Setting #2: On a Roof
Timeline: Year 4 of Ken's Training – Spring
Ryu was lying on the roof of the temple; the light of the full moon reflecting off his bare chest. A half hour earlier, Ryu had awoken from a very real and very disturbing dream. It had not been the first, and would not be the last. Ryu stared at the moon lost in thought over not just what he had dreamed about, but what he had felt about in that dream. A dark, angry, dominate, and perhaps even erotic feeling that was scary and yet at the same time intoxicated; the seduction of the dark devious nature in us all. Though Ryu didn't know what it was he felt at that point in time, all he knew is that he both dislike and yet craved it.
"There you are." Ken called out as he came climbing up the ladder next to Ryu, "What's wrong, can't sleep again?"
"Your snoring kept me awake" Ryu replied in a very flat tone.
"Hey, you know me; when sensei works me hard you hear it all night." Ken laughed, but became concerned when Ryu didn't even move. Ken laid down next to Ryu on the roof, his uniform shirt open to better feel the night air. They stayed like that for at least ten minutes.
"Ken, I've been thinking" Ryu started, "when we spar with each other, or any of the other students… do you feel anything?"
"Sure" Ken jumped in, "I feel pumped. I mean, I love a good match; knocking them down, reading their moves, even taking a good blow."
"I mean, anything deeper." Ryu continued.
"Oh, you mean that spiritual stuff that the master is always going on about. Hmm…" Ken scratched his head, "Well I guess sometimes I feel kind of scared when I fight."
"You, scared?" Ryu said as he looked over at his friend.
"Sure, I mean we all do from time to time. Like when that big guy the other day, he really had me pinned down good; I thought he might break my back with that hold."
"If you had a person in a spot like that Ken… how would you feel?"
"Pumped, like man, if I were that guy, I would have kneeled down next to his ear and whispered something in his ear like, 'If you don't give now, I'll bend you leg back and make you scream in front of the whole school."
"Ever think of doing something more… like something illegal just to make them struggle?"
"What do you mean Ryu? Like…"
"You know, grab something… Or maybe choke them a little?"
"You serious?" Ken said as he looked over to Ryu. He didn't say anything as he stared up at the moon, but after a moment he nodded.
"That's kind of screwed up; I mean the thing that gets me really pumped is knowing that it is a fair fight. I mean, all is fair in combat and all, but openly cheating like that. Like, if somebody grabbed me there, I'd be pretty mad… maybe even pissed."
"That is what scares me…" Ryu continued, "there is something about acting like that… that is kind of… oh never mind." Ryu turned on his side facing away from Ken.
"Hey" Ken said as he put his arm on Ryu's forearm, "We can't think that way. We fight fair, that is what Master is always talking about right? I mean, I fall asleep all the time, but even I know that." Ken gave off a little bit of a nervous laugh.
"Yeah, no matter what, we got to play straight. I can't help but to wonder though Ken, is it okay to do that type of stuff if they do it first?"
"Why, did somebody do something like that to you?"
"Nah, but I had a dream about something like that." For the first time that night, Ryu smiled.
"Heh, leave it to you to dream about fighting. I got better things to dream about bud."
"Like that big car you dad promised you when you were done with your training?" A moment later Ryu felt a sudden kick in his back that almost caused him to roll down the roof. He reached out his hands and grabbed a hold of whatever he could, then glared at Ken.
"What was that for?!" Ryu demanded. Ken smiled,
"Hey, I'm here because I want to learn; not because my folks wanted to get rid of me."
"Yeah, I know." They both went silent for awhile.
"Sorry I said that Ken." Ryu said a few minutes later.
"No problem." Ken jumped up to a standing position, "I'm going to try that whole sleeping thing again, you going to camp out on the roof some more?"
"Probably, might sleep out here too."
"Alright, but won't you get cold?"
"Nah, I like waking up with the mist all over me."
"Suit yourself." Ken said as he descended the ladder back to their room.
Shortly after Ken had left, Ryu laid again on his back as he started to feel the coldness of the night give him goose bumps. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, and then thought again about his dreams. He continued to wonder how good or bad it would be to just once, embrace the desires he was starting to feel.