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Master & Student of Bushinryuu - Chapter Eight

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...Crimson ran directly at Balrog, who swung at him with an uppercut that missed it's mark. Crimson adjusted his frame in mid-air, and kicked Balrog in the chest. Guy went to close-quarters combat with Vega, but stayed wary of the Spanish assassin's claw. Guy faked a kick outwards to Vega, in which the assassin jumped away expecting an attack from the Bushin master. Guy then ran towards Vega, and swept him to the ground with his Kage Sukui attack. Vega recovered quickly, and sent Guy backwards with his 'Scarlet Terror' reversal. Crimson was having a relatively easier time with Balrog. Balrog had no attack strategy whatever, and was just attacking at random. But the punches he threw were still hurting. Crimson narrowed his eyes, preparing to attack the Shadaloo Grand Master once more.

"What are ya' waiting for kid? An engraved invitation? Let's FIGHT, punk!", Balrog taunted. Crimson smiled.

"Yes... let's.", Crimson replied. Crimson then performed a flying kick out of nowhere directly at Balrog, who had no chance to block the attack. Balrog was hit in the chest by the attack, and tried to counter with his Buffalo Head attack, but missed yet again as the Young Bushin evaded another attack. Crimson followed up with a reverse palm strike, then reversing it yet again into a Houzanto. The boxer was reeling from the attack, and Crimson capitalized yet again, adding a Bushin-Senpukyaku into the attack. Balrog got the brunt of the attack, receiving four kicks to his skull.

"Hmph... You're not so tough now, are you 'Barlog'?", Crimson taunted. The burly boxer got to his feet shakily, and after a minute or so of blurred vision, finally came back into sights with Crimson standing a few feet away from him. Growling like a caged animal, Balrog then threw another punch in the Bushin student's path in the form of a Dashing Straight. Crimson found it almost too easy to block and dodge the sloppily thrown attacks. Another dash punch from Balrog was reversed by Crimson as he slid under it and came up with a Houzanto lunge directed at the Grand Master's jaw, spilling his blood. Balrog staggered back on his heels. Wiping his lip on his boxing glove, he became even more infuriated when he realized that the 'punk kid' Crimson bloodied his lip.

"You little twerp! You busted my lip open!", Balrog cried angrily. Crimson looked away from Balrog with his hand on his hat, thinking about something. Balrog looked at Crimson.

"What the hell are you thinking about!?!"

"Nothing...", Crimson began, "...Just an idea, that's all. I was thinking that maybe you should give up right about now..."

Another insult! Balrog charged up his remaining Psycho Power he had, and attacked Crimson in his most powerful move, the 'Gigaton Blow'. Crimson instinctively blocked, but the force was too strong, and he was sent backwards by the blow. Guy, meanwhile, was locked in an intense battle with Vega. Neither had gotten any devastating blows, but the fight was furious nonetheless. Suddenly sensing Crimson's dangerous situation, Guy made an attempt to get past the Spaniard assassin. But Vega wasn't having any of that. With a loud battle cry, the Shadaloo assassin leapt into air, and with the speed of a hawk, swooped down on Guy, and somehow turned Guy upside-down and suplexed him to the ground. Vega chuckled as he rolled back into a ready fighting stance as Guy slowly got up.

"Hm... What a cool move.", Guy said quietly.

"Your style offers interesting qualities, Vega..."

"I know, I know...", Vega said gloating. Then with another shrill cry, the assassin went into a rolling ball on the ground, then lashed out at the Bushin Master with his claw. Guy dodged the deadly claw, and countered with his 'Dashing Crescent' attack. Vega was sent staggering yet again, and this time, his claw came off.

"My claw!", Vega cried out. It had been knocked right into the area where Balrog and Crimson were still fighting. The young Bushin fighter realized Vega was missing his claw and looked down only momentarily to find that indeed, the claw was right in front of him! Balrog with a loud growl, swung at Crimson yet again. Crimson ducked, and swept the boxer off his feet. Then with added effort, kicked the claw in Guy's direction. Vega's eyes went wide from his mask.

"Damn you!", the Spanish assassin cried out. Running at Guy to retrieve his lost claw, Guy tensed up only momentarily before suddenly jumping into the air. Lifting Vega in the air with a fist, Guy quickly followed up with an elbow thrust.

"Hissatsu...!"

