultimate fight of our lives. You were born to end me. Either you will defeat me or you will be the last one to be worthy of me."
Ryu headed for the hut. "We shall begin in the morning, first we shall share a meal as equals."
We'll make you an offer you can't refuse.
Hosting: Vista Mafia
Hosted: Intrigue Mafia (Mini), Seance #43 (Basic), Conflux Mafia (Normal), Goo Mafia (FTQ), Experiment #26 (Basic)
Ongoing/Completed - 0/41
Town/Mafia/SK/Survivor - 30/6/4/1
NKed/Lynched/Survived - 15/11/15