After the Bushin duo paid their respects to Master Zeku, they continued on their collective journey. Heading even farther from the city, Crimson wondered where they were going next. Guy must've noticed Crimson's thoughtful expression and spoke of where they were headed next.

"We're going to the tournament.", Guy said. Crimson smiled. The tournament! Guy hadn't brought him along to the Street Fighter tournament in awhile. Crimson had gotten eliminated in the previous tournament by Ken's student Sean, and that somewhat dampened the young Bushin's fighting spirit. Crimson vowed that if he ever fought Sean again, things would be different. But he wasn't focused on that. He wanted to know who Guy was fighting this time around.

"So, who's the opponent, Guy?", Crimson asked. The Bushin Master answered.

"Ken Masters."

Crimson looked surprised. The US Martial Arts champion? He wondered if Guy could defeat Ken.

"*Aw, of course he can... After all, Guy IS the Bushin Master. No problem at all...*", Crimson reasoned with himself. The young Bushin student then had another thought.

"Hey, Guy...", Crimson began, "...What about me? Did you set up a match for me, by any chance?"

Guy looked at his student. Then he nodded.

**********

(At The Tournament)

**********

Guy stood with Crimson awaiting his match. The fighting area wasn't very elegant, but rustic, if even that. It was a rocky area, with pebbles rising from the ground. Low grasses and a few trees dotted the open area. Crimson noticed to his left a dojo in the distance, and to his right, a waterfall that was flowing freely.

"*Hey...Don't I KNOW this place...?*"

Crimson didn't have a chance to finish his thought, however. The other fighters and onlookers who watched the fight stepped aside as a large fighter stepped through the crowd. Crimson recognized him, but didn't know his name. The man wore a cape about his huge chiseled form, and on his arms and legs were jagged scars in an X formation. Crimson whistled.

"How did he get battle scars like that? Fighting bears?*", he wondered. The announcer of the match then spoke of the fighter's name.

"Here is the challenger... Hailing from the Soviet Union, he is the 'Red Cyclone' of Russia, Zangief!"

Applause broke out at the mention of Zangief's name. It was obvious that some of his comrades had came to cheer him on as well. Crimson clapped as Guy quietly looked on. Another fighter soon made his way through the crowd, wearing an off-white gi and carrying a worn-out white duffel bag slung over his shoulder. The small crowd began cheering before the announcer could even introduce the fighter, and for good reason. After all, everyone knew who he was.

"Ryu...", Crimson said in amazement. Ryu, with a quiet air about him, simply dropped his bag at a nearby tree, and prepared to fight Zangief. Zangief smiled, and tossed his cape into the crowd, flexing his huge muscles as intimidation. After tightening his headband, and then adjusting his gloves, Ryu simply lowered into his fighting stance without any conversation of fanfare at all. Soon, a referee made his way to the upcoming match. Raising his arm, the referee looked at both Ryu and Zangief to make sure they already knew the rules. Ryu and Zangief both nodded. Bringing down his hand, the referee started the match!

"ENGAGE!"

**********

(After The Fight)

**********

"Man, that was one awesome fight, Guy.", Crimson said enthusiastically. Guy nodded.

"Well-fought by both fighters, but Ryu was the victor. I haven't seen many people get up under their own power when Ryu uses the Metsu Shouryuken, but Zangief is a strong fighter. He'll manage.", Guy said, giving Crimson a full analysis of the match the two had just seen. As Ryu was making his way past the crowd who was cheering his name, he noticed Guy. With a slight smile, he made his way towards the Bushin Ninja.

"Well, Guy. I did not think you'd be in this tournament this time around.", the Shotokan fighter said with a slight accent in his voice. Guy smiled and nodded.

"You should know I never turn my back from a challenge, Ryu."

Then, turning his attention to Crimson (who still was in slight shock that the greatest Street Fighter was now in his presence), Ryu extended his hand to the young Bushin.

"Guy has told me much about you. I have heard you are to become the successor of Bushin, a noble title.", Ryu said. Crimson nodded proudly.

"That's right... I've been training with Guy for about a year now, and I hope to become a master of Bushinryuu just like Guy is teaching me to.", Crimson replied. Ryu nodded approvingly.

"Very good then... I hope you are prepared for the challenges that will follow, young warrior. They will only become greater as you continue in your journey to become a master of the Bushin arts. Remember that.", Ryu said quietly. Crimson nodded, understanding each word Ryu spoke.

"Well...", Guy said, "...I won't keep you here, then. You should probably be on your way to a new opponent, am I correct?"

"True.", Ryu said. "I do have more training and opponents to encounter at the time. It was good to see you, Guy. May our paths cross again sometime in the near future."

"Yes, may they cross again...", Guy said with a smile. Shaking Guy and Crimson's hand once more, Ryu picked up his duffel bag from it's spot by the tree, and continue on his trek. Crimson watched as Ryu made his way into a nearby woodland, and disappeared through the underbrush of trees and high-growing grasses.

"That was Ryu... wow.", Crimson said in sheer awe. Guy tapped Crimson on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Ahem. It seems as if your match will come first... again.", Guy said briefly. Crimson turned around to face guy with an expression of sheer surprise.

"Again? I just took a beating from Balrog, and now I've got to fight again, and this fast?", Crimson said with a sigh following. He then looked at Guy's stern look, and knew there wasn't any way out of this upcoming match.

********

(The Match)

********

Crimson stood in the same area that he watched Ryu and Zangief battle. Awaiting his opponent, he heard a familiar voice being mentioned by the fight announcer.

"And now, hailing from the US, here's the intermediate division Street Fighter champion, the Air Force ace... Aaron Volpe!"