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Shadaloo Installations

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"Damn them both!", Bison said observing the main screen. Both his 'Grand Masters' were losing to the Bushin duo. The Lord of Shadaloo realized now that Guy and Crimson may have more strength together then he had previously thought.

"*It looks as if I'll have to settle this, then...*", Bison thought to himself. Raising himself out of his chair, he disappeared.

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Psycho Drive Room

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Bison appeared in the room for his demonic machine with a laugh. Juni and Juli were close by. Upon seeing their master, both clicked their heels together and saluted. However, Bison ignored their salutes of loyalty, and went directly to the Psycho Drive.

"Is it ready?", Bison asked Juli, looking at his Psycho Drive. The brunette- haired doll smiled.

"Yes Master Bison. The machine is primed and ready to use at your disposal.", Juli said. Bison nodded, and with another warp, was silently floating inside the clear walls of the Psycho Drive.

"Install Psycho Drive. Command: Bison.", the machine's computer said, recognizing the Lord of Shadaloo. M. Bison turned to his two 'dolls'.

"Make sure the EGPS is at full-strength, and turn the EPM to 70.", Bison said. Juni and Juli hesitated, but followed Bison's orders. With two turns of various buttons, double-clicking, and voice-activation, the machine slowly began humming with electricity and energy coursing through it. Bison closed his eyes and prepared for the rush of evil energy. Suddenly, a greenish-blue ray of energy shot down from the top of the Psycho Drive and surrounded Bison until his two servants couldn't see him. The ray of energy soon turned clear enough for Juni and Juli to see him. M. Bison's eyes were glowing with a pale blue electricity emanating from them. Bison saw the worried faces of his 'dolls' and chuckled.

"This should be enough energy... Turn the Psycho Drive off.", Bison said with a grim smile. Juni and Juli nodded. More clicking and turning of various buttons soon turned the Psycho Drive from 'Running' into 'Standby Mode'. M. Bison soon warped from the Psycho Drive and floated idly in the air in front of Juni and Juli.

"Exceptional work, my dolls. You will be well-rewarded for your services.", Bison said. Juni and Juli both saluted once more. Waiting for Bison's command, the dolls stood waiting there. The Lord of Shadaloo then looked at both and nodded. The two dolls then spun on their heels simultaneously, and walked from the Psycho Drive Room. Bison observed both dolls' leave as they stepped from the room. Suddenly, an electronic beeping made Bison look around.

"*Hm. The Psycho Drive?*", Bison wondered. It was something else. The com- link. Bison answered it, expecting Vega or Balrog. But no. The voice was different. And it wasn't Memphis Long.

"I warn you, Bison...", the voice said, "...You had better cease your ways, or I'll be forced to confront you."

The Lord of Shadaloo smiled grimly. "You must be Guy, am I not right? Well, let me tell you something. My Grand Masters are nothing in terms of power. I AM POWER. If you are foolish enough to confront me, you're signing off on your own execution..."

"If I am...", Guy said quietly, "...Then I'm bringing you with me. By any means necessary..."

Bison was then met by the dial tone of the com-link.

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The Fighting Arena

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Guy stood over Vega. Lifting him up, Guy asked him in a simple voice the whereabouts of Bison.

"I'm going to tell you!?! Ha. Bison would kill me.", Vega said weakly. Guy simply let him drop to the floor. He would've asked Balrog, but Crimson had knocked him out with the Bushin-Chouzetsukyaku. Guy's student looked over at him.

"You were serious about that 'by any means necessary' thing?", Crimson asked. Guy nodded.

"If you do not think you can handle this, Crimson, I'll send you back. It is not necessarily your fight.", Guy told his student. The young Bushin smiled at Guy's offer.

"That's what you'd want, wouldn't it Guy?", Crimson said with a smirk. "...But, I'm staying. I have an obligation as a student of Bushin. If something happens to me by the hand of Bison or anything else, I'll at least know I died with honor, fighting the evils of this world like a Bushin should."

Guy was taken by Crimson's impressive words. "You're learning now, even as we speak, my student. Let us go. There's no time to waste.", the Bushin master said. Crimson quickly followed suit.

"*I hope I know what I'm doing...*", Crimson thought. The young Bushin student knew they'd be facing Bison soon. It wouldn't be long now. He just hoped he was ready to give his life if necessary for the cause...

- Chapter Nine Coming Soon -