Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or origins of characters. Belong to Capcom.

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Feet rushed frantically in the night across the thick vegetation of the forest floor. Creatures of the night watched down from the trees, afraid to investigate the dark figure. The hooting of owls and chirping of crickets, silenced as the figure dashed past. The snapping of plants and sticks under its feet echoed through the woods. A dim red eye broke the darkness, appearing behind the figure. The eye stalked around the figure leaving a trail of red like a paint stroke. The dark figure was the size of a young boy. He stopped and panted frantically, catching his breath. He looked behind him with his deep blue eyes noticing the blood red ones pursuing him. His skin went pale, he thought he had lost him.

"What does he want from me?" he whispered to himself.

The eye came closer. The boy wiped the sweat from under his chestnut brown hair and set out again. His stalker was toying with him he thought and he feared for when he got bored. He ran swiftly, his dirty white dogi being torn by the claws of branches from trees. Then suddenly there was a rip in the darkness, a dim light from the stars. The boy stepped up his speed running with everything he had. The light came closer and closer, he could feel the cold breeze of night blowing gently on his face. Then there was darkness in front of him. Towering over him was a giant of a man, two red demonic eyes staring down at him.

"Enough games Ryu!" said the red eyed man. "My brother began your training and I will finish it."

Ryu was frozen, gazing into the hellish fires of the man's eyes. Even as a boy nothing in Ryu's life had scared him. He considered fear as a weakness and stood bravely against anything that opposed him. But this man was different, his sheer presence put Ryu in a cold sweat.

"Prepare yourself..."

A cold breeze brushed past them both. The red eyes looked around the forest.

"...to Die One Thousand Deaths!"

The demonic man dashed away from Ryu, towards the exit of the forest. Standing there was another giant man. Darkness engulfed the area. Sparks of blood red jolted around the entrance. Tree's exploded and fragments of woods flew in all directions. Ryu watched in awe. Smoke started to rise from the remains of the battle. Ryu peered into the fog hoping his pursuer was gone.

"Master?" Ryu whispered.

Out from the smoke came a white bearded man with a bleeding forehead. Ryu bowed with respect.

"Master Gouken! I'm so glad you're here!"

Gouken smiled slightly then looked behind him.

"We must make haste before he regains conciousness," he replied.

Ryu nodded. He felt relieved that the stranger had been beaten by his master but he knew this wasn't the last he'd see of him.

***

Ryu waited patiently at the entrance of the dojo. The dojo was located up a small mountain near the forest where Ryu had been pursued several weeks ago. The mountain air was thick and relentless but to Ryu it was nothing. Training in this environment had made his lungs strong and the harsh climates would no longer hinder his abilities. Ryu sat on the wooden steps leading to the main door. He knew Master Gouken was inside meditating and today was a special day. He had been told he would taught to defend himself against a great evil. It had crossed his mind he might be referring to the man from the forest. He gazed out at the land below him. The sun had just risen casting a light orange glow across the lands. The doors on the dojo slid open. Gouken stood with his arms crossed.

"Come."

Ryu got up and entered the dojo.

Gouken stood in front of Ryu with his eyes closed deep in thought. Ryu waited with patience for his lesson. Gouken scratched his beard.

"Today I will teach you to defend yourself against the forces of darkness."

Ryu wanted to ask about these forces but from living and training with Gouken he had learned great patience.

"The man who pursued you in the forest was my brother. His name is Gouki but these days he goes by the name Akuma."

Ryu didn't know he had any family. One of the things he felt he could relate to with Gouken is that they were both alone. Ryu didn't know any of his family and Gouken never spoke of his. No visitors or relatives came to see Gouken.

"Why did he come after me?"

"You are a good student Ryu. From monitoring your progress I can proudly say you will even surpass myself."

Gouken's face became uneasy. Gouken was a big man, his body a finely tuned weapon. His facial and physical features made him seem like a man who could never be rattled or shaken up.

"Akuma has been watching us train. I know because I can feel his very presence. He sees the potential in you and wants to convert you to follow his art of fighting..." he paused for a moment.

"Satsui no Hadou. The origin of our fighting style."

Ryu remembered the attack Akuma had done on Gouken in the forest... its awesome power.

"What I am going to tell you next is important... Akuma will come for me and he will kill me."

Ryu's eyes widened with horror and pain.

"Focus Ryu. Today I will teach you a move. This move will help you fight away the darkness, the Satsui no Hadou."

Gouken rested his hand on Ryu's shoulder and gave him a stern look.

"Today I will teach you the Shin Shoryuken."

Ryu spent that day watching and learning. He put his masters words to the back of his head while he trained. Gouken was different in this lesson, he revealed a more loving and caring side that he never showed during training. This told Ryu that Gouken was deadly serious about his brother coming for him.

***

Sweat splashed off Ryu's gloves as he blocked the roundhouse kick. Ken was on fire today and his fists and kicks came out swift and hard. Ryu could only just keep up with him blocking and parrying the flurry of blows from the blonde warrior.

"Keep your focus man!" Ken taunted.

The hurricane kick came in fast, Ryu barely blocked it. As Ken was landing Ryu took this opportunity to grab him but Ken reacted fast and smacked his arms out of the way. Ken lunged forward with a sharp kick to the gut. Ryu fell back on his behind.

"You're not with it today bro," said Ken as he reached his hand out to help him up. Ken was right, Ryu didn't feel like himself. He felt uneasy today perhaps he was sick he thought.

"I know, I'm sorry."

Ken helped him on his feet and gave him a pat on the back. It was eleven years ago when they first met. Ryu had liked it when it was just Gouken and himself. When Ken showed up he wasn't thrilled with the idea of sharing his master. Regardless another kid the same age was a blessing. They became good friends, sparring partners and rivals.

A shower of rain came down on the pair, their dogi soaking up the water fast. They had been sparring just below the dojo.

"Lets go back up," said Ken.

The two of them climbed the mountain with ease but Ryu struggled a bit. He still felt uneasy and since he couldn't climb the hill as well as he usually did he put it down to illness.

They reached the top of the mountain and the dojo was in ruins. It looked as if a hurricane had hit it. Ken rushed to the stairs, there were blooded sandal prints leading down them.

"What happened here?" asked Ryu looking very concerned.

Suddenly it hit him like a bullet train. He wasn't ill, he knew this feeling! He had this feeling twelve years ago when he was down in the forest that night. He suspected the worst and ran straight past Ken.

"Master Gouken!" he screamed.

Resting against the back wall was Gouken. He was sat in a pool of blood covered in marks and bruises. Above him was a symbol written in his blood. It was the kanji for heaven 天. Ryu dropped to his knees, Ken rushed in behind him his face full of pain and of shock. Ryu clenched his fist tightly trying to summon up the courage to suppress his emotions.

"Who did this?" demanded Ken.

"Akuma," Ryu instantly responded.