The crowd cheered their approval. Crimson went slack-jawed. Aaron Volpe? Here? Sure enough, Volpe made his way through the crowd, slapping high- fives and smiling all the while. When he noticed Crimson, Volpe stopped dead in his tracks.

"Well! I didn't expect to see you here, sir Crimson. Where hast thou been?", Volpe said. Crimson cocked his head at a funny angle as he examined the new Aaron Volpe. He certainly was different. High hair that fell over his forehead in a few places, and shiny dog tags adorned his neck. Not to mention that Aaron was, well, beefed up. Crimson realized that Aaron must've been training hard in the air force to have such a strong frame.

"*Hm. I don't remember him speaking olde English, though... Oh well...*", thought Crimson.

"Well, Aaron, where have you kept yourself? What are you DOING here, anyway?", Crimson said, moving forward to shake Aaron's hand. Aaron still smiled.

"Well, I've been in the Air Force and working with Interpol for awhile now, my friend. And what I'm doing here? Well, that's classified information...", Aaron trailed off.

"Oh...", Crimson said. Aaron then snapped his fingers and grinned.

"...That doesn't mean I won't tell you anyway. I'm here with Chun-Li and Charlie to investigate the vile sponsor of this tournament, the ruthless, evil, and not to mention just plain bad, M.Bison."

"Ah, I see. My teacher Guy is also actively searching for Bison also, but in the meantime, we've both entered this tournament.", Crimson said. Aaron nodded. Soon enough, the referee walked over to them.

"Are you two ready?", he asked the fighters. Aaron nodded, and Crimson gave the thumbs up.

"Very well then. On my signal, engage.", the referee said, raising his arm in the process. The two fighters looked at each other, nodding. The referee brought down his arm quickly, signaling the match had began!

"ENGAGE!"

Crimson ran towards Aaron in a Hayagake dash. As Aaron made his move to attack, Crimson did a full flip over him, but didn't fully clear, resulting in a reverse punch to Crimson's back as he landed past Aaron. Crimson whirled around, and tried to counterattack, throwing a few punches in Aaron's direction. Aaron parried the quick strikes with precision, and finally countered with a straight punch that found it's home in Crimson's chest. Staggering back, the young Bushin student shook of the effects of the punch, expecting Aaron to quickly converge on his current spot. But no, Aaron was still waiting in his light boxing stance. Crimson shook his head one more time, and continued the fight. Sending more blows and mixing them up more often, Crimson began to wear down Aaron's guard. Suddenly, Aaron lashed out a quick blow, but Crimson adjusted his stance and stepped away from the fist and threw a Hadouryuken in Aaron's direction, which found it's way directly into the Air Force soldier's abdomen.

"Not bad, methinks.", Aaron said. Crimson nodded, and continued his assault. Still, Aaron blocked most of Crimson attacks as if he had some sort of infinite guard meter (An inside joke for all you SFAlpha3 players out there). Finally, Aaron retaliated, shooting up into the air in a somersault attack, chi energy rising off his foot as it crashed into Crimson's jaw. The crowd gasped in awe at the insanely quick special move Aaron had just performed. The Bushin student somehow was aware enough to aerial recover, performing a back flip in the air and landing on his feet. Shaking his head as if in disbelief, Crimson slowly dropped back into his fighting stance again. Aaron smiled all the while.

"*Man, I don't know HOW Aaron got this strong...*", Crimson muttered to himself. Running full-tilt at Aaron again, Crimson this time, did a flip before Aaron had thought he would. Crimson reached out as he flipped over Aaron and grabbed his shoulders. Landing on the ground, Crimson used as much strength to power-bomb Aaron. And he was successful. Aaron got up to his feet shakily, and gave Crimson a thumbs-up.

"Very good, Crimson. I guess I'm going to have to stop holding back now, methinks..."

"*HOLDING BACK?*", Crimson said. THAT'S why Aaron was continuously blocking? Nahh... As quick as he thought that, Aaron charged at Crimson is flurry of blows. Crimson negated most of the blows, and then a hard punch to his blocking arms made Crimson lose his guard and get the brunt effect of Aaron's 'Volpe Punch Blitz'. Guy watched the match, shaking his head all the while.

"*He's not using anything I've taught him. He's still not thinking, just fighting reckless. That's not Bushin...*", Guy thought to himself. Meanwhile, Crimson was taking blows and trading blows as well. It began to seem as if the match was getting a bit personal... Crimson avoided a high roundhouse, and finally capitalized off Aaron's mistake. Charging up his chi, Crimson rose into the air, carrying the Air Force member with him.

"RISING TRIUMPH!"

Crimson crossed up Aaron in mid-air, starting off with two straight punches, following up with an elbow thrust to the midsection of Volpe. Suddenly, and most incredibly, Aaron interrupted Crimson's mid-air super combo with an attack of his own! Another flash of chi erupted around Volpe's leg as he did an aerial version of his Somersault Kick! The crowd whistled, clapped, and cheered loudly. Crimson landed on the ground in a heap as the thunk of Aaron's combat boots made their clunking sound upon landing on the ground. Crimson finally got up, but he was disoriented, looking around as if dazed and confused. Now was the time for the SUPER COMBO...

Aaron simply walked up to Crimson, who still didn't recognize were he was or what sort of predicament he was in right now. Charging up his inner energy to the maximum, Volpe then said... "Forgive me, good friend, but I have to do this..."

Crimson heard that loud and clear, snapping back into reality... But it was too late. Aaron, then at full strength, ready to dispose of the young Bushin Ninja then did something that surprised all who were watching the fight, including maybe even himself... Turning to the crowd and the referee, the Air Force ace spoke in his usual mighty mannerism.

"I quit. Crimson is the winner.", Aaron said with a grin.